Parker Chronicle 092123

Locally

An ax-cellent year

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

A night out with the neighbors put entrepreneur Jesse rash on the path to small business ownership.

“When I rst went, I wasn’t good,” rash said of his inaugural ax-

throwing experience in January 2022. “But I knew it was a good idea.”

rash was intrigued by the thought of starting an ax-throwing business in Douglas County after he and a few fellow Parker residents spent two hours heaving hatchets and building camaraderie at a place in Englewood. It was a simple setup, yet the group had a blast.

“I was literally thinking about names on the way home from that rst time,” he said.

By mid-August of 2022, rash

had opened his own venue — dubbed rashin’ Axes — in Parker. e 1,600-square-foot space, which just celebrated its rst anniversar y, houses six throwing lanes in a strip mall on Mainstreet near the AMC eater.

Each lane features a computerized scoreboard and digital targets that are projected onto panels made from end grain wood. In addition to the standard bullseye, participants can aim at zombies or even images

HUNTING SEASON

THOMAS REBUKE

Laydon pumps brakes on punishments P2 ABLE SHEPHERD

Douglas sheriff’s office cuts ties with organization P26

owned ax-throwing business sticks its first anniversary

Brandon Cant watches Amanda Cant, his wife, take aim. The Castle Rock couple spent date night at Thrashin’ Axes in Parker on Aug. 21, 2023.

PHOTO BY RACHEL LORENZ

SEE AX THROWING, P10

Harsh winter prompts reduction in number of tags available P6

Proposal to further punish Thomas fails

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In what could signal a turning point in the string of recent 2-to1 con icts on Douglas County’s board of elected leaders, Commissioner Abe Laydon voted against the fourth attempt in less than a month to reprimand Commissioner Lora omas.

“ e people of our county are not interested in paying for this conversation or this activity, and it grieves me unbelievably that we are spending our valuable time having this fruitless discussion. I would love to see all three of us work well for those we serve,” Laydon said during a Sept. 12 meeting of Douglas County o cials.

At the meeting, Commissioner George Teal again proposed to remove omas from more positions on outside organizations in the community.

ough Laydon and Teal had voted to remove omas from positions on other outside organizations in the community just two weeks

earlier, Laydon blocked the newest proposal to punish omas — at least for the moment.

“I don’t have enough information in front of me,” Laydon said, adding: “I’m open to hearing it and receiving it, but at this point, I would really prefer to move forward with the good work of the county.”

‘Show it to me’

In recent weeks, Laydon and Teal have taken several steps to reprimand omas following what they say is behavior inappropriate for a county commissioner.

Teal and Laydon voted at a Sept. 5 meeting to cancel omas’ county credit card and to suspend her travel and mileage allowance. at move came a week after Laydon and Teal voted to remove omas from outside boards that oversee organizations in the community, and it occurred two weeks after they voted to censure, or formally disapprove, of her.

omas’ colleagues censured her largely in response to her actions criticizing a volunteer board that advises the county on how arts and culture funding should be spent. (For details on those actions and what led up to them, see Colorado Community Media’s coverage at tinyurl.com/CommissionerVotes.)

At the Sept. 12 meeting, omas argued Teal lacked evidence to further punish her.

“I have done nothing wrong,” omas said.

“Well, you have,” Teal responded. “ en show it to me,” omas said.

Teal pointed to “additional communications I’ve received — some of them verbal, by the way.”

Some of them “were communications from other members of the boards in question, suggesting that there was more work for us to do for the betterment of the people of Douglas County on these,” Teal said, continuing to argue in favor of removing omas.

“ ose actions that you took that caused that censure are now having ripple e ects, and they’re having ripple e ects to where the very integrity of the operation of this county is being called into question,” Teal also said.

He added: “ e evidence is what has already been presented and adjudicated as part of your censure.”

After hearing pushback from Laydon, Teal said: “How many more meetings do you want to have?”

“Because this isn’t going to go away. And, quite frankly, the individuals that approached me on reassigning these boards, they’re going to come back,” Teal said.

‘Ample evidence’

Speci cally, Teal proposed to remove omas from positions on organizations including the High Line Canal Conservancy; the Douglas County Emergency Telephone, or 911, authority; and the Uni ed Forensic Lab board.

Laydon voted against the proposal but left the door open to changing his mind.

“I think there is ample evidence to warrant the censure and the decisions that we’ve already made — they’ve been made on the record, publicly and transparently,” Laydon said. “ at said, I am not interested in continuing to punish or reprimand an individual for the behavior that occurred. If that behavior continues to occur, I am pleased to do that, and I think that’s consistent with our policy manual.”

Laydon added: “I don’t want to spend another millisecond of time on this. But if I must, I will do that for the bene t of this board and the people of this county … So for me, today, in the interest of time, I need to hit the pause button. I remain open to any speci c information or evidence as needed.”

Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas speaks at a June 13 event in Highlands Ranch where she and other o cials discussed property tax issues.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

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Remember, this only applies to water-based latex paint, and NO paint can be dumped in the gutter or thrown in the trash wet. Make a difference in keeping our waterways clean by practicing cost-effective ways to dispose of materials properly.

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

Peterson, opponents debate mill levy proposal

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLOROADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Four Douglas County conservatives argued for and against school funding measures on the ballot this November at an event hosted by Douglas County GOP event in Centennial.

Douglas County School Board President Mike Peterson and Invest in DCSD campaign manager Christa Gilstrap debated in favor of the $66 million mill levy override and $484 million bond that the school district is asking voters to approve.  Former school board presidents Kevin Larsen and Meghann Silverthorn took the opposing side during the Sept. 12 event.

Around 50 people attended the debate at the Blue Spruce Brewery. e debate allowed each side 20

minutes to present their arguments and then ve minutes for rebuttals, followed by audience questions and comments.

e $66 million mill levy override would be used to pay sta more competitively and hire additional school resource o cers, or SROs, while the $484 million bond would go to building three new elementary schools, expanding two middle schools and other building maintenance.

Peterson and Gilstrap started the discussion by describing how the current funding situation is hurting the district, citing examples like the bus route cancellations and hiring challenges.

“Our classes are starting to become crowded,” Peterson said. “We

former school board presidents Kevin Larsen and Meghann Silverthorn represented the opposition.

REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE EASY

Invest in DCSD campaign manager Christa Gilstrap argues in favor of the school funding questions on the ballot this November at a debate hosted by the Douglas County GOP on Sept. 14 at the Blue Spruce Brewery. Gilstrap and school board president Mike Peterson spoke in favor of the $66 million mill levy override and $484 million bond, while

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD SEE FORUM, P5

FORUM

already have an elementary school where we got zero applicants for second grade, so we took three classrooms, we made them two and we’ve got over 30 kids in each one. at’s the harbinger of what’s coming.”

e county has one of the lowest starting salaries in the Denver metro area and Peterson said the gap exists because of other districts passing mill levy overrides and bonds regularly while Douglas County has only passed one of each in the last 17 years.

In response, Silverthorn and Larsen argued that Douglas County schools have maintained high graduation rates and test scores across that period of time without constant funding.

“ ere’s not a correlation between teacher salary and results,” Silverthorn said.

Larsen added that he’d like to see pay for performance return to the district.

“I want to compensate great teachers better, I don’t want to compensate subpar teachers better, we need to di erentiate and I’d love to see when a mill is proposed that we make that distinction,” he said.

Gilstrap said in order to pay for performance, the district needs to pass the mill levy override.

“Kevin mentioned pay for performance, well in what industry do you have over performing employees and expect them to stay for $20,000 less? ey’re outperforming so they deserve a raise,” she said. “ e schools are still great but this is unsustainable.”

Both sides agreed that the current School Finance Act and state funding mechanisms are broken, which contributes to the problem.

Larsen and Silverthorn said more focus should be paid to the state funding before adding to local property taxpayers’ burden.

“I’m all for funding, but these kinds of numbers are not sustainable in a single year,” Larsen said.

On the other side, Gilstrap and Peterson said passing school funding locally is still important as state

level solutions haven’t happened yet.

“Not voting for it doesn’t change what’s happening at the state or the funding formula,” Gilstrap said.

“We can all agree that the funding formula is terrible and needs to be changed, but starving Douglas County of the funds it desperately needs is not going to x that. (Gov. Jared) Polis doesn’t care if we starve our district, he just doesn’t.”

Like the mill levy override, Larsen and Silverthorn put forth that the bond is asking for an extraordinary amount of funding, even as enrollment is seeing a slight decrease.

Larsen also said developers should take more responsibility for building schools in their neighborhoods.

“Are the builders and developers putting in the minimal amount of infrastructure, support and investment when they’ve got whole communities moving there because they expect a school,” he asked.

Peterson said that a bond will be passed at some point because it’s necessary for capital maintenance, calling it responsible and healthy debt. He added that the longer the bond is deferred, the more expensive it will get.

“You are all going to pass a bond, it might not be this year or next year, but if we keep going until kids are blowing out their ACLs on torn up turf elds and gym roofs are caving in and parking lots look like the San Andreas fault, eventually there will be a pain point when Douglas County passes a bond,” he said.

“Just know we rack up $35 million every year in expenses maintaining our 111 buildings.”

As part of his closing argument, Peterson reiterated that the district is in a crisis and said waiting to pass funding is not an option.

“You potentially risk the future of Douglas County School District, in my opinion, because if we wait until the crash hits and our academic ratings are going down and people aren’t moving here, then it’s too late to correct that ship,” he said.

e opposing side emphasized that the funding asks are too much at the wrong time, saying the impact is not worth the results.

“You can support the concept, but these numbers are really hard to support,” Larsen said.

This Suicide Prevention Month, the 988Lifeline is here to support you. No matter what you are going through, the trained crisis counselors of 988 can help. Call or text 988.

Register now for Youth Congress

Douglas County students, in grades 9-12, have an opportunity to become involved as youth delegates at the 2023 Douglas County Youth Congress on Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the State Capitol. To complete your online registration or to learn more, visit douglas.co.us and search for Youth Congress

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings.

Volunteers Needed

Helping Older Adults Stay Independent

Hunters face restricted seasons

winter weather conditions throughout the state, especially in northwestern Colorado. e hope is that these temporary restrictions allow herd populations to recover as quickly as possible.

licenses) compared to last year.

BY COURTNEY FAY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e 2023 hunting season is upon us, and this year marks some changes in big game hunting licenses — primarily, that fewer have been issued.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced in May of this year that these “unprecedented biggame hunting license reductions” were due to severe and prolonged

In addition, some hunting date ranges have been shorted. ese changes vary slightly depending on the area and game. CPW’s 2023 Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure provides a helpful guideline for these speci c changes. You can view the brochure and other hunting information for big and small game by visiting cpw.state.co.us. For the 2023-2024 season, CPW reports 236,600 licenses were issued for deer, elk, pronghorn, moose and bear. is is a 12% decrease (32,000

Despite this decrease, local hunters look forward to the season. “ is is my third hunting season,” Elbert County resident Calla Walker says. “I hunt turkey, dove, antelope and mule deer.”

To Walker and her family, hunting is not only a pastime, but a way to ll their freezer and provide meals for their family.

“Whenever I’m setting up, I thank the earth and Mother Nature for the pure food that I will be able to provide my family,” Walker said. “I do believe in God and I’m thankful for God, but I also strongly believe in Mother Nature and what she provides.”

For hunters, it is really all about the experience, and the Centennial State is second to none. “I got into hunting because of my husband, and it’s been the most incredible and humbling experience and truly gave me a di erent perspective on just going to the grocery store,” Walker added. “We also process all our meat, so that’s been a whole other humbling experience in itself.”

Colorado has some of the most diverse hunting opportunities in the country with 10 di erent big game species available, making it a popular travel destination for hunters.

e state is also home to the largest elk herds in the world, estimated at 280,000 animals. Whitetails, mule deer and pronghorns are commonly found on the eastern plains.

Additionally, Colorado has vast

land available for hunting, both public and private. e state boasts over 23 million acres of public land, and through CPW partnerships, 2 million acres of private lands are available for public hunting. e huntable land in Elbert County is primarily private and includes designated state wildlife areas.

Jumping Cow State Wildlife Area, located in Elbert County, sits on nearly 15,000 acres. Doves, mule deer, pronghorn and white-tailed deer doe can be harvested here. All the state wildlife areas in Colorado are acquired using money from hunter and angler licenses sold with the purpose of providing wildlife-related recreational spaces and to conserve wildlife habitats. Habitat Stamps, which have been required when applying for or purchasing any hunting or shing license since 2006, provide the primary funding for the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP).

For those who were able obtain a hunting license this season, CPW o ers a hunt planner service. Connect with a Hunt Planner by calling 303-297-1192 and they will help you map out your hunt. Colorado also has a Hunting Atlas program which provides information on big game concentrations and typical migration patterns as well as topo maps.

e CPW website provides a map of all state wildlife areas and participating ranches detailing acreage, what game can be hunted on the land, restrictions and interactive maps.

An elk bull and cow in a riverside scene in Colorado. COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE PHOTO

Elbert County resident Calla Walker poses with a mule deer she harvested and a compound bow. “This is my third hunting season,” Walker told the Elbert County News. “I hunt turkey, dove, antelope and mule deer.” COURTESY PHOTO

Last winter was harsh across parts of state, leading to limits

Funding for our schools is a business issue.

Strong schools are key to attracting new primary employers to Parker. You cannot be competitive in economic development without strong schools.

Increased property taxes do NOT mean more money for schools. It just means the State of Colorado contributes less.

Starting teacher pay in Douglas County ($45,209) and average teacher pay ($58,193) are the lowest in the metro area. Many Parker schools are experiencing 20-25% turnover as teachers move to neighboring districts for better pay.

Support staff are also paid at non-competitive levels, including School Resource Officers who help to keep our kids safe and counselors who attend to their mental health and wellness.

This funding will mean infrastructure repairs and improvements at 21 Parker schools, including all three public high schools.

5A/5B Informational Town Hall for Chamber members on Wednesday 9/27/23, 4:00 pm at Deep Space Event Center, Downtown Parker. Open to the public.

Parker launches leadership training program for professional women

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Whether they are a new business or experienced, women looking to expand their professional capability and e ectiveness will have the opportunity to strengthen their professional development with Parker’s new women’s leadership program.

e Parker Chamber of Commerce has announced the launch of a new 10-month leadership development program called the Women’s Experience, designed to encourage professional women to thrive and become strong leaders.

e Women’s Experience will be for a select group of 15 to 20 women who are a liated with a Parker Chamber member business or organization.

“We have just seen a large num-

ber of women in the chamber and felt that this was a great rst step in helping our members achieve a higher success in their careers and businesses,” said Kathy Calton, board member and treasurer of the Parker Chamber of Commerce.

e group will gather the rst Wednesday of every month starting in January 2024 from noon to 3:30 p.m. in downtown Parker.

e sessions will include a variety of training topics that are important to the growth and development of women in leadership.

Topics include resilience in dealing with crisis and con ict, sales and presentation skills, setting professional boundaries, mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion.

With various speakers at each session, the goal of the program is for it to be interactive so the participants have the chance to learn and grow.

e concept for the program was designed by the chamber’s summer intern, Sydney Houseman and T.J. Sullivan, the CEO and president of the Parker Chamber, said Calton.

While participation in the program is free, according to the chamber website, participants are required to commit to the following:

• Reading a foundational book by the rst session.

• Not missing more than one

session.

• Raising at least $1,000 to sponsor a woman for the 2025 class.

• Serve as a mentor after completing the program.

• Engage in each session with respect.

e deadline to apply for the inaugural class is Friday, Oct. 13. To apply, visit the website at parkerchamber.com/we.

“Parker Chamber of Commerce is looking for women that need and want professional development and will be able to help move the program forward in the future,” said Calton.

Acceptance to the program will be decided no later than Nov. 1.  Calton said she is excited to be part of the initial launch of the program.

“As a mother of two female young adults, I feel the need and calling to help move more women forward and help o er such great leadership options within our community,” said Calton.

e Chamber is also looking for businesses interested in sponsoring lunches for the Women’s Experiences sessions.

For additional questions, contact Kara Massa or T.J. Sullivan at the Parker Chamber o ce at 303-8414268.

Overview of Mainstreet in downtown Parker.

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AX THROWING

uploaded from their phones. Games like tic-tac-toe, cricket and connect four can also be chosen.

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And it’s not just axes that can be lobbed. e facility has several sharp objects to choose from including throwing stars, a queen of hearts card made of sharp metal, and a pointy cross called a ronin.

“Everyone just loves it. … row the star and the card and the knife at the zombie’s head. It’s fun,” rash said.

e activity attracts just as many women and children as men, according to rash. Often the women and kids are just as good at it as the guys.

e venue has canned Colorado beer and wine available plus nonalcoholic beverages and light pre-

packaged snacks for purchase. While the space in Parker has an occupancy limit of 65, rash said 30 people, ve at each lane, is more comfortable. While they can sometimes accommodate walk-ins, booking a time slot online is recommended.  rash, whose day job is managing projects for a tech company, said he enjoyed the process of shepherding his business from an idea to a brickand-mortar reality. He enjoyed it so much that he actually did it twice last year. rashin’ Axes became a local chain when its second loca-

tion opened in Frisco, Colorado, just four months after the Parker spot debuted.

“It was so exciting to build the business and get it up and running,” rash said.

Of course, it doesn’t run on its own. Besides the work that he and his wife put into it, rash has two full-time employees and a couple of part-time seasonal workers who help keep the pair of facilities running day to day.

And while rash toys with the idea of expanding the Parker location — maybe to add some arcade games or a rage room — he said he’s trying to stay patient and attentive to what he’s already created.

“It’s all been like a whirlwind,” rash said of the company’s rst year. “I just have to stay present, focused, and just do what I need to do next to make sure everything keeps going.”

Brandon Cant of Castle Rock gestures to a game of tic-tac-toe after sticking an ax at Thrashin’ Axes in Parker on Aug. 21, 2023.

Jesse Thrash, owner of Thrashin’ Axes in Parker, grips a ronin on Aug. 21, 2023. The ronin is one of several sharp objects, besides axes, that guests can throw at Thrash’s indoor ax-throwing establishment.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL LORENZ

Chris Dodson of Centennial gets ready to throw a knife during a visit with his church’s men’s group to Thrashin’ Axes in Parker on Aug. 21, 2023.

Thrashin’ Axes owner Jesse Thrash, left, talks with employee Jean Vargas as they watch guests throw on Aug. 21, 2023.

FROM PAGE 1

Thrashin’ Axes is at 18671 E. Mainstreet, Unit C, in Parker. It’s open afternoons and evenings Wednesday through Sunday. Check the “Book Now” link at thrashinaxes.com for availability.

County o cials call for ‘summit’ meeting to discuss property tax relief

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As an impending wave of higher property tax bills continues to loom over the Denver metro area, Douglas County o cials have put out a call for a meeting of local government leaders in hopes they may act to blunt the coming tax spike.

“ e purpose of the summit is to provide a means to have an important conversation about the property tax crisis that has engrossed our state and, through the conversation, search for means to provide some relief to property owners that the state government would not provide,” said Toby Damisch, who heads Douglas County’s property valuation o ce.

“In this case, that must include discussing the lowering of mill levies wherever possible,” Damisch said.

A “mill levy” is the o cial term for a property tax rate, and local taxes are in the spotlight after homeowners around the metro area checked a notice from their county assessors this spring and saw that their home value had jumped by sometimes shocking amounts.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, those home values — as calculated for tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. In Douglas County, residential properties faced increases between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%.

e high increase in property values means families’ property tax bills could jump up next year. at’s because when property values rise, the amount of taxes people owe goes up — even if local governments’ tax rates themselves don’t change.

Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, re and library districts, and other local entities.

In response to concerns about tax bills, the county government is taking the dramatic step of attempting to put many leaders of local government districts together in one meeting.

“We’re all working together to mitigate the impact of rising property taxes on our residents,” Douglas County Commissioner George Teal said during a recent meeting of

county o cials when asked what message he and his colleagues want to convey at the summit.

e county’s leaders don’t just want to hear perspective from o cials of smaller local government entities — they’re also seeking to hear from impacted Douglas County residents.

“Our approach is meant to be inclusive, so much so that we are using our live town hall technology to engage participants, not only in the room but also by phone and online,” said Damisch, the county assessor.

e meeting on property tax issues is set for Sept. 25 in the county commissioners hearing room at 100 ird St. in Castle Rock, the building where county o cials often hold public meetings.

What tax rates depend on Getting local government entities to lower their property tax rates means talking about the potential impact on the budgets they’re planning for next year.

For the most part, many local entities are in the middle of budget-forming season, according to Damisch.

“ at includes (the) Douglas County government,” Damisch said. “Most entities have to have their initial budget completed by mid-October, which is one reason the timing of this summit is so important.”

Making decisions about how high or low to set property tax rates — in other words, guring out how much property tax revenue a government aims to collect — depends in part on what’s called a “certi cation of value.” at tells local government entities the total taxable value of properties that exist within their boundaries.

In other words, it tells them the total value that the local government’s property tax rate would be multiplied by, Damisch said.

ese conversations also involve the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which limits the amount of money that the state government can collect and spend, or save, each year. Revenue above the limit — sometimes called a “TABOR surplus” — generally gets refunded to taxpayers. TABOR is an amendment to the Colorado Constitution.

But TABOR also plays a role in local governments’ tax revenue.

“TABOR restricts revenue, gen-

erally speaking, to growth plus in ation, so for a TABOR-restricted entity, if the increases in property (value) assessments are greater than what TABOR allows for in the resulting revenue, they are required to reduce their levy, at least temporarily,” Damisch said.

But “most entities have exempted from TABOR and can accept additional revenue received through an unchanged levy and increased (property value) assessments,” Damisch said.

at means many entities stand to take in more property tax revenue than they did last year without attempting to raise their property tax

rates.

Role of Douglas voters

For most local districts, any votes by their boards of leaders to attempt to raise their property tax rate must have already occurred, according to Damisch.

“ is is not the time to propose a levy. To the extent that a district is asking for a levy increase by their citizens for this December, they would need to have it on the ballot by now and approved before that time,” Damisch said.

Not all levy increases require voter

SEE SUMMIT, P21

Douglas County opts in to Prop 123 a ordable housing funds

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A state program approved by voters last November to help tackle Colorado’s housing a ordability crisis is set to make an impact in Douglas County now that leaders have opted in to its funding.

Proposition 123 directs state funding to programs that include “helping essential workers, such as teachers and nurses, buy homes,” according to a county sta report.

e measure sets aside a portion of annual income tax revenue in Colorado — up to 0.1% of taxable income each year — for a ordable housing programs.

Priorities eligible for funding under Prop 123 include a ordable homeownership and addressing homelessness, among other items, the sta report says.

To qualify for Prop 123 funding, the Douglas County commissioners had to commit to increasing the number of housing units that are considered “a ordable.” ey took that step at a Sept. 12 meeting.

Under Prop 123, “a ordable” housing was de ned based on two factors: household income and housing costs. For certain programs, a household’s income is compared to the area median income, or the midpoint of what households in a speci c area earn. As

de ned in the measure, a ordable housing means housing for renters making up to 60% of the area median income, or homeowners making up to 100% of the area median income, according to the state’s 2022 “blue book” voter guide.

For a housing unit or project to qualify as a ordable housing, housing costs must not exceed 30% of the household’s income, the guide says.

How the county qualifies

To qualify for Prop 123 funding, Douglas o cials had to identify the county’s baseline, or existing, number of a ordable housing units and commit to increasing that number by 9% over the next three years.

e American Community Survey from 2017 to 2021 was used to determine the baseline number, the county sta report says.

Douglas County’s commissioners voted to certify that the baseline number of 4,820 current a ordable housing units in unincorporated Douglas County is correct.

“Unincorporated” parts of the county are those outside of city and town boundaries, such as Highlands Ranch and others.

Based on that number, the county’s commitment to develop 9% more a ordable units in unincorporated Douglas County would result in 434 units over the next three years, the sta report says.

Eye on ‘workforce,’ older adults

e text of the resolution that the county commissioners voted on at the meeting points to a need for housing in Douglas County.

“Douglas County has a growing need for a ordable housing for residents with earned income that is insu cient to secure quality housing in reasonable proximity to their workplace, also known as workforce housing,” the resolution says.

Commissioner Abe Laydon echoed the resolution, saying: “Our greatest concern is for workforce housing.”

at’s including for rst responders, “many of which may not be able to a ord a (home) in Douglas County,” Laydon said.

Commissioner George Teal said he “actually didn’t vote for Prop 123.”

But he recognized not only the “workforce housing” that the county will be able to work on “but, also, housing for our senior adults,” he said.

“I am going to vote in favor of this resolution because it is actually the faith I have here in (e orts in) Douglas County,” Teal said.

e three commissioners approved the resolution to meet the requirements of Prop 123 unanimously, with Commissioner Lora omas also voting yes.

The City of Lone Tree is opting into the state’s housing program approved by voters last year. FILE PHOTO

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Weight of healthcare

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vote for school funding

lap band surgery. He has lost weight, feels good, and is doing well.

My other brother was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition that helped him lose weight. I would rather not take that route.

FROM THE EDITOR

Over the years, the women in our family have often joked about being cursed as soon as we reach adulthood. We joke about that curse because it seems like when we reach the age of 18, we gain a ton of weight. Whether it’s hormones, how we eat, or genetics — it happens. It happened to me. It happened to my cousins. It seems like it happens to us all.

Neither my mom’s side of the family nor my dad’s are particularly healthy.

at leaves me, who became a mother at an older age, constantly worrying about what that means for my future. Weight is an issue for me. It has been for years.

However, when you work hard to lose weight, follow all the rules, and lose three pounds in a month but gain ve on a day where you cheat — the enthusiasm to try wavers.

at leads to conversations with my doctor. What am I supposed to do? I often ask, explaining my family’s history, and telling her that I am trying. She even agrees. She’s prescribed phentermine. After all, my insurance company will pay for that. Sure — it curbs my food cravings for a bit but does not help with my long-term goals.

en, last year, she prescribed another drug that is said to be working for women my age. As a woman hits her 40s, it often feels like the “woman my age” scenario is considered a lot.

However, the weight loss drug was never picked up or used because my insurance company refused to pay. Out-of-pocket it was nearly $1,000 per month with recommendations to take it for three months or more.

Like many, I do not have $1,000 in extra cash lying in the bank account or under my mattress.

at meant the help was a nogo. My brothers are going through similar issues. One tried phentermine but did not have luck. Eventually, he was approved through the VA to get

I am still left wondering what to do — even researching generic options at non-traditional medical sites online.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Despite growing recognition of the problem, the obesity epidemic continues in the U.S., and obesity rates are increasing around the world. e latest estimates are that approximately 34% of adults and 15-20% of children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese. Obesity a ects every segment of the U.S. population.”

But — my biggest issue is when will weight and obesity be designated what it should be — an actual health issue that insurance companies have to pay for. It is not just associated with how someone eats. It is genetics, hormones and so many other issues than just saying someone is irresponsible.

How much better would our world be if insurance had to pay to help people get healthy and prevent being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes and heart failure?

So many conditions are tied to weight. If weight-loss help became more accessible, imagine the possibilities.

Preventable diseases would indeed be prevented. As a society, we would be much healthier.

And it is not just healthcare. Obesity also has an economic impact on society that should be considered as more weight-loss drugs are proving e ective but unavailable to many.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Annual nationwide productivity costs of obesity-related absenteeism range between $3.38 billion ($79 per individual with obesity) and $6.38 billion ($132 per individual with obesity).”

Obesity is its own epidemic and those truly seeking help should be able to nd it and a ord it.

e mill levy override (MLO) and school bond (bond) are investments that will pay dividends to everyone.

e MLO and bond are investments in the community. e rst question from families moving into an area is “what about the schools?” A quality education system attracts companies with jobs and middle-class families with disposable income to Douglas County. Who has more discretionary income to spend in your shop, a techie or a food-service worker? Do you want good medical care nearby as you age? Having good schools supports a vibrant economy so doctors and medical specialists want to base their practices here. Good schools help make Douglas County a desired place to live. Even if your kids go to private schools, you still live in the community. What kind of community do you want to live in?

e MLO and bond are investments in children. e quality of education directly a ects graduates’ ability to compete in the job market, obtain high-paying jobs, and shoulder a larger portion of the tax burden. A poorer education adversely a ects students’ ability to compete, resulting in lower paying (possibly minimum wage) jobs. Lower earnings mean older cohorts (you and I) will retain a greater share of the costs of government.

e MLO and bond are scally conservative and responsible. Preventative maintenance is more cost-e ective than deferred maintenance. Do you regularly maintain your car or skip maintenance until it dies? Building necessary new schools gives taxpayers a tangible return (infrastructure) for tax dollars instead of burning dollars as fuel for bussing.

If both the MLO and bond are passed, the cost will be $20 on every $100,000 of assessed value of your home. So, if you have a million — dollar home, the cost would be $200 per year. If your home value is less, the cost to you will be less.

Now, $200 feels like a lot of money. I remember buying a loaf

of bread for 10 cents. Gasoline was 25 cents a gallon. Yes, back then, $200 was a lot of money. Today, $200 is half a cup of co ee at Starbucks each week. Compared to the investment in kids, our schools, and our community and the dividends we’ll get back, $200 is negligible.

What’s more important to you: a half cup of co ee at Starbucks each week or our kids and community? Vote yes on the MLO and school bond.

Michael Burmeister, Highlands Ranch

Concerns about Page

I want to express reservations about Mr. Page’s candidacy for the Douglas County School District Board. Mr. Page doesn’t thoughtfully represent all DCSD families, his promise of a “balanced vision” is little more than rhetoric, and his commitment to engaging a diverse community is limited at best. Mr. Page’s emphasis on community involvement is important. We must ask for a detailed look at what this involvement entails. ere are questions of his history with, and commitment to, any DCSD run and approved school is equal to that of the other candidates. Is he here to work on behalf of all DCSD students, public and charter? As a voter who is being asked to trust my public school students to his leadership, I need transparency and assurance he cares for our public schools. Promises without honesty fall short of what we deserve.

Furthermore, Mr. Page’s claims of respecting, encouraging, and developing our teachers is commendable. Voters deserve a deeper understanding of what his goals are and how he intends to achieve them. Given his connections I am concerned he may advocate for arming sta , or other extreme actions, despite repeated and clear statements that our community rejects extremism. We deserve concrete proposals and actionable plans that voters can analyze and discuss before the election to ensure we are choosing

Thelma Grimes

elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

LETTERS

the right people.

Engaging parents is a goal that resonates with many of us. However, Mr. Page has dismissed the legitimate concerns of DCSD community members as “silliness.” He stated on Aug. 22, at a Board of Education meeting, “If we want to save money, let’s knock o the silliness” referring to the multitude of lawsuits DCSD has faced. Being found guilty of violating Colorado Open Meetings Laws is not “silliness.” Being a parent or student faced with persistent racist harassment and bullying is not “silliness.” Being wrongfully terminated from your lifelong employer as part of a political agenda is not “silliness.” Mr. Page doesn’t appear to value us enough to take these seriously — he views devastating events to real people as a silly waste. He should apologize, now.

It is important to ask if the “balanced vision” Mr. Page speaks of is real or empty words. We must ask if the supposed “best” slate is really what DCSD needs, or if it is a vehicle for partisan ideas. We need the truth from Page et al, and local journalists must help.

Lindsey Smithson, Castle Rock

Let’s have five commissioners

I read (again) in the Sept. 7 Highlands Ranch Herald about the disagreements among the three Douglas County commissioners. I am distraught that three grown adults are unable to work together, negotiate and work to make Douglas County a better place to live. I think all three should be removed from o ce and replaced with people who have the skills to negotiate and make positive changes in Douglas County.

at said, I also believe that having three commissioners in such a populated county is counterproductive. A continual 2:1 vote on every issue o ers no opportunity to look at other points of view. I think Douglas County is ready to elect ve commissioners when that opportunity becomes available. ere will be more diverse and hopefully productive discussion of the many issues that face Douglas County. I would like to see the commissioners work for the citizens rather than bicker like little kids on a playground.

Marilyn Binkley, Highlands Ranch

District su ers without funding

e Douglas County School District su ers at its core due to the lack of funding, particularly for teacher and sta salaries. Because of poor pay, many teachers come to DCSD to get a few years of experience due to the hiring desperation, and then immediately turn to districts with higher pay such as Cherry Creek School District.

e solution is to use your rights as citizens of a democracy, and vote in favor of the Mill Levy Override in this ballot. is act will take a slightly higher percentage of tax based on the value of your home, about $20/ year per $100,000 of home value. is way, people are only contributing what they can already a ord. Teachers are highly valued as they help to determine the experience and maturity that the upcoming generation has in their adult lives, and they deserve to be compensated for the hard work they put into their students not only in the classroom but outside as well.

In conclusion, we are asking for you to vote this general election period. We can’t change your vote, but we request that it will be in favor of the Mill Levy Override in the upcoming local. ese teachers are the reason that our country will succeed in the future, so we think it is only fair that they are properly compensated.

Maddie

Financial hypocrisy

Gates, Parker

I don’t quite understand how Commissioners Laydon and Teal can take Commissioner Lora omas to task for requesting reimbursement of approximately $6,000 in legal costs she incurred defending herself from baseless charges levied by her fellow elected o cials. is request stems from Laydon and Teal hiring an outside attorney (with county funds) to investigate Lora re: a memo released on the DC Sheri ’s Department. e outside counsel did not nd any cause to bring any additional charges forward. e cost to the county taxpayers was $ 24,000.

In May, Laydon had the county pay $ 17,000 for his 3-week training class at Harvard. Laydon announced that he would pursue grants to cover this individual expense, and if he was not able to obtain grants, he would reimburse the county for the $17,000. To date,

UNIQUE EATERIES

FORMER FOOD WRITER POINTS TO RESTAURANTS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL CITY THAT STAND OUT

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Mark Antonation endeavored to eat at every restaurant on Federal Boulevard in Denver city limits. He started near Hampden Avenue on the south end and made his way up above 50th Avenue on the other end, north of Interstate 70.

Skipping national-chain and dollar-a-scoop joints, he ate food from one restaurant each week. He did that for about 75 weeks.

So Antonation, the former food editor at Westword, knows a thing or two about the Denver metro area’s restaurant scene.

He had set out to capture the

spirit of the storied Federal Boulevard — with its authentic Asian and Mexican eateries — about a decade ago, but his food writing travels also took him through the suburbs outside Denver.

What makes the Denver area’s food scene di erent from other parts of the country is how the di erent cuisines are spread out and, in a way, “integrated,” he said.

“In other cities, say you want to nd a Chinese restaurant. You’re probably (going to) go to a district where there’s a high concentration of that or any other style,” Antonation said.

But in “metro Denver, especially when you hit the outskirts — ornton, Broom eld, those areas — it’s a lot more mixed,” he said.

TOP LEFT: Javier Cruz, owner of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro, sits at the restaurant on Sept. 6 in Englewood. Cruz emphasized what he says is the unique nature of his menu compared to other Mexican restaurants.

And there’s good news for foodies in the suburbs: With real estate becoming so expensive, a lot of new restaurants are opening in the north Douglas County area, Antonation said.

Elsewhere, around “Westminster and ornton and Broom eld, there’s a lot of Asian restaurants opening up there, Chinese and ai speci cally,” Antonation said.

“If you live in the suburbs — if you live outside the suburban area even — it’s probably going to keep getting more interesting for you,” Antonation said.

Colorado Community Media asked Antonation what restaurants outside of Denver stand out to him. Here are some of his favorites — places where you might encounter dishes that you can’t nd anywhere else.

Garibaldi Mexican Bistro in Englewood

Unless you happen to pull over for

PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

TOP RIGHT: Decorations hang near the counter at Garibaldi Mexican Bistro Sept. 6 in Englewood. A white board lists specials.

“We never nd this kind of food here. So when we opened this restaurant, we said we’ve got to sell this.”

Javier Cruz owner of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro

UNIQUE EATERIES

gas right across from the Gothic eatre, you might never notice that there’s a restaurant in the same building as a Conoco convenience store.

Years ago, Javier Cruz stopped to get gas there, and a small food outlet was serving burgers at the time.

“And kids said, ‘Can we get fries?’” Cruz said, recalling how he noticed the restaurant.

Cruz spoke to someone with the business who said of the small space: “You want it? Take it,” Cruz recalled.

Di erent food outlets have come and gone at that spot — Cruz still receives mail for many other businesses, he said.

But eight years in at that location, Cruz and his family are still serving up food that he says sets them apart from other Mexican restaurants in the area. He put up a wall to separate the restaurant from the gas station part of the building, adding new paint and artwork and a new ambiance.

With heritage from Mexico City, his family felt that “we never nd this kind of food here,” Cruz said. “So when we opened this restaurant, we said we’ve got to sell this.”

He recommends the food on the “menu Azteca,” featuring dishes made with cactus that he says make Garibaldi unique.

You can nd Garibaldi Mexican Bistro on Broadway a few blocks north of Hampden Avenue in Englewood.

Chile con Quesadilla in Brighton e Chile con Quesadilla food trucks opened on March 15, 2020, just before the response to the coronavirus pandemic intensi ed and restaurants and bars stopped sit-down service.

“We were never shut down due to being classi ed as ‘take-out’ and gained exposure at a rapid pace when many restaurants were shut down,” said Christina Richardson, co-owner of Chile con Quesadilla. “We frequently went to neighborhoods, apartment complexes, HOAs and served food to people who were staying in their neighborhoods (and) homes while on lockdown.”

Since Chile con Quesadilla started, Richardson and her husband Jason have received several local awards for their food, and they recently opened a brick-and-mortar Chile con Quesadilla restaurant location in Brighton.

“Our liquor license got approved on May 5, 2023, and (we) have been operating since,” Richardson said.

She says that Chile con Quesadilla is “not traditional in any sense.”

“We create many di erent and unique avor combinations, for a Mexican-American

fusion with a multi-award-winning green chile at the heart of a lot of the recipes,” Richardson said.

Her top sellers include birria, or beef, tacos and the BBQ bacon brisket tacos, dubbed “ e Triple B.”

“We are a quesadilla concept, but anything on the menu can be ordered in the form of quesadillas, tacos, nachos, sandwiches or a bowl, essentially turning nine menu options into 45 di erent items,” Richardson said.

You can nd the Chile con Quesadilla restaurant on Main Street in Brighton, a couple blocks north of Bridge Street or state Highway 7.

Hong Kong Station in Centennial

A bustling dinner crowd came on Sept. 6 to Hong Kong Station, a restaurant that stands out among Chinese eateries.

“It’s kind of an unusual Chinese restaurant for Americans because a lot of the food is in uenced by Europeans who settled in Hong Kong, so they have a baked rice dish that has like a pork chop and Italian-style tomato sauce,” said Antonation, the former food writer.

e restaurant also serves traditional Hong Kong-style Chinese food, but it’s well known for its Hong Kong French toast, Antonation said.

He describes that dish as two thick slices of white bread usually with peanut butter and an egg batter, pan-fried and served with a big slab of butter.

“I think it was the rst place I knew of in metro Denver that was serving this, and it’s kind of become a trendy dish lately,” Antonation said.

You can nd the restaurant at 6878 S. Yosemite St., a bit south of Arapahoe Road in Centennial.

Farmhouse Thai Eatery in Lakewood

One of Antonation’s favorite newer ai places is Farmhouse ai in Lakewood near 1st Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.

“ eir dishes tend to, I would say, capture traditional avors, but they do a lot of interesting modern presentations or updates on traditional fare without straying too far from the canon,” Antonation said.

Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton

A standout Italian restaurant far north of Denver serves a Detroit-style, thick-crust pizza, Antonation said.

“And the weird thing is that the pan is rectangular and has a rectangular hole in the middle … and so the advantage is that every slice has a crusty edge, unlike a normal Detroit-style pizza where you’ve got some with a soft edge and crusty edge,” Antonation said of Wholly Stromboli.

You can nd that restaurant at 410 Denver Ave. in Fort Lupton.

People sit outside Hong Kong Station restaurant in Centennial on Sept. 6. Inside, sta were busy with dinner customers.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Mark Antonation, right, stands at the 2022 Colorado Restaurant & Bar Show. Antonation, the former food editor at Westword, serves as communications manager for the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation. COURTESY PHOTO

Signs mark the outside of Garibaldi Mexican Bistro on Sept. 6 in Englewood. The restaurant sits in the same building as a convenience store at a Conoco gas station, separated by a wall.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Acclaimed soprano coming to Denver

Acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming will appear with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 7 in Boettcher Hall at the Denver Center for Performing Arts downtown. See coloradosymphony.org, 303-623-7876.

Aspen landscapes

Learn to create aspen landscapes with acrylic paints at a workshop o ered by the Heritage Fine Arts Guild on Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mixed media artist Candace French will lead the workshop at Littleton First Presbyterian Church, 1609 W. Littleton Blvd. Attendees will begin with painting backgrounds, then adding aspen trees, while learning technique with a palette knife. Open to artists of all skill levels. Cost: HFAG members: $60; non-members, $100. ( is amount would also cover registration plus membership, for those interested.) See candacefrench.com for information about this artist and see heritage-guild.com/workshops. html for the workshop.

Kirkland Museum

Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art celebrates its 20th anniversary with a series of three lectures about women whose work is in the Kirkland collection: Mary Wright, Oct. 11; Grete Marks, Nov.

SONYA’S SAMPLER

8; and Charlotte Perriand, Dec, 13. Each will feature food and drinks in a salon series from 6 to 8 p.m., looking at great design. Members: $125; nonmembers: $160. Individual events: $50 members, $60 non-members. KirklandMuseum. org/EatDrinkSit or 303-832-8576, ext. 201.

Evergreen Arts

e Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition will be presented, in its 50th year, at the Center for the Arts Evergreen, 31880 Rocky Village Drive. Jurors Ken and Stephanie Goldman, internationally recognized painters, have selected 57 works from nearly 500 submissions. e exhibit runs Sept 21 to Oct. 28. See evergreenarts.org, 303674-0056.

Arapahoe Philharmonic

e Arapahoe Philharmonic announces an opening to its Platinum Jubilee Season on Oct. 21st at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver. Russian-American Igor Pikayzen,

violinist and professor at Lamont School of Music, will be guest soloist. See arapahoe-phil.org.

Depot Art Gallery

“Side By Side” has opened at the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., downtown Littleton. Gallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday in the historic red Santa Fe Depot. Admission is free. See depotartgallery.org.

Curious Theatre

“ e Minutes” by playwright Tracy Letts plays in a regional premiere at Curious eater, 1080 Acoma S., Denver. Fifteen Curious company members will be featured in this play. See curioustheatre.org.

Denver Audubon Center

e Denver Audubon Center, 9308 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton, will host the 12th Annual HOOTenanny Owl and Music Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 30. Live owl demos by Nature’s Educators at 10:30 a.m. and noon. Live music by the Nearly ere Band at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Snacks, beverages available at the Denver Audubon Kingery Nature Center gift shop. Other local artists will sell owl hats, pillows and more. Tickets online and at the door. See denveraudubon.org.

Vintage Theatre

Vintage eatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora, presents “Cabaret by Kander, Ebb, Masterho through Oct. 22. is award-winning musical is directed by Bernie Cardell, with Music Director Tanner Kelly. Choreographer is Adrienne Hampton. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays plus 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2, 5, 12, 19 and Oct. 7, 14, 21 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$38. See vintagetheatre.org, 303-856-7830.

Renee Fleming will perform with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 7 in Boettcher Hall. PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES / DECCA

Thu 9/28

Teague Starbuck

@ 4pm

Modern Brew - Kitchen, Coffee, Bar, 8221 S Holly St, Centennial

Featured

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broad‐way, Englewood

Fri 9/29

Jenny Shawhan @ 6pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Sat 9/30

Eric Golden @ 11am Clement Park, Littleton

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Wide Open Saloon @ 6pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Wed 10/04

Jeffrey Dallet @ 2pm

MorningStar Senior Living of Parker, 18900 Mainstreet, Parker

The Grass Project: RockyGronk 2023

@ 4:30pm

McAwesome Ranch, 3039 Haystack Rd, Castle Rock

René Moffatt Music: René @ Sunroom Brewing @ 5pm

Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, Englewood

The Travelin' McCourys @ 6pm

Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Vil‐lage

Wynonna: Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre @ 6pm

Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Village

Mon 10/02

Culinary: New Orleans Fare (18+yrs)

@ 11pm PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Beast In Black @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Thu 10/05

Don McLean @ 6pm

Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Acting Shakespeare: Shakespeare's Families (13-18yrs) @ 11pm

Oct 5th - Nov 16th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Local teens have input on how to spend $1 million

Money from sale of Broncos

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It’s not every day that kids help decide how to spend almost a million dollars.

“When it comes to youth programs, we want to hear from the youth,” Marsha Alston, a youth services program manager with Douglas County, said during a Sept. 11 meeting of the county’s youth commission.

e Douglas County Youth Commission advises the county’s elected leaders on matters pertaining to youth and teens in the county.

e matter at hand is a big one: e sale of the Denver Broncos in 2022 opened up millions in funding to Denver-area governments, and Douglas County is determining how to spend its nearly $1 million share of the pro ts on youth programs. As one of seven counties in the Metropolitan Football Stadium Dis-

trict, Douglas County was awarded the funds late last year that, by law, must be used for youth activities programs, according to a news release.

e Metropolitan Football Stadium District is a government body that was created for the purpose of planning, acquiring land and constructing Mile High Stadium, which is now called Empower Field at Mile High.

e district was authorized to collect a sales tax of one-tenth of 1% throughout the district’s area from 2001 through 2011. e sales tax has assisted the district in nancing the acquisition of land, construction of the stadium and payments of debt service, according to its website. From organizations seeking a piece of the Broncos sale funding in Douglas, the county received 45 grant requests that totaled about $1.8 million. at means the youth commission and county o cials will have to gure out how to whittle the size of the requested funding down by about half.

“Some folks either aren’t going to get their request or they’re not going to get as much” as they asked for, Alston told the youth commission at an Aug. 14 meeting.

What the teens want

e youth commission chose mental health as its top priority in evaluating funding proposals.

e group has been reviewing the proposals to make recommendations to the overall Douglas County commissioners, the county’s elected leaders, on what programs to fund.

e county received requests from organizations as diverse as the Douglas County Libraries Foundation, Special Olympics Colorado and Front Range eatre Company. Some examples, among many others, included:

• A local organization called SECORCares asking for funding for food access for children and youth who live on low incomes.

• Douglas County 4-H asking for funding for Spanish interpretation for 4-H programming. (“Head, heart, hands and health” are the four “Hs” in 4 H, a youth development program.)

• Colorado Institute of Developmental Pediatrics Inc. asking for funding for Adam’s Camp, a therapy camp for families with disabilities.

Cassie Abano, a Mountain Vista High School student, said a youth marijuana prevention program

struck her as important.

“I thought substance abuse is a (big) problem,” Abano, 16, said. She added that vaping hurts productivity in class and “changes a person entirely.”

e priorities the youth commission ranked as most important in guiding its recommendations, in order, included mental health, “education/STEM,” “prevention/mentoring,” special needs, a fth-place tie among arts and sports equipment, “vehicles/buildings,” and agriculture.

Town hall meeting planned e county plans to hold a town hall meeting for the public on Sept. 27 to help discuss input on the funding, Alston said.

Grant recipients will be noti ed in the fall and announced publicly in November at the annual State of the County event.

e funding for youth activities comes from the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to the WaltonPenner Group, which resulted in a $41 million refund to the seven counties and 40 municipalities that helped fund the stadium, e Colorado Sun reported.

e funds were to be shared with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas, and Je erson counties and the cities and towns within them. Douglas County received about $940,000.

Empower Field at Mile High stadium.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Group opposing Proposition HH has deep pockets

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Four issue committees opposing Proposition HH, the 10-year property tax relief plan on the November ballot, raised nearly $1.2 million and had spent $307,000 through Aug. 30, according to campaign nance reports led with the state.

No on HH, the main committee ghting the measure, has raised and spent the most cash of any group working on the initiative, at about $1 million raised and $200,000 spent through last month.

Most of the committee’s money has come from two conservative dark-money political nonpro ts. Advance Colorado Action and

Defend Colorado each donated $500,000 to No on HH on Aug. 11.

e Colorado Sun de nes darkmoney groups as political nonprofits that don’t disclose their donors.

No on HH’s biggest expense in August was about $200,000 on advertising.

Property Tax Relief Now is the only group supporting the measure. It raised $745,000 and spent about $170,000 through last month.

Property Tax Relief Now received $250,000 from Gary Advocacy LLC and $100,000 from the National Education Association in August.

e group’s largest expense last month was $70,000 on media consulting.

e committee previously re-

voter approval, Damisch said.

ceived several large donations from a handful of liberal-leaning dark-money groups, including the Sixteen irty Fund. Boldly Forward Colorado, a nonpro t tied to Gov. Jared Polis, gave $50,000 to the committee, as did the Colorado Education Association, the state’s biggest teachers union.

e three other groups opposing Proposition HH are:

Americans for Prosperity, a national dark-money political nonpro t, which spent nearly $98,000 last month on canvassing and radio and digital ads opposing Proposition HH via its Colorado issue committee Taxpayers for a Better Deal and TABOR Coalition, each have raised less than $4,000 Preschool

central point of the summit.”

for All Coloradans, which supports Proposition II, the other statewide measure on the Nov. 7 ballot, raised more than $215,000. No issue committee has registered to oppose Proposition II thus far.

e measure would let the state keep all of the money collected through the state’s increased nicotine and tobacco taxes and use the dollars to fund preschool access. is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

approval, Damisch said.

But, for example, the Douglas County commissioners cannot increase the county’s mill levy without

“And neither can most authorities. However, that’s not the real issue this year,” Damisch said. “ e real problem is allowing mill levies to remain the same. Doing so will result in tax increases on the public that are commensurate with the increases in property assessments. is is a

Timeline may depend on Prop HH e county Assessor’s O ce provided local entities an initial certication of value in August and will provide updated certi cations at the summit, Damisch said. e districts are to receive a nal certi cation

in November, and their mill levy choices are due back to the county commissioners by the statutory deadline of Dec. 15.

If Proposition HH — a proposal Colorado voters are set to soon vote on — were to pass in November, all of the deadlines move back about two weeks, according to Damisch.

Keep your home safe with concrete repair

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LETTERS

not one dime has been repaid.

Using my calculator, I come up with $41,000 in county expenses paid for by requests from Laydon and Teal. Am I missing something? When Laydon and Teal can approve whatever amount they want (we won’t add in the $200,000 approved for the Douglas County Community Foundation by Laydon and Teal), but they insist that Lora not only pay her own legal expense, brought on by them, but no the county cannot reimburse her legal expenses? Lora’s only recourse is to le suit against the county.

For retaliation, Laydon and Teal have revoked Lora’s county credit card, and refuse to reimburse any of her expenses for county commissioner business? Sounds to me like they are forcing her to quit, which I doubt will happen. ese three elected ofcials supposedly work for the voting residents, but it appears in Lora’s case, she works for only Laydon and Teal?

I nd it appalling that there does not seem to be any veto power over the actions of Laydon and Teal. ey can approve any expenditure in their way of thinking, but heaven help anyone who voices criticism for their actions. Is this what we thought we were getting with these two elected o cials?

Jim Weglarz Larkspur

Vote for balance on board

Many community members were tricked into voting for the current board majority by expensive, slick advertising that cost half a million dollars in 2021. Instead of healing our community, the majority have only succeeded in amassing lawsuits, violating open meeting laws, and ignoring their board commit-

tees.

Without consulting with DCSD’s board committees and ignoring the expensive polls the district paid for, the board majority rewrote the educational equity policy in one meeting, leading to a board director’s resignation. e majority’s political ideology was prioritized over the equity policy that was previously approved unanimously by the board committees after one year of study.

At the Aug. 22 meeting, the board majority, who ran on a platform of listening to parents, ignored their own board committees, made up of parents, before modifying the rules for public comments. Families of four DCSD students of color led a federal civil lawsuit against DCSD in August, alleging that DCSD and school administrators failed to take adequate measures to protect the students from severe and pervasive racism and bullying.

In May, the board majority voted to reject a settlement agreement because they refused to admit they were wrong after a judge ruled that the board majority violated the Colorado Open Meetings Law. Finally, the illegal ring of Superintendent Corey Wise has led to an $833K settlement payout. is is money that should have been used to educate students. How many more lawsuits will we see in the next two years before their terms are up for reelection?

e board majority has proven that they cannot be allowed to rule unchecked. ere must be board members who are willing to stand up for what is right and insist on transparency and accountability. ree candidates will provide the board with absolute power to do as they please. ree candidates will insist that the board majority obey open meeting laws and be held accountable for the expensive lawsuits they are amassing. Please vote for Susan Meek, Brad Geiger and Valerie ompson this Nov. 7 to maintain

checks and balances on the Douglas County School Board.

Kevin Leung, Castle Pines

Former Douglas County School Board director

Commissioners disappointing

I am a longtime resident of Lone Tree and Douglas County (30 years). As such, I’d like to express my disappointment in the actions of my county commissioners and the time and expense they have expended in arguments against each other. Other than what I read in the Lone Tree Voice (LTV), I am certainly not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. But having read for the past issues of LTV I can piece together what I believe are the 2-against-1 behaviors of people who are putting pride before performance.

What prompted me to write this was Teal’s quote in the Sept. 7 issue. “No matter how this lawsuit goes, it is the people of Douglas County who will pay for Commissioner omas’ petulant and childish lawsuit.”

It showed me a character side of Mr. Teal. Same point could have been made by omitting what he considers to be petulant and childish. Is name-calling necessary?

e Sept. 7 article reported that omas personally paid $5,700 for her own defense that outside legal counsel determined did not create the hostile work environment for which she was accused. e article noted that the investigation of omas “by outside legal counsel cost about $24,000.” Question, who wrote that check?! I believe it was the “people of Douglas County.” I can’t be the only one who sees the hypocrisy.

How much time, energy and money has been used up by this behavior?

Please stop this and act as the mature, responsible, intelligent individuals I thought I was electing. is country is already divided enough.

Wouldn’t it be great to see these three individuals, who don’t agree on subjects, come together and do what they were elected for instead of spending time and money combating each other?

Julie Schrock, Lone Tree

Open letter to Ken Buck

Dear Rep. Ken Buck, You are my representative and if asked today whether I would vote for you again I would hope to nd an alternative. First, I question your judgment based on your now famous letter responding to Todd Watkins about the Jan. 6 defendants. Secondly, I question your prosecutorial presumption about the Jan. 6 defendants where you’ve stated that “Every single person who organized or participated in the riot must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” You seem to accept all charges and don’t seem to believe they are innocent until proven guilty. ird, you’re not representing your Republican constituency and in your letter to Mr. Watkins you are instead supporting last year’s J6 Democrat Congressional media farce.

I’ve carefully read your letter that may be legally correct, but you proceed to make a black and white case, completely ignoring any merit for supporting supporting any J6 defendant. You’re not just being stubborn, like Chris Christie you’re revealing the many ways you’re seeking to oppose President Trump even if it means not supporting the current Biden impeachment inquiry. Hence, you’re supporting Liz Cheney and the J6 Democrat Congressional inquiry and the maligned J6 evidence they produced. For some reason you don’t see the contradiction of selectively accepting any action against the J6 defendants on one hand, but not accepting the abundant evidence for impeaching

SEE LETTERS, P23

LETTERS

President Biden on the other.

In conclusion, politically you have found and chosen a terrible letter to make your point that simply demonstrates poor judgment. It’s clear that you’re pleased with the status of pre-trial detainees and thus you are contributing to the weaponization of our now two-tiered judicial system.

Smith Young Parker

Uneasy about Polis

As whispered concerns grow louder over Joe Biden’s obvious decline, alternative Dem candidates are being conjectured. One such person is our own dear governor Jared Polis, whose recent interview with John Stossel has

him appearing to be much more moderate than Gavin Newsom — the leader evidently so admired that many citizens are reportedly eeing for less-taxed states. While libertarian-appearing Jared stated during this interview that he is “for freedom and lower taxes,” I question what he really means. Touching on the topics he covered, does he mean freedom from student loan debt because of nasty colleges overcharging students? Does he mean stopping the Trump-era tari s that punish our freedom to buy whatever we want? Does he mean the personal freedom to imbibe in marijuana and magic mushrooms — but impair gun ownership? Does he mean employment freedom granting more work permits to those who wander into our country? Does he mean school choice — which is limited to publicly funded schools rather than an alternative voucher

system? Or does he mean the freedom to choose identity over biology and abortion over life?

Yes, Jared can brag about the almost 3% reduction in state income tax, but I noticed he didn’t mention the 7% average increase in property taxes. Yes, he can also tout the balanced state budget with reserves, but how long will it last? A boatload of money is being expended for universal preschool and other social programs. As crime and homelessness increase, Jared says we should just hire more cops and pitch more tents. Doesn’t money solve all social ills?

Speaking of social ills, Polis recently released a multi-page equity policy (deja vu to our own county’s recent struggle with the same). Stossel pointed out that “equity” involves the philosophy of critical race theory: equity of outcome rather than equality of opportunity. Shockingly, Polis

laughed and dismissed CRT as being some dusty, college-level theory with no bearing on reality. He is either woefully ignorant or just giving the party line.

e nal question I have about Polis possibly stepping into the presidential race at some point is why he would make a divisive statement about Republicans censoring more than Democrats — and using the recent illustration of TikTok being banned in Montana while ignoring that TT was banned for all federal employees in the Biden administration. It doesn’t matter who censors whom. When we have more authoritarian decisions in social media and legacy media to squash opinions, research, and even true news that doesn’t t a desired narrative, we’re heading into dangerous waters that may overwhelm and sink our ship.

Linda Mazunik, Lone Tree

Walk to End Hydrocephalus celebrates 20 years

Annual event raises awareness for not-so-rare brain condition

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As the upbeat music played and bright blue decorations stood out against the green elds and cloudy skies, hundreds of people came together to take part in the 20th Denver Walk to End Hydrocephalus.

For the last two decades, the event has become an opportunity to build a community of support and advocacy.

At Redstone Park in Highlands Ranch in early September, participants walked from booth to booth wearing a sign that showed the name of someone they were walking for.

In 2003, Phyllis and John Rogers thought they were going to lose their daughter, Jordan.

Jordan had ve brain surgeries within three weeks and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition caused by an abnormal amount of cerebrospinal uid within the ventricles of the brain.

e brain and spinal cord is surrounded by uid, which acts as a cushion to help prevent injury and the uid is typically absorbed into the bloodstream.

e condition occurs when there is an imbalance between the

and Support Specialist for the Hydrocephalus Association, said this medical condition is not as rare as many think.

According to the Hydrocephalus Association, hydrocephalus a ects more than one million Americans and is diagnosed in people from infancy to the elderly.

As there is no cure for the condition, the goal of the walk each year is to raise money to help nd answers and improve the lives of those a ected by hydrocephalus.

e only known treatment is

1983 as a parent support group, but now has a national presence.

e nonpro t provides educational resources, advocacy and support and has fought for legislation that increases federal research dollars for hydrocephalus.

After Jordan was diagnosed with the chronic condition, her parents, along with their neighbors and closet friends sat on the back deck thinking about what they could do to help.

Knowing the Hydrocephalus Association had a walk in San Fran-

cisco to raise money for research, Phyllis and her friends - who she calls family - believed they could do the same and held their rst walk in 2004.

20 years later, people from across the Denver metro area come to take part in the walk, raising over $1 million for the cause.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of my family,” said Jordan.

With tears forming in her eyes, Jordan said she is proud that her family could bring so many people together in support of not only her but for others with the condition.  is year, the walk included more than 40 teams from corporations, organizations and families statewide.

Before the American Legion Post 1261 began the opening ceremony, the event involved face painting, a T-shirt contest, a team photo space, a ra e, a u shot sponsored by Walgreens and more.

Participants started the 5K walk by walking by the memorial garden and through ambassador avenue, which included posters of people at the event with hydrocephalus.  ose who have hydrocephalus were given red bandanas as a way to help families connect with one another and talk about their experiences.

“It means a lot to everybody’s family to have a sense of community here,” said Jordan. “I think the fact that we’ve all done it for so long is just a testament to everybody’s character and close to our hearts.”

To learn more about the Baha’i Faith or find a gathering, please contact us.

castlerockbahais@gmail.com

castlerock.local.bahai.us/

Parker Parker

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

~ Bahá’u’lláh

Castle Rock

Participants start the walk by passing the memorial garden and walking through ambassador avenue, which included posters of people at the event with hydrocephalus.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Sheri ’s department cuts ties with Able Shepherd

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A new statement from the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce says it will no longer participate in trainings or events with Able Shepherd, a “tactical training” group facing backlash after its involvement in a protest at the Douglas County PrideFest.

Sheri Darren Weekly told Colorado Community Media that he had received new information that prompted the decision to not work with Able Shepherd moving forward, but would not specify what information he had learned.

“Over the last week and a half, more information that we’ve garnered has come to my attention and as the sheri I like to have as many facts as possible to make decisions,” he said.

When asked what new information contributed to the decision, Weekly said: “I can’t go into specifics on that.”

e Aug. 26 PrideFest protest consisted of around 75 men — wearing matching shirts reading “Stand To

Protect Children” — blocking the stage and postponing the drag show by 30 minutes. No one was arrested or issued a summons during the event.

e sheri ’s o ce con rmed several investigations open related to PrideFest, but hasn’t provided more details. At least one of the investigations is related to anti-LGBTQ vandalism at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, where PrideFest took place.

Following the event, the sheri ’s o ce said on Sept. 7 it didn’t have scheduled trainings with Able Shepherd but wouldn’t commit to not working with the group in the future.

e sheri ’s o ce previously conducted an active shooter training with Able Shepherd in August.

Weekly said the earlier statement “wasn’t meant to de ect the question” and that he tries to make thoughtful decisions.

“I don’t just go with the initial information that I have, I like to gather as many facts as possible,” he said.

Weekly added that he doesn’t

have a personal relationship with Jimmy Graham, the CEO of Able Shepherd. Weekly appeared on the Aug. 17 episode of Graham’s podcast.

“I think more is being made out of the relationship (with Graham) and the training than it is,” he said.

Weekly also said his o ce doesn’t have any con ict of interest when it comes to the investigations related to PrideFest.

“ ere absolutely is no con ict, we’re not hiding anything and we’ll investigate and charge as appropriate,” he said. “As the sheri , I serve all citizens, I don’t serve one political party or any special interest groups.”

e Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce and Arapahoe Community College have also said they will not be working with Able Shepherd in the future.

Members of Able Shepherd stand in front of the stage at Castle Rock PrideFest on Aug. 26 to block the “G-rated” drag show. After negotiations with event security, protesters eventually moved so that the stage was visible and the show could continue.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

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1. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to a giant sequoia tree named General Sherman?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Is a rhinoceros an herbivore, omnivore or carnivore?

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which city in India is home to the Taj Mahal?

4. MOVIES: What is the title of the rst James Bond movie?

5. TELEVISION: What was the product featured in the rst TV advertisement?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which French fashion designer is credited with inventing the Little Black Dress?

7. FOOD & DRINK: What does it mean to julienne vegetables?

8. GOVERNMENT: What does the acronym GDP stand for in economic terms?

9. LITERATURE: What is the cat’s name in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?

10. SCIENCE: Who is considered the father of the atomic bomb?

Answers

1. California, Sequoia National Park.

2. An herbivore, a plant eater.

3. Agra.

4. “Dr. No.”

5. Bulova watch.

6. Coco Chanel.

7. Cut into short, thin strips.

8. Gross domestic product.

9. Grimalkin.

10. J. Robert Oppenheimer.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Public Notices

Public Notices

Legals

Public Trustees

PUBLIC NOTICE

Parker

NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0123

To Whom It May Concern: On 6/30/2023 9:22:00

AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: John A Guerra and Michelle D Guerra

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. ('MERS") as nominee for DHI Mortgage Company LTD, Its Successors and Assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

Nationstar Mortgage LLC

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/23/2010

Recording Date of DOT: 8/2/2010

Reception No. of DOT: 2010046748

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $283,500.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $201,011.04

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the failure to make timely payments required under said Deed of Trust and the Evidence of Debt secured thereby.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property:

LOT 7, BLOCK 2, DOUGLAS 234 FILING NO. 5, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 15999 East Summit Fox Avenue, Parker, CO 80134

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale

and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 6/30/2023

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ILENE DELL'ACQUA

Colorado Registration #: 31755

7700 E. ARAPAHOE ROAD, SUITE 230 , CENTENNIAL, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (877) 369-6122

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO-23-960158-LL

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0123

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0129

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/6/2023 1:35:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: Jason L. Doumer and Megan E. Doumer

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Cherry Creek Mortgage, LLC, its successors and assigns Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

Recording Date of DOT: 2/8/2021 Reception No. of DOT: 2021015465 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $425,488.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $341,185.73

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE EVIDENCE OF DEBT AND DEED OF TRUST.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 24, BLOCK 11, STROH RANCH FILING NO. 12, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 12960 Banyon Cir, Parker, CO 80134

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 9/14/2023

Last Publication: 10/12/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/7/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

AMANDA FERGUSON

Colorado Registration #: 44893 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228 Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO22011

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0129

First Publication: 9/14/2023

Last Publication: 10/12/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0132

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/25/2023 8:07:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: KEENAN YOUNG AND CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR COUNTRY-

WIDE BANK, N.A., ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF2 ACQUISITION TRUST

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 2/22/2007

Recording Date of DOT: 3/5/2007

Reception No. of DOT: 2007018693

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $372,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $374,700.88

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 116, STONEGATE FILING NO 14A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 16298 Hawkstone Pl, Parker, CO 80134-9488

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/25/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

DAVID R DOUGHTY

Colorado Registration #: 40042 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112

Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 23-030417

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2023-0132

First Publication: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OF TREASURER’S DEED

To Every Person in Actual Possession or Occupancy of the hereinafter Described Land, Lot or Premises, and to the Person in Whose Name the Same was Taxed or Specially Assessed, and to all Persons having an Interest or Title of Record in or to the said Premises and To Whom It May Concern, and more especially to:

OCCUPANT - BRAD L KIRCHER AKA BRAD LAWRENCE KIRCHER - DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR. - BRAD L KIRCHER AKA BRAD LAWRENCE KIRCHER & BRENDA M KIRCHER AKA BRENDA MARIA KIRCHER - EARL E ELSRODE AKA EARL R ELSRODE - RICHARD F CURREY AKA RICHARD FRANK CURREYRICHARD F CURREY

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 7th day of November 2019 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR. the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

LOT 11 WOODMOOR MOUNTAIN 1 3.98 AM/L

and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR.. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2018. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of BRAD L KIRCHER for said year 2018

That said DOUGLAS E CARLILE JR. on the 16th day of September 2022 the present holder of said certificate, has made request upon the Treasurer of said County for a deed to said real estate; That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued for said real estate to the said at 1:00 o’clock P.M., on the 21st day of December 2023 unless the same has been redeemed. Said property may be redeemed from said sale at any time prior to the actual execution of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness my hand this 7th day of September 2023

/s/ David Gill County Treasurer of Douglas County

Legal Notice No. 945952

First Publication: September 7, 2023

Last Publication: September 21, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###

The e ect of higher interest rates for longer

Would you rather have high in ation or high interest rates? at Goldilocks economy where we had low interest rates and low in ation is now a distant memory and reality is setting in.

e Fed has been targeting in ation and has been successful in bringing it down considerably so far this year. e trade-o is higher interest rates. And due to a “tardy’ recession” according to Chief Economist Bill Greiner, CFA, higher interest rates for longer.

If you are taking out a mortgage, you want lower interest rates. If you are selling a house, in ation may help you get a better price. It is all relative to what you are buying or borrowing.

Interest rates may need to stay elevated to get the economy on a stable track and without spikes in in ation. So far, it appears the Fed

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

managed a “soft landing” where raising rates did not trigger an immediate recession.

e two stubborn indicators keeping us out of recession have been the rather healthy housing market and very low unemployment. Higher interest rates for longer means it may take longer to curb the higher housing prices. Some geographical areas are experiencing lower housing prices as new owners struggle to qualify for the expensive home purchase plus a 7% or higher borrowing rate. is forces the seller to come down on their price to compensate for the higher monthly mortgage. However due to low inventory, this is a slow turn and will

Public Notices

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, WATER DIVISION 1, COLORADO AUGUST 2023

WATER RESUME PUBLICATION

TO: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN WATER APPLICATIONS IN WATER DIV. 1

Pursuant to C.R.S. 37-92-302, you are notified that the following is a resume of all water right applications, and certain amendments filed in the Office of the Water Clerk during the month of AUGUST 2023 for each County affected. (This publication can be viewed in its entirety on the state court website at: www.courts.state.co.us)

2023CW3093 GREENTREE LAND CO, LLC, PO Box 1869, Elizabeth, CO 80107. James J. Petrock, Eric K. Trout, Hayes Poznanovic Korver LLC, 700 17th Street, Suite 1800, Denver, CO 80202. APPLICATION FOR UNDERGROUND

WATER RIGHTS FROM NOT-NONTRIBUTARY SOURCES AND APPROVAL OF PLAN FOR AUGMENTATION IN THE NONTRIBUTARY DENVER AQUIFER, AND THE NOT-NONTRIBUTARY UPPER DAWSON AQUIFER IN ELBERT COUNTY.

Subject Property: 87.03 acres on two contiguous parcels generally located in the E1/2 of the E1/2 of Section 25, Township 6 South, Range 65 West of the 6th P.M., Elbert County, State of Colorado, identified as Parcel 8 and Parcel 18 as shown on Exhibit A (“Subject Property”). Applicant certifies that there are no parties that have a mortgage or

take some time.

Housing inventory is low because there are not as many people on the move. Who wants to give up a current 2.5% rate and move for a 7%plus rate? erefore more people are staying put and spending money on home improvements instead.

As more housing is built, this imbalance will eventually shift, but it takes time to bring more housing to market.

e strong jobs market is another factor in keeping a recession at bay. Our revised economic outlook calls for slower growth, lower in ation, and slightly higher unemployment.

is suggests that the fed funds rate may rise again before year end to help sustain lower in ation. ¹

Fed policymakers have raised their key interest rate to about 5.4 percent, its highest level in 22 years, to try to slow borrowing and spending and cool in ation pressures.

Elbert County Legals

lien interest in the Subject Property, therefore no notice is required under C.R.S. § 37-92-302(2)(b).

Well Permits: There are currently no wells on the Subject Property. Well permits will be applied for prior to construction of wells. Source of Water

Rights: The Upper Dawson Aquifer is not-nontributary as defined in C.R.S. § 37-90-103(10.7), and the Denver Aquifer is nontributary as defined in C.R.S. § 37-90-103(10.5). Prior Decree Information: The Denver Aquifer groundwater underlying the Subject Property was decreed in Case No. 1989CW235, District Court, Water Division 1, on July 31, 1990 (“89CW235 Decree”). Applicant was deeded groundwater for use on the Subject Property in the Quit Claim Deed dated December 15, 2021, and recorded December 15, 2021, in the records of the Elbert County Clerk & Recorder under Reception No. 615092, and the Quit Claim Deed dated June 28, 2023, and recorded June 29, 2023, in the records of the Elbert County Clerk & Recorder under Reception No. 627614:

Aquifer100-year 300-year

Denver (NT)20

6.67

89CW235 Decreed Uses: The water withdrawn from any well may be used, reused, and successively used and after use, leased, sold, or otherwise disposed of for municipal, domestic, industrial, commercial, irrigation, stock watering, recreational, fish and wildlife, and any other beneficial purpose, to be used on or off the Subject Property. This

water will be produced for immediate application to said uses, for storage and subsequent application to said uses, for exchange purposes, for replacement of depletions resulting from the use of water from other sources, and for augmentation purposes. New Estimated Amounts: Applicants estimate the following annual amounts may be available for withdrawal based on a 300-year withdrawal period:

Aquifer Annual Amount (acre-feet)

Upper Dawson (NNT)6.4

Proposed Uses: The water withdrawn from any well may be used, reused, and successively used and after use, leased, sold, or otherwise disposed of for domestic, industrial, commercial, irrigation, stock watering, recreational, fish and wildlife, and any other beneficial purpose, to be used on or off the Subject Property. This water will be produced for immediate application to said uses, for storage and subsequent application to said uses, for exchange purposes, for replacement of depletions resulting from the use of water from other sources, and for augmentation purposes. Jurisdiction: The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this application pursuant to C.R.S. §§ 37-90-137(6), 37-92-203(1), 37-92-302(2). Summary of Plan for Augmentation: Groundwater to be Augmented: Approximately 6.4 acre-feet per year for 300 years of Upper Dawson Aquifer groundwater. Water Rights to be Used for Augmentation: Return flows from the use of not-nontributary and nontributary groundwater and direct discharge of nontributary

ey are now considering whether to raise the rate even higher — a move that would heighten the risk of a recession — or leave it at its current level for an extended period.” ²

On the positive side of this seesaw, anyone invested in short-term xed income has been enjoying higher interest coupons on their bonds or cash equivalents. Buyer beware though, these instruments are not designed to keep up with in ation. You will still need a welldiversi ed portfolio to provide some growth in addition to your xed income allocation.

1. William Greiner, CFA, Mariner Chief Economist

2. Fortune; Atlanta Fed.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certied Financial Planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is Managing Director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

groundwater. Statement of Plan for Augmentation: The Upper Dawson Aquifer groundwater will be used in up to eight (8) wells for in-house use in up to eight (8) single-family homes, or their equivalent (0.3 acre-feet per well per year, 2.4 acre-feet per year total), irrigation, including home lawn, garden, and trees, of up to 8,000 square-feet per well (0.4 acre-feet per well, 3.2 acre-feet per year total), stock watering for up to 4 large domestic animals per well (0.05 acre-feet per well, 0.4 acre-feet per year total), and fire protection, on the Subject Property. Applicant reserves the right to amend the amount and uses without amending the application or republishing the same. Sewage treatment for in-house use will be provided by non-evaporative septic systems. Return flow from in-house use will be approximately 90% of that use, and return flow from irrigation use will be approximately 15% of that use. During pumping Applicant will replace actual depletions pursuant to C.R.S. § 37-90-137(9)(c.5).

Depletions occur to the Running and Cherry Creek stream systems and return flows accrue to those stream systems and are sufficient to replace actual depletions while the subject groundwater is being pumped. Applicant will reserve an equal amount of nontributary groundwater underlying the Subject Property to meet post-pumping augmentation requirements. Applicant requests the Court approve the above underground water rights and augmentation plan, find that Applicant has complied with C.R.S. § 37-90-137(4) and water is legally available for withdrawal, find there will be no material injury to the owners of or persons entitled to use water under any vested water right or decreed conditional water right, and grant such other and further relief

as is appropriate. 4 Pages.

THE WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED BY THESE APPLICATIONS MAY AFFECT IN PRIORITY ANY WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED OR HERETOFORE ADJUDICATED WITHIN THIS DIVISION AND OWNERS OF AFFECTED RIGHTS MUST APPEAR TO OBJECT WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR BE FOREVER BARRED.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to oppose an application, or an amended application, may file with the Water Clerk, P. O. Box 2038, Greeley, CO 80632, a verified Statement of Opposition, setting forth facts as to why the application should not be granted, or why it should be granted only in part or on certain conditions. Such Statement of Opposition must be filed by the last day of OCTOBER 2023 (forms available on www. courts.state.co.us or in the Clerk’s office), and must be filed as an Original and include $192.00 filing fee. A copy of each Statement of Opposition must also be served upon the Applicant or Applicant’s Attorney and an affidavit or certificate of such service of mailing shall be filed with the Water Clerk.

Legal Notice No. 25044

First Publication: September 21, 2023

Last Publication: September 21, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

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