Parker Chronicle November 2, 2023

VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 47

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Rustic Butterfly opens new showroom in Parker P10

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Eryn Caskey, center, cuts a ribbon in the new showroom of her home renovation company, Rustic Butterfly, in Parker on Sept. 28.

PHOTO BY RACHEL LORENZ

VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19 | SPORTS: 39

PARKERCHRONICLE.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

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Laydon gives ‘Harvard for a Nickel’ talk

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One of the county’s elected leaders told a small crowd about the concept of “getting to the balcony of your life” — the idea of thinking about who you are and how other people perceive you in order to get the correct view.

“It’s very easy to get stuck in your own head and your role,” said Abe Laydon, chairman of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners.

He asked Dan Dertz, a longtime Douglas County staff member, about who he really is.

“Well, he’s really good looking, first of all,” Dertz said, to laughs from the crowd.

Laydon asked him: What might others see in you that you don’t?

“I think I don’t give myself enough credit sometimes. I think there’s some affirmations that I see in others that I don’t see in myself,” Dertz said.

After attending a three-week public policy and leadership program at Harvard University, Laydon, one of Douglas County’s three elected lead-

ers, offered what the county called a “Harvard for a Nickel” talk on Oct. 26 for free, where he passed on lessons he had learned.

Don’t have ‘inherent power’

Humility is “very important in my role on a day-to-day basis,” Laydon said.

“I don’t believe I have inherent power. I have power that is given to me by the people,” Laydon said.

In public life, he gets “dragged and praised every day” on Twitter, he said.

“If I really thought about all those public perceptions, it would be hard to go to sleep at night,” but he tries to separate from his ego, “put it in this jar,” and let people say what they say, he said.

“I know they’re not coming at me personally; (they’re attacking) an idea that I represent,” Laydon said.

About 18 people — most of them apparently county staff members — experienced various leadership or team-building exercises. Some did a blindfold teamwork activity. The

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Commissioner Abe Laydon, one of Douglas County’s elected leaders, gives a “Harvard for a Nickel” talk on Oct. 26 at the county commissioners’ headquarters in Castle Rock to teach a crowd what he learned about leadership. Laydon recently attended the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD program.

group sang the 1972 hit “Lean on Me”

by Bill Withers.

“The idea is … we do better as a group,” Laydon said, encouraging attendees to have a group of people around them that they rely on to help advance their goals.

Laydon asked the crowd: What is your “question zero” — your “why” and your goal you want to achieve?

“Does that question zero matter? Is that something that is going to make a difference from your own perspective in terms of what is valuable?”

Laydon said.

He talked about different components of reaching success in public leadership: first, identifying whether there is public value in your goal.

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Laydon participated in the leadership program — formally called the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Gov-

ernment program — in June.

Douglas County over the past two decades has sent three senior staff members to the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, according to the county.

“The county has a long history of paying for continuing education,” Laydon has said.

But a statement from the county in May said Laydon would reimburse the county government for the cost of attending the program.

Months later, Laydon did not appear to be standing by that plan.

The county’s statement to Colorado Community Media said the county would pay the upfront cost of $17,400 for Laydon to attend.

“Commissioner Laydon is applying for grants and scholarships to offset the cost of participation and reimburse the county. What is not covered by grants or scholarships, he will pay the remaining cost personally,” the statement said.

Asked whether he still plans to reimburse the county for the $17,400 SEE LAYDON, P21

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Douglas County to participate in Operation Green Light Initiative will honor veterans Nov. 6-12 SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Did you know Douglas County is home to more than 20,000 veterans?

To honor the service and sacrifice of these men and women in advance of Veterans Day, Douglas County is taking part in Operation Green Light for Veterans, Nov. 6 through Nov. 12.

Led by the National Association of Counties (NACo), Operation Green Light is an opportunity for communities to recognize the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families by illuminating public buildings in green from Nov. 6 through Nov. 12.

The initiative also raises awareness around the unique challenges faced by many veterans and the resources available at the county, state and federal levels to assist veterans and their families.

As part of Operation Green Light, Douglas County will illuminate three buildings in Castle Rock — the Philip. S Miller Building, Wilcox Street Building, and the Justice Center.

In addition to lighting county buildings, residents, businesses and other organizations are encouraged to participate by simply changing one light bulb in their home to a green bulb. This can be an exterior light that neighbors and passersby see or an interior light that sparks a conversation with family and friends. By shining a green light, we

let our veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported.

“As a board, we honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes,” said Commissioner George Teal.

“We hope this effort both illuminates the immense pride we feel for our veterans and ignites the type of support they deserve. Please join us in this small token of appreciation for those who secure our freedoms throughout the year.”

Douglas County is dedicated to the service and support of veterans and their family members through the Veterans Service Office. To learn more about benefits, mental health resources, emergency funds and other resources, visit DouglasVeterThe Wilcox Building in Castle Rock is lit up ans.org or call 303-663-6200 to speak COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY with a veterans service officer. in honor of veterans.

Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter Go to ColoradoCommunityMedia.com and click “Sign up for newsletters” at the top of the page!

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November 2, 2023

VOTE EARLY. NEAR YOU. Ballot drop box locations countywide.

Find yours at DouglasVotes.com Councilmembers Joshua Rivero and Anne Barrington at town hall in Parker.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Council approves $6M for road construction project

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With some roadway construction projects underway, the Parker Town Council approved a more than $6 million contract with Goodland Construction Inc. for North Parker Road Operational Improvements.

The project spans Parker Road, from Parkglenn Way to E-470.

The purpose of the project is to increase vehicular mobility and safety through repurposing of existing turn lanes and select roadway widening.

Additionally, the project will support pedestrian connectivity by connecting sidewalks gaps with new sidewalks within the corridor.

The project was put up for bids in July but received no bids. The engineers opened the bid again in August when they received one bid from Goodland Construction, nearly $1 million over the engineers estimate.

Feedback from several contractors included not having the manpower or time for the project and not wanting to work on Parker Road for safety issues.

“It’s kind of an ugly project is the reality,” said Alex Mestdagh of the engineering and public works department. “It’s segmented work in various locations down the state highway.”

The project has been awarded state and federal funding in addition to a $500,000 contribution from Douglas County. The town will also use appropriated funds.

With this project in the works for a few years, Councilmember Joshua Rivero is ready to see it t get started.

“I think we need to get it done sooner rather than later,” said Rivero.

“It’s been promised to the people.”

Also, as part of the Jordan Road/ Newlin Gulch Improvements Project, the town council approved an ordinance to acquire a right-of-way and easements for proposed improvements on Jordan Road between Lincoln Avenue and Stonegate Parkway.

Improvements to the roadway will include a new sidewalk along Jordan Road from Stonegate Parkway to Village Center Drive and widening Jordan Road from Rockbrook Boulevard to Lincoln Avenue from four lanes to six, including two bridges.

To complete these improvements, an additional right-of-way, a permanent easement and a temporary construction easement are needed and will affect four property owners along this section of Lincoln Avenue.

Councilmember John Diak said that having that ability to expand that bridge to create some options in terms of turn lane modifications will be positive for the community.

Visit a Voter Service and Polling Center to: » Register to vote » Replace a ballot » Vote in person » Use an ADA-accessible voting machine Visit DouglasVotes.com or call 303-660-7444 for Nov. 7 Coordinated Election information.

Need help with home heating costs?

Eligible low-income households in Douglas County may apply for energy assistance through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) through April 2024.

For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search for LEAP or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

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.

County Offices Closed Nov. 10 Douglas County offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 10 in observance of Veterans Day. Many county services are available online at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

Visit douglas.co.us

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November 2, 2023No

All about the animals Elbert County and nearby areas offer variety of shelters, rescues

BY COURTNEY BAKOS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Each year, animal shelters across the state see thousands of pets come through their doors. There are a multitude of reasons why animals end up in shelters and each has their own unique story.

When owners surrender a pet, it is often because they recognize they do not have the adequate time, space and resources to properly care for the animal. Other times a change in lifestyle prompts the surrender —

Ivy, in just her first year of life, had already been surrendered to the Buddy Center in Castle Rock twice before going home with Elbert County resident Bridget Cole.

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when a family moves from a house with land to a small apartment, for example.

Animals also end up in shelters when animal control finds strays without a home. Shelters provide veterinary care, behavioral assessments and general care for these animals until they are adopted.

A report from the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act, a program of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, calculates that over 67,000 adult dogs and over 41,000 cats went through the intake process at a Colorado animal shelter in 2022. It is estimated that nationwide, 2.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized annually because shelters are too full and there is a lack of adoptive homes.

Bridget Cole, a local resident, shares her experience adopting her dog from the Buddy Center in Castle Rock. “My home has always had a dog in it,” she said. “After my Lab passed away, my house was so quiet. I missed someone being there to greet me when I came home.

I missed having a dog to take on walks and hikes.

“While I had never adopted a pet before, I have friends who have. So, one day I decided to visit the Buddy Center in Castle Rock just to see,” Cole continued. “I wasn’t sure what to expect of what types of dogs would be there. I of course immediately fell in love with each one I saw.”

The Dumb Friends League has a total of four locations throughout

Colorado; three of which are for cats, dogs and small pets with the fourth location an Equine Center in Franktown. At press time, these locations had 109 dogs, 174 cats, 47 small pets (gerbils, guinea pigs etc.) and the Equine Center had 31 horses, all available for adoption.

“The staff at the Buddy Center were really helpful,” Cole said. “I told them which dogs I wanted to visit with. They pulled up each dog’s file to tell me more about them and to ensure they’d be a good fit for my home. Some of the dogs there, for example, didn’t get along with other dogs well or maybe had not been around children. I went home with Ivy that day.”

Cole says Buddy Center staff told her Ivy had been surrendered to the facility twice in her one year of life. “I wonder how often animals are surrendered to shelters because they are just a lot of work,” Cole said, adding that “all dogs, whether you get them as puppies or not, are a lot of work and take training and I just think sometimes people decide on getting a pet before realizing that.”

Now through the end of October, the Dumb Friends League is offering adoption specials for dogs over 6 months and cats 1 year old or older.

For dogs, adoption fees are 25% off and cat adoptions are only $10.

Elbert County and surrounding areas have a number of animal shelters, sanctuaries and rescues for animals of all kinds in need of a forever home. The list below is in no way all-inclusive, but illustrates both the scope of facilities and their need.

• Buddy Center in Castle Rock and Harmony Equine Center in Franktown (both part of Dumb Friends League): 303-751-5772 • Trevor’s Animal Rescue in Parker: info@trevorsanimalrescue.org 303-898-4105 • Buck’n R Ranch Animal Rescue in Franktown: bonnie@brrari.org 303-660-5502 • Burro Base Camp in Kiowa: 720939-6698 • Hog Haven Farm in Deer Trail: 720-334-8290 • Big Dogs, Huge Paws in Larkspur: 303-322-4336 • 4 Paws 4 Life Rescue and Boarding in Sedalia: 303-688-8569 • Terolyn Horse Rescue in Elizabeth: 303-243-1147

November 2, 2023

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November 2, 2023No

Permits available to serve alcohol

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

During a recent meeting, the Parker Town Council unanimously approved an amendment to a section of the Parker Municipal Code to authorize the administrative approval of retail establishment permits by the town clerk.

The Parker council approved the code amendment to get in line with House Bill 23-1061 that was passed during the 2023 legislative session.

The approval during the Oct. 23 meeting repeals a town code regarding the Greater Downtown Special Private Art Permit.

The bill expands the art gallery permit to allow those operating a retail establishment to offer and serve complimentary alcoholic beverages at their place of business if the establishment has been issued a retail establishment permit, said Town Attorney Kristin Hoffmann.

Additionally, the establishment must conduct business at a physical location in the state, sell goods or services at that location and derive less than 50% of the establishments gross sales of goods and services from the sale of food.

According to a document provided to the town, a “retail establishment” is defined as a business that has no

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more than 25 employees and has retail sales of no more than 5 million dollars per year.

Types of businesses that are not eligible for a permit include a retail establishment that sells firearms, motor vehicles, marijuana, gasoline or diesel fuel; an establishment that educates students or provides childcare services; or convenience stores.

The retail establishment permit involves limitations such as no sale of alcohol beverages as all beverages must be complimentary, no service of alcohol beverages for more than four hours in a 24 hour period and no charging an entrance fee or a cover charge in connection with offering complimentary alcoholic beverages.

Hoffmann clarified no alcoholic beverages can be brought into the establishment.

Earlier this year, the Parker Wine Walks were shut down by the state for not being in compliance with existing state laws for a number of

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reasons.

One of the reasons being the Greater Downtown Special Private Art Permit goes beyond just permitting public consumption and provides for the selling alcoholic beverages when a participant bought a ticket to the event, said Daniel Carr, a spokesperson for Colorado’s Department of Revenue.

One of the solutions the Liquor Enforcement Division said they provided was to require qualifying businesses to apply for a retail establishment permit and comply with all requirements.

“I understand with everything that’s been happening,” said Councilmember Brandi Wilks. “And just finding a way we can still come together and still support the organizations in our community and allow them to still do the events they want to do, I’m happy about that.”

Further explanation of the bill can be found at https://leg.colorado. gov/bills/hb23-1061.

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A publication of

Call first: 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ParkerChronicle.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100 LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.

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Eryn Caskey, owner of Rustic Butterfly, speaks with members of the Parker Chamber of Commerce during the ribbon-cutting celebration PHOTO BY RACHEL LORENZ for the business’s new showroom.

Rustic Butterfly opens new showroom in Parker

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Two years after watching a blaze consume most of the assets of her small business, Parker resident Eryn Caskey cut the ribbon on a new showroom.

“The night of the fire, the first thing to my mind was, ‘I need to find another space because I have to make sure that everybody keeps their jobs and everybody keeps working,’” Caskey, owner of Rustic Butterfly, told Colorado Community Media.

The nine-year-old custom furniture and home renovation business celebrated the opening of its new location on Progress Way with employees, family and the Parker Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 28.

Caskey told the group that the 1,800-square-foot design studio was the next step for the business, a place where customers could “touch and feel, shop around and see what they like.” Whether a small or large project, her goal is to have homeowners feeling

confident about the decisions they’re making instead of overwhelmed by the renovation process, she said.

Rustic Butterfly began nearly a decade ago, with Caskey painting, refinishing and building furniture and other home decor items. The business slowly progressed to doing trim work, installing shiplap walls and updating mudrooms. Eventually, it was taking on remodeling projects in every area of the home.

“I’m like, ‘No is not an answer. Let’s figure it out,’” Caskey said, describing her attitude toward requests to tackle something she’d never done before.

Initially, the business operated out of a barn on Caskey’s property. But then the structure — along with Rustic Butterfly’s wood shop, three kitchen’s worth of cabinets and the materials needed to finish six bathrooms — went up in flames on Aug. 25, 2021.

The company quickly pivoted and began working out of a warehouse near Fremont Drive and Jordan Road, but Caskey wasn’t satisfied.

“There was something that kept tug-

ging at my heart that was like, ‘Hey, the next step, the next step. There’s something more,’” Caskey said. “Ultimately, it was the showroom idea.”

With 16-foot ceilings and windows on two sides, the showroom space is bright and airy. Formerly home to E&E Dance Company, the spot now houses a display kitchen, bathroom and living space — complete with a fireplace — as well as samples for cabinets, floors, countertops and backsplashes.

“Being able to give people a true place to walk in and get a sense of our overall style and aesthetic, I think is a huge benefit,” Caskey said.

Amazed at how her company has evolved and grown since 2014, Caskey gives credit to both God and her habit of always saying yes. But, most importantly, it’s her 27 employees that have made Rustic Butterfly’s expansion possible, she said.

“Without a great solid team, I don’t have a successful business,” Caskey said. “I have nothingto offer if I do not have guys that are capable of executing for me.”

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November 2, 2023

DCSD candidate Jones faces finance report complaints

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Two campaign finance complaints have been filed against Douglas County school board candidate Andy Jones, alleging prohibited contributions to his campaign, while a complaint against candidate David DiCarlo that alleged improper disclosure was dismissed.

Colorado’s campaign finance complaint database, called TRACER, shows complaints filed against Jones on Oct. 16 and Oct. 20, raising concerns about a contribution Jones received and expenditures for the Best DCSD slate. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office has not yet responded to the complaints and Jones can appeal.

The Oct. 16 complaint, filed by Robin Webb, questions an $882 donation from an organization called Our Families Our Future, which Webb said she couldn’t find listed as a Colorado business or nonprofit.

Campaign finance laws prohibit anonymous donations and donations from corporations.

Our Families Our Future was a political committee registered by Kurt Huffman, according to TRACER. The committee terminated on July 28, the same day it donated the remainder of its funds to Jones’ cam-

paign.

The Oct. 20 complaint, filed by Benjamin Boaz, reports $3,000 and $930 were paid by Jones’ campaign to i360 and Bonfire, respectively, for a voter canvassing tool and data used by the Best DCSD slate. The slate is made up of Jones, and candidates Jason Page and Maria Sumnicht.

Under campaign finance laws, candidates in a slate or committee have to proportionately share expenses for overhead costs. Boaz’s complaint alleges Page and Sumnicht have not paid their share of the i360 and Bonfire expenses.

In September, the Secretary of State’s Office dismissed a complaint filed against DiCarlo after finding no violation of campaign finance laws.

The Sept. 6 complaint, filed by Charles Lang, submitted a campaign email for DiCarlo that did not include a disclaimer about who paid for the email. However, disclaimers are only required on campaign material costing over $1,000 and that is distributed during election season.

The Secretary of State’s Office found no evidence the email cost more than $1,000 and the email was sent outside of the election season.

No other complaints have been filed against candidates for the Douglas County school board.

School board candidate Andy Jones answers a question.

PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES

CLASSIFIEDS WORK! Call Today!

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November 2, 2023No

School board candidates in 3 districts use same campaign manager From fundraising to door-knocking and from branding to creating yard signs, running a campaign is no easy feat.

In this year’s board of education elections in Arapahoe and Douglas counties, six candidates in three districts have hired the same company to help them get elected.

Decisive Victory Group is a political consulting and campaign management company founded and run by Holly Osborne Horn, a Castle Rock resident.

With the help of two employees, Horn advises candidates on strategy and assists them with door-knocking, social media, email, digital marketing and mass text messaging.

With experience working on political campaigns for candidates including Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO 4th District) and gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl, Horn is now applying her skills to get candidates elected in Cherry Creek School District, Littleton Public Schools and Douglas County School District.

She is managing campaigns for Scott Graves and Steve McKenna in Cherry Creek, Brian Macaulay in Littleton and the Best DCSD slate of candidates in the Douglas County School District.

This slate includes Jason Page, Maria Sumnicht and Andy Jones.

In 2021, Horn was the campaign manager for Kids First DCSD, the slate of candidates that included the current Douglas County School District board majority of Mike Peterson, Christy Williams, Kaylee Winegar and

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Across districts and between years, Horn has built a name for herself as a committed campaign manager who attracts the business of conservativeleaning candidates.

Horn’s path to school board campaigns

Horn said she was first exposed to politics as a child because her mother was an “isses-based” activist.

At age 16, Horn managed her first campaign for a candidate running for state legislator, and it was successful.

After that, she continued working on campaigns for U.S. senate candidates, gubernatorial candidates and spent some time working on Capitol Hill.

When she got married and had her first child, Horn took a break from professional political work. For over 10 years, she was a stay-at-home mother but volunteered for some campaigns, she said.

She and her husband moved to Castle Rock in 2017, where she was pulled back into politics when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

Horn said she started to get fed up with the Douglas County School Board at that time, largely because her son was quarantined seven different times in one school year and was on a hybrid schedule.

“He actually only attended 31 days of school his entire eighth grade year,” she said. “His mental health was really struggling.”

Horn said she showed up to speak at a board meeting and ended up getting involved in the recall effort of four school board members in 2021. The recall did not happen.

Horn said she met Peterson and Williams through this experience, and the Kids First DCSD slate asked her to manage their campaign.

Despite not planning to do campaign management again, Horn said she agreed.

The 2021 Douglas County school board election made national news for its intensity. The Kids for DCSD campaign brought in over $300,000 and was backed by the local and state GOP, as well as national groups like the 1776 Project PAC, a group that opposes Critical Race Theory, as reported by NBC News.

After that, Horn managed the campaign of Deborah Flora, a conservative radio host who lost the race for a Colorado seat in the U.S. Senate to Michael Bennett in 2022.

Horn worked on a successful campaign for Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO 4th District) in 2022.

Horn assisted with campaigns for gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl and Colorado House of Representatives District 43 candidate Kurt Huffman.

She also managed the campaign for Attorney General candidate John Kellner, who now serves the 18th Judicial District.

Although these candidates did not win their races, Horn’s reputation among conservative candidates seemed to grow from her work.

Leadership Institute

In addition to running Decisive Victory Group, Horn works as the Colorado Deputy Director of Grassroots at the Leadership Institute. She started the position in June.

The Leadership Institute is a nonprofit group that “teaches conservatives of all ages how to succeed in politics, government and the media,” according to its website.

It offers training ranging from campaign management workshops to fundraising and grant writing workshops to a class called “Conservatism 101.”

The institute recently launched a new program called “How to run for school board and win.”

“With this vital new program, the Leadership Institute will now prepare conservatives all across America to challenge the left’s control over the nation’s locally elected school boards,” the group’s president, Morton Blackwell, wrote on the institute’s website.

When asked if she has this same goal in her campaign management, Horn said no.

She said she is not involved with school board-focused work at the Leadership Institute or the division that teaches that class.

Her work with the institute is more generally focused on campaign strategy, she said.

“What we do is more general campaign stuff – how to manage your social media, how to target voters, meaning looking at the voter data and seeing what it tells us about each person,” she said.

Blackwell, the Leadership Institute’s president and founder, serves as Virginia’s national committeeman on the Republican National Committee.

SEE MANAGER, P13

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November 2, 2023

MANAGER FROM PAGE 12

Even though the Leadership Institute was founded by Blackwell and its website states it “actively supports the entire conservative movement,” Horn said it is nonpartisan.

Horn said the Leadership Institute is not affiliated with the Republican or Democratic party and its training is open to anyone, regardless of political identity or beliefs.

“Conservatives are the primary ones that we train, as our founder is a conservative, but it is open to all,” she said.

She said her work with the institute is not related to her work with Decisive Victory Group. She added that she started her company before she worked with the institute.

“The two are very separate,” she said.

“As far as my work on campaigns go, I am literally a mom who was worried

about her son and his mental health during the COVID shutdowns and it inspired me to get involved … This is not a part of any kind of national organization, or narrative or agenda.”

Who to work with?

Over the course of her career, Horn said she has never sought out a campaigning job. It tends to be a more organic, word-of-mouth process, she said.

“Candidates contact me and I meet with them and I talk to them about, you know, one, what is their heart for this? Why do they want to run?” she said. “I want to make sure that they’re in it for the right reasons, and that is to do the right things for kids and teachers and staff and stakeholders.”

Horn acknowledged that the school board candidates she works with tend to lean right in their beliefs, although their degrees of conservatism vary.

When asked if she thinks it’s im-

portant to have more conservatives on school boards in the region, Horn said it’s important to have a voice for the parents on these boards. She said parents know and love their kids more than anyone else.

“It’s not that we need conservatism on the board, it’s that we need the parent voice,” she said. “That is the beginning, middle and end, is making sure that there’s a voice for parents who are going to be sure that parents are notified and considered and involved in and have a seat at the table every step of the way.”

She said some districts are moving away from parent notification on what’s going on with their kids at school. Creating systems that ensure communication and notification to parents is important, she said.

She said she supports candidates who will ensure children are only provided age-appropriate material from their libraries.

“That’s a totally different thing than

saying things should be banned or outlawed or removed,” she said. “It is more about access in an age-appropriate way.”

In addition, she supports those who say the harm to children by shutting down schools during the pandemic was a greater risk than the potential reward, once safety wasn’t as much of a concern.

Decisive Victory Group has made over $25,000 from the races Horn is managing so far this election cycle, according to state filings.

Horn said her work is not for the money. She said that adding a third employee to her team actually means she’s earning less this election than if she had worked on fewer races and not hired that extra person.

“When it comes down to it, I was the worried mom,” she said. “And that’s still what I am, a worried mom. And I know there are a lot of us out there.”

Horn’s children attend Ascent Classical Academy of Douglas County.

“Putting the UNITY back in our community!”  Roxanne is the only candidate with training and experience working in public schools. We need that experience on the Elizabeth school board.  Roxanne is committed to transparency. She believes that open communication is essential in building trust and encouraging community engagement.  Roxanne aims to bridge the gap between the school board and the community it serves, ensuring that decisions are made collectively and in the best interest of all of our students and district staff.  Roxanne firmly believes that education should be inclusive, recognizing the diverse needs and backgrounds of all students.  Roxanne’s years of experience in education have taught her the importance of tailoring educational approaches to meet individual needs.

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LEARN MORE AT AVILESFORESD.COM

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LOCAL

November 2, 2023N

VOICES

Becoming an adult today

T

here has been a common conversation taking place around my house over the last few weeks about adultFROM THE hood.

With EDITOR my daughter turning 18 this year, finishing high school, and looking to the future — I can say with confidence that I am terrified.

Becoming Thelma Grimes what we in society deem to be “an official adult” today is so much harder today than it was in the late 1990s when I entered adulthood or further back when my parents became adults.

Obviously, with my mom and dad, there is a huge difference in that many of them were getting married during or right after high school — that is, if they finished.

For me, it was a drive to get to college, start a career, and be independent. I had it in my head that I would never get married or have kids, especially when I was 18. Things clearly changed.

Now — there is my daughter. She has already had some obstacles in her life, from her biological parents starting her off on a rough path, to her overcoming learning disabilities and dealing with an attachment disorder.

When I was her age, I started college living with my parents and paying a few bills. In all honesty, to this day I say it was one of the best decisions I made by not leaving home paying rent and getting overwhelmed in adulthood too fast.

In today’s world for kids exiting high school — the issues they face are endless. The cost of college today is ridiculous.

For my daughter, traditional college is likely not a real op-

tion. She has never done well in school.

She wants to be a flight attendant. This fits who she is.

However, with age and other requirements, that means sorting out what happens after she takes the graduation walk to finish high school in May. Beyond thinking about her future career — today’s world is filled with uncertainty, especially when it comes to the economy.

My daughter recently moved down to our basement, making a comment that it felt like her own apartment. I saw her point to a degree and laughed a little because it’s also partly my office.

As we talked, we got into a discussion about how much a room the size of what she has in my basement would cost in Denver. She was shocked when I explained how much rent for a small apartment or studio is in our community today.

Again, that anxiety as a parent crept up. What is she going to do? She works with a local school but does not make enough right now to venture out and pay bills and live life right now.

Part of me wonders when she could, given today’s cost of living.

Will she be like many of our young people today and relocate to somewhere cheaper, where she can survive? Certainly, that is a possibility.

The unknowns our young adults are facing today are a lot more serious than what I faced when I entered adulthood. For me, I am more afraid of her entering the adult world than I was as an 18-year-old coming from a small town and entering the real world. The fear today is a lot more serious and real.

Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor of Colorado Community Media.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR False equivalency

Re: Editor Thelma Grimes’ column “A shift to center” from Oct. 19: I do understand your frustration with the state of politics in the country — we’re all pretty frustrated! And it’s at least a step in the right direction that you’re now pulling away from a party whose biggest priorities are eliminating the rights of women to make their own health-care decisions, banning books, and rewriting history, all while desperately searching for scapegoats around every corner to blame so we won’t notice their own lack of ideas to move the country forward.

But now you want to say Democrats “are no better.” This is a surprising attitude coming from a former member of the former “party of personal responsibility.” Even with all the gerrymandering they did because they know people won’t otherwise elect members of a party with extremely unpopular ideas, Republicans were able to gain only the tiniest of majorities in the House in the last election. Please remember that it took 15 votes before Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House, and then it only took one man, extremely unpopular even within his own party, to undo that. During his term, McCarthy went back on every promise of compromise and time and again caved to the extremists, unable to bring his party together or lead in any way. Yet somehow

the Democrats are the ones to blame for all of it?

Since the fall of McCarthy, the two nominees they’ve put forward so far are hard-right supporters of insurrection and opposition at all costs, unable to draw full support even from their own party. The Republicans have created a fine mess all on their own, but oh sure, it’s so much more convenient to say it’s the fault of the Democrats for not bailing them out of it — it couldn’t possibly be the Republicans’ own inability to nominate someone who isn’t an extremist, oh no. You say both sides are playing games, but this false equivalency is lazy thinking and serves only to perpetuate the problem. If you want to talk about taking the “adult approach,” a good beginning might be to stop blaming the wrong people.

Deidre Adams, Highlands Ranch Ranked-choice is the way

In reponse to editor Thelma Grimes Oct. 19 column, “A shift to center”: Ms. Grimes, thank you for your editorial on being an unaffiliated voter. Many years ago I also became unaffiliated when I became disenchanted with the political gamesmanship being played by both parties with the first budget showdown in the House.

You finish your column with “I am SEE LETTERS, P15

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November 2, 2023

LETTERS FROM PAGE 14

hopeful that one day we do get to vote in the middle ...” Actually, a process already exists, but it is not often adopted because people do not understand how it works, and therefore fear it. You speaking about it, and even having a reporter write a story about it, it will carry more weight than me writing a letter.

You missed a chance, which you can still remedy, to talk about “ranked choice voting.” I encourage you to Google the term and describe this process to the community so it can be seriously considered for adoption in local, if not state, elections. If it were used for federal positions, I don’t think we’d be in the red/blue situation we find ourselves in today, and our government would work more smoothly.

Tom Fox, Highlands Ranch Beware both-sidesism

Regarding the Oct. 19 column “A shift to center” by editor Thelma Grimes: As a newspaper editor, I understand Thelma Grimes’ inclination to sound as centrist as possible. But in her opinion column about political dysfunction, the line “Democrats — they are no better” deserves a bit more thought. It’s understandable that people just think government is broken, but remember that the Republican Party has spent decades working to convince Americans that this indeed true, then blaming the Democrats (or immigrants, gays, trans teens, drag shows — pick your conservative bogeyman).

The fact is the right side of our Congress is filled with people who still can’t accept the result of the 2020 election, and many in the House voted not to certify it. This party’s struggle to pick a speaker means they are literally incapable of governing. They haven’t passed any meaningful legislation that can get past the Senate, and their overall record of governance going back to the Reagan era runs the gamut from pathetic to cruel to crazy.

House Democrats voted against McCarthy because A) Why should they when it’s the majority’s job to elect their own? and B) He refused to make a single concession for their votes and then blamed them for his own mess.

I’m all for balanced government

with liberals, centrists and conservatives working out compromises for the betterment of all, but the only party willing to embrace reality and come to the table is the Democrats.

I pity GOP voters who live in a Fox News-induced haze of disinformation that runs counter to their own best interests. Those who choose to be independents may think it insulates them from “politics,” but they still need to choose a side, and it ain’t Team Trump.

Alex Miller, Highlands Ranch What the H?

Natural gas (methane) is dangerous, costly, and polluting. Why make it worse by adding hydrogen to it?

Xcel wants to deliver natural gas with this additive to our homes via their pipelines. The so-called upgrade will be at our expense but with no benefits and with serious detriments.

Xcel is seeking a Conditional Use Permit application in Adams County to do the hydrogen mixture, a ploy which Xcel falsely claims will help our climate problems. In the end, we will pay for their work to protect their gas delivery system.

Launching such a system will cost us more than $6M for the pilot project in Adams County, affecting only 250 homes in the testing area and only for two years. That’s more than $24,000 a home.

Guess who will eventually have to pony up the funds? Ratepayers. And we’ll also be putting our health on the line, as well. Independent testing has shown burning hydrogenblended gas releases up to six times the pollutants as our already bad natural gas, affecting our poor indoor air quality. Furthermore, 99% of the hydrogen produced in the U.S. comes from climate-killing fossil fuels.

Hydrogen is four times more likely than gas to explode, using it as an additive in natural gas is very risky, indeed. We could even lose our warranties for our appliances.

If we say no to Xcel’s hydrogen scheme, as voters did in New Mexico and Eugene, Oregon, we’ll be saying no to additional air pollution, utility bill rate increases, further climate change, and higher risks for deadly explosions. Say no to a hydrogen additive in our natural gas supply line and we’ll send Xcel’s hydrogenblending demo pilot plot in Adams County up in flames — and not our homes and businesses. And we won’t see escalating energy bills.

Fran Scannell, Greenwood Village

OBITUARIES HENDERSON

Michael Kevin “Mike” Henderson September 21, 1955 - October 19, 2023

Michael Kevin Henderson, of Denver, Colorado passed away, surrounded by his family, on October 19th after a year long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Mike was born on September 21, 1955 in Aurora, Illinois. He went on to study Business, and play soccer at Carthage College. While there he was active in the Tau Sigma Phi fraternity.

Mike married his college sweetheart, Nancy Knack. They had three children, Mike (43), Alison (41), and Andrea (36).

Mike was the proud Grandfather to four grandchildren. Michael’s children with wife, ANDERSEN

Rebekah - Ariya (7) and Elijah (3) and Alison’s children with husband, Bryan - Gavin (15) and Catherine (12).

Mike was an avid runner with his daughters. He achieved his lifelong goal of running the Boston Marathon in 2015.

He also loved to home-brew and drink craft beer with his son.

Mike asked not to have a service. If you wish to remember Mike, we request that donations be made to Parker Task Force or A Friend of Jack Dog Rescue.

Please share your memories and condolences to nacyhendo@aol.com.

Donald Keith Andersen

October 31, 1926 - October 8, 2023

To see Donald’s obituary and service details go to www.pfh-co.com

In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at coloradocommunitymedia.com/parker-chronicle coloradocommunitymedia.com/elbert-county-news

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November 2, 2023N

LOCAL

LIFE HOW COLORADO COMMUNITIES CELEBRATE DíA DE LOS MUERTOS

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One of the items on display at the Sheridan Library as part of Museo de las Americas’ traveling exhibition on Oct. 20.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

As people enter The Center on Colfax in Denver, they are greeted by a colorful community altar featuring sugar skulls, flowers, skeleton figures and photos of people.

The altar, called an “ofrenda” in Spanish, is part of the center’s celebration of Day of the Dead, or “Día de los Muertos” — a holiday where people honor dead loved ones.

“A lot of it is about reconnecting with who we are as people and who has been here before us,” said Sandra Zapata, the director of youth services at The Center on Colfax.

Day of the Dead is a pre-Hispanic celebration that predominantly occurs in Mexico on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, according to the center.

On these days, spirits are believed to return home and spend time with their loved ones, according to The Mexican Museum.

Families build altars with offerings to welcome the spirits.

This year, communities throughout Colorado have planned events in honor of Day of the Dead, with hopes of bringing people together — both in person and in spirit.

At the Sheridan Library in Denver, the community group Sheridan Rising Together for Equity planned to host a Day of the

Dead celebration on Nov. 1 featuring dance performances, food and an exhibition of an altar.

From now until Nov. 5, the library is also hosting a traveling museum exhibition from Museo de las Américas about Day of the Dead, displaying artifacts that help share the history and meaning of the holiday.

Museo de las Américas, a Latin American art museum within Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe, has planned its own celebration in collaboration with other organizations at 5 p.m. on Nov. 3.

In Thornton, the city’s arts and culture division will host the seventh annual Day of the Dead celebration from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 4 at McAllister Park Center.

Zapata said it is really interesting to see how different communities celebrate Day of the Dead, whether it be hosting a parade, creating a communal ofrenda, or visiting the cemetery where a loved one is buried.

“I want to be in those spaces and I want to reconnect to traditions with other folks who also celebrate Day of the Dead.

Maybe it looks different from what I’m used to, and that’s going to be OK,” Zapata said.

“You get to see what they look like outside of, you know, maybe your own experience — and that’s great.”

The Center on Colfax’s ofrenda

The Center on Colfax, an LGBTQ+ community center based in Denver, has been creating ofrendas for Day of the Dead since about 2016, Zapata said.

This year, the center invited the community to participate in building the ofrenda and bring photos of their loved ones.\ Zapata said people’s willingness to share was very touching.

“For them to share very intimate details about their loved ones and why they meant so much to them, and maybe how tragically they lost them — I think it’s such an honor for folks to feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable in a public space with people that maybe they don’t know,” Zapata said.

Zapata, whose pronouns are they/them, said they grew up in Mexico, and it was a tradition for schools to have an ofrenda every year.

“You get to bring pictures of the folks that you want to remember and bring back on Day of the Dead,” they said. “It was always an activity that we did at school and at home and, kind of, honoring those folks and what they taught us.”

At the age of 16, Zapata moved to Iowa.

“It made me kind of cling on to those celebrations much more because I didn’t want to lose them,” Zapata said. “I wanted to continue to honor the traditions that I grew up with, regardless of where I was and whether or not folks around me were going to celebrate it in the same way.

“I just wanted to make sure that I honored my culture and the things that I grew up with,” they continued.

The ofrenda will be open until the first week of November, Zapata said. Creating it is a way for The Center on Colfax to recognize intersectionality within the community, they added.

“Yes, being part of the LGBTQ+ community is important, but all of our other identities are just as important to us,” they said.

Zapata explained being queer and Mexican comes hand-inhand.

“For me to be able to celebrate that very specific space that I live in … It’s important to me that places, like my place of work, will celebrate it with the same enthusiasm, right, that any other celebration would (get),” they said.

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November 2, 2023

Skeleton figures wearing fancy clothes that are on display at the Sheridan Library on Oct. 20. The items are PHOTOS BY TAYLER SHAW part of Museo de las Americas’ traveling exhibition for Day of the Dead.

DAY OF THE DEAD FROM PAGE 16

Thornton’s celebration aims for more than 1,000 attendees

Over the years, Thornton’s celebration of Day of the Dead has grown to the point of attracting hundreds of attendees.

Alisa Zimmerman, the manager of the City of Thornton’s Arts and Culture Division, said the celebration started as a small gathering in the arts and culture center.

This year, for the seventh annual celebration, the event will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 4 at McAllister Park Center, located at 750 W. 96th Ave. Zimmerman said it is important for any city to recognize the diversity and richness of its community.

“There is a very large, robust Hispanic community in Thornton — in original Thornton, which is the southern part of Thornton,” Zimmerman said.

By 2019, the event attracted a few hundred attendees, she said. To accommodate the bigger crowd, the celebration is now held at McAllister Park, which has a building on it that was previously a church.

“That proved to be the perfect, you know, home for this event as it continues to grow, and it’s both an indoor and outdoor thing,” she said. “We love the fact that it’s still very near to our core community that loves to celebrate this event.”

Last year, about 700 people attended, she said. The year before that, an estimated 1,000 people showed up.

This year, the goal is to exceed 1,000 attendees, she said.

Attendees this year can expect music and dance performances, as well as face painting, an art market and a costume contest.

The celebration this year will also feature the Butterfly Pavilion. Zimmerman said the pavilion wanted to display its monarch butterfly exhibit because monarchs migrate to Mexico and some people believe that monarchs represent the dead coming back to visit the living.

The Mexican Cultural Center will also create a beautiful ofrenda, Zimmerman said. People are able to bring photos to place on the ofrenda.

“The wonderful part, for me, is it’s so multigenerational,” she said. “I think Day of the Dead represents a wonderful opportunity to gather people together.”

When asked what advice she has for newcomers, Zimmerman said, “Come with a sense of discovery and curiosity about what this holiday is.”

The Day of the Dead altar at The Center on Colfax features skeleton figures, flowers and photos of people.

Museo de las Américas to host a procession

Museo de las Américas is the premier Latin American art museum in the Rocky Mountain region, said Executive Director Claudia Moran.

This year, Museo will host a Day of the Dead celebration starting at 5 p.m. Nov. 3 at 861 Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

The free event will feature a community procession honoring loved ones from 6-7 p.m.

This procession is a collaborative effort between Museo, the Art District on Santa Fe, Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, and the Office of Councilwoman Jamie Torres, according to a news release.

The procession will commence in the parking lot of Su Teatro at 721 Santa Fe Drive around 5:45 p.m. and will head on a route that will conclude at Museo de las Américas.

The celebration will feature an altar, a dance performance, local vendors, sugar skull decorating and a Catrina costume contest.

Sheridan Library’s exhibition, community program

In addition to its community celebration, Museo de las Américas is recognizing Day of the Dead through its traveling exhibition that is on display at the Sheridan Library, located at 3425 W. Oxford Ave., until Nov. 5.

“The purpose of the exhibit is to use art and artifacts to explain the history and meaning of Día (de) los Muertos (Day of the Dead),” said Laura Beacom, the curator of collections at Museo.

Creating the Day of the Dead traveling exhibition was by demand, Beacom said. She started building it over the pandemic, and it was first displayed last year at a library in Wheat Ridge.

The objects on display are something people would not normally be able to see if not for the traveling exhibition, she said.

“It’s just really important for people to have artwork that reflects their own history and culture,” Beacom said. “And for people who don’t know anything about it, it’s important for them to be able to learn about it.”

It is important that Sheridan Library celebrates Day of the Dead because the Sheridan community is diverse and strongly Latine, said Kathleen Robertson, supervisor at Sheridan Library. Latine is a gender-neutral form of the word Latino.

“I think it’s important to hang on to cultural traditions,” Robertson said.

This year will be the second that the community group Sheridan Rising Together for Equity will host a Day of the Dead celebration at Sheridan Library.

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DAY OF THE DEAD FROM PAGE 17

“We had never seen such a well-attended event at this library,” Robertson said about last year’s event.

This year’s celebration will include performances by dance groups, an exhibition of the altar of the dead, a Catrinas costume contest, and bread and hot chocolate.

The evolution of Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead has its origins in the rituals practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Americas, such as the Aztecs, according to The Mexican Museum.

Museo de las Américas said the Aztecs used skeletons as a tribute to the deity Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of death.

According to History.com, once the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire, the Catholic Church changed when the Indigenous celebrations honoring the dead occurred. This made the celebrations fall on the Catholic dates of Nov. 1, which is All Saints’ Day, and Nov. 2, which is All Souls’ Day. Claudia Moran, executive director at Museo, said that from her understanding, there are two primary areas in Mexico where Day of the Dead is celebrated in a very traditional way — Mexico City and the Mexican state of Michoacán.

Moran, who is from Guadalajara, Mexico, said she has visited Pátzcuaro, a city in Michoacán, many times, as her aunt lives there. There is a lake in the area that has cemeteries around it, she said.

People bring large amounts of flowers into the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried, creating beautiful displays. At night, people bring food and stay up late, sharing stories and reflecting.

“It’s just a moment to remember your loved ones who have already passed.

It’s a moment of reflection. It’s a moment of understanding,” Moran said.

When Moran visited the area as a young girl, the celebrations were smaller, she said.

“Now, it’s like you can barely get into the town,” she said, explaining tourists across the world come to see the celebration.

Day of the Dead celebrations have become more popular in the last 10-15 years, she said. She thinks part of the reason is due to movies such as the 2015 James Bond movie, “Spectre,” and the 2017 Disney movie, “Coco.”

She has even seen a change where she grew up in Guadalajara.

“When I was (a) little girl, you wouldn’t see anything around anywhere in the city, in Guadalajara. Now, you could go to cemeteries in Guadalajara.

Now, you can go to … all these celebrations in the little towns,” she said. “It’s a phenomenon.”

Elements of an ofrenda

An altar and its offerings — called an “ofrenda” in Spanish — are an invitation to deceased loved ones “to be with us in spirit and to share what they liked in life,” according to The Center on Colfax.

There are four basic elements needed in an ofrenda: earth, water, wind and fire.

Earth is represented with food. Sandra Zapata, director of youth services at The Center on Colfax, said it has to be food that the loved one liked and would want to come back for.

“Pan de muerto,” which means bread of the dead, is a sweet bread that often is part of an ofrenda, according to The Mexican Museum.

In addition to food, there is often salt and water, Zapata said.

“The nourishment itself — it’s because they’ve been through a long journey,” Zapata said. “We want them to feel celebrated and want (them) to be full.”

Wind is represented by the movement of objects such as “papel picado,” which is colorful tissue paper cut into designs.

“It’s very easy to break, and it’s a reminder that life itself is very easy to break and it’s very easy for us to lose it,” Zapata said about papel picado. “So, we have to be thankful and we have to be grateful that we are still here.”

Candles represent fire, offering light that is believed by some to help spirits find their way to meet their family and friends, according to The Center on Colfax.

Ofrendas also often have incense and an arch, representing the gateway be-

An altar, called an “ofrenda” in Spanish, located in The Center on Colfax in Denver on PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW Oct. 20. It was created in honor of Day of the Dead.

tween the two worlds, Zapata said.

Sugar skulls symbolize loved ones who have passed away, according to The Mexican Museum. Sometimes, they have the name of the deceased person inscribed on the forehead.

Flowers called “cempasúchil,” or marigolds, are always on ofrendas, Zapata said.

“That’s a very big representation of this time of year when these flowers bloom and we can use them to bring beauty into the space,” they said.

Photos of loved ones are also placed on ofrendas, Zapata said.

Not a ‘Mexican Halloween’

For people interested in celebrating Day of the Dead for the first time, Zapata said it is important to look at the traditions and be mindful of honoring the holiday.

“Sometimes, it gets almost, like, tangled in Halloween. And those two things are so different,” Zapata said. “I just want to make sure that folks are mindful of what our traditions are versus something like Halloween, which is not culturally relevant to Day of the Dead just because it’s a different tradition, and it’s a different type of celebration.”

In the City of Thornton, Alisa Zimmerman said the city tries its best to make sure its event is not looked at as a Mexican Halloween.

“We purposefully don’t schedule it on the same weekend or near Halloween,” Zimmerman said.

“And that’s worked well for us because then people know that it’s actually focused strictly on this holiday — remembering people’s deceased friends and relatives.”

Claudia Moran, of Museo de las Américas, said it is important that people research the holiday.

“It is a very unique type of celebration,” she said. “You cannot compare it with anything else.”

“It’s actually a culmination of a lot of traditions that have been combined going back hundreds of years,” Beacom said.

Beacom said she likes that Day of the Dead reminds people that death is part of life.

“It’s not to be feared,” she said. “The nature of love in our souls is eternal, and the material world and the spiritual world … exist at the same place, at the same time.”

Zapata’s favorite part of Day of the Dead is hearing people’s stories about the people they have loved and lost.

“There’s such a connection in telling stories and telling other people’s stories and making sure that the folks that maybe have passed are not forgotten,” Zapata said. “Passing those traditions of talking about the people that we love kind of keeps them around longer, even if other folks didn’t meet them. It’s about the history that we don’t want to forget about.”

19

November 2, 2023

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November 2, 2023No

Holiday craft fairs are seasonal delight Elbert County, nearby areas offer variety of events for gift-givers

BY COURTNEY BAKOS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

It’s time to put away the Halloween costumes and spooky decorations and get out the Christmas ornaments, the holiday season is here!

Now is the perfect time to start finding gifts for those on your list. If you are looking for gifts that are thoughtful and unique, Elbert County and surrounding areas have several upcoming craft fairs with varieties of local artists and vendors to visit. At these events, you will find a plethora of one-of-a-kind items that are sure to make your holiday season merry and bright. From holiday ornaments and decorations, to handmade and distinctive items, there will be no shortage of gift ideas.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Elizabeth Legacy Academy PTCO is hosting their second annual Community Craft Fair. Legacy PTCO member and event organizer Danielle Griffith says “We will have over 20 local artists and crafters in attendance this year. Everything from local authors to permanent jewelry, engravings and woodwork, crochet pieces and paper

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This event will also feature a booth for kids to be able to create a craft to take home. Griffith explains, “Legacy Academy wants to have more events that open up our doors to the public.

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We want to be a part of the community more and this is one event that makes that happen. It is so fun to see all the amazing work people can do and to be able to support local vendors and artists is just icing on the cake!”

The craft fair is free to attend and will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Legacy Academy is located at 1975 Legacy Circle in Elizabeth.

Other local craft fair events include: • Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show Nov. 1-4 at the Lone Tree Golf Club and Hotel. Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 6p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Manitou Springs Holiday Market Nov. 3 to Dec. 28 at the Commonwheel Artists Co-op. Open daily 10

a.m. to 6 p.m. (excluding Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day).

• Elizabeth Middle School’s 40th Annual Craft Fair will be Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elizabeth Middle School.

• Colorado Springs Holiday Craft and Gift Show will be Nov. 24-26 at the Norris Penrose Event Center. Friday 3-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Legend High School Craft Fair, Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Legend High School.

• Junkin Market Days, Nov. 17 and 18 at Messer Arena in Kiowa. Friday 4-8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Castle Rock Senior Center Craft Show, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Douglas County Event Center.

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November 2, 2023

Nickels sit on a table at Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon’s “Harvard for a Nickel” talk on Oct. 26 in Castle Rock. The county has said the cost for Laydon to attend the program, $17,400, was roughly one nickel per county resident. Nickels were PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD on hand at the event for anyone who wanted to take one.

A crowd largely made up of county staff sits at Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon’s “Harvard for a Nickel” talk on Oct. 26.

LAYDON FROM PAGE 2

cost of attending the program, Laydon had said: “On your question I found that most of the entities that provide reimbursement for the program represent special interest groups and agendas that I don’t wish to be beholden to. Although the county already fully approved the entire tuition, I am also personally reimbursing every citizen who wants it the entire cost to them for me to attend. I am also offering a free experiential course for them to attend and personally get the benefit of what I learned.”

Laydon has said it cost members of the public roughly a nickel for him “to go to the world’s foremost public policy institute to improve my lead-

ership as chairman of our board” of county commissioners. Nickels were on hand at the event for anyone who wanted to take one.

Benjamin Lyng, who watched Laydon’s presentation and says he lives in Castle Pines Village, said afterward: “Laydon’s response to people who disagree with his decision to go back on his word about reimbursing the county — offering them five cents — shows contempt for the tax paying citizens of Douglas County.”

In a news release ahead of the event, Laydon said: “The immersive experience at the Harvard Kennedy School gave me new skills and insights that I use every day in my role as an elected leader. I learned from the world’s top local government and leadership experts, and I’m excited to share a few nuggets with you.”

You can see the recording of the talk on YouTube at tinyurl.com/LaydonHarvardTalk.

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November 2, 2023No

Ellingboe retires after decades of sharing love of arts with readers

BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Sonya Ellingboe, a longtime voice in the Denver area’s art and entertainment world, never let age be an obstacle in the days preceding the 2020 pandemic shutdowns, as she made her way to her office in Englewood each weekday with her walking stick and bright-colored necklaces.

Ellingboe, with her signature bright laugh and engaging conversational style, would sit at her window-view desk to write stories about whatever show or art exhibit she had recently seen and to put together a weekly column that brought readers into the world of culture around the Denver metro area.

From the time the pandemic shutdowns began, she continued her work from home as she shared her stories with readers of south metro newspapers.

Ellingboe, a Littleton resident since 1956, recently announced her retirement from Colorado Community Media. She has played a part in her beloved art world through her articles since at least 1989, when she was with what was then a onepaper operation known as the Littleton Times.

“Sonya has been a treasure to the arts community,” said Linda Shapley, publisher of Colorado Community Media. “She will be missed, but none more than by the dedicated readers who for decades respected and trusted her articles to open their worlds to beauty and creativ-

With a sleeping cat in her lap, Sonya Ellingboe looks back on a storied career filled with PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES respect from peers and colleagues.

ity.”

Ellingboe, 93, talked about her love of art, her writing career, and her devotion to the Littleton community in a recent interview with Colorado Community Media. She recalled how she got into newspaper writing, starting with an editor who had been with the Littleton Independent but was not happy with the newspaper’s direction and decided to start the Littleton Times, bringing Ellingboe with her.

Ellingboe joked about having a problem with putting too many commas in her articles and having

to adjust from writing academic papers to writing articles for the general public.

Ellingboe said she loves the arts, wanted to ask questions and learn more about local government, and happily dived into the journalism world.

“When I was young, I went to summer drama classes and while I did not want to perform, I knew it was something I wanted to do,” she said.

“I always enjoyed going to plays and the entertainment world.”

In her home on Oct. 27, with a black cat sleeping soundly on her

lap, Ellingboe spoke fondly about her career and experiences, surrounded by paintings done by her family, herself, and a mountain of books in various spots showing her love of learning and academics.

Eventually, the Littleton Times was bought by Jerry and Ann Healey, who said they owe much of their success to Ellingboe because she was there to connect them throughout the community and even provided office space for them to use in her bookstore off Curtice Street.

Ellingboe managed the bookstore in Littleton for 16 years.

Ann recalled being new to Littleton as she attributed their success to Ellingboe’s willingness to help them. The Healeys eventually purchased the Littleton Independent, growing into what became Colorado Community Media with 24 community newspapers along the Front Range.

In 2021, the couple sold Colorado Community Media to the Colorado News Conservancy.

Ann said there was a key group of Littleton residents who loved their local newspaper and Ellingboe played a big role in connecting the Healeys with the right people.

“We quickly became involved in the community,” Ann said. “(Ellingboe’s) historical and background knowledge of Littleton was endless.

She was involved in everything. She has always been kind, patient, and really fun. She was always so interested in culture.”

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SONYA FROM PAGE 22

her bright-colored jewelry choices, many who have worked with her over the last few decades also treasure her as a matriarch of the Littleton community.

After hearing of her retirement, Peggy Dietz, head of the Depot Art Center in Littleton, said, “I think of Sonya as not only a lovely friend but Littleton’s own Google. She retains the living history of our community, remembering the ‘famous’, the ‘infamous’, and the everyday events. As a devoted member of the Depot Art Gallery, we always had her input and devotion. A true lover of the arts and an excellent writer.”

Chris Rotar, a former editor for Colorado Community Media, worked with Ellingboe from 20072021.

“Sonya’s unwavering advocacy for the metro area arts scene and the community of Littleton will likely never be duplicated,” he said. “Sonya did more than write for the newspapers. She served as an invaluable resource for her colleagues, whether it be passing along news tips or providing historical context.”

Rotar, a newcomer to Colorado in 2007, remembers his second day on the job as an editor of the south metro publications.

“We got in Sonya’s car, and she took me on a tour around Littleton,” he said. “I quickly learned how important the community and its history are to her. Since the city isn’t geographically very big, the drive didn’t last long, but it left a lasting impression on me.”

For the Healeys, from the time they were a couple in their early 30s trying to get started, Ann said her relationship with Ellingboe developed into a strong, meaningful friendship built on admiration and respect.

“She’s had challenges at times but has always persevered,” Anne said.

“She’s an amazing woman. She is a true community pillar. It’s hard to find the words to describe how much I think of her and admire her.

I am just glad our paths crossed. I just hope I can be like her when I am in my 90s.”

Former Littleton Mayor Susan Thornton said Ellingboe’s notices and reviews have strengthened both the art community and the community at large over the years.

A painting done by Sonya Ellingboe.

“She has been the go-to voice for residents who don’t want to miss the latest show, opening, event, or play,” Thornton said. “Her impact on the community has been profound.”

Ellingboe said she just wanted to bring art into the communities across the Denver metro area.

Looking back to when she was 7, Ellingboe said her mother, an artist, encouraged creativity and allowed young Sonya to paint and decorate her walls.

From an early age, Ellingboe was immersed in culture, traveling Europe, seeing plays, and loving all of it.

As a writer, Ellingboe said she has loved seeing the arts, culture, and entertainment world grow up around her. She said Lone Tree, Parker, and many other communities have invested in the arts, giving her more to write about as the years went on.

“As I wrote, it made me constantly on the lookout for ideas over the years,” Ellingboe said. “You gain this curiosity. You want to know how they do that. How do they make that? It spreads in all directions.”

At 93, Ellingboe said she is not able to attend shows as often as she wants but still tries to get out with her daughter when she can.

With four children, numerous grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren, Ellingboe proudly talked about instilling her love of the arts into her children, bragging about her son who currently travels the world.

While health has prevented her

PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES

lowed the example of her parents in traveling with her own children to some of her favorite places in Europe and Asia.

“I’m glad I have been lucky enough to do things like that,” she said.

However, when asked where her favorite place to travel is, Ellingboe, sticking with her love of Colorado, said she loves the western part of her state.

As she wraps up her writing career, Ellingboe said her hope is that someone else will take on the challenge and keep the art world alive as she has tried to do for so many years.

“I always wanted to help get the word out and just tell people about all these great shows,” she said. “The paper has always been supportive when I’ve worked to get people interested and caring about art. I hope Littleton and the area can stay supportive and connected in bringing art to people.”

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November 2, 2023No

DiCarlo is outlier in DCSD candidate forum ‘No’ on funding and equity differs from others

BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

While most of the Douglas County School Board candidates at a recent forum appeared on the same page for several issues ranging from equity to the mill levy and bond issue on the ballot, David DiCarlo had differing opinions.

When it comes to the school-funding ballot measures, known as 5A and 5B, DiCarlo said voters rejected the funding in 2022 and he is disappointed that the current school board decided to ask the same questions again this year.

DiCarlo was one of five candidates to attend the Oct. 13 candidate forum at the Lone Tree Library. It was hosted by the League of Women Voters for Arapahoe and Douglas County and Colorado Community Media.

Candidates Jason Page and Maria Sumnicht did not attend the forum, which drew an audience of about 45 people.

When asked if the candidates would vote yes on the ballot measures, candidates Susan Meek, Brad Geiger, Valerie Thompson and Andy Jones all agreed the funding is needed to allow the Douglas County School District to become more competitive in offering better teacher salaries.

Douglas County School District board candidate David DiCarlo PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES

However, DiCarlo said part of why he is running for the school board is because of the ballot measures, emphasizing that the public already said no and the board chose to return to voters and ask again immediately.

DiCarlo compared the situation to a child asking to go to McDonald’s when the parent had already said no more than once.

For a solution, DiCarlo said more needs to be done at the state level, stressing that Douglas County should not be paying the most every year and getting back the least in state funding. If elected, DiCarlo said he would be fighting at the state level to improve the current public

school funding formulas.

DiCarlo was also alone in his views on school equity, stressing that districts are going too far in trying to protect the rights of kids’ identities and not doing enough to manage the entire student, saying the current policies and discussions are creating confusion and making things more complicated.

“We are too focused on identity,” he said. “We need to look at people as people and stop putting layers on the onion.”

Geiger, who is running against DiCarlo for the District C seat, adamantly disagreed, stating the school district is facing a federal lawsuit due to a racial issue an eighth-grade student faced this year when he claimed students were bullying him for being Black. Geiger said when the district did not adequately respond to the problem, a lawsuit was filed.

Geiger also claimed that another principal at a Castle Rock school says there is a white supremacy problem that requires attention now.

“These divisions exist,” he said.

Candidates were also asked about the final equity policy that was approved by the majority of the current school board.

Meek, who is running for reelection in District A, said she is disappointed in the changes made to a policy that a previous board spent years working on, noting that the changes diluted it.

Jones, who is running against Meek for the District A seat, said he

approves of the changes made by the majority members, while noting that he felt the changes were only “additive” and he wished they had taken more language out.

DiCarlo said he did not agree with the final policy approved by the board, saying he thought the equity policy should have been thrown out altogether.

When asked how they feel about the current state of the Douglas County School District, several candidates agreed that they are happy with the test scores that are comparatively better than neighboring districts such as Cherry Creek.

There were some differences in what the candidates currently dislike about the district.

Meek said while test scores are good, the district is too political and is gaining too much negative attention in the Denver metro area because of it.

Thompson and Geiger said teacher pay is a big issue that must be addressed now. Thompson said she is optimistic the community will come through by passing ballot measures 5A and 5B on Nov. 7.

DiCarlo said elementary school test scores are good, but disagreed on how to pay teachers better, stressing the board should look at the broader picture to find a solution.

Jones said the Douglas County School District has great parent and student engagement and has programs that are leading the way in the region such as robotics and aviation.

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November 2, 2023

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She has relocated to Denver, where she continues her flamenco studies with Maria Veasquwz and as a faculty member with Colorado Ballet.

Carmen S. Diaz was born in Maracay, Venezuela, and started traditional Venezuelan dancing at age 5.When she moved to Caracas at age 19 to study engineering, flamenco caught he attention and she started dance instruction as well. In 2015, she moved to Pittsburgh, PA to pursue a Master’s Degree in and continued her dance studies. In 2017, she moved to Denver where she has evolved to soloist roles.

Natalia Garayoa de la Maza was born to two immigrant parents in Denver and developed an early interest in dance, theater and stage.

She attended the Gwen Bowen Ballet school and discovered the flamenco studio at the same address. In 2012, she fell in love with flamenco and has traveled to Albuquerque and to Spain to study with master teachers.

She has just returned from a year in Spain...

One wishes there were more opportunities to enjoy this joyous artform in Denver. Perhaps this performance will help ... The program included a variety of flamenco “palos:” Tango, Taranto, Alegrias, Anda Jaleo, Farruca, Cana and Solea and s fine guitar solo by accompanist Jose Manuel Ortega.

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a flamenco singer.

He began professional performances at age 12 and at 17, he was performing as a percussionist. he has toured extensively with flamenco dancers and other performers.

Jose Manuel Alconchel Ortega, guitarist, was born in Jerez de La Frontera in 1980 and introduced to music by his well-known singer/father, Pepe Alconchel, at age nine. From age 12, he began accompanying singers, while continuing his studies. He toured in Europe withSymphonic orchestras and ballet companies , winning awards for his skill. He currently lives in Miami and performs at Tablao Cava.

Diego “El Negro” Alvarez ia a master cajon player, born in Venezuela.

He has lived in Spain for 16 years, where he developed his career with several prestigious flamenco dance teachers and companies. He is the winner of a Latin Grammy in 2010 for best Rock album of the year for “Sera” by La Vida Boheme and has more than 12 other Latin Grammy nominations to his credit, promoting the cajon as a universal instrument. (drum)demonstrating its foundations in flamenco and the music of Peru. He lives in Los Angeles.

Dancer Erika Sandre is Canadian, has toured through Canada and was Director of the Alaska Dance Theatre and was an adjunct professor.

D

th BY SONYA ELLINGBOE he SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM ty ut Seven performers appeared at Newman Center’s Gates Hall on Oct. ut 13 and I hope they’ll return! as Energy, grace, music, song, skill n- were all included in the wonderful py “Raices” program, presented by Mam- ria Vasquez:, who operates Flamenco ng Denver, a studio on Denver’s South Broadway, that teaches these emin phatic and graceful dance skills. s- Vasquez grew up dancing Flamenco, she writes, and received her dere gree in Spanish Dance from Consernd vatory of Dance in Sevilla. She moved n- to Denver in 2002 and started teache- ing Flamenco, founding Flamenco Denver as a non-profit in 2014. h- “RAICES” means Roots. d- She has met many prominent interis nationally recognized dancers durme ing her career and presented a group es of them as part of the season-long “Newman Center Presents” program ol on Oct. 13. ed Among many sorts of programs- ming, “Newman Center Presents” he has included touring national dance companies, which have not been ty readily available in Denver otherwise nd ohe n.

and we are enjoying the varied and highly-skilled performers greatly...

In addition to Maria Vasquez, the program presented: Nino De Los Reyes, the first dancer to be presented with a Grammy Award , for Best Latin Album, resulting from a collaboration with musician Chick Corea.

Corea , who invited him to appear with Corea’s band at the jazz figure’s 75th birthday celebration at Madison Square Gardens in New York and on Corea’s latest album, “Antidote.” He began his career at age nine, dancing with the “Campanas Flamencas” show, directed by Paco Sanchez, founder of the company “Cumbre Flamenca:” He has collaborated with various performing artists, including Paul Simon, relating to his “Stranger to Stranger” album.

Amparo Heredia, a flamenco singer with gypsy origins, began singing in Miami at age 16 and has since toured many flamenco tablaos (an intimate space where Flamenco is performed) in the U. S. She joined the Carlota Santano Company, working for several years at the symphony space in New York and has traveled through Spain.

On the 50th anniversary of Christian Dior, she performed in the Garden at Versailles with Manuel Lombo.

Francisco “Yiyi” Orozco, described as “Cantor y Cajon” was born in Barcelona and introduced to flamenco rhythms at an early age by his father,

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7 performers grace stage at Gates Hall

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November 2, 2023No

Castle Rock man searches 24 days for lost dog Road to recovery continues

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For 24 days, one Castle Rock dog survived rough terrain, faced bears, coyotes and rattlesnakes, and during that time, owner Derek Brendlinger dedicated his life to reuniting with his dog, even if it meant exhausting all his vacation time.

Countless individuals, which included drone experts who flew thermal drones in their free time, dedicated themselves to search for the dog named Monica.

But Monica’s road to recovery has not been without challenges.

Brendlinger was on his way home from visiting family in Utah when he got a call from his mom that his boxer had gotten out and was missing.

“So I got back and then started to search pretty much instantly,” said Brendlinger.

Brendlinger’s home backs up to an

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Monica sitting on the lap of her owner, Derek Brendlinger, after being reunited following 24 days of being missing in Castle Rock. Many in the community aided in the PHOTO BY JON HOLLAND rescue of Monica.

open space in which the Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course also backs up to. The terrain also consisted of the Quarry Mesa.

The first night, when Brendlinger was calling Monica’s name, he heard coyotes howling and he immediately thought she was in trouble.

As he kept calling her name, he heard what he describes as “a violent dog cry” that only got louder.

Brendlinger then ran up the mesa and broke his foot in three places.

Brendlinger made a Nextdoor post about Monica, which reached nearly 48,000 views.

Help soon came as Monica’s adoption agency, HO-BO Boxer Rescue sprang into action, hanging up flyers and actively searched the area.

Jon Holland, the superintendent of Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course, didn’t know Brendlinger but saw the flyers of his missing dog and took action.

As the search moved into its second week, Brendlinger called the golf course to ask if they could assist in the search.

Simultaneously, a woman named Amy Johnson, who volunteers to rescue dogs, contacted Brendlinger and wanted to help.

Game cameras were set up in hopes to narrow down Monica’s patterns and the cameras would send photos to their cell phones.

“Through this whole thing, she

would kind of disappear for a couple of days and then there would be a sighting of her,” said Holland.

It became evident to them that Monica would hide during the day and venture out at night to find food and water.

During the time of the monthslong search, there was an aggressive coyote that was harassing dog walkers during the day, said Holland.

They even found bear tracks and Monica’s tracks in the same sand trap on the golf course as there was a bear roaming around.

“We were quite concerned about her safety,” said Holland. “But she proved to be quite the survivor out there.”

A smoker was donated to them so they could smoke meat to entice Monica and keep her close.

As weeks passed, the search became more intense and the lack of sightings made it challenging to remain positive, said Holland.

Brendlinger would spend nights sleeping on the golf course and drive around until the early morning.

The Castle Rock Police Department pulled him over on multiple occasions as Brenglinger believed they thought he was casing neighborhoods. However, the police also aided in the search.

There was one situation where Brendlinger was able to get in front

of Monica, but Holland witnessed her struggle to recognize him.

Lost dogs can often develop a condition known as “lizard brain,” said Holland. This is when their overly stimulated brain sees everything as a threat and they go into survival mode.

Leading up to the day they found her, they went four days with a sighting, but just after 6 p.m. on Sept. 6, a game camera captured Monica feeding from one of the kibble stations.

Brendlinger was at work when Monica had gone into the dog trap.

As Holland, Johnson and another volunteer approached Monica, she was barking at them. They brought her down to the maintenance barn where they let her out and she ran around a couple of times.

The second Derek arrived, Monica jumped into his arms.

With her ribs visible, Monica had lost about 21 pounds, which made it difficult for her to adjust to a normal diet. She also had a large bump on her head, a gash on her head and other scratches.

Since reconnecting with her owner, Monica has been exhibiting “resource guarding” behavior, which is common among dogs who have experienced traumatic events. In addition to being protective over her toys, Brendlinger thinks she has post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. “She barks at literally nothing,” said Brendlinger. “She doesn’t like to go outside at night.

Brendlinger and Holland are moved by the outpouring of support from the community in aiding her rescue.

“I have never in my life seen somebody look for their dog as hard as Derek did,” said Holland. “When you see somebody investing literally everything they have to find their animal and having that kind of compassion for their animal… there’s nothing you can do but help them.”

Since Monica’s rescue, Brendlinger has gone on other dog rescues with Johnson.

Additionally, a GoFundMe was created for the recovery team that aided in Monica’s rescue.

Holland and Brendlinger encourage others to support volunteers who work in dog rescues as these nonprofits require assistance with game cameras, kibble, traps, flyers and more.

27

November 2, 2023

Rotary Club raises $500,000 to help youth mental health

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Standing behind a large check, Debby Doig stood proud knowing that in just a year and a half, Rotary Clubs of Colorado raised a over $500,000to fund the Rotary Endowed Fellowship for Pediatric Mental Health at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

With a goal to recruit and train pediatric psychiatry providers, the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch partnered with Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Pediatric Mental Health Institute to fund the increased need for treating local youth.

Through the Rotary Endowed Fellowship, a fellow will be chosen next spring and is anticipated to make on average more than 1,000 patient visits per year during the fellowship.

Martine Hyland, senior director for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation, worked with the Rotary Club to create the endowed fellowship.

“Endowed fellowships enable Children’s Hospital Colorado to compete for the most promising medical talent and ensure that our community has a pool of accomplished caregivers to meet society’s increasingly complex healthcare needs,” said Hyland.

It all started when Children’s Hos-

From left: Tamie Fennell, Shrin Murthy, Debby Doig and Dr. Anne Penner from ChilCOURTESY OF BECKY MILLER dren’s Hospital Colorado.

pital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health in May of 2021.

A few months later, in October, a national state of emergency was declared by the Children’s Hospital Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Doig, the chair of the Highlands Ranch Rotary Foundation, Shrin

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Murthy and Tamie Fennel looked at one another and knew they needed to make a change.

As members of the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch have been impacted by mental health in their own lives, a small group began meeting to discuss the best way to make a positive impact on the urgent pediatric mental health crisis in the state.

Together, they formed the Pediatric Mental Health Committee with

a goal to implement impactful philanthropic partnerships with leading Colorado pediatric mental health service providers to help improve behavioral health services across the state.

“We did some research,” said Doig.

“We talked to nonprofits and forprofits, schools and providers and realized that one of the issues among many, is the lack of professionals in the field.”

Suicide is the leading cause of death for youth starting at the age of 10 in Colorado, according to Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Compared to 2019, there was a 72% increase in behavioral health emergency visits at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Doig said research also shows that unprecedented workforce turnover and providers resulted in inadequate mental health support and access to care to prevent children from escalating to crisis levels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five children is living with a mental health disorder, but less than 50% will never receive appropriate treatment.

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November 2, 2023No

MENTAL HEALTH FROM PAGE 27

leading health providers in the area, they decided to focus their program on addressing access to care and provider shortages.

There were many reasons why the committee chose to partner with Children’s Hospital Colorado as stated in the committee’s program narrative.

One being the hospital is one of six hospitals that have a psychiatric and behavioral health program and they treat children from all 64 Colorado counties.

The Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch started the project by donating $50,000 and more through individual donations.

Doig and other rotary members drove across the Front Range and into Summit County, visiting numerous rotary clubs to deliver their

message and ask for support.

“These kids need help now,” said Doig. “Families need help now. And that’s why we went to the clubs and we say it’s not like (Children’sHospital Colorado) is putting a timeline on us, we’ve created our timeline because we need to be out on the forefront.”

Over 40 clubs from across the state donated funds and international districts such as 5450, 5440 and 5470 provided support.

The endowed fellowship

Doig, Murthy and Fennell attended a reception at the Anschutz campus in Aurora where they presented the $500,000 check to the Children’s Hospital on Oct. 3.

The program also received two Rotary-affiliated grants: the 2023 Melly Kinnard Mental Health Award and the Hayes Family Mental Health Award.

In addition, the Rotary Clubs of Colorado Endowed Fellowship for

Debby Doig, Shrin Murthey and Tamie Fennell stand together after receiving Children’s Hospital Colorado doctors’ jackets. The three attended a reception where they presented a check to Children’s Hospital Colorado to help youth have access to COURTESY OF BECKY MILLER mental health care.

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Pediatric Mental Health will be recognized on the Donor Wall at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz campus.

When asked if it had sunk in that Doig was able to raise that amount of money, she said it didn’t until that night.

“I looked out and saw so many of the people that helped support us,” said Doig.

The endowment’s investment will be used to support a Colorado Rotary Fellow and will exist in perpetuity.

Every couple of years, a new Colorado Rotary Fellow will be named and overtime, will create a cohort of Colorado Rotary Fellows, adding to the state’s mental health workforce.

Fellowships are generally threeyear training programs for physicians who have completed their residencies in a particular specialty and funds from this endowed fellowship will be used to enhance fellows’ training, which involves mentorship, travel to academic conferences and research.

“A pediatric mental health fellowship is a training program that exposes early-career doctors to clinical rotations across Children’s [hospital],” said Hyland.

The training includes emergency psychiatry, consultation and integrated care with medical specialty teams, inpatient psychiatric care and outpatient psychotherapy as well as medication management.

Pediatric mental health fellows are important because it helps increase access to care and they are actively involved in research, said Hyland.

They improve treatments, evaluate screening tools, identify risk factors, build predictive models and discover novel therapies.

Although the committee will not be part of the hiring process, they will have the chance to meet the chosen individuals.

“What we’re trying to do is make conversation happen in a way that people feel open to not only talk about it but get help and not be so stigmatized,” said Doig.

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November 2, 2023

© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Solution

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10. Special Victims Unit. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword Solution

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November 2, 2023N

SERVICE DIRECTORY Painting

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2023

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Public Trustees PUBLIC NOTICE Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0154 To Whom It May Concern: On 9/1/2023 11:53:00 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: TIMOTHY FRANCIS SAVOY AND DONNA MECHE SAVOY Original Beneficiary: NEW CENTURY MORTGAGE CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WELLS FARGO BANK MINNESOTA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE F/K/A NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA,NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER CAPITAL I INC. TRUST 2002-NC3 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 5/30/2002 Recording Date of DOT: 6/3/2002 Reception No. of DOT: 02052403 Book 2339 Page 2256 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $295,950.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $172,924.01 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 2, BLOCK 4, STONEGATE FILING NO. 15-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 16243 Creekview Drive, 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, December 20, 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: 10/26/2023 Last Publication: 11/23/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 9/5/2023 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 #: 20-024676 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0154 First Publication: 10/26/2023 Last Publication: 11/23/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0149 To Whom It May Concern: On 8/23/2023 8:59:00 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: Moveability, LLC, a Colorado Limited Liability Company Original Beneficiary: Pinetree Financial Corporation

Public Notices

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Pinetree Financial Corporation Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/20/2022 Recording Date of DOT: 12/22/2022 Reception No. of DOT: 2022078141 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $250,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $250,000.00

the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

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 pay monthly payments of principal and interest together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

ROBERT GRAHAM Colorado Registration #: 26809 360 S GARFIELD STREET, 6TH FLOOR , DENVER, COLORADO 80209 Phone #: Fax #: Attorney File #: 27372.0005

Legal Notice No. 2023-0149 First Publication: 10/19/2023 Last Publication: 11/16/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

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

Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0148

Legal Description of Real Property: Lot 132, Cottonwood Subdivision Filing No. 3, County of Douglas, State of Colorado

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/21/2023 11:56:00 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.

Which has the address of: 8524 Wheatgrass Circle, 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, December 13, 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: 10/19/2023 Last Publication: 11/16/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 8/24/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of

Original Grantor: Christopher Gene Wright aka Chris Wright Original Beneficiary: Citizens Bank, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Citizens Bank, N.A. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/30/2020 Recording Date of DOT: 8/5/2020 Reception No. of DOT: 2020071570 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $146,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $140,762.91 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: The following real property in the County of Douglas, and State of Colorado, to wit: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 4J, BUILDING #4, THE RANCH AT COTTONWOOD, BUILDING #4 CONDOMINIUM MAP, ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP THEREOF RECORDED SEPTEMBER 20, 2002 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 2002096343, IN THE RECORDS OF THE

OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO, AND AS DESCRIBED AND DEFINED IN THE CONDOMINIUM DECLARATION RECORDED JANUARY 31, 1985 IN BOOK 587 AT PAGE 140, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 18088 Becket Drive, 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, December 13, 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: 10/19/2023 Last Publication: 11/16/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 8/22/2023 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 #: CO22172 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0148 First Publication: 10/19/2023 Last Publication: 11/16/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

###

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303-566-4088 Parker | Elbert Legals November 2, 2023 * 1

39

November 2, 2023

South teams compete in state cross country meet

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Chaparral senior Brennan Draper won the Class 5A boys cross country championship on Oct. 28 at the Norris Penrose Event Center and Rock Canyon captured the team state title Draper, the Region 1 champion who has had to overcome several nagging injuries during his prep career, crossed the finish line in front of Benjamin Anderson of Mountain Vista to run off with the top prize in the state.

The senior was clocked with a winning time of 15:14.31 and Anderson, one of the pre-meet favorites, came home in 15:18.96.

Three other runners from South Metro schools wound up in the top five.

Dane Eike of Valor Christian was third in 15:28.14. Rock Canyon’s Owen Whitney was fourth in 15:32.42 and ThunderRidge’s Owen Casselman was fifth in 15:33.46.

Daniel Hruska of Cherry Creek was seventh and Kaeden Dendorfer of Val-

or was eighth.

In the boys team race, Rock Canyon wound up with 96 points to finish ahead of second-place Mountain Vista with 105 points in a close race for the state crown. It was the first boys state cross country title for Rock Canyon.

Valor Christian was fourth (123), ThunderRidge sixth (219) and Castle View ninth (255).

Whitney was the first Rock Canyon runner to finish and he was in fourth place. The other Jaguars runners who scored were Brady Hill (11th), Jack D’Souza (19), Jackson West (26) and Tait Jensen (57).

In the Class 5A girls race, Cherry Creek sophomore Emily Cohen came in fourth in the individual race with a time of 17:55.26.

Rosie Mucharsk of Denver East won in 17:28. Claire Guiberso of Mountain Vista was ninth and teammate Zoe Brandt was tenth.

Air Academy won the 5A girls team title. Chaparral was third, Cherry Creek fourth and Mountain Vista fifth.

Valor was tenth.

Public Notices Legals Metro Districts Budget Hearings Public Notice SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1-4 AND 6 NOTICE CONCERNING 2023 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the necessity has arisen to amend the Spring Valley Metropolitan District Nos. 1-4 and 6 (“Districts”) 2023 Budgets and that proposed 2024 Budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Districts; and that copies of the proposed Amended 2023 Budgets and 2024 Budgets have been filed at the District's offices, 405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2023 Budgets and Adopting the 2024 Budgets will be considered at a public hearing of the Board of Directors of the Districts to be held on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at 4:00 P.M. via Zoom Meeting and can be joined through the directions below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7636703470 Phone Number: (720) 707-2699 Meeting ID: 763 670 3470 Passcode: press # Any elector within the Districts may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolutions to Amend the 2023 Budgets and Adopt the 2024

The start of the girls 5A race at the Oct. 28 state cross country championships at the PHOTO BY JIM BENTON Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.

Elbert County Legals

Budgets, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.

SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1-4 AND 6 By /s/ AJ Beckman, Secretary Legal Notice No. 25065 First Publication: November 2, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News

Storage Liens/Vehicle Titles Public Notice

Publisher: Elbert County News

Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of David Michael Palischak, a/k/a David Michael Palischak, Deceased Case Number: 2023PR30057 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or the District Court of Elbert. County, Colorado on or before March 4, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Notice of Sale The following property stored Elizabeth Storage LLC 5229 Hwy 86 Elizabeth Co 80107 will be sold at auction or otherwise disposed of at this location after November 15, 2023.

/s/ Tammy W. Akers Tammy W. Akers, Esq. Attorney to the Personal Representative 18 East Willamette Avenue Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903

1) Contents unknown belonging to Toni Burkhart last known address is P.O. Box 2762 Elizabeth Co 80107. Unit 1.

Legal Notice No. 25064 First Publication: October 26, 2023 Last Publication: November 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News

2) Contents unknown belonging to Margaret Chamberlain whose last known address is P.O. Box 741 Logandale Nevada 89021.

3) Contents unknown belonging to Brenda Cothren whose last known address is 100 Ute Ave #B17 Kiowa Co 80117.

4) Contents unknown belonging to Clarke Van Oerle whose last known address is 6200 Bow Meadows Dr Elizabeth Co 80107.

Legal Notice No. 25066 First Publication: November 2, 2023 Last Publication: November 9, 2023

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Donald F. Sprague, a/k/a Donald Francis Sprague, Jr., a/k/a Donald F. Sprague, Jr., a/k/a Donald Francis Sprague, a/k/a Donald Sprague, a/k/a Don Sprague, Deceased Case Number: 2023PR030058 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of

Elbert County, Colorado on or before February 26, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Martha Sprague, Personal Representative c/o Little Law Office 15530 E Broncos Pkwy, Ste. 300 Centennial, CO 80112 Legal Notice No. 25061 First Publication: October 26, 2023 Last Publication: November 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Harlan James Steppig, aka Harley J. Steppig, Deceased Case Number: 23PR30056 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to on or before February 20, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Salem Steppig, Personal Representative 5842 Kingsfield Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 Legal Notice No. 25055 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of James Joseph Soukup, also known as Jim Joseph Soukup, aka James J. Soukup, aka Jim J. Soukup, aka James Soukup, and Jim Soukup, Deceased Case Number 2023PR30060

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before February 26, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Brigit P. Mahon-Soukup Personal Representation 1123 Pawnee Parkway Elizabeth, Colorado 80107 Legal Notice No. 25063 First Publication: October 26, 2023 Last Publication: November 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News

Name Changes Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of FRED L. PICKERING, also known as FRED LUKE PICKERING, and FRED PICKERING, Deceased Case Number: 23 PR 30061 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the DISTRICT COURT OF ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO, on or before February 26, 2024 or the claims may be forever barred.

Robin Pickering, Personal Representative 1579 Belgian Trail Elizabeth, CO 80107 Legal Notice No. 25059 First Publication: October 26, 2023 Last Publication: November 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News ###

Parker | Elbert Legals November 2, 2023 * 2

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November 2, 2023No