Commerce City Sentinel Express 1229

SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E

32 VOLUME 34

C I T Y

50cI

ISSUE 48 01

TTUESDAY 24, 2020 2020 UESDAY,, N DOVEMBER ECEMBER 29,

Metro-area New COVID-19 prohibit gatherings Political tint: restrictions Judging howwilldeep blue indoor runs indining, Adamspersonal

school districts hope for January return

Democrats admit there are plenty of ways to judge county’s political fabric

BY LIAM ADAMS LADAMS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Judging just by the demographics and statistics, Adams County looks plenty blue.

There are more registered Democrats than Republicans. Democrats occupy most state legislative seats, the entire board of county commissioners and all the elected positions in county government.

And yet, a Republican won two consecutive elections in a state Senate district previously held by Democrats. Most mayors in the county are members of the GOP and not long ago, in 2014, Republicans won most elected seats in the county, including the board of commissioners and sheriff.

“I believe that politics in Adams County is ever-evolving. You can see that in the pockets of partisan areas throughout the county,” said County Commissioner Charles “Chaz” Tedesco, “You have some areas that are red and blue, some areas that are majority red, and some areas that are majority blue.”

So, the narrative about politics in Adams County isn’t as monolithic as it appears.

There is a west versus east divide and a suburban versus rural split.

Politicians and strategists say the Republican Phil Covarrubias narrowly lost a County Commission seat in Adams type of neighborhood matters, as OF PHIL COVARRUBIAS County, despite doing well in the county’s eastern portion. By EllisCOURTESY Arnold does theline process to outside select a canA long of cars the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at Colorado County . Community Media didate. A candidate’s work ethic border, according to a by-city analyRiverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent Adams The 2020 and 2016 at-large county can make all the difference. Those sis of election results. Trump’s top weeks due tothe high demand.

Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate As Denver metro continue to commissioner racescounties followed factors aside, county’s political three areas were Brighton, Todd inch closer to localThis stay-at-home orders similar patterns. year, incumfuture could shift when the state reCreek and eastern Adams County, was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, according to Tri-County Health Department. commissioners Tedesco and draws legislative districts City’s in 2021. which includes Bennet Strasunder Colorado’s system of coronavirusBrighton and Commerce test positivity rates were bothand higher than bent Eva Henry won their Such anomalies mean that no seat burg. related restrictions, thereelections state announced 13 percent. Forty-five people in BrightonThe andmargins 29 in Commerce City have by wider margins than their 2016 between the presiin Adams County is safe, according a new level of rules that prohibits indoor died from COVID-19 related health issues.

To limit the spread COVID-19, victories. It was closer in the third dential candidates wereof more to longtime political observers. dining and personal gatherings — a pronounced thisprohibits year thanindoor in 2016and county commissioner race between at least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions that change that applies to the majority of the Democrat Lynn Baca and Repubbetween Trump and Hillary ClinMargins personal gatherings. lican Phil Covarrubias.

About 10 ton. Clinton won the entire county This year, President-elect Joe Denver metro area and many counties in percentage points separated the by almost 9 percentage points.

Biden defeated President Donald other regions. candidates in Thornton, Brighton Broken down, Clinton earned 53 Trump in Adams County by 16 The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has and Baca ultimatepercent of Westminster’s vote, Ward and Henderson, percentage points. He received the Photo by Belen been in effect since September, is the set while Biden received 61 percent this ly won. highest vote percentages in Aurora, of different levels of restrictions that each year. Meanwhile, Trump went from Commerce City and southwestern 68 percent to 72 percent in eastern Adams County near the Denver SEE BLUE, P4

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Looser quarantine rules to allow for less interruption to in-person learning

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Testing for quarantined students, some preemptive testing in schools and modified quarantine requirements are expected to be the ticket to more consistent in-person classes for several school districts across the Denver metro area, the districts’ leaders said in a Dec. 15 news conference.

But even with the expanded leeway to hold traditional classes, superintendents emphasized that if levels of COVID-19 spread remain at their currently high levels, schools may find it impossible to keep enough teachers out of quarantine to consistently keep classes in schools.

Chris Gdowski, head of Adams 12 Five Star Schools, expressed hope about the expanded testing capabilities that Gov. Jared Polis discussed at an earlier news conference the same , along with nodding countyday is required to follow based to on the new, less quarantine guidseverity ofstringent a county’s local virus spread. ance.

The dial grew out of the state’s safer-atBut “the most important part home order down — the policy that came after is to bring this community transmission,” Gdowskiorder said this on the the statewide stay-at-home Dec. online news conference.

He spring15and allowed numerous types of added: “Without that, if we remain businesses to reopen. at 1,100 cases per 100,000 (per two The state recentlyCounty switched to colorfor weeks) in Adams ,” plans identifiers — levels blue, yellow in-person learning fall apart.and Whenrather COVID-19 becomeslevels wideorange than numbered — to spread enough — at the levels seen avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red in the ametro area inorder. the past meant stay-at-home Now,few level months — staffing and numbers of red — “severe risk” — is the secondsubstitute teachers begin to become the weak link in keeping schools

Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE SCHOOL, P4

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2 Commerce City Sentinel Express

December 29, 2020

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OBITUARIES HAZLET

James William Hazlet

March 23, 1932 ~ October 22, 2020 (age 88)

Monte Jo (Parkinson) Hazlet

April 30, 1938 ~ December 4, 2020 (age 82)

This last month, our community lost a beautiful, loving couple, a fixture in our community, Monte and Jim Hazlet. They so loved each other. Jim died just 35 days before they would have celebrated their 65th anniversary on November 26, 2020 (Thanksgiving Day). Some say, Monte died of a broken heart, just 8 days later.

Jim Hazlet passed away on October 22, 2020, at his home in Hudson, CO. He was born to William and Cuba (Hayes) Hazlet on March 23, 1932. Jim graduated from Brighton High School in 1949. He briefly attended Harding Christian College. He then enlisted in the Air Force in 1951. He came home in March of 1955, and met Monte Parkinson. They married in November of the same year and moved into the farmhouse where Jim was born.

In 1959, Monte gave birth to a son, Robert (Robbie) Hazlet. Robbie passed away on February 28, 2019.

Jim continued to live and work at the family farm until his death.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents; his son, Robbie; sisters, Ida Roberts, and Venice Boxer. Jim is survived by his sisters Maryann Healy and Jeanetta Stout.

Monte Hazlet passed away on

December 4, 2020 at Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton. She was born to Fanny and Sidney Parkinson on April 30, 1938, in James, Texas.

Monte attended schools in Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado. In 1953, the family moved to Englewood, Colorado.

In March of 1955, Monte met Jim Hazlet, marrying him on November 26, 1955. They moved out to his family farm in Hudson.

On December 7, 1959, Monte gave birth to her precious little boy, Robbie, who passed away in 2019.

Monte remained living on the family farm until her death.

Monte is preceded in death by her parents and brother, J.D. Parkison, half-brother Jackie Parkison.

Monte and Jim are survived by their daughter-in-law, Virginia; grandsons, Darain (Krista) and Andrew; greatgrandsons, Harold and John; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services are yet to be announced. Tabor Funeral Home, Brighton, Colorado handled arrangements. Please continue to check the website at www.

TaborFuneralHome.com for updated service information.

In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. Private 303-566-4100 Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

NEWS BRIEFS Winter wonders holiday trail

Join the staff at the Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Picadilly road, for a short hike to celebrate the wonders of winter on our lighted bridge and Niedrach Trail.

Available time slots are 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22. Call 303659-6005.

Anythink holiday closures

Anythink Library announced its holiday hours.Curbside services will close at 3 p.m Thursday, Dec. 31, and remain closed Friday, Jan. 1, in observance of the Near Year’s Day holiday. Curbside services will resume during regular hours Saturday, Jan. 2.

Near Year’s Eve somewhere

This year;s New Year’s Eve somewhere event at Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Picadilly road, will be a drive-through event. There will be four different event times to ensure social distancing. Start times are 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, or 1pm. There will be crafts, party favors and snacks to go. Call 303-659-6005.

Mayor/commissioner awards The mayors and commissioners of Adams County are looking for 2021 nominations for the Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards. This award focuses on teenagers who have triumphed over great odds and serve as inspiration and role models for their peers, according to a statement.

The program recognizes young people in grades six through 12 (up to 20 years old) who have overcome personal adversity to create a positive change in their own lives or for those around them.

“This program provides businesses, the community and civic leaders an opportunity to actively demonstrate their support for the young people in our community and recognize them for their accomplishments. Businesses may also help by making a monetary or inkind donation,” said a statement.

The deadline to submit nominations is Sunday, Jan. 31. Contact Abby Martinez at the city of Brighton Office of Youth Services at 303655-2186 or agmartinez@brightonco. gov.

Board/commission openings

Commerce City officials are looking for members for a new diversity and Inclusion Commission.

A city statement said the 11-member commission will work with staff to help create a more equitable, accessible, safe, welcoming, and inclusive government and community.

The city also has open positions on these boards and commissions: •Cultural Council •Derby Review Board •Planning Commission •Quality Community Foundation •Urban Renewal Authority Board •Veterans Commission •Youth Commission •Zoning Board of Adjustment Applications for all boards and commissions are due by 5 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 1. Interviews will be scheduled in the order the applications were received and will take place Saturday, Jan. 9. Call 303-2893611 with questions.

To learn more and apply, visit c3gov.com/boards.

Scholarships available

Scholarships for high-school seniors are available through DriveSafe Driving Schools.

The firm will offer a $1,500 scholarship to a student who plans to attend college in 2021.

The deadline is March 1. The winners will be notified by April 15. Students must complete the application and submit a qualifying entry of either an essay or other creative expression posted on social media. Posts must be made on one of the following platforms: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, along with #DriveSafeScholarship.

For more information and complete competition rules, visit DriveSafeColorado.com/ scholarship.

Cardboard recycling

Commerce City set up cardboardonly recycling Dumpsters at the Commerce City Civic Center, 7887 E. 60th Ave., and Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Ave., for residents to use to get rid of cardboard boxes. The reason is the increase in online shopping because of the ongoing pandemic.

Visit c3gov.com/trash for details.

Legal self-help clinic

The Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. The program is for customers who don’t have legal representation and need help navigating through legal issues.

Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss such topics as family law, civil litigation, property and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours in advance.

Relief funding

Small businesses can apply for up to $35,000 in relief funding through a mix of grants and low-interest loans.

Visit EnergizeColorado.com. It’s available to businesses with fewer than 25 full-time employees.

COVID-19 testing

Here’s a list of locations where you can receive a test for COVID-19: Brighton Advanced Urgent Care, 2801 Purcell St. Call 303-659-9700 or visit https://advurgent.com/locations/brighton/ Brighton Salud, 1860 Egbert St. Testing is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Call 303-6972583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covid-testing Fort Lupton Salud, 1115 Second St. Testing is available on Tuesday and Thursday. Call 303-697-2583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covidtesting online.

Commerce City Sentinel Express 3

December 29, 2020

Justices choose seasoned manager for troubled judicial district How Judge Don Quick became the 17th Judicial District’s next chief judge

BY MICHAEL KARLIK AND LIAM ADAMS COLORADO POLITICS AND COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA LADAMS@ COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Don Quick answered the phone on Dec. 11, he had no idea it was for an interview to lead the troubled 17th Judicial District with the current and incoming chief justices of the Colorado Supreme Court.

“What they told me — why they wanted to talk to me — is that I had a lot of support both with judges and nonjudicial staff,” said Quick, a district court judge in Adams and Broomfield counties. As of Jan. 23, Quick will become the chief judge of the judicial district, following the retirement of his predecessor only a year and a half into her tenure.

Quick believed he was merely serving as a reference for another, more senior, judge under consideration.

But when that judge turned the job down, Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats and Justice Brian D. Boatright, who will become chief justice next month upon Coats’ retirement, turned to a man with years of management experience.

“When the chief justice calls you up and asks you to do something, if you can, you do it,” Quick said.

Throughout the fall, multiple news outlets reported on allegations of retaliation, politicization of the judicial retention process and even a coverup of pornography found on a government laptop in the 17th Judicial District. Chief Judge Emily E. Anderson, who was a central figure in some of the strife over the nonretention of Judge Tomee Crespin, announced her retirement from the bench on Dec. 7. She had assumed the top role just 19 months prior.

According to Quick, the climate within the courthouse and public accusations of misconduct were something he brought up with the justices.

“That came from me,” he said.

“What I want to do is have people that trust each other and work together. … That goal of having a climate where people work together, to me, that’s the right thing at this time.”

Stanley L. Garnett, a former district attorney of Boulder County who served at the same time as Quick, cautioned that even if they were inclined toward reform, chief judges are not the supervisor of any individual judge. In the 17th Judicial District, the position appoints key executive personnel, assists in financial duties and oversees the business of the court. As such, Quick’s entreaties for unity may be limited.

“One of the problems with chief judge is that you don’t have any actual authority. The judges don’t work for you. You can’t punish them,” he said.

Nonetheless, “I assume the chief justice was watching [the reports of misconduct] pretty closely and in the event of a vacancy there, had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do,” Garnett added.

The Adams County Justice Center in Brighton, where the 17th Judicial District PHOTO BY LIAM ADAMS is based.

According to those who know Quick from his work as a former district attorney and chief deputy attorney general, that prior experience made him the ideal choice, even though he is not the most senior judge.

“I do think that he will be a unifying figure,” said Brian Mason, the incoming district attorney. “Certainly I have read the stories that have been in the news media over the last several months and it’s clear that it’s time for everyone to come together.

And I hope that Judge Quick will succeed in bringing people together.”

Ken Salazar, who as Colorado’s attorney general made Quick his deputy, called Quick a problem-solver with an inclusive leadership style.

“He has the heart of a public servant. He didn’t look for the job when I asked him to come and join me, but I already knew that he had a stellar reputation, so I recruited him,” said Salazar, who went on to become a Democratic U.S. senator and Cabinet secretary.

A hastened appointment

And yet, while those who spoke to Colorado Politics and Colorado Community Media felt positively about Quick, the process by which the justices selected him differed from Anderson’s 2019 selection. Done in little more than one week and without consulting one of the previous contenders for the job, the changing of the guard in the 17th Judicial District demonstrates how informal and varied the protocols are.

The state constitution gives the chief justice the sole discretion to select a chief judge, but offers no detail about the process.

“Sometimes it was very quick because there was a consensus candidate,” said former Chief Justice Michael L. Bender, who retired in 2014.

Mary Mullarkey, who served as chief justice for 12 years prior to Bender, said she was occasionally the subject of lobbying. If she felt the consensus candidate of judges and staff was the wrong person to lead, she would choose another.

“It’s political. Not in the partisan sense, but in how people interact,” she said.

Quick’s appointment was different from Anderson’s in 2019. That time, there was a more open application process for judges to express interest in the position or support for colleagues. The two contenders for the

seat were Anderson and Judge Katherine R. Delgado, the longest-serving district judge. Coats ultimately chose Anderson.

“I don’t think it’s typical, but it’s not surprising either,” said Bender of the method.

This time, Coats and Boatright made multiple calls. One was to another district court judge to ask that person if they wanted the position, Quick said. That judge declined, though. Then they called Quick. He was aware of the interest in the other judge, so he thought the justices’ call was about his colleague.

“It came as a surprise to me,” Quick said.

The ensuing conversation was about Quick’s vision for the 17th Judicial District. “That was one of the things the chief justices talked to me about was my management experience and how to move things in a different direction,” he said.

Though Quick said the justices’ questions were more general, the open conflict in the 17th affected their final decision. In an email announcing Quick’s appointment to staff and judges in the judicial district, sent one day before notifying the public, Coats wrote: “The 17th has faced internal challenges on top of a pandemic and significant budget restrictions.”

Delgado did not receive a call from the chief justices before they made a decision, several sources familiar with the situation have confirmed.

They were likely aware of her interest from the 2019 appointment.

Coats explained in his Dec. 15 email, “For those of you that were around when I selected Judge Anderson as Chief, I asked all judges and staff in the district to provide feedback on the candidates for chief judge. That feedback has not been forgotten, and I don’t believe that repeating that process now would be beneficial in making my selection.”

Bypassing Delgado was surprising to some.

“I am extremely surprised and somewhat baffled” that Delgado was not considered, said Christopher Decker, former president of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar. “Judge Delgado has the experience, judicial temperament, knowledge of the law, and existing relationships with other judges to have been the presumptive appointment, if not the consensus choice.”

Coats and Boatright declined to comment on the selection, as did Delgado.

“Didn’t ruffle a lot of feathers”

Quick worked for the state attorney general’s office from 1999 through 2005. Following the Columbine High School shooting, Gov. Bill Owens

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created a commission to review law enforcement’s handling of the situation and the factors that could have prevented the tragedy. Quick was one of the commission members.

“He had to work under really difficult circumstances with the district attorneys of several judicial districts and the sheriff ’s office,” recalled Salazar, Quick’s boss at the time.

Quick estimated that he oversaw roughly 300 employees in the attorney general’s office. In 2005, Quick became the district attorney of the 17th Judicial District, with over 100 employees. Shortly after he reached his term limit, he was the Democratic candidate for attorney general in 2014.

“When Don Quick ran for AG, he ran a campaign that didn’t ruffle a lot of feathers — which ultimately served to benefit him in the long run,” said Daniel Aschkinasi, a Democratic political consultant. Following his loss, Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Quick as a district court judge. Since mid-2019, Quick has been stationed in the Broomfield courthouse.

Of the current chief judge, Quick declined to offer criticism.

“I think Judge Anderson has worked very hard and she’s a good person, but I think we can have increased communications within the office,” he said. “Office climate makes a huge difference.”

Anderson said in an email that Quick was one of the judges she alerted to her retirement before the public announcement. However, “I was not involved in the process to appoint the new chief judge,” she said.

Quick said he intends to hold in-person meetings with five to six people at a time, asking how they would like things to change and how to improve collaboration.

“I wasn’t in the Adams courthouse for the last year and a half, but obviously from some of the stories that we’ve seen,” he acknowledged, “this could be an area of improvement.”

Quick is aware of the realities he is walking into, such as vacancies on the bench, internal tension and external pressure. The scrutiny of the Judicial District will also continue, with Coats warning in his email to court personnel: “Moving forward, Justice Boatright will pay close attention to what’s happening in your district.”

Yet, Quick does not see those challenges as insurmountable. “I don’t have those kinds of umbrella agendas about trying to change things,” he said. “What I want is to have people that trust each other and work together. It seems like a fairly easy thing.”

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4 Commerce City Sentinel Express

BLUE FROM PAGE 1

But in State Senate District 25, the county’s closest race, state Sen. Kevin Priola won reelection after performing well in Brighton and eastern Adams County while his opponent, Democrat Paula Dickerson, earned higher vote percentages in Thornton and Aurora. The 2020 Brighton and Thornton figures are almost identical to 2016, when Priola ran against Democrat Jenise May. Looking at the results, some say the east-west divide is clear. “We’ve had more success in the east. But the challenge has always been the west,” said JoAnn Windholz, chair of the Adams County GOP. Lori Goldstein, chair of Adams County Democrats, agreed. State House District 56, which encompasses Brighton and eastern Adams County, “was definitely drawn to be red,” Goldstein said. The seat is currently held by state Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, a Republican.

Goldstein said there is a connection between suburbanization and liberal sentiment in western Adams County. Conversely, Windholz said smaller and more rural towns tend to be redder.

That said, Tedesco said city-level analysis is too general. He prefers to study precinct-level data, which shows red pockets throughout the county. He said he has received fewer votes in newer, more affluent subdivisions where conservative values are more prevalent. Development, Tedesco said, “lends itself to a more blended mix of all the beliefs and traits of each party.”

At-large penalty for GOP Just because the county board of commissioners is all-Democratic doesn’t mean Republicans lack enthusiasm for the dais. Part of the challenge is that even though commissioners represent a district,

SCHOOL FROM PAGE 1

running in-person, the superintendents said.

Although schools generally haven’t been shown to be “superspreader environments,” keeping students in school becomes difficult at or above roughly 500-700 new cases per 100,000 people in a county in a two-week time frame, said Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Brian Ewert, referencing data from the Metro Denver Partnership for Health. That’s an organization led by the six public health agencies serving the seven-county metro area.

Like a “house of cards,” in-person school planning “literally begins to collapse” at that point due to widespread quarantines, Ewert said.

Virtually all students in Denver and surrounding suburbs moved to remote, or online, classes this fall as coronavirus spread mounted.

Superintendents frustrated with the torrent of quarantines in the fall semester heard encouraging news with the recent guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: It provides op-

December 29, 2020 voters elect them at-large.

“Because we are elected countywide, I think that benefits Democrats in Adams County,” Tedesco said.

In eastern District 5, where Baca defeated Covarrubias, he received 56 percent of the vote in Brighton and 74 percent in eastern Adams County. Baca was strongest in Aurora, Federal Heights and southwestern Adams County.

“People in Thornton might want Democratic leadership. People in Brighton and Bennett might not,” Covarrubias said.

He thinks voters should elect commissioners by district, not atlarge.

Henry, a Democrat, doesn’t necessarily disagree. She prefers Democrats on the dais with her, but said, “The rural area is being left out.

That’s what I’m seeing is happening.”

The current system dates back to 2012 when voters approved ballot measures to increase the number of commissioners from three to five, and for commissioners to run at-large. Fifty-seven percent of voters approved both measures.

The 2012 changes were beneficial for a few reasons, Henry said. They helped put new checks-and-balances on county commissioners and prevent corruption. The changes didn’t immediately ensure Democratic victories, she said.

In the 2014 General Election, Republicans won two out of three county commissioner races up for election. That year, GOP candidates also won elections for county clerk and recorder, treasurer, assessor, and sheriff. It wouldn’t be until 2018 when Democrats retook many of those offices.

There are other arguments for at-large commissioner elections.

Gini Pingenot, director of external affairs for Colorado Counties, Inc., said commissioners in at least 90 percent of Colorado’s counties

are elected at-large. The reason, she said, is that “Commissioners believe that the best policy comes from a commission consisting of commissioners representing the entire county.”

Skills matter Priola’s victory in state Senate District 25 was surprising to some.

“It didn’t seem like it was winnable for any Republican,” said Ryan Lynch, Priola’s strategist in 2016 and 2020.

Before Priola, the seat belonged to Democrats. The district’s bluer sections, such as Thornton and Aurora, previously outweighed the redder ones. Mary Hodge, who’s currently Adams County commissioner and was District 25 state senator before Priola, couldn’t have imagined a Republican winning the seat before 2016.

The district’s purple streak didn’t hand Priola his victories, though.

Many say it was his work ethic.

“I’ve worked with dozens and dozens of candidates and I’ve never had one work harder than him,” Lynch said, “The secret weapon is Kevin himself.”

Year-round, Priola knocks on doors, calls constituents and attends civic events. He’s intentional about speaking with people one-onone.

“He’s very personable and very effective on the campaign trail,” Hodge said.

Lynch said Priola’s reputation as a bipartisan legislator helped. Goldstein, the county Democratic chair, said Priola’s moderate conservatism appeals to many voters in the district.

Almost everyone agrees, though, that Priola’s enthusiasm is a gamechanger. It’s also why, Hodge said, “It might be difficult for someone not Kevin Priola, as a Republican, to win that seat.”

Priola will be term-limited in 2024.

“You can’t just recreate him

(Priola) in the lab,” Lynch said. In fact, the strategist said Priola’s success can be a model for other purple districts in the metro area.

“More Republicans, especially in the Denver metro area, if they want to replicate the success that Sen. Priola has enjoyed, then they’re really going to need to study his playbook and do their best to replicate it,” Lynch said.

Goldstein also pointed out that the future of District 25 is unknown because Colorado will draw new legislative districts next year. `Anything is possible’ Hodge won her first election to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2000. Since then, she said, “you had to be a Democrat to win in Adams County.”

Tedesco has lived in the area for most of his life and was president of the United Steel Workers Union’s western district before he became a commissioner. For as long as he can remember, Adams County has been a blue-collar, industrial area, which has lent to greater support for Democrats.

Over time, though, politics in the county has shifted. The 2014 Republican sweep and the 2018 Democrat sweep serve as lessons for both parties. Today, the Republicans are toward the bottom looking up.

“Gradually, I think we’re figuring it out a little bit more each time,” said Windholz, the GOP chair.

The Democrats, who are on top, don’t plan to get too comfortable.

“Every position is vulnerable … you can’t just sit back and expect to be reelected,” Goldstein said. Since Nov. 4, both chairwomen have set their sights on 2022.

“Any seat is attainable by either side. It really depends on the candidates and the politics that play out by those seats,” Tedesco said. The region, and the political sentiment therein, is rapidly changing. In the so-called blue Adams County, Tedesco said, “Anything is possible.”

tions for reducing time in quarantine to seven days with a negative test at day five or later, or reducing quarantine to 10 days with no test for those who remain asymptomatic and “are aware of the need for daily symptom monitoring through the full 14 days of the standard quarantine approach,” a report by the Metro Denver Partnership for Health says.

That’s expected to allow students and staff to come back to school much quicker if they get tested.

The shortened quarantines may come with slightly higher risk of spreading COVID-19, though. See the introduction and the first chart on the CDC’s website at tinyurl.com/ NewQuarantineGuidance for more details.

In early October amid backlash from some metro school superintendents, the state public-health department released relaxed guidelines outlining that in some cases, entire classes or larger groups of students no longer need to quarantine in response to a positive COVID-19 case.

But in schools in counties operating with higher levels of coronavirus spread, classes or cohorts of students still were urged to be quarantined.

Under a recent update to the

guidance in November, as long as districts adhere to strict protocols, broad quarantines are no longer necessary regardless of the level of virus spread in a county. School districts can now generally use “targeted contact identification,” which entails quarantining those within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 or symptoms of the disease for 15 minutes or more when both parties are masked. It also requires quarantines when someone was within 12 feet of the individual for 15 minutes or greater when either party was unmasked and indoors.

Those time criteria are cumulative, meaning two 10-minute exposures in a day is equivalent to one 20-minute exposure, according to the guidance.

Mike Johnston, a leader with an initiative called COVIDCheck Colorado that provides access to COVID-19 testing, said COVIDCheck will be partnering with all the districts on the news conference call for testing people in quarantine. Districts also might have access, to some extent, for preemptive testing for students who aren’t in quarantine.

The districts partnering with COVIDCheck include Cherry Creek School District, Denver Public Schools, Jefferson County Public

Schools, Aurora Public Schools, Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Littleton Public Schools and Douglas County School District, although it was unclear if other districts not on the call would also be part of the partnership.

Polis at his Dec. 15 news conference said data continues to suggest that schools generally aren’t a driver of COVID-19 spread in surrounding communities.

“There’s really not been a lot of difference in transmission between communities that have been fully back at school and those that haven’t, which gives us further confidence that schools are not a factor in significant community transmission,” Polis said. “Many districts in Colorado have been fully back, others partially back, others not back — really no real difference in transmission levels in those communities.”

Even with the reassuring news, Cherry Creek Superintendent Scott Siegfried emphasized that the broader community’s efforts to reduce coronavirus spread are key to ensuring in-person class comes back consistently.

“We have three weeks to collectively ensure that students can return to classrooms,” Siegfried said.

Commerce City Sentinel Express 5

December 29, 2020

Finding calm behind the wheel

Dear Reader,

THERAPIST

If you are looking to increase your faith in humanity, the highways and byways are not the places to do it. Some people do things behind the wheel they would not dare do in Lucie Brossard person.

For example, have you ever had someone rush right up behind you in the grocery line and breathe down your neck until you move along your way?

Has someone ever screamed expletives at you for sauntering down the sidewalk while walking your dog?

Has anyone side-swiped you at the bookstore while you were browsing for that specific title?

These displays of behavior in the face-to-face realm are less common, whereas aggression on the road is an everyday hassle. I am sure most drivers are perfectly nice and respectable in other contexts, but behind the shield of their vehicle, the worst comes out.

To start, if you find anxiety while driving has disrupted your daily routines or contributed to other long-term health conditions, speak with your physician or a therapist.

For those of us with a milder upset over road rage in all its manifestations, there are some concrete things people can do to take matters into their own hands and improve the quality of their time in the driver’s seat.

I am not here to provide coping tools we can superimpose on outlandish driving practices, but first and foremost to slow us down to regain some self-possession while maneuvering that hunk of metal.

1. RESPECT TIME: Leave five to ten minutes early anytime you are venturing out in your vehicle.

This may mean you have to get out

of bed earlier for your commute.

If you need to gas up on the way to your destination, leave an extra 15 minutes or better yet, gas up the day before.

2. SLOW DOWN: Go the speed limit. With no traffic tickets, your bank account will thank you and you could save a life, including your own. Notice those speed limit signs and follow them.

3. RESPECT OTHERS: Shift into a “put others first” mindset. Look for opportunities to cut others a break on the road. Try to be kind to someone else at least three times during every trip, more times if you are taking a road trip. Ignore people who are less kind, not giving them the power to ruin your traveling.

4. TAKE IT EASY: When on the highway, stay in the right lane unless you are passing. This will be a breeze if you are following the speed limit because few others adhere to it and they will all be passing you.

5. GIVE SPACE: Allow several car lengths between you and the person in front of you. Think of this as allowing others ample room and protecting yourself from sudden changes in the traffic flow. Another gift to yourself and others.

6. FOCUS ON YOURSELF: As much as you might like to, you cannot control or impact others on the road. Stay oriented to yourself and your own frame of mind and how you are doing. As an experiment, you could rate your mood on a scale of one to ten before and after the trip. See how you did and if your mood significantly tanked, ask yourself why. What could you have done differently to keep your mood more balanced? What tripped you up and how will you do better next time?

In the end, looking at how we are behaving while we are navigating traffic by making slight changes to our routines and habits may just be the best way to impact our thoughts and feelings about “people who drive like maniacs”.

Lucie Brossard is the Program Manager of Justice Outpatient Services at Community Reach Center and has been a Licensed Professional Counselor working in residential, day treatment and outpatient settings since 2002.

Answers

Solution © 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

D

ear Ask A Therapist, Seems like more people drive like maniacs now more than ever and it’s really getting on my nerves. How can I practice coping skills driving in heavy traffic so I don’t get ASK A so honked off ?

C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E

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December 29, 2020

SPORTS

Year in Review: The Shadow of COVID-19 2020 seemed like it was going to be normal, until a pandemic began

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

At first, the year began as any other year in area sports.

Teams played. Athletes earned spots at state tournaments, allconference awards and started the process of looking for colleges.

Then came the month of March.

Everything ground to a halt until September; even then, it was a herky-jerky return to sports, state tournaments and all-conference awards. Here’s a look at some of what we talked about the first half of this year.

January

AURORA – As he sat in a coffee house, former Adams City football coach Jesse Jones listed some accomplishments during his threeyear tenure as the Eagles’ gridiron boss.

There were improvements to team academic eligibility, a 6-3 record for the “C” level team this season, at least three players who moved on to play college football, hiring both Adams City and Boulder high school players for summer employment and the coordination of the future

Adams City’s Levi Deaguero finished fourth in this year’s state wrestling tourFILE PHOTO BY KATHY SCHNEIDER nament.

Eagles summer football camp and clinics for Commerce City Youth Athletics.

“2019-2020 was my year to learn one very hard life lesson. Jesse Jones? You cannot help everyone,” he said. “No matter how much you want something for someone, they have got to want it for themselves more than you do. In four short years, my message grew old and was falling on deaf ears before it was ever fully embraced. As a seasoned fitness professional/business owner, I learned that’s the beginning of the end and it’s best to just let the client go.”

February

“Amazing” was the word that

Adams City wrestlers Levi Deaguero and Gerardo Caldera used to describe their first trips to the state 5A tournament at Pepsi Center.

Deaguero finished fourth among 126-pounders.

“It’s been a blast doing what I’ve been training for my whole life,” Deaguero said.

Caldera won one match at state but did not place.

“I got to see a lot of talent out on the floor,” Caldera said. “I got to see people do moves that I thought I could plug into my arsenal of moves for my matches. The atmosphere was so big the first day, I had to take it all in and be prepared to go out and put my best foot on the line.”

March

Coronavirus caused the NCAA to cancel what was left of the winter sports season, which included national wrestling tournaments postseason basketball tournaments, including March Madness, as well as all of its spring sports.

To Adams City High School graduate, former state wrestling champion and NCAA Division I national qualifier Fabian Gutierrez, the decision to pull the plug may be the unkindest cut of all. The national wrestling tournament was to have started on March 19, in Minnesota.

The decision to cancel the tournament came shortly after the NCAA Wrestling Committee announced the brackets.

“Today has been heartbreaking for every athlete,” Gutierrez posted on Facebook. “I cannot tell you how I feel because my emotions have been everywhere. Wrestling is not just a sport to us it’s a lifestyle, a lifestyle that many cannot understand, the grind that nobody sees, a goal that we all wanna reach NCAA AllAmerican.

May

The Colorado High School Activities Association turned to a task force to help return athletics and activities to the state’s schools.

Coaches cannot have contact with their players or participants until June 1. CHSAA called off the spring sports season in mid-April. The CHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee will have a seat at the table, too, as will members of CHSAA staff and CHSAA’s board of directors.

CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said the initial response was quite strong.

“The immediate and overwhelming response speaks volumes to amazing educational leaders across our state who are committed to Colorado students and working with CHSAA to create this experience, knowing the challenges we will face,” she said in the statement.

See the Jan. 7 edition for the a review of the last six months of 2020 in sports.

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