U.S. Energy secretary to NREL employees: ‘unleash all your energies, talents’ at Golden visit
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With wide-scale layo s, budget cuts and more, the past three months haven’t been easy for federal government employees and contractors.
However, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright looked to provide some encouragement April 3 as he visited the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Golden campus.
In addressing NREL’s 4,000 employees — whether in Golden, at another campus or in the eld — Wright told them how much he enjoyed his visit, saying, “Not all my days have been as awesome as today.”
Wright, who’s from the Denver area, has a background in oil and natural gas as well as solar, geothermal and nuclear energy. He was con rmed by the U.S. Senate
on Feb. 3 and sworn in later that day.
Wright told NREL employees how they’re doing critical work, saying he wants to help them however he can so that NREL and other U.S. Department of Energy employees can “unleash all of your energies and talents” and “focus on science and technology, and not on bureaucracy.”
To that end, he said he signed secretarial orders to ensure work could get done faster and cheaper.
As an example, Wright and NREL Director Martin Keller explained how, after Wright assumed o ce, Keller asked Wright to help accelerate construction of the Golden campus’ Energy Materials and Processing at Scale, or EMAPS, facility. NREL broke ground on it last year and it’s expected to be completed in 2027.
As Keller and other NREL o cials later
explained, Wright did help accelerate the project by reducing permit processing and approval times for contracting and executing the construction work.
After addressing the NREL employees, Wright and Keller hosted a small press conference in the Energy Systems Integration Facility.
When asked about federal employee layo s and whether the public should expect any more, Wright didn’t give a denitive answer.
President Donald Trump’s administration has previously stated it wants to eliminate government employee positions through reductions in force. en, on April 1, the DOE announced it was preparing for a “restructuring” but didn’t say more, according to Politico.
Price tag for women’s soccer project: $70M
Denver proposes a two-part spending package for land and improvements
BY PAOLO ZIALCITA AND ANDREW KENNEY DENVERITE
e city of Denver could spend $70 million to buy land for a women’s soccer stadium and make improvements near the site in the Baker neighborhood, according to a newly released city document. e unnamed new National Women’s Soccer League team had already unveiled its plan to build a stadium as part of a mixed-used development adjacent to the Broadway Station light rail stop — but details on the nances have been short.
Now, the city is proposing a twopart public spending package to support the project.
e city could spend up to $50 million to buy land for the stadium and make improvements on the site, which is near Interstate 25 and Broadway.
Another $20 million could go to parks, trails, a bridge and other improvements in the surrounding area. Improved infrastructure around the stadium could “increase its bene t and enjoyment by neighbors and visitors.”
e city would own the stadium land permanently, allowing it to repurpose the property if the team ever leaves. e stadium is set to anchor a larger 41-acre development known as Santa Fe Yards, which could include a mix of residential and other uses by 2028.
Mayor Mike Johnston previously said the city’s commitment to the project would be limited to land acquisition and infrastructure costs. He said the construction of the stadium itself would be fully funded by the team’s ownership.
e stadium is planned to be tightly integrated with nearby public park space and more, according to the presentation. A rendering shows a stadium with one end opening toward a green lawn and pavilion.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright addresses members of the media April 3 while visiting NREL’s Golden campus. Wright discussed the need to bolster the country’s electricity grid, saying demand has stayed relatively flat over the last 20 years while costs have gone up. PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Number of unsellable condos grows in state
HOAs trying to limit monthly condo fees opt for higher insurance deductibles, more deferred maintenance
BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN
e Town Homes at Meadow Hills homeowners association dots the i’s and crosses the t’s when it comes to keeping the community shipshape.
“ ings like insurance, landscaping, snow removal — everything to keep our property up. We don’t do deferred maintenance. If we have an issue, we address it right away,” said board president Randy Garlington, who owns one of the 46 townhouses adjacent to the Meadow Hills Golf Course in Aurora.
So, it was a bit concerning when he recently learned that a decision the board must make in May could impact owners planning to sell their units. A growing number of condo properties nationwide are ending up on a mortgage blacklist because they don’t meet requirements for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which set the standard for conventional loans and touch 70% of the U.S. home mortgage market.
One requirement is that the community’s property insurance deductible can be no more than 5%. Any higher and condo owners won’t be able to sell their units to buyers who are using conventional loans, the most common loan available. Buyers can still pay cash, or use more expensive alternatives, like seller nancing or FHA and VA loans.
But a higher deductible was a negotiating tool Garlington had hoped to use before the property’s insurance renews in May. e premium unexpectedly tripled last year, forcing the Meadow Hills HOA to raise monthly condo fees by more than 60% — an extra $200 a month to $525. He hoped to avoid that this year and wanted to ask insurance brokers, “What if we take on some of the higher risk?”
He doesn’t know if Meadow Hills is on Fannie Mae’s so-called blacklist. e list is only accessible by mortgage lenders. Condo owners and buyers often don’t nd out until a buyer is rejected for a loan, though there could be other reasons for that. Fannie Mae o cials did not respond to questions.
“Now that you’ve said that, we’ve had a couple of units that have had a tough time selling,” Garlington said. “I don’t know why other than anecdotally. One has complained a little bit because our HOA dues are as high as they are. But our HOA dues are as high as they are because of our insurance.”
Colorado ranked third for ineligible properties
A recent Wall Street Journal story called it a “Secret Mortgage Blacklist.” With 210 properties, Colorado ranked third in the U.S. for states with the most condo projects blacklisted by Fannie Mae as of February, according to Boston law rm Allcock & Marcus.
Florida led the way with 1,398 properties while California was second, at 695. ere were 5,175 total. But local news stories began popping up two years ago, with 1,400 properties on the list in April 2023 and growing that same year to more than 2,300 by October.
Most local lenders seemed to roll their eyes while talking about it. One called the Wall Street Journal story “sensationalized,” because the list has been around for years. It’s a list of non-warrantable properties, which doesn’t quite roll o the tongue.
e blacklist moniker has increased awareness in a market where many condo owners, potential buyers and even real estate agents, HOAs and homeowners insurance agents are unaware of the issue.
Sunny Banka, a longtime Realtor in the Aurora and Denver area, knew about it. She said that her team has run into the blacklist. But they don’t nd out until an o er is made.
“We don’t know until you get into the documents and sometimes it’s so buried that you don’t realize it’s a problem,” Banka said. Her daughter and business partner just had a property under contract that was rejected by the lender because it was non-warrantable. She steered the buyer to another condo.
“Buyers can’t buy them. ere’s a lot of them out there that are dealing with this very issue,” Banka said. “ e prices of condos might be very low and they are very a ordable, but the HOA fees and taxes are outrageous. I have a two-bedroom, two-bath condo listed for $212,000 with a garage. It needs work. It needs appliances.
ere’s pink carpet. e HOA fee is $514 a month plus there’s a recreational fee that’s $35.”
e list became a focus after 98 people were killed in the Champlain Towers condo collapse in south Florida in 2021. e tragedy was blamed on the failure of the building’s aging structural columns, which were compromised over time. e collapse is still under investigation, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updated their own policies as a result.
To qualify for conventional loans now, a condo complex must have completed critical deferred maintenance, have a cash reserve of at least 10% of the HOA’s annual budget, and maintain insurance to cover 100% replacement cost. A policy o ering just actual cash value for insured items, like a roof, would make the property ineligible for a conventional loan. ere’s also the 5% maximum deductible.
e list helps lenders understand which properties are in or out of compliance for conventional loans — and that’s critical for the mortgage industry, said Dawn McDonald, a regional account executive at Towne Mortgage, a wholesale lender that
works with mortgage brokers and then resells the loans to larger companies like Chase, AmeriSave and Fannie Mae.
“We might only be lending to one condo unit, but we’re lending on the stability of the entire HOA community,” McDonald said. “ at’s why they (Fannie Mae) warrant the project and not just the unit. When there’s deferred maintenance, they could cause safety and structural issues. It could cause issues with the HOA’s nancial stability. ose are some of the whys behind how condos are getting on the list.”
She also reviews the list with some skepticism. She does her own research since some properties may have resolved their issues.
“Some make the list as approved and some make it as not reviewed at all. So we as the lenders have to review them for acceptability,” McDonald said. “And then some make it as unavailable, which means that Fannie has said that (the condo properties) don’t meet their requirements. And a lot of them are getting on that list because of the deductible issue.”
Nicole Rueth, founder of mortgage lender e Rueth Team in Denver, said the majority of loans for condos she’s seeing now have challenges meeting the Fannie Mae requirements. She is seeing deductibles at 8% and 10%, which automatically puts a property on the list.
“I had a conversation with one HOA management company and I said, ‘You know, this is going to be a problem for every buyer that wants to come in and for every seller who wants to sell to a conventional buyer.’ And she said, ‘Well, the buyers just need to nd a di erent lender because the only lender that has a problem with this is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.’ I had to laugh because I’m like, you don’t understand how big that statement just was. at’s a problem. ey don’t understand,” Rueth said. “It’s an attempt to o set increased property taxes, increased cost of maintenance, increased cost of labor, increased costs of everything.”
Owners can still sell their condo or townhome. But their buyers must nd alternative nancing, such as all cash or a hard loan from a private lender. FHA loans from the Federal Housing Authority and VA loans for veterans are also OK but can be less exible and more expensive.
“Condominiums are supposed to be the entry point to access home ownership for those that struggle with a ordability. It used to be that they would appreciate and they would give you equity,” Rueth said.
“And now it’s regretfully created such a burden on that rst-time homebuyer.”
Why condos are in this pickle e number of properties on the list started increasing more rapidly after 2022, the year annual in ation peaked and home prices set records. When home values rise, the cost for insurers to replace them goes way up, too. e impact? Skyrocketing homeowners insurance premiums, which in turn raised HOA fees. Predictably, some HOAs tried to avoid the increase by upping insurance deductibles or deferring maintenance.
“I’ve been in the business for 30, 35 years and we’ve always had to look closely at condominiums,” said Je rey Beattie, president and CEO of Alliance Mortgage Group in Centennial. “ e insurance piece has never really been a problem. But within the last year or so, it’s become a huge problem in Colorado because of the cost of insurance and what the homeowner associations are doing to keep those premiums down.”
While the blacklist is accessible to the mortgage industry, anyone can scan real estate listings on Zillow to see which condos have nance terms that are cash only. Another sign is when the complex has a lot of rentals, which Fannie frowns on, too. High homeowners insurance premiums in the past two years are often credited to climate disasters and damage from wildres and hailstorms that have pummeled Colorado homes. Premiums rose nearly 60% between 2018 and 2023, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association. But there’s also in ation, large lawsuit settlements and the higher cost to rebuild housing.
Aurora-based Service Plus Community Management, which manages about 45 HOAs mostly in the Denver and Aurora area, has an insurance broker speak to its HOA boards every year. ey’ve seen insurance premiums “that have doubled or tripled or more in the last two years,” said Todd Larson, who started Service Plus eight years ago.
Several of his HOAs are on Fannie Mae’s ineligible list for reasons that include deductibles that are too high, too few owner-occupied units, years of deferred maintenance and low reserve funds, like one with $10,000 “and they really need a million,” he said. Some already had those problems when he started the company in 2017.
It’s a challenge for HOAs to keep up with new regulations, he added. “Fannie and Freddie have really been a moving target. Since the Champlain Towers collapsed, they’ve really changed how they do things. And as community managers we don’t really get a lot of those updates,” he said. “I don’t even know that (insurance) brokers know.”
Even engaged owners willing to do the research and investigate all options are coming up short. Garlington, the president of the Meadow Hills HOA, said that after last year’s insurance rate hike, they tossed ideas around, including what if every owner got their own insurance?
“We did not nd it was less expensive,” he said, not to mention the “brain damage” for the board if it had to manage 46 policies.
What is being done
Condo communities have unique challenges, said Carole Walker, RMIA’s executive director.
Standing just outside his front door at the Meadow Hills Town Homes in Aurora on March 28, 2025, HOA president Randy Garlington says the property insurance at the complex tripled last year, forcing the HOA to raise all of the homeowners monthly fees.
Drop in Consumer Confidence & Concerns About Trade War Are Not Yet Reflected in Real Estate Statistics
Last Friday, CNN reported on a survey by the University of Michigan about consumer confidence, which showed a significant decline — 30% since December 2024.
“This decline was, like the last month’s, pervasive and unanimous across age, income, education, geographic region and political affiliation,” Joanne Hsu, the survey’s director, said in a release.
According to CNN, “the Federal Reserve and Wall Street are watching closely how souring sentiment translates into consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the US economy, and whether Americans lose faith that inflation will return to normal in the coming years.”
Sales are continuing to rise, and an increasing number of sellers are putting their homes on the MLS. Here are statistics for the previ-
can vary significantly. Here’s that chart:
measure of both seller hopes versus what the market will bear.
ous seven days (as of last Friday):
New listings — 1,425
That decline is consumer sentiment is not yet reflected in real estate statistics which I researched on REcolorado, Denver’s MLS. The charts shown in this report are for the 13 months from March 2024 through March 2025, so that you can see both year-over-year and month-over-month changes.
Coming soon — 90
Price reductions — 1,466
Under contract — 932
Withdrawn from MLS — 95
Back on Market — 198
Expired without selling — 153
Closed — 589
This is not an easy time to list and sell a home, and I would describe it as a “buyer’s market.” Even in a buyer’s market, however, keep in mind that a home which is priced correctly and has appealing qualities can sell quickly and even be in a bidding war.
How fast? Here’s the change in months of inventory and median days on the MLS:
The blue line is the asking price per square foot, and the green line is the sold price per square foot. In December, that price was bid up, but since then it has fallen, which is a
April statistics will be available in time for my column on May 8th. Since the greatest political and economic disruption is happening this month, it will be interesting to see how this month’s real estate activity is affected by current “externalities.” If you’re interested in my thoughts about those, you’ll want to check out my political blog, which is at http://TalkingTurkey.substack.com
Redfin Report Highlights Increasing Cost of Buying vs. Renting
The financial gap between purchasing a home and renting a home or apartment has grown significantly, making the dream of homeownership more distant, according to a report released by Redfin last Thursday.
According to the report, the typical American now needs to earn over $116,600 annually to afford a median-priced home in the U.S., compared to just $64,160 needed to afford an average apartment. That’s an 81.1 percent income gap — the widest it has been in recent years.
Homes are still being put on the MLS and are still selling. I limited my analysis to an 18-mile radius of downtown Denver, as shown in the map at right, not the “metro area” defined by county boundaries, as preferred by the Market Trends Committee of REcolorado.
First I looked at the count of active versus closed listing by month:
At the current rate of sales, it would take 3 months to sell the number of currently active listings, but the median days on market fell from over 40 in January to 17 in March.
Meanwhile, the average and median sold prices have remained steady. Average is always higher because of the number of million dollar homes sold.
I like to look at the change in price per finished square foot, since the size of homes
Those are national statistics, however. Here in the Denver metro area, the differential is much higher — 131.7 percent — according to Redfin. It takes an income of $155,717 to afford a median-priced home ($580,719) and $67,200 to afford a medianpriced apartment ($1,680 per month). That’s a year-over-year income increase of 4% for buying and a 1.1% decrease for renting. That reflects the national pattern of increased differential between the affordability of buying versus the affordability of renting.
The income needed to afford the typical home is calculated using the prevailing median home sale price and average mortgageinterest rate over rolling three-month periods, and assumes a 15% down payment. The typical housing payments noted in Redfin’s report include the mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners’ insurance and mortgage insurance.
Charities Which
The income needed to afford the typical apartment is calculated using the prevailing median asking rent over rolling three-month periods. Median asking rent figures cover newly listed units in apartment buildings with five or more units. Asking rents reflect the current costs of new leases during each time period. In other words, the amount shown as the median asking rent is not the median of what all renters are paying, but the median asking price of apartments that were available for new renters during the report period.
Redfin considers a home affordable if a buyer spends no more than 30% of their income on their housing payment. They use the same threshold for rental affordability.
The San Francisco Bay Area had the highest income differentials in the Redfin study. In San Jose, someone needs an annual income of $408,557 to afford the typical home for sale. That’s 218% more than they need to afford the typical apartment for rent—the biggest premium among the metro areas which Redfin analyzed. Next came San Francisco (176%), Seattle (145%), Austin (143%) and Los Angeles (141%).
Cincinnati saw the biggest drop in the homebuying premium. There someone needs an annual income of $80,752 to afford the typical home for sale. That’s 38.9% more than they need to afford the typical rental. A year ago they would have needed to earn 47.7% more to buy versus rent.
Used Our Free Box Truck Miss It. Our GoFundMe Campaign Is Off to a Good Start.
Back in February, I announced that our truck needed a new engine and other repairs and that we decided to retire it instead. This was a big loss to such non-profits as Operation Feed the Troops, Family Promise, BGoldN, Christian Action Guild, Buffalo Bill Days, and the International Rescue Committee, among others, which used the truck more often than our clients!
The truck is off the road but still available to be repaired. So far, we’ve received about $1,500 in donations. If you’d like to contribute, visit www.BringItBack.info. Thanks!
Wright said the DOE’s headcount has grown about 20% over the last four years, but he felt that Americans only got “a little bit more restrictions in energy production” in return. He continued by comparing it to how he ran his business, saying he wants to make “government services as good as they are today, or better, but at lower cost.”
He then said the U.S. Department of Energy is evaluating how to “get better and smarter at what we’re doing” within the overall department and each subdivision.
“So, that is an ongoing process; we are midstream on that,” Wright said. “But frankly, it would be downright irresponsible if we weren’t doing this (evaluation).”
‘We have to move fast’
During both his meeting with NREL employees and the press conference, Wright announced a DOE plan to lease land to AI data centers in a public-private partnership.One possible site is NREL’s Flatirons campus.
is plan builds on a Jan. 14 order issued by then-President Joe Biden’s administration.
Wright said he believes this public-private partnership would help both sides, as the data centers would have land to build on and the DOE would get money and maybe additional computing power for its national labs. It would also help the United States stay competitive in the international AI race, Wright added.
Keller agreed that integrating data centers into the community is a very important discussion for the country, and he said he believes there’s great potential
for collaboration between national labs and data centers, particularly regarding energy e ciency.
Overall, Keller said, he and his NREL colleagues are excited at the prospect of partnering with a data center.
“ ank you for pushing us, to ask us, ‘How can we go faster?’” Keller said to Wright about how his work has a ected NREL thus far. “Because, here at NREL, we love to go fast, because we want to create a better planet, so we have to
move fast.”
During the April 3 press conference, Wright also elded questions about his stance on climate change and “climate alarmism,” as he described it, as well as Trump’s tari s that were announced the previous day.
In addressing both NREL employees and the media, Wright championed advancing the United States’ electric grid by “increasing supply without impacting costs.” He said the country’s demand for
electricity has been relatively at for at least 20 years while costs have gone up, making consumers angry.
“We need to produce more electricity and stop the price rises that are making life tougher for consumers and making it harder for businesses to locate in the United States,” he said.
Wright said he believes NREL employees and others across the DOE would be critical components in reaching that goal.
NREL Director Martin Keller, left, talks to members of the media about U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, at right, visiting the Golden campus on April 3. Keller explained that, when Wright took over the U.S. Department of Energy, he helped NREL accelerate its ongoing construction projects. PHOTOS
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
Third measles case shows up in Wolf Creek Ski Area
Colorado’s struggle to keep the nation’s widening measles outbreaks from breaching its borders took another hit April 8, as o cials announced the third new case in nine days.
e new infection was reported in a person in Archuleta County, and the person who was infected did not report having recently traveled outside Colorado. at likely means, for what would be the rst time in years, Colorado has seen a con rmed instance of local transmission of measles.
Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said the case is not believed to be connected to two other recently reported cases, one in Pueblo and another in Denver.
“ e individual did not travel outside of Colorado, which leaves open the possibility of community transmission,” she said in a statement.
O cials have identi ed three places where the infected person went while likely contagious, meaning people there may have been exposed to the virus:
• Wolf Creek Ski Area, all day on the dates of Friday, March 28, through Sunday, March 30.
• e Pagosa Medical Group clinic in Pagosa Springs, between 9:05 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Monday, March 31, and again between the hours of 3:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2.
• e City Market in Pagosa Springs between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. on Monday, March 31.
People who were at those locations
during those times should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days and consider avoiding public gatherings during that time. If people do develop symptoms — measles typically starts with a cough, fever, runny nose and/or red eyes, then progresses to the telltale rash that starts on the face and moves downward — they should call their doctor or call a clinic.
Health o cials say people who think they may have measles should always call ahead so that medical providers can make plans to keep other patients at the clinic from being exposed.
CDPHE did not immediately provide information on how the infected person in Archuleta County is doing, though it said the person’s window for contagiousness ended on April 3. e person’s vaccination status is unclear.
Measles is considered a preventable disease because two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% e ective against the measles virus. e disease had once been considered eliminated in the United States, and it has been at least a decade since Colorado last saw three or more cases of measles in a year.
But, with vaccination rates against measles dipping across the country, the U.S. has seen more than 600 cases of measles this year, with more 500 of those in Texas.
Ski resort communities in southwestern Colorado, which see a lot of visitors from Texas, had been worried that spring break travel could bring measles to their towns.
With measles outbreaks currently ongoing not only in Texas but in the surrounding states of New Mexico, Oklaho-
ma and Kansas — and with the summer travel season approaching — state health o cials have been urging people who are unvaccinated or who may need a booster to consider getting the shot. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
People often associate measles with its telltale red rash, but the disease can be much more aggressive than that — attacking the brain and the respiratory system. SHUTTERSTOCK
PROJECT
e spending could “at long last” reconnect the “adjacent neighborhoods via investment in the public infrastructure necessary to provide public access and services to the stadium and park site.”
e I-25 and Broadway area is divided by the highway, Broadway, rail tracks and the South Platte River.
Where will the money come from?
e city would pay for its stake in the projects by shu ing around its budget. It would free up money in its capital budget by changing the funding source for other projects. ose other projects would instead be funded by interest the city has accrued on money it borrowed as part of the Elevate Denver bond package.
e Denver City Council would have to approve the spending and also would have to approve a rezoning of the land. e city also has promised a community outreach process.
City Council will vote on a conditional funding approval, but funds will not be dispersed until after the community process, the council vote on the rezoning and an additional budget appropriation ordinance. at process is expected to take the rest of the year.
Team ownership will present the pro-
posal to Denver City Council’s South Platte River Committee on Wednesday afternoon. e team is expected to emphasize the economic impact of building a mixeduse development in the Baker neighborhood, pointing to similar examples both within the city and at other NWSL stadiums across the nation.
e city also will consider whether taxincrement nancing could cover some of the $20 million of surrounding improvements. TIF allows the city to redirect some of the increased tax revenue from new development to pay for improvements in an area.
Another major investment for the NWSL team
Denver’s $70 million commitment is just a portion of the hefty nancing being planned to help bring professional women’s soccer to Denver.
To secure the NWSL team’s existence, team owners shelled out a record-breaking $110 million franchise fee, according to the city presentation. e owners also may need to come up with tens of millions to build the stadium itself.
e team also has partnered with the Cherry Creek School District and the city of Centennial to build its permanent headquarters, training grounds and a temporary stadium. e cost of that project is expected to be north of $35 million, with the team contributing more than a third. e temporary stadium could revert to the
school district once the team moves to its permanent home in Denver.
e rst purpose-built stadium for NWSL opened in Kansas City last year, according to the city presentation.
Council members questioned team ownership
After hearing the team’s presentation, several council members expressed concern about the use of taxpayer dollars.
Many pointed to the instability of thenancial market, which has seen ups and downs as President Donald Trump has rolled out his highly controversial tari plans. While the president has paused some tari s for 90 days, the likelihood of a trade war is still relatively high.
At-large councilmember Sarah Parady said the money could be better used for essential city services.
“We’re going to need those things for a wave of homelessness. We’re going to need those things for hunger,” she said.
Parady also said she’s worried a nancial downturn would leave team ownership unable to complete the stadium’s construction.
District 6 Councilmember Paul Kashmann likened the situation to an optimistic period of growth prior to the 2008 nancial crisis.
“Before 2008 hit, there were going to be thousands of housing units, hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial.,” Kashmann said.
Kashmann and others asked if the city should instead pursue a ballot initiative that would temporarily raise the sales tax to fund the city’s commitment to the soccer stadium.
Rob Cohen, the primary owner of the NWSL team, said he has not explored options to bring in organizations like the Gates Foundation or the Anschutz Family Foundation to help ease the cost.
Flor Alvidrez, who represents the district the stadium will be built in, said she disagreed with pushback from other council members, arguing District 7 needs investment in public space.
“ is is, to me, a small investment in an area that has historic redlining right there, that has a lack of public spaces,” she said.
Councilmember Amanda Sawyer had another concern: “I will just say, for $70 million, ‘Denver’ had better be in the name of this team,” she said.
Cohen attempted to assuage concerns about the stadium’s cost by reminding the council that part of the bid to secure the team included a promise that a stadium would be built. In other words, if the stadium isn’t built, the NWSL will take the team away from the city.
City council did not vote on any actionable item at the April 9 meeting.
is story is from Denverite, a Denver news site. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite. com.
Renderings of the planned National Women’s Soccer League Stadium in Denver’s Baker neighborhood. COURTESY OF POPULOUS AND DENVER NWSL
A rendering of the paths and parks surrounding the planned National Women’s Soccer League Stadium in Denver. IMAGES COURTESY OF POPULOUS AND DENVER NWSL
CCM journalists earn 9 awards in regional contest
CCM STAFF
Journalists from Colorado Community Media won nine awards in the regional Top of the Rockies journalism competition for their work in 2024.
CCM competed not among other weekly community papers but in the “Large Newsroom” category that included daily newspapers such as the Boulder Daily Camera, Longmont Times-Call, Loveland Reporter-Herald, Durango Herald, e (Fort Collins) Coloradoan, and the St. George (Utah) News, as well as the magazine 5280 and broadcast outlets Rocky Mountain PBS and KUER out of the University of Utah.
Sports editor John Renfrow won rst place for his work on the weekly Sportsland newsletter, with the judges saying, “ ere is truly a sense of sharing in this community newsletter.”
ree journalists received four second-place honors, including:
- Elisabeth Slay’s coverage of the city of Englewood’s water billing problems in the business enterprise reporting category, - former Littleton reporter Nina Joss scored two wins: one in beat reporting for her coverage of the alleged abuse of nonverbal children by a Littleton Public Schools paraprofessional and one in obit writing for an article on the death of a homeless man in Centennial, and
Arvada Chick-Fil-A gives $25,000 scholarship to employee studying at Regis
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Regis University student Samuel Fuentes had a $25,000 surprise when he went in for his shift at the Chick-Fil-A in Arvada, as the company’s Remarkable Future’s Scholarships awarded Fuentes with a check to further his studies.
Fuentes, a rst-generation college student, is studying to become a high school biology teacher and is working at the Chick-Fil-A located at 52nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard to pay for school and help support his family.
Chick-Fil-A’s Remarkable Future’s Scholarships gave out 13 scholarships to students this year.
- freelancer Lillian Fuglei’s photo from the opening of the Arvada Aquatics Center.
Journalist Monte Whaley won third place in beat reporting on a state decision to house convicted sex o enders at two group homes in Northglenn, coverage which ultimately led to o cials nixing the decision after residents voiced their opposition. Other third-place awards went to Slay in political reporting for documenting how the city of Englewood
Call first: c/o The Colorado Sun Buell Public Media Center 2101 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO 80205
Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-566-4100
Web: DenverHerald.net A publication of To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or Scan this QR Code
BROOKE WARNER Executive Director brooke@ntln.org
LINDA SHAPLEY Director of Editorial & Audience lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
used taxpayer money to purchase signs advocating for a parks question; to former La Ciudad reporter Jackie Ramirez for humor/ personal column writing for her articles on helping her mother get the documents she needed to visit family in Mexico after 17 years and on what people should expect if they are approached by a reporter, and to Leah Neu in page design for her “No time like the present” presentation on a professional Christmas gift wrapper.
e awards were announced April 5 at the conclusion of the regional Colorado SPJ conference in Denver. More than 1,800 entries from four states were judged by members of the Los Angeles Press Club.
“While what we do isn’t about awards, they exemplify that we are doing right by the communities we cover,” said Linda Shapley, director of editorial and audience for CCM. “I couldn’t be prouder of our entire team.”
CHRISTY STEADMAN South Metro Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
BUSINESS INQUIRIES For advertiser or vendor questions, please email our business department at accounting@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
“Sam has such a passion to help other people and has demonstrated his community service,” Chick-Fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy said. “He’s been quite a leader here at the restaurant. We’re excited to come along and help him as he pursues his academic career
Regis University student Samuel
and wants to become a teacher.”
Fuentes said he came in for work just like any other day and was shocked and excited to nd the presentation of the scholar-
received a $25,000 scholarship from his employer, Chick-Fil-A.
ship that was waiting for him.
“I really didn’t know if I was gonna get my college covered next year, and I’ve been stressing about that,” Fuentes said. “ at’s
the reason why I got the job in the rst place, to be able to a ord college next year. And this just gives me a stepping stone, and it made a dream become a reality.”
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Independent.
We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Denver Herald-Dispatch (ISSN 1542-5797)(USPS 241-760)
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Denver, Colorado, the Herald-Dispatch is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 1624 Market St., Suite 202, Denver, CO 80202.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT DENVER, COLORADO and additional mailing o ces.
POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Denver Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
This photo by Lillian Fuglei of the grand opening of the Arvada Aquatics Center received second place in the regional Society for Professional Journalists annual competition.
Fuentes
COURTESY OF CHICK-FIL-A
Mind reader or magician?
Kent Axell coming in May to Lone Tree Arts Center
BY MARC SHULGOLD SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
“ e Mind Reader.”
at’s the attention-grabbing headline on the ad for Kent Axell’s May 1 appearance at the Lone Tree Arts Center. But, cautions the star of the show, don’t take it literally. He doesn’t really read people’s minds.
On second thought, oh go head, if it makes you happy.
“What I do is not real,” Axell readily admits. “I’m a magician. Every mind-reader is a magician.”
But seeing is believing, after all, isn’t it?
Speaking by phone from his home in Las Vegas, where he performs regularly at the Mandalay Resort and Casino, Axell was certainly not about to give away any secrets of the act he’s been perfecting after 30 years of study.
“I’ve been doing mind-reading now for four years,” he said, referring to the show he bills as An Evening of Mischief and Magic.
Rather than let on whether he actually “reads” people’s minds or not, he preferred to talk about the e ect he has on audiences.
“When they’re watching a magic show, they’ll usually react one of two ways,” he said. “Some will think, ‘I don’t know how that worked,’ while others might think, ‘that guy’s psychic.’ Main thing is, they’re just enjoying the performance.”
So how did he get into the magical world of hocus-pocus? Axell remembers it well. A
native of Manchester, Maine, he blames it all on an uncle.
“He showed me a trick when I was 9,” Axell said.
e kid was hooked.
“I went to the internet, I read books, I looked at videos. And I practiced a lot. at’s the part of being a magician you never see — the hours of practice,” Axell said.
Early on, Axell thought about going into theater, and appeared in some musicals and small productions. But magic kept calling. His early acts often featured tricks that failed to trick — part of the painful growth of becoming a magician.
“When a trick fails, it’s usually due to a technical di culty,” he explained. “So you work on the y, you nd a solution. In a card trick, you lose that card, so you have to gure out a way to nd that card.”
And, one assumes, keep your cool in the process.
Meanwhile, as a middle-schooler learning his trade, Axell discovered that magic was a way to impress his classmates at parties — particularly the girls. His life’s journey was set.
Just as audiences react di erently to magic acts, those practicing the art now are in two divided camps, he observed.
“ e eld has become the center of controversy lately, with debates about the psychic-spiritual element,” Axell said. “ ere are those who believe that the psychic ability actually exists. And there are a lot of mentalists who think it’s all some kind of lie.”
Wisely, Axell steers clear of taking sides with that discussion. His approach stresses the classic laws of magic.
“We operate on deception. It’s about
misdirection. e better you are at those, the more convincing you are as a magician. But that doesn’t diminish the character of the show,” he said.
Once again, he reminds that he is simply an entertainer.
“Much of my audience have never experienced a magic show before,” Axell said. “Up there onstage, you have to let your personality shine through, and play to the room. is is a family-friendly show where everyone participates.”
Indeed, videos on Axell’s website reveal volunteers reacting with dropped jaws to a slight-of-hand trick.
“I’ll o er a mix of tried-and-true tricks — you know, the number they guessed that’s in the envelope — with some that have a new feeling,” he said.
So, none of those psychic favorites such as: I’m feeling that there is someone here
tonight who lost a relative named Margaret. Axell doesn’t go there.
“I’m not actually reading people. Occasionally, I will do what is known as a cold-reading,” Axell said.
“But I will say this — there will be a big shock at the end of the show that will make people understand why I call my show Mind Reader.”
True to the code of all magicians, Axell would say no more.
Axell will appear at 7 p.m. May 1 at the Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St. For more information on Axell, visit kentaxell.com. Call 720-509-1000 or visit lonetreeartscenter.org for ticketing information.
is coverage comes courtesy of a grant from the Littleton Arts and Culture Program. As a matter of policy, funders exercise no control over editorial decisions.
Magician Kent Axell, in the midst of one of his tricks, shares a moment with his audience while his blindfolded volunteer has no idea that a big surprise awaits. COURTESY OF BILLIE AXELL
Thu 4/17
Jenny Shawhan
@ 4:30pm Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver, 1717 Champa St, Denver
Buffalo Galaxy @ 6pm
New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden
Carolyn Kendrick @ 7pm
Kirkos at Goosetown Station @ 8pm
Goosetown Station, 514 9th St, Golden
Fri 4/18
Teague Starbuck @ 3pm The Empourium Brewing Company, 4385 W 42nd Ave, Denver
Tue 4/22
A Killers Confession Presents: A Horrifying Trip Back to the 2000’s ft. VentanA and Aeternum @ 6pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
VentanA (Of�cial) @ 6:30pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
Roxy on Broadway Presents… Jesters and the Court @ 9pm Roxy on Broadway, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Black Market Translation: Blunt Market Translation: 4/20 EVE AT MUTINY! @ 7pm
Mutiny Comics & Coffee, 2 S Broad‐way, Denver
Sat 4/19
Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St, Den‐ver
Polo & Pan: North American Spring Tour 2025
@ 7pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Ike Spivak
@ 7pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Saxsquatch w/ T BISCUIT at Cervantes - Denver, CO
@ 7pm
Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver
A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder @ 7:30pm Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada
Mike Lamitola: The Attic Sessions @ 7:30pm Jefferson Park, 2290 Eliot St, Denver
Guitar 4 Beginners Workshop (Taught by Kid Astronaut) @ 11am
Sun 4/20
SALSA & BACHATA SUNDAYS @ 7pm La Rumba, Denver
Dave Devine Quartet Playing Music Off of "Hive Mind" featuring Shane Endsley, Greg Garrison & Scott Amendola @ Dazzle! 7pm Show! @ 7pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Den‐ver Dylanovus @ 7pm Roxy on Broadway, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Dave Devine @ 7pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Wed 4/23
Apprentice of Peace Youth Organiza‐tion, 2245 Curtis Street Suite 200, Den‐ver
Na-Kel Smith: Mile High 420 Festival 2025 @ 7pm Civic Center Park/Capitol City Park, 101 14th Ave, Denver
Mon 4/21
8TURN @ 6pm Summit, Denver
Eric Golden @ 6:30pm The Grandview Tavern and Grill, 7427 Grandview Ave, Arvada The Bloody Beetroots - 20th Anniversary Tour @ 9pm Meow Wolf Denver, Denver
VOICES
Even man’s best friend understands value of friendship
We have two dogs that are best friends. ree-year-old Skye and one-year-old Bear are Coltrievers, part Golden Retriever and part Border Collie. Technically, they are aunt and nephew; Bear’s mother was born in the same litter as Skye.
As soon as 9-week-old Bear joined our family, Skye started trying to get him to play with her; so incredibly happy to have a playmate. What began as a fullgrown dog trying to coax a timid weeksold puppy into doing a little bit of running around has evolved into full-on races inside and outside of the house where you will often hear Beth or I exclaim, “Hey, now that’s too rough.”
e games of these two best friends are a joy to watch. ey might start with Skye squeaking a toy four or ve times or Bear patting the ground and pretending to jump forward.
e language of these two is amazing to watch in action. e invitation to playtime is followed by a mix of wagging tails, panting tongues, playful growling, lots of running and un ltered joy.
eir rumpus room friendship has this dear, quiet side, too. Last week, I was sitting at the table doing some work, and these two best friends lay on top of my feet with their heads touching each other. As I watched that sweet, tender moment, I could not help but think about the role friends play in our lives.
e collective power of friendship is astounding. In the history of humankind friendship has altered the course of en-
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
It’s that time of year when we pause to consider our relationship to the planet. We might pick up some litter or go to a workshop on composting to honor Earth Day.
A gardener might get excited about starting seeds or a hiker planning their summer 14ers. I use this time of year to reconnect to nature and remember that I, too, am an organism in this ecosystem.
As an organism in this ecosystem, I am compelled to consider the state of the human organism. I stop to review how I am experiencing and in uencing the current state of the planet, especially in this time when climate and culture storms are simultaneously commanding our attention.
My neighborhood, North Denver, has been pretty safe from major climate disasters. From our work-from-home cozy co ee houses, we watch on our laptops as hurricanes and tornadoes wipe out communities around the country.
Closer to home, we see and are connected to communities that have dealt with wild re and ooding, but we have been blessed to be passed over. It feels as if we have been spared, so far, from the direct impact of wild, unpredictable storms, re, ooding.
But is this the case? We do experience the over ow of those happenings through heavy smoke polluting our air, or climate refugees looking for their next homes, whether they are relocating only a couple dozen miles or 1,000.
tire nations, been the foundation for business empires, and the impetus for lifechanging discoveries and inventions.
Friendships make our individual days richer and provide us with avenues for laughter and lifetime memories. ey present us opportunities to share our deepest secrets and a shoulder to cry on in times of greatest need. Friendships are one of our world’s most precious resources. Nurturing a friendship reaps amazing rewards for each of us.
When a friend faces challenging life events, it can leave us searching for the perfect way to help. We know how much that friendship adds to our lives, and we want to be that same type of support for our friend. We see their pain and their need, and we want to be the di erence makers. Most of us will, at some point, face questions about how to support our friends in their moment of need.
Here is what I have learned so far about those moments when you want to help but don’t know how:
• Be consistent, a force of positivity they can trust will be present.
• Listen so you understand the needs of the person struggling.
• Give help on the timeline of the person needing help.
• Be authentically yourself, lean into your strengths when you are trying to gure out how to help.
• Distance, being 5 minutes or 5,000 miles apart, is not a barrier friends feel. Act when your friend needs it. is week I hope you will celebrate the friends you have. ey are incredible encouragers, some of your greatest treasures and they deserve your best.
I would love to hear about the friendships that have made a di erence in your life.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail. com.
Lean more about Earth Month community resilience gatherings
Lisa Rogers
Storms are not always caused by weather. Covid caused an upheaval we de nitely experienced and continue to feel in its wake. We have felt the movement of climate, economic, technological and cultural changes that cause jet stream-like movements of individuals, families and communities in and out of our neighborhoods. And we are currently experiencing a political storm the length and breadth of which we have no clear understanding.
When multiple storms come together, they get names like “bomb cyclone” or “atmospheric river.” It seems to me that this current collision of cultural and climate chaos has the potential to upend much more than we are prepared for. So, how does a community prepare when extreme weather occurrences threaten? ey get together as families and communities to identify potential hazards, create lines of communication, designate meeting points, plan evacuation routes, learn about danger signs, gather resources, and assemble emergency kits and systems. For most of us, we rely on local, state and federal agencies to have our back. is may no longer be something we can rely upon. Similarly, how can we follow this guid-
ance to prepare for the extreme political crisis unfolding? e same way. Gather together in community. Survey hazards, communication lines, evacuation pathways, gather resources, and assemble emergency plans and supports.
e storm is upon us. It’s time to start preparing. I’m inviting my North Denver neighbors, also known by their neighborhood monikers of Berkeley, Regis, West Highland, Sloans Lake, Sunnyside, and the various other Highlands communities, to start meeting to address and build resiliency. Putting up barriers to protect ourselves is one way to face a storm, but reaching out to one another to build resiliency will help us weather the storm and come out stronger.
I’ve spent my career thinking about community and ecosystem resilience through the ebb and ow of community engagement. In this era of technological isolation we are more alone than ever, although there are more people in our neighborhoods. We are more likely to communicate through a smartphone in our hand rather than a phone call or visit, order our meals to be delivered rather than spend time at a restaurant, or shop through an app rather than go to the grocery store.
Now is the time to break those habits of isolation. It is time to come face to face to begin remembering and rebuilding the human ecosystem of North Denver as we face these challenging times.
I invite you to begin gathering in your communities to hold conversations
about building resilience in both our human and nature ecosystems. We must learn from our mycelium and tree cousins about establishing and caring for the network of our families and neighbors. Learn from the birds and crickets about seeing and hearing what is happening. Notice how the squirrels gather and protect resources for the future. Did you know geese create childcare pods, allowing parents to use their skills and time where they’re needed?
ese conversations should be held in person, IRL (in real life), as they say. Take the opportunity to meet and greet and get to know one another while addressing topics that can help with developing community resilience.
Do you remember the stories that come after a cataclysmic storm? ose are the stories of neighbors meeting neighbors, strangers o ering help and learning to ask for help. at’s when you realize that our strength and preparedness is always tethered in one another.
In the spirit of Earth Day, let’s gather to see each other, acknowledge our space, and intentionally begin creating a resilience to strengthen our community and weather the storms that are upon us.
Lisa Rogers, a North Denver native, is a community resilience strategist dedicated to creating pathways through community engagement to innovative urban sustainability solutions. She can be reached at lisa.rogers.sustainability@gmail.com.
GUEST COLUMN
Jim Roome
Three-year-old Skye and one-year-old Bear are Coltrievers, part Golden Retriever and part Border Collie. COURTESY OF JIM ROOME
Reflection of passion
Have you ever found yourself searching for that spark, the passion that once fueled your daily e orts? At some point, we may all realize that our zeal has faded, whether it’s in personal pursuits, professional goals, continuous learning, or relationships. Sometimes, if we’re fortunate enough to recognize it early, we can quickly nd ways to reignite our energy and get back on track. But suppose we allow ourselves to drift too long. In that case, the ame of passion can begin to dim, eventually snu ng out completely, leaving only a faint whisper of smoke that vanishes into nothingness. Recently, I spoke with a few leaders, and our conversation turned to the relentless pace of technological change. ey shared how, just as they and their teams had become comfortable with a new system, their company would invest in the next big technology. e cycle of learning, leading, and implementing would begin all over again. is pattern has been repeating itself for the past few years, an ongoing wave of advancements crashing ashore, only to be followed by another, bigger, faster, more powerful wave right behind it. Wave after
Wwave, pounding us before we can even catch our breath, leaving us worn out from the constant effort to keep up. ey called it initiative fatigue, a state that erodes passion for a business and an industry they once loved. at’s the challenge we all face: how do we navigate this constant change without allowing our passion to burn out?
Some of you may remember the musician Yanni. Others may not, but you can always explore his music. As I was writing this column, his song Re ections of Passion played in the background, bringing back memories of my own past excitement. I found myself re ecting on moments lled with purpose and passion: the nervous anticipation of taking on a new role, the thrill of setting ambitious goals, the courage of asking for that rst kiss, and yes, even the enthusiasm for the newest technology promising to make me more e ective and e cient at work. ese memories ooded back, rekindling the ambition and joy that once
drove me.
Looking back, even the clumsy technologies of the past, made clumsier by my own mistakes, seem almost quaint compared to today’s sophisticated innovations. Despite all the advancements, one truth remains: AI may be getting better, faster, and more intelligent, but it still lacks one crucial element, feeling. e human experience of passion, purpose, and the exhilaration of pursuing a dream cannot be replicated by algorithms or automation.
is was especially evident during the recent Sandler Summit in Orlando, Florida, which I had the privilege of attending recently. Over a thousand people gathered, most in person, some virtually, to engage with speakers who delivered fresh, thought-provoking insights. It would take too long to mention everyone, but a few truly captured the balance of AI, technology, and human emotion: Dave Mattson, Krish Dhanam, Jody Williamson, John Rosso, Jordan Ledwein, Troy Kanter, Mike Crandall, Carlos Garrido, and many others. ey reminded us not only of what we do and how we do it but, most importantly, why we do it: passion and purpose.
Re ecting on those moments, I nd myself even more inspired by what lies ahead. Will it bring change? Absolutely. Will it be challenging? Most likely. Will the changes keep coming? Guaranteed. But we have the power to leverage change, innovation, and transformation as the spark that reignites our passion and purpose. Personally, professionally, romantically, mentally, physically, and spiritually, we can choose to use these changes to fuel our next adventure. As I wrap up this re ection, I encourage you to listen to another Yanni song: Dare to Dream. Let his music and the words in the song’s title inspire you to embrace your passions and pursue your biggest dreams. I would love to hear your stories of passion and purpose at gotonorton@ gmail.com. And as we continue to ride the wave of technological change, let’s keep our spark alive, our passion strong, and embrace a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
Protect Coloradans’ health care
e are facing a reality where health coverage for 1 in 5 Coloradans is in jeopardy.
Congressional discussions are underway to signi cantly defund Medicaid, which is a lifeline to many Coloradans. Making $880 billion in rushed cuts to healthcare programs covering seniors, children and other vulnerable groups would have dramatic consequences:
• More people will be uninsured and won’t access healthcare until an emergency, leading to increased healthcare costs for everyone.
• Providers will be forced to do layo s, cut services, or close, reducing access to care.
• Our communities will lose jobs and valuable tax revenue, harming our economy during a state budget crisis.
As the CEO of Colorado Access — a Colorado nonpro t and the state’s largest Medicaid plan — and a former Medicaid member myself, I am deeply invested in the value of Medicaid. And I am not alone. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say someone close to them has received help from the Medicaid program. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents are opposed to Medicaid cuts, and this opinion is consistent across both urban and rural areas. Most people think funding should either increase (42%) or
be kept about the same
Looking around at our communities, it’s readily apparent how critical Medicaid is to us and our friends and families: Medicaid covers 63% of nursing home residents, 44% of people with disabilities, and 80% of children living in poverty.
Yet Medicaid is on the chopping block. Republicans in the U.S. House have o ered reassurances that the only cuts would be around fraud, waste, and abuse, but getting to billions in cuts would require creative revisions to the de nition of fraud. Medicaid is the most e cient coverage available, and fraud is limited. Costs per Medicaid member are substantially lower than private insurance. Regardless of how terms are rede ned, reducing Medicaid funding translates to cutting essential health services for people we know and love.
We are fortunate in Colorado, where both Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly largely support Medicaid. Our legislators understand that Medicaid makes people healthier, creates jobs, and ensures funding for vital
roles at local health centers and hospitals. State and federal governments jointly fund Medicaid, and funding expands as needs or costs increase. If Congress were to cut federal Medicaid funding, our local legislators know that our state budget situation, including the current shortfall and impacts of TABOR, would not enable state funds to back ll federal cuts and continue Medicaid as we need it.
Republicans in Congress have also proposed work requirements for Medicaid members, disregarding the fact that most adult Medicaid members work (and make less than $30,000 per year). Two-thirds of adult Medicaid members in Colorado—65%—are employed. e remaining 35% are largely not working due to caregiving responsibilities, being students, or having a disability. Work requirements create administrative waste and jeopardize healthcare for low-income, working Coloradans by adding unnecessary red tape, putting 542,000 Coloradans at risk of losing coverage (47% of the adult Medicaid population).
We just saw a similar situation with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which allowed people to stay
enrolled in Medicaid for the duration of the pandemic. Many eligible Coloradans lost coverage due to administrative barriers. We cannot force another situation where people in our state unnecessarily get sicker — and our providers are faced with more care for which they will not be paid.
We must work together to ensure Congress understands the impact that cutting Medicaid would have on Coloradans’ health and our economy. Limited or no a ordable options exist for alternative health coverage for these individuals, especially as the enhanced premium tax credits that help people a ord insurance are also at risk, and no alternative opportunity exists for providers to get paid for delivering their care. For members of Congress who support cuts to Medicaid, we should hold them accountable for how their constituents will access health care.
is guest column was written by Annie Lee, CEO of Colorado Access, Colorado’s largest public-sector health plan, which has provided a ordable health care for three decades.
Discover tips for a fresh start from local experts
BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG
As the days grow longer and da odils bloom, the arrival of spring brings more than just warmer weather. Pollen levels rise and dust bunnies hop around long after Easter.
Consequently, people emerge from winter hibernation to declutter closets and scrub oorboards with the start of the new season, marking the start of spring cleaning season.
While it is currently spring only in the northern hemisphere, multiple cultures across the globe are linked to spring cleaning.
One of the earliest references of the practice is generally acknowledged in the Jewish observance of Passover, which typically occurs in March or April, and lasts for about a week.
During this time, homes are cleaned to remove chametz — leavened grains like wheat or barley — symbolizing their swift departure from Egypt, when they couldn’t wait for the bread to nish baking.
In preparation for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Catholic churches undergo thorough cleanings on Maundy ursday, exhibiting puri cation and readiness for the sacred days ahead.
Celebrated in March, Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian, includes kh ne-tak n or “shaking the house,” where families deep-clean their homes to
sweep away the past and welcome new beginnings. In ailand, Songkran, which is a two-day festival in April, marks the ai New Year with the cleaning of homes and public spaces. Water plays a central role as people splash it on each other and Buddha statues to cleanse bad luck and invite blessings.
Known as “death cleaning,” Sweden’s philosophy, Döstädning, involves decluttering possessions to simplify life and ease burdens — a practical approach that conveys letting go of things that are no longer needed. Döstädning isn’t limited to a certain time of the year, but is rather instilled as a lifestyle.
Spring cleaning has remained a tradition for many, and local experts around the Denver metro area are weighing in with tips and tricks to tidy a home inside and out.
Health benefits
Spring cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics — it also o ers tangible health bene ts:
• Reduces allergens like pollen, mold and dust mites.
• Eliminates bacteria and viruses that can cause illness.
• Improves indoor air quality by removing pollutants.
• Decreases stress by creating a clean, organized environment.
• Enhances safety by reducing clutter that could cause trips or falls.
Tree pollen is a signi cant allergen during Colorado’s springtime, with elm, cottonwood, oak and maple trees being common culprits, according to Wyndly, an allergy-based healthcare company.
Pollen counts tend to be highest midday and evening, leaving the morning as the only time when outdoor allergens are at their lowest counts and the best time to ventilate homes, said Ryan Buckley, a doctor at Colorado Allergy & Asthma Centers.
For the indoors, Buckley recommends cleaning with products that are free of dyes and fragrances and using the minimum amount possible.
“Some over-the-counter cleaning products can irritate the airways,” he said. “If you are particularly sensitive to cleaning products, ventilate the area while cleaning.”
Buckley warned that making at-home cleaning solutions should be done cautiously, and advised against mixing vinegar and bleach as it can produce a hazardous chlorine gas.
Buckley also emphasized the importance of installing the correct air lter grade in central HVAC systems to trap allergens e ectively.
“If appropriate, consider running the system on ventilation mode periodically — for example, 15 minutes every one hour — to help move air through the lter and facilitate allergen removal, (and) replace lters as recommended by the manufacturer,” he said.
SPRING CLEANING
Buckley recommends placing a dehumidi er in bathrooms or basements that tend to be high in humidity levels, which can contribute to mold growth. He said indoor humidity levels should ideally be 40 to 50%, and added that anything lower can be too drying and aggravate allergy symptoms.
“If despite e ective cleaning e orts, you continue to have allergy symptoms, it is a good idea to undergo an allergy evaluation by a board-certi ed allergist,” Buckley said. “ ere are a variety of treatment options from over-the-counter medications to prescription therapies, including allergen immunotherapy. If needed, allergy testing can help identify potential triggers and better guide therapy to help you remain symptom-free.”
Organization strategies
Dedicating a whole day to this season’s deep cleaning is how some decide to tackle the tasks, while others prefer to break it up over multiple days.
MaidPro, a cleaning company that has locally owned and operated businesses around Denver’s metro area, says on its website that breaking it up “is perfect for homeowners with busy schedules who can’t commit to an entire day of cleaning” but adds that “you must stay committed and ensure you don’t slack o toward the end of your spring cleaning.”
Many say that organization is key to e cient spring cleaning. ey include Cody Galloway, co-
founder of TULA, a service that helps “create more balance in life.”
By completing clients’ to-do lists — such as laundry, grocery shopping, meal planning and home organization — TULA came out of necessity to help clients who are inundated by life’s tasks, Galloway said.
“You stare at your endless to-do list while being stretched very thin at both work and at home and think, ‘there has to be a better way,’” she said. “So, we made one.”
TULA was founded in 2020 in Denver and has since spread its services to Boulder and Aspen, in addition to out-of-state locations, including Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Montana and North Carolina.
Galloway said TULA has a clientele that consists of busy parents and professionals, and anyone who just needs an extra set of hands.
Prioritizing deep-cleaning and decluttering tasks can be di cult, so Galloway recommends starting with the most overwhelming areas rst.
“If looking at your closet makes you break out in a cold sweat, that’s the place to start,” she said. “Tackle one category at a time — clothes, then shoes, then accessories — so you don’t end up sitting on the oor reminiscing over an old concert T-shirt or your painting overalls for two hours.”
Galloway recommends that spring cleaners invest in label makers and clear bins to organize the home.
“If you can’t see what’s inside, you’ll forget it exists,” she said.
While organizing, Galloway said implementing the “one-year rule” mindset is essential: “If you haven’t used it in a year, it’s time to part ways,” she said.
“ONE-YEAR RULE. IF YOU HAVEN’T
USED IT IN A YEAR, IT’S TIME TO PART WAYS.”
Cody Galloway, co-founder of TULA
Clothing donations
Clothing, accessories and other donations can be made to local Goodwills and Arc rift Stores, and family-owned stores such as 2nd Time Around rift in Aurora. e thrift store opened in 2020 and continues to be family-operated, focusing on providing high-quality items for low costs.
Local H&M stores collect unwanted garments and sort them for rewear as secondhand clothing, reused to make other products such as a cleaning cloth, or recycled and shredded to be remade into other materials. ose who donate clothes or textiles to the store also receive a coupon to use on their next H&M purchase, according to its website, hm.com. e success of a spring cleaning project is “when you walk into your space and breathe easier,” Galloway said. “When you can nd your favorite sweater in under 10 seconds. When your kitchen counter isn’t a dumping ground for mail and mystery items. And, most importantly, when you don’t immediately start adding things back to your to-do list because for once, it’s already handled. And if you can actually park in your garage again? at’s a big win.”
TULA takes on the tasks that their clients need to cross o their to-do lists. TAMARA MCTAVISH PHOTOGRAPHY
Maintaining a clean and organized environment can reduce stress. TAMARA MCTAVISH PHOTOGRAPHY
CROWSSUPDRO
1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What do you call a person who has lived to the age of 100 years?
2. HISTORY: When were cigarette commercials banned from American television?
3. MOVIES: Whose life is depicted in the movie “Raging Bull”?
4. U.S. STATES: In which state are the Catskill Mountains located?
5. TELEVISION: Which long-running TV drama was set in Cabot Cove, Maine?
6. MEASUREMENTS: How long is the ancient measurement called a cubit?
7. FOOD & DRINK: What is a dish called Cullen Skink?
8. CHEMISTRY: A diamond is composed of which single element?
9. GEOGRAPHY: What country is home to the Ba n, Victoria and Ellesmere islands?
TrIVIa
10. ANATOMY: What is another name for the condition called “piloerection”?
Answers
1. A centenarian.
2. Jan. 2, 1971.
3. Jake LaMotta (played by Robert De Niro).
4. New York.
5. “Murder, She Wrote.”
6. 1.5 feet.
7. Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions.
8. Carbon.
9. Canada.
10. Goosebumps.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
$119.00! Shipped discreetly to
Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real
insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258
Miscellaneous
Become a published author
We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ ads
Consumer Cellular - same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No longterm contract, no hidden fees free activation. All plans feature unlimited talk & text, starting at just $20/mo.
Call 1-877-751-0866
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure!
Call 1-888-489-3936
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-5439189
Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-3993595
AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091 Have zip code of property ready when calling!
Miscellaneous
Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value!
Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code of service location ready when you call!
Inflation is at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up. Credit cards. Medical bills. Car loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief and find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote: Call 1-844-9554930
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris -blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833610-1936
!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-4338277
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 877-305-1535
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866859-0405
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a lim-ited time, waving all installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. Offer ends 6/30/25. 1-844-5013208
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts
Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971
Colorado
Toplacea25-wordCOSCANNetworkadin91ColoradoNewspapersfor only$300,contactyourlocalNewspaperoremail rtoledo@colopress.net
To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado Newspapers for only $300, contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress net
THRASHERFOUNDATION
THRASHER FOUNDATION
Doesyourbasementorcrawlspace needsomeattention?CallThrasher FoundationRepair!Apermanent solutionforwaterproofing,failing foundation,sinkingconcreteand nastycrawlspaces.FREE Inspection&SameDayEstimate. $250offANYproject withcode GET250. Call1-888-717-0104RNET
Does your basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundation, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate $250 off ANY project with code GET250 Call 1-888-717-0104
CallLeafGuardandsaygoodbyeto guttercleaningforgood.No cleaning.Noleaking.Nowater damage.Nomoreladderaccidents. GetLeafGuardtodayandbe protectedforlife.FREEestimate. Financingavailable.20%offtotal purchase(Restrictionsmayapply) Call1-844-264-8866
COLORADOPRESSNETWORK
To Place a
ToPlacea25-wordCOSCAN Networkadin91Colorado Newspapersfor$300
Miscellaneous
We buy houses for cash as is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-8775833
Pets
Dogs
Doodle Puppies
Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised
Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com
Wanted
Donate Your Car to Veterans Today!
Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398
Transportation
Autos for Sale
2007 ford f350 dually lariat
$12,500.00 obo. phone 303-8838615 for more info
Boats and Water Sports
Inflatable boat, only 3 times in water: $200; 3036968603.
Parts
Solid Fold Trifold truck bed cover by Extang on a 2019 Toyota Tacoma long bed (73.7 inches). Dimensions are 60” wide by 75.5” long. Asking $500-good condition. I replaced it with a Leer cap. I’m the the original owner. Call or text 907.394.4445
Tires and Wheels for Sale
Bridgestone Dueler LX 235/70 R16
Set of 4 tires and wheels, $600 Briefly used on 2012 Ford Escape Contact 303-883-5332
Contactyourlocal Newspaperoremail rtoledo@colopress.net
COUNTY COURT, DENVER COUNTY, COLORADO 1437 Bannock Street Denver, CO 80202 720/865-7840
Case No.: 2013C70525 Div.:175
Autovest, L.L.C., Plaintiff vs. WILLIAM WILSON AND KASSIE JO OLSON, Defendants
REVIVER BY PUBLICATION NOTICE TO DEFENDANT/JUDGMENT DEBTOR
THIS MATTER coming on before the Court upon the motion of the Plaintiff styled “Motion for Revivor of Judgment,” and the Court having read said motion and now being duly apprised in the premises, NOW THEREFORE
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Clerk of this Court shall, and is ordered and directed to, issue to Defendant, KASSIE JO OLSON, only, the “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)” requiring said Defendant to show cause within 14 (fourteen) days from the service of such Notice, pursuant to CRCP 354(h), if any he/she has, why the Judgment heretofore entered in this matter on November 15, 2013, revived August 8, 2019 shall not be revived with like force and effect.
WHEREAS, Plaintiff has moved this Court pursuant to CRCP 354(h) to revive the Judgment entered in the instant matter on, November 15, 2013,revived August 8, 2019 NOW THEREFORE
IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED, that Plaintiff, Autovest, L.L.C, shall have and take of defendant, KASSIE JO OLSON, only Judgment in the instant matter on this date with like force and effect as on the date the Judgment was entered heretofore on November 15, 2013 revived August 8, 2019.
Defendant shall show cause within fourteen (14) days from the service of this “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)”, if any the Defendant has, why the Judgment heretofore entered should not be revived with like force and effect.
Attorney for Plaintiff
Legal Notice No. DHD 3519
First Publication: March 27, 2025
Last Publication: April 10, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Misc. Private Legals
Public Notice
BEFORE THE ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
IN THE MATTER OF THE PAYMENT OF PROCEEDS FROM THE PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS AS ESTABLISHED BY SECTION 34-60-118.5, C.R.S., NIOBRARA AND CODELL FORMATIONS, WATTENBERG FIELD, ADAMS AND BROOMFIELD COUNTY, COLORADO
CAUSE NO. 1
DOCKET NO. 250200021 TYPE: PAYMENT OF PROCEEDS
NOTICE OF HEARING
Blackwell Energy, LLC (“Payee”) filed a Form 38, Payment of Proceeds Hearing Request (Form 38) pursuant to Rule 503.g.(5) and C.R.S. § 34-60-118.5, for an order awarding payment of proceeds and interest due to Payees for production attributable to the below-described Wells, which are operated by Extraction Oil & Gas Inc. (Operator No. 10459) (“Extraction”) and located in Adams and Broomfield Counties, Colorado. This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you may own oil or gas (“mineral”) interests in the Wells identified below and or are responsible for making payments to the owners of mineral interests.
WELLS
Interchange A S22-30-3N (API No. 05-014-20767)
Interchange A S22-30-5N (API No. 05-014-20763)
Interchange A S22-30 7C (API No. 05-014-20768)
Interchange A S22-30-8N (API No. 05-014-20766)
Interchange A S22-30-9N (API No. 05-014-20771)
Interchange A S22-30-10C (API No. 05-014-20760)
Interchange A S22-30-12N (API No. 05-014-20765)
Interchange B S22-30-14N (API No. 05-014-20779)
Interchange B S22-30-15N (API No. 05-014-20780)
Interchange B S22-30-16C (API No. 05-014-20783)
Interchange B S22-30-18N (API No. 05-014-20781)
Interchange B S22-30-19C (API No. 05-014-20778)
Interchange B S22-30-20N (API No. 05-014-20851)
DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)
The assigned Hearing Officer will hold a hearing only on the above-referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location:
Date: June 4, 2025
Time:9:00 a.m.
Location: Virtual Hearing with Remote Access via Zoom
To participate virtually navigate to https:// ecmc.state.co.us/#/home and locate the Zoom meeting link on the left side of the webpage.
Energy and Carbon Management Commission
The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203
PETITIONS
DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED PERSONS: May 5, 2025
Any interested party who wishes to participate formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https://ecmc. state.co.us/#/home, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login. aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidebook” at https://ecmc.state.co.us/ documents/reg/Hearings/External_EfilingSystemGuidebook_2023_FINAL.pdf for more information. Under Commission Rule 508, if no petition is filed, the Application may be approved administratively without a formal hearing.
Any Affected Person who files a petition
must be able to participate in a virtual prehearing conference during the week of May 5, 2025, if a virtual prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Dnr_ECMC_Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.
ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
By: Elias Thomas, Commission Secretary Dated: March 25, 2025
Blackwell Energy, LLC c/o/ Sandra Carter S2P2 Law, LLC 6105 S. Main St., Suite 200 Aurora, CO 80216 720-593-0963 sandra@S2P2law.com
Legal Notice No. DHD 3538 First Publication: April 3, 2025 Last Publication: May 1, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald Dispatch Notice to Creditors
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of VIRGINIA CAROL TAYLOR, a/k/a VIRGINIA C. TAYLOR, a/k/a VIRGINIA TAYLOR, a/k/a GINI TAYLOR, a/k/a VIRGINIA TAYLOR de ARAGON, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30254
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, located at 1437 Bannock Street, #230, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before August 4, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
William Taylor, Personal Representative c/o Kathryn T. James, Esq.
Public Notices
Folkestad Fazekas Barrick & Patoile, P.C.
18 South Wilcox Street, Suite 200 Castle Rock, Colorado 80104
Legal Notice No. DHD 3540
First Publication: April 3, 2025
Last Publication: April 17, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of KENNETH D. PITTMAN, a/k/a KENNETH DALE PITTMAN, a/k/a KENNETH PITTMAN, a/k/a KEN PITTMAN, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30282
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, on or before August 4, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kyle Coronato, Personal Representative c/o Fairfield & Woods. P.C.
Attn: Aaron Burton
1801 California Street, Suite 2600 Denver, CO 80202 303-894-4435 aburton@fwlaw.com
Legal Notice No. DHD 3536
First Publication: April 3, 2025
Last Publication: April 17, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of BARRY LEE BROWN, a/k/a BARRY L. BROWN, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR030272
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 3, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Richard M. Arnold, #13127
Attorney to the
Personal Representative
7691 Shaffer Parkway, Suite A Littleton, CO 80127
Legal Notice No. DHD 3539
First Publication: April 3, 2025
Last Publication: April 17, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
Denver Probate Court DENVER County, Colorado Court 1437 BANNOCK ST #230 DENVER, CO 80202-5382
In the Matter of the Estate of: JUDY CELIA RODINE
Party: Rodney Loran Scohy, 400 Garland Street Lakewood, CO 80226
Phone Number: (303) 521-6220
E-mail: rscohy@Q.com
Case Number: 25 PR 82
Division I: Courtroom 224
NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION PURSUANT TO§ 15-10-401, C.R.S.
To: LESLIE NEMESIO EDILLA
And any other Heirs
Last Known Address, if any: 1417 Gaylord Street, Denver, CO 80306
A hearing on Petition for formal probate of will for PETITION FOR FORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND FORMAL APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE, will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued:
Date: 05/30/2025 Time: 8:00 a.m.
Courtroom or Division 1
Address: Denver Probate Court, 1437 Bannock St. #230 Denver, Co 80202
The hearing will take approximately 30 minutes.
Legal Notice No. DHD 3545
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of DONALD JOSEPH ESPINOZA, JR.
a/k/a DONALD J. ESPINOZA
a/k/a DONALD ESPINOZA , Deceased Case Number: 25PR30202
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Estelle Espinoza
Personal Representative
C/O The Law Office of Dana Hall, LLC 4465 Kipling St, Ste 101, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Legal Notice No. DHD 3547
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of SHIRLEY MARIE HUGHES, a/k/a SHIRLEY M. HUGHES , Deceased
Case Number: 25PR30278
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, on or before August 25, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Heather Witwer, Personal Representative 1149 Genesee Vista Road Golden, CO 80401
Legal Notice No. DHD 3554
First Publication: April 17, 2025
Last Publication: May 1, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Robert Mark Jesuroga, aka R. Mark Jesuroga, and Mark Jesuroga, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30262
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, August 11, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jason W. Jesuroga
Personal Representative 443 Tyler Drive Pleasant Hill, Iowa 50327
Legal Notice No. DHD 3549
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Leonard Earl Brooks, Jr, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31510
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 17, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
s/ R. Eric Solem R. Eric Solem, #6464 Attorney for Donna Brooks, PR Estate of Leonard Earl Brooks JR. 750 W Hampden Ave STE 505 Englewood, CO 80110
Legal Notice No. DHD 3553
First Publication: April 17, 2025
Last Publication: May 1, 2025
Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Marvin Dean Bothel, a/k/a Marvin D. Bothel, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30285
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, August 11, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Gale Pennington
Personal Representative c/o M. Carl Glatstein, Esq. Glatstein & O'Brien, LLP 2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 350 Denver, Colorado 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3548
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF RICHARD ALLDIN ODDY, a/k/a RICHARD A. ODDY, a/k/a RICHARD ODDY, DECEASED CASE NUMBER: 25PR30281
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 18, 2025 or the claims may be forever barred.
Timothy Edwards
Personal Representative c/o John M. Seebohm, Esq. 999 18th St., Ste. S-3100 Denver, CO 80202
Legal Notice No. DHD 3552 First Publication: April 17, 2025 Last Publication: May 1, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Jerylyn M. Sanchez, aka Jerylyn Sanchez, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30289
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 11, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Brianne N. Sanchez
Personal Representative 1811 S. Quebec Way, Unit 78 Denver, Colorado 80231
Legal Notice No. DHD 3550
First Publication: April 10, 2025 Last Publication: April 24, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Ryan Andrew Schlosser, Deceased Case Number: 25PR30259
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before August 16, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Gayle Cauthorn (Schlosser) Webster
“
e liability associated with condominiums has really pushed a lot of the standard commercial insurers out,” Walker said. “What you’ve seen as the surplus lines market, which is the higher risk market, has moved into the space, that does impact costs because those policies are many times higher and they have higher deductibles.”
Walker owns a condo and is on the HOA board. She recommends that associations shop around and look for experienced insurance brokers who know the ins and outs of the loan requirements. Her HOA has its own insurance committee.
e Community Associations Institute, which represents HOAs and self-governing associations, is working with the
Mortgage Bankers Association and Community Home Lenders to urge changes, “especially to the insurance deductible requirement and the replacement value coverage for roofs for condominium buildings,” said Dawn Bauman, CAI’s chief strategy o cer.
A study is underway by the Colorado Division of Insurance to look at the availability and a ordability of insurance for owners associations and come up with recommendations, including looking at “captive insurers” that are owned and controlled by condo owners. e study will be released Jan. 1.
Launching in mid April, unless there are further delays, Colorado’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements, aka the FAIR Plan, is expected to o er policies to homeowners who have been turned down by at least three insurers. Prices are expected to be higher than standard insurance.
Other proposals moving through the
state legislature could help homeowners save on premiums includes House Bill 1302, a reinsurance option that essentially provides insurance for insurers on catastrophic disasters so insurance companies can reduce their risk. ere’s also House Bill 1182, a bill supported by the state Division of Insurance that would require insurers to share discounts for mitigation e orts that homeowners take to protect their homes, and allow policyholders to appeal their wild re risk scores.
“ ere needs to be di erent solutions for this condo market because it’s starting to become untenable,” said Walker, who regularly talks to state lawmakers and insurance o cials. “What are the different insurance gaps? … Could (we) create a cooperative of insurance for condominiums, especially up in the mountains where all these buildings are owned by the same people? We’re trying to look for, to use the cliché, some out of the box solu-
tion.” is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
What might put a condo on Fannie Mae’s denial list?
- More than 15% of HOA’s income is from non-residential leases, such as parking.
- ere are critical repairs and deferred maintenance
- Unfunded repairs estimated at more than $10,000 per unit.
- Property insurance doesn’t cover full replacement. Cash value is unacceptable
- Insurance deductible is above 5%
- Inadequate funding for insurance deductibles
- Less than 10% of the HOA’s annual budget is in the reserve
Source: Fannie Mae
TO CREDITORS
Estate of Richard Allen Kreck, Deceased Case Number: 25PR39
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, August 11, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Valerie Kreck, Personal Representative 434 N. Franklin St. Denver CO 80218
Legal Notice No. DHD 3544
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of David B. Sheldon, a/k/a David Sheldon, a/k/a Dave Sheldon, Deceased Case Number 2025PR030172
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the co-personal representatives or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, on or before August 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Devon S. Coombe, Mark D. Sheldon and Peter J. Sheldon
Co-Personal Representatives c/o Tuthill & Hughes LLP 55 Madison Street, Suite 555 Denver, CO 80206
Legal Notice No. DHD 3546
First Publication: April 10, 2025
Last Publication: April 24, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Francis Allen Browning, aka Francis A. Browning, aka Francis Browning, aka F. Browning, aka F.A. Browning, aka Allen Browning, aka F. Allen Browning, aka Allen F Browning, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR030160
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, August 4, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kristi Radosevich Attorney to the Personal Representative
PO Box 2708 Elizabeth, CO 80107
Legal Notice No. DHD 3537
First Publication: April 3, 2025
Last Publication: April 17, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Murano,
Legal Notice No. DHD 3555 First Publication: April 17, 2025 Last Publication: April 17, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
