Elbert County News 0503

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May 3, 2018

SOUNDS OF SUMMER: Local concert event schedule will offer something for everyone P12

ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

More details emerge in teacher murder case Suspect reached out to sheriff months before arrest, document shows

BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Track coach and social studies teacher Colin Lyons kept an eye on the Elizabeth High School students collecting trash on their annual Big Help volunteer day.

PHOTO BY JULIE A. TAYLOR

Elizabeth students pitch in to help out Multiple sites see effects of industrious teens assisting community

BY JULIE A. TAYLOR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Groups of teens scoured the grounds for trash in Castlewood Canyon State Park one day last week. Sporting royal blue “Big Help” T-shirts, participants happily jumped from boulder to bank to find any scrap of plastic or aluminum to fill their bags.

Meanwhile, teens from Eliza-

beth High School could also be found at horse rescues, a thrift store, elementary schools, the fire department, police department and around Castle Rock volunteering their time to help organizations in any way needed.

On April 25, 600 students shoveled mulch, mucked stalls and sorted clothing as part of their annual Big Help volunteer day, where every high schooler is relieved of class work in return for giving back to their community and the surrounding area.

In addition to Elizabeth, Frontier High School pitched in this year, too. In all, there were 24 groups of students, including the audio-

visual club, which documented the events of the day.

One of the biggest reliefs for the students was the change in weather. Wet snow fell all day on April 24, but Big Help day held sunny skies, and the accumulation on the ground melted away by mid-morning. Slippery surfaces created a greater challenge or greater fun, depending on the volunteer.

Isabella Tebrugge, who organized the event along with Lexye Wood, said it felt great to work around Castlewood Canyon with fellow students, because she and SEE HELP, P8

Details are beginning to emerge in the case against Dan Pesch, the man charged with murder in the 2010 death of popular Kiowa High School teacher Randy Wilson.

Pesch, 34, was arrested a few days before Christmas last year and charged with killing Wilson, who was found at the remote crossroads of County Line Road and Kiowa-Bennett Road in Elbert County in June 2010.

Wilson, who was 53 at the time, was found with a bag over his Pesch head, a belt around his neck, and his hands bound behind his back.

Wilson’s car was nearby, and his wallet and credit cards were missing, though the cards were never used.

No suspects were ever named in the case until the surprise announcement of Pesch’s arrest by Elbert County investigators on Dec. 19, 2017. A preliminary hearing in the case has twice been pushed back, and is currently scheduled for May 21.

Recently unsealed documents in the case show that it was Pesch who initiated contact with Elbert County investigators in June 2017, six months before his arrest. The documents also show that Pesch met with investigators multiple times in the latter half of 2017 before being arrested outside the Walmart in Elizabeth, near SEE PESCH, P6

THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL

“Flowers have a therapeutic effect, like pets do, but I’ll take my dog any day to provide a greater effect of a response.”

Craig Marshall Smith, columnist | Page 10 INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | SPORTS: PAGE 13

ElbertCountyNews.net

VOLUME 123 | ISSUE 14

2 Elbert County News

May 3, 2018M

Young artists display works in show at high school

BY JULIE A. TAYLOR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Inspired by the natural beauty of their home state, famous artists and supportive teachers, student artists throughout Elizabeth School District put forth their best work, and many walked away with confidence and a bit of spending money.

The Air Academy Federal Credit Union district art show was held in early April at Elizabeth High School, and even though some did not place, every student received a kit full of $35 worth of art supplies from an anonymous donor. Some received college scholarship funds up to $500.

Montana Webster, a fifthgrader, attended the ceremony along with best friend Olivia Wagner, a fourth-grader, both from Running Creek Elementary.

“My stomach was flipping,

doing somersaults in my body, but Mrs. Mowers was smiling at me, that boosted my confidence,” said Olivia of her art teacher.

They recently finished a study of Claude Monet’s work, which Olivia captured in her layered scene of two people huddled under a boldly colored umbrella, looking out into a garden.

“We were doing Monet so I had to do tiny dots,” Olivia said of preparing her show piece. “I was like, `I’m really stressing.’”

The nervousness turned out to be unnecessary as Olivia and Montana both came in first place for their categories.

“I was shocked. I didn’t think I could get a blue ribbon,” Montana said, explaining how she didn’t feel her Colorado landscape was her best work. Then she got a bigger surprise: best in show for the elementary division.

Montana used watercolors and her love of Colorado to juxtapose Garden of the Gods, which is her favorite place to visit, bluebells, because her mom loves to garden and The Rocky Mountains.

“The sunrise or sunset for the sky just pulled it altogether,” Montana said of the vivid

contrast of the sky.

Both students have been drawing, sculpting and painting for most of their young lives. This was one of many first place ribbons for Montana, and as a baby, Olivia’s need to communicate breakfast foods jump-started her ability to draw.

“When I was a 1-year-old I would wake up to the smell of my mom making waffles,” Olivia said. “I would make her a drawing of waffles and give it to her.”

Her passion for art — and waffles — remains strong.

The girls each got $25, and Montana received an extra $75 scholarship check. Though college is a long way off for both students, Olivia thinks she could pursue accounting at Colorado State University, since she currently helps her tax accountant mother with bookkeeping. Montana is undecided about where her scholarship money will end up, but wants to work for NASA as an engineer. Both agreed that they would never give up art as a hobby.

“This school is special. It’s like a family, isn’t it?” Nancy Mower asked her prodigies.

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Olivia Wagner, a fourth-grader, imitated Claude Monet’s style and her love of spring colors to land a blue ribbon. PHOTO BY JULIE A. TAYLOR

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Elbert County News 3

May 3, 2018

Teens doing the right thing are recognized at banquet `S.T.A.R.S.’ are honored as Students Taking Accounting and Responsibility Seriously

BY JULIE A. TAYLOR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Some kids run fast and punt well.

Some kids join every club and ace every test. Some kids simply do the right thing, and those are the kids that the community celebrated in April.

The Elizabeth Education Foundation applauds those quiet, welldeserving, students annually at their S.T.A.R.S. (Students Taking Accounting and Responsibility Seriously) awards banquet. This year, 52 local kids received medals for their subtle forms of heroism at the April 14 ceremony held in the Elizabeth High School cafetorium.

The foundation transformed the cafetorium with decorations, linen napkins and tablecloths, and table settings fit for a wedding. Students who earned the award last year acted as ushers and servers, and one even played in the string ensemble throughout dinner. Cafeteria staff cooked chicken and mashed potatoes, and Nothing Bundt Cakes was enlisted for dessert — hundreds of miniature

Students from the Elizabeth School District were recognized for doing what’s right, and received S.T.A.R.S. awards from the Elizabeth Education Foundation.

COURTESY PHOTO chocolate cakes.

“For the school district, it was a very posh event,” said Mary Smith, president of the Elizabeth Education Foundation.

The ceremony began after the 240 guests, which included the nominees, family members and nominators, finished dinner. Students felt the excitement of being praised, and the anxiety of the total mystery surrounding their award; they did not know who nominated them nor for what reason. So as

CINCO DE MAYO

they stood on stage next to the master of ceremonies, they found out for the first time what the act was that landed them the community’s approval.

“Brooke is one of those people who just gets things done and yet sometimes her valuable contributions are overlooked by others,” emcee and foundation supporter Jace Glick read from a mystery nominator. “And, most importantly, she is a humble, kind and generous person that her peers and her teachers respect.”

Glick went on to say how Brooke Woods keeps her grades up, is a member of the Peer Support Group, volunteers at two health-care facilities, and was part of a team that competed nationally at the Future Business Leaders Business Presentation.

“Annalie (Peterson) is an intelligent, kind, insightful, and giving student who is a positive role model for her peers,” Glick said. “From her schoolSEE AWARDS, P7

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May 5 & 6

Food Trucks Salsa Dancers Mariachi Band

4 Elbert County News

May 3, 2018M

Poll finds most Americans think teachers are underpaid Sentiment is measured as educators step up actions to address wages, funding

BY CAROLE FELDMAN AND EMILY SWANSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

Americans overwhelmingly believe teachers don’t make enough money, and half say they’d support paying higher taxes to give educators a raise.

The findings of the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research come amid recent teacher strikes and other protests, including walkouts in the Denver metro area, over low pay, tough classroom conditions and the amount of money allocated to public schools in several Republican-led states.

Tens of thousands of Arizona teachers voted recently to strike after rejecting an offer of a 20 percent raise, because it didn’t include a vow from state lawmakers not to further cut taxes before providing more money for the state’s schools.

“To educate children and barely get a living is obnoxious,” said Elaine Penman, a company manager in Tucson, Arizona, who added she and others went outside to cheer on protesting teachers who were marching by.

She’s among the 50 percent of Americas who say they’d pay a higher tax bill if it meant more money

Castle Rock/Franktown

for teachers.

“I’m a parent and I benefit directly from what teachers do,” said Penman, who has two children in traditional public schools and one in a charter school.

In 2016-2017, the average salary for a public school teacher was $58,950, down slightly from the previous year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Overall, 78 percent of Americans said that’s not enough. Just 15 percent think teachers are paid the right amount, while 6 percent think they’re paid too much. In a 2010 AP-Stanford poll, 57 percent of Americans said they thought teachers are paid too little.

Americans in states with the lowest average teacher salaries — less than $50,000 a year — were slightly more likely to think teachers were paid too little and that the national average should be an important factor in determining salaries.

The AP-NORC poll found that parents and those without children are about equally likely to think teachers are paid too little. It’s a sentiment that crosses party lines, too. Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats, 78 percent of independents and 66 percent of Republicans think teacher salaries are too low.

Slightly more than half of Americans — 52 percent — also approve of teachers leaving the classroom to strike in their search for higher pay, while 25 percent disapprove. Among those who say they’ve heard about the

Castle Rock/Franktown

recent teacher protests, 80 percent say they approve of such tactics.

The recent run of teacher protests began in March in West Virginia, where teachers won a raise after going on strike. The strategy soon spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado and Arizona, where educators joined together online and have held increasingly frequent protests during the past six weeks.

The poll found that 51 percent of Americans have been paying at least some attention to the protests. People living in states with the lowest teacher salaries were more likely to have heard about the protests than those in states with the highest teacher pay.

Americans believe state and local governments share responsibility with teachers and their unions for the disruptions caused by the strikes.

Vernita Grimes, 68, of the District of Columbia, said teachers aren’t making enough money for the work they do and she supports them having the right to strike, “even though I know kids are losing valuable teaching time.”

But Caitlyn Scott, 27, of Kent, Ohio, said teachers are earning “about what they should,” and she opposes strikes by teachers.

“I think they kind of committed to being there for the entire school year,” she said.

Half of Americans would be willing to shoulder the cost of paying teachers more and providing more money to schools via higher taxes, with only 26

Centennial

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percent opposed. But while 69 percent of Democrats say yes to higher taxes for schools, only 38 percent of Republicans and 30 percent of independents say the same.

People living in urban areas are more likely than those in rural areas to support such a tax increase, 57 percent to 40 percent.

Stephen White, a high school teacher in Marysville, California, said raising taxes is “probably the only way” to pay for teacher raises. “Look at states that cut taxes and some districts had to go to four-day school weeks.”

That had happened in Oklahoma, where teachers staged a nine-day walkout earlier this month to protest the level of classroom funding.

White said he used to be anti-union when he worked in the private sector, but changed his position when he became a teacher. He said salaries don’t take into account all that teachers do, especially outside the normal school day.

“The private sector makes double what we do,” he said. He acknowledged that strikes are disruptive. “We don’t like that, but sometimes drastic times call for drastic measures.”

The AP-NORC poll of 1,140 adults was conducted April 11-16 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

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To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Karen at 303-566-4091 or email kearhart@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Elbert County News 5

May 3, 2018

Medicare leaves gap in care for patients with opioid addictions Methadone treatment isn’t covered by insurance plan for seniors

BY CARLA K. JOHNSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

One in three older Americans with Medicare drug coverage is prescribed opioid painkillers, but for those who develop a dangerous addiction there is one treatment Medicare won’t cover: methadone.

Methadone is the oldest and, experts say, the most effective of the three approved medications used to treat opioid addiction. It eases cravings without an intense high, allowing patients to work with counselors to rebuild their lives.

Federal money is flowing to states to open new methadone clinics through the 21st Century Cures Act, but despite the nation’s deepening opioid crisis, the Medicare drug program for the elderly covers methadone only when prescribed for pain.

Joseph Purvis, a former heroin and prescription painkiller user, said he went into a depressive tailspin because he initially feared he might have to stop methadone treatment when he went on Medicare at 65.

“I was terrified that I might have to leave the program. There’s no way I wanted to go back to addiction on the streets,” said Purvis, 66, of Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Methadone doesn’t meet the requirement of Medicare’s Part D drug program because it can’t be dispensed in a retail pharmacy.

Instead, in the highly regulated methadone system, patients first are assessed by a doctor, then show up daily at federally certified methadone clinics to take their doses of the pink liquid.

Or, like Purvis in Maryland, they prove through repeated urine screens that they have earned the right to weekly take-home doses.

In Congress, a Senate panel looking for ways to counter the opioid epidemic is considering allowing Medicare to cover methadone treatment. Legislation has been introduced in the House, and a White House commission on the opioid epidemic also recommended the change.

The epidemic is “affecting all populations, including our seniors,” said Rep. George Holding, R-North Carolina, a sponsor of the House bill.

“Medicare beneficiaries have among the highest and fastest growing rate of opioid use disorder, but they don’t currently have coverage for the most effective treatment.”

An estimated 300,000 Medicare patients have been diagnosed with opioid addiction, and health officials estimate nearly 90,000 are at high risk for opioid misuse or overdose.

Buprenorphine, a more expensive

and slightly less regulated treatment drug, is covered by Medicare but few doctors who accept new Medicare patients have obtained federal waivers to prescribe it. A recent study of Medicare claims found prescriptions for buprenorphine for only 81,000 patients.

More evidence that the crisis affects seniors: Opioid overdoses killed 1,354 Americans ages 65 and older in 2016, about 3 percent of the 42,000 opioid overdoses that year.

Medicare’s policy means clinics often scramble to keep older patients in treatment if they’ve had commercial insurance that covered their care before turning 65, said counselor Angela Caldwell of Montgomery Recovery Services in Rockville, Maryland.

A national organization for methadone clinics says the clinics now have 25,000 Medicare beneficiaries who are either paying out of pocket (about $80 per week) or getting care through state-run Medicaid or block grant programs.

Mark Parrino, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, thinks more people would seek methadone treatment if Medicare covered it.

Many older patients rely on surprisingly high doses of opioids for pain relief, which can turn into addiction, said Dr. Anna Lembke, an addiction specialist at Stanford University School of Medicine.

One of her addiction patients, a woman in her mid-70s, was referred to her because her daily dose of opioids had climbed over the years to a drug level many times higher than that of a typical heroin user, Lembke said.

“She’s had a gradual development of tolerance over many decades and now is on an astronomical dose,” Lembke said. “If you took any random person and gave them (that much) they would die.”

Lembke said she normally wouldn’t consider methadone for this patient because of the stigma associated with the clinics.

But Medicare coverage might make them more acceptable, Lembke said, and her patient “might actually do better with methadone.”

In Maryland, Purvis remained on methadone treatment because his income is low enough that he qualifies for the state-federal Medicaid insurance coverage for the poor and disabled. Medicaid covers methadone treatment in Maryland and about 35 other states.

Purvis, who used heroin for more than a decade in his youth, later took opioids prescribed by specialists for back pain.

After his pain doctor’s office was shut down for overprescribing, he started methadone treatment.

“Some people think of methadone as a crutch for addiction but it’s not,” Purvis said.

“It’s a tool that allows people to live a somewhat normal life.”

Household Chemical Roundup May 19 in Parker Drop off hazardous household chemicals between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. May 19 at the Parker Joint Services Center, 17801 E. Plaza Drive. Participants must provide proof of county residency and $25 to help offset costs of hazardous waste disposal. For more information, including a map and a list of acceptable items, visit http://tchd. org/250/Home-Chemical-Waste

Discover Douglas County Outdoors Spring has arrived. It’s time to get outside and discover one reason why Douglas County has been named the healthiest County in Colorado and second healthiest in the nation. Visit DCOutdoors.org to learn more.

Need flood zone information?

If you live in unincorporated Douglas County, Flood Insurance Rate Maps and zone information are available by request. Visit www.douglas.co.us and search for Flood Plain Information. A form may also be requested by calling 303-660-7490 or visiting the Public Works Engineering Office at 100 Third St. in Castle Rock.

Master Gardener Volunteers are now available Master Gardener volunteers are available now through Sept. , Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., to answer all of your gardening and home horticulture questions! Stop by the office, call 720-733-6935, or email dcmgardenr@gmail.com

What’s happening with your County Government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about all public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view agendas for various public meetings, visit www.douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.

Visit www.2040DougCoTMP for dates / times of Telephone Town Halls and Community Meetings.

Visit www.douglas.co.us

6 Elbert County News

PESCH FROM PAGE 1

Kiowa, as he was voluntarily driving from the Georgetown area to Elbert County in December.

A judge recently unsealed an affidavit in the case, amounting to the first new information in the case against Pesch since the day he was arrested.

Files that are normally public record, including the dates and times of court hearings, have been suppressed for months. Vikki Migoya, the spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office in the 18th Judicial District, said in December that the seal was to protect the integrity of the investigation.

The affidavit is heavily redacted, with lengthy sections blacked out. The sparse new details indicate that Pesch initiated contact with Elbert County Sheriff Shayne Heap through a Facebook message on June 28, 2017, more than seven years after Wilson’s death.

Pesch, who was living in Littleton at the time, then voluntarily met with investigators at the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office on July 10, Aug. 1, Aug. 9, and Dec. 8, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit goes on to provide the following account of Pesch’s apprehension, arrest and detention: Pesch texted Elbert County investigator Chris Dennis on Dec. 15 and said he had been evicted from his Littleton apartment. Three days later, on Dec. 18, Pesch drove from Georgetown to Elizabeth. Sheriff ’s office personnel tailed him to the parking lot of

May 3, 2018M

“I dismissed the case last year because there was no reasonable likelihood of success on the merits, e.g., I could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt in light of the totality of the circumstances.”

Lisa Hunt Senior Deputy District Attorney, 5th Judicial District

the Elizabeth Walmart, where they arrested him and transported him to the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office in Kiowa.

Inside the sheriff ’s office, Pesch signed a waiver of his Miranda rights and agreed to answer questions. A short time later, Pesch was charged with first-degree murder in Wilson’s death.

Heap and Dennis escorted Pesch across the parking lot without handcuffs, where he broke free from their grasp and ran across the lot after seeing the jail entrance.

Heap and Dennis grabbed Pesch, handcuffed him, and locked him in a holding cell. Pesch began hitting the wall with his head and fists, prompting deputies to strap Pesch into a restraint chair.

In addition to the murder charge, Pesch was also charged with resisting

arrest, obstructing a peace officer and attempting to escape.

Another document helps flesh out a picture of Pesch’s recent life: Just seven months before Pesch reached out to the Elbert County sheriff, police in Summit County had targeted him for investigation in a case that was derailed by the actions of a police dog.

Breckenridge police staked out a highway location to pull over and search Pesch in November 2016, according to an affidavit obtained from the Breckenridge Police Department.

According to that affidavit, the incident played out as follows: Officers laid in wait for Pesch on a stretch of Highway 9 in Summit County, where Pesch lived at the time, in an attempt to pull him over as he was driving — acting on a tip that Pesch dealt cocaine, meth and pills.

Officers pulled Pesch over on a

speeding charge, and called a K9 unit to search for drugs. The police dog leaped through the window of the car and “alerted” on a box in the back seat.

Officers searched the car, and found three drivers’ licenses, from Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania, none of them in Pesch’s name. Officers also found an illegal collapsible baton on the floor of the car, which Pesch said he used as part of “Airsoft” toy gunfights. Police placed Pesch under arrest, and found he was carrying an illegal switchblade.

Pesch was charged with criminal possession of ID documents, possession of a dangerous weapon and speeding.

The case was dropped on Feb. 8, 2017, according to court records.

“I dismissed the case last year because there was no reasonable likelihood of success on the merits, e.g., I could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt in light of the totality of the circumstances,” said Lisa Hunt, the senior deputy district attorney in the state’s 5th Judicial District, which includes Summit County, in an email.

Hunt said later by phone that the case was unworkable because the drug dog leaped through Pesch’s car window, negating his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.

Pesch now remains held without bond in the Elbert County Jail. A preliminary hearing in the murder case, in which the prosecution will present some of the evidence against Pesch, is currently scheduled for 2 p.m. May 21 at the Elbert County Courthouse.

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Elbert County News 7

May 3, 2018

AWARDS FROM PAGE 3

work to her volunteer and extracurricular activities, Annalie works hard at everything she sets her mind to and is a true STAR in the Elizabeth community.”

Annalie also does swimming and gymnastics, and supports her church and the Dumb Friends League through volunteer efforts, Glick added before moving on to the next nominee.

“For two years, Ian has been one of my most hard-working and dedicated students,” Glick read aloud. “He is a positive presence in the classroom and will often ask me how my day is going.

Ian is truly a wonderful part of EHS and our community.”

Glick continued on, saying that Ian Armstrong tries his best in the class, the marching field, and on stage.

And that’s how the night continued until all 52 students were honored for how they conduct themselves on a regular basis.

Though the ceremony will be held again next year, this was Smith’s last event after being secretary for four years and president for seven years — a role she felt compelled to extend

S.T.A.R.S. OF 2018 The Elizabeth Education Foundation’s S.T.A.R.S. (Students Taking Accounting and Responsibility Seriously) honorees for 2018 include: Cory Alexander, Ian Armstrong, Bryson Bodkins, Karlyn Bucknam, Aidan Calahan, Andrew Davie, Ava Davie, Paige Davis, Clarissa Dieterle, Dylan Douez, Caleb Dunn, Kelsey Eddy, James Finken, Jaycee Foster, Kaylee Francis, Lukas Gessler, Lincoln Glazebrook, Lara Hudson, Jessica Johnson, Madalynne Kashner, Elizabeth Kaumeyer, Jessica Line, Piper Loeks, Alexander Martinez, Suzannah Matthews, Morgan McCleskey, Thomas McKenna, Tarius McMurray, Jaela Mitchell, Joe Parker, Annalie Peterson, Amelia Prouse, Grace Richardson, John Riedel, Alea Rinehart, Rachel Rucker, Forrester Rumbold, Brittley Schmidt, Sierra Schulthies, Kyzik Snowden, Colin Steinke, Raeleigh Stevens, Gregor Stewart, Tracy Stewart, Brittany Strain, Jordyn Thompson, Spencer Tobler, Lauren Williams, Brooke Woods, Natalie Yates, Angel Zepeda.

CALM AFTER THE STORM

SM

so that the foundation could continue until a new president stepped in. The foundation’s founders created this honor of achievement 20 years ago.

“I view the award as a kind of citizenship award. These are responsible, cool kids,” Smith said. “We have some of the best kids out here.”

ARTISTS FROM PAGE 2

Thank you for voting us or

Best of the Best!

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Fifth-grader Montana Webster drew from her surroundings and loved ones to create an imaginative Colorado landscape and earned best in show.

Serving the greater Denver Metro area and the foothills.

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may not be my focus, I hope I’ll be able to at least spend some time learning and creating more as I move into college,” Heap said.

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Kasey Heap, a senior at Elizabeth High School, won a $500 scholarship with the tree she designed and constructed using only wire.

PHOTOS BY JULIE A. TAYLOR

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Mower, who has taught the art classes at Running Creek for 19 years, said out of her 35 students who entered the contest, 16 came out with blue ribbons.

Kasey Heap, a senior at Elizabeth High School, also landed a first place and $500 scholarship with her submission. Using silver wire, she created a tree that resembles a weeping willow.

“I always enjoyed art in elementary and middle school, but it wasn’t until my freshman year in high school, when I took Ceramics I, that I really started to learn about pottery and different clay techniques,” Heap said.

“That’s when I started to become really interested in art, and in deciding what I wanted to make and how I wanted to make it.”

Heap now has a full portfolio, depicting her artistic growth over the years. Though she plans to apply her scholarship money toward a degree in biology, but considers minoring in sculpture.

“I don’t like the thought of this being my last year of art, so though it

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8 Elbert County News

May 3, 2018M

HELP FROM PAGE 1

her friends go often for hiking and rock climbing. The co-organizers, both juniors, formed a student council and began preparing for Big Help day back in December.

They were responsible for contacting the businesses and organizations that accepted the students last year and discovering new places to send volunteers.

The students strategically placed their classmates based on how many volunteers could be accepted at each location.

A major obstacle for the student organizers was getting approval in the form of a signed waiver from each volunteer’s parent. Even though some waivers showed up unannounced the morning of the event, the council had a backup plan for every single student.

Tebrugge, who was recently elected student body president for 2019, started the day at 4:45 a.m. and trudged down muddy inclines and crossed Cherry Creek through Castlewood Canyon.

She dreams of becoming a fighter pilot by attending her parents’ alma mater, the Air Force Academy.

“Isa, don’t eat the poison ivy. It’s not arugula,” her track coach Colin Lyons teased as they wondered where they left the path behind.

Lyons, who also teaches social studies, was one of the many staffers acting as chaperones to the students that day.

“Wherever StuCo tells us to go, we go,” Lyons said of student council.

“They’re an unruly bunch!”

Lyons’s playful tone was shared by the other students as they searched for trash, and in the process found boulder summits and skied down the muck in their sneakers.

Another group, including Wood, went to Castle Rock to support the town.

“We did a lot of stuff outside. It was like manual labor. We shoveled mulch

Isabella Tebrugge co-headed the Big Help volunteer effort with Lexye Wood this year. all day and cleaned up,” Wood said.

“There was a lot of us, too. I think 80-something.”

In response to their hard work, the town gifted them stainless steel water bottles with the Town of Castle Rock logo on them.

Wood, who plans to attend Colorado School of Mines to study aerospace or aeronautical engineering, watched her sister singularly lead Big Help in 2017, and took notes on where she would face similar obstacles.

“I like getting involved in the school, and getting the school out in the community,” Wood said.

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She felt that the eight weeks leading up to the volunteer day were the most intense, and she personally spent about 10 hours each week organizing the event.

“I have not slept in weeks,” Wood said, right after the all the groups returned to school that day. “It’s worth it, though. I’m really impressed with it.”

Even though the students were rewarded with an early dismissal, most of them plunked down in the grass or started a game of baseball on the high school’s front lawn instead of going home.

“It’s been a big project to take on, but it’s been so fun. I see giving back to the community as serving the Lord,” Tebrugge said. “It always feels good to give back. It makes my heart happy.”

PHOTO BY JULIE A. TAYLOR

THEY SAID IT

Park ranger Tommy Duffy, who works at Castlewood Canyon State Park near Franktown, said the volunteer project was very helpful.

“The kids did a great job here in the canyon,” he said. “We have a limited staff and can’t get to all the things we would like to do,” Duffy said.

“The kids came in, picked up the trash in the area and along the road and pulled a lot of weeds. Their work made the park look better and nicer for those who visit here.”

Another sizable group of volunteers went to Castle Rock to clean up the area around the library.

Travis Wood was one of the volunteers working on the Castle Rock library project.

“It was a physical job but it also was fun to be out on a nice day with a lot of your friends doing something to help the community,” he said.

— Tom Munds

Fine Art Liquidation Sale of fine art pieces by

Charlie Thies - Linda Susak - Hilliard Moore

Saturday, May 12th, 10 AM - 4 PM 20037 E. Hanging J Ranch Place (Robinson Ranch), Parker

Save 20% OFF original art prices (10% of sales donated to those in need at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, Aurora)

Appetizers and wine will be served.

Credit cards & PayPal payments accepted. (No checks, please.)

Elbert County News 9

May 3, 2018

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HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Editor’s note: Send new listings or changes to hharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

Deadline is noon Wednesday a week before publication.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: Offers free tax filing help to anyone, especially those 50 and older, who cannot afford a tax preparation service.

Need: Volunteers to to help older, lowerincome taxpayers prepare their tax returns.

Requirement: All levels of experience are welcome; training and support provided.

Contact: 1-888-OUR-AARP (687-2277) or www.aarpfoundation.org/taxaide Alzheimer’s Association, Colorado Chapter: Provides care and support to 67,000-plus families dealing with all kinds of dementing illnesses.

Need: Walk to End Alzheimer’s committee members.

Requirements: Individuals who love to help plan and execute. Our Walk to End Alzheimer’s attracts more than 10,000 people, so planning committee members are essential.

Contact: Deb Wells, 303-813-1669 or dwells@alz.org.

Animal Rescue of the Rockies: Provides foster care for death-row shelter dogs and cats throughout Colorado Need: Foster families for animals on lists to be euthanized Contact: www.animalrescueoftherockies. org.

Arthritis Foundation, Colorado/Wyoming Chapter: Helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to care, advancements in

sciences and community connections.

Need: Walk to Cure Arthritis committee members and general office volunteer support.

Requirements: Individuals who love to help plan and execute Walk to Cure Arthritis. We combat arthritis every day, so support from volunteers so that we can serve people is crucial.

Contact: Amy Boulas, aboulas@arthritis.org, 720-409-3143.

Athena Project: Dedicated to supporting and expanding women’s artistic contributions in the Denver community Need: Readers/evaluators of scripts, through May 28; scripts chosen will be featured at the Athena Project 2018 festival.

Requirement: Internet connection. Ages 17 and older. No experience needed; training provided.

Contact: (D. Beck) literarymanager@athenaprojectarts.org AYUSA: International Youth Exchange Program: Promotes quality exchange programs for high school students from around the world.

Need: Host families for international high school students ages 15-18 studying in the Denver area.

Requirements: To provide students with a safe home, meals and transportation for 5-10 months. All family types are considered. Must fill out onlilne application and pass background check.

Contact: Adrienne Bivens, 720-467-6430 or abivens@ayusa.org. Go to www.ayusa.org.

Castle Rock Senior Activity Center: Provides services to local seniors

Need: Volunteer drivers to take seniors to appointments, the grocery store, pharmacies and more.

Contact: Steph Schroeder, 303-688-9498 Colorado Humane Society: Handles animal abuse and neglect cases Need: Volunteers to care for pregnant cats, dogs and their litters, as well as homes for cats and dogs that require socializing or that are recovering from surgery or injuries.

Contact: Teresa Broaddus, 303-961-3925 Court Appointed Special Advocates: Works with abused and neglected children in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties Need: Advocates for children, to get to know, speak up for and ensure their best interests in court Contact: 303-695-1882 or www.adv4children.org.

Douglas/Elbert Task Force: Provides assistance to people in Douglas and Elbert counties who are in serious economic need, at risk of homelessness or in similar crisis.

Need: Volunteers to assist in the food bank, client services and the thrift store Treasures on Park Street.

Contact: Marion Dahlem, 303-688-1114, ext.

32 Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center: Cares for homeless horses and other equines.

Need: Volunteers to work with horses and other opportunities.

Requirements: Must be 16 years old, pass a background check, and be able to commit

to at least three hours a week for three months.

Other Information: Two-hour orientation provides an overview of the services provided, learn about the volunteer opportunities, take a tour of the center, and talk with staff and volunteers.

Contact: 303-751-5772 or go to www.ddfl. org.

Elbert County Sheriff’s Posse: Supports the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Emergency Management with detentions support, patrol, administrative duties, event security, emergency services support, and call-outs as need arises.

Need: With proper training and clearances, volunteers help with patrol, fingerprinting, records keeping, community event security services, disaster response and management (wildfire, tornado, blizzard, flood, disaster relief, etc.).

Requirements: Must be 21 years of age or older; retired individuals are great. Must complete a employment application, pass a background check, and complete interviews. After being sworn in, in the first three months of membership, complete a minimum of 45 hours of orientation and training curriculum. After this 90-day probationary period, members must log a minimum of 10 hours of month and attend monthly training meetings. Persons ages 15-20, may join the Elbert County Sheriffs Explorer POST that is associated with the Posse.

Contact: David Peontek at djp1911@msn.com or 303-646-5456. Go to http://www.elbertcountysheriff.com/posse.html; print out and complete an employment application and turn it into the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office in Kiowa, “Attn: David Peontek.”

10 Elbert County News

LOCAL

May 3, 2018M

VOICES Puppy love is in bloom as plants are upstaged

M

ay flowers are on the dining room table. They don’t come from my garden. They come from a grocery store.

I was diagnosed with a brown thumb. QUIET I once had house DESPERATION plants. Not a lot of them, but enough to make the place look like nature had come indoors. One by one, they lost interest in me and drooped, sagged, and lost their color.

There is plenty of Craig Marshall color around here: my paintings, all Smith stacked and waiting for the call from The Met that will never come.

But color out of the tube is not the same as color out of the ground.

This year I decided to buy some fresh flowers once a week.

This week I have a flowering anthurium plant. It is beautiful, exotic and erotic. After I got it home, I read the little soil sign that came with it, and found out something I didn’t know.

“It has an air purifying effect.”

Who figured that out, and how?

“Several anthuriums in a room reduce the harmful substances in buildings by 50 percent in 24 hours.”

However, mine is incapable of reducing the harmful substances manufactured by a dachshund puppy.

That’s why we have “Teresa,” who is a dog whisperer, a giraffe whisper, and a mountain lion whisperer.

Her clients call her Mother Teresa, she said, and Jennifer and I found out why almost immediately.

The Lunging Dervish, the Red Zephyr, the Flying Tempest became a polite and well-behaved young squire, willing to cooperate in abeyance.

I looked at her, I looked at Harry, I looked back at her, and said, “How did you do that?”

She came with treats: lots of them, in her pocket, and I asked her, “What’s in those?”

She assured me that she wasn’t drugging the little fiend.

Harry behaved like a show dog, until Teresa left. Then we made eye contact, and he danced on the ceiling again, just like Fred Astaire once did.

I have to be honest with you.

Harry’s behavior — at least some of it — is welcome around here.

He has speed and energy and zip, and turns into a dynamo several times a day.

I had those things years ago. Now I reminisce.

I am childless and no one’s uncle or grandfather.

Harry is as close as I will get from here on out to a son.

When it comes to training some of his behavior out of him, I am a “C” student. That’s where Jennifer comes in.

She’s has measured patience, but

only so much of it.

One thing we have in common: no one yells at Harry, and no one raises a hand either.

Teresa sends me videos and articles and studies, and they all point toward a productive and caring and loving relationship between the owner and the dog.

By the way, the dog just came into the office and looked up at me. That’s all it takes, sometimes, to wick away the solemnities of the Real World, at least for a few minutes.

Flowers have a therapeutic effect, like pets do, but I’ll take a dog any day to provide the greater effect of a response.

Harry has a very therapeutic tail. A few wags at the right time make the day as bright as a bouquet.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident.

He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

Good, better and best options and outcomes

W

henever I go into an ice cream shop, notice I didn’t say “if ” I go into an ice cream shop, it’s when I go into an ice cream shop because anyone who knows me knows it is only a matter of “when” and not “if.” WINNING Anyway, whenever I go into an ice cream WORDS shop I am evaluating my options. Good would be a single scoop cone or cup, a better option would be a double scoop waffle cone, and the best option would be a banana split. And sometimes, if I am Michael Norton watching my calories and sugar, I find that although I think the best approach or option is a banana split, it really is a small cone or cup.

In almost every situation or opportunity that we face, we can probably come up with several game plans or strategies to accomplish the task at hand. We can also agree that in most

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cases there is a right way and a wrong way to go about things. The wrong way is usually quickly found out, and we just hope that we find it out before we have gone too far, and we are forced to start all over. And the right way could also include a good, better, and best approach as we consider our options before moving forward.

I like the good, better, best thought process and approach. It makes me think about my time and resources that are available and what my real desired outcome is for a particular project or initiative. It also forces me in most cases to clearly see that I just don’t want a good outcome, or a better outcome, I want the very best outcome. It keeps me from settling for something less than what I wanted.

Now in some instances, accepting a good approach is the very best approach we can take. There may be a project that needs to be completed and knowing that we are striving for as good of an outcome as we can get at that time means that we follow the strategy and approach that will lead us to that good outcome. Did we want something better? Yes. Did we want

the very best outcome? Absolutely. But sometimes we have to take advantage of what the world or the situation or timing is offering and accept that a good outcome is better than a bad outcome, and sometimes it is the best outcome for that moment.

Here’s another example. Let’s say I had intended on getting my full workout in, but unfortunately another urgent and important commitment came up last minute. Instead of having 60 minutes in the gym, my time would only be 20 minutes. Not the best outcome I had planned for, but a good option that would give me 20 minutes of intense cardio rather than no workout at all. For me a good approach is 30 minutes in the gym, a better approach is 45 minutes, and the best approach is 60 minutes. A bad approach is zero minutes. So in this case, the good option of 20 minutes was indeed the best option.

One of the areas where I highly encourage people to follow a good, better, best approach is in our relationships. When we think about the good things we can do for someone we love, can we stop and think about what it is we could do better? And when we are

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doing things better already, could we stop and think about what we could do that would be the absolute best? Our relationships and our loved ones are so very important, and if we only ever settle for doing the good things, we are shortchanging those we love the most by not giving them our absolute best.

And if we would just hit the pause button long enough to ask ourselves if we are doing good, better, or best, we will probably see the best option more clearly and can then do our very best for those we love so much.

So how about you? What does your good, better, best approach look like?

Does settling for the good when you know you could do better bother you or inspire you? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we know what our good, better, and best options and outcomes look like, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the president of the Zig Ziglar Corporate Training Solutions Team, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

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Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Fri. 5 p.m. for the following week’s paper.

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POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

Elbert County News 11

May 3, 2018

THINGS TO DO Celebrity Mind Reader Alain Nu: 7:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, May 4-5, at Theatre of Dreams, 735 Park St., Castle Rock. Reservations required. Call 303-660-6799 or go to http://tickets.amazingshows.com.

Best of PAG Spring Show: runs through Saturday, May 5 at Deep Space Gallery, 11020 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker. First Friday Art Walk season opener from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, May 4. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Call 720-6757932. Contact Kay Galvan, galv56@gmail. com.

Elbert Alumni: 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at the Elbert Mercantile Building. Elbert Woman’s Club event.

Spring Up the Creek: 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 5 at Festival Park, 300 Second St., Castle Rock.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Go to http://CRgov. com/SpringUp to register; however, registration is not required. Last-minute - volunteers welcome. In case of bad weather, clean up will be done May 19.

Hilltop Art and Music Fair: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at the 1898 Hilltop Schoolhouse and UCC Parker Hilltop, both of which are at Democrat and Flintwood roads in Parker. Info: http://www.uccparkerhilltop.org Trolley Tours of Castle Rock: Saturday, May 5 at Castle Rock Museum, 420 Elbert St., Castle Rock. Tour times are 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Seating is limited; reservations are recommended.

Contact 303-814-3164 or museum@ castlerockhistoricalsociety.org. Go to http:// www.castlerockhistoricalsociety.org.

Bingo: 6-9 p.m. Monday, May 7, at the Elbert Mercantile Building. Elbert Woman’s Club event.

Free Legal Clinic: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 at the Elizabeth Public Library, 651 W. Beverly St., Elizabeth. Clinic is for parties who have no attorney. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for all areas of civil litigation, including family law, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law, small claims, veterans’ issues, and civil protection orders.

Walk-ins welcome; everyone helped on first-come, firstserved basis. Additional 2018 dates are June 12, July 10, Aug. d 14, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11.

A Taste of Beer: 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 at Parker Library, 20105 E. Mainstreet, Parker. Sip and sample beer from Downhill Brewing.

Ages 21-plus; ID required. Register at 303-791-7323 or DCL.org.

Vintage Market Days: May 11-13 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Castle Rock.

Upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor

market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, food, plants and more.

Welcome Back Turkey Vulture Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Highway 83, Castle Rock. Turkey vultures begin their arrival. See a turkey vulture up close with HawkQuest. Contact http://www.parks. state.co.us/Parks/castlewoodcanyon/ Pages/CastlewoodCanyonHome.aspx Lessons and Lemonade: 9:30-11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturdays at Hobby Lobby, 10901 S. Parker Road, Parker. Parker Artist Guild classes for children in grades 4-8. Upcoming classes are May 12, Art Tissue Landscape with Judy Dvorak; and June 23, BrockArt with Toni Brock.

Registration required; go to www.parkerartistsguild. com/classes/youth. Contact judypendleton4@gmail.com.

Elbert Woman’s Club Meeting: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at the Elbert Mercantile Building.

Pancake Breakfast: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 27 at the Elbert Mercantile Building.

Elbert Woman’s Club event.

Bingo: 6-9 p.m. Monday, June 4, at the Elbert Mercantile Building. Elbert Woman’s Club event.

Spring High Tea: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 9 at the Event Center, Elbert County Fairgrounds, Kiowa. Cost is $20 and includes scones, finger sandwiches, desserts and tea. Gluten-free selections available.

Hats encouraged but not required. There will be door prizes and a Victorian doll house raffle at the tea. This is a fundraiser to benefit the Elizabeth and Kiowa libraries, sponsored by the Friends of the Elizabeth and Kiowa libraries. A limited number of tickets are available at both libraries now, along with raffle tickets. Call 303-646-3792.

Elbert Woman’s Club Meeting: 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 12 at the Elbert Mercantile Building.

Pancake Breakfast: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, June 24 at Elbert Creekside 4-H. Elbert Woman’s Club event.

Elizabeth Library Book Sale: gently used books for children and adults for sale in the book sale room at the Elizabeth Library. Stocked by Friends of he Elizabeth Library. All donations from book sales benefit the Elizabeth Library.

Outback Express: public transit service provided by the East Central Council of Local Governments; 24-hour notice appreciated. Call Kay Campbell, 719- 541-4275, or 800-825-0208 for reservations.

Go to www.eccog.com for reservations, information and each month’s schedule.

Editor’s note: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. To place a calendar item, go to eventlink.coloradocommunitymedia.com.

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

Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

12 Elbert County News

LIFE

May 3, 2018M

Spending

the summer

with national, local musicians Options abound for outdoor concerts around Denver metro area Castle Rock’s Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, Denver’s Botanic Gardens and Littleton’s Hudson Gardens all bring in names that almost everyLakewood resident Tim Litherland one will recognize, like Pat Benatar, and his wife love spending their sumBig Bad Voodoo Daddy, Amos Lee and mer evenings under the stars at LakeSheryl Crow. wood’s Heritage Center, sipping on a One of the most exciting concerts libation and listening to live music for Reinhardt is David Pack’s Legends under the stars.

Live on Saturday, Aug. 18. The show “Even if we didn’t live in the Lakefeatures a kind of supergroup, made wood area, we’d come to see these up of Gary Wright (singer of “Dream concerts,” said Tim Litherland, a Weaver” and more), John Elefante season ticket-holder to Lakewood’s (former lead singSounds Exciting! er of Kansas), Jim Summer Concert Peterik (founder Series. “We really and singer of Ides enjoy the setting, of March, songpeople we’re writer in .38 Spesurrounded with, cial, and formerly and the variety of of Survivor), musicians we get David Pack (forto see perform.” mer lead singer During the of Ambrosia) and summer months, jazz pianist David it seems like Benoit. every city around “We make sure the metro area all our concerts takes to a park or are family-friendly outdoor amphievents that are theater to host great options for outdoor concerts. a child’s first conSo that means cert,” Reinhardt music fans in the added. area are spoiled “We want to for choice when make it an easy it comes to their night for everyone, evening plans.

“These concerts Jen Reinhardt one that turns into great time for are the way music Event Specialist, Castle Rock aeverybody .” is supposed to be The key to a heard,” said Jen successful concert Reinhardt, the season is variety, Town of Castle and that’s what Rock’s event every venue, no matter the reach, specialist. Castle Rock recently anstrives for. That’s why audiences will nounced its third summer concert sesee a blend of everything from blueries season. “We have one of the most grass and rock to jazz and R&B. amazing acoustic setups, and when “We’re really excited about the you add the views, it’s hard to beat.” range of performers we’re hosting The cities usually split into two catthis year. This is our most diverse egories — those featuring nationally line-up in a long time,” said Philip known touring performers, and those Sneed, the Arvada Center’s executive showcasing the variety of talented director. “So often, you have to choose locally based musicians. between being outdoors or enjoying Venues like the Arvada Center,

BY CLARKE READER CREADER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“These concerts are the way music is supposed to be heard. We have one of the most amazing acoustic setups, and when you add the views, it’s hard to beat.”

This year, Castle Rock’s Philip S. Miller Amphitheater is hosting a variety of nationally known touring acts to its scenic setup.

COURTESY PHOTO the arts, but not during the summer.”

Just because the performers at venues like the Broomfield Amphitheater, Highlands Ranch’s Heritage Regional Park, Lakewood’s Heritage Center, Parker’s Discovery Park, and Thornton’s Carpenter Park Amphitheater and Cherrywood Park may not be immediately recognizable, one shouldn’t discount the quality of musicians.

Planners like Rebecca Gushen, community events coordinator with Lakewood’s heritage Center, spent countless hours listening to local musicians and crafting the perfect season.

One such artist that Gushen found that she thought would be great for Lakewood audiences is Rob Drabkin, who will be performing on Aug. 8. She heard his performances and thought he would be a wonderful new voice to share.

“Of course, you want to bring in artists that people know and enjoy, but we also really like bringing new artists that our audiences hasn’t heard before,” Gushen said. “We have some great world music and Afrofunk artists who will be performing for audiences this summer.”

Most of these concert venues offer more than just great music — there are typically food trucks, beer gardens or custom created drinks, and at some of local shows, there’s a chance to meet the performers.

“There’s an energy in these experiences that you don’t get anywhere else,” Litherland said. “When there’s not a bad seat in the house, it’s hard to go wrong.”

SUMMER CONCERT LINEUPS The following are some of the venues in the metro area with summer concerts: • Arvada Center — www.SummerAtTheCenter.com • Broomfield Amphitheater — www. broomfield.org/2549/SummerConcert-Series • Carpenter Park Amphitheater and Cherrywood Park (Thornton) — www.cityofthornton.net/arts/ Pages/concert-series.aspx • Crescent Park (Centennial) — www. concertsatthecrescent.com • Denver Botanic Gardens — https:// concerts.botanicgardens.org • Discovery Park (Parker) — www. parkerarts.org/2019/ShowsEvents • EB Rains Jr. Memorial Park (Northglenn) — www.northglennarts.org/ programs/summer-concert-series/ • Englewood Civic Center Amphitheater — www.englewoodco.gov/ arts-culture/events/sounds-ofsummer • Highland Heritage Regional Park — www.hrcaonline.org/about-us/ guides-communication/calendarschedules/event-detail/evr/1/ summer-concert-series-7 • Hudson Gardens (Littleton) — www.hudsongardens.org/ concerts-events/summer-concertseries • Lakewood Heritage Center — www.

Lakewood.org/SummerConcerts • Philip S. Miller Park (Castle Rock) — www.CRgov.com/PSMConcerts

Elbert County News 13

LOCAL

May 3, 2018

SPORTS It’s a sacrifice bunt it can pay off

High school baseball teams reap rewards by embracing an old-school play

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In today’s high school baseball, most of the attention is focused on pitch counts, hitting and base running.

A key sacrifice bunt often goes unnoticed. But it remains an important part of baseball, one that can help win games.

“Bunting is extremely important,” said Cherry Creek coach Marc Johnson.

“They don’t bunt as much as they used to, but it’s still a big part of our game, particularly in close games when you have to advance runners.

“A lot of teams have kind of gotten away from bunting, trying to play the big fly ball. I’m still old school. I like to hit and run, and I like to bunt.”

Bunting isn’t glamorous and getting a productive out doesn’t draw the same attention as a home run.

“I’ve seen a lot of bunting this year, honestly,” said D’Evelyn coach Dan Porreco.

“Bunting is still alive. Nowdays, kids don’t like to bunt. They don’t want to sacrifice their at-bat. It could be a great weapon, but I don’t know, they don’t like to sacrifice.

“That part of the game has changed... They want to hit it. They want the glory. “ Bunting, however, can decide games the same as a walk-off hit.

“When you go up and down the order of nine guys, all your guys have to be able to hit the ball and bunt because it’s part of high school baseball,” said Arapahoe coach Jim Dollaghan. “Our guys have the green light to bunt any time they want to.

“When we do our bunting drills, we talked about the importance of it.

When I give the bunt signal, the player should be proud that I have confidence in him, in the team game, to move the guy over.”

A sacrifice bunt, also called a sacrifice hit, is not counted as an at-bat.

A sacrifice is when a batter bunts the ball before there are two outs in a manner that allows a runner or runners on base to advance to another base.

The batter almost always sacrifices his chance to a get a hit, but sometimes reaches base because of an error or fielder’s choice. If runners still advance in that situation, the play is still scored a sacrifice and not an error or fielder’s choice.

“Bunting in baseball is one of the most important things because if you get a guy on base, the way to move him over is to bunt and get him in scoring position for the next guy up,” said Arapahoe junior Hunter Jackson.

“It is overlooked and some people look

Broomfield’s Ben Peterson attempts to lay down a bunt during an April 18 game at Mountain Range High School in Westminster.

STEFAN BRODSKY Arapahoe’s Hunter Jackson pushes a sacrifice bunt down the first base line. He admits that bunting is sometimes overlooked but very important to help a team win baseball games.

JIM BENTON down on it , but a bunt is really a way to help out the team.

“Whenever I get the bunt signal, I try to get the bunt down and move the runner over so the next guy up can do his job.”

Mountain Vista senior Zach Paschke agrees.

“Bunting is a big part of high school baseball because a lot of kids don’t bunt,” he said.

“They think they can put it out of the park. When I get the bunt sign, I just want to get on base because I have the speed to do it.”

Most of the time, sacrifice bunts are not used in lopsided games, but are employed in close games when a run can determine the outcome. And the bunt is a way for teams to play small ball and manufacture runs.

“We have a lot of guys that can bunt and we work on it all the time,” said Mountain Vista coach Ron Quintana.

“Bunting is something else you can

add to your toolbox.

“Everything in high school baseball is huge, but we work on our bunting game and we work on our bunt defense.

“I was there a few years ago with small ball when you can bunt and have team speed. You have to manufacture some runs and put pressure on the defense. Early in the game, you want to manufacture but you do it in a different way.’’

Bunting can put pressure on the defense to execute and make quick decisions. It creates situations for physical and mental errors.

“In my opinion bunting has become a lost art,” said Ralston Valley coach Brad Madden.

“You see it very little in the professional game. College baseball is using it more now than ever before, and high school baseball is somewhere in between.

“If used correctly and in perfect tim-

ing, bunting whether it is for a base hit or as a sacrifice to move a runner into scoring position, can be the difference in a game. Sometimes the threat of person who is a good bunter makes the defense adjust their alignment and opens up more hitting lanes for a batter. Baseball has fallen in love with the home run, but a well-timed, wellplaced bunt could be the difference in a victory.”

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Mountain Vista’s Zach Pashke likes to use his ability to bunt and his speed to get on base.

JIM BENTON

ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

14 Elbert County News

May 3, 2018M

CLUBS Editor’s note: Send new listings or changes to hharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

Deadline is noon Wednesday a week before publication.

AA If you want to drink, that’s your business.

If you want to stop, that’s ours. More than 1,000 AA meetings are offered in the Denver area every week. If you think you may have a problem with alcohol, come see us. To find a meeting near you, call 303-322-4440, or go to www.daccaa.org.

Affordable Colleges Online: guidebook includes a collection of scholarships for women, including due dates and award amounts; insight into the financial aid application process; and other funding opportunities, such as industry-specific scholarships and funding for special groups.

Go to http://www.affordablecollegesonline. org/womens-guide-paying-for-college/ Camping Singles: 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month. Membership ranges from 40s to 60-plus. Colorado single adults who enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, sightseeing, photography, the camaraderie of others, and starry nights around the camp fire. We usually camp in designated forest service or state park campgrounds within 2 to 5 hours of Denver.

Contact campingsingles@gmail.com Castle Rock Bridge Club: 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Plum Creek Golf Club, 331 Players Club Drive, Castle Rock. Friendly, ACBL-sanctioned duplicate games. For assistance in finding a bridge partner, call Georgiana Butler at 303-810-8504. Go to www.castlerockbridge.com.

Chess: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Simla Library. All skill levels and ages welcome. Call 719-541-2573.

Douglas-Elbert County Music Teachers’ Association: 9 a.m. every first Thursday at Parker Bible Church, between Jordan and Chambers on Mainstreet. All area music teachers are welcome. Call Lucie Washburn, 303-814-3479.

Elbert County Sheriff’s Posse: a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office. As volunteers

we support the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. Go to http://www. elbertcountysheriff.com/posse.html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.

Elizabeth American Legion, Post 82: a veteran’s association supporting veterans, their families and the community, meets the first Monday of every month (except when the first Monday is a holiday, in which case the meeting is the second Monday) at the Legion Post Hall at South Banner Street and Elm Street in Elizabeth. Social hour begins at 5:30 and the regular business meeting starts at 6:30. Friday Afternoon Club meets from 5-7 p.m. every Friday and Veterans Coffee Club meets every Wednesday from 8-11 a.m. for social time with other veterans. All Veterans are invited to all meetings, we’d like to see you. Website: aml82.org.

Elizabeth Food Bank: 12:30-3 p.m. Friday and 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday at 381 S. Banner in Elizabeth (next door to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church); available to help anyone who needs food. Other times by appointment.

Game Night: 4 p.m. Mondays at the Kiowa Library; call 303-621-2111. Also, 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 5 p.m. Wednesdays at the Elbert Library; call 303-648-3533. Enjoy board, card, and video games for all ages. Go to pplibraries.org.

Kiowa Creek Food Pantry: open from 8:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays in the Fellowship Hall at 231 Cheyenne Street, Kiowa.

Distribution for the State of Colorado TEFAP food program. Food is distributed monthly to low-income individuals/families that qualify. We also distribute low-income senior food boxes for the state; those 60 and older may qualify for a monthly supplement. If you are in need of food assistance or know someone who is, we may be able to qualify you for one of these programs. Call the food pantry at 303-621-2376.

Knitting Group: 2 p.m. Tuesdays at the Kiowa Library. Knit and chat. All skill levels welcome. Call 303-621-2111 or go to pplibraries.org.

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Public Notices Notice To Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of HARLAN J. WILLIAMS, aka HARLAN J. WILLIAMS, aka HARLAN WILLIAMS Case Number: 2018PR30018 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before August 27, 2018, or the claims may be forever barred.

Sylvia R. Williams Personal Representative P.O. Box 304 Elbert, CO 80106

Special District Public Notice

To advertise your public notices call 303 SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 4 NOTICE CONCERNING A PROPOSED 2018 BUDGET NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that a proposed 2018 Budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the District; and that a copy of the proposed 2018 Budget has been filed at the District's offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of a Resolution Adopting the 2018 Budget will be considered at a public meeting of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at the District's offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, on Thursday, May 10, 2018, at 11:00 A.M. Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolution to Adopt the 2018 Budget, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.

SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 4 By /s/ Lisa A. Johnson Secretary

Legal Notice No.: 24048 First Publication: April 26, 2018 Last Publication: May 10, 2018 Publisher: The Elbert County News

Classifieds Legal Notice No: 24053 First Publication: May 3, 2018 First Publication: May 3, 2018 Publisher: Elbert County News

Elbert * 1

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Advertise: 303-566-4100

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Excellent benefits. Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101. Questions contact Tracy (719) 775-2342, ext. 101. To apply for this position, please complete the Certified Application for Employment available on the East Central BOCES website www.ecboces.org under “Jobs”. EOE

East Central BOCES is seeking 2 full-time Special Education Teachers for the 2018-19 school year in our SSN Program’s one position is in the Strasburg area and one position is in the Burlington area. Degree in Special Education K-12, cognitive or related license. Teaching experience preferred. Eligible for Colorado Special Education Teacher License. Salary competitive. Excellent benefits, including single coverage medical, dental & vision insurance. Possible tuition, student loan reimbursement. Questions contact Tracy (719) 775-2342, ext. 101. To apply for this position, please complete the Certified Application for Employment available on the East Central BOCES website www.ecboces.org under “Jobs”.

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16 Elbert County News

May 3, 2018M

CLUBS

Matheson to Limon on the fourth Thursday of each month; from Kiowa, Elizabeth and Elbert to Parker or Colorado Springs on the first and third Tuesday of each month; from Elizabeth to Colorado Springs or Parker on the second Tuesday of each month. Good Samaritan Nursing Home Residents may ride the bus on the second Thursday of each month.

FROM PAGE 14

Lawyers at the Library: 6-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlordtenant law and civil protection orders.

Walk-ins welcome. Everyone will be helped on a first-come, first-served basis.

Overeaters Anonymous: 10-11 a.m. and from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays in the Sedalia Room at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 2100 Meadows Parkway, Castle Rock.

LEGO Master Brickster: 3:45 p.m. Thursdays at the Kiowa Library. Build LEGO stuff together. Call 303-621-2111 or go to pplibraries. org.

Mystery Book Club: 9:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the Simla Public Library. The group enjoys talking about a variety of mystery authors and titles. We also periodically host a Colorado author during our meetings. Everyone may join us, and registration is not required. Visit the Simla Branch of the Elbert County Library District at 504 Washington Avenue, call 719-541-2573, or email farabe@elbertcountylibrary.org.

Outback Express: public transit service provided by the East Central Council of Local Governments. To ensure a seat is available, 24-hour notice appreciated. Call Kay Campbell, 719- 541-4275, or 800-825-0208 for reservations. Go to eccog.com. Outback Express runs from Simla and Matheson to Colorado Springs on the first and third Monday of each month; from Simla and

Parker-Franktown-Elizabeth Paper Crafting Club: regular meetings on various weekday evenings and weekends at 7786 Prairie Lake Trail, Parker (in the Pinery).

Open to anyone interested in card making and scrapbooking. Contact Alison Collins at 720-212-4788 or find us online at http:// www.meetup.com/Parker-FranktownElizabeth-Paper-Crafting-Club/ Ranchland Republican Women: 7 p.m. third Monday of each month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 Beverly St. Membership is open to Republicans only. Dues are $25 for a full voting member (women only) and $10 for a non-voting member (can be women or men). For a membership application and other information, go to www.RanchlandRepublianWomen.org.

Seniors Meet: 11 a.m. Mondays at the Elizabeth Senior Center, 823 S. Banner St. Bring a dish for potluck on the first Monday of each month. Other Mondays, bring a sack lunch.

Bingo, games and socializing. New leadership. Call Agnes at 303-883-7881 or Carol at 303-646-3425.

Simla Open Mic Night: 6:30 p.m. Fridays

at the Simla Library. Share poetry, music, dance, comedy or painting (inter alios), or just come and watch.3333 Sky Cliff Center Caregiver Support Group: 10-11:30 a.m. the third Tuesday of each month at 4600 E. Highway 86, Castle Rock.

Caregiving for adults can be challenging at times, and you’re not alone. For information, or to let the center know if you’re coming, call 303-814-2863 or email skycliffctr@ skycliff.org. Go to www.skycliff.org Sky Cliff Center Stroke Support Group: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the second and last Wednesday of each month at Christlife Community Church, 5451 E. Highway 86, Franktown (lunch provided). Also, 10-11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of each month at Sky Ridge Medical Center, 10101 Ridge Gate Parkway, Lone Tree. Call Sky Cliff Center at 303-814-2863.

Southeast Beekeeping Club meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month at the North Pinery Firehouse, Parker. All levels of beekeeping welcome, from no-bees to wanna-bees to tons of bees. Our meeting time is spent solving beekeeping challenges, networking and refreshments. There is no fee for this meeting and a lending library is available. Call Linda Larsen at 303-776-3039 or email sebcbeemail@gmail.com.

Teen Tuesday: 5 p.m. Tuesdays at the Elbert Library. Play card and video games. Call 303-648-3533 or go to pplibraries.org.

Therapeutic riding: Promise Ranch Therapeutic Riding in Parker offers free therapeutic riding for developmentally disabled adults and children. Scholarship money is available for Douglas County residents to

Colorado Community Media, a full service media company is looking to add to our team.

provide 10 therapeutic riding lessons. Call 303-841-5007 or visit www.promiseranchtherapeuticriding.com.

VFW Post 10649: 8:30 a.m. the first Saturday of every month at 24325 Main St., Elbert. Go to http://www.vfwpost10649. org. Contact Alan Beebe at 303-435-2560 for questions.

VFW Post 4266: 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month at the Pinery Fire Station, Community Room Lower Level, 8170 N. Hillcrest Way, Parker. Serving veterans of foreign wars in Parker, Castle Pines and Castle Rock areas. Go to www.vfwpost4266. org. P.O. Box 4266, Parker, CO 80134. On Facebook at VFW Post 4266, Parker.

Waste Not Wednesdays: 4:15 p.m. Wednesdays, at Simla Library. Kids craft and learn with repurposed stuff. Call 719-541-2573 or go to pplibraries.org.

Widowed Men and Women of America, a nonprofit organization of the state based in Denver, has more than 5o0 members.

The group sponsors social events for members to make new friends and have fun with people who have shared life experiences. Members live in the Denver metro area and surrounding communities.

Members are encouraged to visit different links to find the best fit for their interests.

Contact Dorothy at 303-794-7547 or Les at 303-797-1209, or go to www.widowedamerica.org.

What’s up Wednesdays: 4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Elbert Library; 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Kiowa Library. Free STEAM activities for kids and parents. Call 303-648-3533 (Elbert) or 303-621-2111 (Kiowa) or go to pplibraries.org.

EDITORIAL PAGE DESIGNER Colorado Community Media is looking for someone with a creative eye to join our production team in a fast-paced environment. The ability to design pages quickly and efficiently is a must as we publish 18 newspapers each week, but a successful candidate will be able to make these pages pop, while paying close attention to detail. Familiarity with InDesign and newsroom experience are preferred, but not required. Two years of experience at a weekly or daily newspaper are also preferred, but not required.

Duties will extend beyond page design, to include toning of photos and other related tasks. This full-time position comes with benefits that include health insurance and paid vacation time.

Send your resume, cover letter, references and three samples of page designs to efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

No phone calls please. Send resume and cover letter to efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com