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July 14, 2016 VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 24 | 75¢

GREEN SOLUTION Find out what these goats are up to on PAGE 4.

ElbertCountyNews.net E L B E R T C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O

A publication of

Rural, urban Colorado divided on big issues Increasing split is reﬂected in different political outlooks By Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press Peggy Sheahan’s rural Otero County, on the plains of southeastern Colorado, is steadily losing population. Middle-class jobs vanished years ago as pickling and packing plants closed. She’s had to cut back on her business repairing broken windshields to help nurse her husband after a series of farm accidents, culminating in his breaking his neck falling from a bale of hay. She collects newspaper clippings on stabbings and killings in the area — one woman’s body was found in a field near Sheahan’s farm — as heroin use rises. “We are so worse off, it’s unbelievable,” said Sheahan, 65, who plans to vote for Donald Trump. In Denver, 175 miles to the northwest, things are going better for Andrea Pacheco. Thanks to the Supreme Court, the 36-year-old could finally marry her partner, Jen Winters, in June. After months navigating Denver’s superheated housing market, they snapped up a bungalow at the edge of town. Pacheco supports Hillary Clinton to build on President Barack Obama’s legacy. “There’s a lot of positive things that happened — obviously the upswing in the economy,” said Pacheco, a 36-yearold fundraiser for nonprofits. “We were in a pretty rough place when he started out and I don’t know anyone who isn’t better off eight years later.” There are few divides in the United States greater than that between rural and urban places. Town and country represent not just the poles of the nation’s two political parties, but different economic realities that are transforming the 2016 presidential election. Cities are trending Democratic and are on an upward economic shift, with growing populations and rising property values. Rural areas are increasingly Republican, shedding population and suffering economically as commodity and energy prices drop. “The urban-rural split this year is larger than anything we’ve ever seen,” said Scott Reed, a political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce who has advised previous GOP campaigns. While plenty of cities still struggle with endemic poverty and joblessness, a

Volunteer firefighter Wesley Morgan fills Tinder 20 (water truck). Morgan spent the day wetting down fields in the safety and fall out zones to decrease the risk of fire from falling embers from the July 4 fireworks display. Photos by Rick Gustafson

Fireworks show takes team effort Volunteers plan for everything, including possibility of problems By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media “Connor’s going to start the whole thing. He’s going to start with the twos and go to the threes. Once he gets to the threes, he’ll hit the fours,” Chris Albers tells his crew. “Once he’s done with the fives, he’s going to tell Greg and Tristen they can start lighting.” The volunteer firefighters circle close to Albers, forming an array of handheld and helmet-mounted flashlights that illuminate the sketch of the mortar tubes set up on the freshly mown grass behind him. If not for the bright yellow jackets and helmets, the pop, pop, pop of fireworks emanating from across the field might give the scene a suggestion of combat. “Lighters, if you light one, walk away, and you don’t hear it; don’t turn around and see where it is. Just leave it,” he says. “Toss your glow stick next to it. That one’s done.” Squelch breaks on the radio and a steady voice from a shoulder mic announces that the traffic on Comanche Street in Kiowa is backed up, but they’re getting cars into the fairgrounds as fast as they can. “Can you hold off for a few minutes?” the voice asks.

Kiowa firefighter Chris Albers gives a final safety briefing ahead of the Independence Day fireworks show. Four area fire districts set up a perimeter around the display area to extinguish embers that landed in the grass. Over Albers’ shoulder, the sun has set, and the fringes of black storm clouds to the northwest blaze in the afterglow. Albers and his crew of volunteer firefighters from the Kiowa Fire Protection District began setting up for the 20-minute fireworks show at the Elbert County Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. The crews spent the majority of the afternoon and evening soaking the surrounding fields with loads of water from a 3,500-gallon tinder truck and setting up the 80 mortar tubes and finale cakes for the show.

“This year we’ve got 12 different sizes of mortars,” Albers said. “We have 410 actual shells we’re shooting off, and then we have another 12 multiple-shot firework finale cakes.” The tubes launching the shells are similar to a military mortar and range from two to five inches in diameter. With all of the electrical connections removed from the fireworks, each shell at the July 4 show will need to be lit manually.

Divide continues on Page 5

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing ofﬁces. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 12 p.m. | Classiﬁeds: Mon. 10 a.m. | Obits: Mon. 10 a.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.

Show continues on Page 7

2 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016 Operation Heartstrings donated a dozen handmade red, white and blue baby blankets and tiny red and blue knit caps for all the infants born on or around July 4. Courtesy photos

THINGS TO DO Editor’s note: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. Send listings to calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com. No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a spaceavailable basis. Early Learning Center Open House The Meadows Early Learning Center, which celebrates its grand opening Monday, Aug. 1, will have an open house from 4-8 p.m. Friday, July 15, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 16. The center is locally owned by Katie McDonald. The center is at 9985 S. Twenty Mile Road, Parker. Go to www.meadowselc. com. MuckFest MS

Fourth of July babies don red, white and blue Staff report

Independence Day babies at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital were wrapped in patriotic blankets.

Saturday Surprise Drop in and learn something new at Saturday Surprise at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 16, at the Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock. Be prepared for activities including crafts, home improvements, book talks and local festivities. No registration required for this Douglas County Libraries program. Call 303-791-7323 or go to DouglasCountyLibraries.org for information. Open Saddle Series Cowboy Up Kiowa presents its second Open Saddle series. The 2016 Gymkhana schedule is Sunday, July 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 1 p.m. start. Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 1 p.m. start. Calendar continues on Page 3

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Babies born on and around July 4 at The Birthplace at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital celebrated the nation’s independence with red, white and blue thanks to donations from Operation Heartstrings. The group of women from Douglas and Elbert counties sewed and donated a dozen handmade red, white and blue baby blankets and tiny red and blue knit caps for all the infants born surrounding the holiday. The babies went home bundled in the complimentary blankets and caps, which are keepsakes for their parents.

Runners will go through mountains of mud and obstacles that spin, swing and ﬂing them up, down and sideways at the MuckFest MS event Saturday, July 16, at Salisbury North, 11920 Motsenbocker Road, Parker. No special training is required. Registration open at www. MuckFestMS.com. One-hundred percent of money raised by runners goes to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s mission to stop MS. More than $22 million has been raised by MuckFest MS participants.

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Elbert County News 3

July 14, 2016

Calender Continued from Page 2

Theater Awards Colorado Theatre Guild will have its 11th annual Henry Awards, which honors outstanding achievements by Colorado’s theater community. The annual gala is Monday, July 18, at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. Evening begins with cocktails at 6 and the awards ceremony starts at 7. Tickets available at parkerarts. org or by calling the PACE Center box ofﬁce at 303-805-6800. Book Lovers Learn about great new reads at Book Lovers. Join fellow book fans and a special literary guest of the library at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, at the Douglas County Libraries’ Philip S. Miller branch, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock, for a fun, info-filled evening of book talks to get your reading list started. Refreshments will be served and door prizes awarded. Book clubs are welcome. Registration is required by calling 303-791-7323 or visiting Douglas CountyLibraries.org.

Community Blood Drives A number of community blood drives are planned in the area. For information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Bonﬁls Appointment Center at 303-363-2300, unless otherwise noted. Go to www.bonﬁls.org. Upcoming blood drives are: Wednesday, July 20, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Walmart, 2100 Legacy Circle, Elizabeth; Saturday, July 23, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock; Sunday, July 24, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Faith Lutheran Church, 303 N. Ridge Road, Castle Rock (Karen Johnson, 720-272-1464); Sunday, July 24, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Crossroads Community Church, 9900 S. Twenty Mile Road, Parker; Saturday, July 30, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Music Saves Lives, Walmart, 11101 S. Parker Road, Parker. Volunteer Open House The Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center will have a volunteer open house from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, July 21, at the center in Franktown. During the two-hour orientation, prospective volunteers will get an overview of the services provided, learn about the volunteer opportunities, take a tour of the center, and talk with staff and volunteers. In addition, the $25 volunteer application fee will be waived for anyone who applies to be a volunteer during the open house. Volunteers

must be 16 years old, pass a background check and be able to commit to at least three hours a week for three months. Those attending are encouraged to RSVP at www.ddﬂ.org. Open house has information about the equine center only, not the Dumb Friends League’s other locations. Call 303-751-5772.

St., Castle Rock. Chipper has been chosen as a headliner for the ninth annual Great American Comedy Festival, and he will appear for his third season with the Masters of Illusion series on the CW Network. Reservations required. Buy tickets at http://tickets.amazingshows.com or call 303660-6799.

`Climb the Rock’ Walk

Walking Tour of Castle Rock

The Falcon Wanderers and Rocky Mountain Wanderers of Denver plan a joint walk Saturday, July 23, in downtown Castle Rock. Enjoy an invigorating walk that will start at Philip S. Miller Library at 100 S. Wilcox St. in Castle Rock. Trail is rated 2B for the 5K (3.1 miles) route and 3C for the 10K (6.2 miles) route, which is steep in places and not accessible for strollers or wheelchairs as you climb up The Rock. This event is free and open to the public. Register to walk any time between 9 a.m. and noon, and walk at your own pace; please ﬁnish by 3 p.m. Leashed pets are welcome on the trail, but no pets inside the library. Contact Karen Seay at 719-632-9320 or Katherine Svoboda at 303-680-7118.

The Castle Rock Historical Society plans its walking tour of historic Castle Rock at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 23, at the Courtyard on Perry Street, between Third and Fourth streets, and will conclude at the Castle Rock Museum, 420 Elbert St., Castle Rock. Group and bike tours are available by reservation. Contact 303-814-3164 or museum@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org.

Comedy, Magic Show Comedy and magic collide at the Chipper Lowell show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22, to Saturday, July 23 at Theatre of Dreams, 735 Park

Summer Wizard Camp Learn magic and performance skills by professional magicians Carol Massie and Joe Givan at Summer Wizard Camp at Theatre of Dreams, 735 Park St., Castle Rock. Camp dates are Monday to Friday, Aug. 1-4 (more dates may be added). Camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon each day. Cost includes all supplies and recital show for family. Open to ages 7 and older. Call 303-660-6799 for details and to sign up. Go to www.AmazingShows. com.

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4 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016

Goats graze a greener way to ﬁre mitigation

“

The goats are a green solution to mitigation, so to me it seems like a better solution.”

Einar Jensen, South Metro Fire Rescue

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Fourteen acres in Castle Pines cleared By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com Residents in the Pine Ridge neighborhood of Castle Pines have found a greener, more unconventional solution to fire mitigation. A herd of 300 goats was released into the community June 15 to graze14 acres in the high-risk area until June 29. This is the second year the community has used goats as a means of fire mitigation, a plan it will continue for three more years. “Research shows after that after five treatments, the mitigation’s long lasting in an oak ecosystem,” said Einar Jensen, risk reduction specialist for South Metro Fire Rescue. “Research shows that with a single year’s treatment, the oak rebounds quickly. But after five, the oak is cut by 80 percent and that’s good for wildfire mitigation.” When goats graze in the oak ecosystem, they remove lower leaves and branches, making trees less likely to catch fire. Traditional fire mitigation uses mechanized

This is the second year goats have been used in Castle Pines for ﬁre mitigation. Courtesy photo masticators, such as a Bobcat tractor with a grinding blade. But Jensen, who is in charge of fire mitigation for South Metro, said that method treads and tears up soil, which creates conditions vulnerable to noxious weeds. Another challenge with this method is the smell of diesel fumes and the sound of diesel engines. Another option is to do it by hand with handsaws

and chainsaws, which is extremely labor intensive. “The goats are a green solution to mitigation, so to me it seems like a better solution,” Jensen said, adding that Roxburough Park and communities in the mountains have used goats for several years. Wyoming, Montana, Utah and California also use goats for fire mitigation. “They are not used as much as should be, in my

opinion,” Jenson said. The innovative mitigation project in Castle Pines was paid for by PineRidge Home Owners Association residents, the city of Castle Pines and a $1,000 grant South Metro Fire Rescue received from the national Ready, Set, Go! Campaign. The cost of the project was about $15,000, with a rate of $1,000 per day for the Goats continues on Page 5

RidgeGate July and August 2016

www.ColoradoRenaissance.com Information 303-688-6010

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The RidgeGate calendar of fun starts here. S M T W T 5

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S M T W T 3

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Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes throughout the spring, summer and fall. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from SSPRD, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate, while offering a chance to get some fresh air and exercise. Hikes are free to the public – register at ridgegate.com.

Saturday, July 23, 8:30-10am — Morning Bird Watching Hike Sunday, August 7, 8-9:30am — RidgeGate Habitat Hike Thursday, August 18, 6-7:30pm — Geocaching Basics Hike

Enjoy these summertime concerts out on the grass with free live music, food trucks and activities. It’s all happening in Prairie Sky Park, just west of the Lone Tree Recreation Center in RidgeGate, courtesy of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District. Bring your picnic or grab something to eat at a food truck, participate in interactive family friendly fitness and art activities, and enjoy the summer sounds.

Thursday, July 21, 5-8pm — Mostly Harmless

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Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center

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RidgeGate is again proud to sponsor Lone Tree Art Center’s Tunes on the Terrace– an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life. Performances range from bluegrass to jazz, and everything in between. The stars are out this summer! Check out the schedule and buy tickets at www.lonetreeartscenter.org.

28 29 30 31

Friday, July 15, 8-10pm — FACE, Acapella Vocal Rock Friday, July 29, 8-10pm — Mary Louise Lee Band, R&B and Soul

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It’s time again for sunset salutations. Join RidgeGate, South Suburban Parks and Recreation and the Lone Tree Recreation Center for free Yoga in the Park classes in Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat to class. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled. No yoga experience is necessary - all levels welcome. No need to register – just drop in!

Tuesday, July 26, 6:30-7:30pm Tuesday, August 30, 6:30-7:30pm

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Among RidgeGate’s cultural facilities is the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, located just east of the RidgeGate Parkway and I-25 interchange. The historic restoration of the ranch and its buildings, led by the nonprofit Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us an important glimpse into the settlers’ lives in the late 1800s. Today, Schweiger Ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits each weekend (Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm) and a variety of exciting events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events at ridgegate.com.

Sunday, August 28, 1-3pm — Free Guided Tour of Schweiger Ranch

Elbert County News 5

July 14, 2016

Divide Continued from Page 1

report from the Washington-based Economic Innovation Group (EIG) found that half of new business growth in the past four years has been concentrated in 20 populous counties. “More and more economic activity is happening in cities as we move to highervalue services playing a bigger role in the economy,” said Ross Devol, chief researcher at the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank. “As economies advance, economic activity just tends to concentrate in fewer and fewer places.” That concentration has brought a whole host of new urban problems — rising inequality, traffic and worries that the basics of city life are increasingly out of the reach of the middle class. Those fears inform Democrats’ emphasis on income inequality, wages and pay equity in contrast to the general anxiety about economic collapse that comes from Republicans who represent an increasingly desperate rural America. These two different economic worlds are writ large in Colorado. It is among the states with the greatest economic gap between urban and rural areas, according to

Goats Continued from Page 4

herd and start-up fees. Although he isn’t aware of any other communities in the Front Range using goats this year, Jensen said he has been contacted by two other communities in Castle Pines and others in the district

an Associated Press review of EIG data. As the Front Range has grown to include nearly 90 percent of the state’s population, it has trended Democratic. Rural areas, which have become more Republican, resent Denver’s clout. In 2013, a rural swath of the state unsuccessfully tried to secede to create its own state of Northern Colorado after the Democratic-controlled statehouse passed new gun control measures and required rural areas to use renewably generated electricity. In Denver, City Councilman Rafael Espinoza was elected last year as part of a group of candidates questioning the value of Denver’s runaway growth. Espinoza has seen his neighborhood of modest bungalows occupied by largely Latino families transformed into a collection of condominiums housing affluent professionals. “Money just drives the discussion. In the presidential, Bernie Sanders was my guy for that one reason,” Espinoza said. In contrast, Bill Hendren is desperate for money. He has about $4 in coins in a plastic cup he keeps in the cottage on a small farm where he lives, rent-free. Hendren’s truck was stolen 18 months ago and he was unable to travel to perform the odd jobs in Otero County that kept him afloat. He’s now functionally homeless and a Trump backer. “I don’t ever see a president caring about anyone who’s living paycheck to paycheck

— if they did they’d have put the construction people back to work,” Hendren said. “Trump’s got the elite scared because he doesn’t belong to them.” If bad luck and geography conspired to impoverish Hendren, it’s an excess of money that’s to blame for Robin Sam’s plight. Sam, 62, left one apartment counting on moving into another one being built in the rapidly gentrifying and historically black Denver neighborhood where he grew up. But that facility raised its rent

who are interested in utilizing the herd in future years. “This could be the start of something big,” Jensen said. Even though Colorado has seen a period of wetter and cooler climate, any day with hot temperatures and low humidity means wildfire danger goes up, Jensen said. Residents can help fire mitigation efforts in their community by hosting collection days and working together to create neighborhood mitigation plans.

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over the threshold of Sam’s $1,055 Section 8 voucher, and he’s been living in a homeless shelter all year, unable to find a new place in Denver’s fiercely competitive housing market. “I feel like I’m being pushed out,” said Sam, who is black. He recalls houses and apartments being barred to blacks in his youth decades ago, but senses something else at play now. “It’s money — and money changes everything,” he said.

6 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016

VOICES

LOCAL

Positive foundation elevates spirit This is the third and final part of a series of columns that I have shared over the past three weeks looking at the power of words, the inspiration of visualization, and today we will complete the cycle as we discuss the motivation and positive energy found in shared feelings. As a quick recap in case you missed the first two columns, we talked about the positive power and influence of maintaining a “word bank” that is filled with motivating and inspiration words. Words that we can use to lift up and encourage other people, especially those closest to us. Replacing any negative words with words like love, kindness, forgiveness, peace, purity, simplicity, gratitude and praise. And last week the topic was the power of visualization. First, a big thank you to everyone in the community who shared their thoughts and even pictures of their own vision boards representing their goals and dreams. We can achieve what our mind’s eye sees. So there is power in placing visual reminders such as images, photos, quotes, sayings, numbers, etc. in a very prominent spot where we can keep an eye on our goals, hopes and dreams and become further inspired to pursue the paths necessary to meet and exceed each one. Today as we close out this series I wanted to focus our thoughts around shared feelings. We talked about shared words and a shared vision board, and now it’s time to talk about how we share our thoughts and feelings with our friends and family, and those we hold most precious in our lives. It is so easy to take for granted that others know how we feel. Surely they must know that we love them, that we are grateful for what they have done for us, and that we appreciate their generosity. Certainly they

must know that we thoroughly enjoy their company and companionship, and respect their faith and compassion. And without a doubt, everyone must know that we are completely aware of how they feel about us. Right? Well, maybe not always, Michael Norton but telling them more often sure could go a WINNING long way to improving WORDS and strengthening any relationship. Life comes at us fast and furious sometimes. And as we fight just to keep pace with the rush and crush of the business world, politics and situations going on or brewing in our own families, we sometimes forget to share our feelings at a level that could potentially make a difference in someone’s life at that very moment. Just think about that for a minute, think about a time when you were stressed at work or going through a tough time at home, and then all of a sudden you heard someone say, “I love you,” or “Thank you for all that you do for me.” How did you feel? Probably pretty good. We can verbalize our shared feelings, we can show them through a smile, hug, or other gesture. We can leave little notes or cards around the house or office. And we can send texts, emails, or post messages to people through social media. We can even share our feelings through emoticons or an emoji. And here’s what’s really cool, now that we have our positive word bank filled with loving and kind uplifting words and we have

created a mental image and visions of who and what we want to be, we can now express our shared feelings from a foundation of a positive outlook and attitude. It’s easy to be influenced by something negative. But if we surround ourselves and build our base around positive affirmations, encouraging visualizations, and we can accept and share loving and grateful thoughts and feelings, we can guard our hearts and our minds against the toughest and most negative source and force in our lives. I know it sounds idealistic or even maybe oversimplified. But I ask that you try it for a while. When someone brings up a bad or negative situation or tries to crush your spirit, have your positive words in the pockets of your mind, have the images of who you are and where you are going firmly planted in your heart, and have your spirit filled with feelings that you are willing to share and open to receiving those same feelings in return. Try this and I believe that in a very short amount of time you will begin to see yourself and the world around you in a completely different way. So how about you? I would love to see your list of “go-to” words, pictures or thoughts about your visualized goals and dreams, and learn how you choose to share feelings in a way that can provide others with hope and encouragement. You can email me any and all of your thoughts at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we build a positive foundation of words, images, and feelings, it really will be a better than good week. Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.

Early childhood education Here’s a steers kids toward success notation to skip motivation I am skeptical of many things. You may have noticed. The headline said, “Motivational speaker Robbins’ coal walk burns more than 30.” I nearly laughed out Craig Marshall Smith loud, and I don’t laugh out loud. QUIET Tony RobDESPERATION bins, speaking to nearly 7,000, encouraged his audience to walk across coals as a way of conquering fears. When I want to conquer fears, I have another burrito. There are a number of differing reports about what actually happened. You know how I feel about the ubiquity of cell phones. I chuckled at, “Some people were not concentrating on walking across the coals because they were taking selfies and asking others to take videos of them.” What do people do with all of the photographs that they take of everything under the sun? I was giving a painting demonstration and a woman asked if she could take pictures. I said, “Why?” She didn’t have an answer. Smith continues on Page 7

Frederick Douglass, the eminent abolitionist, author and social reformer, once said that it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. For me, that explains why we must expand young Coloradans’ access to early childhood education. It is Mike Johnston the most effective way to put kids on a path to GUEST success — and avoid expensive solutions COLUMN later in life. As a former high school teacher and principal, I saw firsthand how a lack of high-quality early education impacted many of my students. I have seen many truant students during my career. It may be easy to label them as lazy or underachievers, but I’ve realized that many of them actually love their coursework and can talk to you about their interests in the class. It’s their lack of literacy skills that doesn’t allow them to fully engage in their education. In fact, by age 3, children in poverty hear 30 million fewer words than well-off children. It’s no wonder that children in need tend to start school developmentally far behind their peers. Reading failure turns curious elementary students into failing middle school students and then high school dropouts. But students who attend high-quality early learning programs, like pre-K, enter kindergarten ready to learn. And that will have positive implications for the rest of their lives. Research has shown that the type of environment and the quality of interaction to which children are exposed in the first five years of life greatly influence the outcomes of their adult lives. That’s because by age 5, a child’s brain

is almost completely developed — yet two out of five American kids are not enrolled in preschool. Many never catch up. And the consequences are significant and long-lasting. If we invest today in setting a strong intellectual, cognitive and emotional foundation for children before they reach age 5, we can significantly raise the odds they will stay in and perform well in school, avoid teenage pregnancy, keep away from drug-related and violent crimes and, more generally, contribute to making our communities more livable and prosperous. My three children are fortunate because we were able to enroll them in high-quality early learning programs. But many kids here in Colorado are not so lucky — and it varies from district to district. In Denver, where voters elected to tax themselves to provide preschool, all families with 4-year-olds choose from more than 250 high-quality programs, and tuition assistance is available. But in other counties, options are far more limited. Funding is a large hurdle in this debate, but investing in early childhood education results in greater success in K-12, better health outcomes and more resilient communities. And the students aren’t the only ones who will benefit. This makes economic sense. A comprehensive, national early childhood education program would add $2 trillion to the annual GDP within a generation, according to the Brookings Institution. And according to James Heckman, an American economist and Nobel laureate, for every dollar we invest in high-quality early learning, we get $7 back in avoiding costly interventions. This would positively impact our state’s bottom line. For these reasons, I have been fighting to provide robust funding for early learning programs in Colorado, and across the nation. Johnston continues on Page 7

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July 14, 2016 Jesse and Jenna Goddard settle in with their son Emmett to watch the ﬁreworks at the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa. The family arrived early to get a space close to the playground so Emmett could play before the show.

Show Continued from Page 1

A loader will drop the shell into the tube with the fuse sticking out of the top, which is lit by a second firefighter with a fusee (road flare). Tubes are reloaded throughout the performance until nearly all the shells are gone. Near the end of the show the 12 finale cakes are lit, sending showers of sparks and rockets into the air. With more than 400 fiery projectiles launched, the department was taking no chances and enlisted the assistance of three other districts to mitigate wildfire danger. Six brush trucks from Kiowa, North Central, Elizabeth and Rattlesnake fire districts stood by on a one-mile perimeter to douse burning embers carried by the wind. As fireworks displays go, the show in Kiowa is considered small by nearly all standards, but the price tag still ran near $6,500, much of which was borne by the firefighters themselves. The cost of larger shows can reach up to $30,000 or more, and shows are often customized or choreo-

Johnston Continued from Page 6

We must find a way to give more kids the chance to a strong start in life. It all starts with a high-quality early childhood education. This is a fight that we must undertake

graphed to music and can take two years or longer to plan. On the opposite side of the safety and fallout zones, spectators set up folding camping chairs next to rows of vehicles parked in the fields surrounding the fairgrounds or, like the Goddard family, snuggled together in the bed of their pickup, waiting for the show to begin. The approaching weather is holding off, and with the electrical connections removed from the fireworks, Albers is more concerned about the wind and rain than accidental discharge from static electricity. He wraps up the briefing by reminding his guys that they are dealing with explosives, and it is OK to be a little nervous. “Make sure … gloves, eyes, ears, everything’s on. We will have misfires; we have in the past. They’ll explode right here, so the more skin you’ve got covered the better,” he says. “If somebody gets really uncomfortable, say something, because you are only going to get yourself hurt or hurt somebody else.” With that, the seven firefighters nod, some more nervously than others and the group prepares to break up. “Other than that,” Albers says, “have fun.”

throughout Colorado. That’s why I was so honored to speak recently in Washington, D.C., at the Advocacy Summit, hosted by Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), where advocates from around the country gathered to learn how to be champions for kids. SCAN is a bipartisan organization that is doing great work around the country on early childhood education. Working with organizations like this and with local

Elbert County News 7

Smith Continued from Page 6

I think she thought that she was supposed to record everything that she saw every day. There was a New Yorker cartoon of a woman who told her husband to look at her phone to see the thing that they were looking at. One man who experienced seconddegree burns said, “In hindsight, jumping off would have been a fantastic idea.” That sounds like a metaphor for a lot of things. “Honey, I am meeting with a man named Madoff this morning.” There’s a motivational industry, and there are people who need a good goose now and then. The two often meet, sometimes in remote locations, like Jonestown and rural Waco. Have you heard about James Arthur Ray and his sweat lodges? Ray is a motivational speaker. He was convicted of felony negligent homicide. Everyone’s favorite motivational speaker is Matt Foley. Foley lives in a van down by the river. Foley was one of Chris Farley’s fictional characters. I am my own motivational speaker, and I owe it to my father. My father got up every day of his life and went to work. When we moved to southern California, he drove from Fullerton to Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. On a good day, it took an hour both ways.

providers and officials, we can increase access to early learning programs in every state. The event’s attendees met with nearly 100 congressional offices to urge them to invest in key kids programs by asking them to sponsor Social Impact Partnership Act, which authorizes the use of a publicprivate partnership program called Pay for Success. This would help fund early learning programs around the country.

When we lived in Ohio, it was more of the same. He left for Middletown before I got up to go to school. It took him about 45 minutes both ways. If I didn’t have his example, who knows? Maybe I would have attended a seminar or a retreat. We’re all different. Some of us need big banquets of guidance, exhortation and, well, preaching. I was a good student. I listened and I did my homework. Those days are over. Keep Knute Rockne away from me. I would have to be strapped down and forced to listen to someone who thought he or she had all of the answers, and charged big dollars for it. Sweat lodges are an important part of Native American culture. It’s when something that is culturally borne gets mismanaged by others that problems arise. Firewalking dates back to 1200 BC. When there was no such thing as selfies. I have read about people who take selfies in national parks, next to a grizzly bear or two, and wind up being an entrée. Currently a “Diamond” level of commitment at a three-and-a-halfday Tony Robbins “Unleash the Power Within” seminar is $2,395. At the start of each day, there are “warm-up” dancers. Thanks again, Dad. Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@ comcast.net.

I was inspired to meet these incredible advocates and look forward to seeing their progress in the weeks and months ahead. I know they will not give up because they understand that investing in early childhood education makes kids more successful — and all of us reap the benefits for generations to come. Mike Johnston is a Colorado state senator representing Denver.

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8 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016

Poor nation inspires pair to make difference Trip after quake led to work with Believe in Haiti

Whitney Henwood addresses villagers in St. Rock, Haiti in June. Believe in Haiti built the pavilion and plans to build a secondary vocational school near the pavilion in the fall. Courtesy of Jensen Sutta Photography

By Tom Skelley tskelley@coloradocommunitymedia.com Growing up in Chicago, Whitney Henwood observed how poverty affected families, but going to Haiti in 2011 was unlike anything she had ever seen. “Our love for Haiti grew after the earthquake in 2010,” Henwood said. Henwood and her husband, Justin, decided to go to the island country to see the impact firsthand and to find out if it would be feasible to move there for an extended stay. The Parker residents returned to the United States a week later, but part of their hearts remained on the island. They moved to Haiti in January 2012 after Justin got a six-month job with Build the Change, a group that retrofits structures and teaches locals the skills they need to continue the job themselves. That February a local church leader asked the Henwoods if they could take a detour from their work in Port-au-Prince and visit St. Rock, a small village in the mountains. A few hours and two flat tires later, they arrived to a startling sight. “We pulled up and there’s this whole village of people waiting for us,” Whitney Henwood said. “We assumed they wanted a quick fix.” What they wanted, Henwood said, turned out to be something almost too heart-wrenching to understand. Fearing that they couldn’t adequately provide for their children, the villagers thought their best option was to leave their sons and daughters where they would have access to food and shelter. “They said, ‘we want you to build us an orphanage,’” Henwood said. “It was just one of those moments in life… I saw how much they loved their children and I thought, ‘why would I take your children from you?’”

Rather than breaking up the families, the Henwoods started a feeding clinic in St. Rock, initially providing 100 children one nutritious meal a week. Currently the program feeds 250 children three times a week, with projections to expand the program this fall to 500 children and four meals a week. The feeding program hires villagers to do the cooking, providing employment as well as food to people in the village. After feeding the children of St. Rock, the Henwoods’ next priority was to get them into classrooms. There is no public education system in Haiti and costs for uniforms, books and supplies total about $240 annually. In a country where the average income is $2 a day, many families are forced to choose one child to attend school or to forgo their children’s education altogether. In the fall of 2012, the Henwoods began a school sponsorship project for approximately 60 children. Currently 110 children attend elementary school through the pro-

gram. Believe in Haiti started sponsoring children in a secondary school in 2013. As in the old adage about teaching a man to fish, Believe in Haiti strives to help the villagers help themselves, and a large component of the Henwoodses’ mission is to help the villagers in St. Rock develop a self-sustaining community. In the past year the group has purchased two parcels of land in St. Rock. Plans are underway to construct a vocational school on a half-acre plot located next to the elementary school. Students will learn to raise chickens, sew, bake, learn English and work with computers. The other, 2½- acre area will be farmed, creating a basis for an agricultural economy for the village. In 2012, Whitney and Justin were a twoperson outfit, but the group has grown as the scope of their work has widened. In 2013 they became a 501(c)(3), nonprofit, but they were still doing the legwork largely on their own. “At that time, it was just some friends,

people who loved Haiti and loved us,” Henwood said. Currently the group has 15 members, and they recruit as many volunteers to go on “Vision Trips” as they can. “We’ve really got some great players,” Henwood said. Dental programs and projects to dig and purify wells have begun, and Henwood hopes to begin a program to rotate American high school and college-age volunteers in and out of St. Rock year-round to teach English. While many of the volunteers may only make a trip or two to the island, Henwood believes her mission is more involved than making quick visits to the country. “So many people dance in and out of our lives, and that’s not OK,” Henwood said. “They love us, they know our names ... They know that we love them, they know that we’re going to be consistent. They know we’re not going to be in and out.” She paused, then added: “This is truly our life’s work.”

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Elbert County News 9

July 14, 2016

Youth stage program offers Seuss shows

Town Hall Arts Center’s Youth Theatre Program presents “Seussical JR” for area theater fans with morning and evening performances by actors ages 13 to 18, under the direction of Robert Michael Sonya Ellingboe Sanders. Let the Cat in the Hat guide you SONYA’S from the Jungle of SAMPLER Nool to the Circus McGurkus as a courageous Horton the Elephant protects the Whos and an abandoned egg. Performances are at 10 a.m. July 18-21 and 7 p.m. July 15-23 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Downtown Littleton. Tickets cost only $5. 303-7942787, townhallartscenter.org. On Aug. 5 and 7, watch for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” also by 13- to 18-year-old actors, directed by education director Seth Maisel.

gardens participating. Tickets cost $18/$15 Audubon members. 303-973-9530, denveraudubon.org/programs.

Habitat Bird Garden Tour The Audubon Society of Greater Denver will host its second annual Bird Habitat Garden Tour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 23. Explore gardens in the Roxborough area to learn what to plant and how to supply food, nesting sites, shelter and water that will attract our avian neighbors. Start at the Audubon Nature Center, 11280 Waterton Road, Littleton, explore the garden there and get a wristband and map to the other

Highlands Ranch Historical Society “The Art of Illustration,” presented by Gene Boyer, is the next program of the Highlands Ranch Historical Society at 7 p.m. July 18 at Highlands Ranch Southridge Recreation Center, upstairs auditorium, 4800 McArthur Ranch Road, Highlands Ranch. (History, skills, examples and more.)

Related program: Habitat Hero “Habitat Hero: Wildscaping 101” will be presented 6 to 7:30 p.m. on June 22 at Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Learn to support pollinators and birds by creating a habitat garden in your own backyard. $8 member/$10 nonmember. Register at shop.hudsongardens.org or 303-797-8565, ext. 306. Learn about bees Meet the Beekeeper at Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, on June 18 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Observe beekeepers working on their hives at the Aviary. Free and open to the public. Vital veggies Meet the Vegetable Gardner 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on July 19 at Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Free.

Garden trends Five landscape/garden trends for 2016

Town Hall Arts Center’s Youth Theatre Program presents ‘Seussical JR’ for area theater fans with morning and evening performances by actors ages 13 to 18, under the direction of Robert Michael Sanders. from Chuck Montera of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado: • Maximize a small space by defining cooking, eating areas, including potted plants tucked in. • Grow plants in a vertical garden. • Remember that buyers’ choices in houses are often influenced by the landscaping. • Rain barrels will be legal in Colorado Aug. 10. • Practical and pretty go together: Think peppers and petunias in a planter box.

Local pianist

Live from Sheridan Library The Radio Band will kick off Arapahoe Libraries’ free Summer Concert Season from 6 to 8 p.m. July 15 at Sheridan Library, 3425 W. Oxford Ave. Bring lawn chairs or play giant games. Buy snacks from vendors. Upcoming: Nacho Men on Aug. 19 at Tagawa Gardens, 7711 S. Parker Road, Centennial; Fab 4, Beatles Tribute Band on Sept. 9 at Smoky Hill Library, 5430 S. Biscay Circle, Centennial. Information: 303-LIBRARY, arapahoelibraries. org/concert-series.

Wind ensemble

Emmy Award winner Lisa Downing will hold a CD release concert for her new contemporary piano album, “The Wisdom of My Shadow,” A portion of the proceeds will go to the National Women’s Hall of Fame. The concert will be at 7 p.m. July 23 at Classic Pianos, 1332 S. Broadway, Denver. Tickets, $15, VisionQuestMusic. com; $20 at the door.

Colorado Wind Ensemble has free summer concerts scheduled: First, July 17, 2:30-3:30 p.m., DCPA Galleria Tent, 1400 Curtis St., Denver. Second, Aug. 11, 7-8 p.m., Smoky Hill Library, 5430 S. Biscay Circle, Centennial. Third, Aug. 13, Curtis Park, 2349 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village. Fourth, Aug. 28, Eloise May Library, 1471 S. Parker Road, Denver.

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10 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016

SPORTS

LOCAL

Diversity of sports offers advantages

A small army of local drivers plans to compete in the sportsman class at the Mile High Nationals. Arvada resident Vicky Johnson captured the top dragster championship at last year’s Mile High Nationals and plans to be on hand to defend her title, and Bradley Johnson, a Lakewood resident, was last year’s Division 5 champion and is expected to be in the Mile High Nationals super gas competition. Littleton resident Troy Kaiser also is expected to be behind the wheel of his dragster for the Mile High Nationals. Qualifying competition for sportsman classes begin at 11 a.m. July 22, with the top fuel dragsters and funny cars making their runs starting at 5:30 p.m. The schedule is about the same for July 23, with the elimination races scheduled to start at 11 a.m. July 24. Drag racing is all about harnessing horsepower and torque to produce as much speed as quickly as possible from a standing start to the finish line a quarter-mile away. The top fuel dragsters are at the top of the list of achieving those goals. The powerful 10,000-horsepower engine is behind the driver in the long, low-slung dragster. The engine idles at about 2,100 revolutions per minute and gulps fuel at about 1.2 gallons per

It’s summer, and high school sports are in a timeout. So it’s a good time for a debate, discussion, examination, argument or whatever you want to call it. The internet is filled these days with the pros and cons of sport specialization, where athletes pick one sport and spend almost all year particiJim Benton pating in a single sport. Multi-sport athletes are OVERTIME starting to dwindle even before athletes get into high school. Many studies and people have surfaced who oppose sport specialization. Houston’s defensive end J.J. Watt, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, Cubs manager Joe Maddon and former college and professional football coach Steve Spurrier are among the people who have recently expressed their opinions that it’s good for young athletes to play several sports. I’m an advocate of diversity. Youngsters and high school athletes participating in more than one sport use different muscles, which can reduce the injury rate. Leadership and teamwork skills are enhanced and the ability to adjust to different situations is heightened by playing a different sport. However, there are advantages to specialization. Improved skills, elite training, practice facility availability, better coaching and competition are some of the benefits of focusing on one sport. Clubs and parents emphasis the exposure to get possible college athletic scholarships as another advantage of playing on a club team and concentrating on one sport. Still, some of these scholarships only cover part of the expense of attending college. I wonder, however, if the money spent on club fees and travel, especially for an athlete who might be a fringe player on an elite team, might be better saved and used to help pay for college. Some of the risks on specialization include overuse injuries, psychological effects of too much pressure and burnout. Personally, I’ve seen at least two burnouts where good athletes gave up sports

Racing continues on Page 11

Benton continues on Page 11

The Redstone College entry fills the air with smoke and flame in preparation for a run during the July 2 Jet Car Nationals drag Racing at Bandmere Speedway. The jet-powered cars come off the starting line and are traveling more than 260 miles an hour when they cross the finish line a quarter mile away. Courtesy photo

Premier drag-racing event returns Top drivers coming for three days at Mile High Nationals

By Tom Munds tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.com Bandimere Speedway lives up to its Thunder Mountain nickname when the Mile High Nationals drag-racing event rolls into the Golden facility July 22-24. For three days, the air will be filled with the sounds of drag racing. The sounds range from the growl of the engines powering street-legal cars to the ear-splitting roar of the 10,000-horsepower top fuel dragsters and funny cars. This marks the 37th year for the Mile High Nationals, the biggest days of the year for avid drag-racing fans. “We come to the Mile Highs every year,” Centennial resident Tracy Powers said. “My parents came to the races every year and we have continued the tradition. I did compete in the high school drag races, but I think it would be a real thrill to get to go as fast as some of these cars go.” Racing teams begin arriving at Bandimere Speedway early in the week of the event. The huge tractor-trailer rigs, usually emblazoned with team logos of the sponsors and artwork depicting the cars, are trademarks of the National Hot

Rod Association’s professional classes, top fuel dragster, top fuel funny car, pro stock and pro stock motorcycle. However, there will also a huge number of the local and regional racers who arrive with smaller outfits. So, by the time competition begins July 22, the pit areas will be packed with hundreds of rigs and cars. The Mile High Nationals are the 14th stop on the NHRA racing schedule and, like all national events, a major attraction for the fans is the fact that most of the top teams and drivers will be on hand for the event. A special fan attraction at national drag racing events is the pit pass that comes with tickets, which allows fans to watch mechanics prepare the cars for action and even get a chance to talk and get autographs from their favorite drivers. It equates to allowing football fans access to a pro football team’s locker room. While pro drivers from around the country will be at the Mile High Nationals, there will also be drivers who live in the local area or used to live in the local area in the competition. In the pro classes, former Littleton resident Tommy Johnson Jr. will be at the wheel of the Make A Wish Funny Car, and top fuel dragster driver Tony Schumacher, who began his racing career at Bandimere Speedway, will be on hand for the races.

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Mountain and Lutheran will be in the West Metro League while Holy Family will compete in the Tri-Valley circuit. Elizabeth, Englewood and Sheridan will be in the Class 2A Colorado League while Arvada, D’Evelyn and Faith Christian will play in the Flatirons alignment. We’ll wait until at least September to have a quiz on these conference names. Ex-Legend coach headed to Eaglecrest Kari Hamilton, who was the girls soccer coach at Legend for two seasons (2014 and 2015), has accepted the position as the head coach of the Eaglecrest girls soccer program, according to Raptors athletic director Vince Orlando. Hamilton was also a former assistant at Chaparral. Jim Benton is a sports writer for Colorado Community Media. He has been covering sports in the Denver area since 1968. He can be reached at jbenton@coloradocommunitymedia. com or at 303-566-4083.

Racing

Elbert County News 11

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second to generate the power needed to accelerate the car from the starting line to 100 mph in about one second and complete the quarter-mile run in four seconds or less. The car can be traveling more than 320 mps as it crosses the finish line. For information on tickets or the Mile High Nationals schedule, call Bandimere Speedway at 303-697-6001 or visit the website at www.bandimere.com.

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and never played in high school. Family vacations and even summer jobs that could be a learning tool for later in life are often missed. According to the Washington Post, 224 of the 226 picks in the 2016 National Football League draft played more than one sport. Girls gymnastics is a sport where athletes usually start young, but in the past two years I’ve talked to three high school divers who abandoned gymnastics because they were tired of being hurt. So let the debate continue.

To advertise your p

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Benton

Colorado’s mountain peaks. Cherry Creek and Horizon will be among the six teams in the Mount Elbert League. Arapahoe is in the Mount Massive conference. Valor Christian along with Lakewood, Legend and Highlands Ranch will be in the Mount Lincoln League. The Mount Wilson Conference will have local teams Ralston Valley, Castle View and Arvada West. Pomona, Chaparral, Mountain Vista and Rock Canyon will compete in the Mount Evans League. Legacy, Westminster and Douglas County will be among the teams in the Mount Antero group while ThunderRidge, Mountain Range and Northglenn will play in the Mount Cameron Conference. Monikers for the 4A leagues include the Plains League in which Golden and Heritage will compete. Standley Lake, Thornton and Wheat Ridge will be in the Mountain Conference. Littleton will be in the Pikes Peak League and Ponderosa in the Foothills loop. In Class 3A, Alameda, Green

Public Notices

July 14, 2016

PUBLIC NOTICE

District Court, County of Elbert, State of Colorado Case No.16 JA 4, Div. 1

Summons In the Matter of the Petition of: Andrew Hammit, Petitioner,

For the Adoption of a Child Named: Gavin Lee Osman, and Concerning: Roger Lee Osman, Jr., and Tony Day, Respondents.

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the Petition filed with the Court in this action, by filing with the Clerk of the Court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or response within thirty-five days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of the Court during regular business hours.

If you fail to file your answer or other response to the Petition in writing within thirty-five days after the date of the publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the Court for the relief demanded in the Petition without further notice.

This is an action for the termination of the parent-child relationship between Tony Day or Anthony Day, father, and Gavin Lee Osman, child, born on 2/7/2006, in Parker, Colorado, and the adoption of Gavin Lee Osman by Andrew Hammit, as described more fully in the Petition on file with the Clerk of Court.

A hearing on this matter has been set for September 15, 2016 at 2:30 p.m., in the District Court in and for the County of Elbert, 751 Ute Avenue, Kiowa, Colorado 80112.

/s/ Jason T. Landress Jason T. Landress, # 40956 19751 E. Mainstreet, Suite #270 Parker, CO 80138 (303) 840-1190 (office) (303) 841-7620 (fax) Attorney for Petitioner Legal Notice No.: 23421 First Publication: July 14, 2016 Last Publication: July 14, 2016 Publisher: The Elbert County News

Elbert * 1

Salomess Stars Salome FOR RELEASE WEEK OF JULY 11, 2016 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You dislike waiting for promises to be fulfilled and for commitments to be kept, but resist your headstrong tendency to push things along. Your patience will be rewarded. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Expect continuing opposition to your plans from die-hard detractors. However, your determination to see things through will carry the day. A Pisces has romantic ideas.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) YYou might be too close to a troublesome workplace situation to deal with it successfully. Step away in order to get a better perspective. A solution soon becomes obvious. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You might suspect that someone you trust has misled you on an important matter, but a more balanced view of things reveals a misunderstanding to be the culprit. LEO (July 23 to August 22) The Big Cat’s animal magnetism has rarely been stronger. You can either just bask in all that admiration or use it to your advantage, especially in the workplace. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Someone who previously balked at cooperating with you on a project suddenly has a change of heart. Accept both help and advice with grace.

TO SOLVE SUDOKU: Numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Some hazy issues still need to be cleared up before you can move on with your new plans. A friend from the past reaches out to re-establish old ties. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Continued positive fall-out follows that risky workplace decision you made some time ago. Your payoff will soon prove to be more substantial than you expected. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A personal relationship continues to be affected by a recent unexpected turn of events. Things need to work themselves out without finger-pointing.

Answers

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s a wonderful week for all you capricious Goats to kick up your heels with friends or family members in some well-earned fun and frivolity. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Caution is advised before making a financial commitment to someone you don’t really know. There are better ways to build friendships than with risky fiscal dealings. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Travel plans continue to be favored. A change of scenery brings new opportunities, both personally and professionally. Be open to the possibilities. BORN THIS WEEK: You have a strong sense of loyalty that shows itself best in your relationships with family and friends. (c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

12 Elbert County News

July 14, 2016

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