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August 13, 2020
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 125 | ISSUE 28
Census workers continue counting in Elbert A high-plains sunset is seen in August 2017 from the north end of the town of Kiowa. Voters in the town will be asked on their November ballots whether they support an increase in the town’s sales tax. DAVID GILBERT
Kiowa ballot will feature sales-tax question Voters will decide whether to add to existing levy BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Kiowa voters will decide in November whether or not to increase
sales tax within the town by 1.5 percentage points, which would bring about $40,000 into the town budget each year. The last increase in sales tax was more than 20 years
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Maybe you’ve lost your family’s child care. Maybe you barely broke
even this month. Maybe you’re on the verge of having to fend for yourself on the street. Maybe you’re a business owner, fighting to keep your doors open for your workers. Or maybe you’re an older adult, isolated and unsure of where to turn for help picking up groceries or your prescriptions. The coronavirus pandemic has been raging through Colorado
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 6 | LIFE: PAGE 11
BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
for five months, but there are still people, nonprofits, government programs and other information that can help you make it through. Here is a list of programs that can help. For all of the website links for the programs mentioned below — including ones for job training, job-search assistance and free, confidential support for mental health
Under usual circumstances, if a stranger appeared at your door wearing a mask, you might have reason to worry. But this year, due to COVID-19 and the fact that is a census year, there’s a good chance that masked stranger is a census worker paying a visit to ensure that Elbert County citizens get counted. Census takers are hired from local communities, so there’s a chance the masked stranger is one of your neighbors. “Census takers are going door-todoor, and operations are scheduled to end on Sept. 30, 2020,” said Laurie Cipriano, media specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau. Census workers are required to wear face masks while conducting their work, and follow all CDC and local public health guidelines during each visit. All census takers speak English, many are bilingual, and they carry materials on hand to help identify the household’s language. Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph.
SEE HELP, P2
SEE CENSUS, P8
ago, according to town administrator Maria Morales. An increase in sales tax has been denied in the past, but Morales and board of trustee members are hoping increased communication with SEE BALLOT, P3
COVID-19 resources: Where to turn for help How to find assistance with food, housing, personal needs and more
County still has about 7,000 responses to go
PERIODICAL
FROM SWAN DIVES TO FIGURE EIGHTS
Denver’s Smith Lake once was a yearround resort P11
2 Elbert County News
August 13, 2020A
HELP FROM PAGE 1
and substance-use concerns — go online to tinyurl.com/COVID-19-help. Rent, mortgage assistance, eviction help A program to help Coloradans make their rent and mortgage payments launched in mid-July. Colorado’s Property Owner Preservation program resulted from state House Bill 20-1410, a recently signed act that provides $20 million in direct rental and mortgage assistance to Coloradans experiencing financial need, including $350,000 for legal aid for renters at risk of eviction. Landlords and property owners can apply for assistance on behalf of multiple tenants, and tenants can also apply for assistance on their own. Call 303-864-7810 for the steps to apply. If you’re facing eviction, other resources that may help you are located on the Colorado Department of Local Affairs’ website. Counties and municipalities may still be offering financial and other assistance as well. Contact your city, town or county government for more information. Find other housing and low-income assistance on the website for 2-1-1 Colorado, the statewide resource system for people in need. Food assistance Hunger Free Colorado, a statewide nonprofit, works to keep food access information up to date for communities across Colorado. Hunger Free offers a food resource hotline to help individuals and families access food,
In a July 17 photo, Adams 12 school district staffers handed bags full of food to residents outside of Northglenn High School. PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR
according to 2-1-1 Colorado. Find food resources on Hunger Free’s website or call the hotline at 855-855-4626 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For food pantries and other resources, see 2-1-1 Colorado’s site. School district-provided meals Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization, maintains a list of locations where school districts provided meals
during the spring school closures due to the pandemic. Many districts offer summer meal programs as well. Contact your student’s district for information. For older adults A Little Help, a Colorado nonprofit, serves older adults. The organization equipped background-checked, prescreened volunteers to grocery shop, pick up prescriptions and run other
essential errands for older adults, according to one of Colorado’s COVID-19 resource webpages. Regular “care calls” to older adults for social connection, health and safety checks, snow shoveling, and yard chores are also among the nonprofit’s services — while practicing social distancing to minimize risk, according to the webpage. SEE HELP, P4
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Elbert County News 3
0August 13, 2020
BALLOT FROM PAGE 1
community members this year may result in a positive vote. “We’ve really been trying to get in touch with the community a lot more, and are hoping that this year people might be open to contributing through the increased tax,” said Morales. The current sales tax is 1.5%, so the increase would double the tax to 3%, which, according to Morales, is still cheaper than sales tax in the neighboring town of Elizabeth. If passed, the increased funds would be used to fund road improvements and maintenance, improve operations of town employees and increase accessibility for citizens to town meetings, events and issues.
“We’ve revamped the website, so it’s a work in progress,” said Morales. “We have a Facebook page, and we would like to find a way to get our newsletter better circulated. We are also going to start streaming our board of trustee meetings on the internet.” The increase would amount to a 75-cent difference on a $50 purchase, according to Morales, and would effectively double the town’s annual sales-tax revenue if approved. “Our streets really need a lot of tender loving care,” said Morales. “We don’t have a lot of funds, and $40,000 extra to help fund the operations of the town is really not that much.” Voters will not see the option on the ballot to vote on whether or not they want a marijuana dispensary in town. Bringing a dispensary to
‘We’ve really been trying to get in touch with the community a lot more, and are hoping that this year people might be open to contributing through the increased tax.’ Maria Morales, town administrator town has been discussed for nearly 10 years, according to Morales, and after hearing from many residents this year, the board of trustees opted not to include it on the ballot. The Town of Kiowa Board of Trustees meets the second Tuesday
of every month at 7 p.m. at the town hall. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Morales recommends visiting the town website for information about meetings, or to connect to the livestreaming meetings. For access, go to townofkiowa-co.gov.
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RISING IN THE EAST. With the west side of our community nearly fully developed, RidgeGate is now expanding to the east side of I-25. Our community encompasses a total of 3,500 acres, or six square miles, on both sides. In the years ahead, you’ll see the new Lone Tree City Center become an energized mixed-use downtown for our region. Our multiple light rail stations will keep us connected to the greater metro area. Three new residential villages and a regional park will come to life, with Shea Homes as the master homebuilder for the first neighborhoods in the Southwest Village. Along with the city center, two additional commercial districts will help to create upwards of 35,000 new jobs. Stay tuned as the future comes into view.
A more natural approach to urbanism. ridgegate.com
4 Elbert County News
August 13, 2020A
HELP FROM PAGE 2
A Little Help has operations from metro Denver to northern Colorado and in the Roaring Fork Valley, according to the page. Visit the nonprofit’s website or call 720-242-9032 in metro Denver, 970-404-1923 in the Roaring Fork Valley or 970-412-9396 in northern Colorado. Child care The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program helps families that are homeless, working, searching for work or in school to find low-income child care assistance. Each county’s human services department help manage the program, according to the Colorado Office of Early Childhood. Each county sets eligibility requirements but must help families that have income of 185% or less of the federal poverty guideline. You can learn about applying for assistance on the Colorado Office of Early Childhood’s website. See other information for children and families on the Colorado Department of Human Services’ website. Paying utilities Comcast is offering new, low-income customers two months of free internet, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Xcel Energy will not disconnect service to any residential customers until further notice, according to its website. Individuals having difficulty paying bills are encouraged to contact Xcel’s customer service center to arrange a payment plan that works for them. In response to the pandemic, an organization called Energy Outreach
Wayne Graham stands outside Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood on April 16. Graham, who is homeless, said there is nowhere for him to go on cold days as places like libraries are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. JOSEPH RIOS Colorado has increased the number of times individuals can access assistance to help pay utility bills, according to 2-1-1 Colorado. See Energy Outreach Colorado’s website or call 1-866-432-8435. See more information on 2-1-1 Colorado’s website. Health insurance Coloradans who experience “a lifechanging event” — such as losing jobbased coverage, moving, getting married or having a baby — are eligible for a special enrollment period. That’s a 60-day window to buy or change health care plans, according to Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace. See more information on Connect for Health Colorado’s website.
If you qualify for Medicaid, you can enroll any time of year, whether you qualify for a special enrollment period or not. To apply for Medicaid or the Child Health Plan Plus, visit coloradopeak. secure.force.com or call 2-1-1. Business help The Energize Colorado Gap Fund will provide more than $25 million in small-business loans and grants. Sole proprietors, businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 25 full-time employees can apply for up to a $15,000 grant and a $20,000 loan for a possible combined total of $35,000 in assistance. The application was to launch in early August, according to Energize Colorado’s website. All eligible Colorado-based micro
and small businesses may apply, but priority will be given to applicants that are majority-owned by Black or indigenous people, other people of color, veterans, or women — or businesses in rural areas. Those in the tourism sector and those with limited or no access to capital financing or other federal, state or local grants or loans will also be prioritized. Under the program, rural areas are defined as follows: • A county with a population of fewer than 50,000 people. • A municipality with a population of fewer than 50,000 people that is located 10 miles or more from a municipality with a population of more than 50,000 people. • The unincorporated part of a county — meaning not in a city or town — located 10 miles or more from a municipality with a population of more than 50,000 people. Those that have not been successful in pursuing or receiving funds from other federal, state and local assistance programs such as the federal Paycheck Protection Program are eligible to apply. Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado legislature designated a $20 million grant from the federal CARES Act funding to distribute alongside $5 million in loans from private donors and other state funds to help Colorado’s micro- and small-business owners, Energize Colorado’s website says. Find other business assistance at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s website. Counties and municipalities may be offering financial assistance for SEE HELP, P5
Elbert County News 5
0August 13, 2020
In a May 22 photo, Sue Mehrotra helped distribute food bags during the COVID-19 shutdown at Field Elementary in Littleton. COURTESY PHOTO
HELP FROM PAGE 4
businesses as well. Contact your city, town or county government for more information. Rural businesses, housing Residents of rural areas may find housing and business assistance on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website. Homelessness If you’re experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, 2-1-1 Colorado offers information that includes: • Housing payment resources. • Motel vouchers. • Emergency shelters, including specific locations for youth, domestic-
violence survivors and for extreme weather. • Low-income and subsidized housing resources, including Section 8 housing choice vouchers. • Supportive housing resources, including for assisted living, permanent supportive housing and transitional housing. Visit 2-1-1 Colorado’s website, call 2-1-1 or (866) 760-6489 toll-free, or text your ZIP code to 898-211. The nonprofit Colorado Coalition for the Homeless offers health care and housing resources. Its website lists pharmacy refills, mental health, a dental clinic, eye clinic and psychiatry as services. You can reach the nonprofit’s Stout Street Health Center, at 2130 Stout St. in the downtown Denver area, at 303293-2220. See other resources on the coalition’s website.
Help keep our community strong during COVID-19 Following COVID-19 safety precautions at home and when out in public whether shopping, at a restaurant, or meeting up with a few friends - helps keep our community strong. Frequent hand washing or using hand sanitizer when it’s not feasible to wash, maintaining physical distance from others, wearing facial coverings when recommended, and staying home when you are sick are ways to help keep you and your neighbors healthy and safe. Review ways to protect yourself and others at tchd.org/coronavirus
COVID-19 testing locations Wondering where to obtain COVID-19 diagnostic testing? For links and information about providers near you please visit douglas.co.us/covid19-testing-locations
Slash-mulch site open The County’s main slash-mulch site, at 1400 Caprice Drive in Castle Rock, is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturdays only through Oct. 26. For more information, directions and a list of acceptable items visit douglas. co.us and search for Slash Mulch.
Need some gardening help? Douglas County Master Gardeners are working and happy to answer your yard and garden questions. Contact them at dcmgardenr@gmail.com or learn more by visiting douglas.extension.colostate.edu
What’s happening with your County government? Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view various public meeting agendas and to participate in-person or remotely visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.
Funds available to veterans Emergency assistance is available for veterans struggling with housing (mortgage/rent), transportation, employment, healthcare or other emergency needs. To apply for the veterans assistance funds visit douglasveterans.org or call 303.663.6200.
Visit douglas.co.us
6 Elbert County News
“J
August 13, 2020A
LOCAL
VOICES
Give life enough time and it breaks us all
anet,” one of my readers, can no longer read. That means she can no longer handwrite letters like the ones she has been QUIET sending to me for the past three or DESPERATION four years. Hers were the only personal letters I have received this century. She prefers the intimacy of stationery, stamps and envelopes. Not only that, she doesn’t own a computer. Craig Marshall She lives alone in Franktown and Smith doesn’t get around much anymore because of her age, the coronavirus, and now this. Janet left a long, poignant phone message, and implored me not to think of the ramifications of being almost sightless. Of course, that’s an impossibility. I first heard about Helen Keller
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs, please. • Letters must be limited to 250 words. • Do not use all caps, italics or bold text. • Keep it polite: Do not resort to name calling. • Include a source and a link to it for any information that is not common knowledge. We will not publish information that cannot easily be verified. • If you quote a person, we must be able to easily verify it. That means the quote must have been published, stated during a public meeting or found on video. • Submit ideas and opinions that are yours — and in your words. We do not publish letters as part of a letter-writing campaign. • Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length. • Letters will not be published from the same writer on consecutive weeks. • Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Friday for it to appear in the following week’s newspaper. • Include your full name, address and phone number. We publish only your name and city or town of residence • Email your letter to letters@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
M
aybe you may have heard of this radio station before, WIIFM, which stands for “What’s in it for me?” This has been one of the most popular stations WINNING that many of us have WORDS tuned into for far too long. And now, it might be time to change the station. The new station we all should try and tune into is WIIFY, “What’s in it for you?” What if our conversations, actions and attitudes centered Michael Norton around how we can help others instead of wondering how they can help us get what we want? I can share what would happen as I echo the most famous quote by Zig Ziglar, “You can have everything in life that you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” What if every day we tried harder to hear with an ear of understanding, listening for opportunities to help? Not just listening long enough to jump in and talk about ourselves or our needs, but truly listening to the needs of others. Here is what Joel Osteen says, “Encouragement to others is something everyone can give. Somebody needs what you have to give. It may not be your money; it may be your time. It may be your listening ear. It may be your arms to encourage. It may your
Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ElbertCountyNews.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100
Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.
smile to uplift. Who knows?” What if our field of vison and line of sight was broader, actively seeking people to serve rather than looking for others to serve us? One of my favorite books, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” a book that has been translated in 200 languages and has never been out of print, was written by John Bunyan. And he said it this way, “You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” It is easy to search the internet for positive quotes that can inspire and motivate us to help others. And I love seeing the creativity of how people turn awesome quotes into amazing messages. The question is how long do those last? Do they last only long enough for us to post something on social media and hope someone sees it, likes it, comments on it, and maybe shares it? For some of us, the answer could be yes, and if it is, it just might be time to change the station from WIIFM to WIIFY. Let me share a very real and recent example of someone who lives with a servant’s heart, someone who exemplifies the “What’s in it for you” attitude. I had reached out to one of the pastors in my life, Ryan Canaday, who lives in the Denver area. I shared with Ryan that I had a friend in New York who was struggling with a family situation and I believed that he was the right person to speak with my friend. Without hesitation, he asked me if
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he could have 15 minutes and then he would jump on the call. You might say, well he is a pastor, that’s his job. But that is not how or why he responded the way he did, he did it because he has a heart for people. He and his wife, Tami, also run a ministry, called FREE. FREE provides a supportive community for people struggling with addiction and going through recovery. Ryan and Tami are totally tuned into station WIIFY. And a huge shout-out here for all of our first responders, health-care workers, EMTs, police officers, firefighters, military, and all the selfless people in our communities who are doing everything they can to protect us, keep us healthy, and working so hard to help and serve in so many awesome ways, thank you. How about you? Are your conversations, actions, and attitudes “me” focused? Are you listening for opportunities to help others? Are your eyes searching for people and situations where you can be of service? I would love to hear all of your “WIIFY” stories at mnorton@tramazing.com. And when we live each day taking the focus off ourselves and change the station to “What’s in it for you,” it really will be a better than good week. Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
dthompson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.
MARK HARDEN Editor
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager
We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
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After a recent column about Harry and his life expectancy, I heard from readers who understood. Right now, safe-at-home, without Harry, life with or without music would be a mistake. One of my doctors told me to disregard “old age” and think in terms of “Levels.” If you’re 30, you’re Level Three. Forty, Level Four. The mirror knows better, doesn’t it? My high school English teacher is Level Eight. She’s falling apart, she says. I told her Olivia de Havilland reached Level Ten. My high school English teacher said, “No, no, no.” (Keller was closing in on Level Nine when she died.) Oh, Janet. I’m sorry. In your message you encouraged me to continue what I have been doing. I will and a thought of you will be in every column.
Is it time to change the station?
JERRY HEALEY President
A publication of
There are recorded books but Janet may not be interested. Her call left the impression that her loss of sight had affected her enthusiasm for living. As a writer, the inability for me to write would be unacceptable. Then, I hear about how Stephen Hawking communicated, eventually by using a single cheek muscle. Sure, Janet could dictate. It wouldn’t be the same, but it would be better than nothing? Or would it? It would be almost impossible, given the way I think, somewhat haphazardly, to dictate a column to someone who, inevitably and understandably, would want to strangle me. Janet’s letters were in-depth and welcome critical reviews of my columns. She always noted my references, my wording, my humor (or attempts). We’ve all witnessed the consequences of a long life — Janet is Level Eight — with ourselves, family members, or friends. And, of course, pets.
when I was in grade school. Later Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, who was first called “Little” Stevie Wonder. In seventh grade, my music teacher told us Beethoven was totally deaf by the age of 44 or 45, but continued to compose music. There have been a number of individuals limited in one way or another who have accomplished extraordinary things. In particular, I am still amazed by Keller. She was the first deaf-blind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree. In the final months of my father’s life, he was unable to eat, drink, walk or talk. My sister and I had Power of Medical, but he took it away from us and insisted on a stomach port and a feeding tube. They didn’t work. His will to live was something to behold. It was unbearable to behold. Janet is still able to hear. A friend is reading my columns to her. This also means she can listen to music. Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.”
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ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Elbert County News, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Elbert County News 7
0August 13, 2020
Cherry Creek quarterback Julian Hammond III (1) tries to escape the rush from Columbine’s Justin Lohrenz (17) during the first half of last yera’s Class 5A football state championship game Dec. 8, 2019, at Empower Field at Mile High. The Bruins took a 35-10 victory over the Rebels. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
High-school sports schedule upended by COVID-19 ‘Everything is not ideal,’ says CHSAA’s commissioner BY LINDSEY SMITH THE GAZETTE
The state’s 2020 fall high-school sports season was slashed from 11 sports to four following an Aug. 4 announcement by the Colorado High School Activities Association after a lengthy compromise and approval from state health officials. The association announced its 202021 calendar after a call with Gov. Jared Polis, a release said, during which CHSAA “received a final response on the plan it submitted to the state’s COVID response team.”
Boys’ tennis, boys’ golf, softball and cross country have been approved to compete in a modified fall season, with competition beginning as early as Aug. 6 through Oct. 17. The remaining fall sports -- football, boys’ soccer, girls’ volleyball, field hockey, gymnastics and unified bowling -- will be played in a new “Season C” beginning about March 1. Football was granted special permission to begin practice Feb. 22 due to minimum practice requirements before the first contest on March 4. “Everything is not ideal. Any time you go outside of the ‘norm’ it’s not ideal,” CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said during a Zoom press conference June 4. “But at the SEE SPORTS, P9
In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. Private 303-566-4100 Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
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Northglenn senior Malia Lo makes contact against Mountain Range last October. Typically a fall sport, volleyball will return for competition early in 2021. FILE PHOTO
8 Elbert County News
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The U.S. Census questionnaire page as displayed on a phone.
CENSUS FROM PAGE 1
If no one is home, the census taker will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail. More than 71% of Elbert County residents have already returned their census, well above the Colorado average of 66.2%. Although the response rate has been good, according to Eileen Krauth, deputy county manager, there are still plenty of responses missing. “Elbert County residents are doing
PHOTO BY TADA IMAGES VIA SHUTTERSTOCK
a great job of responding to the census so far,” said Krauth. “But there are still about 7,000 residents that haven’t been counted.” The higher-than-average return rate in Elbert County may be attributed to the Complete Count Committee, which the county organized early last year. It has involved community members, local businesses, religious organizations and local governments working within the community to educate citizens about the importance of responding to the census. “The count is used to determine the county’s representation in the Colorado State Legislature and U.S. House
of Representatives, and to properly redistrict state and county voting districts,” reads a statement from the county. “It’s also important in determining how much federal funding Elbert County receives for health, education and transportation programs.” The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years, and even though this year’s census falls during the coronavirus pandemic, the census must still be completed. “We encourage all our residents to call the Census Bureau at 844-3302020,” said Krauth. “Elbert County’s future depends on it.”
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Elbert County News 9
0August 13, 2020
C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E
Westminster’s Guillermo Macias is leveled by Adams City’s Miguel Hernandez late in the first quarter of Westminster’s homecoming game in 2019. Due to COVID-19, high school football won’t be played this fall but will be delayed until early in 2021. FILE PHOTO
FROM PAGE 7
end of the day, we are in a pandemic and we are in charge of creating opportunities for our kids within the state guidelines and the educational guidelines.” A moratorium on high school participation will be in place following the fall “Season A” from Oct. 18 through Jan. 3, 2021, as a precaution as “data from the state shows a likely resurgence of COVID-19 cases in late fall,” according to a release. Winter sports, or “Season B” -- including basketball, ice hockey, spirit, girls’ swimming and wrestling (boys’ and girls’) -- may begin practice Jan. 4, and will compete through March 6, including playoffs and state championships. Spring sports will compete in “Season D” beginning practices April 26 and will go into late June, though state championship dates for many sports have not been set. Season D will be the largest seven-week season with nine sports competing: baseball, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, girls’ tennis, boys’
swimming, girls’ golf, girls’ soccer, track and field, and boys’ volleyball. Blanford-Green said CHSAA’s original plan submitted to state officials advocated to keep the sports seasons intact, and requested increased capacity at games and in roster guidelines, but when confirmed positive cases began to surge in Colorado the association went back to the drawing board to submit contingency plans. “I’m very grateful that we were able to collaborate with different state agencies and able to advocate and get some of the things we wanted that probably weren’t going to happen,” Blanford-Green said, adding the CHSAA fought to include cross country as an approved fall sport. “Right now we are feeling very good about our ability to not have disruptions, not have cancellations and to try to give every kid in the state of Colorado the opportunity to participate in a sport and in a season.” The Gazette’s Kate Shefte contributed to this report. This story is from The Gazette of Colorado Springs, a leading daily newspapers and digital news source. Used by permission. For more, visit Gazette.com.
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Classifieds
10 Elbert County News
August 13, 2020A
Classifieds
Real Estate NOTICE OF PENDING SEALED BID AUCTION OF STATE LAND LEASE NOTICE is hereby provided that the State Board of Land Commissioners (“Board”) has authorized an auction for a lease on the following parcel of state trust land located in Elbert County, Colorado: SECTION 24-T10S-R59W; E2NW, W2NE, E2SW, SE and SECTION 25, all containing 1,039 acres more or less The above-described lease parcel will be auctioned for lease. The minimum acceptable bid for this parcel is $17.18/AUM or $5,755.30 per year. The publication of this Notice on August 6, 2020 begins a notice and public bid period during which sealed bids may be submitted to the Board. To be considered, sealed bids must be received by 4 p.m. on September 2, 2020 by the Board’s North Central District Office located at 360 Oak Avenue, Suite 110, Eaton CO 80615. Sealed bids must be submitted on the Board’s Agricultural Lease Application with a check for the $100 non-refundable application fee, a Resource Management Questionnaire and a separate check for the full amount of the first year’s rental bid. Interested parties must request an application from the District Office listed below. The words “Sealed Bid for the Matheson Auction” must be clearly marked on the outside of the sealed envelope. Sealed bids received via facsimile or electronic mail will not be considered. Board staff will open the sealed bids at 10:00 A.M. on September 3, 2020 at the office of the Board, 360 Oak Avenue, Suite 110, Eaton, CO 80615. This Bid Opening will be open to the applicants and to the public in general. Participation in the bidding process does not create any rights for the winning bidder or anyone else participating in the bidding process. The successful applicant will be required to cooperate with the Board in complying with the mandates of § 36-1-118(1,2,3) and § 36-1-119. Property Information: Location: 1.5 miles east of Matheson on the south side of Highway 24 AUM’s: 335 Minimum Bid: $5,755.30 per year ($17.18 per AUM) Lease Term: 10 years Improvements: 6 miles of exterior fence; cross-fenced to allow for 8 individual paddocks. Water: 3 stock wells Use of Property: Grazing Possession: Upon receipt of confirmation letter All leases will be “as is where is”. An agricultural lease for this property is/ is not in effect. For more information or to receive an application, please contact the North Central District office at (970) 454-5279. Unsuccessful bidders will have the first year’s rental bid returned to them within 15 working days of the final approval of a lease application. Newspaper: Elbert County News Publication Dates: August 6, August 13 August 20, August 27
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Elbert County News 11
LOCAL
0August 13, 2020
LIFE
Denver’s Smith Lake in the 1900s was a year-round resort BY KIRSTEN DAHL COLLINS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
A
s summer grips the city and Coloradans bemoan our regrettable lack of ocean, we might do well to remember that Denver’s Washington Park once had its very own beach on a lake that once didn’t exist. In the summer of 1911, Smith Lake, located near the northern end of the park, inaugurated its new swimming area — complete with sand, a diving platform and an elegant bathhouse. Two hundred enthusiastic bathers showed up on the lake’s north shore for opening day. Everything was free, including soap, showers and extremely modest turn-of-the-century swimsuits. This was the era of corsets, big hats and propriety, so ladies donned knee-length shirts with capped sleeves before taking the plunge. And one can safely assume that none of the men wore Speedos. A line of rope modestly divided the male and female swimming areas. All this seems remarkable considering that before 1867, this 18-acre lake did not exist. Beginning in 1860, local entrepreneur John W. Smith took on the job of building a 26-mile irrigation canal from the South Platte River into the dry, treeless scrublands of what is now central Denver. More than four decades later, Denver residents were paddling rowboats and executing swan dives in the same place. Smith put his new lake to work as a reservoir and source of ice for Denver’s cocktails, ice cream churns and ice boxes. Nowadays, the 10-foot-deep lake develops only thin, patchy ice in the winter. But longtime Denverites remember when Smith Lake regularly froze solid, attracting hordes of ice skaters. In the late decades of the 19th century, Smith Lake acquired a scandalous reputation. According to the Washington Park East Neighborhood Association (WPENA) website, “by the 1890s, the lake was considered somewhat of a nuisance as it attracted ‘young men who insisted on showing their anatomy in the waters.’”
The 1913 Boathouse in Denver’s Washington Park, pictured, dates back to an era when Smith Lake was a popular urban resort, with a swimming beach and winter skating. Across the lake on the north shore is another vintage building, the 1912 Dos Chappell Bathhouse, which once provided beach-goers with locker rooms and showers. Currently it houses Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, a nonprofit that tends to the state’s natural resources. COURTESY OF TIM COLLINS The Denver Republican reported that so many boys were utilizing the lake in this manner that “ladies refuse to go on the elegant and beautiful drive in that vicinity.” Despite the skinny-dipping, residents of south Denver began to envision Smith Lake as the centerpiece of a new park. The city began acquiring nearby land and eventually bought the lake from Smith in the early 1900s. The newly-assembled Washington Park opened in 1903 as part of the City Beautiful movement, which originated with architects and urban planners in Chicago. Elegant European-style fountains, pavilions and gardens sprang up in cities across the U.S. and during this era, some notable architecture was also erected at Smith Lake. Frederick Ameter and James B. Hyder designed the Dos Chappell bathhouse, completed in 1912 and now a state landmark. On the south shore, architect Jacques Benedict — who went on to design other flamboyant landmarks like the Sports Castle at 1000 Broadway — created a striking boathouse. Now also a beloved Wash Park landmark, the 1913 building resembles an early 20th century take on a Greek temple. According to WPENA’s account, the lower level originally sheltered boats and a ticket office for boat rentals, and also doubled as warming hut for skaters. The open-air pavilion on the upper level was intended for picnics
and other public gatherings of up to 500 people, reflecting the publicspirited zeitgeist of the City Beautiful movement. These days, the Smith Lake boathouse is especially memorable when it lights up in the evening, its white columns glimmering over the water. In normal, non-pandemic times, the city rents out the pavilion level for weddings and other parties. Passersby often hear distant strains of music as guests dance the night away. During its nearly 50-year life span, the Smith Lake beach was wildly popular, serving thousands of waterstarved Denverites every summer. Admission was free but as the Denver Library’s history site puts it, “… not everyone was not free to use it.” Overt racism was rampant in turnof-the century America, reflected in Jim Crow laws and the 1908 “Gentleman’s Agreement,” which severely limited immigration from Asian countries. In 1913, Japanese-Americans were banned outright from swimming at Smith Lake. About 10 years later, in the mid1920s, the Ku Klux Klan sprang back to life and began sponsoring car races and family picnics in Denver. By the early 1930s, Denver’s KKK leaders had been discredited, but racism was still alive in the city. On Aug. 17, 1932, 150 African-Americans bravely attempted to swim at Smith Lake beach in an organized protest against de facto segregation.
White swimmers attacked them with sticks and stones, but instead of arresting the attackers, police arrested some of the protesters. Was Smith Beach ever integrated? It is difficult to know. The beach closed for swimming before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in public places. And well before the 1960s, the lake was suffering from age. Urban lakes are delicate organisms, vulnerable to pollution, algae blooms and accumulating sediment. By the mid-1950s, lifeguards at Smith Lake beach could barely see a foot beneath the surface. The beach finally closed in 1957 amid the polio scare. By the early 1980s, the onceelegant bathhouse had also fallen into disrepair and was being used as maintenance shed. Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) — a nonprofit that tends to the state’s natural resources — and the organization’s then-executive director Dos Chappell, a Washington Park resident, led a fundraising campaign to restore the building. Completed in 1996, the renovated bathhouse now bears Chappell’s name and serves as headquarters for VOC. The old locker rooms are gone and the bathhouse no longer gives way onto a sandy beach. But the handsome twin fireplaces remain — a reminder of the days when skaters warmed their toes in the lobby and Smith Lake served as an urban resort all year round.
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Legals Name Changes PUBLIC NOTICE Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name Public notice is given on July 22, 2020, that a Petition for a Change of Name has been filed with the Elbert County Court. The Petition requests that the name of Amelia-ann Read Garripoli be changed to Amelia-ann Blaisy Read. Case No.: 2020 C 20 Gena L. Parker, Clerk of Court By:Jafeen Jenkins, Deputy Clerk Legal Notice No: 24409 First Publication: August 13, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: Elbert County News
Elbert County Legals 8.13.20 * 1
12 Elbert County News
August 13, 2020
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