Elbert County News 0827

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August 27, 2020

ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

ElbertCountyNews.net

VOLUME 125 | ISSUE 30

State cracks down on large events, not protests Conservatives see ‘clear double standard’ in protest policy Officers with the Elizabeth Police Department spent Aug. 12 washing cars to raise money for Halley Chainé, center, who is battling leukemia.

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH POLICE DEPARTMENT

them of constitutional rights, and shaming each other for wearing — or not wearing — a mask.

As of Aug. 10, Elbert County had recorded 106 cases, with that number changing daily. Of those 106 cases, 62 of them were in Elizabeth, where many people in the county go to shop for groceries and everyday items.

Twenty of those cases resulted in

Colorado officials in recent weeks took enforcement action against events that threatened to overrun the state’s limits on crowd sizes, but the crackdown called attention to the lack of similar enforcement regarding racial-justice protests around metro Denver in recent months.

The office of Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a ceaseand-desist letter in late July to Live Entertainment, the company behind a planned July 26 rodeo in Weld County and at least one other event that have drawn as many as thousands. The office proactively sent cease-and-desist orders to an organizer, Adixion Music, as well as a venue, Imperial Horse Racing Facility, to stop such events in the future, according to a governor’s office news release.

Gov. Jared Polis called such gatherings “dangerous superspreader events” at an Aug. 4 news conference, referring to large crowds’ ability to spread coronavirus.

“People who put themselves at risk aren’t just putting themselves at risk — they’re putting their family, their neighborhood and community at risk, and we cannot stand for that,” Polis said at the news conference.

SEE COUNTY, P5

SEE STATE, P10

Fundraiser cleans up in fight against leukemia Elizabeth officers wash cars to raise money for teen

BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Elizabeth police officers spent Aug. 12 in sweltering temperatures doing some manual labor, in an effort to

help a young woman who graduated from their youth academy.

Clad in uniforms and masks, and armed with power washers, sponges and towels, officers spent six hours washing and drying cars by hand, free of charge, while drivers spent time bidding on silent auction items and making donations.

Donations will be used to help the family of EPD Academy graduate

Halley Chainé, who is 17 and was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

“The response from the community was fantastic,” said Elizabeth Police Chief Stephen Hasler. “It was constant cars from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. We were doing four at a time, and the line was so long it reached to Main Street.

We moved it to the parking lot, and SEE FUNDRAISER, P13

County health agency urges face coverings Cumulative incidence of COVID-19 is rated as very high

BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Elbert County Public Health Director Dwayne Smith has one message

for county residents — wear a face covering whenever possible when out in public.

Elbert County residents, like those in many areas of the country, have become divided over the wearing of face coverings in public. Social media sites are consumed with individuals debating the effectiveness of masks in helping slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, arguing whether or not mask rules strip

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | SPORTS: PAGE 16

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

2 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

Jeffco, Arapahoe, Adams races key to control of state Senate Observers see a rough road ahead for minority Republicans

BY EVAN OCHSNER THE COLORADO SUN

Republicans in Colorado look unlikely to reclaim the state Senate majority they lost two years ago, observers from both sides of the aisle say, relegating the party to another two years in the background as Democrats control Colorado’s government.

The party is grappling with an election year that forces them to play defense and the unpopularity of President Donald Trump, who could harm down-ballot candidates. Less than three months to the election, GOP lawmakers and candidates say they remain optimistic about their odds, but most acknowledge they are just hoping to hold control of three key swing seats Democrats want to win.

“Flipping the Senate is going to be a pretty heavy lift,” said Republican strategist Ryan Lynch. “I think the hope out there is that we’re able to maintain the status quo going into redistricting.”

Republicans need to gain two seats in order to retake control of the upper chamber and disrupt the complete power Democrats have over lawmaking in Colorado. Along with a 19-16 majority in the Senate, Democrats hold a 41-24 advantage in the state House and Gov. Jared Polis isn’t up for reelection until 2022. At best this year, Republicans are looking to regain a couple of House seats they lost in 2018.

In 2018, Democrats seized power and have passed legislation to require employers to provide sick leave, set pollution reduction targets to address climate change, added new police accountability measures and toughened regulations on the oil and gas industry. The party’s lawmakers are pledging to take on other progressive priorities should they remain in control and prioritize increased funding for transportation, education and health care.

“A majority will continue (to) help ensure we will be able to deliver on the types of policies we’ve passed,” Senate President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo, said in an interview.

In addition to flipping two seats, Republicans need to win every seat they currently hold and stave off Democratic challengers in open seats.

It’s a big ask, and some Republicans believe that the party is more likely to have a net loss of one seat than it is to gain any. Democrats said they feel confident about holding the seats Republicans are targeting.

The electoral fortunes are a big reversal from the predictions from GOP leaders in the past two years.

Conservatives suggested that voters would see the downsides of one-party control and Democratic overreach and demand a return to split partisan power at the Capitol.

Republican Senate leader Chris Holbert declined an interview request, but in a statement, the lawmaker from Parker said voters in swing districts want bipartisan powerbrokers. “Putting Republicans back in control of the state Senate would provide balance, which is what those voters tell us that they want,” Holbert said.

GOP strategist Andy George, who ran the Republican state Senate campaign operation for more than a

Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Adams County, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, listen as the Senate Health and Human Service Committee hears debate on a bill that would change Colorado’s vaccine exemption rules on Feb. 19.

PHOTO BY JESSE PAUL/THE COLORADO SUN decade, said the party is facing an unfavorable map this year and is forced into a defensive stance. “Even is the best outcome they could hope for,” George said.

Jeffco seat seen as vulnerable Republicans’ best shot likely is in two suburban Denver districts.

The most vulnerable state Senate seat for Democrats is believed to be the 19th District, which sits in Jefferson County and includes part of Denver’s northwest suburbs around Standley Lake.

Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat, won the seat from Republican incumbent Laura Woods in 2016. The district has more unaffiliated voters than it does members of any political party and continues to trend in that direction, according to an analysis from conservative-leaning Zenzinger Magellan Strategies.

Republicans hope Zenzinger’s support for progressive policies during her term will alienate those unaffiliated voters. Jesse Mallory, who was chief of staff for Republicans the last time they held the Senate, from 2015 to 2018, and is now a senior advisor for Americans For Prosperity Action, said he thinks Zenzinger may have voted for more liberal bills than her constituents would be comfortable with.

But Zenzinger says her record is bipartisan and her independent-minded voters will see through the criticism.

“They just don’t buy into those kinds of partisan attacks,” she said. To buttress her support, she also landed the endorsement of the pro-business, conservative-leaning Colorado Chamber of Commerce.

Though unaffiliateds now make up over 40% of her district, there are still slightly more Democrats than Republicans in it. Zenzinger also has a significant fundraising edge, having hauled in eight times more money than her Republican opponent Lynn Gerber,

The Senate Chamber at the Colorado State Capitol on Jan. 8.

PHOTO BY KATHRYN SCOTT/ SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN

according to campaign finance records analyzed by The Colorado Sun. Campaign funds allow candidates to spend on materials like mailers and flyers and also serve as an indicator of how much support they have and how well their campaign is run.

Bridges faces challenge in Arapahoe In the eyes of many Republicans, their next-best chance for picking up a seat is District 26 in Arapahoe County, which is held by Greenwood Village Democrat Jeff Bridges.

Bridges, who previously served in the House, was appointed to the seat in 2019 after the resignation of his predecessor, Daniel Kagan.

November’s election will provide all voters in his district with their first chance to weigh in on that appointment. But many Republicans see their chances in that district as even less favorable than in the race to unseat Zenzinger.

Like Zenzinger, Bridges has a large fundraising edge, raising more than 10 times what Republican challenger Robert Roth has collected, according to campaign finance records.

Arapahoe County was long a politically moderate part of the state, but Democrats swept into power in that area in 2018, led by U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, who defeated five-term Republican incumbent Mike Coffman. Voters also pushed out other Republicans, including Sheriff David Walcher, County Clerk Matt Crane and state Rep. Cole Wist.

Democratic lawmakers and strategists believe they are likely to hold

Bridges’ seat. Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, said he thinks Bridges has served his district well and hopes he will be rewarded for it. “He is a good, solid representative of that community,” Fenberg said.

Republicans, meanwhile, are most vulnerable in a formerly friendly seat.

Republicans are two seats away from a majority, but that’s only if the party is able to hold on to all of its other seats. In all, 18 seats are in play this cycle. And on paper the breakdown would appear to favor Republicans.

GOP incumbents occupy four seats up for grabs, Democrat incumbents hold seven, and seven others are open.

But two of the Republicans seeking reelection are facing tough challenges from Democrats and one of the open seats, formerly held by a Republican, is at risk of switching loyalties.

Open race in Centennial Republicans’ most difficult defense is likely Senate District 27, where Sen. Jack Tate, of Centennial, is stepping down. Vying to replace him is Republican Suzanne Staiert, who strategists from both sides say will have her work cut out for her to defeat Democrat Chris Kolker.

Staiert is a former deputy secretary of state who recently litigated the ethics case brought by a conservative nonprofit against former Gov. John Hickenlooper. She’s running in part on her role helping to create Colorado’s mail-in voting system during her time in the secretary of state’s office.

SEE SENATE, P4

Elbert County News 3

0August 27, 2020

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4 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

Indie food show ready for Amazon Prime time ‘What’s on the Menu?’ features Parker restaurant

We didn’t plan the timing of all this.

We hope, with this release, it will help those seven businesses in growing and recovering.

BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

What is the next step for you?

We plan to start scouting for Season Two in Tennessee. When we first started to scout, COVID happened, so we’re on a hold until everything is back, and until everything is open there’s nothing we can really do. We have to see what restaurants survive the pandemic. All seven (Denver) locations are still open, so that makes me happy. For them it’s tough to survive something like this, and they’ve fared pretty well.

An independent food series starring a former Parker resident is now available to the public.

“What’s on the Menu? With Michelle Ullmann” is available on Amazon Prime Video after two years of shooting and editing. Michelle Ullmann hosts the show teaching viewers complex intricacies of the restaurant business.

Ullmann features seven Denver-area restaurants, from Aurora to the Tech Center to downtown. The first episode in the series features La Baguette de Normandy, a French bakery and restaurant in Parker.

Ullmann and her family moved from Parker to Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the beginning of the year to begin shooting Season Two of the series in the Nashville area. Shooting has been delayed due to COVID-19, Ullmann said.

The Parker Chronicle interviewed Ullmann about her journey to bring “What’s on the Menu?” to life.

What was your initial reaction?

Relieved, and also a little bit stressed.

Now that it’s out there, are we going to grab the viewers’ attention now? It feels really, really good to be done with the “doing” of the show for Season One. I’m a little stressed for the next step, and that’s back to the producer hat, and I’m also excited for Season Two.

What has life been like for you as you look toward the next season?

Fairly hectic. We have four kids, who have been doing virtual schooling for the first day. We got them settled into school and got them packed. My father had been sick, so we’ve been back and forth between Arizona. My husband does a lot of the editing, working probably 40-50 hours a week at his day job and working for me 20 hours on the weekend. He’s been supportive and working more hours than I’d want to ask him for.

What do you do this for?

We want to support that idea that … everybody has their favorite chains — they are tried and true — but when you go somewhere new, ask a local because they’re going to be the ones that know the best locally owned places to eat.

They’ll happily tell you nine times out of 10. They love to talk about it. All you have to do is ask.

Michelle Ullmann, host of “What’s on the Menu? With Michelle Ullmann” is preparing for her second season on the show in Tennessee as the first one, featuring a Parker restaurant, is officially available to stream on Amazon.

COURTESY PHOTO

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But Staiert said she isn’t getting much help from the Republican Party and instead is leaning on friends to help her win the Arapahoe County district. “I don’t have party activists,” she said.

She’s been outraised by Kolker, and even if she wins, Staiert said she thinks she will likely be legislating from the minority. “I think it’d be tough to take the majority,” she said.

“We’d need to pick up two more seats.”

Kolker sought a seat in the state House in 2018, but came up short in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Susan Beckman. Kolker is a financial planner and former high school teacher.

More tough challenges for GOP Republicans also have potentially vulnerable incumbents in northwest Colorado’s District 8, held by Bob Rankin, and the eastern Adams County District 25 represented by Kevin Priola.

Each incumbent has outraised his Democratic challenger so far but will need to attract a significant portion of the unaffiliated vote to win.

Rankin will need over 40% of unaffiliated voters to pick for him, according to an analysis by Republican strategist Ben Engen. There’s some disagreement among strategists and legislators about how vulnerable Rankin is, but all political strategists who spoke with The Sun said his race was among the most competitive on the map.

Rankin, who moved from the House to fill the vacant GOP seat

earlier this year, is running against Western Slope attorney Karl Hanlon, who lost in the 2018 Democratic primary for Colorado’s 3rd U.S. House district.

In state Senate District 25, which includes Thornton, Priola will need just under 60% of unaffiliateds to vote for him, according to Engen’s analysis.

His Democratic challenger is Paula Dickerson, a longtime teacher.

Priola is a moderate Republican who often serves as a bipartisan vote on more Democratic-led legislation. But Democrats say they’re still hoping to knock him out of office.

“When you’re playing for the majority, you’re playing for the majority, and every seat counts,” said Ian Silverii, executive director of the liberal group ProgressNow Colorado.

But in an election year that has been shaken by a racial reckoning, an economic disaster and a pandemic that has killed over 160,000 Americans, a lot could change in the months between now and Election Day. In interviews with The Sun, multiple senators emphasized the volatility of the race, and said they’re looking for a curveball that could shift the race in their favor.

Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, a member of the Senate Republican leadership team, said he’s an “eternal optimist” and his party will continue to fight for seats through Nov. 3.

“They say in politics 90 days is a lifetime,” Lundeen said.

Colorado Sun correspondent Sandra Fish contributed to this report.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. Used by permission. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com.

Elbert County News 5

0August 27, 2020

COUNTY FROM PAGE 1

hospitalization, and Elbert County’s two-week cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was rated as very high by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

“Face masks are crucial to control the pandemic,” said Smith.

“Please wear them when outside your home and encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do so. The science of how to slow or stop the pandemic has been settled for months, and it’s safe to say that every health expert now recommends face masks.”

Smith also advises against attending large indoor gatherings, especially at nonessential venues like bars.

In spite of the escalating numbers, Elbert County’s government doesn’t seem inclined to enforce the mask order, and Elbert County Sheriff Tim Norton has said his officers will not respond to calls of people trespassing on private property without wearing a mask. Elizabeth Police Chief Stephen Hasler and Elizabeth officials have said they will adhere to the mask order, and officers will respond to calls of trespassing on private property without a mask.

“What we have is an executive order that mandates people in private public areas have to wear a mask,” Hasler said when the order went into effect. “When you look at that, it’s basically

Confirmed COVID-19 infections in Elbert County showed an increase in July. It is believed the uptick was due, in part, to large gatherings during the Independence Day holiday weekend, said Dwayne Smith, director of Elbert County Public Health.

COURTESY GRAPH telling a business that if someone comes into your business, they have to wear a mask. If not, you can ask them to leave. If we get called and somebody’s refusing to leave, if we can’t bring them into voluntary compliance, we will give them a trespass ticket.”

According to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommendations, a two-week positivity rate of 5% or lower is recommended for resumption of typical activities.

As of Aug. 10, Elbert County was at nearly twice the recommended rate at 9.02%.

“We now know that the virus

can become airborne — within tiny, suspended droplets called aerosols,” said Smith. “And infect people beyond six feet, especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces where aerosols are trapped and build up. The risk outdoors is lower, but not zero.

The many ways that COVID-19 spreads challenge virtually every effort to control transmission among individuals and groups.

This is especially true in indoor spaces. Therefore Elbert County Public Health is urging residents to avoid large crowds, observe physical distancing, wear masks inside and outside and continue vigilant hand washing.”

‘The science of how to slow or stop the pandemic has been settled for months, and it’s safe to say that every health expert now recommends face masks.’

Dwayne Smith, Elbert County Public Health director

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6 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

Colorado, other states trim health programs amid COVID-19

BY MARKIAN HAWRYLUK KAISER HEALTH NEWS

HOW TO GET HELP If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As a teenager, Paulina Castle struggled for years with suicidal thoughts. When her mental health was at its most fragile, she would isolate herself, spending days in her room alone.

“That’s the exact thing that makes you feel significantly worse,” the 26-year-old Denver woman said. “It creates a cycle where you’re constantly getting dug into a deeper hole.”

Part of her recovery involved forcing herself to leave her room to socialize or to exercise outside. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made all of that much harder. Instead of interacting with people on the street in her job as a political canvasser, she is working at home on the phone. And with social distancing rules in place, she has fewer opportunities to meet with friends.

“Since the virus started,” she said, “it’s been a lot easier to fall back into that cycle.”

Between the challenges of the pandemic, the social unrest and the economic crisis, mental health providers are warning that the need for behavioral health services is growing. Yet faced with budgetary shortfalls, Colorado is cutting spending on a number of mental health and substance use treatment programs.

Across the country, the recession has cut state revenues at the same time the pandemic has increased costs, forcing lawmakers into pain-

ful decisions about how to balance their budgets. State legislatures have been forced to consider health care cuts and delay new health programs even in the midst of a health care crisis. But many lawmakers and health experts are concerned the cuts needed to balance state budgets now could exacerbate the pandemic and the recession down the line.

“Health care cuts tend to be on the table, and of course, it’s counterproductive,” said Edwin Park, a health policy professor at Georgetown University. When there’s a recession, people lose their jobs and health insurance, he noted, the very moment when people need those health programs the most.

‘Everything has to be on the table’ In Colorado, for example, lawmakers had to fill a $3.3 billion hole in the budget for fiscal year 2020, which started July 1. That included cuts to a handful of mental health programs, with small overall savings but potentially significant impact on those who relied on them.

SEE HEALTH, P7

Paulina Castle of Denver uses weekly routines to manage her mental health — made worse from isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. “We need to start treating mental health the same as we do physical health,” she says. “This is an issue we need to stop keeping in the dark.”

COURTESY OF PAULINA CASTLE VIA KHN

IS SEEKING A NEW OWNER $1.00 115-43

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• 125 Years Old

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6 | LIFE: PAGE 11

PERIODIC AL

FROM SWAN DIVES TO FIGURE EIGHTS

Denver’s Smith Lake once was a yearround resort P11

ISSUE 28

Census workers continue counting in Elbert

County still has abou 7,000 responses to t go

BY TABATHA STEWAR T SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Under usual stranger appeacircumstances, if a red at your ing a mask, door wearyou worry. But this might have reason to year, due to and the fact that is a censu COVID-19 there’s a good s chance that year, stranger is a census workemasked a visit to ensur r paying e that Elber citizens get t County counted.

Census takers are hired from communitie local s, the masked so there’s a chance stranger is one of your neighbors.

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SEE CENSUS, P8

We seek a motivated buyer that understands the importance and need of quality journalism in Elizabeth and Elbert County. We will train the right person and help them through this transition.

Please contact Jerry Healey at 303-566-4076 or jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com for additional information.

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Elbert County News 7

0August 27, 2020

HEALTH FROM PAGE 6

They cut $1 million from a program designed to keep people with mental illness out of the hospital and another million from mental health services for juvenile and adult offenders. Lawmakers reduced funding for substance abuse treatment in county jails by $735,000 and eliminated $5 million earmarked for addiction treatment programs in underserved communities. And that’s all on top of a 1% cut to Medicaid community providers who offer health care to the state’s poorest residents.

Some of those cuts were offset by $15.2 million in federal CARES Act funding allocated to behavioral health care programs. But some programs were completely defunded.

Cuts were targeted primarily at programs that hadn’t started yet or hadn’t been fully implemented. The rationale: Those cuts wouldn’t have as deep an impact.

Doyle Forrestal, CEO of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, which represents 23 behavioral health care providers, worries that resources won’t be there for an emerging wave of people who have developed mental health or addiction issues during the pandemic.

“People who are isolated at home are drinking a lot more, maybe having other problems — isolation, economic despair,” she said. “There’s going to be a whole new influx once all of this takes hold.”

State legislators said they tried to avoid cutting programs that would hamper the response to the pandemic or the economic recovery.

“There was a desire on both sides to do everything we could to protect health care spending in Colorado,” said state Rep. Dylan Roberts, DAvon. “But when you’re looking at across-the-board cuts, everything has to be on the table.”

Every state is facing a similar conundrum. With tax filing deadlines pushed back to July 15, states are unsure how much income tax revenue they will collect.

So in addition to cutting back where possible, states are raiding discretionary funds — Colorado repurposed money from the tobacco settlement and marijuana taxes — to shore up their budgets. States are also tapping rainy day funds, which, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, grew to record levels after the 2008 recession.

New policies delayed Overall, at least 43 states have made some changes to facilitate access to Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program as many people have lost their job-based health insurance in the COVID crisis. And in late June, voters in Oklahoma approved expanding Medicaid to more residents. But since the start of the pandemic, states including Kansas and California have put off plans to expand eligibility for Medicaid, which provides health care to lowincome people.

“These are symptoms of states that can’t deficit-spend, despite this great need for more coverage,” said Sara Collins, vice president for health care coverage and access at the Commonwealth Fund, an independent health policy research foundation based in New York. “If they spend more in one area, that means cuts in another.”

Colorado has had an aggressive health agenda in recent years but had to defer plans for a public health

insurance option that could have provided a more affordable plan for people buying insurance on their own.

The legislature killed a proposal to create an annual mental health checkup. The measure would have cost the state only $13,000, but Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signaled he wouldn’t sign any bills that included new mandates for insurance companies.

State Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, who sponsored the checkup measure, was disappointed.

“Not every one of us is going to catch COVID, but every single one of us will have a mental health impact,” she said.

Long-term implications Once the economic crisis eases, Roberts said, lawmakers will look to restore funding to some of the programs they cut.

But cuts are often easier to make than to restore — as illustrated by cutbacks made during the 2008 recession, according to Georgetown’s Park.

“Many cuts were never fully restored, even though we were in one of the longer economic expansion periods in our country’s history,” Park said.

He also worries many of the smaller primary care and behavioral health providers, who saw fewer patients come through their doors because of stay-at-home orders during the pandemic, might not survive.

“That means less access to care, including routine care like vaccinations,” he said. “If kids aren’t vaccinated, they may be more vulnerable to flu and measles, making them more vulnerable to COVID-19. That makes it more difficult for a stressed health care system to try to deal with a potential second wave of infections.”

The longer-term mental health toll may be harder to catalog.

Castle, for one, has focused on establishing routines to help her manage her mental health during the pandemic. Every Wednesday night, she plays games online with her friends. And every Friday night, she and her boyfriend build a fire in the backyard.

“If I know people are expecting me to be somewhere at 6 o’clock, that obligation encourages me to go out,” she explained. “There are days it’s a struggle. I have to focus on baby steps.”

Still, Castle worries about others who may be struggling during the pandemic. She has signed on to work with the Colorado chapter of Young Invincibles, which lobbies for health care, higher education and workforce policies to help young adults. Even as states and the federal government have found the money to help hospitals and doctors treat the physical effects of the COVID pandemic, she doesn’t see the same commitment to treating its mental health toll.

“We need to start treating mental health the same as we do physical health,” she said. This is an issue we need to stop keeping in the dark.”

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This story is from Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. Used by permission. For more, khn.org.

Help keep our community strong during COVID-19 Concerns about COVID-19 shouldn’t stop you from getting needed medical care for yourself or your family. Don’t hesitate to visit your doctor for preventive care or call 911 if you have an emergency.

Sometimes it’s the little things that can keep us all safe and healthy.

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.

Review ways to stay safe and healthy at tchd.org/coronavirus

Douglas County mobile COVID-19 testing locations open Sept. 1 STRIDE and Douglas County will begin offering mobile testing in Douglas County starting on Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Swabbing and antibody testing are available to individuals with or without health insurance. To preregister, learn when and where testing is available, and more please visit douglas.co.us/covid19-testing/events For information about other testing providers near you visit douglas.co.us/covid19-testing-locations

Election Year 2020 Student Art Content The Douglas County Elections Division invites local youth to submit their original drawings, paintings, or graphic design to express what America and our democratic process mean to them. Deadline is Sept. 18, for the rules and an entry form visit douglasvotes.com

US Highway 85 improvements Construction is under way to widen and improve US 85 between Sedalia (SH 67) and Louviers in Douglas County.

The project will ease congestion, improve access to side streets and left turn lanes, improve drainage, enhance safety, add wildlife fencing and build a new bridge. For more information and a schedule of work visit douglas. co.us and search for US 85.

Labor Day holiday closure Douglas County offices will be closed Sept. 7 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Visit DoItOnlineDouglas.com for a list of online services.

Visit douglas.co.us

8 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

LOCAL

VOICES

Lesson still unknown as pandemic year schools us all

T

he title of the assignment was intentionally dumb: “How I Spent My Summer Vacation,” a holdover from the grade school writing projects many of us QUIET were assigned.

DESPERATION It was the first assignment in the fall semester of the advanced drawing class I taught for years as a university professor and it was always a success. It was a perfect introduction to the top Craig Marshall drawing students in the school. Or an Smith immediate indicator that a student had reached a level they were incapable of maintaining for 16 weeks.

I’ve reminisced about that project this summer and wondered what a wall of drawings might look like, were I still teaching.

Masks and ventilators? Street protests? Empty stadiums? Cabin fever in quarantine?

Believe or not, the project was very challenging. Every day, we do a hundred or more things that might become a memory. Any memory can become an image in the hands of someone who is creative.

T

Sifting through ideas is what all artists do. “Artists” includes inventors, lyricists, architects, and anyone else who has to make choices for a living.

If you were asked to sift through your 2020 summer and represent it with a drawing on a single piece of paper, what would it look like?

Generally, the drawings I looked at were scenes from a vacation, something like that. Rarely were they dark.

One young woman had the temerity to depict her breakup with a married man.

After I retired I was asked now and then to sub or make an appearance as a guest artist. And once I was asked if I would be interested in teaching an online drawing course.

It sounded like madness and I said so.

The intimacy of instruction in an art room is absolute, I thought: no exceptions.

Now look.

Almost everything we once considered normal is now something else, and that includes schools and schooling.

What if school buildings disappeared and all students were educated at home? Or not? Truancy would be easy as pie. Ferris Bueller could

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

take off for months at a time.

I know someone who teaches at Overland High School. My best friend is a dean at the University of North Texas.

That’s as close as I am to what the school year might actually mean.

I hope to be around long enough to find out what the 2020 educational data that was collected and analyzed

determined.

That’s something the National Center for Education Statistics will do.

Is it possible our children will be better educated at home or in environments outside of a typical classroom?

It seems very unlikely, doesn’t it?

Further, the absence of socialization might have a huge impact on, well, learning how to socialize, get along and coexist.

Have you ever wanted to flip a switch and see the future? Where’s Rod Serling?

My friend in Texas does not foresee higher education ever being the same again.

What else? Anyone who experienced depression before the pandemic isn’t likely to be singing show tunes right now.

Every day I ask myself, “What can I do?”

Realistically, this is about it. Along with journalists all over the country, I am trying my best to continue to provide crucial information to our readers.

Have you heard about that new corduroy pillow? It’s making headlines.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

The positive evolution of professional selling

hink about a time when you decided not to get behind a cause, chose not to buy into an idea or plan, or decided not to make a purchase of a product or WINNING service. When I ask WORDS people why they chose not to participate, buy in, or make the purchase, one word comes up most of the time: trust. Or rather a lack of trust.

They either didn’t trust or believe in the cause, they Michael Norton didn’t trust the plan, they didn’t trust the person selling them the product, they didn’t trust the product or service, or they didn’t trust the company to stand behind the product or service.

In a recent virtual sales training session that I participated in, the facilitator shared a graphic showing how people viewed certain professions regarding trustworthiness.

Would it shock you to learn that salespeople were seen as the least

trustworthy of all the professions listed? It did and it did not shock me.

It did not shock me because salespeople have endured a negative stigma for a very long time. Whenever a group of people are asked for words that they think of when they think of salespeople, they typically come up with words like: slimy, sleazy, dishonest, liar, unprofessional, and many more derogatory characterizations.

It did shock me because I have been around a lot of salespeople over the past three decades. And as I look back at the evolution of professional selling, I have seen how salespeople have evolved, and how companies have become increasingly selective in making sure they hire and develop professional salespeople. More and more companies are investing in the people they hire in providing the right skillsbased training. They provide them with industry and product knowledge to make sure that they represent themselves and the company professionally.

I meet with salespeople every day.

These meetings take place virtually and the salespeople are trying to

JERRY HEALEY President

A publication of

Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ElbertCountyNews.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100

DAVID L. THOMPSON Marketing Consultant

to make sure their cameras are on, and I ask them a different question.

I ask them what they see as they look around at all the faces on the screen and how they would describe the salespeople on their team. What I hear from people these days are words like: professional, honest, integrity, successful, great attitude, achiever, smart, and more positive and affirming words. The world has changed, and so has the profession of selling. The world will continue to change, and so will the salespeople as they work towards earning and maintaining our trust.

How about you? Have you seen how salespeople have grown and changed? Are you in sales, and if so, have you noticed the positive difference in yourself and in your team? I would love to hear your trust story at mnorton@tramazing.com, and when we live and work from a foundation of trust, 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.

mharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110

sell me something that they believe I might need or want. When I agree to take a meeting, I do so for two reasons. First, I may actually have a need or desire for a product or service they are selling. Second, I like to see how salespeople are selling. Are they connecting with me, are they professional, are they actively listening, do they ask me relevant questions, do they have their facts and data right?

Are they earning my trust?

And I have to tell you that for the most part, today’s salesperson is very professional, they are well educated on their offerings, even in a virtual setting they are engaging and making great eye contact. They ask relevant questions and take good notes. And they follow up, doing what they said they would do, when they said they would do it. All of this contributes greatly to earning my trust.

It has been said that there are five primary reasons people choose not to buy something, or not to buy into something. No Time, No Want, No Money, No Need, but the number one reason is No Trust.

So now when I am on a virtual sales training session, I ask everyone

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Elbert County News 9

0August 27, 2020

Cycling event survives with move to Castle Rock Young competitors tackle 6-mile course at Miller Park

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Dave Muscianisi did not know if he would be able to put on the Colorado Junior Cup in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The three-year-old youth cycling competition is typically held in Bailey after nine to 12 months of planning.

Muscianisi, the race founder and director, could have held the competition in Bailey again this year if he ran the races as a time trial, he said. That would have meant a competitor would leave the start chute every two minutes, but that was not an ideal format, he said.

Muscianisi was ready to cancel.

Then he got word Castle Rock would allow him to hold his race in town with a set up more similar to a traditional mass start.

Muscianisi organized his event in three weeks, and on Aug. 15, young cycling enthusiasts took on a 6-mile course at Philip S. Miller Park.

“We just wanted to have an event that brought kids together,” Muscianisi said.

Despite evading cancellation, the Colorado Junior Cup looked different this year, Muscianisi said.

He blocked out the day’s schedule to try and limit crowd sizes. Cyclists can register to compete in the event as soon as they are able to walk through age 18. Races for the four age brackets were scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m. and go past 2:30 p.m.

He spaced the finish and start lines 2,000 feet apart. Spectators were discouraged from congregating at either. Registration was held in The Millhouse building a suitable distance from the course, he said.

In other years, the young cyclists pile on top of each other at the start line when their race is ready to begin.

To scale that down Muscianisi set up “a monstrously long start chute,” he said, lining cyclists up four across and spacing their rows apart.

About 250 racers competed in the Colorado Junior Cup this year, roughly 25 more than last year.

Taya Tousley, of Golden, was beaming after finishing second in the girls 11-to-14 age bracket. The 10-year-old typically finishes in third or fourth, she said, and was excited to see improvement.

She started racing roughly two years ago an instantly fell in love with cycling, she said.

“I like that I get to push myself and I just really enjoy the sport,” she said.

Racers wait at the start line during the Colorado Junior Cup cycling race.

“I try to go to every race that I can.”

The Colorado Junior Cup was her first race in nearly a year, as the pandemic cancelled events in the past few months, she said.

“It feels really, really good to race again,” she said.

Tony Tousley, Taya’s father, said he almost did not bring his family to the event. A lieutenant for Aurora Fire Rescue, Tousley said he understands the health risks of COVID-19.

“It’s hard, it’s just such an unknown time right now,” he said. “There’s mixed feelings for sure.”

Tousley launched a small startup called TAIR Cycles, a custom bike shop based in Golden, after Taya’s passion for cycling ignited. He specializes in custom, lightweight bikes built specifically for juvenile cyclists.

While running a tent at the 2020 race, Tousley spaced his display bikes six feet apart, wore a mask and tried to follow social distancing, he said.

As a small business, cycling events give him a critical opportunity to spread the word about TAIR, he said.

He also considered that competitors were children and wanted them to have “a little bit of normalcy,” he said.

Both issues were ultimately what swayed him into attending the 2020 Colorado Junior Cup. “You hope people are being responsible,” he said.

Cyclists take off at the start of one race during the 2020 Colorado Junior Cup in Castle Rock’s Philip S. Miller Park.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GIBBS

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

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Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

Dave Muscianisi, race director, cheers on a competitor during the 2020 Colorado Junior Cup in Castle Rock.

10 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

STATE FROM PAGE 1

In all, Weiser’s staff has sent four cease-and-desist orders to organizers for violating size limits on large events, said Weiser spokesman Lawrence Pacheco on Aug. 19.

‘Double standard’ alleged The state’s response to the Weld County rodeo prompted a conservative blog, Colorado Peak Politics, to argue that protests received a “free pass” on crowd-size enforcement and that Polis looked the other way when it came to “mobs rallying their Democrat base.”

That complaint echoed other conservative writers in recent months, including in an op-ed piece in Colorado Politics magazine by businessman Barry Farah, a 2018 Republican candidate for governor, that spoke of a “clear double standard” in the state’s treatment of protesters. An opinion piece by U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican of Windsor, made a similar point about protests nationwide.

Protests amassed in the downtown Denver area for at least two weeks in late May and June following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer, an incident that sparked nationwide unrest.

Protests that also focused on criminal justice issues in Colorado — such as the death of Elijah McClain in August 2019 following an encounter with Aurora police — continued into at least late July in the metro area.

In some cases, the demonstrations saw crowds of thousands. Denverarea protests are often organized and advertised on social media.

Under Colorado’s safer-at-home order, gatherings of more than 10 people in public and private spaces are prohibited, but crowd sizes can be larger in numerous circumstances depending on the activity or business, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Under the safer-at-home order, outdoor events — including receptions, fairs, rodeos and concerts and others — can allow up to 175 people, excluding staff, per designated activity with a minimum of 6 feet between individuals or non-household contacts.

‘Right to protest’ Weiser’s office and the state publichealth department declined to respond to questions from Colorado Community Media about complaints of political bias and why protests should be treated differently than other types of large gatherings.

Polis’ office did not directly address those questions but provided a statement in response.

Polis “respects every Coloradan’s right to free speech. The governor has been very clear that we are still experiencing a global pandemic, and if people choose to exercise their right to protest, they need to wear masks, practice social distancing, and get a free and easy test afterwards,” said Conor Cahill, a spokesman for Polis.

Despite Polis’ support for the motivation for protests, he worried about the effect of large demonstrations on the spread of COVID-19 and encouraged participants to get tested. The governor stressed the importance of wearing masks and staying 6 feet from others.

“Health experts tell me (the protests) could result in hundreds of new cases,” Polis said at a June 2 news conference.

As a dramatic rise in the state’s rate of new COVID-19 cases took shape in

A crowd of about 200 gathered in O’Brien Park in Parker on June 4 for a demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd and racial injustice in America. The protesters lay down for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time Floyd was pinned down by his neck while in Minneapolis police custody.

PHOTO BY NICK PUCKETT

Public health community backs protests despite virus risk

Demonstrators gathered May 28 at the Colorado state Capitol in Denver to protest the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

June, Polis pointed partly to protests as a driving factor.

“Our uptick, like the major spikes in other states, is largely among the younger demographic,” Polis said at a June 30 news conference. “I think it is partially attributable the bars and nightclubs and also potentially to the large public gatherings and the protest movements that we’ve seen outside.”

Earlier that month, Polis didn’t characterize the protests as playing a large role in Colorado’s outbreaks, saying “there’s some evidence that” some of the people involved in a Boulder outbreak attended marches.

“We don’t necessarily have that same information from Denver,” Polis

said at a June 24 news conference. “We believe it was associated with large get-togethers and parties.”

Asked how large a role protests played in Colorado’s June and July spike in COVID-19 cases, the state public-health department put the focus on Coloradans’ wider socializing compared to earlier in the pandemic.

“The increase in cases last month is likely due to a change in behavior, including socializing in larger groups, especially if without proper physical distancing or mask-wearing,” said an Aug. 20 statement from the Colorado State Joint Information Center, which includes staff from the state publichealth department.

An event decrying racial injustice gave way to protests in Castle Rock on June 2.

PHOTO BY JESSICA GIBBS

Elbert County News 11

0August 27, 2020

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12 Elbert County News

LOCAL

LIFE Some area venues bringing back live music Musicians reflect on challenges of COVID-19

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

I

t was Feb. 24 when Jason Justice and his four bandmates in Gumbo le Funque, a New Orleans-style funk group, believed they were each coming down with the flu. Their symptoms came on right during Mardi Gras season, the band’s busiest time of year, and for days, the group played long strings of gigs as their symptoms grew worse.

Looking back on the events, Justice isn’t surprised that he and his bandmates soon learned they had COVID-19. But at the time, the news was unexpected — and the band had no way of knowing that the illness they were facing was just the beginning of a long struggle that Justice says is far from over.

“The whole bottom fell out of the industry,” said Justice, the band’s lead singer and saxophone player.

He listed the major hurdles the band has faced: The two-and-a-half-months shutdown in which local musicians weren’t playing at all; the many venues that have stayed closed throughout the summer; and an ongoing Denver County order requiring performers to wear masks, preventing those who play brass or wind instruments from

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Band members of Riverside Drive, drummer Sean Hartel, bassist Amy Brophy and guitar player Daniel Brophy, at a gig at Morrison Holiday Bar at the end of June 2020.

COURTESY OF AMY BROPHY

performing in Denver.

Now, there are only two places Justice has been performing in the area, he said. In August, he’ll play two gigs and in September, three — less than a third of the number of gigs he played over the same two months in 2019.

Across the board, bands are facing a different extent of what Justice calls a disaster, based on the band’s following, whether it’s a local, regional or national act and other factors.

But regardless of how deeply musicians have been affected by COVID-19, Denver artists agree: No one’s made it unscathed, making every show a blessing.

“By the time March rolled around, we had to cancel three months’ worth of shows,” said Amy Brophy, bassist in rock, blues and alternative band Riverside Drive. “Even now, 90% of our venues are able to pay what they did last summer. It’s been a big step back for a band trying to gain momentum, but we’re so grateful these venues are having live music at all.”

Despite the discouraging nature of the challenges local musicians have faced over the past five months, those challenges made it all the more rewarding this summer, when musicians have been able to return to the stage. As he considers the hurdles, Justice remembers a night a couple of months ago, when he and a fellow musician played their first gig since Feb. 29.

“For the two of us to be able to play music together, it was really incredible. Music is the reason I get up in the morning and put my horn together and keep practicing, keep writing,” he said. “There are gigs coming back, but it’s been a wild ride.”

The state of live music now Not all venues in the Denver area that previously had live music have brought that element back, or even reopened at all. Justice said several of his regular venues have told him that, due to the cost of opening at limited capacity, they plan to keep their doors shut until March or April of 2021.

However, the state of Colorado does have guidelines, last updated in June, for those who choose to reinstate live music. The guidelines require that

patrons are seated 25 feet or further from performers.

Working within these guidelines hasn’t been possible for every area venue. But for some, like Blue Spruce Brewing Company, bringing back live music has been both possible and a priority in recent months.

The brewery, which has locations at 4151 E. County Line Road in Centennial and 10577 W. Centennial Road in Littleton, held its first show since the pandemic on July 4 and has been inviting more musicians to play since then.

“Even from last year, we doubled our sales (made during live shows) just because people are dying to experience live music,” said co-owner Theresa Kane.

In the Littleton location specifically, the brewery holds weekly shows on Thursday nights on its patio, which it expanded to accommodate social distancing through a county variance.

During shows, guests fill the patio and some bring lawn chairs and listen to musicians while staying six feet apart in the parking lot, Kane said.

“They’re excited to get out of the house and be able to do something different that’s not in their house or just eating at a restaurant,” she said.

“We’ve been known for our music and since we could bring it back, we did.”

As they navigate the new normal for live music, venues have tried a variety of new tactics. For instance, Herman’s Hideaway at 1578 S. Broadway in Denver has taken a slow approach to reintroducing shows, has asked musicians to bring their own microphones and even had one singer stand behind a Plexiglas barrier during a performance, said talent buyer Chris Thomas.

“We’re a little bit more on the cautious side,” he said. “It’s not business as usual. But the community in general has had a desire to make it work, and I’m optimistic.”

Just as much as the teams at Herman’s Hideaway and Blue Spruce Brewing wanted to restore a part of normal life for guests, they also reinstated the music for the benefit of local musicians.

“The musicians I have brought back

August 27, 2020A

WHERE TO FIND LIVE MUSIC The following is a list of some venues in and around Denver that currently offer live music on a regular basis: Jake’s Roadhouse, 5980 Lamar St., Arvada Rockabillies Bar and Grill, 12363 W. 64th Ave., Arvada Colorado Cork & Keg, 971 Park St., Castle Rock Blue Spruce Brewing Company, 4151 E County Line Road, Centennial Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver Herman’s Hideaway, 1578 South Broadway, Denver Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St., Denver In the Zone, 15600 W. 44th Ave., Golden The Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Ave., Golden The Rusty Bucket Bar and Grill, 3355 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood Fraco’s Bar, 5302 South Federal Circle, Littleton Lincoln Station Coffee/Pizza/Music, 9360 Station St., Lone Tree @ Cheers, 11964 Washington St., Northglenn Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 E. Main St., Parker Takoda Tavern, 12365 Pine Bluffs Way, Parker Hoffbrau Colorado, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster are so excited to be able to play and they’re very grateful,” Kane said.

Local restaurants’ and bars’ commitment to hiring musicians when they can has made all the difference for many of the acts in the area, including Twenty Hands High, a country and southern rock band that plays in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and other regional states.

The two-and-a-half months that CW Wooten, guitar player and singer in the band, couldn’t play any gigs, “it was like sliding into a complete halt,” he said. “It was awful to be cut off from your fans and even your bandmates.”

About $25,000 worth of gigs were canceled for Wooten, including shows as far in advance as September.

That said, since the summer began, things have been looking up for the musician and his fairly well-known band, which has tens of thousands of followers on Facebook. In July and August 2019, Wooten played 32 gigs; in July and August 2020, he’ll play 29.

Not all venues can pay their typical rates, he added, but many are trying their best to do so.

“We did 150 shows last year, and we’re on track do more than 100 shows this year,” Wooten said. “Outdoor venues are probably the biggest thing keeping live music going right now because you have a little more leeway with the restrictions.”

Considering that, Wooten said it’s important for musicians that the rate of COVID’s spread declines before the winter months, when outdoor venues will no longer be an option.

He remains optimistic, adding how grateful he’s been for venues’ support and his fans’ support — even some higher-risk fans have found ways to listen to outdoor shows by setting up in nearby parks, away from crowds, he said.

Similarly to Wooten, Brophy said she hopes the industry could rebound — she just doesn’t know when.

“I think a lot of people will retain that fear, but my hope is that we will return to normal because we have to move forward,” she said. “That our fans are going to get out there and weather the storm, that’s the hope and the dream that most musicians are holding onto.”

Elbert County News 13

0August 27, 2020

FUNDRAISER FROM PAGE 1

while we were washing their cars they could go inside and bid or make a donation.”

The officers’ efforts paid off. By the end of the day they tallied $5,000 worth of donations to Halley’s family.

Despite officers being sunburned and exhausted, Hasler said it was worth the effort, even though the amount raised is a drop in the bucket compared to the outrageous bills the family will face.

“When her mum texted me last month and said she’s been diagnosed with leukemia, I couldn’t believe it,” said Hasler. “I said: `You know, whatever we can do, let’s do it.’ I spoke with her parents and grandparents and we were talking about the medical costs and it was just astronomical, and there is a lot that isn’t covered by health insurance.”

In addition to a free car wash, some residents walked away with some unique items won through the silent auction. Hasler auctioned off his “bobby” hat, which he wore during his service in London. Other items included an EPD basket full of swag, and a basket of personal

protective gear.

Hasler gave a shout-out to EPD Cmdr. Melvin Berghahn, who came up with the idea for a fundraising car wash, as well as community members who came out to support the cause.

Halley attended the first academy the department held, and liked it so much she returned for a second time.

Hasler invited her to be the student speaker at the academy graduation, and she stood in front of nearly 100 people and recited the law enforcement code of ethics. Hasler said if she decided to pursue a career with EPD he would love to have her, but more than anything he just wants her to be healthy.

“My guys looked like rhubarb the next day,” said Hasler. “They all has mask tans.”

Donations are still being accepted via a gofundme page set up by Cynthia Peters on behalf of the Chaine family at www.gofundme.com/f/expenses-forthe-chaine-family.

“Halley’s diagnosis blew us away.

It stops your world,” said Jessica Chainé, Halley’s mother. “But there have been some incredible glimmers of light I’ve seen through this, and the Elizabeth Police Department has been amazing. I can’t even say how much their generosity and time they gave means to us.”

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

Opera on the asphalt in Englewood

BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Siuzanna Iglidan of Englewood was supposed to perform at the Los Angeles Philharmonic this summer, in her dream role in Bizet’s “Carmen.”

But COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans.

With opera performances canceled for the foreseeable future, the Ukrainian-born mezzo-soprano soloist treated her neighbors to a world-class performance in a church parking lot on Aug. 1.

Accompanied at times by her friend Tanya Palamarchuk, Iglidan’s

dulcet voice lilted from the parking lot of the Seventh-Day Adventist church at Lincoln Street and Radcliff Avenue, drawing neighbors from their homes to hear a performance seldom heard by those not in a tuxedo or ball gown.

“This is my gift to the community,” Iglidan said. “Music can bring people together and touch their hearts, and I think we all need that difficult times like these.”

Iglidan covered a wide range in the hour-long revue, with selections like “Amazing Grace,” a piece by Schubert and another from “Samson and Delilah.”

“How often do you get to hear music like this in Englewood?” said Leslie Appiah, who came to see Iglidan perform with her husband and two children. “Normally this would cost hundreds. I love exposing my kids to culture. It’s a blessing.”

Answers

Solution © 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Renowned soloist performs in parking lot as ‘gift for the community’

THANKS for

PLAYING!

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14 Elbert County News

August 27, 2020A

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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 15

0August 27, 2020

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Real Estate Miscellaneous 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) 4545279. 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

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Legals City and County Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR SMITH REZONE & NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION FOR SMITH MINOR SUBDIVISION (CASE NUMBER: RZ-19-0105 & MD-19-0107) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT PROPERTY AT 34995 COUNTY ROAD 17 SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR A REZONE FROM AGRICULTURAL (A) TO AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL (AR), PURSUANT TO ELBERT COUNTY REGULATIONS. THE HEARING IS TO BE HELD BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE 15TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2020, BOTH VIA ZOOM AND IN-PERSON: •

ZOOM: MEETING ID: 924 6226 4200; PASSWORD: 941559; PHONE: +17209289299,, 92462264200#,, 0#,, 941559# • IN-PERSON: IN THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING AT THE ELBERT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, 95 UTE AVENUE, KIOWA, COLORADO, AT 7:00 P.M., OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE. -ANDTHE HEARING IS TO BE HELD BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONES ON THE 23RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2020, IN THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING AT THE ELBERT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, 95 UTE AVENUE, KIOWA, COLORADO, AT 1:00 P.M., OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE CHECK THE COUNTY WEBSITE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE. AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION WILL BE MADE BY THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON THE REFERENCED MINOR SUBDIVISION BY: OCTOBER 7, 2020 CONTACT ELBERT COUNTY COMMUNITY & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION: 303-621-3136.

Notice is hereby given pursuant to C.R.S. 29-1109 that a public hearing regarding supplemental appropriations for Elbert County Government will be held on September 9, 2020 at 9:00am in the Board of County Commissioners Hearing Room located at the Elbert County Administration Building, 215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, CO 80117.

Legal Notice No. 24417 First Publication: August 27, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

No. 24416 salaries Public Notice Supplemental Appropriation to 2020 Budget

The Consolidated Association governs the common interest community and is described as follows:

Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

Lots 1 through 4, Everitt Minor Residential Development, HOA, And

Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission and Board of Trustees shall hold public hearings concerning a site plan for the property described in Exhibit A and generally located at 783 Crossroads Circle, pursuant to the Town of Elizabeth Land Development Ordinance.

Lots 1 through 3, Kitty Hawk Hills, HOA, And Lots 1 through 11, Rocky Mountain Airpark Estates, HOA, And

The public hearings are to be held before the Planning Commission on September 15, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. and Board of Trustees on September 22, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon as possible thereafter. The public hearings shall be held virtually at

Everitt Airfield Association, LLC as to Tract “A”, Rocky Mountain Airpark Estates

Including, but not limited to, the recorded plats thereof, as the same may have been amended, Elbert County, Colorado

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87650214130?pw d=M2N1M2E2ZjdENVZ4KzcvVHJRYnhoZz09 on September 15th and https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82982867836?pw d=djVKdDNpZVlzdUNCVTRIK3J0WlZ4QT09

At least two-thirds of the Owners of Lots or of the Associations listed above, who are also all of the Members of the Consolidated Association, have consented in writing to the adoption, filing and recording of the above listed documents. To obtain a copy of the Documents, please contact:

on September 22nd, or at such other time or place in the event this hearing is adjourned. Further information is available through the Town Community Development Department at (303) 646-4166.

Howard J. Beck; BECK, PAYNE, FRANK & PIPER, P.C.; 3025 S. Parker Road, Suite 200; Aurora, CO 80014; Telephone: (303) 750-1567; Facsimile: (303) 750-7530; Email: mail@beckpayne.com.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS MAY ATTEND. EXHIBIT A (legal description) LOT 10, ELIZABETH CROSSROADS BUSINESS PARK

Legal Notice No. 24412 First Publication: August 20, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

A PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 7, TOWNSHIP 8 SOUTH, RANGE 64 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M.,

Name Changes

TOWN OF ELIZABETH, COUNTY OF ELB STATE OF COLORADO

PUBLIC NOTICE Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name

Legal Notice No. 24418 First Publication: August 27, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS: LOT 2, SMITH-HUCK SUBVISION COUNTY OF ELBERT, STATE OF COLORADO. Legal Notice No. 24415 First Publication: August 27, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

AMENDED MEMBERSHIP BY-LAWS, AIRFIELD OPERATION AND SAFETY REGULATIONS AND PLAN OF MERGER OF EVERITT AIRFIELD ASSOCIATION, LLC; EVERITT ESTATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION; KITTY HAWK HILLS HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION; AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRPARK ESTATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND CONSOLIDATED DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS.

Public notice is given on July 22, 2020, that a Petition for a Change of Name has been filed with the Elbert County Court.

Misc. Private Legals

The Petition requests that the name of Amelia-ann Read Garripoli be changed to Amelia-ann Blaisy Read.

Case No.: 2020 C 20

Public Notice

Gena L. Parker, Clerk of Court By:Jafeen Jenkins, Deputy Clerk

AUGUST 20, 2020: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Members of the Everitt Airfield Association, LLC; Everitt Estates Homeowners Association; Kitty Hawk Hills Homeowners’ Association; and Rocky Mountain Airpark Estates Homeowners Association have, on a meeting held on July 30, 2020 approved the following:

Legal Notice No: 24409 First Publication: August 13, 2020 Last Publication: August 27, 2020 Publisher: Elbert County News

Elbert County Legals 8.27.20 * 1

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ColoradoCommunityMedia.com 303-566-4100

Elbert County Legals 8.20.20 * 1

16 Elbert County News

LOCAL

August 27, 2020

SPORTS

Coronavirus changes world of sports recruiting Adjustments needed because of shifting schedules for high school sports

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Coronavirus has impacted Colorado sports — high school, college and professional — and the future is also uncertain.

Recruiting of high school athletes has to be adjusted since the Colorado High School Activities Association divided its sports into four seven-week seasons, with traditional fall sports of football, boys soccer, gymnastics and field hockey being moved to spring.

College coaches are challenged and have had to go online to virtual visit with potential. High school athletes have to be diligent about sending films to colleges.

Boys golf, boys tennis, softball and cross country are currently being played in what is called Season A in the latest CHSAA release. Season B will run from early January to March and includes basketball, girls swimming, spirit and wrestling.

Season C will be contested between March 1 and May with boys soccer, unified bowling, girls volleyball, football, baseball, girls golf, girls soccer and boys and girls lacrosse being played.

ThunderRidge football coach Doug Nisenson says the NCAA needs to alter the national signing dates after Colorado’s high school football season was moved to spring.

COURTESY PHOTO

Baseball, girls golf, lacrosse, girls soccer and track and field will be held in Season D from late April to late June.

Doug Nisenson, football coach at ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, says the NCAA needs to alter the national signing dates after the football season was moved.

The early signing date for Division I football is currently on Dec. 16, 2020 with the regular signing period on Feb. 2, 2021. Division I men’s basketball signing period ends May 19, 2010

and all other sports on Aug. 1, 2021.

“Right now our coaches are waiting to hear what the NCAA changes are going to be,” said Nisenson. “If the NCAA doesn’t move signing day we’re going to play our season after signing day.

“It is obviously going to impact recruiting from the standpoint if colleges are potentially interested in a kid and we want to see his senior films, unless they are interested enough that we aren’t going to get senior film and offer him then there’s

the high probability they are going to miss out on that.”

The recruiting impact will be felt more by the mid-level players rather that the highly regarded prospects.

“Obviously if you are kid that is hoping to get a little scholarship money to go to a smaller school and play DII football or get an academic scholarship and play DIII football, if you didn’t have tape as a junior that’s going to be really difficult unless the signing date is moved and coaches are given that time to evaluate, watch tape, go to games and do all the things that they would normally do,” said Nisenson.

Doug Schafer, girls volleyball coach at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch, said colleges and players have to make adjustments without camps hosted by colleges and national tournaments which attract many recruiters.

“The colleges have to make adjustments by having to rely more on tape,” he said. “The players have to adjust by being more specific with their tape and having it be a little more important and also do the best they can to be seen in the spring when there are going to be some national tournaments.”

Arapahoe boys and girls soccer coach Mark Hampshire termed the whole situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic as “frustrating, disappointing and sad.”

“Not being able to play high school sports in a timely matter will have an impact,” he continued.

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