Elbert County News 1210

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December 10, 2020

ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

ElbertCountyNews.net

VOLUME 125 | ISSUE 45

Some businesses buck trend amid pandemic

BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Despite rising numbers of COVID cases nationwide, and increased restrictions being put on businesses, some business owners in Elbert County say they are actually seeing an increase in sales this holiday season, as residents are turning to local businesses rather than large retailers.

“We haven’t really seen an impact on our business,” said Sarah Bonds, manager of the family-owned business Holly Acres Nursery. “In fact, I think because people are staying home, it’s given them time to work on their yards.

And we’ve had several people tell us they have made an extra effort this year to come see us and shop local.”

While the majority of the business at Holly Acres is outdoors, Bonds said they have made some changes to ensure the safety of their staff and customers, including opening a second tree lot on Main Street in Elizabeth.

“I think Christmas is really a happy focus for people right now,” said Bonds. “With our social distancing for the holidays we opened up a second lot on Main Street, so people have the option to visit either of our locations.”

SEE BUSINESSES, P5

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10

CARES Act helps community during pandemic

BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Mr. and Mrs. Claus pose with Saturn, a popular employee at Holly Acres Nursery, durCOURTESY OF SARAH BONDS ing a social distancing visit to the farm.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March of this year, offering reimbursement to municipalities for COVID-related expenses incurred through the end of the year. Elbert County was allotted nearly $2.3 million through the national program. The program is in a form of reimbursement for COVIDrelated expenses, and funds must be awarded through the county before Dec. 30.

With the number of positive COVID cases continuing to rise in the county, some of the CARES Act money is being used to buy extra personal protective equipment, according to Sam Albrecht, Elbert County manager.

“We bought more PPE than we thought we would need initially,” said Albrecht. “Nobody projected this increased surge to be as high as it is. But we have enough funds to buy all the PPE we think we’ll need going forward. What we’re running into now is that every emergency SEE CARES, P5

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

Many holiday attractions in the metro area carry on despite pandemic P10

2 Elbert County News

December 10, 2020D

COVID-19 contact tracing apps not gaining much traction Many Americans steer clear of smartphone technology that fights disease spread

BY RAE ELLEN BICHELL KAISER HEALTH NEWS

The app builders had planned for pranksters, ensuring that only people with verified COVID-19 cases could trigger an alert. They’d planned for heavy criticism about privacy, in many cases making the features as bare-bones as possible.

But, as more states roll out smartphone contact-tracing technology, other challenges are emerging.

Namely, human nature.

The problem starts with downloads. Stefano Tessaro calls it the “chicken-and-egg” issue: The system works only if a lot of people buy into it, but people will buy into it only if they know it works.

“Accuracy of the system ends up increasing trust, but it is trust that increases adoptions, which in turn increases accuracy,” Tessaro, a computer scientist at the University of Washington who was involved in creating that state’s forthcoming contact-tracing app, said in a lecture in October.

In other parts of the world, people are taking that necessary leap of faith. Ireland and Switzerland, touting some of the highest uptake rates, report more than 20% of their

populations use a contact-tracing app.

Many Americans balk Americans seem not so hot on the idea. As with much of the U.S. response to the pandemic, this country hasn’t had a national strategy. So it’s up to states. And only about a dozen, including the recent addition of Colorado, have launched the smartphone feature, which sends users a notification if they’ve crossed paths with another app user who later tests positive for COVID-19.

Within those few states, enthusiasm appears dim. In Wyoming, Alabama and North Dakota, some of the few states with usage data beyond initial downloads, under 3% of the population is using the app.

The service, built by Google and Apple and adapted by individual countries, states or territories, either appears as a downloadable app or as a setting, depending on the state and the device. It uses Bluetooth to identify other phones using the app within about 6 feet for more than 15 minutes. If a user tests positive for COVID-19, they’re given a verification code to input so that each contact can be notified they were potentially exposed. The person’s identity is shielded, as are those of the people notified.

“The more people who add their phone to the fight against COVID, the more protection we all get.

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Everyone should do it,” Sarah Tuneberg, who leads Colorado’s test and containment effort, told reporters on Oct. 29. “The sky’s the limit. Or the population is the limit, really.”

But the population could prove to be quite a limit. Data from earlyadopter governments suggests even those who download the app and use it might not follow directions at the most critical juncture.

According to the Virginia Health Department, from August to November, about 613 app users tested positive and received a code to alert their contacts that they may have exposed them to the virus. About 60% of them actually activated it.

In North Dakota, where the outbreak is so big that human contact tracers can’t keep up, the data is even more dire. In October, about 90 people tested positive and received the codes required to alert their contacts. Only about 30% did so.

Researchers in Dublin tracking app usage in 33 regions around the world have encountered echoes of the same issue. In October, they wrote that in parts of Europe fewer people were alerting their contacts than expected, given the scale of the outbreaks and the number of active app users. Italy and Poland ranked lowest. There, they estimated, just 10% of the app users they’d expect were submitting the codes necessary to warn others.

“I’m not sure that anybody working in this field had foreseen that

that could be a problem,” said Lucie Abeler-Dörner, part of a team at the Big Data Institute at England’s University of Oxford studying COVID-19 interventions, including digital contact tracing. “Everybody just assumed that if you sign up for a voluntary app … why would you then not push that button?”

So far, people in the field only have guesses. Abeler-Dörner wonders how much of it has to do with people going into panic mode when they find out they’re positive.

Clarity of instructions questioned Tessaro, the University of Washington computer scientist, asks if the health officials who provide the code need more training on how to provide clear instructions to users.

Elissa Redmiles, a faculty member at the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems who is studying what drives people to install contacttracing apps, worries that people may have difficulty inputting their test results.

But Tim Brookins, a Microsoft engineer who developed North Dakota’s contact-tracing app as a volunteer, has a bleaker outlook.

“There’s a general belief that some people want to load the app so that they can be notified if someone else was positive, in a self-serving way,” he said. “But if they’re positive, they don’t want to take the time.”

SEE TRACING, P4

Elbert County News 3

0December 10, 2020

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December 10, 2020D

Prizes could add to holiday cheer Elizabeth accepting entries for seasonal lights contest

BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Elizabeth residents who decorate their yard, house or business can win a gift card from a local merchant during the town’s Lights of Hope holiday lights contest. Decorations will be judged by Elizabeth High School students, who will be caroling around town on Dec. 21 from 4 to 8 p.m.

First prize in the home category will win a $50 gift certificate from a local merchant, second place will receive a $25 gift certificate and third place will receive a $15 gift certificate. The business category will include one winner, who will receive a $50 gift certificate.

All entries must be within Elizabeth town limits, and entries must be received before 5 p.m. Dec. 17. To enter send name, address, phone number and email address to pgonzales@townofelizabeth.org, or call Pat Gonzales at 303-646-4166.

TRACING FROM PAGE 2

Abeler-Dörner called the voluntary notification a design flaw and said the alerts should instead be automatically triggered.

Even with the limitations of the apps, the technology can help identify new COVID cases.

In Switzerland, researchers looked at data from two studies of contact-tracing app users.

They wrote in a not-yet-peer-reviewed paper that while only 13% of people with confirmed cases in Switzerland used the app to alert their contacts from July to September, that prompted about 1,700 people who had potentially been exposed to call a dedicated hotline for help. And of those, at least 41 people discovered they were, indeed, positive for COVID-19.

In the U.S., another non-peerreviewed modeling study from Google and Oxford looking at three Washington state counties found that even if only 15% of the population uses a contacttracing app, it could lead to a drop in COVID-19 infections and deaths. Abeler-Dörner, a study co-author, said the findings could be applicable elsewhere, in broad strokes.

“It will avert infections,” she said. “If it’s 200 or 1,000 and it prevents 10 deaths, it’s probably worth it.”

That may be true even at low adoption rates if the app users are clustered in certain com-

munities, as opposed to being scattered evenly across the state.

But prioritizing privacy has required health departments to forgo the very data that would let them know if users are near one another. While an app in the United Kingdom asks users for the first few digits of their postal code, very few U.S. states can tell if users are in the same community.

Some affiliate with schools Some exceptions include North Dakota, Wyoming and Arizona, which allow app users to select an affiliation with a college or university. At the University of Arizona, enough people are using the app that about 27% of people contacted by campus contact tracers said they’d already been notified of a possible exposure. Brookins of Microsoft, who created Care19 Alert, the app used in Wyoming and North Dakota, said that offering an affiliation option also allows people who’ve been exposed to get campus-specific instructions on where to get tested and what to do next.

“In theory, we can add businesses,” he said. “It’s so polarizing, no businesses have wanted to sign up, honestly.”

The privacy-focused design also means researchers don’t have what they need to prove the apps’ usefulness and therefore encourage higher adoption.

“Here there is actually some irony because the fact that we are designing this solution with privacy in mind somehow pre-

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vents us from accurately assessing whether the system works as it should,” Tessaro said.

In states including Colorado, F Virginia and Nevada, the embedded privacy protections mean no m one knows who has enabled the t contact-tracing technology. Are they people who barely interact h with anyone, or are they essen- fi tial workers, interacting regular- a ly with many people that human s contact tracers would never be w able to reach? Are they crossing o paths and trading signals with other app users or, if they test a positive, will their warning fall t silently like a tree in an empty $ forest? Will they choose to notify a people at all? a Colorado’s health department a said it’s issuing thousands of COVID codes a day. As of Nov. 18, w 3,400 people have used the codes A to notify their contacts, it said. i An automated system issues codes for positive COVID-19 tests even if the infected people don’t have the app, making it impossible to know how many users are acting on the codes.

“I have hope that the vast majority of Coloradans will take this opportunity to give this gift A of exposure notification to other b people,” said Tuneberg. “I believe t a Coloradans will do it.” a This story is from Kaiser Health e t News, a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program t p of Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser c Permanente. Used by permission. p s For more, khn.org.

Elbert County News 5

0December 10, 2020

CARES FROM PAGE 1

management office in the country is trying to get PPE.” Elbert County has enough PPE on hand for employees at the county offices, sheriff ’s deputies, caseworkers and nursing home workers. Albrecht said they are also staying in contact with fire districts, schools and any other agency that might need help.

Nearly $600,000 in funds have been allotted to help business owners in the form of grants, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. The county has also used funds to help individuals affected by COVID, including utility assistance and grocery deliveries.

“We’re still sitting pretty good with the CARES Act funds,” said Albrecht. “Our plan going forward is to take the applications we’ve got

BUSINESSES FROM PAGE 1

Visitors to the gift shop at Holly Acres, which is a small space, are being allowed in only one family at a time, and employees all wear masks, and ask that customers wear masks as well. According to Bonds, customers have been respectful of social distancing and wearing face coverings.

“Our customers have been fantastic,” said Bonds. “The level of patience and people that we’ve had come through, and the kindness in people’s hearts. It’s amazing the response we’ve gotten even though it’s

in right now and get them processed before December 30. If the state does another round and we get more money we’ll open the grant up for another round.”

The Town of Elizabeth received $54,000 in CARES Act allotment, and Grace Erickson, assistant town administrator, said the town has enough PPE and cleaning supplies to last for the next several months.

“We have a good supply of PPE, especially for the police department, and cleaning supplies for all of our facilities,” said Erickson.

The town has also used some of the money to reimburse credit card transaction fees to residents when they pay their water bill.

“Before COVID there was a transaction fee,” said Erickson. “Now we reimburse those to our water customers, so they can pay with a credit card instead of coming into the office.”

The town also had to update their technology to support a remote work environment, which included purchasing laptops, programs such as Zoom, Bluetooth speakers and cameras. Town hall now has a wall with a window in the front office, to provide a buffer between the front desk staff and members of the public. Town hall remains open for appointments only.

“We’ve also purchased air filters for all of our buildings, and are using some of the funding for COVID testing for our staff,” said Erickson.

Albrecht and Erickson both wanted to remind residents that there are resources available through the county for residents who have been affected by COVID. Anyone with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the Elbert County Public Health at www.elbertcountyco.gov/health_and_environment. php.

been a tough year.”

The nursery had to scale back its Christmas festival due to the coronavirus. Santa was on hand for pictures, but the activities that usually fill the day were omitted this year.

“Everybody was really happy that we were still able to do something,” said Bonds.

The Carriage Shoppes, a cooperative of about 20 local vendors who sell antiques, home decor items and handcrafted gifts, has seen overwhelming support from customers.

“We are totally blessed here,” said the manager of the Shoppes. “We are having a wonderful Christmas season. The shop has been here since 2005 and we have always done really

well throughout the holidays. But this year has been even more extraordinary than before.”

Mary Martin, the new director of the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, said she’s happy the community is supporting their local businesses, and plans to do the same herself.

“It is exciting to be a part of the Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce and to support the many businesses, especially during the busy holiday season,” said Martin. “As I prefer to do my shopping locally, I look forward to visiting and patronizing the businesses in the coming weeks. Let’s work together to support our local businesses.”

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6 Elbert County News

December 10, 2020D

High-end kennel makers find unique niche Married couple’s company creates personal connection with customers

BY AMANDA HANCOCK THE DENVER GAZETTE

Maybe you’ve never given much thought to dog kennels. Or cared how they looked.

That’s OK. Bethany Rathman cares enough for all of us. She found wire kennels — you know, the type of kennel that automatically pops in your mind — to be so unattractive that she decided they were never meant to be inside a home. So her husband, Brody, got to work crafting a kennel out of wood and pieces of metal that looked more like fancy furniture found in a magazine than a place for dogs to hang out.

A photo of that first kennel was shared on social media. It went viral. That was before Brody and Bethany had a name for their business or a website. When they launched B&B Kustom Kennels, their website bbkustomkennels.com crashed from all the views.

“It kind of blew up,” Bethany says.

They were featured on HGTV. The Washington Post called, and so did Country Living.

A TV show was in the works in 2018, but it wasn’t good timing. Bethany just found out she was pregnant with their son.

Labradoodles Gracie and Pyper pose for a portrait inside their B&B Kustom Kennels PHOTO BY CHANCEY BUSH/THE GAZETTE Doggie Den at their home in Monument.

Since launching the business five years ago, the Rathmans have created a world where attractive dog kennels not only exist, but are in high demand around the country. In their world, thousands of followers also believe that “wire kennels are ugly.” In their world, that phrase might have to be in quotes because

it’s trademarked. And, instead of kennels, they’re called “Doggie Dens,” which is another patent.

Made in Larkspur All of the Doggie Dens are made inside a 2,000-square-foot unmarked shed at the end of a gravel driveway in Larkspur. Bethany’s parents live

in the house a few steps away.

Inside, there are sounds of sanding and sawing and that “Sunflower” song by Post Malone. It’s always busy as Brody and his team of guys, a mix of childhood and college friends, churn out eight or 10 kennels per week.

New orders go on a wait list that’s 25 weeks long.

The Doggie Dens come in eight different stains and a range of sizes to fit dogs of all sizes.

Bethany says she isn’t sure why the kennels, which start at a price of $899, are so popular.

“I would honestly love to know,” she says with a laugh.

Stephanie Bush, a longtime friend and B&B’s social media manager, has an idea.

“It’s honestly them as a couple,” Bush said. “People love their story.”

Their story starts at Taylor University in Indiana, which brought together a California girl who played volleyball and a Chicago boy who played baseball. They became best friends. And then they fell in love.

They moved to a small town in Colorado to be close to Bethany’s parents. He got a corporate desk job and she started teaching and coaching volleyball at a middle school.

Then, in 2015, the couple adopted 8-month-old Labradoodles named Gracie and Pyper. Since Brody had just renovated their house in Parker, SEE KENNEL, P7

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Elbert County News 7

0December 10, 2020

KENNEL FROM PAGE 6

Bethany wanted everything to fit their aesthetic. And wire kennels weren’t doing the trick.

“I just thought they were ugly and an eyesore,” Bethany said. “We’re the kind of people who ask, `How can we improve this? What’s a solution to this problem?’”

Even when people started showing interest in the handcrafted kennels, the husband-and-wife team weren’t thinking that big.

“We thought maybe we’d build one a month to help us pay off our student loans,” Bethany said.

Taking the plunge Soon, Brody was working 20-hour days to keep up with orders on top of working his corporate job. They built kennels in their 450-square-foot garage and invited friends to move in and help.

Then it came time for a huge risk.

They sold their house. Sold everything. And moved in with Bethany’s parents. All to focus on growing B&B. “We had something that is doing well, so we thought, `Let’s go for it,’” Bethany said.

It paid off.

They’ve since both quit their other jobs. Brody is B&B’s head builder and Bethany handles the business side. Among her duties, she makes a point to call each person who orders a kennel. As a result, most customers know their names. Followers have watched their 2-year-old son

grow up.

“I think people like that that they’re investing in us and the story,” Brody said.

And he thinks people like that the product is not only made in America, but made by a bunch of guys with beards in a small Colorado town.

Most importantly, the Rathmans invented a product that’s highly sought after.

As Bush, the company’s social media manager, pointed out, the Doggie Dens seem to have attracted the perfect blend of dog lovers and home decor lovers.

“There are people who want to spoil their dog and then there are people who want their house to be beautiful,” she said. “Both kinds of people want one of these.”

Brody and Bethany, who live in Monument now, say they’re focused on keeping up with the business and hopefully moving into a bigger shop soon. They’re planning on starting a retail line, too.

Talking to the couple, it’s easy to see why a TV show might be in their future.

They often get compared to Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of “Fixer Uppers.”

“But I’m more Chip, and he’s more Joanna,” Bethany says. “He’s the more laid-back one.”

Their followers love their dynamic all the same.

“They’re so hardworking and they’re so stinkin’ cute,” Bush said.

“It’s really a good marriage.”

For more stories like this, subscribe at denvergazette.com

Keep It Up, Douglas County!

Douglas County communities are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Your COVID safety measures make a difference. Learn more at douglas.co.us/douglascovid19/keepit-up-douglas-county

COVID-19 Impact Grants available Applications are being accepted for the Nonprofit Grant Program until Dec. 18, and the Restaurant and Indoor Event Venue Grant and Small Business Grant Programs until Dec. 30. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. To review eligibility details and deadlines for each program and apply visit douglas. co.us/cares-act

Community COVID-19 testing events through Dec. 30 COVID-19 swabbing and antibody testing with or without health insurance are available at locations throughout the County. To preregister and to learn more visit douglas.co.us/covid19-testing/events.

For information about other testing providers visit douglas.co.us/covid19-testing-locations

Need help with home heating costs?

Eligible low-income households in Douglas County may apply for energy assistance through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). For more information visit douglas.co.us and search for LEAP or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

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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.

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8 Elbert County News

LOCAL

December 10, 2020D

VOICES From one’s perspective, two’s a crowd

F

ew remember Love, a 1960s Los Angeles rock band. They had a number of minor hits, including “My Little Red Book,” “7 and 7 Is,” and “Alone Again Or.” “Alone Again Or” was released in January 1968.

It initially peaked QUIET nationally at 123, but went as high as DESPERATION No. 7 where I was: in Los Angeles.

It’s worth a listen as a background to this column.

Hearing it now, I’m back in college — and, as now, living alone.

According to data Craig Marshall Smith collected by the U. S. Census Bureau in 2018, “There are an estimated 35.7 million single-person households in the United States.”

That’s one-third of us.

Growing up in suburban neighborhoods, I don’t recall many single-person households.

It’s likely the majority in my

area now live in townhomes and condominiums.

I’m a single-person home owner and I live right next to one, but I don’t think there’s another on the block.

Why do so many of us live alone?

Lots of reasons.

I prefer it. There are no compromises or conflicts. None.

There were conflicts in our home when I was a teenager. Plenty.

The atmosphere was invariably tense.

Why did my mother and father remain together? That’s what couples did back then. They stayed together through thick and thin and more thin.

I had a front row seat to “All in the Acrimony.”

While I prefer to live alone, many don’t, but do because of the loss of a loved one, or because their children have grown up and departed.

For those and others for whom the holidays might be particularly difficult to face alone this year, a recent article in The New York Times had a few suggestions.

Ivy Kwong said, “Plan ahead.

Don’t wait until the holiday is upon you to make a plan. Come up with something you’ll do on the day of the holiday: bake cookies, order take-out, work on a jigsaw puzzle, binge a podcast, watch your favorite movie.”

Kwong is a Seattle-based marriage and family therapist who specializes in healing codependency and inter-generational trauma.

I think doing any of those things as a plan would accentuate a perception of isolation. I might be wrong.

In the same article, Ayanna Abrams, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in creating healthy relationships, encourages singles to “Accept whatever feelings bubble up.”

I guess that means you should stay off the roof and go easy on the Smirnoff.

Living alone means I do everything around here. The laundry, yardwork, all the shopping, vacuuming. I reset the pins and thaw the goose.

And I wouldn’t have it any other

way.

Guess who said the following?

“I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.”

As it is now, I have the mobility and the health to live alone. The day may come when I have neither.

Then what?

Kwong, I’m planning ahead.

There’s one more level to living alone and that’s living alone without love. That’s something I won’t kid about.

In my case, I have a sufficient number of friends who care about me.

And I have Harry. To paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche, life without Harry would be a mistake. I’d get me one if I were you.

My mailbox is always open, if someone could use a holiday pen pal.

The “delicious solitude” quote is Albert Einstein’s.

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

Realize you are amazing and watch what happens next

H

ere we are, four weeks out from ringing in another New Year. Many of us can’t wait to put 2020 in the rearview mirror. These last 11 months are difficult to describe in one word, it’s even hard to describe them in just a few words without WINNING finding something WORDS negative, sad, or troubling to say, so yes, the rearview mirror analogy could be an excellent way to try and put it all behind us.

However, it’s only a good strategy if we make sure that we can shift our focus Michael Norton on what is in front of us, not only on what’s behind us.

“See, when you drive home today, you’ve got a big windshield on the front of your car. And you’ve got a little bitty rearview mirror.

And the reason the windshield is so large and the rearview mirror is so small is because what’s happened in your past is not near

A publication of

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as important as what’s in your future.” - Joel Osteen Success is a funny thing as we can see others succeeding where we feel like we have not. Whatever they touch turns to gold. They simply have a knack for being successful at whatever they endeavor to do. Even in a difficult COVID year, they were still able to meet with success. What’s the difference? The difference is in the way we see ourselves.

It can become very easy to only see or recognize the mistakes we have made or the unfortunate events that have happened around us. And the weight of carrying those makes it impossible to see ourselves succeeding at anything.

The rearview mirror becomes our lens of failure even though that big windshield of opportunity is right there in front of us. And as Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is an event and not a person. Yesterday really did end last night.” Here’s the thing, I do not know you, but I do know that you are amazing and not a failure. I know this because someone who only sees themselves as failing would have

already given up and stopped reading this column two paragraphs ago.

The biggest life-changing lesson for me happened when someone encouraged me to see myself differently. I had a mentor who taught me to take an inventory of my talents and skills, which was helpful. But the better exercise was to make an honest assessment of the gaps in my talents and skills so that I could take the time and make the effort to improve my situation. It’s fair to say that it was humbling to admit my shortcomings, but it was also freeing and inspiring. Recognizing that the only difference in looking in the rearview mirror instead of the massive windshield in front of me, was the belief in myself.

The way we see ourselves is the way we will see our future. If the past feels like a boat anchor, we need to cut the chain. Because the way we see our past is not nearly as important as the way we see our future. And our future begins with the way we see and believe in ourselves. And we are amazing.

With just a few weeks to go in

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the year, this is an excellent time to take an inventory of who we are and our capacity for accomplishment. It’s a fantastic time to look through the windshield, understanding that it is more about what happens next than what has happened in the past. As a matter of fact, Clemson University football coach Dabo Swinney, says it this way, “No matter what’s behind us in the rearview mirror, it’s always about what’s next.”

How about you? What’s your role in what happens next? Are you looking at what has happened, or are you focused on what can happen? And I may not know you personally, but I do know that you are amazing and I would love to hear your story at mnorton@ tramazing.com. Just remember that when we can believe in ourselves and our role in what happens next, 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 Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

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Elbert County News 9

0December 10, 2020

Lawmakers churn out 10 COVID relief bills About $280 million dedicated to various assistance measures in special session

BY MICHAEL KARLIK THE DENVER GAZETTE

The Colorado General Assembly approved a COVID-19 relief package of 10 bills on Dec. 2, ending a threeday special session that Gov. Jared Polis called to fill the gaps left by Congress’ inaction.

The assistance measures, which ranged from providing support to child care operators and food pantries to capping fees charged for food delivery, amounted to approximately $280 million in funding.

“Coronavirus is real. It is deadly,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, on the final day of debate. “We know that the state of Colorado can do better — can and must do better — to keep people alive. But we also have to do our part to support these small businesses and pull together money from various places to provide as much support as we can.”

Polis’ call for a special session outlined seven areas for the Legislature to take action: small business, child care, housing aid, broadband, food insecurity, utilities assistance and public health response.

Among other items, the governor specifically asked lawmakers to appropriate money for the disaster emergency fund, allow restaurants and bars to retain up to $2,000 per month in sales tax revenue, and enhance internet access for educators and schoolchildren — all of which the General Assembly did.

The measures headed to the governor’s desk are:  House Bill 1001 will provide $20 million to create a broadband grant program for school districts to expand internet access. Money must be distributed by Feb. 1.  House Bill 1002 authorizes $45 million in grants to operators of child care centers through two separate programs. The first covers expenses for existing operators and the second will assist businesses that are expanding or just starting up. The state must award grants by Feb. 28.  House Bill 1003 provides $5 mil-

lion to food pantries, with the state needing to send out the money by March 31.  House Bill 1004 allows restaurants, bars and vintners to deduct $70,000 of net sales from their taxes, resulting in a retention of approximately $2,000 per month in sales tax revenue for each retailer, up to a limit of five sites. The bill allows retention for November through February.  House Bill 1005 gives authority to counties and municipalities to cap fees that third-party food delivery companies charge to restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation also prevents those companies from cutting the compensation or tips of employees to make up for lost revenue and requires them to disclose to customers any fees or commissions imposed on the restaurants.  House Bill 1006 adjusts several requirements of insurance premium tax payments, intended to make estimates of taxes owed more accurate.  Senate Bill 1 provides $37 million in relief to small businesses with revenue of less than $2.5 million;

$7.5 million to arts and cultural organizations; and $4 million to minority-owned businesses. Grants for small businesses are capped at $7,000, and counties must disburse payments by Feb. 12.  Senate Bill 2 grants $54 million in emergency housing assistance, $1 million in legal eviction aid and $5 million to individuals who are ineligible for other forms of relief, such as unemployment insurance, food assistance or the one-time $1,200 payment from the federal government.  Senate Bill 3 gives $5 million to Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit that provides assistance to low-income households in paying energy bills. It must spend the money by June 30.  Senate Bill 4 transfers $100 million to the Controlled Maintenance Trust Fund for the governor to use for the Disaster Emergency Fund.

The bill is intended to fill the gap left by the slow reimbursement of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for costs the state has incurred.

For more stories like this, subscribe at denvergazette.com

Statewide grant for restaurant tents, heating still available Round 2 of funding was to open Nov. 30

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Gov. Jared Polis, in partnership with the Colorado Restaurant Association and Xcel Energy, announced that applications are open for the Winter Outdoor Grant Program, an effort to help restaurants “winterize” outdoor space for dining, according to a news release.

Round 1 of grant applications has closed, and round 2 was to open on Nov. 30, according to the Colorado Restaurant Association, an organization that supports the state’s foodservice industry. Applications that were not funded in round 1 were automatically moved to round 2 — the association asked restaurants not to resubmit existing applications.

To apply, visit cooutdoordining. org/colorado-winter-outdoor-grantsapplication.

Only Colorado-based restaurants are eligible, and food and bever. age service must be their primary operation, according to the association. Restaurants must be located in Colorado and be majority-owned

by Colorado residents. See the link above for more information.

In mid-October, Polis was joined by the association and restaurateurs to discuss ways to support local restaurants during the pandemic, according to the news release.

“The restaurant industry is critical to the economic health of the State of Colorado, and it’s vital to the well-being of our local communities,” Polis said in the release.

He added: “I hope the public join me in supporting restaurants this winter, perhaps by experiencing these unique winter outdoor dining concepts, or by dining out or ordering takeout or delivery.”

The grant program was made possible by Xcel Energy Foundation and Xcel Energy, which made a $500,000 contribution to the Colorado Restaurant Association Foundation to help support local restaurants through the winter season. In addition to that donation, they also committed to matching donations of $50,000 — up to an additional $250,000 — for every $500,000 raised for the Colorado Restaurant Association Foundation. That’s a possible total contribution of $750,000 from the Xcel Energy Foundation and Xcel Energy, one of the largest gifts the company has made in its history, according to the news release.

To donate to the program, visit cooutdoordining.org.

Grant funds can be used toward design, construction, applicable fees and supplies such as tents, heaters and other expenses related to updating space to suit outdoor diners in cold weather.

Grants can be made only for certain expenses, which include but are not limited to the following: • Architectural or design fees • Construction materials and contractor fees • Tents • Heaters and/or heating equipment or expenses related to heating • Furniture • Lighting • Snow removal • Safety measures and equipment • Cold-weather gear for staff or patrons

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

Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

10 Elbert County News

December 10, 2020D

LOCAL

LIFE

Holiday celebrations amid the pandemic

Some mainstays are canceled, but many beloved events soldier on

BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A

s it has with nearly everything in 2020, the novel coronavirus intends to have its say in how you spend your holidays. But for those willing to brave the elements, to dial back expectations or perhaps even celebrate in the virtual realm, the metro area still has plenty of options to keep the spirit of the season alive. Social distancing and masking will continue to be the order of the day and many events will be scaled back to follow community guidelines, but most of the celebrations people in the area know and love are forging ahead.

Here’s a list of several options that just jingle your bells.

Zoo Lights Zoo Lights is celebrating its 30th season. Spanning more than 80 acres, this annual holiday event turns the Denver Zoo into a sparkling wonderland filled with more than a million lights. Tickets are available online. A limit of five tickets per purchase is in place to comply with city and county safety mandates. Zoo lights will be closed Christmas Day. During the holidays, the zoo will close at 5 p.m., with entry gates closing at 3:30 p.m. and reopening at 5 p.m. for Zoo Lights.

Though no specifics are given, their website says there will be “a host of special measures to keep your family safe and healthy.”

Blossoms of Light Blossoms of Light, the signature holiday event at Denver Botanic Gardens’ York Street location, has

delighted visitors for over three decades. Billed as “a dazzling and everchanging display of light and color,” this year’s event will require visitors to follow COVID-19 precautions.

Masks will be required for anyone over 3 years old, capacity limitations will be in place and social distancing is requested.

Trail of Lights Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms, a rural part of the Botanic Gardens family, gives visitors a choice of two illuminated paths glistening with holiday lights. According to their website, this year’s event will feature synchronized music in the children’s play area, a three-sided light tunnel and a display of illuminated antique and model tractors.

Refreshments will be available for purchase. Covid-19 restrictions will be in place, including limited capacity and timed tickets, social distancing and mask requirements for anyone 3 years and older. Santa, Mrs. Claus, the reindeer, hayrides and crafts won’t be part of the festivities this year.

Christkindl Market The Denver Christkindl Market offers an authentic German holiday experience in Civic Center Park.

According to their website, this year’s event will offer opportunities to meet St. Nikolaus, Krampus and the Christkind (the traditional Christmas gift-bearer in parts of Germany and Austria). There will also be food, drinks, live entertainment and shopping with a decidedly European flair. Local Colorado and international merchants will be on hand to sell artisan gifts and holiday treats. Running Nov. 20 through Dec. 23, the Denver Christkindl Market will operate Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays through Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Starting December 16-23 the Market will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Trees illuminated with vibrant holiday lights at Denver Botanic Gardens. PHOTO BY BOB WOOLEY

Camp Christmas Camp Christmas, the brainchild of local installation artist Lonnie Hanzon, was brought to life in 2019.

Produced with help from Denver Center for Performing Arts’ Off Center, Camp Christmas turned a 10,000-square-foot hangar at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora into an Instagrammer’s holiday dream come true. This year, with COVID-19 restrictions in place and large crowds gathering together no longer an option, the event has shifted gears and reinvented itself as a hybrid digital and mail delivery version of the fictional campground. In a video introduction, Hanzon says “We’ve packed the joy, sparkle and magic of Camp Christmas into an interactive holiday experience that delivers curated crafts, activities and adventures directly to your home and imagination.” Camp Christmas runs through Jan. 5, 2021 and potential campers can begin their adventure on the Camp Christmas website at www.camp-christmas.com.

Christmas at Gaylord Rockies The Gaylord has become a popular holiday destination for families in the metro area to take in spectacular lights and decorations. This year

they will once again be hosting a plethora of events with snow tubing, ice skating, gingerbread decorating, a Build-A-Bear Workshop, scavenger hunt, ice bumper cars, a brand-new “I Love Christmas Movies” event and more. COVID-19 precautions will be in effect, with social distancing, mask wearing for all visitors over the age of 2 and hand-sanitizing stations throughout the property.

More details and online ticket sales can be found on their website.

Canceled The Colorado Ballet has canceled its in-theater production of “The Nutcracker” due to COVID-19.

Instead, ballet fans can catch this year’s rendition on Rocky Mountain PBS. The show will air Dec. 19 at 1 a.m.; Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. and again on Dec. 25 at 12 a.m. (midnight in the wee hours of Christmas morning).

Various holiday events including the annual Golden Candlelight Walk, Lakewood Lights and ice skating at Skyline Park and Belmar have been canceled this year. With COVID-19 rates continuing to rise, city and county restrictions are subject to change, so be sure to check local regulations and websites of events you’re planning to attend in advance.

We rise together to serve our most vulnerable.

These are unusual times. In the midst of change, Catholic Charities knows that no matter the circumstance, our community will always need care and support, love and kindness, dependability and grit. We know there are challenges ahead and we stand ready to help our communities rise.

There is no better time than now to make a difference for our communities through your support.

Join us in our rising, help us help each other.

Visit CCharitiesCC.Org to find out how you can change lives.

GIVE HOPE. RISE.

Help us help each other.

Elbert County News 11

0December 10, 2020

CATALYST CONVENER CHAMPION CHAMBER ADVOCATES FOR RESTAURANTS WITH LETTER TO GOVERNOR Recently, Castle Rock Chamber & the Douglas County

COLLABORATION IS KEY TO SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY

While both the Chamber and DCBA acknowledge the devastating effects of the COVID -19 Pandemic on our state and recognize that difficult public health restrictions need to be considered and adopted, the Chamber and DCBA feel the current Red Level restrictions are disproportionately impacting our small and locally owned main street businesses to the peril of their owners, their customers and the communities they serve.

Collaboration is key to our success, there is strength in numbers! The Town, Economic Development Council, Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Alliance make up the Castle Rock Economic Partnership (CREP). This partnerships was developed to achieve the community's vision through teamwork, performance accountability and commitment to goals and priorities. Working together we can cut through potential road blocks. Collaborating our efforts we can better support our businesses and provide necessary tools to not only survive, but to thrive.

Business Alliance (DCBA) sent letters to Governor Polis in support of reopening our local restaurants, asking for the Governor to strongly reconsider restrictions.

We are seeing this first hand in all of our communities and it is our opinion that the Governor should trust the weight of these difficult decisions to each citizen given the millions of unique circumstances that exist.

The Chamber's partnership with Douglas County, DCBA, Tri-County Health, Town of Castle Rock, Parker & Lone Tree are also looking very closely at Mesa County’s “5star” exemption program. Stay tuned for progress and view updates at CRCStrong.com.

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Get Connected to Leaders & Influencers in our community, Join the Chamber!

Email Pam@castlerock.org/call 303-688-4597 or visit CastleRock.org/Join for more information.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce has made it our top priority to be an advocate for local businesses. Recognized as a trusted pillar in the community, the Chamber works side by side with leaders and influencers in our community to proactively advocate for our businesses. Castle Rock is a businessfriendly community, and we intend to do everything in our power to keep it that way.

We pride ourselves in doing business better here!

As a member of the Castle Rock Chamber, you are a connected, invaluable part of the business community. Members receive development updates and access to accurate, most up-to-date local, county, and state information. Whether it be providing loan assistance guidance, reminding residents to shop local or communicating news from the health department, the Chamber excels in this type of environment. We know our business community is counting on us and we are gladly up for the challenge. Recently we created www.CRCStrong.com to promote ALL local businesses and to provide one central location for COVID-19 resources and information, including state/local guidelines and best practices. Chamber membership is a great investment in the future of Castle Rock, Douglas County and your business. Not already a member, join today!

Since 1955, Castle Rock Chamber has been the voice of business and we will continue to be that constant, calming voice of comfort, letting our business community know they are not alone. As we look ahead we realize we have much yet to achieve in our efforts to advocate for our community. Rest assured we will remain steadfast in our support of workforce development, advocate for small businesses, responsibly supporting and protecting our growing community, and continue serving as a business resource you can trust. Visit CastleRock.org/Join to learn more and become a part of the Castle Rock Chamber Business Community.

12 Elbert County News

December 10, 2020D

Some skiers plan season away from resorts Colorado survey finds fear of COVID, more inclination to use backcountry

Crowds at the base of Arapahoe Basin ski area on Nov. 25.

BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN

Since 2006, Magellan Strategies has polled voters, helping to measure Colorado’s political winds. Last month they turned their analysis to skiers, asking a mountain of questions about the pandemic-muddled season.

The political strategy firm’s survey of 788 Colorado skiers — about 480 of them living near ski areas and the rest hailing from the Front Range — showed a surprisingly large number pondering a season on the sidelines. About 31% of the respondents said they were not planning to ski this season because of the pandemic. And 39% said they had not purchased a pass this season, which means they likely will not be riding chairlifts since most resorts are using day-ticket supplies to control crowds.

The poll, conducted between Nov. 10 and Nov. 16, had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

The skiers who said they were ready to sit out the season cited fears that others might not follow safety guidelines outlined by resorts — like social distancing and mandatory masks — as well as a frustration over reservation systems and

PHOTO BY JESSE PAUL/ THE COLORADO SUN

concerns over costs in a declining economy.

A very large number of skiers thought that skiing would be shut down due to the pandemic at some point this season, with 36% of respondents giving a shutdown a 5050 chance; 29% guessing there was a 75% chance resorts would close; and 18% saying resorts would most certainly close.

“That really does show you there are not a lot of optimistic people out there, with a majority of the community looking ready or assuming it will be shut down at some point,” said David Flaherty, the co-founder and chief executive of Magellan Strategies.

But a majority of respondents — particularly skiers under 25 — expressed trust that resorts would provide quality turns even with new rules to limit the spread of COVID-19. And 69% said they were confident the rules installed to limit

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When asked what kind of rules would help them feel most protected from COVID-19, most skiers suggested protocols that resorts already have planned for the season: limiting capacities, requiring masks, distancing skiers in lines, cleaning and restricting indoor activities and access.

Magellan’s study — which included questions suggested by The Colorado Sun — detailed hundreds of verbatim responses that explored beyond statistics. Those comments about why skiers might avoid riding lifts this season are telling, with both ski-town locals and Front Rangers worrying about a flood of travelers from afar and the spread of the virus in resort shuttles, restaurants and lodges.

“I can go a year without skiing downhill,” said a Park County woman who is “strongly” considering not skiing this season.

“Because travel now is stupid and frivolous,” said a Pitkin County man.

“I will ski no matter what, but it may just be alpine touring in the backcountry,” said a Routt County woman.

Flaherty’s survey also explored if and how skiers planned to explore the snowy backcountry. About 62% said they had skied in the backcountry before. And 81% of the roughly 300 skiers who said they had never ventured into ski terrain beyond a resort boundary said they did plan to do it this season. That mirrors a growing recognition that backcountry use will spike this season as resorts work to control crowds and access during the pandemic.

When skiers who intended to explore the backcountry were asked

about their plans, 42% said they intended to buy avalanche safety equipment and take an avalanche awareness course. About 26% said they planned to take a course, where, by the way, the need for safety equipment like a beacon, shovel and probe pole will be emphasized loudly and frequently.

Of the nearly 500 skiers who had experience in the backcountry, 37% had both safety gear and education; 20% had equipment but no formal avalanche education; and 29% said they had neither gear nor education.

That last number — more than 140 people — saying they had ventured into the backcountry, but had no avalanche education or safety equipment, has Colorado’s searchand-rescue teams on edge. Volunteer rescuers and avalanche educators are worried that an influx of new backcountry travelers in Colorado’s notoriously dangerous avalanche terrain could lead to more incidents and calls for help.

“Avalanche danger is going to be insane, not because of snow but too many people not knowing what they are doing in the backcountry!” an Eagle County man said.

Finally, the survey asked for general thoughts about the upcoming season, and that’s where the long-held animosity between locals and visitors became most apparent.

And beyond worries about the virus, locals are concerned the reservation system at some resorts might limit their access.

“Locals lay the framework yearround. Keep their voice heard in decision-making meetings,” said a Boulder County man.

“I think we should be encouraging less tourists if anything — they’re the ones that are bringing the pandemic here and don’t follow our guidelines,” said a Pitkin County woman.

Flaherty said it was interesting to see the varying viewpoints between skiers near resorts and those who travel to ski.

“Locals really wanted their voice heard,” Flaherty said.

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.

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Elbert County News 13

0December 10, 2020

Holiday series will take place on virtual stage

Littleton Museum Littleton’s annual “Own an Original” show is in place and ready for visitors if and when the Littleton Museum is open to visitors.

(Website says the farms are open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. by reservation.) The farm is open during museum hours for family groups to walk among the animals and buildings — for advance reservations, call 303-795-3950.

Virtual Arts in the Afternoon Lone Tree Arts Center will celebrate “Happy Birthday, Beethoven” with the Ivy Street Ensemble and host Betsy Schwarm at 1:30 p.m.

on Dec. 16, the actual anniversary of Beethoven’s birth in 1770. The ensemble — flutist Cathy Peterson, violinist Erik Peterson and violist Philip Stevens — will present Beethoven’s Serenade, op. 25, plus music by current American composer Kenji Bunch, who was inspired

by Beethoven. Tickets: choose what you pay and tune in right at 1:30 p.m.

The performance will not be available later. Online or box office — lonetreeartscenter.org or 303-805-6800.

‘Nutcracker’ reminder Colorado Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” has remaining free PBS shows — Dec. 18 at 9 p.m.; Dec. 19 at 1 a.m.; Dec. 24 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 25 at 12 a.m. (the wee hours of Christmas morning). May also be streamed during the holidays at the Rocky Mountain PBS app, downloadable at rmpbs. org/pbs-video-app.

Another reminder Submissions to the Colorado Book Awards will be accepted through Jan. 8. Any book published in 2020

by Colorado authors, editors, illustrators, photographers. Categories include anthology/collection, biography, children’s literature, creative nonfiction, fiction, history, nonfiction, pictorial, poetry, young adult literature. Entry forms available at coloradohumanities.org. Also, volunteers are needed to be a selector or judge. Application form at coloradohumanities.org, 303-894-7951.

Depot Gallery news notes Longtime Littleton Fine Arts Guild member Pat Dall is “Spotlight Artist of the Month” for the Guild, and if it were a usual month, she would have a wall in the back room at Littleton’s Depot Art Gallery for her art to be displayed. She has served in many capacities, including president as well as creating her own artwork for display. “It’s a Small World” is a display of miniature works of art displayed at Town Hall Arts Center’s Stanton Gallery.

The exhibit can be viewed online: www.depotartgallery.org/its-a-smallworld.

Answers

Solution © 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

W

hy are we surprised that the always creative Arvada Center has come up with a new holiday entertainment? “The Family Tree: A Virtual Holiday Comedy” deals with the situation may of us are dealing with SONYA’S right now: How can SAMPLER a family gather in this difficult holiday season??? Each performance will feature a live cast — which at times will make mistakes — per director Lynne Collins.

Plays began Dec. Sonya Ellingboe 2 and will run at 7 p.m. through Dec. 20 on Zoom. The cast includes the Arvada Center’s regular Black Box Theatre’s cast members and the script was written by actor/ playwright Jessica Austgen, who will also perform. Ticket prices are based on a pay-what-you-can model, ranging from $20 to $50. One Arvada family has family meetings to discuss how their family traditions are changing ... Cast includes Jessica Austgen, Sean Michael Cummings, Jada Susan Dixon, Tresha Farris, Kate Gleason, Geoffrey Kent, Leslie O’Carroll, Steve Wilson, Olivia Wilson and Titus the dog. Visit “The Family Tree’s” webpage at arvadacenter.org/events/the-family-tree.

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

THANKS for

PLAYING!

14 Elbert County News

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Elbert County News 15

0December 10, 2020

‘They’re hurting small business’ Tailgate allowed to reopen, but its owner is not happy with the indoor-dining ban

BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Friday after Thanksgiving was a cause for celebration for the Tailgate Tavern and Grill and its supporters. The outdoor patio on Mainstreet was near capacity Nov. 27, two days after the Tri-County Health Department rescinded orders for the Parker restaurant to close.

“How can we not support them?” said Tailgate regular Peggy Schreiner on Nov. 27. “It’s an institution in Parker.”

Tailgate was one of five Douglas County restaurants that had been ordered by Tri-County to close in late November. The health department said the eateries were violating the ban on indoor dining that came with the state’s decision to place Douglas County in level-red

John Jordan, owner of Tailgate Tavern & Grill in Parker, had a busy day Nov. 27 — or as busy as he can possibly be these days. The Tailgate’s outdoor patio was near capacity days after the Tri-County Health Department rescinded orders to close the business PHOTO BY NICK PUCKETT Nov. 24.

status, one step away from a stayat-home order under COVID-19 protocols. Tri-County has since said it came to an agreement with all five of the restaurants’ owners that allowed them to reopen.

Tailgate owner John Jordan said measures like the indoor-dining ban are government overreach.

“For them to just shut us down without shutting down big-box stores — they’ve been doing this

now for nine months, hurting small business,” Jordan said. “They’re hurting small business. They’re letting the corporations and the big guys stay open with no restrictions …”

Gary Mandarino, a supporter and bassist of a local band that plays frequently at Tailgate, called Jordan “a true patriot.”

Supporters taped colorful posters to the front entrance of Tailgate, reading “We Love Tailgate.”

The Tailgate is one of the most popular spots in downtown Parker on any given weekend. Jordan sees the Tailgate as a leader of small businesses in Parker, one that needs to push back against the government orders on behalf of others.

Jordan is considering legal action against the state and Tri-County Health Department.

“There’s a couple thousand restaurants in the metro area that are going to have to lay off 75% of their employees,” Jordan said. “You just can’t do that to people. I know the virus is serious, but if you’re going to do that, you have to close everything.”

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals City and County Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR RICCI REZONE - AND – ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION FOR A MINOR DEVELOPMENT CASE NUMBERS: RZ-20-0055 & MD-20-0056 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE 29684 COUNTY ROAD 17-21, ELIZABETH, CO, PROPERTY SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR A REZONE AND MINOR DEVELOPMENT, PURSUANT TO ELBERT COUNTY REGULATIONS. THE HEARING IS TO BE HELD BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE 5TH DAY OF JANUARY 2021: • IN PERSON AT THE AGRICULTURE BUILDING AT THE ELBERT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, 95 UTE AVENUE, KIOWA, COLORADO, AT 7 P.M., OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE. • ALSO AVAILABLE ON ZOOM AT 7 P.M. – MEETING ID: 927 3180 4644 PASSCODE: 123123.

- AND – THE HEARING IS TO BE HELD BEFORE THE

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON THE 27TH DAY OF JANUARY 2021, IN THE AGRICULTURE BUILDING AT THE ELBERT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, 95 UTE AVENUE, KIOWA, COLORADO, AT 1 P.M., OR AS SOON THEREAFTER AS POSSIBLE. AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION WILL BE MADE

BY THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON THE REFERENCED MINOR SUBDIVISION BY THE 2ND DAY OF FEBRUARY 2021.

CONTACT ELBERT COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION: 303-621-3136 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: A PARCEL OF LAND BEING A PORTION OF THE NORTHEAST ONE-QUARTER OF SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 64 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, COUNTY OF ELBERT, STATE OF COLORADO. Legal Notice No. 24513 First Publication: December 10, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News Public Notice Supplemental Appropriation to 2020 Budget Notice is hereby given pursuant to C.R.S. 29-1-109 that a public hearing regarding supplemental appropriations for Elbert County Government will be held on December 21, 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.

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Legal Notice No. 24512 First Publication: December 10, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

Legal Notice No. 24514 First Publication: December 10, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

Metropolitan Districts

Notice to Creditors

Public Notice

Public Notice

NOTICE OF BUDGET Pursuant to 29-1-106, C.R.S.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Donald Ray Leonard, a/k/a Donald R. Leonard, a/k/a Donald Leonard, a/k/a Don Leonard, Deceased Case Number: 2020PR30043

Notice is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT for the 2021 fiscal year.

A copy of the proposed budget has been filed in the office of the ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, where same is open for public inspection. The proposed budget will be considered at a regular meeting of the ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT to be held via Zoom at 6:00 P.M. on December 10, 2020.

Any interested elector of the ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT may inspect the proposed budget for 2021 and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

Join Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94507541502?pwd=N0gveTZ pOEF2TE51WGNCRFU0Z2tOdz09 Meeting ID: 945 0754 1502 Passcode: 012688 Dated this 3rd day of December 2020.

ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BY: /s/ Wayne Austgen, Secretary

personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado or to Yvette Fonda, the Personal Representative for the Estate, at 7529 Nuthatch Circle, Parker, CO 80134 on or before March 26, 2021, or the claims may be forever barred.

Yvette Fonda, Personal Representative 7529 Nuthatch Circle Parker, CO 80134 Legal Notice No. 24501 First Publication: November 26, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News Public Notice

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before March 26, 2021, or the claims may be forever barred.

Adana Leonard, Personal Representative 980 Promontory Circle Elizabeth, CO 80107 Legal Notice No. 24500 First Publication: November 26, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Gloria M. B. Blouch, AKA Gloria Maria Barbara Blouch, AKA Gloria Blouch, Deceased Case Number: 2020PR030038

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert, County, Colorado on or before March 26, 2021, or the claims may be forever barred.

Jimmy A. Blouch, Personal Representative c/o Richard H. Sugg, Jr., Attorney at Law 6412 S. Quebec Street Centennial, CO 80111

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Kerry Jane Varney, Deceased Case Number: 2020PR30020 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the

Legal Notice No. 24505 First Publication: November 26, 2020 Last Publication: December 10, 2020 Publisher: The Elbert County News

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Elbert County Legals 12.10.20 * 1

16 Elbert County News

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KEEP THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN YOUR BUBBLE.

DOUGLAS COUNTY IS EXPERIENCING A SURGE IN CASES. K E E P F I N D I N G W A Y S T O C O N N E C T F R O M A D I S TA N C E .

YOUR COVID SAFE T Y ME ASURES MAKE A DIFFERENCE .

L E A R N M O R E AT D O U G L A S . C O . U S

December 10, 2020