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March 4, 2021
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 126 | ISSUE 5
County eyes problems for graders, snow plows Department looks for ways to deal with areas too small to turn around BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
second annual third-grade expo, to raise money for Children’s Hospital Colorado. The Expo is the result of the economics unit curriculum, which teaches students how to start a
The road and bridge department has reached out to the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners for help in navigating several spots in the county that don’t allow enough room for the crews to turn around when using heavy equipment such as road graders and snow plows. During the Feb. 24 BOCC meeting, the department opened a discussion with commissioners about negotiating right-of-way agreements for culde-sacs in two troublesome areas. “We are looking for authority to negotiate right-of-ways or cul-desacs at two locations, which would
SEE STUDENTS, P5
SEE COUNTY, P11
Running Creek Elementary students show off homemade slime they sold at the third-grade expo.
COURTESY OF SARAH GATES
Third-graders learn to be entrepreneurs Proceeds from student-made products will be donated BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Any business owner knows that it would be impossible to start a
business with only $25 in start-up funds. But third-grade students at Running Creek Elementary did just that, and sold their oneof-a-kind products at the school’s
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 15 | CALENDAR: PAGE 12
GO BACK IN TIME
Exhibit features a new look at one of the most fierce dinosaurs P15
2 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021M
College leaders urge state to restore funding Tuition at Colorado’s public universities is among nation’s highest BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT.ORG
Fearful of extensive layoffs and potentially deep cuts to student services, leaders of Colorado’s public colleges and universities are pressing lawmakers to restore $493 million the state chopped off their budgets last year. The academic leaders are campaigning as if the health, and perhaps existence, of their campuses are at stake. And with good reason: When Colorado slashed their budgets during two past recessions, the colleges never fully recovered. Metropolitan State University of Denver President Janine Davidson said college presidents are presenting a united front on the restoration of funding because “at some point you have to say this isn’t working.” And Adams State University President Cheryl Lovell said colleges did their part in balancing budgets last year and a return to the 2019-20 funding level would be a positive step for colleges and their students. “We’re unified in that message,” Lovell said. Gov. Jared Polis and House and Senate leaders have said they value returning the 58% cut that the state
inflicted last year to help balance a budget as the pandemic ate into revenues and raised expenses. Some lawmakers have stalled, saying they want to wait for budget forecasts. Others hesitated because Congress is sending states more aid. The December stimulus package will send millions of dollars to many Colorado colleges and universities to help with the coronavirus impacts and to aid students. The next stimulus bill could send millions more to Colorado schools. But that federal largesse can’t be used for colleges’ operating expenses; it must respond only to the pandemic. For years, lawmakers have dipped into higher education funding to spare other state priorities, said Joe Garcia, Colorado Community College System chancellor. That happened during both the 2001 and 2009 recessions. Lawmakers added back some funding, but higher education budgets never returned to their previous levels. In four years from the onset of the 2001 recession, Colorado slashed higher education funding by 23.1%, or about $158.6 million. The state followed the same pattern during the Great Recession, cutting about $135 million from higher education from 2008-2012. After both crises, schools across the state substantially raised tuition. The cuts helped Colorado sink toward the bottom of state rankings
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in higher education investment. “Higher ed, whenever there are competing demands, tends to bear the brunt of the cuts,” Garcia said. Colleges face an additional financial threat. Enrollment across the state dipped during the pandemic. Students bring in money
Every student brings in dollars, through tuition and also state funding based on enrollment. Significant drops can decimate an operating budget. If enrollment doesn’t bounce back (as some predict) and/ or if the state doesn’t substantially restore funding, campuses face major cuts. That could mean fewer instructors, counselors, and career guidance services. It could also mean higher tuition, even though Colorado already charges some of the highest tuition in the nation for public schools. Raising tuition would burden students and families already pummeled by the pandemic and the recession. Colorado Department of Higher Education Executive Director Angie Paccione urges colleges to find ways to cut budgets without increasing tuition. She thinks they’ll survive the downturn, and doesn’t oppose campuses asking lawmakers for more money — because schools lack adequate funding. But she said schools have a responsibility to raise graduation rates that lag for students of color
and those from low-income families compared with general rates. And some schools, like the University of Colorado-Boulder, for years have failed to boost enrollment of lowincome students. While regional colleges educate more low-income students, those campuses graduate those students at a lower rate than do the state’s flagship universities. “You can’t just ask for money and not provide the outcomes,” Paccione said. Regional colleges are less able to cope with state budget cuts, because they have fewer outside resources and because their students have more difficulty absorbing higher tuition. In Colorado, regional and community colleges receive a larger share of their operating budgets from the state and tuition than do flagship schools. The University of ColoradoBoulder and Colorado State University both get significant federal funding for research. The University of Northern Colorado, a regional college, anticipates raising tuition by as much as 7%, depending on state funding. The University of Colorado system announced possible tuition increases of 3%. Community colleges face tough call
Garcia said community colleges might raise tuition, but that could impose hardships on students. SEE COLLEGE, P8
Elbert County News 3
1March 4, 2021
‘Their journey will be his legacy’ Parker man, father of four, dies in avalanche BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If Michael “Tony” Westall could visit with his children one more time, he’d likely encourage them to fulfill their ambitions and keep challenging themselves, his wife says. Westall, a Parker resident, died Feb. 14 after getting caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling east of Fraser near Rollins Pass. “My heart is breaking,” his wife Jamey Moss said. “It gives me comfort that he was doing what he loved.” Westall, a local real estate investor, had lived along the Front Range for most of his life, including in Denver, Perry Park and Littleton. He was passionate about his family, the outdoors and nonprofits such as the Morgan Adams Foundation and Project ReCYCLE. Westall is survived by his wife and his four children, Tyler, 19; Ryan, 20; Reed, 22; and McKenzy, 16. A proud father, Westall spent lots of time with his children and valued their weekly get togethers, Moss said. “He would want them to know how incredibly loved they are and how incredibly important they are,” she said. “And that by them being in his world, the world was a better place … Their journey will
Michael “Tony” Westall, 58, died in an avalanche east of Fraser on Feb. 14. He is survived COURTESY PHOTO by his wife and four children.
be his legacy.” Moss and Westall eloped in 2018,
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two years after meeting at a charity event. In the coming months, the
couple planned to move into a home they recently purchased in Arizona. Westall, who would have turned 59 in May, was getting ready to retire. “It was impossible not to fall in love with him,” Moss said. “Everyone that knew him fell in love with him.” Byron Nix, Westall’s cousin, close friend and business partner, also grew up in the Denver area with Westall. While Nix was 5 years younger than his cousin, the two spent ample time together and eventually became neighbors. “He kind of looked after me,” Nix said. So far this season, there have been 11 deaths from avalanches in Colorado, which ties with one of the deadliest seasons on record from 2012 to 2013, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Last year, there were six deaths. “The snowpack is exceptionally weak,” said Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center in a video posted to their site. “We see these conditions about once every 10 years.” Westall’s family has set up a way to donate to the Morgan Adams Foundation in his name. The nonprofit funds research for children’s cancer. Donations can be made by visiting www.MorganAdamsFoundation.org/RememberingTony. “He changed my life forever,” Moss said. “I will forever be different in such a better way because of him. I’m forever grateful for that.”
4 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021M
‘Fearless pioneers and tireless trailblazers’ Johnson family’s impact on metro Denver area is far-reaching BY LIAM ADAMS LADAMS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Dallas Burleson stepped up to the lectern and welcomed people joining Friendship Baptist Church of Christ Jesus for a Sunday service. She was accompanied onstage by her daughter, Stacie Burleson, to start the worship hour with a song. Just a little later, Pastor Paul Burleson, Dallas’ husband and Stacie’s father, took center stage. The three finished the Feb. 14 service by singing together, embodying the family ties the Denver church is based on. The service also featured a Black History Month presentation. At one point, presenter Janay Lewis said, “My mind began to wander with a thought: Where would the world be without the Friendship Baptist Church of Jesus Christ? The church was started 46 years ago by a young pastor named Pastor Paul Burleson.” If not for Paul Burleson, Lewis said, there would be no Friendship Baptist, which has gone on to impact the community. Just as an example, Dallas and Paul Burleson described in a separate conversation, Friendship Baptist helped find housing in
George Johnson showing a horse. Johnson opened his own stable, Happy Valley Stables, in Littleton in 1956. There, he trained to be a horse exhibitor at a time when very few African American people in the state did, said Johnson’s daughter, GeorgeAnne Redd. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE JOHNSON FAMILY AND LITTLETON MUSEUM
Denver for people displaced from New Orleans and Houston after hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, respectively. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock took Sunday School classes at Friendship Baptist. Paul Burleson prayed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, where he made the acquaintance
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of former President Barack Obama and now-President Joe Biden. Dallas Burleson sang an opening song for an event in Denver featuring civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy. This eventful journey doesn’t start with Paul Burleson 46 years ago, though. It goes back further than that, the Burlesons explained. To the banks of the South Platte River in Littleton, where George and Dorothy Johnson, Dallas Burleson’s parents, held a Bible study. It’s George and Dorothy Johnson, the Burlesons say, who deserve credit for the church and so much else. Making Littleton home The Johnson family moved to Littleton in 1949, when George accepted a job offer to groom horses for a rancher in town. Before then, the family had lived in other places in Colorado, Bailey and Broomfield, and in Omaha, Nebraska. “We liked it in Littleton. We had such a good time. Everything was
right there on the ranch. People coming to ride horses, it was exciting,” said GeorgeAnne Redd, another daughter to George and Dorothy. Altogether, there were six Johnson children: GeorgeAnne, Dallas, Johnny Lee, Robert, George Jr. and Charles. When the Johnsons moved to Littleton, they were the only African American family in town, Redd said. At the time, most African American people lived in Denver. When the Johnsons occasionally visited the city, Redd said, “It was really strange to see all these Black people in one place because all we had ever seen was Caucasian people when we went to school.” Soon enough, though, they met a couple Black families in Englewood — including Jessie and Lola Holmes and their family. Talking about the two families’ relationship, Geraldine Holmes, the daughter-in-law of Jessie and Lola, recollected “Nobody was a stranger, they were just like family.” In 1956, after being a horse groomer for other people, Johnson opened his own stable, Happy Valley Stables, in Littleton, Redd said. There, he housed and trained other peoples’ horses and also taught riding lessons. Happy Valley also gave Johnson the opportunity to train as a horse exhibitor, a side gig he would become successful at. Starting in the 1950s, he began showing at the National Western Stock Show. At that time, Redd doesn’t recall seeing other Black exhibitors at the stock show, leading her to think he was the first, though stock show officials were not able to confirm if that was the case following a recent inquiry. Redd recalls seeing other Black people at the show, but said they were all groomers up until the 1970s. “My dad was the first that I saw that ever really showed,” she said. Happy Valley wasn’t just a business enterprise, though. It was a community hub. “Everybody was at the stables every chance we got, SEE JOHNSONS, P6
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Elbert County News 5
1March 4, 2021
STUDENTS
TAKE OUT
FROM PAGE 1
business, and all the steps necessary to fund a start-up, create a product, market the product and ultimately sell the product for a profit. Teachers Sarah Gates, Shauna Agee and Michelle Jones led the students, who are ages 8 and 9, through the process of starting their own business, with each student being allowed only $25 to begin with. “All the kids need business plans based on different ideas they came up with that they might sell to other elementary students,” said Gates. “We sent the kids home with service receipts, and they did extra chores at home to earn the start-up costs, which couldn’t exceed $25 per student.” Teachers used the start-up money to purchase the materials for students to make their products, which included homemade slime, para cord bracelets, crayons recycled into unique shapes and colors, stress balls, keychains and door decorations. When purchasing materials students learned about taxes, budgeting and profits. “The kids came up with their own unique ideas,” said Agee. “They had such wonderful ideas. One student sold a paper airplane that has an army man attached to a parachute with it. One group melted down used crayons and reshaped them and made new colors.” Last year, students sold their goods at a one-day expo held at the school, where students and parents
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could wander through and purchase items. Due to COVID, the expo was held over three days this year, to allow for smaller groups of only students to attend. According to the teachers, COVID restrictions actually offered more learning opportunities than last year. “Because of COVID we had to look more at how to market the products this year,” said Agee. “Each group made short commercials, which they had to write and act in, that
were aired on their Google Classroom. They also made slideshows of their product, and we made a paper catalog as well.” Students also had to figure out how to deliver items that were ordered, using their afternoons to visit the classrooms of students who purchased their products. “COVID has definitely made us think about how some of the things we implemented this year will be useful next year,” said Gates.
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6 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021M
JOHNSONS FROM PAGE 4
mostly every weekend,” said Geraldine Holmes. The Holmes family and others would join the Johnsons for picnics and horseback riding. Also, in the warmer months, Dorothy Johnson led family and friends in a Bible study along the banks of the South Platte River. The strong bond between the Johnsons and Holmeses, and their commitment to gathering for a Bible study, would have a lasting effect. They continued meeting throughout the years either along the South Platte, or, in the colder months, at the Holmes residence in Englewood. ‘A powerful journey’ Paul Burleson moved to Denver in December 1969 after serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He had an uncle living in Denver who would attend the Johnson/ Holmes Bible study. So, on his first day in town, Paul Burleson accompanied his uncle to the Bible study. There, he met Dallas and they hit it off instantly. “I didn’t even know anything about her except that I was attracted to her and the Lord put in my spirit, ‘That’s your wife,’” Paul Burleson recalled. As the two got to know each other, Paul Burleson would become leader of the Bible study. At the time, he was studying ministry in Denver. Then, in 1974 in the Holmeses’ basement, the group officially formed the church and named Burleson pas-
Pastor Paul Burleson preaching at a Feb. 14 service at Friendship Baptist Church of Christ Jesus in Denver. Burleson and his wife, Dallas, credit Dallas’ parents, George and Dorothy Johnson, with the church’s formation. Dorothy Johnson led a Bible study along the banks of the South Platte River in Littleton at a horse stable that George Johnson ran. PHOTO BY LIAM ADAMS
Sons of George and Dorothy Johnson, former Littleton residents whose family has had a far-reaching impact on the Denver metro area. From left: Robert, Charles, George Jr. (nicknamed “Bunny”), and Johnny Lee. In addition to the four sons, George and DoroCOURTESY OF THE JOHNSON FAMILY AND LITTLETON MUSEUM thy had two daughters, GeorgeAnne and Dallas.
tor. Redd had the honor of naming the church. “Because of the friendship that we had with the Holmeses … I named it Friendship Baptist Church and it was accepted,” Redd said. For four years, the church met at the Holmeses’ home until eventually moving into a school building
in Englewood. Then, in 1984, they moved to an old house in Denver on Holly Street. In 1990, Friendship Baptist realized it needed to upgrade its space, when Bear Valley Church in Lakewood approached them. Bear Valley offered up its old church building if Friendship Baptist could literally move the building to Holly St, the Burlesons described. So, piece-by-piece, Friendship Baptist transported the building to Holly St. to replace the house that was there. Later, in 2000, Friendship Baptist moved one last time to the location it is currently at along Fairfax Street in Denver. Throughout that time, the Burlesons became more active in the community. Paul was president of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance and got involved with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Meanwhile, Dallas became more well-known for her singing and songwriting. She performed at concerts headlined by major gospel artists and wrote original songs
performed by musicians. She recently wrote and published her first children’s book, “The Adventures of Fanny Faithful.” “It’s been such a powerful journey,” said Dallas Burleson. “In the good, in the bad. There’s been the ugly … But there’s been so much joy.” As for the other Johnson children, Redd currently oversees administrative operations at Friendship Baptist after a career in real estate. Robert Johnson recently retired from pastoring his own church. George Jr. and Charles Johnson were musicians and had a band, Mother Pearl, that performed in Littleton and Denver. Charles Johnson was also a Vietnam veteran and received the Purple Heart, Redd said. Today, Redd, Dallas Burleson and Robert Johnson are the only living members of the Johnson family’s original eight. Yet, reminders of the family’s collective memory are everywhere, such as a horse galloping on TV or a church service at Friendship Baptist. “The bottom line was that we were standing on the shoulders of Dallas’ mother and father, George Johnson and Miss Dorothy Johnson,” Paul Burleson said. “So, we want to make sure that we don’t forget them as being fearless pioneers and tireless trailblazers.”
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Elbert County News 7
1March 4, 2021
The ripples of events, leadership and legacies Website is a project of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund wants to ensure the stories of Colorado’s rich history are accessible to all. To do this during a time when the organization temporarily cannot welcome visitors inside the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion, the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has launched a new, interactive website to share Colorado history. “The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has taken this opportunity to broaden our reach and share Colorado history with all who are eager to learn, near and far,” said CoCo Criste, executive director of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund. The website, https://www. colorado-leaders.com/ looks at the ripples of events, leadership and legacies of three centuries of Colorado history. The three centuries are: 1776-1876 — One hundred years to statehood. 1876-1976 — Colorado’s Centennial.
LEARN MORE To check out the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s new, interactive website, visit https://www.coloradoleaders.com. To learn more about the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund, visit https://governor-residence.colorado. gov/. 1976-2076 — Colorado’s Bicentennial. “We could have gone back thousands of years, but our timeline and budget did not allow,” Criste said. “Therefore, we decided to focus on three centuries of Colorado history beginning in the 1770s because Colorado is the Centennial State.” She added that the website’s timeline includes the future so today’s leaders can recognize how they, and everyone, have the “opportunity to have an impact on your community and the future.” The funds for the website came as a grant from the Boettcher Foundation. The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund applied for the grant in 2019 to build the website in 2020, Criste said. Since its inception 12 years ago, the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund has hosted about 5,000 students and 130,000 members of the general public into the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion, 400 E. Eighth Ave. in Denver’s Capitol Hill
neighborhood. “Our tours and education programs have always been free of charge,” Criste said. She added, however, field trips to visit the residence were sometimes difficult for schools - whether it be because of distance from Denver and the expense for transportation, or the additional need for volunteers and supervision to accompany the children. “This project (the website) falls in line with the education and preservation aspects of our mission,” Criste said. It “is an extension of our programs and we want
to offer this as a tool for students, teachers and all eager to learn more about Colorado history.” Phase I of the website was development and launching it, Criste said. Phase II is adding additional content, and for this part, Coloradans are invited to contact the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund to provide suggested content, Criste said. “There are thousands of stories to tell,” she said. The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund is looking forward SEE HISTORY, P8
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*https://www.nrmlaonline.org/about/press-releases/senior-housingwealth-reaches-record-7-70-trillion NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612. AAG conducts business in CO (Regulated by the Division of Real Estate; to check the license status of your mortgage loan originator, visit http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/index. htm). These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency. For full legal disclosure, please visit: www.americanadvisorsgroup.com/disclosure
8 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021M
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“The more we raise tuition, the less money students have available to cover their other mandatory living expenses like housing, transportation and food,” Garcia said, “things that they absolutely need to spend money on.” A recent study by the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges found the pandemic has cut into budgets at more than 100 rural public colleges it examined. Those colleges are preparing to reduce worker hours, furlough employees, freeze vacant positions, and lay off workers. Cecilia Orphan, a University of Denver higher education professor and co-author of the study, said better-funded schools can help more students graduate. For instance, even though they enroll a smaller proportion of students of color and from low-income families, flagship campuses with more resources graduate those students at a higher percentage than do more state-dependent colleges. And regional schools have struggled to improve graduation rates. Orphan said regional colleges
have difficulty supporting and graduating students, especially those from low-income families, due to the diminished state budgets. She said too many people have become “comfortable with broken promises for Coloradans.” “Students want to advance themselves,” she said. “They want a better life for themselves and their families, and they’re accessing institutions that are doing everything they can but are having to work with resources that are just so extremely constrained.” Davidson, of MSU Denver, said she believes restoring funding should be viewed as a moral imperative: Decreased funding will disproportionately lock out low-income students from opportunities and hurt the state’s economic future. “College genuinely is the elevator to social mobility in this country. It really is what has made America competitive and strong,” Davidson said. “If we don’t live up to that promise we will have repercussions that will go well beyond `I can’t send my kids to school.’” This story is from Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Used by permission. For more, and to support Chalkbeat, visit co.chalkbeat.org.
HISTORY FROM PAGE 7
to welcoming people back into the Governor’s Residence, Criste said, and discussions have already begun on how the website will supplement the in-person programming. For example, Criste said, offering self-guided audio tours or some sort of a kiosk option. The idea, she said, is for the website to be an additional resource for teachers and students completing a social studies unit or anybody who wants to prepare ahead of their visit. “I find civic pride in learning about the progressive nature of Colorado,” Criste said. “It is important to learn about successes and failures in history, and to be well informed so that we can
The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s new, interactive website looks at the ripples of events, leadership and legacies during three centuries of Colorado history. To view the website, visit https://www.colorado-leaders.com. COURTESY PHOTO
progress as members of society moving forward.”
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Elbert County News 9
1March 4, 2021
Landscape painting workshop set for Zoom presentation
“L
et’s Paint a Wonderful Landscape” with local painter Brian Hubbell will be offered by Heritage Fine Arts Guild as a Zoom workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on March 13. SONYA’S $25 members; $30 non-members. See SAMPLER heritage-guild.com and select current workshop. (A Zoom link will be provided prior to workshop.) For information, contact Mary kay Jacobus at mkstudio@comcast.net.
Sonya Ellingboe
Town Hall opens “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” will be presented at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St. in downtown Littleton from March 19 through April 18, with evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets: $47-$52. 303-794- 2787, ext. 5, townhallartscenter.org. A new exhibit started March 1 in Stanton Gallery, called “World of Color.” open during box office hours and during performances. It will also be on the Depot Art Gallery’s Virtual Gallery. See depotartgallery.org. MCA Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St., is now open with “Keith Haring,” “Grace House Mural,” “Colorado in the Present Tense: Narkita Gold, Rick Griffith, Nathan Hall and Maia Ruth Lee” and “Jaime Carrejo: Waiting.” Reserve tickets in advance, mcadenver.org, 303-298-7554. Mixed Taste programs have started, still virtual. Parker Correction: We listed an incorrect date for the Parker Storybook Holiday — it will be on March 28. Also virtual from the PACE Center: Join Betsy Schwarm on Monday nights for virtual classical insights classes: 7 p.m. March 15, March 22, March 29, April 5. Tickets; $40 for all four
classes. Please purchase a ticket for each participant. (Classes, not live music performances.) Also: Hazel Miller and the Collective performs on March 27 at 7:30 p.m. Santa Fe Summer news note: Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market is opening live July 7-18 and a fundraising online auction will be held March 21-27. Auction preview March 21. Bidding starts March 24 at 10 a.m. and will remain open until March 27. See folkartmarket.org. We Banjo 3 We Banjo 3 presents a virtual St. Patrick’s Day show, streaming live from the Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets needed-1 per device, per household. Go to webanjo3.com. PEN America See the PEN America website for information about Emerging Voices Fellowship. Applications accepted through March 17. See pen.org. Curious Theatre A two-play education series from Curious Theatre Company is available online: “Black” by young playwright Lamaria Aminah and “In Transit” by Holden Thomas are virtually available until June 15. Tickets cost $10 per play per household, with proceeds going to Curious New Voices program. Call 303-623-0524 or visit curioustheatre. org/nowyouknow_ondemand. DLOG Denver Lyric Opera Guild’s Final Competition for fellowships will be broadcast from Calvary Baptist Church on March 20 from 1 to 5 p.m. See denverlyricoperaguild.org. DAM “Paris to Hollywood: the Fashion and Influence of Veronique and Gregory Peck” will be open at the Denver Art Museum March 14 to June 20, in addition to regular museum exhibits.
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Looking for COVID-19 vaccine information? The Tri-County Health Department is your source to determine when you may be eligible to receive the vaccine, how and where to get it. Visit tchd.org/ COVIDVaccine or call 303-220-9200.
Behind on your rent due to COVID-19? Douglas County residents who are behind on their rent or utility payments due to COVID-19 impacts may be eligible for assistance through the Douglas County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Review eligibility details and apply at douglas.co.us/rentassistance
Need a COVID-19 test? Douglas County has three FREE drive-thru testing locations - with two open 7 days a week. Choose the one that works for you in Castle Rock, Lone Tree or Parker and preregister or make an appointment at douglas. co.us/covid19-testing/events
Do it online, Douglas! Residents and businesses may access more than 60 online services. For your convenience drop boxes are also available for Assessor, Motor Vehicle and Recording services. Visit douglas.co.us/covid19 for more details and drop box 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
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 public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meeting livestreams visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.
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10 Elbert County News
A
LOCAL
March 4, 2021M
VOICES
A lifelong attraction to the hard stuff
man walks into a bar with a large chunk of concrete and says to the bartender, “Give me a drink. And one for the road.” I like concrete. QUIET I’ve always liked DESPERATION concrete. Concrete is everywhere. Construction of Hoover Dam began in 1931. It was completed in 1936. It looks the same today as it did 85 years ago. Who else Craig Marshall can say that? There are 4,360,000 Smith cubic yards of concrete in the dam, powerplant and secondary buildings. The Empire State Building used 62,000 cubic yards of concrete. Arapahoe Community College on South Santa Fe in Littleton is a brutallooking structure, isn’t it? Actually, “Brutalism” is an architectural term. Brutalism began in post-war Great Britain and was characterized by constructions that showcased bare
building materials. In ACC’s case, that’s exposed concrete. When my in-home studio addition was built in 2003, a truck pumped concrete over my house to the foundation forms at the back through a pipe that was controlled by a workman with a handheld device. Concrete is normally 60% to 75% aggregate, 15% water and cement, and 5% to 8% air. Aggregates include sand, gravel and crushed stone. I know what you’re thinking: “The old frog has run out of things to write about.” Far from it. And I’m not the only one who feels this way about concrete. I recommend “Concrete Planet: The Strange and Fascinating Story of the World’s Most Common ManMade Material.” “We use it for our buildings, bridges, dams, and roads. We walk on it, drive on it, and many of us live and work within its walls.” Okay, it’s not espionage or zombies, but for those of us who prefer to be informed, it’s good reading.
The Smithsonian Channel has a new program that thrills, stuns and mesmerizes me. “How Did They Build That?” “Across the globe, radical architects, ingenious engineers, and skilled builders are creating structures so outrageous they defy logic.” Often, these architects, engineers, and builders rely on concrete. Songs? Songs titled “Concrete” can be found. “Concrete and Clay” reached No. 1 the UK in 1965. Remember Johnette Napolitano? She was the lead singer of Concrete Blonde, a successful rock band from Hollywood. Concrete definitely lasts but it doesn’t last forever. Many of the concrete bridges in America are showing disconcerting signs of deterioration after decades of traffic, especially semi-tractor-trailer trucks traffic. Concrete trucks have always intrigued me. The revolving cylindrical barrel going in one direction, the truck in another. I try not to follow them, and admit to a childish fear the chute will swing out and the driver will release
his load, as it were, on my imported station wagon. Concrete is gray. Or not. Concrete can be colored with stains, pigments, and dyes. None for me, thanks. Gray is good. In fact, I chose warm, concrete gray for the exterior paint of my home. (It was either that or dachshund red; the HOA barked.) There’s an urban myth about “concrete shoes” attributable to the connection between certain types and the concrete industry in New York City. You can explore the ruins of Concrete City, a collection of 20 homes built entirely of concrete in 1911 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia. A better name now might be Graffiti City. The ruins haven’t been respected. Hellen Keller: “There is plenty of courage among us for the abstract, but not the concrete.” Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.
Here’s to hope, habits and happiness
T
here is a popular statement among business professionals, owners, and salespeople, and it is based on the book by Rick Page titled “Hope is Not a Strategy.” In this WINNING context, hoping to grow our busiWORDS ness or hoping that we will make a sale without a solid strategic and tactical plan is true. Hope is not a strategy. However, there are times where hope is the absoMichael Norton lute best strategy and approach. The business owner without hope to better serve their customers or community will settle for the low-hanging fruit and more than likely accept mediocrity from themselves, their employees, and the products or services they provide. The salesperson who only focuses on making a deal, with no focus on developing winning relationships is likely operating without the proper context of hope. Hope in business and in selling
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eliminates a “One and Done” or “One Hit Wonder” mentality. Conversely, the business owner, the salesperson, and each one of us who has hope, works with hope, and lives with hope, is more likely to move from the simple practice of “hoping” and into the planning, doing, and achievement required to reach our dreams and goals. Hope drives change. Hope adds the “will” to our “skill.” Hope powered by encouragement creates a completely different mindset. Here is another phrase we are all probably familiar with, “Kick the Habit.” What if the habit is a good and productive habit, should we still try and “Kick the Habit”?; or should we “Keep the Habit” Ask 10 people to describe or define the word “habit,” and eight out of 10 will use negative wording or descriptors. Why is that? Why do we see the word “habit” with such a pessimistic outlook? It is because we typically associate habits with something that we need to break instead of build or keep. If bad habits can quickly become terrible habits, then it must hold true that good habits can become
great habits. And what if we allowed ourselves to make hope a strategy that included a tactical plan and approach? Would we break bad habits before they become worse, build new and productive habits, and turn our existing good habits into amazing habits that lead to the achievement of our goals and dreams? Of course we would. Do you see the connection yet? If not, I encourage you to read just a little bit more. We all have hope for something. We hope for good health, loving family and friends, a job or career that fulfills us, a better tomorrow, peace, healing, unity, and so much more including our hope for happiness. And here is where it all comes together for us. When we have hope, we are more likely to make the necessary and positive changes in our lives. Once we identify the changes that need to be made, we will become inspired to break our bad habits that hold us back and form the good habits that propel us forward. When hope is part of our foundational attitude towards life and we create habits that fuel our journey, we will move one step
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closer to achieving the happiness we desire. Here are a few questions that I get when I speak on this topic. Is hope nothing more than a wish that has no plan? Are bad habits so engrained that they are unbreakable? Is happiness possible without hope? Depending on who you ask, you may receive a different response or guidance than mine. But I would say that hope is more than a wish, there are no habits that cannot be broken or built upon, and at times happiness is possible without hope, but the odds typically favor the hopeful. So how about you? Is hope a part of your strategy and approach to life? Are you on your way to breaking bad habits and forming better ones? As always, I would love to hear your story at mnorton@ tramazing.com, and when we see hope and habits through the lens of helping us achieve happiness, it really will be a better than good year. 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.
ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Elbert County News, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Elbert County News 11
1March 4, 2021
Economic outlook has hopeful signs
W
e have endured COVID-19 for a full year already. Many anxiously wait for the vaccine and the ability to visit friends and family, eat out and travel again. Unfortunately, turning FINANCIAL the page on the calendar to a new STRATEGIES year didn’t make all of our economic problems go away. But many appear to be improving. The slow rollout on the vaccine brought a pause to the expected reopening of the economy. Patricia Kummer However, the anticipation is buoying our hopes and keeping the economic outlook positive. Bill Greiner, Mariner Wealth Advisors’ chief economist, recently stated his optimism in economic recovery in the second half of this year. He suggested that with the rollout of the stimulus package passed
in December, along with successful vaccinations, that we could see some green shoots in economic growth as early as next quarter. Greiner pointed out that Real Consumer Spending, residential investment and capital spending have all significantly improved.¹ This could position Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be around 4.5% or higher if everything continues the upward moves. This is good news and actually very rare. We have to go back to the 1960s and 1970s to see anything close to a 5% GDP. There could be a worst-case scenario as well, if COVID cases continue to rise, and the vaccine distribution drags on through most of the year. There could also be political headwinds and no additional stimulus. However, the Conference Board still predicts a positive GDP although potentially much lower. This outlook, even under a bad scenario, is important in order to avoid a double-dip recession. Investors hoping to keep market volatility at bay will likely be in for
continued instability for at least the first half of the year. Strong economic growth, an accommodative Federal Reserve policy and declining COVID cases should all point to good fundamentals for the stock market. Jeff Krumpleman, Mariner Wealth Advisors’ chief investment strategist and head of equities, indicated that the recovery that started in 2020 was significant, in that the broad market participated across most asset classes. This is often an indication that the recovery is on solid ground. Although he says there can always be “bubbles and troubles,” the fundamentals are positive, including economic trends, earnings and low interest rates. Personal income and savings rates are high, and this can help people through a soft patch that is bound to occur at times. The major concerns that have spilled over from last year include vaccine distribution, fiscal policy, political transition and unemployment. This is a good time to revisit your
portfolio and make sure you are well positioned for the recovery. Some investors may still be on the sidelines from the correction last March; some are waiting for another correction before fully investing again. Typically, this emotional timing of the market does not pan out well for long-term investors. The more time you are fully invested according to your risk tolerance and time frame, the more likely you are to meet your investment goals. 1.The Conference Board Leading Economic Index Patricia Kummer has been a Certified Financial Planner professional and a fiduciary for over 35 years and is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit www.marinerwealthadvisors.com for more information or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Securities offered through MSEC, LLC, Member FINRA & SIPC, 5700 W. 112th Suite 500, Overland Park, KS 66211.
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line. • Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs, please. • Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper. • Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are. • Letters will be considered only from people living in Colorado Community Media’s circulation area in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert and Jefferson counties. • We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length. • Not all letters are published at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available. • Letters must be no longer than 250 words. • Do not use all caps, italics or bold text.
COUNTY FROM PAGE 1
provide an opportunity for our road grader operators and heavy equipment operators to turn around,” said Elbert County Attorney Bart Greer. “And in inclement weather that would allow them to better maintain those areas.” The issue was presented as a discussion item at the recent meeting, but Greer said he anticipates it will become an action or consent item at the next meeting, after the road and bridge department has created more specific details to present to the public. “The two roads in question are County Roads 114 and 124, which
• Keep it polite: No name calling or “mudslinging.” • Include a source — and a link to that source — for any information that is not common knowledge. We will not publish information, including quotes, that cannot easily be verified. • Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for office. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. • Letters advocating for or against a political candidate will not be published within 30 days of an election. • Only submit ideas and opinions that are your own — and in your own words. We will not publish any letter that appears to be part of a letter-writing campaign or that copies text from an outside source, such as a website. • Letters will not be published from the same writer on consecutive weeks. • Generally we will not publish multiple letters that make the same point in a given week. • Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on social media.
are either a dead end, or a road that becomes private and is gated, with a limited ability to turn road maintenance equipment around,” said Chris Richardson. Richardson said he does not believe the county is looking to purchase either of the right-of-ways, but would rather involve moving some fencing around or other minor in-kind work. “Any final decision involving real estate is a board decision that would be made in a public meeting,” said Richardson. Elbert County Road and Bridge Department maintains nearly 1,800 miles of county roads. For more information on future discussions visit www.elbertcounty-co.gov and click on the meeting and agenda tabs.
OBITUARIES WILLIAMS
Gary Frank Williams 9/24/1943 - 2/8/2021
Gary Frank Williams, 77, of Atwood, CO passed away Feb. 8, 2021. A memorial service will be held in Elizabeth, CO at a later date. Gary was born Sept. 24, 1943 in Longmont, CO to Fern (Knott) and V. Frank Williams. Gary attended school in Elizabeth, CO, and then joined the US Coast Guard. He enjoyed woodworking and his time working in the casinos in Blackhawk and Central City. He worked at Dinklage Feedyard, and was a member of the VFW.
Gary is survived by his brothers Dennis (Mary) Williams of Atwood, Dan (Lynda) Williams of Hillrose, and Guy (Carol) Williams of Elizabeth; 4 children, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. Gary was preceded in death by his parents V. Frank and Fern Williams, grandparents EH and Julia Knott, and Guy and Faye Williams.
In Loving Memory
Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.
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12 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021M
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Elbert County News 13
1March 4, 2021
Possible timeline set for new C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E Trader Joe’s grocery store The company’s beer license was recently approved BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Town of Parker is one step closer to getting a Trader Joe’s after the grocery store’s beer license was unanimously approved in a Feb. 18 meeting of Parker’s special licensing authority. Trader Joe’s, a chain of small grocery stores headquartered in California, is known for its private labeled, uncommon food items such as cookie butter, cauliflower pizza crust and pickleflavored popcorn. “You’ll find something unique at a really great price,” Phil Wofford, regional vice president of the company, said during the meeting. The soonest the store could begin operating would be about a
year from now, Wofford said. “Whether it takes longer due to other things with construction, I don’t know,” Wofford said. Once open, it will have daily hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with closures on major holidays. The store, which will have about 80 employees, will be located at 18374 Cottonwood Drive, Suite 150, near the Costco Wholesale. The store will sell non-refrigerated beer but not any of its trademark affordable wine — sometimes called “Two-Buck Chuck” — because of its proximity to a liquor store, Wofford said. Their beer inventory will focus on Colorado and local beer selections and some will rotate seasonally, he said. Trader Joe’s, which has been in Colorado for seven years, has seven existing locations in the state. There were no public comments during the meeting.
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Elbert County News 15
LOCAL
1March 4, 2021
LIFE
Most complete T. rex continues to share secrets BY CLARKE READER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
F
or many people, the Tyrannosaurus rex is the dinosaur, and it’s easy to understand why. There’s no animal today that comes close to the sheer intimidation and raw power that this Cretaceous-era dinosaur possessed. But there’s still a lot to learn about this predator. And that’s where SUE comes in. The T. rex known as SUE is the most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus to be discovered so far. It was discovered by Sue Hendrickson — hence its nickname — in South Dakota in 1990. More than 30 years later, it is still offering scientists all kinds of glimpses into the life and times of the “King of the Tyrant Lizards.” And now Denver residents can enter SUE’s world and see the animal itself at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. “We had SUE in 2012, (but) it was in a different setup back then. That’s because we’re changing our views of dinosaurs all the time,” said Dr. Joe Sertich, museum curator of dinosaurs. “In 10 years, SUE could be back with a completely different setup based on new discoveries.” SUE: The T. rex Experience — on loan from the Field Museum in Chicago — features an exact cast of SUE’s skeleton, which, according to provided information, measures 40 feet from snout to tail and 13 feet tall at the hip. To help visitors get a sense of what the animal actually looked like, there is also a full-sized
The T. rex Experience will be on display at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, through April 25. Along with animations, touchable bronze casts of SUE’s bones and a multimedia light show, the exhibit features an exact cast of PHOTO BY CHRIS SCHNEIDER/DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE SUE’s 40-foot-long skeleton.
replica of SUE — with a sample of what it would’ve dined on. The exhibit also features animations, touchable bronze casts of SUE’s bones and a multimedia light show that provides insight into its bones. One of the most fascinating new pieces of information is also the most visible — the gastralia, or belly ribs, that stretched across the T. rex’s abdomen and helped it to breathe. These were not part of SUE’s anatomy during its last visit and are a testament to how big discoveries are still waiting to be made. As is so often the case, it’s the museum’s additions from its own collections that give the exhibit added depth and nuance. And when it comes to Colorado and dinosaurs, there’s a lot to say.
VISIT SUE SUE: The T. rex Experience will be on display at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, through April 25. A timed ticket for museum entry and a separate timed ticket for entry into the SUE exhibit is required. For more information on SUE and ticketing, visit dmns.org. “The first Triceratops fossils were found in the area in 1887 in what is now the Highlands neighborhood,” Sertich said. “Focusing on SUE’s world highlights that this is very much a Denver Museum story as well. I think there’s no better exhibit for this museum than SUE.” There are more than 20 specimens from the museum featured in the
exhibit, including femur and a vertebra of the only T. rex skeleton ever found in the state, part of the Triceratops found at a construction site in Highlands Ranch in 2019, the jaw from the Torosaurus that was found in Thornton in 2017 and more. Not only do these local connections highlight and explore what Colorado was like millions of years ago, they also emphasize how diverse species and ecosystem information paint a picture of a world in flux — both then and now. “It has taken a long time from the early days of the dinosaur bone rush to see these animals as living, breathing creatures who were always changing,” Sertich said. “All this teaches us a lot about (how) life responded to change back then, and that has relevance to today.”
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Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals City and County Public Notice NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE Pursuant to Chapter 5, Article II of the Town of Elizabeth Municipal Code and 31-32-102 C.R.S., notice is hereby given that the Town Board of Trustees will consider adoption of the following named and described ordinance during its Regular meetings on February 23 and March 9, 2021 at 7:00 P.M. at the Town of Elizabeth, Town Hall, 151 S Banner St, Elizabeth, Colorado, 80107. Title of Proposed Ordinance: An Ordinance Approving a Franchise Agreement Between the Town of Elizabeth, Colorado and Intermountain Rural Electric Association Subject Matter Summary:
The proposed ordinance renews the Town’s franchise agreement with Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) for a period of twenty years. The entire text of the proposed ordinance is available for public inspection upon request of the Town Clerk. In response to COVID-19, Town Offices are closed to the public and walk-in services. To schedule a meeting with the Administrator, Town and Court Clerks, please call (303) 646-4166 extension 2 or 3. Legal Notice No. 24553 First Publication: February 4, 2021 Last Publication: March 4, 2021 Publisher: The Elbert County News Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR A MAJOR VARIANCE CASE NUMBER: VA-21-0010 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE 4344 ANTELOPE TRAIL, ELBERT, CO, PROPERTY SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR A MAJOR VARIANCE, PURSUANT TO ELBERT COUNTY REGULATIONS.
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THE HEARING IS TO BE HELD BEFORE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS ON THE 24TH DAY OF MARCH 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. CONTACT ELBERT COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION: 303-621-3136 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: A PARCEL OF LAND BEING LOCATED AT SECTION 8, TOWNSHIP 10, RANGE 64, SUBDIVISION ACADEMY EAST FIL 4, LOT 100, COUNTY OF ELBERT, STATE OF COLORADO. Legal Notice No. 24567 First Publication: March 4, 2021 Last Publication: March 4, 2021 Publisher: The Elbert County News
Notice to Creditors
Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of James L. Geerdes, Deceased Case Number: 2021PR30001 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before June 18, 2021, or the claims may be forever barred. James L. Geerdes, Jr. and Paul V. Geerdes, Co-Personal Representatives C/O Gubbels Law Office, P.C. 402 N. Wilcox Street, Suite 100 Castle Rock, CO 80104 Legal Notice No. 24559 First Publication: February 18, 2021 Last Pulication: March 4, 2021 Publisher: The Elbert County News
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 July 6, 2021, or the claims may be forever barred. TODD A. HABERMAN, Co-Personal Representative, and TINA M. HABERMAN, Co-Personal Representative c/o Patricia Jo Stone, P.C. 19751 E. Mainstreet, #200, Parker, CO 80138 Legal Notice No. 24566 First Publication: March 4, 2021 Last Publication: March 18, 2021 Publisher: The Elbert County News
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Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Karl E. Haberman, aka Karl Eugene Haberman, Deceased Case Number: 2021 PR 30007
Elbert County Legals 3.4.21 * 1
16 Elbert County News
March 4, 2021