Elbert county news 0724

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July 24, 2014 VOLU M E 1 1 9 | I S S UE 25

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

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Water projects are back on track Serenity Ridge, a 43,000 square-foot estate owned by the grandson of the man who created Dollar General, is on the market for $18.37 million. If it does not sell by Sept. 27, it will be put up at a no-reserve auction. Photos by Chris Michlewicz

Sprawling estate going up for auction Serenity Ridge sits on 70 acres near DouglasElbert county line

By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com A glimmering pearl tucked in the unspoiled expanses southeast of Parker is suddenly getting a lot of attention.

At the beginning of July, most area resi-

dents had never heard of Serenity Ridge, a sprawling estate on 70 pristine acres near Flintwood and Democrat roads. That quickly changed when Carl and Christine Battista, a husband and wife real estate team for Keller Williams DTC Luxury International, began to spread the word that the property would become the largest private U.S. residence to go up at a no-reserve auction Sept. 27.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to buy at their price,” Christine Bat-

ABOUT SERENITY RIDGE Features of Serenity Ridge: 24 bathrooms, 11 bedrooms, five full kitchens, bowling alley, indoor swimming pool, fishing ponds (two), movie theatre, 9,300 square-feet of outdoor covered living space, conference rooms (two), meditation house, garage space for 30 vehicles, elevators (two), silk carpets, secret doors, performance stage, safe room, ice cream parlor, temperature-controlled wine cellar, permission for equestrian uses and waterfalls.

Mansion continues on Page 9

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Christine Battista, a real estate agent for Keller Williams DTC Luxury International, shows the main dining room of Serenity Ridge, a three-level home on more than 70 acres southeast of Parker.

Money helps county move toward future master plan

By Rick Gustafson

Special to Colorado Community Media Two Elbert County water projects are back on track following the July 15 approval of a grant by the Metro Basin Water Round Table.

The projects, a well-monitoring network and a follow-up water supply study, are the first step in the county’s effort to develop a water master plan to address declining water levels in aquifers underlying Elbert County. The projects will identify current water levels and study the effect of water use on local water supplies.

According to Robert Rowland, District 1 county commissioner, the $52,000 grant brings the overall committed funding to 64 percent of the $377,000 needed for both projects, with the remaining $136,500 to come from the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

The original funding plan called for a $46,000 contribution from each of the three water roundtables located within the borders of the Elbert County, a $6,000 contribution for a portion of the three-year well monitoring network and $40,000 each for the water supply study. Elbert County budgeted $10,000 for the study, and the U.S. Geological Survey and the water conservation board combined for $229,000 for well monitoring.

The South Platte Basin Roundtable approved $46,000 for both well monitoring and the follow-up study in June, but the Arkansas Basin, while acknowledging the merits of the project, declined to participate, stating that the project did not represent a vested interest to the Arkansas Basin.

Facing this setback, the Elbert County Water Advisory Committee approached the Metro Roundtable on July 9 to ask for $6,000 Water continues on Page 9

Scout is driving force behind pair of monuments Dedication ceremony planned at Elbert County Courthouse

By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com Two monuments honoring military veterans will soon be installed at the Elbert County Courthouse in Kiowa.

It’s part of an ambitious Eagle Scout project led

by Chris Kelly, a member of Troop 148 in Aurora, who raised $3,000 in less than a month and assembled a team to build the pieces.

The most prominent is a 7-foot-tall monument paying tribute to Elbert County veterans of U.S. military service. It is being constructed, in part, with stones collected from historic forts in Colorado.

The second monument is a marker that honors historic figures from the county’s past, including early settlers, Native Americans and about 500 Scout continues on Page 9

The Eagle Scout project of Chris Kelly, shown here with Elbert County Commissioner Robert Rowland in February, will soon lead to the installation of two monuments honoring military veterans at the Elbert County Courthouse. File photo

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2 Elbert County News

July 24, 2014

Memories of big-hearted man loom large

The massive oak bends over a small gray home on the corner of a quiet Long Island street, its strong, leafy branches casting cool shade over friends and family gathering in the yard.

Small American flags line the sidewalk, and a larger one hangs by the front door. Above the garage is a fading banner that proclaims Old Glory, USA, Liberty.

Nancy Nyhuis greets her guests warmly, with a quick, welcoming smile that also imparts a sense, a shadow, of sadness behind it.

A white limo party bus pulls up to the house and the group of 24 piles in, chattering, laughing, squeezing next to each other on long seats illuminated by a string of blue lights.

Nancy stands in front of the group, a glass of wine in her hand.

“First of all,” she says, “thanks, everyone, for being here. I have a picture of John in the back ...” She pauses as tears fill her eyes. “This has been a bad day for me because it’s so final. But I’m glad you’re all here.”

Someone pops in a CD of her husband’s favorite music and the lyrics of a lilting country song that tells of a simple man loving his “helluva life” fills the bus.

Everyone cheers and holds drinks high in a toast. The driver shifts the bus into gear toward the first of four stops.

And, on this warm June day, almost four months after his death, John Devlin’s final wish unfolds.

“It’s what he wanted,” his sister, Jennifer Zarcensky, says. “To have a party.”

That’s the kind of man John was — brash, rowdy, opinionated, funny, full of passion for life and those he loved.

He liked a party. He also was the kind of man who showed up at Ground Zero the day after the heartrending devastation and who stayed there for 9½ months, seven days a week, 12 hours a day, operating the heavy machinery that removed the rubble that contained, not only the concrete of the towers, but also the remains of those who had worked in them.

He loved his country.

In the end, patriotism killed John.

In 2009, he was diagnosed with Stage IV inoperable throat cancer, most likely, doctors said, a result of breathing the toxic dust that permeated the site. The cancer is often associated with longtime

Law finally recognizes suffering of helpers

By Ann Macari Healey

ahealey @coloradocommunitymedia.com

chain smokers, but John never smoked.

After a grueling regimen of surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy treatments that left him in constant pain and unable to eat solid food, John — a once-brawny 270 pounds with a scraggly mustache and goatee — shrank from an XXL- to an M-sized T-shirt and died March 11. He was 53.

Until his death, and with others from police and fire organizations, he fought loud and hard for the federal government to recognize and be accountable to the many first responders, including the heavy machine operators like him, who were becoming ill and dying because of their work at Ground Zero.

And yet, knowing the outcome, he had no regrets.

“John and I went there together,” friend Kevin Cullimore, also a heavy machine operator, says. “It was just a calling, as an American.”

A traditional Mass was held for John soon after his death. But John wanted to go out on sounds of laughter. So he planned this celebration. Those who have come represent markers of John’s existence, a timeline of people that dates back to childhood and spreads through every trail of his life. They include me and my husband, whose sister-in-law is Jennifer.

The bus pulls into a nearly empty parking lot at Gilgo Beach, a tranquil stretch of white sand and low dunes on Long Island’s south shore where John played as a child, where he later brought his two children, where he would whip out his harmonica and join the bands playing there on weekends.

His son, Matt, 19, tall, blond, steps down from the bus. On the right side of his chest, under his arm, is a tattoo of a Native American woman wearing an eagle headdress, the image of the medallion his dad always wore.

In May, two months after his death, John Devlin’s name was one of 93 new ones added to the growing list on the memorial black granite wall at 9/11 Responders Remembered Park on Long Island.

More than 300 names have been inscribed at the park in Nesconset, which honors those who have died from 9/11-related illnesses. They include firefighters, police officers and civilians, from a forensic dentist to an FBI mortuary director to construction workers such as John, an operating engineer who manned front-end loaders, bulldozers and other heavy machinery that helped clear the wreckage of Ground Zero.

After two weeks at Ground Zero, John and his companions began having trouble breathing and coughing up phlegm, according to a 2011 Newsday article in which he described the atmosphere as “a martini of toxic chemicals.”

John, who died of throat cancer that doctors say most likely resulted from breathing the toxic dust, became a vocal advocate for passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The law provides testing and treatment for people who worked in response and recovery operations at the World Trade Center site.

The original bill, introduced in 2010, did not pass. When a Republican filibuster in the Senate stalled a second version in December of that year, comedian Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” interviewed four first

Matt likes the idea of this traveling wake.

“When Dad found out he had cancer, he threw a pre-chemo party.” His dad, Matt says, defined optimism. “He said as long as you stay happy and positive, good things will come your way. It might take a while, but it will come.”

The group treks past beach-goers sitting under umbrellas and playing volleyball. Children dig holes that catch water from the incoming surf.

Eddie Jr., a fourth-generation son

responders from police, fire, transportation and heavy equipment sectors.

Among them was John, who with the others shared experiences and outrage at the lack of federal support. All four were suffering from either cancer or heart and lung diseases.

The bill passed later that month and Stewart’s show was credited by White House officials and media and political organizations for helping spur that approval.

The act, signed by President Obama on Jan. 2, 2011, provides medical treatment for health conditions that research suggested occurred because of exposure to World Trade Center dust and air. It covered such conditions as chronic coughs and other respiratory ailments, digestive disorders, and mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress and depression.

But it did not include cancers, because the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said there wasn’t enough scientific evidence to determine a link.

In September 2012, the act was amended to include 50 types of cancers, including respiratory, digestive, skin, blood — and throat cancers.

John became well-known throughout the area for his advocacy and was often interviewed over the years by local news outlets.

“It was an honor to work through Christmas on that 9/11,” John Devlin said to Stewart on his show, “to give closure to those people that were on the other side of that gate every morning, showing us pictures of their loved ones. I don’t think there’s anything better than to go out there and help other people.”

of the family who owns the inn at the beach, grabs his surfboard and approaches Nancy. She gives him a small green tin with some of John’s ashes.

“I’m going to go past the waves,” he says, “then I’m gonna turn around and face the group.”

He paddles through the surf with his right hand, the tin aloft in his left.

“Matthew,” Nancy calls, looking

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Healey continues on Page 10

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Elbert County News 3

July 24, 2014

No special session on fracking issue Controversy could move to ballot box

By Vic Vela

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com The battle over hydraulic fracturing revved up last week as a diverse group of state, energy and business leaders joined Gov. John Hickenlooper in speaking out against potential ballot measures that would limit the oiland gas-drilling practice statewide.

The move came on July 17, a day after Hickenlooper ended his long-shot effort at convening a legislative special session to deal with the highly contentious political issue.

Hickenlooper had hoped to accomplish a legislative compromise over fracking issues in order to avoid an expensive, high-stakes battle at the ballot box this November.

With no fracking legislation in place to stop ballot measures from moving forward, Hickenlooper took aim at initiatives that he feels will have “potentially disastrous consequences” if they prevail in November.

“With November’s election fast approaching, we all agree we must all turn our full attention to defeating these ballot measures,” Hickenlooper said at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

The governor was joined by business leaders and a bipartisan group of politicians to denounce fracking initiatives that could result in the loss of “thousands and thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in investment and hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenues.”

The debate over fracking — the process in which high-pressure fluid is blasted deep into the ground to free up oil and gas — has reached a pivotal point, now that it appears that voters will be weighing in on the issue in November.

Supporters of fracking say it is a job creator and a vital part of Colorado’s economy. Opponents have serious environmental and health concerns.

The proposals would allow communities to have more control over where drilling takes place. And one effort would amend the state Constitution to require that wells be placed at least 2,000 feet from structures, up from the current setback of 500 feet.

Oil and gas industry leaders say the proposed setback requirement is tantamount to a drilling ban in Colorado. Hickenlooper said

Gov. John Hickenlooper speaks out against ballot initiatives that would place restrictions on oil and gas operations during a July 17 press conference in downtown Denver. The governor was joined by several leaders in politics, business and the energy industry. Photo by Vic Vela the proposed “arbitrary” setback limit “provides no room to adjust based on local conditions and realities in specific communities.”

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, a wealthy Boulder Democrat who will largely finance the fracking-limits campaign, is backing the setback initiative.

After seeing a potential legislative compromise fail, Polis said, “We must turn to the people of Colorado to solve this problem.”

“I have said from the beginning of this debate that my one goal is to find a solution that will allow my constituents to live safely in their homes, free from the fear of declining property values or unnecessary health risks, but also that will allow our state to continue to benefit from the oil and gas boom that brings jobs and increased energy security,” Polis said through an emailed statement.

“I stand by this goal, I am confident that the majority of Coloradans share this goal, and I am committed to continuing to work to protect our Colorado values.”

Hickenlooper acknowledged the environmental concerns over fracking, touting tough new energy regulations that impose emission

appeases community concerns, but also protects homeowners’ abilities to collect mineral-rights royalties when drilling occurs on their properties.

“I think there is compromise there that will allow a measure of local control in some way but will at the same time protect the private property rights,” Hickenlooper said. “But that’s probably going to take a long process.

Again, there’s a lot of emotion here and trying to do it rapidly proved to be clearly difficult.”

State House Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, D-Gunbarrel, who played a large role in the negotiations, said she is “not giving up” on finding solutions to the debate over drilling. Still, she understands the political reality of this hot-button issue.

“I’m disappointed that we were unable to forge a local-control accord on oil and gas development with enough bipartisan support to pass the General Assembly this year,” she said. “It would be a waste of taxpayers’ money to hold a special session that likely would not achieve a legislative solution.”

and methane controls and put in place strict fracking fluid disclosure requirements.

“We’re proving that we can take full advantage of the innovations of oil and gas development while at the same time maintaining the highest ethical, safety and environmental standards,” Hickenlooper said.

It’s likely that voters will continue to weigh in on fracking issues for years to come as long as there is no legislative solution to the issue — but finding that solution has proven to be a difficult task.

The prospects of divided stakeholders coming together for a compromise on fracking were dim from the start this year. Still, Hickenlooper held out hope for months that all sides could find common ground in order to avoid “draconian” ballot measures.

The governor told reporters in May that the odds were “50-50” that he would call a special session. However, he lowered those odds last month before finally calling off any plans for a special session.

A large obstacle was finding a balance that

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4 Elbert County News

July 24, 2014 The Cherry Creek Trail will extend underneath Arapahoe Road as part of a bridge replacement project. The street long has been a major barrier for cyclists traveling north.

Photo by Jane Reuter

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Cherry Creek Trail roadblocks vanishing Arapahoe Road underpass will eliminate barrier for cyclists

By Jane Reuter

jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com Parker cyclist Harry Porter has twice narrowly escaped being hit by a car on Jordan Road. The busy street is among the few alternatives for north or southbound riders trying to cross Arapahoe Road.

But not for much longer.

By next May, an underpass will extend the Cherry Creek Regional Trail under Arapahoe Road just west of its intersection with Parker Road. The underpass and construction of a trailhead is part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s $22 million project to replace the Arapahoe Road bridge over Cherry Creek.

The Cherry Creek Trail extends from Castlewood Canyon to Cherry Creek state parks. An estimated 8,000 to 11,000 cyclists ride the trail each spring and summer, and an average 7,000 to 8,000 use it during the offseason, according to Arapahoe County Open Space officials.

“It’s going to be wonderful,” Porter said. “We’ll be able to go under Arapahoe Road instead of down Jordan. Jordan is a very dangerous road for cyclists. This is going to be welcome by all the bicyclists in the area.”

The wider bridge and planned new sidewalks will be safer for motorists and pedestrians, too.

“This bridge was built in in 1959; it’s time to replace it,” CDOT spokeswoman Crystal Morgan said.

The underpass concludes at least 10 years of work to cre-

ate a continuous trail from Parker north to Cherry Creek State Park. The Arapahoe County portion was boosted by the 2003 passage of an Arapahoe County open space sales and use tax.

The current Arapahoe Road surface crossing “is not very friendly and difficult to navigate,” said Shannon Carter, Arapahoe County’s intergovernmental relations director.

“As soon as they’re finished with the bridge, we’ll be putting a major trailhead right at Arapahoe Road,” Carter said. “We’re planning on having a nice opening.”

The trail connection will enable ambitious riders to do a complete metro-Denver loop from the C-470/Centennial Trail to the Cherry Creek Trail to the South Platte Regional Trail back to the C-470 trail.

In Douglas County, three miles of the Cherry Creek trail’s south end isn’t yet complete.

That includes about a mile south starting at Scott Road in Parker. The trail ends there now, leaving riders to travel a lightly used gravel road to the next section. That portion is awaiting development of the property south of Scott Road.

Another 2.5-mile section hasn’t yet been built from Colorado Highway 86 south to Castlewood Canyon.

“That’s in our five-year capital development (plan),” said Douglas County Trails and Open Space director Randy Burkhardt. “We do know that’s a gap we have to fill.”

Burkhardt said construction of a planned housing development south of Scott Road must get underway before the county can build the shorter of the two remaining sections through that area.

Douglas County also is still working to obtain a permit to construct the East-West Regional Trail from Bluffs Regional Park east underneath Interstate 25. Eventually, it also will connect to the Cherry Creek trail.

Snakes feed for pleasure of parkgoers Sunday visitors to Castlewood Canyon can watch Sid and Nancy devour their weekly meal

By Mike DiFerdinando

mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Castlewood Canyon State Park is offering patrons the chance to get up close and personal with snakes.

The public is invited to join Colorado Parks and Wildlife Park Ranger Lisa Naughton for the ongoing Snakes Alive event, a fun and exciting introduction to snakes on Sundays from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.

The park has two snakes that live in the visitor center, Sid and Nancy, and everyone is welcome to watch them eat their weekly meal.

“We haven’t sexed them to know what their sexes are. The names are arbitrary. They are brother and sister bull snakes,” said Ron Claussen, president of the Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park.

The snakes came to Castlewood around 2008 when they were just weeks old, he said.

“I could hold both in one hand,” Claussen recalled.

As the story goes, a neighbor of Chatfield State Park found them in his backyard and picked them up as pets and then said, “What do I do with them?”

At first they were easy to care for, small and didn’t eat much, Claussen said. Park staff played with them to get them used to people and being handled.

Their first home at the park was a small aquarium, but now they have their own specially designed and built enclosure in

Sid and Nancy, Castlewood Canyon State Park’s pet snakes. Courtesy photo the visitor center that was constructed by Richard Brandt of Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park.

Today, Sid and Nancy are about 5 feet long. Once a week they eat large rats purchased from a local pet store. In addition to watching them eat, Sunday afternoon visitors can also pet and hold Sid and Nancy.

Park naturalists at the park also host numerous guided tour, hikes and other activities throughout the summer. Programs are free; however, all vehicles entering the park must purchase a $7 daily pass or display a $70 annual state parks pass.

Unless otherwise indicated, programs require reservations.

For program information and reservations, call the park at 303-688-5242.

Developer wants 350 homes west of Pinery Proposal would alter Douglas County master plan

By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com A real estate investment group wants to change Douglas County’s master plan to build 350 homes west of The Pinery.

The county’s development review department is looking over a pair of applications for Stone Creek Ranch, a proposed 250-acre neighborhood southwest of South Parker Road and Scott Road.

Among them is a requested amendment to the 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan that would change 155 acres of agricultural land currently used for the grazing and farming of hay and alfalfa to an urban land-use designation. The applications were submitted last year by Choke Cherry Investors, LLC, an Englewood, Colo.-based company.

The Douglas County Planning Commission, which will make the final decision, is tentatively scheduled to review the request Aug. 11.

The second application under review is a planned develop-

ment guide, a document that outlines the intent and scope of a project. The developer also submitted a sketch plan, which details road alignments, compatibility with surrounding uses and soil conditions, and a separate proposal to establish a metropolitan district to install infrastructure. However, county officials must first approve the land-use amendment to the master plan and planned development guide before reviewing the sketch plan and special district service plan, said Dan Avery, principal planner for Douglas County.

If approved, the subdivision would be bisected by Cherry Creek. Choke Cherry Investors, LLC, wants to develop the 155acre parcel east of the creek with “low to moderate densities similar to The Pinery and up to a maximum of 312 single family lots,” the planned development guide says. That property could be included in The Pinery Separated Urban Area.

The western portion of Stone Creek Ranch — a 96-acre plot west of the creek — would maintain a non-urban designation.

The parcel would contain a maximum of 38 homes at a density of one dwelling unit per 2.5 acres. If approved as proposed, the home sites will be clustered in the northwest area of the site and more than 70 percent of the site, including the Cherry Homes continues on Page 7

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Elbert County News 5

July 24, 2014

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6 Elbert County News

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July 24, 2014

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9137 Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 Phone: 303-566-4100 Fax: 303-566-4098 On the Web: ElbertCountyNews.net Get Social with us

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Thanks, officer: It’s best to slow down So 2,000 miles, 28 hours of driving time, more than 200 songs, a couple of bags of Big League Chew bubble gum, a bag of sunflower seeds, several waters, a few milkshakes and fast food burgers, and at least 12 cups of coffee later, we arrived back in Colorado after our vacation on the East Coast. The trip home was filled with productive calls with customers and family and friends, and — even more productive and inspiring — with some quiet time and reflection as I drove across the countryside.

I especially enjoyed the 20 minutes or so of quiet time as I waited for the Pennsylvania State Trooper to write my ticket for prolonged driving time in the left lane. I was professionally reminded that the left lane is only for passing, and politely reminded that I could have also received a ticket for being a little more than slightly above the speed limit.

At first I was a little annoyed that I was pulled over for something as petty as driving for too long in the left lane.

You may know how it feels when you have handed over your driver’s license, insurance, and registration to the policeman standing at your passenger-side window, and then he does the slow walk back to his car where he spends the next 15 minutes checking you out and then writing the summons.

But as I thought about it, I moved from feeling bad because I was caught or pulled over for something so minor, to feeling appreciative for being stopped by one of Pennsylvania’s finest. Why was I in such a rush? The drive home was intended to be relaxed, make a few calls along the way, reflect on the time at the beach, and see a few sights along the way. I mean really, where was I going?

In the “Jerry McGuire” movie, we see an exchange between Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. where Tom Cruise’s character is forced to play along and scream, “Show me the money!” And as I drove back onto the highway after the nice police officer sent me on my way, all I could think of was, “Show me the speed limit sign.” And really not in a bad way at all — I wanted to slow my journey down so I could enjoy our time together in the car and take in all the sights and sounds of this beautiful country.

I wanted to keep pace and not crawl along, but I wanted to drive slowly enough to catch the corny and sometimes incredibly funny billboards that adorn our highways. There were a few classics, including one with an image of Yoko Ono and the caption read, “Would you trust your energy decisions to a woman who broke up the Beatles?” Not sure what advocacy group or competing energy company placed the ad, it was just very clever and it had me looking for more signs amongst the incredible rolling hills and farmland. And some of my favorite signs were the stark signs with a biblical verse or faith-based message.

Nothing over the top, but incredibly powerful and inspiring, maybe just what I needed as I slowed the drive down just enough to take it all in.

Are you constantly in the fast lane of life? Do you need to be shown the speed limit signs in your own journey? Either way, I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we slow down to look for signs and inspiration, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is a resident of Highlands Ranch, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation and the CEO/ founder of www.candogo.com.

It’s a dog’s life . . . and that’s a good thing A Houston family adopted a black Labrador three years ago, knowing he had terminal cancer. The Roberts family gave Duke the best three years a dog could have. And they made his final day a dog’s dream. There were lots of hamburgers, a trip to the park and a photographer.

I couldn’t do what the family did, the photographer part.

Before Smitty, there was a girl named Badger. She depended upon me. That had never happened before. I didn’t know that it was going to be so much work — or that it was going to be so great.

I was a rat. I had an affair, Michelle found out, and moved out while I was at work. I came home in a snowstorm to a dark house. I opened the door and saw two shiny eyes looking up at me.

Michelle couldn’t have a dog in her new place, so Badger was all mine for the next 14 years.

We made two road trips to Michigan, visited Durango together, La Veta, Centennial, Wyo., and while the studio was under construction, we drove away

on the noisiest days and went all over the place.

We were an inseparable team, just like Smitty and me.

I hung artwork at her eye level, which wasn’t very high. She was a small standard red dachshund.

A dog will get into your heart like nothing else. I am made up of two-thirds humbug, but my dachshunds found the other third and wouldn’t let go.

Duke was on three legs and ran around like he had five.

The Robertses knew that the time had come to say good-bye, so they chose a day and asked family friend Robyn Arouty, a photographer who specializes

in animal portraits, to document Duke’s final day.

Could you do that?

I have a beautiful little 8-by-8 Shutterfly book of Smitty, and I know someday I will be very happy to have it. I also know that I will disintegrate for a few moments every time I open it.

The Robertses did something else I couldn’t do. They wrote a beautiful reminiscence in the voice of Duke calling it “I Died Today.”

Good God. All of this made its way to the Internet and it turned into a forum for others to share their stories, just like I am doing right now.

My little friend is on the floor next to me. We rise and shine — in the dark. It’s 5 a.m., we’ve both had a walk, a bathroom and a breakfast.

I have told Smitty’s story before. I am his third owner. I almost lost him when his back went out. He had emergency surgery that same day. I would avoid ASPCA Pet Insurance if I were you.

Marshall continues on Page 7

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager SCOTT ANDREWS Production Manager SHARI MARTINEZ Circulation Manager ERIN ADDENBROOKE Major Accounts and Classified Manager

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Calendar calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com Military Notes militarynotes@coloradocommunitymedia.com School Accomplishments schoolnotes@coloradocommunitymedia.com Sports sports@coloradocommunitymedia.com Obituaries obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com To Subscribe call 303-566-4100 Columnists and Guest Commentaries The Elbert County News features a limited number of regular columnists, found on these pages and elsewhere in the paper, depending on the typical subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

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7

Elbert County News 7

July 24, 2014

Ballot initiatives would have impact on judges Amendments are aimed at increasing judicial accountability

By Vic Vela

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com A Wheat Ridge man is behind a pair of ballot initiatives that he hopes will “bring back accountability” to Colorado courtrooms.

But attorney Chris Forsyth acknowledges that his effort to change how judges are elected and disciplined could be a long shot this year.

“We need lightning to strike,” he said.

Forsyth, an attorney of 20 years, is behind the Clean up the Courts effort, a pair of would-be constitutional amendments that seek to restructure parts of the judicial system.

The Two-Thirds Majority Amendment would raise the number of “yes” votes judges need for retention to a two-thirds

majority. Right now, judges retain their bench seats by collecting a simple majority in uncontested races.

“They’re a completely different animal than a normal election because they don’t have an opponent,” Forsyth said.

“In a regular election, the opponents point out each other’s flaws, but we don’t have something like that here.”

Forsyth said that the simple majority retention system can lead to a process by which bad judges continue to hold on to their bench seats, he said.

“Too much job security is not a good thing,” he said.

Forsyth also seeks to change how judges are disciplined, through the Honest Judge Amendment.

That effort would transfer judges’ disciplinary cases to the Independent Ethics Commission, an agency that is already set up to look into complaints filed against elected officials.

Right now, disciplinary cases are taken up by the Commission on Judicial Discipline. Forsyth said there is a conflict of interest in allowing a commission that

reports to the Supreme Court to discipline judges.

Forsyth said the commission has dismissed 97 percent of discipline cases against judges over the last 10 years and the vast majority of those cases were dismissed without ever really being looked into.

“Our discipline commission isn’t doing what it’s supposed to be doing,” Forsyth said. “Right now, whether people have a good judge is the luck of the draw.

And it shouldn’t be that way.”

But there is opposition to Forsyth’s efforts. The Colorado Bar Association is against the initiatives, claiming that the amendments would have an adverse impact on the judicial system.

State Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Cherry Hills Village, who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is also opposed to Forsyth’s efforts.

“These initiatives are seeking to solve a problem that doesn’t seem to exist,” Kagan said. “It’s misguided. These initiatives suggest that if a judge is more accountable to the popular mood, they will

be better judges. That’s not true.”

Kagan said that judges shouldn’t feel pressured into ruling on cases out of fear that he or she might lose his seat because of them.

“Any judicial decision is going to leave somebody angry,” Kagan said. “But if judges are looking over their shoulders every time they do their job, that’s not a good thing.”

Forsyth has until Aug. 4 to submit more than 86,000 valid petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office, in order for the initiatives to make it on to the November ballot.

Forsyth acknowledges that he has a tall order ahead of him, so he has created a novel way of collecting signatures through his “change your fate with up to eight” method. The method asks supporters to print petitions from his Clean up the Courts website and collect eight signatures on their own.

“It’s all about integrity, that’s what this is all about,” Forsyth said. “We’ve just got to stop the madness and bring back accountability.”

Hobby Lobby ruling under further scrutiny Udall introduces legislation to overturn Supreme Court decision

By Vic Vela

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com Sen. Mark Udall and several other congressional Democrats unveiled legislation last week that seeks to push back against a recent and controversial Supreme Court decision over contraception.

Udall’s bill, which is being dubbed the “Not My Boss’s Business Act,” would restore the contraception coverage requirement that is a component of the Affordable Care Act. “It will restore a woman’s power to make a personal health care decision based on what is best for her and her families and not according to her employer’s personal beliefs,” Udall said during a July 11 press conference in downtown Denver.

That “Obama Care” component — which mandates that employers provide

Marshall Continued from Page 6

His recovery took over a month. No walks, no stairs. We camped in the living room. I read. He slept and wobbled to his water dish.

We enable each other. I was supposed to go to Europe on an art tour that was all paid for. I had my bags packed and a pet sitter lined up. I was going to be gone more than a week.

I had breakfast and looked over at Smitty and said (something like), “Oh, crap, I can’t do this.”

Homes Continued from Page 4

Creek floodplain and riparian corridor, will be preserved as open space, the planning guide says.

Choke Cherry Investors, LLC, calls the development a “logical extension” of what already exists in the area, including The Pinery and Pradera.

“Stone Creek Ranch will offer a unique living environment that is compatible with and complementary to existing and planned developments in the area,” the company’s proposal says. “The intent is to develop the property into several vil-

contraception coverage in their company health plans — was dealt a blow by the Supreme Court late last month.

The court gave the OK for certain companies with religious objections to avoid the contraception coverage requirement.

The ruling is known as the Hobby Lobby decision, named after one of the companies that brought the case.

The court insisted that its ruling was narrow. But Udall said that the decision could impact millions of other employees across the country that may have to “ask their bosses for a permission slip to access important forms of birth control or other critical health services.”

“The men and women who signed up to work at Hobby Lobby signed up to work at a craft store, not a religious organization,” Udall said.

Udall also warned that the ruling could have a slippery slope impact in other areas of health care where religious objections might exist, such as vaccinations and HIV treatment.

Leaders of various women’s organizations, who voiced their support of the legislation, joined Udall at the press conference.

I know, I know. I chose a dachshund over Paris. And he didn’t know the difference. Or maybe he did.

Jennifer knows she will always be second around here, no matter what, and she understands because she has Charley.

My dear friend has eaten through three seat belts and there have been some other moments, but he is always in my heart. Always.

“And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest,” Duke.

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

“We believe strongly that health care is a human right and that private corporations should not be allowed to discriminate against women in the guise of religious freedom,” said Cristina Aguilar of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights.

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Democrat who represents Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, is a House co-sponsor of the legislation. Through an emailed statement, Perlmutter cited recent state statistics that indicate that contraception services have contributed to a 40-percent drop in teenage pregnancies since 2009.

“I want all women, including my daughters, to have access to the most effective forms of family planning services and preventative health options, regardless of their employers’ beliefs,” Perlmut-

ter said.

Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are critical of the legislation, dismissing the bill as an attempt by Democrats to rally women voters for the upcoming mid-term elections.

A spokesman for Rep. Cory Gardner, who is running against Udall for his Senate seat, said that Udall’s opposition to Gardner’s own proposal to making oral contraception available over the counter shows that he is “more concerned with his own political health than women’s health...”

“We can only conclude that Mark Udall is desperate to keep this as a political issue instead of solving the problem,” said Gardner spokesman Alex Siciliano.

“Cory is presenting a solution to benefit Coloradans — Senator Udall is preserving his own political arsenal.”

To place an Obituary for Your Loved One… Private

lages planned around parks, trails and open space amenities.”

Choke Cherry Investors says grazing and crop production has “significantly disturbed” the site, but with Stone Creek Ranch, there is an “opportunity to develop while concurrently restoring proposed open space areas, especially the Cherry Creek riparian corridor, to a healthy condition.”

Public hearings have not yet been scheduled before the planning commission and Douglas County Board of County Commissioners to discuss the planned development guide.

For more information on Stone Creek Ranch, go to www.douglas.co.us.

303-566-4100 Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

8

8 Elbert County News

July 24, 2014

Racetrack gambles on support for casino Out-of-state money floods Colorado for ballot issue

By Katie Kuntz

Rocky Mountain PBS I-News A Colorado racetrack has the chance to become the state’s largest casino this November, and it’s quickly creating the most expensive issue fight in the state’s 2014 election.

The Arapahoe Park racetrack east of Aurora is operated by Mile High USA, a subsidiary of a Rhode Island-based racing and entertainment company. So far, Mile High USA has contributed more than $2 million toward a ballot measure that would allow the racetrack to add up to 2,500 slot machines.

Initiative 135 has not yet met all the qualifications to be added to this fall’s ballot, even though supporters submitted more than 130,000 signatures for verification on July 14.

The pitched battle between gambling interests in the mountain casino towns of Cripple Creek, Central City and Black Hawk, and the horse track in Arapahoe County, has already generated more than $11 million in fundraising, and opponents to the measure have spent more than $7 million to defeat the proposal before voters even see it.

“The majority of our spending so far has been to sure up advertising space come this fall,” said Michelle Ames, spokesperson for the Don’t Turn Race Tracks into Casinos issue committee, which opposes Initiative 135. “I think that our strongest arguments are just the facts: This is a ballot initiative written by a single Rhode Island company that wants to increase its bottom line. I think Coloradans will see that for what it is and they will reject the initiative just like they did in 2003.”

In 2003, a similar initiative was introduced to Colorado voters, who rejected the gaming expansion by a 4-1 ratio.

Still, proponents of the measure believe that the

More than $11 million dollars has been spent by supporters and opponents of a ballot initiative to expand gambling in Colorado that has yet been qualified for the ballot.(Ryan Conley/Rocky Mountain PBS I-News)

time is ripe to try again.

“I think that our country has gone through a lot in the last 10 years, and if you base any of your assertions on what happened then versus what is happening now, that’s not going to give a good bet,” said Becky Brooks, Arapahoe Park spokesperson. “We have had some successes on this track; the attendance is up and we think this is the right time to do this.”

But several Black Hawk casinos that are already established in Colorado do not believe this is the right time to expand gaming. In fact, five of the largest Black Hawk casinos have already contributed $8.8 million to the campaign against the expansion.

And those casinos also have out-ofstate ties.

For example, one supporter of Don’t Turn Racetracks into Casinos is Ameristar Casinos, a Pinnacle Inc. subsidiary whose headquarters are in Las Vegas.

Ameristar has already contributed about $2.8 million against the ballot initiative.

Another Las Vegas casino company that has contributed over a million dollars to the campaign is Affinity Gaming Inc., which operates Golden Gates and Golden Gulch casinos in Black Hawk.

A St. Louis. Mo. company, Isle of Capri, is responsible for contributing $2.2 million to stop the expansion of Arapahoe Park.

“It’s basically just a big battle between corporate interests,” said Eric Sondermann, an independent political analyst from Denver. “This is not an election where passions are going to be high among ordinary voters; this is a corporate fight all the way.”

But Mile High USA, in a desire to be more appealing to voters this time around, promised 34 percent of the net income from slot machines, or an estimated $114 million annually, to the Colorado K-12 education fund.

This is in contrast to the $104 million that all of Colorado’s 38 casinos paid in statewide taxes during the fiscal year that ended July 1, 2014.

Still, $114 million may not be a large enough contribution to gain support from the education community.

“I am going to be very surprised if there are people from the public education sector who will support this thing like they did two years ago to increase taxes,” Sondermann said. “That was going to raise about a billion dollars for K-12 education. It doesn’t seem likely that $100 million is enough money to be worth it.”

While Arapahoe Park pledges to bolster the education fund, opponents to the measure say this new expansion will drastically change Colorado’s landscape of limited gambling, and decrease some of the funding for projects already voter approved.

Steve Boulter, who operates Dostal Alley, a family-owned casino in Central City, fears that the Arapahoe Park casino would not expand the gambling community in Colorado, but would only take business from other establishments.

“We think that this would completely annihilate these historic towns and everything that we have done to help the economic survival of our community,” Boulter said. “We aren’t afraid of some competition and they are more than welcome to build up here in Central City, but they are trying to write their own rules into our constitution.”

As of July 1, 2014, none of the casinos in Central City had contributed to the campaign against the casino expansion; explaining they did not have extra money to enter the fight. So far, all of the $11 million in contributions to the opposing committee have come from large Black Hawk casinos. The only financial contributor to the supporting committee has been the owner of Arapahoe Park.

Those interests have created the most expensive issue battle in the state, accounting for nearly half of all the $23 million in issue committee funding. The Secretary of State’s office expects to either verify or deny the ballot initiative in the next three weeks.

Colorado Community Media brings you this report in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS I-News. Learn more at rmpbs.org/news. Contact Katie Kuntz at katiekuntz@rmpbs.org.

tista price Th land price rious hous July 1 W avail tion, no-re notic Th an a Estat ored tion Chris Medi July 1

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Th whic carpe caret cont Th pass whic fishin cour

9

Elbert County News 9

July 24, 2014

Mansion Continued from Page 1

tista said. “The owner doesn’t have any set price and there are no hidden costs.”

The three-story home and surrounding land was put on the market in 2007 with a price tag of $22 million, but didn’t attract serious attention from buyers because of the housing crisis. It was put up for sale again July 1 for $18.37 million.

With the disclaimer that the “property is available for and subject to sale prior to auction,” the tantalizing announcement of the no-reserve auction promptly attracted the notice of news agencies and bloggers.

The Battistas, along with Joshua & Co., an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, and Supreme Auctions, have honored countless requests for more information in the hopes of finding the ideal buyer.

Christine Battista led Colorado Community Media on an exclusive tour of Serenity Ridge July 14.

`The whole nine yards’ The estate contains the wonderments for which one might hope: hidden rooms, silk carpeting, a bowling alley, a pair of full-time caretakers, and private tunnels to posh, selfcontained guest quarters.

Those invited to enter the grounds must pass through a massive security gate, after which they are greeted with the sight of fishing ponds, a meditation house and, of course, the 47,114 square-foot home with

Scout Continued from Page 1

members of the Mormon Battalion known as the “Sick Detachment,” all of whom traveled along Trappers’ Trail, also known as the Cherokee Trail.

Elbert County has strong military ties and the monuments are long overdue, Kelly said.

“A lot people in the area have served,” he said. “It was kind of something that was needed.”

Both pieces will be unveiled at 9:30 a.m.

Aug. 2 outside the courthouse in Kiowa during a ceremony, which will include re-enactors dressed as those being memorialized.

The one-hour dedication ceremony, which will take place during the week of the Elbert County Fair, also will feature Boy Scouts carry-

LEFT: The indoor pool at Serenity Ridge. RIGHT: The theater room in Serenity Ridge, part of a sprawling, 43,000 square-foot estate southeast of Parker. Photos by Chris Michlewicz peninsular wings. The sheer breadth of the abode is difficult to comprehend, and difficult to view in its entirety.

Interior elements are lavish, but not overdone; many of the rooms are tastefully ornate and pleasantly comfortable.

“It was built to feel really small and intimate in all of the rooms and not feel large and cavernous,” Christine Battista said.

Unlike most mansions of its size, Serenity Ridge was not specifically built to reflect one-person’s tastes. The décor and furnishings, which come with the house, abide by neutral palettes, she said.

Perhaps the most alluring component ing the flags from all 50 states, several foreign countries, troop and patrol flags and family flags.

Kelly, 17, said the finishing touches were still being put on in mid-July. A team of scouts, architects and cement workers donated time to put the monuments together. The main monument has a square base topped by a rectangular prism, which is topped by a triangular prism.

The fort stones that are being incorporated were collected as the scouts visited forts where the Mormon Battalion likely stopped during their trek from Santa Fe, N.M., to Laramie, Wyo., when the West was settled by pioneers. The scouts received special permission to remove the stones from some of the forts, including Fort Garland in the San Luis Valley; others are no longer standing.

The public, particularly local veterans, is invited to attend the dedication ceremony.

is the panoramic views of the Front Range from just about every window on the west side. The house sits neatly atop a hill near Douglas County’s boundary with Elbert County.

For a place that is among the largest in Colorado and has “the whole nine yards,” it surprisingly wasn’t even on the radar of Denver area real estate agents who deal in luxury properties, Christine Battista said.

The owner is retiring and downsizing property holdings — factors that prompted the auction — but his family has a deep connection to Serenity Ridge, and parting with it is an emotional experience.

Water Continued from Page 1

over the planned $46,000. The additional money approved by the Metro Roundtable makes up only a portion of the shortfall, but will allow well monitoring to begin as early as spring 2015.

“The sooner we get started on this the sooner we get working on a master plan,” said committee member Bob Ware, enthusiastic that the project would proceed.

The well monitoring network will be set up by the federal geological survey to measure water levels in 30 all-volunteer wells. The sensors measure the level of groundwater and do

Originally built in 2001 by then-Hewlett Packard executive John Costanza as a combined residence and corporate retreat, Serenity Ridge boasts two boardrooms.

Costanza, however, never lived in the home and sold it nearly one year later.

Battista was not permitted to disclose the seller’s identity, but property records show the estate belongs to Cal Turner III, who headed Dollar General Corp., a company founded by his father and grandfather, before stepping down in 2003.

For more information on Serenity Ridge and the Sept. 27 auction, go to www.thebattistateam.com. not meter the water pumped out of individual wells.

In 2005, the Colorado General Assembly passed the 21st Century Act, establishing nine water basin roundtables throughout the state.

The roundtables are designed to encourage locally driven solutions for water use and to represent each of the state’s eight major river basins and the Denver metropolitan area. The basins are responsible for assessing various water needs and projects.

Because counties’ boundaries were created without regard for river basins, three of the nine basin roundtables established by the act fall within Elbert County — the Arkansas Basin in the southeast corner, the South Platte Basin encompassing two-thirds of the county, and the Metro Basin in the county’s northwest corner.

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10

10 Elbert County News

July 24, 2014

Resource fair provides tools to thrive July 28 event set for PACE Center

By Mike DiFerdinando

mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com A Douglas County agency hopes it can provide compassionate care for residents who have fallen on hard times — without the stigma attached.

At the Strive to Thrive Resource and Service Fair July 28 at Parker’s PACE Center, locals who are in need will have the chance to eat a free meal and learn how to take advantage of food and clothing assistance and get school supplies.

“If you need help, or are struggling, sometimes it can be hard to walk into an agency or call up and find the right person to help you,” Douglas County community care navigator Rand Clark said. “It can be embarrassing. This event

Healey Continued from Page 2

around for her stepson. “Where’s Matt?”

Matt moves toward Nancy, who is tightly holding the framed picture of John to her chest. They put an arm around each other.

Eddie Jr. turns his surfboard toward shore. Like a trail of dust in the soft breeze, John’s ashes scatter into the air and drift down into the water.

Matt and Nancy hug. Tears well throughout the group.

“I saw him healthy, going down,” says his sister, Jennifer, older by three years.

“He really fought it. He really put up a fight ...”

Back on the bus, the 1970s Southern rock tunes “Ramblin’ Man” and “Ghost Riders in the Sky” generate an enthusiastic sing-along.

Second stop: Sea Breeze, a quaint bar near the Babylon town pier that in the early 1900s was the hangout of lo-

is set up like a fair. You can walk in and find the organization that you need and someone will be there to answer your questions.

“And it’s not just information; you can walk away with your hands full.”

According to Clark, the county aims to hold the event twice a year — once in January and again in late July or early

August to help families before school starts.

Parents of children in need will be able to register on site for school supplies, discounted or free school meals and free transit cards.

“It’s a great first step for parents who are struggling with how they’re going to have their kids ready for the school year,”

‘It’s a great first step for parents who are struggling with how they’re going to have their kids ready for the school year.’

Rand Clark, Douglas County Community Care Navigator

cal clammers. It’s small, with a wooden ceiling, a pool table, a dartboard and a line of stools at the long, acrylic-topped counter on which Nancy places John’s picture. The bartender sets down a shot glass of Jack Daniel’s in front of it.

“He was my best man,” says Tim Cunningham, John’s friend since they were 5 years old. “We’ve been through thick and thin together.”

And “I love remembering him,” he says. “When he walked into a room, he had such a commanding presence. He controlled any party. He was always so funny and he always had a good joke to tell. Even if he insulted you in some way — and he did — he had a way to make it better.”

About 45 minutes later, the group climbs back on the bus.

Third stop: Mustang Sally’s, a long, narrow dive in a nondescript shopping strip in Bay Shore, flanked on one side by an ice cream shop and on the other by a convenience store. Inside, jerseys of the New York Jets — John’s favorite team — and the New York Giants hang on one wall.

Kevin sits at the bar, nursing a beer.

He remembers how he and John met — in a fistfight related to work that Kevin initiated. John knocked Kevin down several times, then looked at him.

“Are we going to do this again?” he asked Kevin. “Or are we gonna have a beer?”

They had a beer. And “we were buddies from then on.”

He worked alongside John at Ground Zero for just as many months. He still has a bag of clothes from those days that he opens every now and then. “I don’t know why, but smelling it sometimes, it brings me back to earth.”

He is 51 and has two children, ages 5 and 6.

“I look at my kids,” Kevin says. “It scares the hell out of me. ... I try not to think about it.” Then, again, softly, “I try not to think about it.”

On the bus, Lenny Martinez, once John’s partner in a contracting business, leans back on the seat. As another country tune starts up, he tries to blink back tears. He takes off his glasses, wipes his eyes, hugs his wife.

“Every time I get back on the bus, I start crying,” he says. “He was king of the prom. ... He would get everybody together. It’s kind of sad — they say the good die young. If I can affect half as many people as he did, in my lifetime, I feel my job is done.”

The bus pulls into an empty lot across the street from The Southside Hotel, a red brick restaurant-bar in Bay Shore that has been around since Prohibition days. Stories about John flit around the small tables in the woodlined colonial-style bar.

Lenny is smiling, remembering how, at Lenny’s wedding, John, a top hat on his head and cane in his hand, pretended he couldn’t see as he walked into the reception hall. How the crowd laughed.

Lenny laughs, too. He also remembers John’s resolute sense of duty: “He was an average lunchbox guy. He said, `I got to go.’ Most people wouldn’t do that.”

John’s boisterous 75-year-old uncle, called Uncle Dave by all, raises his glass and bellows: “To John, my nephew. I loved him

Clark said. “The people who you need to talk to will be there.”

Clark said the events — during which more than 20 local agencies are on hand — have drawn between 150-175 people each time. The fair is designed for Douglas County residents but is open to anyone who is in need.

“We want to give our people the opportunity to thrive regardless of their circumstance,” Clark said. “It’s a relaxed and comfortable environment. It’s not intimidating. If you need help, come by. You can walk in, get the information that you need, and walk out. No one will know why you’re there. We just want to get the word out and encourage people to take advantage of these resources.”

The free event runs from 4-6 p.m. July 28 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave. in Parker. No appointment or registration is required. This is the fifth time that the county has hosted the resource fair.

dearly and I know you guys, did, too.

Salut!”

The room echoes.

On the bus, Nancy finds her seat. The afternoon has been difficult, but good, too. Plenty of tears, but also so much laughter, so many warm remembrances, so much loving comfort.

As the strains of a song begin, Nancy jumps up excitedly. It is “Compass” by Lady Antebellum. Everyone seems to understand and the bus fills with exuberant voices and clapping.

Yeah, it’s been a bumpy road, roller coasters high and low Fill the tank and drive the car, pedal fast, pedal hard You won’t have to go that far If you want to give up cause it’s dark, we’re really not that far apart So let your heart, sweetheart, be your compass when you’re lost And you should follow it wherever it may go Nancy is swaying, letting the music and words take her someplace else. The necklace she made from her and John’s wedding rings hangs around her neck — inside John’s simple circular band is hers, shaped into a heart, the diamond nestled at the point.

In the moments before John died, he looked at her and said, “This is my sendoff song to you. Listen to every word.”

When it’s all said and done, you can walk instead of run ‘Cause no matter what you’ll never be alone Never be alone, oh-oh-oh Never be alone, oh-oh-oh Nancy’s smile lights her face as she sings. Her eyes close and her arms reach toward the sky.

She is listening.

Ann Macari Healey’s column about people, places and issues of everyday life appears every other week. Her column earned first place in the 2013 Colorado Press Association Better Newspaper contest. She can be reached at ahealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com or 303-5664110.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Have a news or business story idea? We'd love to read all about it. To send us your news and business press releases please visit coloradocommunitymedia.com, click on the Press Releases tab and follow easy instructions to make submissions.

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11

July 24, 2014

Elbert County News 11

THINGS TO DO

EDITOR’S NOTE: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Friday for publication the following week. Send listings to calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a space-available basis.

LIBRARY BUBBLE Party THE ELBERT County Library District concludes its summer of programs with a bubble party. Explore the science behind bubbles. Program is at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Elizabeth Library; and at noon July 24, at the Kiowa Library. Call 303-646-3416, 303-621-2111 or 719-541-2573 or visit www.elbertcountylibrary.org.

WINE AND Music with Lisa Arons PIANIST LISA Arons presents “Wine and Music” on Friday, July 25. Arons will perform at 11 a.m. at Victorian House, 19600 Victorian Drive, Parker; at 1 p.m. at Cantril House, 221 Cantril St., Castle Rock; and at 3 p.m. at Valley House, 255 S. Valley Drive, Castle Rock. A highly talented musician, Arons won the DPS Symphony Concerto competition when she was 18. This event is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, call 303-482-5552.

PACE PRESENTS Classic Broadway Musical PACE CENTER presents “Guys and Dolls,” a co-production by Parker Theatre Productions and the Town of Parker. Professional and amateur talent will sing and dance their way through the classic Broadway musical July 25-27 and Aug. 1-3.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, July 25 and Aug. 1; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays July 26 and Aug. 2; and 2 p.m., Sunday, July 27, Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3. Go to http:// pacecenteronline.ticketforce.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=222 for tickets and information.

FIRE RESTORATION Project VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte are seeking volunteers to help with critical fire restoration efforts at the Waldo Canyon burn area. Work will be done from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 26. Volunteers will help mitigate flooding and repair fire damage. The burn area is now subject to erosion and mudslides that threaten Colorado Springs’ municipal water supply, Highway 24, and public and private infrastructure. Work will involve removal of burned hazard trees, re-shaping the ground surface, sand-bagging, reseeding, tree and seedling planting and building erosion control structures to stabilize drainages. No experience needed, although work will be moderate to strenuous in nature. Registered volunteers will received a light breakfast and lunch. Volunteers must commit to the entire day. Minimum age to volunteer is 16. Register at www.voc. org/projects or 303-715-1010.

MONTHLY BREAKFAST The Elbert Woman’s Club plans its monthly breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at the Russell Gates Mercantile Community Hall. Biscuits, gravy, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, coffee/tea and juice are served for $6/adults and $3/children under 12. The Hall is located in Elbert on Elbert Road between Highways 86 and 24, 11 miles south of Kiowa. Proceeds support the maintenance and renovation of the Hall, built in 1906.

ROYALTY BRUNCH THE 80TH Elbert County Fair is inviting former fair queens and princesses to its Royalty Brunch on Sunday, Aug. 3. The very first Elbert County Fair Queen joined us last year. If you held either title or know someone who did, call Mary Louise Jacobson at 720-289-0104.

OUTBACK EXPRESS August Schedule THE OUTBACK Express, a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local Governments, will take passengers from Simla and Matheson to Colorado Springs on Aug. 4 and Aug. 18; from Simla and Matheson to Limon on Aug. 28; from Kiowa, Elizabeth and Elbert to Parker or Colorado Springs on Aug. 5 and Aug. 19; and from Elizabeth to Colorado Springs or Parker on Aug. 12.

Good Samaritan Nursing Home residents may ride on Aug. 14. Reservations are appreciated; call Kay Campbell, 719- 541-4275, or the ECCOG office, 800-825-0208.

Visit http://outbackexpress.tripod.com.

CARDINAL FOOTBALL Camp LEARN THE game of football at the 14th annual Cardinal football camp. Players in grades 9-12 participate Monday to Thursday, Aug. 4-7. Elizabeth High School football staff and senior players will run the camp. This is a non-contact camp.

Contact 303-520-5468 or email mzoesch@esdk12.org or bmartinez@esdk12.org for a registration form.

ELBERT DAY Festival THE ELBERT Day Festival, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, will feature a country breakfast, pancake race, art booths, craft/food vendors, live music

by Barry Ward and Carlos Washington. A parade and old time games for all ages included. Antique cars, petting zoo, pony rides, roping, 5K race. Call 303-648-3611 or email elberttowncommittee@gmail.com.

TRIBUTE TO Vietnam Veterans A TRIBUTE to Vietnam Veterans will take place Saturday, Aug. 16 at the

WOMAN’S CLUB Breakfast

Calendar continues on Page 15

Anadarko is Providing for Today and Innovating for Tomorrow The United States is in the midst of an energy revolution supported in large part by the increased oil and natural gas production occurring in Colorado. With almost 10 percent of the nation’s natural gas reserves and approximately 2 percent of its oil reserves, Colorado has become a key contributor in enhancing the nation’s energy security, and in providing essential energy resources that reliably fuel the modern world.

Anadarko, a South Metro Denver Chamber member, employs more than 1,500 Coloradans that share a set of core values that includes integrity and trust, open communication, servant leadership, people and passion and

commercial focus. These values have made Anadarko a leading oil and natural gas exploration and production company in Colorado and among the largest in the world, and they guide the company’s employees in fulfilling their mission to safely explore for, acquire and develop oil and natural gas resources vital to the world’s health and welfare.

Through the application of advanced technology and human ingenuity, Anadarko continues to responsibly expand the productive life of Colorado’s Wattenberg field along the Front Range. Since 2007, Anadarko has invested more than $5 billion in capital, while contributing more than $700 million in taxes,

salaries and royalties for the benefit of area communities.

A vibrant oil and natural gas industry in Colorado benefits every Coloradan through funding for local communities and services, tax revenue for public schools and infrastructure improvements, creation of local direct and induced employment opportunities, support for hundreds of non-profit organizations and lower energy costs for all Colorado consumers.

Learn how Anadarko is safely producing vital energy resources from Colorado’s Wattenberg field at www.anadarko.com, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ anadarkopetroleumcorporation.

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Littleton It is well-documented that patients who utilize inpatient rehabilitation hospitals after an injury, illness, or surgery show improved functional outcomes over those who do not. Rehabilitation provides the greatest potential for a person to return home and regain activity in the community.

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Littleton, an inpatient rehabilitation hospital that opened May 15, 2013, offers a full continuum of rehabilitative programs and services. These services are offered for individuals who have suffered a major accident or illness including trauma, stroke, head injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, arthritis, chronic pain, neuromuscular and pulmonary diseases. HealthSouth, a South Metro Denver Chamber member, is one of only two freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in the Denver metro area.

“Our success depends on the quality of care provided to every patient,” said Dr. Jill Castro, Medical Director at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Littleton. “Our group is experienced and ready to help patients reach their goals and exceed their expectations to get back home sooner.

Our expert teams of independent private practice physicians, Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurses, therapists, case managers and hospital staff members area already working together to provide an exceptional patient experience and become the reha-

bilitative provider of choice Littleton and greater Denver.

Patients in an acute rehabilitation hospital are offered a more intense approach to rehabilitation that benefits patients and families in less time. Patients receive:

sion. Common conditions accepted by our home admission program are Parkinson’s disease, history of a stroke, generalized weakness, cardiac surgery, neurological disorders, rheumatoid disease, and back, pelvis or lower extremity fractures.

Daily Physician Visits: Patients are evaluated by a board-certified physiatrist (physicians who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation).

Certified Rehabilitation RNs: HealthSouth patients have ‘round-the-clock supervision from certified rehabilitation registered nurses.

Three hours of therapy at least 5 days/week: Therapy is provided by seasoned physical, occupational and speech therapists.

Weekly team conferences: Each patient’s physician, therapists, case manager and nurse meet weekly to consult on the patient’s progress.

For more information call 303-334-1111 or e-mail lisa.hinton@healthsouth.com or visit www.healthsouthlittleton.com For more information regarding the South Metro Denver Chamber’s events and membership opportunities, please visit www.bestchamber.com.

Calendar of Events For a complete calendar of South Metro Denver Chamber events and for more information, visit our web site at www.bestchamber.com or call 303-795-0142.

Monday, July 21

Save Lives, Sort Medical Supplies with Project C.U.R.E. 7:00 pm, Project CURE, 10337 East Geddes Ave, Centennial, CO Registration via Meetup required

Tuesday, July 22

Educational Breakfast Seminar: 10 Ways Telecom in the Cloud Can Help Your Business!

8:00 am-9:00 am, South Metro Chamber of Commerce – Whipplewood CPAs Conference Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial, CO

Thursday, July 24 Your Financial Journey: A Roadmap for Today’s Woman 5:00 pm-6:30 pm, South Metro Chamber of Commerce – Whipplewood CPAs Conference Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial, CO

Friday, July 25

Time Management Training Classes in Outlook 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Mission Critical Systems-DTC 7384 South Alton Way, Suite 201, Centennial, CO Cost: $390/person, Register www.mcstech.net

Friday, July 25

Stellar Brass Ensemble of the United Air Force Academy Band!

6:00 pm-8:00 pm, Someren Glen Retirement Community 5000 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial, CO

Monday, July 28 Arapahoe Library District/ Reference USA Demonstration 8:00 am – 9:00 am, South Metro Chamber of Commerce – Whipplewood CPAs Conference Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial, CO

Saturday, August 2 Join Goodwill Denver for the Grand Opening Celebration of the Home Store 8:30 am – 3:00 pm, Goodwill Home Store, 8260 S. Colorado Blvd. (at County Line Rd.), Centennial, CO

South Metro Denver Chamber Group Presents $4,000 to Littleton Boy Scouts

Prior to discharge from the hospital, a patient has the right to choose where they receive their rehabilitation. Be sure to discuss all of your discharge options with your case manager before choosing a hospital.

HealthSouth also offers a Home Admission Program where patients can be assessed by a liaison and admitted directly from home. HealthSouth does not require a three day acute hospital stay prior to admis-

“Littleton Boy Scouts presented with $4,000 check by LEADapalooza member Cheryl Braunschweiger, John Weksler and others.

LEADapalooza, one of the South Metro Denver Chamber’s business leads groups, presented a $4,000 check this week to Boy Scout

Troop 4 of Littleton.

The money was donated by area residents who dropped off 40,000 pounds of used electronics and 10,000 pounds of documents to be shredded at a free event last month sponsored and staffed by members of LEADapalooza. Scouts from Troop 4 also were on hand to help.

“This is the most successful event of any kind that I’ve ever been involved with,” said Cheryl Braunschweiger of ALMC Mortgage at NOVA Home Loans, primary organizer of the event. “The shredding truck provided

by SHRED-IT was so full that the sides were bulging. And Techno+Rescue had to bring in extra trucks because of the tremendous volume of items we collected for recycling.”

12-Life

12 Elbert County News

S O U T H

LIFE

July 24, 2014

M E T R O

`Galactic Stories’ mixes art, science

“Sam and Steilka” mixed media on five canvases, 36” x 66” is in Kaplan’s “Galactic Stories” Exhibit. Photos by Sonya Ellingboe

Kaplan exhibit was sparked

by Hubble telescope photos

By Sonya Ellingboe

sellingboe @coloradocommunitymedia.com “In `Sam and Streilka,’ for example, a Russian dog who traveled in space is only brush strokes away from `The Big Bang.’ It is my hope that the painting is thematically expansive — as well as visually unified …”

That is from a statement by artist Sandra Kaplan for “Galactic Stories,” her latest exhibit at the Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. It runs through Aug. 28 and is a most engaging collection of images that blend history, science, philosophy — and especially art.

Kaplan is an experienced painter and teacher who resides in Englewood, with studio and teaching space in Denver. She has been known for collages in addition to more conventional painting techniques, and in this show, the viewer finds both — executed with the technical skill that comes with time.

She explains that her daughter, an electrical engineer, stimulated her thought processes to begin with when she sent several photos taken by the Hubble telescope.

“Intrigued, I began combing through as many astronomy books as I could find, collecting historical astronomical images and scientific charts and maps.”

Friends learned of her interest and added to her collection of books, and draw-

LEFT: A wall of small uniformly-sized works contain mixed media images in Sandra Kaplan’s “Galactic Stories” exhibit. ABOVE: “Horsehead Galaxy,” oil and acrylic on canvas, 18’’x18” by Sandra Kaplan is in her “Galactic Stories” Exhibit. ings and images began to find their way into new collages. Mythology merges with more recent images and charts. While at times, images seem incompatible, they are part “of an encompassing continuum,” she

writes in a statement about the show.

“Maps chart what we think we know, yet to me they always suggest that there’s more to discover ... I’m not entirely sure where the line between reality and imagination

IF YOU GO The Gallery at the Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanity, on the Anschutz Medical Campus, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Directions: Start at the corner of Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street and go noth on Peoria. Turn right on Montview Boulevard. At Uvalda Street, turn right and go past several parking lots to the last entrance on the left, the Georgetown Lot. Park there, then facing south, walk to the right past several campus buildings to a smaller red brick building, the Fulginiti Pavilion. The gallery is on the first floor. Admission is free.

“Astro History” by Sandra Kaplan is painted with mixed media on 12 canvases, 54” x 72”.

begins and ends. The best I can say is that the skies are full of astonishments that can expand the field of artistic play and those are the fields in which I’m currently working.”

13

Elbert County News 13

July 24, 2014

`Playin’ in the Park’ is summertime treat City fair

The Village Bandstand — the Highlands Ranch Concert Band’s outdoor summer concert series — will present its annual free program especially planned for the younger area residents. “Playin’ in the Park” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Civic Green Park, 9370 Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch. The program will include two movements from “Colorado Country” — “Where the West Remains” and “Dude Roundup”; “Disney Round the World,” including “Robin Hood Fanfare,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Under the Sea”; and symphonic highlights from “Frozen” and “Bond — James Bond.” Revel and Tatlee will be on hand with glitter tattoos, and kids will be invited to take a close look at instruments that interest them, as well as to dance and perhaps conduct. Hrconcertband.org.

Tickets are available for the 4-year-old Denver County Fair, held Aug. 1-3 at the National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver. Parking: $8. Free for scooter, bike and Car2Go. Attractions include: Marshmallow Catapult War, Robot Opera, Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling, Drag Queen Pageant, Top Hogs, nearly 100 blue-ribbon competitions, eating competitions and food trucks. For full schedule: denvercountyfair. org/fair-schedule. Weekend tickets cost $10 adults; children 5-12, seniors and military half-price; free under 5. Hours: Aug. 1, noon to 9 p.m.; Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Symphony auditions

Summer Social

Windjammers to play The Windjammers Jazz Orchestra will feature Larry Meeks on the piano for an evening of big-band swing and ballroom dancing from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Buck Recreation Center, 2004 W. Powers Ave., Littleton. Tickets: $10, $8 for South Suburban Parks and Recreation District residents. Includes a free dance lesson at 7:15 p.m. 303-730-4612, littletonmusic. org.

Jazz in Littleton Aug. 15 is the date for the eighth Littleton Jazz Festival at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St. in downtown Littleton. Fans of piano jazz are in for a treat, because featured on the program are Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine, plus the Jeff Jenkins Quartet playing Brubeck. Both Steen and Jenkins are accomplished pianists.

Tickets are now available at Town Hall, 303-794-2787, ext.

5, or townhallartscenter.com.

The Friends of the Littleton Library/Museum will hold a free community event, a Summer Social, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. Boulder Ballet choreographer Peter Davison — dancer, juggler and physical comedian extraordinaire — will perform.

Food will be for sale at $4 for kids; and for $5 to $6, adults can have hot dogs, hot links, veggie and beef burgers, chips, beverage and condiments. There also will be ice-cream treats. Reservations required: Bemis Library and Littleton Museum front desks. 303-795-3950.

Ragtime show Tom McDermott will perform a ragtime concert, presented by the Ragtime Society of Colorado, at 2 p.m. Aug. 3 at Montview Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St., Denver. Tickets: $20 at the door. Information: president Colleen Vanderhoek of Littleton, 303-979-4353.

The Littleton Symphony will hold auditions in August for the 2014/2015 season for: oboe II, English horn, percussion, trombone, violin and cello section musicians. The Littleton Symphony is directed by Jurgen de Lemos and performs five to six concerts annually, including a free children’s concert.

Each year, the LSO extends membership to advanced high school string musicians in the Front Range area. To audition, see littletonsymphony.org or call Personnel Manager Bobbi Jones, 303-989-4727 or write info@littletonsymphony.org.

Bemis lore

Maya DeBus, granddaughter of Edwin Bemis, longtime publisher of the Littleton Independent, will be speaking about her remarkable grandfather on two occasions: July 29, 7 p.m., at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St., Littleton, sponsored by Historic Littleton Inc., hlinc.org; and on Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. at the Englewood Library, 1000 Englewood Parkway, sponsored by Englewood Historic Preservation Society, historicenglewood. org.

Book fair bound for Denver Dozens of booths planned for event

By Sonya Ellingboe

sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com

To advertise your public notices call 303-566-4100

Book lovers throughout the region will head for the 30th annual Rocky Mountain Book and Paper Fair on Aug. 1 and 2 at the Denver Mart, where they will find over 60 booths with thousands of books and vintage and rare paper goods, such as maps, postcards, art prints, old travel brochures, posters, ads and ephemera from decades and centuries past. The event is hosted by the Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers Association.

The theme this year is “The Past, Present and Future of the Book,” and featured speakers are: Keith Schrum, a Highlands Ranch resident who is a curator at the History Colorado Museum, and Australian bookseller Sally Burdon of The Asia Bookworm in Canberra.

Schrum’s topic is “Challenges Faced Building Collections to Serve Future Generations of Coloradans” (Aug. 1, 6 p.m.) Burden will talk about “The Used and Antiquarian Book World, Past, Present and Future: An Australian Dealer’s Point of View.” (Aug. 2, 1 p.m.)

At various times, Karen Jones and members of the Bookworkers Guild will demonstrate basic book care and handling and talk about simple repairs and maintenance of a collection.

Lois Harvey of West Side Books on 32nd Avenue in the Highland neighborhood is a longtime name in area bookselling. She is coordinator for this year’s fair and is excited about several specialty dealers who will have

IF YOU GO The Rocky Mountain Book and Paper Fair will be at the Denver Mart, at Interstate 25 and East 58th Ave., just north of Denver. Parking is free. Hours: Aug. 1, 2-9 p.m.; and Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: two days, $12; one day only, $7. Rmaba.org.

displays. One is Kevin Legroat of Bristlecone Books in Ridgeway, who is bringing material by famous illustrator Arthur Rackham, including signed drawings, Harvey said. Another vendor specializes in Sherlock Holmes materials and a third will have extra-fine Western Americana.

Harvey will offer a unique collection of books about Oriental rugs she bought from a woman in her late 80s.

“Her children were not interested.” She will also have a collection of Big Little Books, including an intact Buck Rogers pop-up.

Tom Parson, who is renovating the Englewood Depot to become a letterpress museum, will exhibit historical materials, and there will be archivists of the telephone and telegraph and artist Leon Loughridge, who illustrates limited-edition books with special wood block prints.

Eric Meyer, who operates Bluebird Books in his Littleton home, will exhibit the classics and Modern Library editions that are his specialty.

Veteran book seller Lois Harvey of West Side Books is coordinating the 2014 Rocky Mountain Book and Paper Fair on Aug. 1-2. Courtesy photo

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Sharold Robert Shepherd, Deceased Case Number: 2014PR30019

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Elbert County Probate Court, State of Colorado on or before November 17, 2014, or the claims may be forever barred.

Alice Wolf, Personal Representative 45420 County Road 21 Kiowa, CO 80107 Legal Notice No.: 927988 First Publication: July 17, 2014 Last Publication: July 31, 2014 Publisher: The Elbert County News

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14-Sports

SPORTS

14 Elbert County News

ALL SUMMER STRONG Area high school football players work on power, speed in offseason

hour of strength training. So it’s a three-hour program, four days a week. It’s basically 12 hours a week the kids spend with us.”

However, many players elect to continue to work during the summer with personal trainers.

“There are some real good ones and there are some that in my opinion are just taking your money,” Robinson said.

By Jim Benton

jbenton @coloradocommunitymedia.com Brandon Leahey and Alex Keys are two of the myriad players in the south metro area who believe improvement on the football field begins months before the season commences.

Almost all area high schools begin offseason drills in December after the football season ends and early in the summer when those athletes who intend on improving their strength, agility and skills start to work extra hard.

Chaparral’s Leahey, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound senior offensive guard/ tackle, starts the day with a workout at Six Zero Strength & Fitness in Centennial before heading to the school for another exercise session.

This is a routine Monday through Thursday and then two days a week he stops at Lifetime Fitness in Parker for speed, agility and conditioning workouts.

The workouts at Six Zero are conducted by former University of Colorado and NFL player Matt McChesney, who spent one of his five pro seasons with the Denver Broncos.

“I feel the training is very important,” said Leahey. “It’s my No. 1 priority this summer and come school, then school is the priority.

“I’ve been doing this for four or five years. It’s been so much different from year to year on the football field. Each year I’ve gotten so much better. With all the hard work I’ve put in, it has really made a difference.”

Keys, a 6-foot, 285-pound senior center, works out three hours in the morning Monday through Thursday during the summer with the Highlands Ranch High team and also attends training sessions with McChesney. He also has a part-time job during the summer.

A busy time of year

Spare time is at a premium.

“It’s football and work,” Keys said following a morning workout session at Highlands Ranch. “I love off-season training. I’m always excited to come in. It’s fun to get the whole team back in the summer. It’s important to be here and I’m glad to

Under a watchful eye

Highlands Ranch center Alex Keys was ready for a morning workout at the school last week. Photos

by Jim Benton be here.

Former Lakewood coach Mark Robinson is the new mentor at Highlands Ranch. He outlined what the Falcons and many other schools do during the off-season.

“I don’t think there is any program that isn’t doing off-season training,” he said. “After the season is over going into Christmas break that’s the time we get things started. We work technique as far as the weight room is concerned, get benchmarks set, goals set and then by January when we get back, everybody is going full speed. At that point you are getting the athlete trained.

“In today’s world, if you are not developing a player you are going to fall behind and that player is behind. That’s why these kids are bigger, faster and stronger than they were 20 years ago.”

Robinson has his players in the weight room five days a week starting in January for the strength phase.

The spring training segment consists of improving speed and agility.

“The way we run our summer program is to come out for an hour in the morning and that’s when we install our offense and defense,” Robinson said. “We also work on technique skills. We take another hour and work on speed and agility every single day and then another

One of the good trainers, Robinson said, is McChesney.

“When I got the job he was one of the first people I went to talk to,” Robinson said. “I knew he has a lot of kids and has several of our kids.

He’s willing to sit down and say, what are you doing with the kid in the morning to make sure he’s not doing it again in the afternoon. What Matt will do is take all the extra time that we don’t have and he will work on everything else. All the other different skills, all the other strength components that we might not be able to do with 65 guys.”

McChesney has just a few athletes during his training sessions and stays with the athletes during workouts, often offering individual instructions.

“Off-season training is more important than anything else they do,” said McChesney. “A lot of strength coaches have 100 or some odd kids to get through the program and there is not a lot of commitment to reps and tempo. In here it’s all dedicated to the mindset of toughness of every rep, every day. It’s constantly changing and trying to get the athlete to bend his knees to get flexibility and things like that.

“We run a lot of people out because they are not used to finishing, they are not used to committing at a high level. This is the closest thing they are going to get to a college atmosphere in the state of Colorado. A lot of high school coaches disagree with what I do, the college coaches give me affirmation of what I’m doing is correct. The individuals that come here and work hard get something out of it but it also exposes people pretty quick too.”

McChesney claims there is no

Chaparral lineman Brandon Leahey makes workouts at Six Zero Training and Fitness in Centennial part of his summer routine.

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reason to fear the dreaded overtraining.

“Overtraining is a little bit of a myth,” he said. “A lot of high school programs do core every day. If you do that every day you are overtraining as a program.

We change in up in here consistently and we rarely powerlift, if ever. It’s all about range of motion, explosion and finishing.”

Different approaches Valor Christian has captured five consecutive state football championships over three classifications and Eagles coach Rod Sherman likes to keep offseason training on an intramural basis.

“Our kids all train in-house with teammates,” said Sherman who noted

Calendar Continued from Page 11

ELBERT COUNTY Fairgrounds in Kiowa. Joseph

DiLeonardo, a Vietnam veteran is the organizer, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10649 will act as co-host. Doors open at 11 a.m. and vets are encouraged to bring memorabilia that can be displayed on tables at the exhibit hall. The VFW will serve food by donation at 11:30 a.m., and the formal presentations commence at 1 p.m. DiLeonardo, author of “Vietnam War Defining Moment for America” will give a presentation, followed by other Vietnam veterans addressing the audience and sharing their experiences in the War and when they returned home. They will also share their observations and opinions about America forty years later. A petition to support Senate Bill 409 to make March 29 an annual day of remembrance for Vietnam Vets, will be circulated for signatures at this event. Any Vietnam veterans interested in speaking at this event should contact Joseph DiLeonardo at amlion68@hotmail.com. Any questions should also be directed to DiLeonardo at 303-646-3740 or amlion68@hotmail.com.

many of his players are involved in other sports. “We don’t have many guys train with outside people. The biggest thing in the off-season training is athletic development.”

Cherry Creek coach Dave Logan wants his players to be fit.

“That’s an interesting phenomenon,” he answered when the use of personal trainers was brought up. “You want to encourage kids to be fit and continue to work out but you also, however, want to encourage kids to work together as a team and be in the weight room together.

“Our speed and conditioning stuff in the summer is pretty intensive. We want to make sure kids are there and go through that because it does help prevent injuries, it does help you get in shape and it will test you physically. It has allowed us over the years when the season finally rolls around, at least from a physical standpoint, we are usually ready to go.”

Logan, the former CU and NFL player, will be starting his 22nd season as a high school coach. He has coached at four different schools and has guided teams into the playoffs in 19 seasons and has won six state championships.

Creek’s off-season training follows the basic script of many schools — he urges athletes to play other sports and to take time off for family vacations.

“What we do has not changed very much,” he said. “We go Monday, Wednesday, Friday and every other Saturday morning. It is a nine-week deal. I tell the kids I’m not missing one day and all of the varsity coaches will be there. If we get 85 percent turnout rate we don’t go twoa-days in August. In 22 years, I’ve never had a two-a-day practice. I remember as a player I just thought that was counterproductive to getting off to quick start.”

Logan says summer workouts are important.

“If we didn’t have to do it, it would be

a lot easier just to show up two weeks before school starts,” he said. “That’s how it used to be back in the day. My golf game would be a lot better than it is. You wouldn’t have to worry about anything else in the summer, just show up when school starts and say `let’s go.’

“I’ve always believed that the time you spend in the summer, not only getting yourself physically ready, but understanding what offensively and defensively we are trying to do, the time you spend in the summer really helps you get off to quick start when the fall starts.”

Taking advantage of down time from training during the summer for many players is special.

“I hang out with friends, usually on the weekends,” said Leahey. “I go see movies, hang out, play video games with them at their house, and get some food.”

tion, call 303-520-6088 or email morgan@hayday.org.

The clinic is free for parties who have no attorney and who are going through dissolution of marriage, legal separation, or post-decree cases. All walk-ins are welcome, and will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.

60s, 70s, blues, jazz and more. We who play for pleasure would love to meet more of same. Acoustic or power down. Come prepared to share a few songs, perform, play along, sing along with others. Enjoy new guitar friends to jam with. Gerry Vinson hosts on the first Wednesday from 6:30-9 p.m., and Laurie Smith hosts on the second Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. Uncertain? Drop by and observe. Banjo, ukelele, mandolin welcome. Call Laurie at 720-363-3531.

Governments is open and available to all residents of Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties and provides an economical and efficient means of travel for the four-county region. Call Kay Campbell, Kiowa, at 719- 541-4275. You may also call the ECCOG office at 1-800-825-0208 to make reservations for any of the trips.

You may also visit http://outbackexpress.tripod.com. To ensure that a seat is available, 24-hour advance reservations are appeciated.

DOUGLAS-ELBERT COUNTY Music Teachers’ Association meets at 9 a.m. every first Thursday at Parker Bible Church, between Jordan and Chambers on Main Street. All area music teachers are welcome. Call Lucie Washburn, 303-814-3479.

THE ELBERT County Sheriffs Posse is a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriffs Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sheriffs Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. Membership is open to anyone without a criminal record. It meets the last Monday of the month at the Elbert County Sheriffs Office at 7 p.m. For more information or a membership application, go to http://www.elbertcountysheriff.com/posse. html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.

THE ELIZABETH Food Bank, 381 S. Banner

CLUBS

in Elizabeth (next door to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church) needs to let the public know that we are available to help anyone who needs food. The hours are Friday 12:30-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11:30 a.m. Other times by appointment.

DIVORCE AND Post-Decree Clinic. Elbert and Lincoln County Pro Se Divorce Clinic is offered from 9 a.m. to noon the third Friday of each month at the Elbert County Justice Center, 751 Ute St., in Kiowa. For informa-

ELIZABETH GUITAR Group. Elizabeth guitar circle will meet on the first and second Wednesday of each month at the Elizabeth Library. Traditional protocol/ courtesy. Country, pop, bluegrass, cowboy, Beatles, 50s,

LAWYERS AT the Library, a free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney, will be offered from 6-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Everyone will be helped on a first-come, first-served basis.

MYSTERY BOOK Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the Simla Public Library.

The group enjoys talking about a variety of mystery authors and titles. We also periodically host a Colorado author during our meetings. Everyone may join us, and registration is not required. Visit the Simla Branch of the Elbert County Library District at 504 Washington Avenue, call 719-541-2573, or email farabe@elbertcountylibrary. org.

THE OUTBACK Express is a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local

crossword • sudoku

GALLERY OF GAMES & weekly horoscope

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS meets from 10-11 a.m. and from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays in the Sedalia Room at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 2100 Meadows Parkway, Castle Rock.

SATURDAY GENEALOGY Fun meets at the Elbert Public Library at 1 p.m. on the seocnd Saturday of each month. Beginning to advanced genealogy enthusiasts are invited to attend. The Elbert Public Library is in the Elbert School library at 24489 Main Street in Elbert.

Call 303-648-3533 for more information.

SENIORS MEET in Elizabeth every Monday at 11 a.m. for food, fun and fellowship at Elizabeth Senior Center, 823 S. Banner St. Bring a dish for potluck on the first Monday of each month. Other Mondays, bring a sack lunch. Bingo, games and socializing. New leadership.

Call Agnes at 303-883-7881 or Carol at 303-646-3425 for information

SALOME’S STARS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 21, 2014

ARIES (Mar 21 to Apr 19) Is someone at work resisting that Aries charm? Hard to believe. But seriously, Lamb, you might want to back up your ideas with some solid data, and then watch the yeas pile on.

TAURUS (Apr 20 to May 20) Your hard work could pay off in ways you didn’t expect, but certainly deserve.

Tend to that pesky health problem now so you’ll be in top shape to tackle the new projects coming up.

GEMINI (May 21 to Jun 20) Planning a family event can be stressful unless you make it clear from the start that you’re in charge. You might accept suggestions, but it will be your decisions that count.

crossword • sudoku & weekly horoscope

GALLERY OF GAMES

CANCER (Jun 21 to Jul 22) You still have a way to go to bring that professional matter to a satisfactory conclusion. Meanwhile, an important personal situation could require more of your attention by week’s end.

LEO (Jul 23 to Aug 22) There’s something about you Fine Felines that makes people want to tell you secrets.

But once again, be wary of who is doing the telling. You might not want to be that person’s confidante.

VIRGO (Aug 23 to Sept 22) Creating a fuss about a family matter might get everyone’s attention. But it might be better to talk one-on-one with family members in order to spare a loved one unnecessary embarrassment.

LIBRA (Sept 23 to Oct 22) You’re making progress on that career move, albeit not as quickly as you had hoped. But stay with it. Your personal life takes an unexpected (but very welcome) new turn.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 to Nov 21) If you feel you’ve been unfairly treated in a workplace decision, correct the situation now while there’s still time to do so. Arm yourself with facts, and go to it. Good luck.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 to Dec 21) Devising your own system of doing things might be the best way to handle an increasingly complex situation. But do it tactfully in order to avoid ruffling too many of your colleagues’ feathers.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 to Jan 19) A family member’s health problem might once again require you to shift some of your current priorities around. But this time, make certain other relatives will be there to help.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 to Feb 18) Catching up on tasks you’ve left undone will take a while to accomplish. But the sooner you complete them, the sooner you’ll be able to take on another time-sensitive project.

PISCES (Feb 19 to Mar 20) You might feel swamped by all that you’re expected to do. But take a moment to come up for air, then handle things one at a time, and you’ll soon get through them all.

BORN THIS WEEK: Although you love being home with your family, you also enjoy traveling and making new friends. © 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

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