Historic structure getting new life
The 1897 Odd Fellows’ building in Elizabeth is now in hands of go-getter couple with ambitious plans
BY NICKY QUINBY
e large white building at 122 Main St. in Elizabeth, on the corner of Highway 86, held some surprises for new owners Brandon and Aleta Je ress. Built in 1897, it was previously owned by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows fraternal lodge and, in addition to historical documents and antiques, they left
behind some unique IOOF trappings — a couple of caskets.
IOOF initiation involved coming face-to-face with a skeleton in a casket to remind members of their own mortality and symbolized the idea that wealth and stature don’t count for much after death. Members of the IOOF believed their time on Earth should be spent in the service of others, doing what really matters. ey focused on promoting
friendship, helping the community and encouraging goodwill. e Je resses’ ambitions for the building going forward mirror these altruistic goals.
e Je resses moved to the Elizabeth area in 2021 and wasted no time getting involved in the community. Brandon is on the Town of Elizabeth Main Street Board and Aleta serves on the Elizabeth Parks and Recreation Board. ey’ve been part of the tech scene, Brandon said, but grew up in the country, which helps explain why the Elizabeth area reminds them of home.
e Je resses were inspired by the prominent building anchoring the end of Main Street and are only the second owners of — as they have started calling it — 86 and Main. Even though the IOOF had become largely inactive in Elizabeth, the organization had maintained ownership since it was built. e Je resses’ approached IOOF with their vision for the space, with an eye toward respecting the building’s past. e IOOF ended up selling the property to the Je resses asis, with everything inside.
‘Paint & Bliss’ puts focus on victim’s rights
BY NICKY QUINBY
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
e Elbert County Sheri ’s Ofce Victim Assistance Unit recently held its 6th Annual Paint & Bliss Outreach Event at Kiowa Creek Community Church in Kiowa.
e March 30 event was held in the leadup to Victims’ Rights Week from April 6-12. Janet Maloney, the victim assistance coordinator for the Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce, said this year’s theme is “Kinship, Connecting & Healing.”
“It is a week dedicated to learning about victimization, the e ect victimization has on individuals, families, friends, and the community. is week also assists in promoting laws, policies, and programs to help
One of the finished products at the Paint & Bliss Event on March 30 at the Kiowa Creek Community Church. The theme this year was Kinship: Connecting and Healing. The finished paintings are displayed around the community during Victims’ Rights Week.
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
The 1897 Independent Order of Odd Fellows Building at 122 Main St. in Elizabeth. The new owners, Brandon and Aleta Je ress, now call the iconic building 86 and Main.
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
DRCOG gives updates to Dougco on plan for regional transportation
First update since 2021 is underway
BY FRANK DEANGELI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
e Douglas County Transportation Steering Committee on April 2 heard an update from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) on its 2050 Regional Transportation Plan.
is year marks the plan’s rst update since its adoption in 2021.
e plan was established as the region’s long-term vision to “improve mobility for users of its multimodal transportation system.”
e plan “identi es speci c project and program investments meant to address the region’s transportation planning priorities.”
e April 2 update primarily involved revisions to the Regional Roadway System, the network of roads to which DRCOG’s plan will apply. Several stretches of freeways, tollways, major regional arterials and principal arterials across the Denver metropolitan area have been proposed as additions to the network.
DRCOG’s hope is that a comprehensive regional roadway system will allow the council to best allocate limited funds to its “most heavily traveled and important connecting roadways.”
DRCOG’s update comes amidst Douglas County’s planning process for a 2050 Transportation Plan of its own. In March, the county held four public meetings to gather input on residents’ transportation needs.
An online public survey was available on the county’s website through March 31. e end of its public comment period signals the beginning of the county’s evaluation phase, during which potential transportation actions and alternatives will be reviewed and considered.
Spokespeople for DRCOG assured the Douglas County Transportation Steering Committee that even if the two entities’ transportation plans are not perfectly synchronized at present, changes to the Regional Roadway System and the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan can still be made every four years based on feedback from DRCOG’s member governments.
Colorado GOP chooses Horn to hold post as party chair
Former Routt County treasurer vows to unite party and boost fundraising
BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
Brita Horn, a former Routt County treasurer, was elected March 29 to serve as the next chair of the Colorado GOP, vowing to unite the highly fractured party, boost fundraising and show up for candidates as Republicans look to right their wayward ship in 2026.
“We have so much division, we have so much distraction,” she told members of the Colorado GOP’s central committee. “Guess what the Democrats are doing right now? ey’re winning elections.”
Horn, who ran unsuccessfully in 2018 for state treasurer, won 53% of the party chair vote in the second round of voting over former Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine. ere were about 440 members of the Colorado GOP casting ballots at the party’s reorganization meeting in Colorado Springs.
Horn beat out six other candidates for the job, including Saine, former state Rep. Richard Holtorf, and Darcy Schoening, the state party’s director of special initiatives.
Horn lives near Steamboat Springs and is the chief of the Rock Creek Volunteer Fire Department. She’s long been active in Republican politics in Colorado.
Targeting statewide elections
Next year will be a big one for Colorado Republicans. e statewide o ces of gov-
Former Routt County Treasurer Brita Horn will serve as the next chair of the Colorado GOP, vowing to unify the party and improve fundraising and candidate support.
ernor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and a U.S. Senate seat will be up for grabs. e last time a Republican won a statewide election in Colorado was 2016.
Republicans also will be defending U.S. House seats in the 8th and 3rd districts and seeking to ip more state legislative seats.
Horn replaces Chairman Dave Williams, whose two-year term leading Republicans in Colorado was marked by controversy after contreversy.
Williams decided not to seek reelection. During his tenure as chairman, Williams upset Republicans by taking sides in GOP primaries, albeit unsuccessfully; running for Congress and using party funds to boost his campaign; sending out an email that was o ensive to LGBTQ people; and trying to change the party’s bylaws to further his agenda. He also had a Colorado Sun reporter removed from a party gathering last year, stoking a national controversy.
Reporters weren’t allowed at the party’s reorganizational meeting March 29. In-
stead, they were forced to watch the event on a livestream.
Wins despite state party
Republicans ipped three state House and a U.S. House seat while Williams was in charge. But those victories happened mostly in spite ofthe state party, not because of it.
In the 8th Congressional District, where Republican Gabe Evans won, the Colorado GOP endorsed his primary opponent, Janak Joshi. e party didn’t report any direct spending to help Evans beat incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo in the general election.
Evans was so fed up with party leadership that he actually called on Williams to resign in July as part of a push to remove the organization’s entire leadership slate.
As for the three state House seats Republicans ipped last year, the party didn’t report spending any money on those races either. It was the state House Republican caucus campaign arm and independent expenditure committees that were responsible for the bulk of the activity in those contests. Williams’ detractors, including Horn,sought to remove him as chairman in the leadup to the 2024 election, but their e ortfell short after a court battle. Williams sued Horn and the others.
e Colorado GOP central committee on Saturday also elected Las Animas County GOP Chairman Lee Phelan Sr. as vice chair, denying current Vice Chair Scheppelman a second term, and former congressional candidate Russ Andrews as secretary. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
Case of measles reported in Colorado
Pueblo adult who traveled internationally has disease
BY JOHN DALEY CPR NEWS
Health o cials con rmed a case of measles March 31 in a Colorado resident from Pueblo who had recently traveled to an area of Mexico where there’s an ongoing measles outbreak.
e case was in an unvaccinated adult, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment said in a joint press release. ey urged Coloradans to check their vaccination status, monitor for symptoms, and be aware if they were at a pair of possible exposure locations, both in Pueblo, starting March 17.
“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know, but it is also highly preventable,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, deputy chief medical o cer and state epidemiologist. “ e MMR vaccine provides excellent protection and helps prevent outbreaks like the one we are seeing globally. We urge Coloradans to review their vaccination status and take steps to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
Outbreaks have been popping up around the country, including in Texas and New Mexico, with cases for 2025 already at higher levels than all of last year.
As of March 27, a total of 483 con rmed measles cases were reported in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s been recorded in 19 states: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia,
Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
Colorado is the 20th state with a recent measles case.
Health o cials, in their release, posted locations where people could have been exposed to measles ey include a deli and cafe, Southwest Deli and Cafe in Pueblo, and a clinic, Southern Colorado Clinic Pueblo West, where people could have been exposed to it. ey said those who were there recently should “monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure and consider avoiding public gatherings or high-risk settings.”
Monitoring for symptoms is key for people who are not vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. ey said they would update the locations, as needed.
People who were at the deli between March 17 and March 21 and the clinic on March 22, should monitor for symptoms and consider avoiding public gatherings and high-risk settings, public o cials said.
If you think you’ve been exposed and how to protect yourself
Measles symptoms typically develop seven to 21 days after exposure. ey include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and what measles is best known for, a rash. It usually starts on the face several days after exposure and spreads.
Health o cials urge people who were in one of the locations during the exposure period and developed symptoms to immediately contact their health care provider by phone.
If you don’t have a provider, they said to call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles.
Calling ahead is a safety precaution that can prevent additional exposures to other people, according to the release. ose who have received the MMR vaccine or were born before 1957 are generally considered immune, according to the release. Health o cials recommended all Coloradans make sure they and their children are up to date on MMR vaccinations. e MMR vaccine has been available for decades.
Some adults, not just kids, may need to get an MMR vaccine as well, according to infectious disease experts.
People who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated should closely monitor for symptoms during the 21 days after a possible exposure. If you’re exposed to the virus, getting the MMR vaccine within 72 hours after exposure can prevent infection.
Unvaccinated individuals, or those who aren’t sure of their immunity should talk to their health care provider about receiving the MMR vaccine. More information on vaccination and exposure to the virus is available from the CDC.
A child’s immunization records can be checked through the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) Public Portal, though records may be incomplete if all vaccines have not been reported by providers.
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Typical Wood-Frame Home Which Has Dominated Subdivisions Since the 1990s May Soon Be History
Let’s say that the writing is on the wall. The kind of site-built wood-frame homes that have dominated new American subdivisions since about 1990 are getting too expensive to satisfy America’s needs in a time of severe housing shortage.
Several factors are at work which make that style of home construction soon to be obsolete.
Factor #1: Labor shortages, especially with immigrant labor being deported.
Factor #2: Wildfire vulnerability of wood-frame homes, as demonstrated in Boulder County and more recently in southern California.
just a few years ago, but is now becoming mainstream. Other builders have learned from Lennar’s experience and multiple companies have entered that space.
Factor #3: Climate change, which is spiking a demand for greater resiliency in home construction — not just from fire, but from high-wind events like tornadoes and hurricanes.
Factor #4: Higher costs, aggravated no doubt by 25% tariffs on the Canadian lumber used in most new homes.
Having followed trade publications for the home construction and related industries, I am convinced that other technologies and techniques for home construction are about to go mainstream, making today’s wood-frame, onsite building process soon to be obsolete, or at least out of favor except for super expensive custom homes.
I also believe we will see more attention paid to the siting of new homes. It’s easy enough to site a home so that it benefits from solar gain, even if it is not solar-powered. Simply having big windows to the south with a wide overhang allowing solar gain from the low sun in the winter and shade from the high sun in the summer is a no-brainer, but it seems there has been a shortage of architectural brains in current and past siting of new homes. Similarly, having fewer windows on the north side of the house is simply smart “passive house” design.
Having an enclosed rather than open foyer (what’s called an “air lock”) is common sense too, and costs very little to implement.
That’s just the beginning of the changes I expect to see in new subdivisions. Lennar has already built a 3D printed subdivision in Texas (see picture). 3D printing of homes using concrete was a novelty (which I wrote about)
A Fast Company article in January 2023 proclaimed that “3D-printed houses are the suburbs of the future.”
The pictures at right are from that article. Here’s an excerpt: “Iowa City-based Alquist 3D, which specializes in reasonably priced automated construction in rural areas, has already started building Project Virginia, in which it will create 200 3D-printed homes (all variations on craftsman designs, also framed in layered concrete and topped with gabled wood-framed roofs) around the state, starting in tiny Pulaski (population 8,691). It’s also starting a 25-home project in Malvern, Iowa and a 10-home development in Muscatine, Iowa. Alquist founder and CEO Zachary Mannheimer says the firm has about 500 total units — ranging in price from $250,000 to around $400,000 — in the pipeline in Virginia, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas.”
Nothing says “mainstream” quite like Iowa and those other states. Colorado can not be far behind. Just last month, CBS Colorado (Channel 4 News) reported on a $638,000 grant under Colorado’s Innovative Housing Incentive Program to a Salida company, Verotouch, following the completion of their two 1,100-square-foot 3D-printed homes in Buena Vista.
“We are proud to accelerate innovation in housing to better address Colorado's housing needs,” Gov. Jared Polis said. “The unveiling of the first 3D-printed homes in the state is a great example of our state’s efforts to support new construction methods and create more housing now.”
The layered concrete walls of 3D-printed homes are naturally fire resistant. They are typically one-story homes with a standard peaked roof made from wood trusses, as you can see in the picture above. The front three homes in that picture show a 3-D home at different stages of completion. A gantry straddling the foundation transports the tube which lays down layer upon layer of concrete slurry following a computer program.
Previous Columns on Innovation & Technology
The dates are clickable links on our blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com April 3, 2025 —International Builders’ Show 2025 Showcased Some New & Inspiring Products Feb. 27, 2025 — As Society Deals with Affordability, Expect Greater Focus on Manufactured Homes Sept. 26, 2024 — Is a Heat Pump Right for You? Here’s Some Information to Help You Decide. Aug. 15, 2024 -- What to Ask If Buying Solar-Powered Home; Level-Up Sustainability & Recycling July 18, 2024 — Renovation Trends Reflect a Desire for Comfort, Warmth and Healthy Living May 23, 2024 — Model Home Tour Was Uninspiring. Where’s the Innovation & Sustainability? Also: Here’s the Innovation and Sustainability — Thrive Home Builders’ Loretto Heights Project May 16, 2024 — EPA’s ‘Energy Star NextGen’ Designation Is for Fully Electrified Homes May 2, 2024 — Break Away from Common Exterior Products With These Winning Products Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’? Feb. 22, 2024 —Startup Develops Concrete That Absorbs CO2; Another Turns Straw into OSB Boards Feb. 15, 2024 — Here’s an Innovative Approach to the Off-Site Modular Home Construction Industry Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build with OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood Nov. 9, 2023 — Here Are Some Ideas for the ‘Adaptive Reuse’ of Vacant Office Buildings
Also: 3D-Printing Home Construction Firm Is Relocating to Greeley, Colorado
Oct. 12, 2023 — Here’s a Company Selling ‘Self-Powered’ Manufactured Homes Starting at $310,000 Sept. 14, 2023 — I Found Only One Marshall Fire Home Being Rebuilt with Fire Resistance in Mind
Sept. 7, 2023 — Geothermal Energy, Big Sister of Geothermal Heating & Cooling, Is Coming Along June 1, 2023 — Innovative Startup Makes ‘Carbon Negative’ Building Materials Made From Grass
May 18, 2023 — Liv-Connected: A New Player in the Manufactured and Modular Housing Industry
Apr. 6, 2023 — YouTube Features 40+ ‘Top Green Products’ from the International Builders Show
Mar. 23, 2023 — Geothermal Heating & Cooling Can Be Practical & Affordable on Community Level
Feb. 23, 2023 — Boxabl, the Las Vegas Manufacturer of ADUs, Is Ramping up Production Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes
Jan. 26, 2023 — This Year’s CES Show Featured Some Exciting New Technologies and Products
Dec. 15, 2022 —Lennar’s New Subdivision Near Austin, Texas, Features 3D-Printed Homes
Dec. 8, 2022 — A Subdivision in Pueblo Sets the Standard for All-Electric Home Construction
Nov. 10, 2022 —KB Home Is Building All-Electric Homes — But Not in Colorado
Oct. 13, 2022 — Homes That Survived Marshall Fire Were More Airtight & Had Conditioned Attics
In past columns, I have written about a local company, Colorado Earth, which has pioneered construction of homes using compressed-earth bricks called EcoBlox. That’s more labor intensive, since the walls have to be laid by workers, but homes share the same benefits of being fire and weather resilient.
New technology abounds in the other components that go into home construction. For example, in June 2023 I wrote about a company, Plantd, in North Carolina, which has developed an alternative to OSB, the wall sheeting and roof decking used in virtually all home construction, made from a fast-growing perennial grass, grown locally on former tobacco plantations, saving 17 trees per house
and sequestering 8 tons of carbon dioxide per house. See www.PlantdMaterials.com
A Fast Company article in October 2024 reported that homebuilder D.R. Horton had ordered 10 million of Plantd’s panels, enough to build 90,000 homes.
The innovation taking place in every other component of home construction — doors, windows, manufactured housing, appliances, and more — is stunning to behold, confirming for me that a major revolution in the home construction industry is already unfolding. Be sure that I’ll continue to write about it here!
I have posted links for everything mentioned in this article on our company blog at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
Does Your Older Home Have a Federal Pacific Electrical Panel?
An estimated 28 million American homes built in the 1950s through the 1980s, including many in Colorado, have an electrical panel manufactured by Federal Pacific Electric, which lost its UL certification decades ago because of multiple failures of its Stab-Lok breakers to trip when overloaded, thereby causing a fire hazard.
Our friends at Alpine Building Performance, LLC, shared these additional issues with the FPE panels:
The breakers often don’t connect properly to the panel’s bus bars, causing arcing, overheating, and potential fire hazards.
Some Stab-Lok breakers get stuck in the “on” position, even when manually switched off, making it impossible to cut power.
Reports suggest that FPE manipulated UL testing results, leading to unsafe products being approved for use.
Studies indicate that homes with FPE panels have a significantly higher likelihood of electrical fires compared to other panels. For these reasons, any home inspector hired by a buyer can be expected to recommend that replacement be demanded of the seller.
Charities Which Used Our Free Box Truck Miss
It. So, We’ve
Launched a GoFundMe
Campaign to Bring It Back.
Back in February, I announced that our truck needed a new engine and other repairs and that we decided to retire it instead. This was a big loss to such non-profits as the Wounded Warrior Project, Family Promise, BGoldN, Christian Action Guild, Buffalo Bill Days, and the International Rescue Committee, among others, which used the truck more often than our clients!
The truck is off the road but still available to be repaired — or replaced, if we raise enough money. If you’d like to contribute, visit www.BringItBack.info. Thanks!
Above: A 3D-printed home in Desert Hot Springs CA. Below: A Lennar 3D subdivision in Texas
Questions emerge over advocacy group’s access to Douglas County classrooms
A visit by Grandparents 4 Kids to read book by Trump associate prompts scrutiny of school district’s policies regarding visitors
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A recent classroom visit by members of the conservative group Grandparents 4 Kids, which advocates for parental rights and traditional values in schools, to Prairie Crossing Elementary in Parker prompted questions on social media about how Douglas County schools vet outside groups that interact with students. Members of the group brought co ee and donuts for teachers and read “Why America Matters,” a book by former Trump economic adviser Dr. Ben Carson.
e illustrated children’s book introduces civics concepts like freedom, equality and the role of government through patriotic storytelling and emphasizes “the importance of faith, liberty, community and life” as key American values.
e school’s principal later shared the visit on social media in a post that included a photo of school board director Becky Myers posing with the group. e post has since been removed.
While the event itself was friendly and non-disruptive, the group’s ideological a liations have drawn scrutiny. Grandparents 4 Kids has previously spoken at board meetings in support of parental rights, a term often used by conservative groups to oppose curriculum related to race, gender identity and LGBTQ-inclusive policies, and has expressed opposition to such content in local schools.
e visit also sparked debate about
whether the district applies its visitor and volunteer policies fairly, and whether community members should be noti ed when outside groups enter classrooms.
District’s description conflicts with public details
District spokesperson Paula Hans said a grandparent of a current student requested the April 2 visit. According to Hans, the individual described the group as grandparents who read to children without mentioning a speci c organization.
“We welcome the opportunity for senior citizens, especially grandparents, to engage with our kids,” Hans said. “ e older generation has so much to o er!”
However, the school’s now-deleted Facebook post tells a di erent story.
e post publicly thanked Grandparents 4 Kids by name, included photos of multiple individuals reading in classrooms and posing with sta , and tagged the group’s o cial social media account.
Printed materials promoting Grandparents 4 Kids were also placed on a table alongside donuts o ered to teachers and remained visible and accessible during the visit.
Because the post made the morning’s readings appear like a coordinated visit by a known advocacy organization, many community members questioned whether the district applies its visitor and volunteer policies evenly and whether advocacy groups of all perspectives would receive the same level of access.
“Were parents at PCE noti ed about this visit in advance?,” one parent asked. “Were these grandparents properly background checked? Were they searched for weapons? Was this book reviewed by sta beforehand?”
Others questioned whether groups, particularly those supporting LGBTQ+ students or promoting inclusive curricula, would be granted the same access.
“If a school were to invite a family member who is a drag queen, for example, these same activists would certainly raise a public outcry,” a parent said.
Questions about policy and access remain Hans declined to answer broader policy questions, including whether the district distinguishes between individual volunteers and groups with political or advocacy a liations, whether materials like those distributed by Grandparents 4 Kids are subject to review or approval and whether groups such as Douglas County Pride would be permitted to engage students and sta in similar ways.
Also, Myers’ presence in the photo posted by the school’s principal raised further concerns about whether district leaders are adhering to established policies regarding outside group involvement.
Apology issued, but community concerns persist
“School board director Becky Myers, who campaigned on the promise of keeping politics out of the classroom, is now directly parading her political agenda into elementary schools. is behavior is unacceptable from an elected representative of our district,” one comment said.
Following the visit, Prairie Crossing Elementary principal Carrie Rotherham apologized to at least one parent who raised concerns. In the message, Rotherham acknowledged she didn’t realize the grandparents who had requested to read in classrooms were a liated with a larger group.
Board policy GP 1.8 prohibits individual board members from unilaterally directing school sta or inserting outside groups into schools without approval. It also requires board members to avoid favoritism and maintain loyalty to the broader community, not speci c advocacy groups.
Yet, Myers denied having any involvement in arranging the visit and implied her presence at the school at the same time as Grandparents 4 Kids was a coincidence.
“I was not involved in setting up, arranging or scheduling this visit,” Myers said. “I was at the school to meet with a teacher who wished to interview me for a post graduate class assignment she is working on as she pursues a master’s degree.”
Other policies require the district to provide ideologically neutral learning environments, ensure transparency with families and protect sta from perceived pressure or surprise involvement with politically aligned visitors.
“I did not even think I had to vet a few grandparents, which is how this was presented to me, that wanted to volunteer and read to the kids and bring a treat to the sta ,” Rotherham said. “But I have learned I cannot just look at things on the surface level … I will let you know this will not happen again.”
Rotherham said in her response that she never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable or unwelcome and expressed that the situation has a ected her personally and professionally.
Despite the apology, concerns from community members continued to surface online.
“If you have kids currently in elementary school, you might want to email the principals to make sure the tour stops here,” a parent said on Facebook.
Another referred to the group’s history of public comment at board meetings, including support for book bans and opposition to AP African American Studies and LGBTQ-inclusive policies.
Prairie Crossing Elementary School in Parker, Colorado PHOTO BY SUZIE GLASSMAN
A since-deleted Facebook post from Prairie Crossing Elementary shows members of Grandparents 4 Kids reading to students and posing with sta , including school board director Becky Myers, uring an April visit.
PHOTO COURTESY PRAIRIE CROSSING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Douglas County commissioners meet with group out of public eye to discuss home rule
Despite transparency law, all three elected o cials took part in setting where general public, news media were excluded
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY
All three Douglas County commissioners attended a private Parker Conservatives gathering at Deep Space in downtown Parker on April 2 to talk about their home-rule proposal. In a meeting that state law indicates should have been open to the public, the county spokesperson says there was no intention to hide anything at an event that explicitly advertised the fact that the general public and press were excluded from attending.
“I can say for certain there was no intention to deceive or meet in private,” said Caroline Frizell, spokesperson for Douglas County. “ is was just another opportunity for them to talk about something that is important to them.”
Frizell said the Board of County Commissioners members are invited to places all the time, sometimes as a group and sometimes individually.
“When they’re invited as a board and when the invite comes through county o ces, we can manage that and we post it,” said Frizell. “When they’re invited individually, they don’t always coordinate with sta or we aren’t always, I should say, in the loop. And so that’s what happened here.”
All three county commissioners were invited to speak at the recent Parker Conservatives meeting. e Parker Conservatives is a private group for residents in Douglas and Elbert counties, according to
their private Facebook page.
In an invitation, which was provided to the Douglas County News-Press by a recipient, the group conducted a private meeting that was “exclusively reserved for members, a liates and guests of the conservative community,” and that “media representatives are expressly not invited to these gatherings.”
e invitation was live at tinyurl.com/ pc-invite as of press time.
Concerning the Open Meetings Law, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs states that all meetings of a quorum or three or more members of a body in which any public business is discussed must be open to the public. is does not apply if there is an executive session being held or if it is a chance meeting or social gathering “at which discussion of public business is not the central purpose.”
e invitation said that the evening would involve hearing from the commissioners on the state of the county and would include a “robust” Q&A forum.
Following the commissioners’ recent approval of a resolution to pursue a home rule charter for the county, the topic of home rule was also intended to be discussed. e invitation stated: “What is home rule? Come and hear directly from our Douglas County Commissioners on how this will a ect Dougco and you.”
Additionally, the Open Meetings Law de nes a meeting as “any kind of gathering, convinced to discuss public business,
in person, by telephone, electronically or by other means of communication.”
e Colorado Supreme Court ruled in the Board of County Commissioners of Costilla County, Colorado vs. Costilla County Conservancy District and McGowan in 2004 that a meeting is part of the policy-making process when it is held to purposefully discuss a rule, regulation, ordinance or formal action.
e ruling further states: “If the record supports the conclusion that the meeting is rationally connected to the policy-making responsibilities of the public body by holding or attending the meeting, then the meeting is subject to OML (Open Meeting Law), and the public body holding or attending the meeting must provide notice.”
When asked if the commissioners knew they all would be going to the closed-door event, Frizell said that she doesn’t believe they knew.
“I certainly didn’t know that they were all going,” Frizell said.
e Department of Local A airs also states public notice is required for meetings that will involve a majority or quorum of the body in attendance at least 24 hours prior. e Parker Conservatives meeting was not posted to the county website until a few hours before the meeting.
“As soon as we found out all three of them were going to be in the same place at the same time, we posted it immediately, which I believe was after the 24 hours,” Frizell said.
Frizell said that she has not heard from the commissioners about whether they believe there should be a change to the
SEE COMMISSIONERS, P15
Vote
A screenshot shows part of the invitation to the April 2 Parker Conservatives gathering where the Douglas County Commissioners met to talk about public business behind closed doors. SCREENSHOT OF PARKER CONSERVATIVES POST
Spring brings public art to Douglas County
Program will start to install fresh collection around area
BY JULIA KING
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
As spring arrives, so does a new season of public art for residents and visitors exploring Douglas County’s outdoor spaces.
Art Encounters, a year-long outdoor art program, will begin installing a fresh collection of sculptures across the county next month. Communities including Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker and Roxborough will soon showcase new pieces, while April marks the last chance to view last year’s exhibit.
Launched in 2007 by the Douglas County Cultural Council, Art Encounters was designed to foster public interest in art, build community pride and attract visitors to retail and civic areas. A Public Art Advisory Committee, featuring representatives from across the county, selects sculptures for each participating jurisdiction. e program was initially funded through Scienti c and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) funds in 2006 and 2007.
For towns like Parker, Art Encounters has provided an accessible way to bring public art into the community. Carrie Glassburn, Parker’s cultural director, noted that the town originally lacked a designated budget for public art. e program allowed it to introduce a variety of pieces to the area.
“A playful, whimsical sculpture for O’Brien Park, a more sophisticated, artistic piece for outside the PACE Cultural Center, and a striking, large-scale installation for Town Hall, which stands at a key intersection leading into downtown Parker,” Glassburn said.
programs, including Westminster’s Sculpture on Loan, Lafayette’s Art on the Street, Art in Public Places in Longmont, heArt of Lyons, Hudson Gardens in Littleton, Sculpture Evergreen and Art 2C on Havana in Aurora.
“ e background on art rentals from artists in Colorado is very robust, and what it has done for the artists in Colorado is extremely signi cant,” Coleman said. “I don’t think there’s another state that has anything like Colorado.”
Coleman’s work spans kinetic designs — such as her “Wind Sprites” series made of Plexiglass, stainless steel and bright enamel paints — as well as mosaic sculptures crafted from recycled satellite dishes and stained glass. Her pieces often explore themes of joy, shared cultural experiences and the beauty of the natural world.
Beyond Colorado, Coleman’s art has appeared in Wyoming and Arizona, and she often receives photos from friends who encounter her sculptures on their travels. With sculptures displayed in multiple locations, she admitted that keeping track of them all can be a challenge.
“See, that’s my problem, is trying to gure out where they are, where they’re going next, and scheduling when I can pick them up and move them to a di erent municipality. It’s a big chess board,” Coleman said.
e Art Encounters program continues to attract strong interest from artists. According to Kim Smith, Douglas County’s community programs coordinator, 94 artists applied to be a part of this year’s exhibit. Since its inception, Art Encounters has facilitated the purchase of 24 sculptures.
“It’s a wonderful outcome that supports both the artists and our community,” Glassburn said.
One of those artists, Annette Coleman,
To bring these works to life, artists “lease” their artwork to the town for a year. Since Art Encounters began, more than 100 sculptures have lived in Parker, and the community looks forward to the arrival of new artwork each year. Some of the borrowed pieces have captured the hearts of residents so much that the town and its Public Art Commission have chosen to purchase them, adding to Parker’s permanent collection.
has contributed sculptures to Douglas County for the past three years. A longtime participant in Colorado’s public art rental programs, Coleman credits these initiatives with helping sustain her practice, including over $12,000 in stipends. Colorado has over a dozen art rental
Selected artists receive a $1,200 stipend after their works are installed. e application period for the 2025-2026 program year is now closed, with the next call for entries expected to open in early 2026. Selected pieces for the upcoming cycle will be installed between mid-to-late May and will remain on display through May 2026.
For now, residents can look forward to a new wave of public art enriching the community — just in time for the warmer months ahead.
“Whirling Dervish Transcendence at the Gardens” by Annette Coleman located at the Seven Stones Chatfield Botanical Garden Cemetery in unincorporated Douglas County. COURTESY OF ANNETTE COLEMAN
Local teen recognized as Cadet of Year
ThunderRidge High School senior aims to become an Air Force o cer
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY
Walking through the hallways of underRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Spencer Hola may seem like an ordinary high school student. But by age 18, he has experienced opportunities many adults only dream of.
Spencer is a teenager who is on a high school varsity swim and dive team, is a USA Triathlon national championship quali er and is in the International Baccalaureate Diploma program, which is a two-year pre-university curriculum.
But he is also a teenager who has own in a Chinook helicopter, has presented to Congress in Washington D.C., and has been recognized out of more than 1,000 Colorado cadets as the 2024 Colorado Civil Air Patrol Cadet of the Year.
“I never thought I would get here,” said Spencer. “It was my rst time being recognized for any sort of award.”
In February 2019, Spencer was just a 12 year old who was curious about airplanes, so he joined the Civil Air Patrol program. e Civil Air Patrol operates as the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. It is a federallychartered nonpro t that works to provide emergency services and disaster relief missions nationwide, as well as o er diverse aviation and ground services, youth development and aerospace education. Cadets can rise to cadet colonel by com-
pleting tasks in leadership, aerospace, tness and character. Spencer is currently a cadet lieutenant colonel in the Highlander Composite Squadron, which meets at the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility.
“ e Civil Air Program has played an important role in shaping Spencer into the con dent, service-oriented, compassionate leader and young man that he is today,” his mother, Nicole Hola, said.
Turning passion into reality
Spencer isn’t the rst in his family to take interest in the military. From a young age, he learned a lot about the military while listening to stories from his two grandfathers who were pilots in the Navy.
His passion for aviation grew as he and his twin brother attended air shows as children and participated in the Young Eagles program.
“And we watched ‘Top Gun’ too many times,” Nicole said.
With an interest in aviation and the military, Spencer was introduced to the Civil Air Patrol program, and “the rest was history,” Nicole said.
“I just kind of stuck with it,” said Spencer. “I really liked all the opportunities that it gave me and I had a great time doing it.”
Over the years, he has attended Cadet O cer School, obtained his pre-solo aeronautical rating at the 2024 Desert Eagle National Flight Academy, has taught classes at the Rocky Mountain Region Cadet Leadership School, served on the Cadet Advisory Council for four years, is the Rocky Mountain region’s primary representative to the National Cadet Advisory Council and more.
Spencer is quali ed to go on emergency service missions, and he has enjoyed volunteering in the community, getting to know the younger cadets and being the person he used to look up to for others.
“Seeing the new cadets grow and nd their place in the Civil Air Patrol, nd what they want to do with their lives, (and) more importantly, discover what they are good at,” said Spencer. “ at’s been a real favorite part for me.”
While others in the program may continue onto the Navy, Army or Marine Corps, Spencer is drawn to the Air Force.
“I just felt that the environment, after touring a lot of the ROTC detachments, the Air Force was de nitely a great t for me,” Spencer said.
Having also received an Air Force ROTC scholarship, Spencer hopes to use the scholarship to go to a university and commission in the Air Force as an o cer in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance or Cyberspace operations.
Spencer is now in the running for the Rocky Mountain Cadet of the Year, which includes cadets from Idaho, Utah, Montana and Wyoming. If he is selected, he will go onto the national level for recognition.
While he is grateful for the recognition, he wants others to know that getting involved in the community can lead to various opportunities.
“A lot of the opportunities that I have been able to have wouldn’t have come if I had never put myself out there,” said Spencer. “Putting yourself out there and being an active member (in the community) can allow not only for your success, but it helps a lot of other people along the way.”
Spencer Hola, left, a senior at ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, was recognized as the 2024 Colorado Civil Air Patrol Cadet of the Year after six years of service in the national Civil Air Patrol program.
COURTESY OF NICOLE HOLA
Psychedelic
It’s the end of March, and for many individuals and businesses, the rst quarter didn’t quite go as planned. Goals were set with optimism and purpose back in January: tness, revenue, personal growth, new skills and better habits. Yet here we are, three months in, and some of those goals are already collecting dust.
It happens. A slower start than expected can feel like a weight we now have to carry and catch up on. And that’s where the real danger begins, awed thinking. Instead of redistributing the shortfall across the remaining months, many of us go into panic mode and try to cram all the unmet goals into the next few weeks. It’s a trap.
Let’s take a tness example. Suppose someone sets out to lose 30 pounds this year. By the end of March, they’ve lost three. at’s a tenth of the way there; not exactly o to the races. e common response? “I have to lose the next 27 pounds as fast as possible.” ey triple their workouts, restrict their food to extremes, and set unrealistic goals, like losing 10 pounds in a month. And what hap-
RVOICES
With nine months to go, let’s go
pens? ey burn out. ey get discouraged. And often, they quit. “Maybe next year,” they say. e same pattern shows up in business. A salesperson misses their Q1 quota. Leadership starts sounding the alarm. Panic meetings. Pressure builds. And the rep starts believing they must land one massive deal or have a record-breaking month just to get back on track. e pressure becomes paralyzing, and instead of fueling better performance, it leads to desperate decision-making or, worse, disengagement.
Here’s a healthier mindset: redistribute, don’t double down. Spread the shortfall out. Do the math. Missing a goal in Q1 isn’t a death sentence, it just means adjusting the plan for Q2, Q3, and Q4. And if you lead a team, communicate that. Normalize the adjustment. Make resilience a core part of your culture. ink of it this way: if a ight from New
Plan for needs and wants during this uncertain time
ecent events may make you feel the future is very uncertain. Technically, of course, all futures are uncertain. You can look at history or make assumptions about tari s, layo s, budget cuts and taxes, but that still won’t give you a clear path. It’s time to look at what you do and don’t have control over and build on your needs and wants.
I always start with the inevitable and create my plan around the worstcase scenario. is considers aging, elder care, even death. It includes longevity, market volatility and in ation. Stack as many potential factors into your plan and see if it still holds up. Add rising taxes, a low-growth economy and uctuating interest rates. Now review what you need to live on and what you would like to see for your career, family and legacy. Yes, proper planning can be very involved, but this is the best way to protect yourself.
All these items need to be considered before you ever start to design a portfolio. Mapping out these situations and marking what is a necessity and what you can control are key to getting it right. is is quite di erent than looking to the government or the markets to x all your problems. Searching for the best performer and building your investments around it won’t deliver lasting results either.
Once you have identi ed as many roadblocks as you can, drill down to a relatively simple subject such as retiree income. Identify your resources, such as Social Security, pension and investments. Determine your income needs for necessities such as housing, medical, food and insurance. Does your xed income cover your xed expenses? If so, then your
York to LA gets slightly o course, the pilot doesn’t try to bank hard and get back on track in the next 60 seconds. at’d be reckless. Instead, they make small adjustments over time to arrive safely. You can too.
Of course, there are moments when we catch a great wave. Momentum is strong. Deals are closing. Progress is visible. ose are great moments, but they’re not the only ones that de ne our journey. Sometimes, we miss the wave. We fall behind. at doesn’t mean the ride is over. e truth is, we’re all navigating a lot right now. Global events, economic uncertainty, shifting buyer behaviors, and new technologies are changing how we think, live, and work. ese aren’t excuses. ey’re realities. And they reinforce the need to lead ourselves and our teams with both urgency and grace.
So what’s the next move? Take inventory. Recalibrate. Adjust your forecast, your habits, and your daily disciplines. Stop trying to make up for three months in three days. at’s not heroic, it’s selfsabotage. What is heroic is choosing to stay in the game. Choosing to keep mov-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ing, lead, sell, and grow, even if progress looks a little slower than you wanted. Success isn’t linear. It rarely shows up on schedule. But it always favors those who stay in pursuit.
So whether you’re leading a company, a sales team, or just trying to be a better version of yourself, redistribute your energy, stay focused on the long game, and don’t let a slow start steal a strong nish.
Let’s go!
How about you? Are you one of those who are on track and staying the course? Have you drifted slightly o course and just need a little redirection? Or is it time to reevaluate and redistribute the shortfall on your goals? As always I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail. com, and when we can be resilient, never giving up on our biggest goals and dreams, it really will be a better-thangood life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
investments could be geared towards some of your goals and wishes. Now add in your lifestyle with discretionary items such as travel, entertainment and home improvements. Next, layer your legacy wishes for what you would like to pass on to your heirs and the message you want to send.
Now you know what portion of your investments need to be designated for income or growth, and you can start to see what assets should be dedicated to which decade and how to plan for in ation. You can determine when you may need more income if you strip out any cost-ofliving increases from Social Security or a pension, since you don’t ultimately have control over those. en your timeline will clearly indicate how your needs will be taken care of and how much will be available for your desires and for future generations. Now market volatility only a ects you in the near term on an investment you may not need for a decade. You know where your income and in ation hedges will come from, and you can sleep peacefully.
You will have much less stress if you work on your own plan — not the president’s, not the Federal Reserve’s, not the stock market’s. Use your plan as a guide in both good times and bad to help you focus on what matters most to you.
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.
Look at Trump-Musk damage I agree with the authors of the letters “Trump is a disaster,” “Remember Enola Gay,” “Library board disappointment” and “Disappointed by Van Winkle,” and I would like to address the people who voted for Trump and Musk (unknowingly):
Now that your candidate won the election, will you be willing to examine and research the e ects this government is having on our citizens and our country?
According to established and respected economists, tari s will increase the prices Americans will pay for many products, including cars; and contribute to a possible recession. By placing tari s on countries who have been our staunch allies, their trust and support of the US will be greatly diminished.
Now that the “mass deportation” is underway, ICE is obliged to meet quotas that Trump has established.
Violent criminals have been removed (good thing), but many hard-working, reliable employees without criminal records are being deported. ese workers have been paying into Social Security with little chance of ever collecting it. What do you think this loss of workers, especially on our farms, will have on our economy, which is already su ering?
Do you really approve of the way DOGE is ring essential workers in the National Forests, FBI, CIA, DOJ, CDC, NOAA who have had extensive training to do their jobs? What are the repercussions of those losses? I agree that there probably is some fraud and waste, but a wise person would investigate to nd the source of the problems and proceed from there.
e ocean levels are rising, as well as the temperatures on our planet. ose are undeniable facts. And Trump is shutting down the programs that are trying to combat climate change.
When you can no longer have access to clinical trials to try new methods and medicines to save your life, it is because this government has stopped funds to medical research.
I have more examples of dangerous situations, but, quite frankly, I’m tired. People, do your research and help save this country by voting them out in the next elections.
ank you for reading and thinking.
Mary Bleecker
Highlands Ranch
The DOGE assault continues
President Zelenskyy has continuously expressed his appreciation for the help the US has given him. Look up his speeches to the Congress and UN. To say otherwise is a lie. Putin invaded his country and has not stopped attacking innocent citizens in their homes, schools, hospitals, o ces, etc. Not supporting Ukraine will result in Putin continuing to attack Russia’s neighbors and our allies. Allies that no longer trust the US because of Trump.
As the DOGE-in icted chaos continues to dominate activities in Washington, none is more egregious than the one on Social Security; not surprising, since Elon Musk called SSA a Ponzi scheme. After promising not to touch it, the Trump administration has found a way. As a retired software developer who has managed teams that have had to revamp systems from antiquated to more modern, e cient software architectures, I have some sympathy for the young Turks who looked at the millions of lines of COBOL, gasped, and concluded they could do much better. ( ey are going to rewrite the entire system in six months; good luck.). But it is the way they responded to that horror that is deplorable. e rst thing they did was to allege massive fraud. en Donald Trump reiterated this claim and focused on it for almost 10 minutes of his address to the joint session of Congress. is has been proven patently false. Fraudulent claims represent less than 0.05% of the annual SSA disbursement. en they focused on e ciency. So far, they have identi ed $800 million in savings for scal 2025, the majority of which came from a hiring freeze and “drastically” cutting back on overtime, saving about
Patricia Kummer
LETTERS
$550 million. ( is represents only 2.8% of the operating budget of the SSA); not enough, so then came the proposed cuts of 7,000 employees.
So, what does that mean? When there is already long call wait times and long lines at service centers, it means cuts to the services that many seniors rely on, especially those that are not tech savvy, at the administration does not care about these seniors was further evidenced the comments by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding his mother-in-law missing a Social Security check.
While everyone acknowledges that SSA funding reform is a necessity and there have been serious proposals put forth, Congress has refused to act and the current administration’s focus on fraud and waste is a distraction from what is really required for a long-term x. But it is not really just a distraction, as their e orts are having serious e ects on real people today.
Ernst Popke Highlands Ranch
Boebert’s imaginary bogeymen Congresswoman Boebert seems to have an obsession with bogeymen. First it was responsible gun control laws (no one was ever coming for your guns, but those laws were designed to protect citizens, prioritizing children). en it was “woke-ness,” whatever that is — I’ve still not heard anyone ably de ne the word in the context in which it’s being commonly used, but some people have misappropriated it from its original meaning, and repeat it fearfully and frequently. If it means educated, evolved, attentive, aware and/or enlightened — scary stu . Now, per her publicly funded website, she’s saving us all from the gray wolf, of which there are none in the 4th District. Does the congresswoman actually do anything for the 4th District, other than spend our tax dollars, berate those with whom she has an opposing view, and attempt to convince us all she’s protecting us from imaginary monsters? Wanna talk about wasteful bureaucracy?
Paul White Highlands Ranch
What are commissioners hiding?
Recently, I became aware of a private meeting by the Parker Conservatives where the topic of the Home Rule proposal was being discussed. ALL THREE Douglas County commissioners were invited to speak. Not 1, not 2, but all 3 commissioners. is meeting is a “private event exclusively reserved for members, a liates and guests of the conservative community. We maintain a closed-door policy to ensure a focused and condential environment for our discussions. Media representatives are expressly not invited ...”
And these meetings take place in a private venue.
I don’t begrudge a private meeting by any group. at is their prerogative. But when ALL THREE commissioners are attending a private event, it sure tells me that what they are telling a group about the Home Rule proposal is not good for
the county. And what about Open Meeting laws? is is a clear violation of that. “Section 24-6-402(2)(b). e Open Meetings Law de nes a “meeting” as “any kind of gathering, convened to discuss public business, in person, by telephone, electronically, or by other means of communication.” Section 24-6-402(1)(b).”
I just have to wonder what the commissioners are hiding when they hold private meetings to discuss a proposal with a signi cant impact and expense to those of us who live here?
Be available to all constituents through public meetings, and be accountable for what you want to do.
Carol Sorensen Lone Tree
Commissioners lack transparency
I am writing concerning the home rule vote that the board of county commissioners has scheduled for June 24, 2025 and the 21 home rule committee members that have been released to oversee the home rule charter. My overall concern is the speed and lack of transparency that Commissioners Teal, Laydon and Van Winkle have used in deciding to hold a special election and form this committee comprised of all very right wing GOP members. In a county where the majority of the voters are una liated and some are Democrats, I believe a more equitable way to form the committee would have the membership be proportional to the percentage of each party’s registered members. As to the timing, I do not understand why this is being rushed through without at least one meeting in each district to let us know this is being considered and then have a question and answer period. In addition, this rushed vote will cost the taxpayers $500,000 because it is a special election.
I am also of the mind that home rule in this instance is being sought for reasons that are not to help Douglas County or the citizens, but rather to try to circumvent various state laws. As Mr. Teal said in a text message that has been posted on various platforms, he does not believe Dougco would have to follow any of the laws passed by the Colorado state legislature last term. I don’t believe he is correct. As recently as last month Weld County lost a home rule court case and had to follow state redistricting laws. All court cases come at a cost to taxpayers.
My nal concern is that several of the people on the 21-member committee have state, county and local level jobs where they have sworn to uphold all laws. I am particularly concerned about Rep Max Brooks, DA George Brauchler, Sheri Weekly and Parker Town Council member Laura Hefta. ese people have all taken oaths to uphold the law and are now on a committee being formed to ultimately opt out of state laws. I see this as a con ict of interest for all involved. If the commissioners are truly working in our best interest, they would slow this process down and get the proper amount of public input, form a balanced committee, save taxpayer money and hold election on an already scheduled election date and not tell constituents that they can opt out of all state laws. I believe a no vote on home rule on June 24, 2025 is in the interest of Dougco.
Kim Carroll Parker
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ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110.
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e Je resses share a dream for making an impact, giving back and investing in the Elizabeth community. “For us, it’s about 80107,” Brandon said. “ is is the town that we live in.” eir goal is to create a place where people can come together and to drive community, fun and nightlife on Main Street.
e overarching goal is to strengthen the Elizabeth community. “My wife and I started 86 and Main with the goal of supporting small business growth and economic growth,” Brandon shared.
Possibilities for future
Currently, the Je resses envision a familyfriendly sports bar on the rst oor, a speakeasy-type bar and lounge on the second oor and a meeting space in the old kitchen. e plan is for all the spaces to be served by food trucks that rent space to prep and serve food — one building with the same food and drinks served throughout.
One of their main goals is giving the town more options for socializing on nights and weekends. Along those lines, they intend to open up the space to host events like linedancing classes, parties, weddings or comedy shows.
A top priority is honoring the history of the space while making necessary improvements and repairs. e facade of the building is currently receiving a facelift, the brickwork is being repaired and the front entry remodeled. e damaged column at the very top of the building, said to be struck by lightning in 1985, will also be rebuilt. On the north side of the building, facing Highway 86, there are plans to install a mural.
Alexandra Cramer, Town of Elizabeth planner and project manager, said the town’s Main Street Board of Directors received a $20,000 mini-grant through the Colorado Main Street
to use these funds for a new mural on the north side of the Odd Fellows building at 86 and Main Street,” she explained. “We’ve partnered with Some Girls and a Mural to create and implement the artwork. We’re particularly excited about this collaboration, as they’ve created impressive murals throughout rural Eastern Colorado communities. e mural is set to be completed by June.”
Historic emblem will remain
In their e ort to respect and preserve history, the Je resses intend to leave the IOOF emblem on the front of the building and Brandon has been sharing receipts, paperwork and other historical nds on the 86 and Main Facebook Page.
e rst oor was regularly rented out and hosted several businesses over the years, many of which are lost to history. ey include a grocery store, a bargain store, a liquor store and perhaps even a carpet store. e last business to rent the space was the well-known Wild ower
The first floor of the IOOF building has been home to many businesses over the years, including a grocery and liquor store. Brandon Jeffress recently discovered a large sign advertising “Alexander’s Carpet Service.”
e IOOF (and the occasional local Girl Scout troop) held meetings on the second oor, but it has been left pretty much untouched for years. Original kitchen appliances from the 1940s, a pool table from the early 1900s, and a player piano with about 60 music scrolls were all still inside, Brandon said.
e Je resses are hoping to give the community tours of the building during the Elizabash Street Festival on June 7. For updates and more information about 86 and Main, follow their Facebook page at tinyurl.com/4dxvahvv.
For details about the other improvements happening along Main Street through the Elizabeth Main Street Streetscape Project, visit tinyurl.com/yfxk6bvb.
IOOF began in 17th-century England, when it was “odd” to nd people organized for the purpose of helping those in need; the main tenets of the organization included educating orphans, visiting the sick, relieving the distressed and helping bury the dead. To learn more about the Colorado IOOF, visit ioofcolorado.org/home.
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victims of crime,” she said.
“Every year, thousands of communities across the nation honor the dedication of those before us that established victim rights and renew commitment to guarantee that all victims have the rights and services they need to recover from crime. Victim Support Services participates in marches, tree-planting ceremonies, and many other activities that are held each year to promote victims’ rights and to honor crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf,” she explained.
On the afternoon of March 30, rows of easels and supplies were set up inside the church. Before the painting began, Maloney explained a little about the Elbert County Sheri ’s Victim Assistance Unit. Ashlee Johnson, a local art teacher, patiently led the event step-by-step. e nished paintings were to be displayed in the community during Victims’ Rights Week to bring awareness and support all victims of crime. e Victim Assistance Unit’s main function is to, as the name suggests, assist victims of crime. “In 1992, Colorado passed a state constitutional amendment that provides rights to victims of crime. e unit is designed to ful ll the law enforcement requirements in the Colorado constitutional amendment,” Maloney
said.
ey provide crisis intervention, ongoing support and information during an investigation, assistance in return of property and in ling for victim compensation, victim noti cations related to the defendant’s incarceration status and other ongoing assistance. ey also provide education about the judicial system and share available resources to help individuals recover.
Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce Victim Assistance Unit has two advocates in addition to Maloney — Melissa Potestio and Sinead O’Dwyer. Find out more at the VAU website at elbertcounty-co.gov/192/Victim-Assistance or send an email to Janet at janet.maloney@ elbertcounty-co.gov.
Local art teacher Ashlee Johnson volunteers her time (and even some of her paint) to help make the Victim Assistance Unit’s Paint & Bliss event a success.
From left: art teacher Ashlee Johnson, Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce Victim Assistance Coordinator Janet Maloney, Victim Advocate Sinead O’Dwyer and Victim Advocate Melissa Potestio. PHOTOS BY NICKY QUINBY
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
COMMISSIONERS
Open Meetings Law to allow the exclusion of the public and press from meetings. She also said she does not know of other closed-door invitations that are currently active.
When asked why the commissioners decided to go to this meeting, Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said that he and the other commissioners are dedicated to fostering meaningful engagement with the community and are frequently asked to speak at diverse events and gatherings in the county.
“On this occasion, the Parker Conservatives graciously invited us to join their
MUSHROOMS
a licensed mental health counselor from Denver, who both praised the therapeutic power of mushrooms.
“You get discouraged in your practice because the current therapies are not enough for people,” Clark said.
Colorado voters approved Proposition 122 in 2022 to legalize natural psychedelics, after Oregon voters in 2020 approved legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic use. Colorado’s program is modeled after, but not the same as, Oregon’s, under which 21,246 psilocybin products have been sold as of March, a total that could include secondary doses, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
As of mid-March, Colorado has received applications for at least 15 healing center licenses, nine cultivation licenses, four
meeting,” said Van Winkle. “We value every chance to address groups of all sizes, listen to our constituents’ perspectives and encourage residents to connect with us — whether through such invitations or at one of our upcoming town halls.”
County Commissioner Chair Abe Laydon and Commissioner George Teal did not respond to requests for comment.
Frizell added that the commissioners would be happy to talk about home rule with anyone throughout the county. If voters approve a charter commission in the June 24 special election, the county plans to have three public meetings to discuss the charter. Residents will then vote on the charter in the November election.
“Voters will really get to decide,” said Frizell.
manufacturer licenses, and one testing facility license for growing and preparing the mushrooms, under rules developed over two years by the governor-appointed Natural Medicine Advisory Board.
Psychedelic treatments in Oregon are expensive, and are likely to be so in Colorado, too, said Tasia Poinsatte, Colorado director of the nonpro t Healing Advocacy Fund, which supports state-regulated programs for psychedelic therapy. In Oregon, psychedelic mushroom sessions are typically $1,000 to $3,000, are not covered by insurance, and must be paid for up front.
e mushrooms themselves are not expensive, Poinsatte said, but a facilitator’s time and support services are costly, and there are state fees. In Colorado, for doses over 2 milligrams, facilitators will screen participants at least 24 hours in advance, then supervise the session in which the
SEE MUSHROOMS, P18
SEE YOURSELF ON STAGE
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In March 2020, Christian churches across the Denver area shut their doors during the initial COVID-19 shutdowns. Many hoped the doors would be reopened for Easter in April.
But they weren’t.
Instead, local Christians watched their churches’ Easter celebrations online while their pastors preached and their musicians played for empty churches.
e Very Rev. Richard Lawson of St. John’s Cathedral — the Episcopal cathedral in central Denver — recalled that Easter, saying, “ ere were less than ve people in the entire cathedral, and two of them were priests.”
Meanwhile, some smaller congregations like the United Church of Idaho Springs held its Easter service via video conference, where everyone logged in to worship together.
Five years later, local church leaders expected this Easter would look more normal. But even then, they couched it as “the new normal,” outlining how much their churches have changed in terms of technology, membership, ministry and more in the last ve years.
In March 2025, Colorado Community Media spoke with Christians leading six churches across ve denominations and four counties in the Denver area. While experiences varied, they all said their congregations have changed permanently
since March 2020.
“It has been a really hard journey,” said Rev. Susan Otey of the First United Methodist Church of Golden. “Pastoring during COVID was some of the hardest work I have ever done … I could see that God was working to make something good out of a terrible situation.”
Disciples in the digital age
Across the board, leaders from the six churches said technology was far and away the biggest change.
Before, none of them o ered online options for Sunday services; now, all of them either livestream or allow people to join via video conference.
In general, they said it’s a great help, as church members can now join when they are homebound, sick or traveling. e United Church of Idaho Springs has a member who moved to Minnesota but still joins remotely, and some churches said they also livestream funerals so loved ones can watch from anywhere.
Figuring out how to livestream services in spring 2020 was rough going, as churches had to get creative with the limited resources they had.
For instance, the First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton started by taping an iPad to a tripod. Now, the church has a dedicated camera in the sanctuary, and Church Council Chair Neena Hagans monitors the livestream from the choir loft.
Otey said the pandemic pushed her congregation
to invest in the technology necessary to livestream services, which might not have happened until 2030 otherwise.
“COVID taught us that virtual services are essential in this day and age,” she continued. “( e pandemic) pushed us several years into the future.”
Along with Sunday services, technology is now a key aspect in other parts of church life, from online giving to hybrid Bible studies, church leaders said.
Daren Forbes, who’s on the Arvada Stake communications council for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said there is “an abundance of podcasts” that he and his fellow church members use to help them study scripture, church history and similar topics.
In fact, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its own app with all its holy texts, the given year’s curriculum, videos and other resources “to augment study in the home,” he described.
Forbes and other Christians throughout Denver clari ed how these technologies don’t replace inperson services or fellowship opportunities. ey are simply another option.
Lawson believes that, especially after the pandemic, “people are hungry for community,” whether that’s in-person or online.
“Livestreaming has expanded our reach beyond what we ever could’ve imagined,” Lawson said. “It’s too bad it took COVID to teach us that.”
With the morning light illuminating the First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton’s stained-glass windows, the Rev. Anna Viehland demonstrates preaching from the altar on March 25. PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
CHURCHES
Parishioners in the pews
In general, the number of Coloradans identifying as Christian has declined, mirroring a national trend, according to Colorado Public Radio; and the Associated Press has reported how Protestant denominations’ national membership has been declining for years.
Regarding their own ocks, leaders from the six churches had mixed experiences.
Otey and Lawson said their congregations in Golden and Denver, respectively, have actually grown over the last ve years, especially if one includes online attendance. eir biggest demographic changes have been with young families and young adults, respectively.
Otey believed it was because people are seeking out a community that shares their values and beliefs, with the idea of raising their children in it, too. She summarized those parents’ experiences as: “I want to teach my kids about loving and serving our neighbors.”
Meanwhile, Forbes said the Arvada Stake’s overall membership hasn’t changed signi cantly, but there have been a few demographic shifts over the last ve years.
As western Arvada has grown, so has church membership in that area. Members from western Arvada tend to be young families, while eastern Arvada is more older people who’ve lived in the area for decades, Forbes described.
Additionally, he said the Arvada Stake has seen signi cant growth among its Spanish-speaking population.
Contrastingly, membership at the United Church of Idaho Springs and the First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton have declined slightly.
Vivian Simpson, chair of the church council, said the United Church of Idaho Springs was averaging about 30 people at Sunday services before the pandemic. Now, it’s about 20 people in-person with another ve online.
Fort Lupton church leaders said their congregation averaged 80 to 100 people on Sundays before the pandemic. Now, it’s down to about 60 in the pews, with some joining online.
For the First Baptist Church of Denver, while its attendance and overall membership haven’t changed much, its space utilization has.
Kurt Kaufman, a member of the pastoral team, said the church used to have a high demand for facility rentals and parking-space leases before the pandemic. Now, demand for both has gone down signi cantly, impacting the church’s budget.
“We haven’t had a parking waitlist since 2019,” Kaufman said. “We’ve had to rethink what we do to make money and how to survive as a congregation.”
Pastors in the pulpit
Both the First Baptist Church of Denver and the United Church of Idaho Springs said their previous pastors left within the last ve years, and they’ve struggled to nd replacements.
Kaufman said he and fellow members of the First Baptist Church’s pastoral team are rotating responsibilities, including preaching on Sundays.
Similarly, Simpson said the Idaho Springs church has been looking for a part-time pastor since its former pastor retired in 2021.
Because it’s a combined Methodist and Presbyterian congregation, Simpson said the church has looked through Methodist, Presbyterian and unafliated channels. It’s had some interest, but nothing that worked out long-term, she described.
“Nationwide, there’s a shortage of ordained ministers for Methodist and Presbyterian (churches),” she said.
Simpson added that the Idaho Springs church can only a ord a part-time pastor, which makes the search more di cult.
In a similar vein, the First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton has had a dedicated pastor in the Rev. Anna Viehland since 2022, but she splits her time between Fort Lupton and another Methodist church in Erie.
On March 29, St. John’s Cathedral ordained four
people as deacons. ey’re now scheduled to be ordained as priests in October.
Lawson said four ordained ministers in a year is about average for the Episcopal Church’s Diocese of Colorado.
However, with the in ux of young adults at the cathedral, Lawson said he’s seen increasing interest in ordination among his congregation. In 2025, St. John’s Cathedral will have ve members attend seminary, including one of the newly ordained, he said.
Charity in the community
In terms of ministry — both for their members and for the wider community — there were some common threads among the six churches.
Along with a greater push for online or hybrid events, church leaders said they’ve seen more demand for small-group events, such as Bible studies, parent groups and in-home ministering.
On top of their continued interfaith partnerships, the two Denver churches said they’ve seen more demand for social justice-focused events and groups.
In addition to its Faith in Action ministry, Lawson said St. John’s Cathedral now has the Re-Imagining Justice group that focuses on racial healing, and the Migrant Interest Group that does pro-immigration work.
Kaufman said the First Baptist Church is now “more attuned to hunger and social justice issues around our community” than it was pre-pandemic.
Part of that is because of its new outdoor community fridge, which has already distributed about 30,000 pounds of food since February 2023.
Additionally, because its parking lot isn’t as full as it once was, Kaufman said the church has been able to host a shower trailer and a safe parking program.
e other four churches said they’ve likewise seen increased demand among their safe parking programs, free weekly meals and similar ministries; and they’ve worked to meet that demand alongside other churches and nonpro ts.
“Some things that started during COVID really de ned who we are as a church,” Otey said. “We increased our services tremendously.”
During the COVID-19 shutdowns, Otey described how her church worked with the larger Golden community to distribute free food to the homebound and unsheltered — even distributing food outside when indoor gatherings were restricted.
And that work has continued to the present day, she said, as the church has expanded from free meals once a week to three times a week.
Forbes encouraged people to visit justserve.org to nd service opportunities near them. ese events are open to anyone, not just Christians, he emphasized, saying it could be anything from painting a
house to working at a local food bank.
“It’s become even more apparent how important those service opportunities are because of COVID and what we’re experiencing in society,” Forbes said. “We have more in common with our neighbors than we think … (and) when we have an opportunity to serve one another, those di erences dissipate.”
‘Best of all, God is with us’
Another common thread among the six churches was how di cult the last ve years have been, in one form or another.
Church leaders discussed loneliness among their members, concern about the declining number of Christians locally and nationally, and burnout among their volunteers and ordained ministers.
Viehland, Fort Lupton’s pastor, described how she’s seen not only laypeople but also clergy struggle with the pandemic’s immediate and long-term fallout.
She believed some clergy members — not necessarily local ones — were already burnt-out, and the pandemic was a deciding factor in them leaving ordained ministry. And Viehland said she didn’t blame them.
“Five years out, we’re just starting to reckon with the spiritual and emotional trauma that came from (the pandemic),” Viehland said.
Kaufman said the First Baptist Church was full of hope and joy when he joined in 2019. Now, he said it’s been “a struggle to nd joy with anything” and that the congregation has shifted to one that’s “less hopeful and more fearful.”
Still, leaders from all six churches o ered messages of hope and faith, especially with Easter approaching.
“It’s been very challenging to nd hope in earthly, worldly things,” Kaufman said. “‘Where is it that I nd hope?’ e only place is in my faith.”
Similarly, Fort Lupton church leaders summarized the experience of faith by quoting Methodist Church founder John Wesley: “Best of all, God is with us.”
Kaufman, Forbes and Simpson invited fellow Christians to celebrate Easter by deepening their relationships with God and with one another.
ey also encouraged those “who are searching for something” to visit a local church and ground themselves in a loving God and a welcoming community.
Otey also emphasized how God’s love is unconditional and how the Holy Spirit is at work in everyone’s lives, community and shared world, even if they don’t know it.
Re ecting on the changes of the last ve years, and all the changes that are to come, Lawson said: “God is as real as God has ever been.”
Morning light shines through a stained-glass window of a cross and crown March 25 at the First United Methodist Church of Fort Lupton. Church leaders and others across the Denver area said their churches have changed permanently since March 2020, particularly with regard to technology.
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
MUSHROOMS
participant consumes and experiences mushrooms, lasting several hours, plus a later meeting to integrate the experience.
Facilitators, who may not have experience with mental health emergencies, need training in screening, informed consent, and postsession monitoring, Smith said. “Because these models are new, we need to gather data from Colorado and Oregon to ensure safety.”
Facilitators generally pay a $420 training fee, which allows them to pursue the necessary consultation hours, and roughly $900 a year for a license, and healing centers pay $3,000 to $6,000 for initial licenses in Colorado. But the up-front cost for facilitators is signi cant: e required 150 hours in a state-accredited program and 80 hours of hands-on training can cost $10,000 or more, and Clark said she wouldn’t pursue a facilitator license due to the prohibitive time and cost.
To increase a ordability for patients in Colorado, Poinsatte said, healing centers plan to o er sliding-scale pay options, and discounts for veterans, Medicaid enrollees, and those with low incomes. Group sessions are another option to lower costs.
Colorado law does not allow retail sales of psilocybin, unlike cannabis, which can be sold both recreationally and medically in the state. But it allows adults 21 and older to grow, use and share psychedelic mushrooms for personal use.
Despite the retail ban, adjacent businesses have mushroomed. Inside the warehouse and laboratory of Activated Brands in Arvada, brown bags of sterilized grains such as corn, millet, and sorghum and plastic bags of soil substrate
but has not yet been shown to be better than other advanced treatments. Joshua Woolley, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California-San Francisco, said he has seen the bene ts of psilocybin as an investigator in clinical trials.
“People can change hard-set habits. ey can become unstuck. ey can see things in new ways,” he said of treating patients with a combination of psilocybin and psychotherapy.
Colorado, unlike Oregon, allows integration of psilocybin into existing mental health and medical practices with a clinical facilitator license, and through microhealing centers that are more limited in the amounts of mushrooms they can store.
Still, Woolley said, between the federal ban and new state laws for psychedelics, this is uncharted territory. Most drugs used to treat mental health disorders are regulated by the FDA, something that Colorado is “taking into its own hands” by setting up its own program to regulate manufacturing and administration of psilocybin.
are for sale, along with genetic materials and ready-to-grow kits.
Co-founder Sean Win eld sells these supplies for growing psychedelic or functional mushrooms such as lion’s mane to people hoping to grow their own at home. Soon, Activated Brands will host cultivation and education classes for the public, Win eld said.
Win eld and co-founder Shawn Cox recently hosted a psychedelic potluck at which experts studying and cultivating psychedelic mushrooms discussed genetics, extraction, and specialized equipment.
Psychedelic mushrooms have a long history in Indigenous cultures, and pro-
visions for their use in spiritual, cultural, or religious ceremonies are included in Colorado law, along with recognition of the cultural harm that could occur to federally recognized tribes and Indigenous people if natural medicine is overly commercialized or exploited.
Several studies over the past ve years have shown the long-term bene ts of psilocybin for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, and the Food and Drug Administration designated it a breakthrough therapy. Late-stage trials, often a precursor to application for FDA approval, are underway.
Smith said psilocybin is a promising tool for treating mental health disorders
e U.S. Attorney’s O ce for the District of Colorado declined to comment on its policy toward state-regulated psychedelic programs or personal use provisions, but Poinsatte hopes the same federal handso approach to marijuana will be taken for psilocybin in Oregon and Colorado. Win eld said he looks forward to the upcoming rollout and potential addition of other plant psychedelics, such as mescaline. “We’re talking about clandestine industries coming into the light,” he said. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism.
Shawn Cox, a co-founder of Activated Brands in Arvada, grows and extracts compoundsfromCordyceps, the mushroom pictured. The compounds are believed to boost energy andcirculation. (KATE RUDER FOR KFF HEALTH NEWS)
Thu 4/17
Saxsquatch w/ T BISCUIT at Cervantes - Denver, CO @ 6pm
Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver
Bearhat @ 7pm
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Den‐
ver
Jakobs Castle @ 8pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Fri 4/18
Mina Reya at Zymos Brewing @ 5pm
Dexter and The Moonrocks @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Rex the Dog @ 9pm The Basement at Club Vinyl, Denver
Red Rock Vixens @ Tailgate Tavern @ 4pm
margø @ 6pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
Hope Tala w/ KAIRO @ 7pm
Bluebird Theatre, Denver
Sat 4/19
Matt Hynes @ 10am The Hampton Social - Denver, 2501 16th St, Denver
Ky-Mani Marley @ 5pm
Tetra Private lounge and garden, 3039 Walnut St, Denver
Zymos Brewing, 5180 S Lowell Blvd, Littleton
Ellie D & Soul Mix back at South Suburban Grille! @ 5pm
South Suburban Golf Course, 7900 S Colorado Blvd, Centennial
Devin the Dude @ 5pm
Tetra Private lounge and garden, 3039 Walnut St, Denver
AJ Finney Fan Page: The Knotty Show @ 6:30pm Studio Friction, 740 Lipan St, Denver
Crawdad Sniper: Denver, CO @ 7pm Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St,, Denver
Golden Shoals: House Concert @ 6pm Five String Barn Concerts, Castle Rock
Lady Apple Tree @ 7pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Jimi Jules @ 9pm Club Vinyl, Denver
Sun 4/20
WORRY @ 3pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Polysanto @ 4pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Na-Kel Smith: Mile High 420 Festival 2025 @ 6pm Civic Center Park/Capitol City Park, 101 14th Ave, Denver
Finesse2tymes
@ 6pm
The Roxy Theater, 2549 Welton St, Denver
Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Main‐street, Parker
Mon 4/21
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 11am
Denver
8TURN @ 5pm
Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver
DJ Rockstar Aaron @ 6pm
The Angry Clover, 15350 E Smoky Hill Rd, Au‐rora Knolls
Sturniolo Triplets @ 7:30pm
Paramount Theatre Denver, 1621 Glenarm, Den‐ver
Tue 4/22
Dave Devine Quartet Playing Music Off of "Hive Mind" featuring Shane Endsley, Greg Garrison & Scott Amendola @ Dazzle! 7pm Show! @ 6pm
Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Dylanovus @ 6pm
Roxy on Broadway, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Niis (16+ Event) @ 7pm
Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood
Alessia Cara @ 7pm
Paramount Theatre Denver, 1621 Glenarm, Den‐ver
Wed 4/23
Spirit Mother @ 6pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
The Bloody Beetroots - 20th Anniversary Tour @ 8pm Meow Wolf Denver, Denver
Thu 4/24
KB ANGEL: Make - a - Wish Wiskey , Wine & Wishes @ 4pm
Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St,, Denver
Ike Reilly @ 6pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver
Young Jesus @ 6pm
Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St, Denver
Tonewood @ 7pm
Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver
Jubilingo at Appaloosa Grill @ 7pm
Appaloosa Grill, 535 16th St, Denver
North Fork Crossing @ 7pm
Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver
Duncan Coker: Lions Lair with All Through the Night @ 8pm Lions' Lair, 3200 E 23rd Ave, Denver
EASTER Worship
Tenebrae (Good
April 13: Palm Sunday at 9:30am
April 17: Maundy Thursday 6:00pm
April 18: Good Friday Stations of the Cross at 12:00pm Tenebrae at 6:00pm
April 19: Easter Vigil at 8:00pm
April 20: Easter Sunday 8:00am and 10:30am (with an egg hunt following the 10:30am service)
CROWSSUPDRO
1. TELEVISION: Who had a 1980s workout video series called “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”?
1. ANATOMY: What is heterochromia?
3. GEOGRAPHY: What is a chain of islands called?
4. FOOD & DRINK: What is Canada’s national dish?
5. HISTORY: When was Facebook launched?
6. MEASUREMENTS: What is the shortest wavelength in the visible light spectrum?
7. U.S. STATES: Which state has the most miles of interstate highway?
8. MOVIES: What type of sh is Nemo in the animated lm “Finding Nemo”?
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which month is designated as National Ice Cream Month in the United States?
TrIVIa
10. SCIENCE: How long does it take for the International Space Station to orbit the Earth?
Answers
1. Richard Simmons.
2. When the colored part of the eyes (irises) are two di erent colors.
3. Archipelago.
4. Poutine (French fries, cheese curds and gravy).
5. 2004.
6. Violet.
7. Texas.
8. Clown sh. 9. July.
10. 90 minutes.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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NOTICE OF CANCELLATION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS §1-13.5-513(6), 32-1-104(1), 1-11-103(3) C.R.S.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 3, Elbert
Elbert Legals
NameTerm Shelley Marshall: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Holly D. Robinson: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Leigh Lutz: Next Regular Election, May 2027
Vacant: Next Regular Election, May 2027
s a o a /s/ AJ Beckman
Designated Election Official
Contact Person for the District: AJ Beckman 720-213-6621 405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, CO 80228 aj@publicalliancellc.com
Public Notice
NOTICE OF MAIL BALLOT ELECTION FOR ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN and particularly to the electors of the Elizabeth Fire
ING FOR THE DISTRICT’S FIRE STATIONS, REPLACING AND UPDATING AGING APPARATUS AND FACILITIES, AND OTHERWISE MAINTAINING EMERGENCY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS, SUCH SALES TAX TO BE IN ADDITION TO ALL OTHER TAXES LEVIED BY THE DISTRICT, AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN, AND SPEND ALL REVENUE GENERATED BY SUCH TAX IN EXCESS OF THE LIMITATION PROVIDED IN SECTION 20 OF ARTICLE X OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN SECTION 29-1-301 OF THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES, AND ANY OTHER LAW?
ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
The following candidates are declared elected for the following terms of office:
Name Term
Shelley Marshall: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Holly D. Robinson: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Leigh Lutz: Next Regular Election, May 2027
Vacant: Next Regular Election, May 2027 s
Public Notice
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS
§1-13.5-513(6), 32-1-104(1), 1-11-103(3) C.R.S.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 6, Elbert
o olo a o a a los o b s ss o s a b o l o o mo a a s o o a o s o b ll l a a s l a a s o o b a
The following candidates are declared elected for the following terms of office:
At such election, the electors of the District shall vote for two Directors to serve a fouryear term on the Board of Directors of the District. The names of persons nominated are as follows:
Stacey D. Collis Rick L. Young
a o a s l o l o
s s all o o ollo ballo ss BALLOT ISSUE A SHALL THE ELIZABETH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT’S TAXES BE INCREASED BY $1,255,000 THE FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR 2026, AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, FROM A 0.5 PERCENT SALES TAX COMMENCING ON JULY 1, 2025, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDUCING THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON EXISTING PROPERTY OWNERS BY SHARING THE COST OF EMERGENCY SERVICES WITH BUSINESS PATRONS WHO RESIDE OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND OFFSETTING LOST REVENUE DUE TO THE LIMIT ON PROPERTY ASSESSMENT RATES, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE EMERGENCY RESPONDER STAFF-
Public Notice
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS
§1-13.5-513(6), 32-1-104(1), 1-11-103(3) C.R.S.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 2, Elbert
Shelley Marshall: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Holly D. Robinson: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Leigh LutzNext Regular Election, May 2027
Vacant: Next Regular Election, May 2027 s a o a /s/ AJ Beckman Designated Election Official
Contact Person for the District: AJ Beckman 720-213-6621 405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, CO
Notice to Creditors Public
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
of JEFFREY EARL WILKINSON, a/k/a JEFFREY E. WILKINSON, a/k/a JEFFREY WILKINSON, a/k/a JEFF EARL WILKINSON, a/k/a JEFF E. WILKINSON, a/k/a JEFF
Name Term Travis Cox: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Amie Drucker: Second Regular Election, May 2029
Leigh Lutz: Next Regular Election, May 2027
Josh Rigsbee: Next Regular Election, May 2027
s a o a /s/ AJ Beckman
Designated Election Official
Contact Person for the District: AJ Beckman 720-213-6621
405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, CO 80228
aj@publicalliancellc.com
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS §1-13.5-513(6), 32-1-104(1), 1-11-103(3) C.R.S.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 4, Elbert o olo
