A new $10 million North Transportation Terminal in 27J Schools is nearly ready to open, o ering critical space and resources to support the district’s growing enrollment and specialized transportation needs. e terminal, funded by the district’s $515 million bond approved in 2021, is set to provide much-needed space and resources for the transportation department as 27J continues to buck statewide trends of declining enrollment.
While many Colorado districts are consolidating or closing schools due to shrinking student numbers, 27J stands out for its steady growth.
With approximately 23,000 students enrolled across district and charter schools, 27J will soon complete construction of its sixth middle school, Talon Ridge, is building a new high school, and is considering additional elementary schools to accom-
modate families moving into the area.
Kevin Denke, communications manager for the district, said the new transportation terminal is a direct response to that continued growth.
“ is building is really a product of that continued growth, especially within our transportation department,” Denke said. “It gives them breathing room.”
Key features and sta ng
Located on the north end of the district, the terminal will not replace 27J’s existing transportation hub on the south side but will expand operations to accommodate increasing demands. It includes maintenance bays, o ce space, break rooms and a large training area for paraeducators and bus drivers.
According to district materials, the terminal will house between 70 and 75 drivers and paraprofessionals, four Fleet Department sta , and 11 to 12 Operations employees.
e building features seven o ces, a dispatch center, a dedicated training room for comprehensive sta training and multiple break rooms.
Along with 37 full-size buses and two service trucks, the new site will house 20 of the district’s smaller buses, which are used to transport students with special needs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 27J has seen about 10% annual growth in specialized transportation services, including those for ‘medically fragile students’ – children with chronic, lifethreatening health conditions requiring ongoing medical management and monitoring.
e terminal also features a new automated bus wash system and dedicated laundry facilities for sta equipment. Crews recently nished installing furniture and are nalizing o ce setups ahead of the building’s opening.
WESTMINSTER WINDOW
Chevron accused of violations in Weld well ‘blowout’
Families remain displaced after ‘unprecedented’ incident near Galeton
BY CHASE WOODRUFF NEWSLINE COLORADO
Colorado regulators on ursday launched an enforcement action against oil giant Chevron for an April well “blowout” that caused evacuations and closures in a community in eastern Weld County.
O cials with the Energy and Carbon Management Commission said ursday that some residents remain displaced from their homes in tiny Galeton, an unincorporated town of 250 people located about 10 miles northeast of Greeley, nearly three months after the incident at Chevron’s Bishop well pad.
e well failure caused a highpressure ow of oil, gas and water to spew from the site for ve days before emergency crews were able to bring it under control. With millions of gallons of uid released, it’s believed to be one of the largest oil and gas spills in state history, and the resulting plume spread dangerous levels of toxic chemicals as far as two miles away, according to data from Colorado State University researchers.
“I can say with certainty that this is signi cant and unprecedented during my tenure, not just in terms of volumes released … but in terms of complexity, in terms of scale of impact to environmental services, as well as residents,” said Je Robbins, who has served as chair of the vemember ECMC board of commissioners since 2020.
A so-called notice of alleged violation issued by ECMC sta to Chevron subsidiary Noble Energy lists six different breaches of the agency’s rules, initiating what is likely to be a lengthy regulatory enforcement action. e notice accuses Chevron of violating water quality standards, breaking employee safety rules, “fail(ing) to engineer and operate all equipment within the manufacturer’s recommended speci cations,” and more.
An initial analysis completed by Chevron earlier this month identi ed the root cause of the incident as “improper assembly” of on-site equipment by a contractor. A total of 16 oil
A 27J Schools bus sits inside the new North Transportation Terminal in Brighton, where maintenance bays and equipment like portable lifts will support the district’s growing fleet. PHOTO COURTESY
Brighton’s new Sustainability Board seeks members
Residents sought to advise council on water, energy, solid waste issues
BY BELEN WARD BELEN@COTLN.ORG
A new city group designed to focus on city energy use, water conservation, solid waste and other sustainability matters is looking for new members to ll its ranks.
e Brighton City Council voted unanimously to establish a Sustainability Advisory Board, according to a press release on June 26.
“Community engagement is at the heart of the sustainability work we do here in the City of Brighton, so the formation of this board is a natural step to advance this commitment,” said Traci McLean, the city’s Sustainability Coordinator. “ is board will help ensure our sustainability goals are ambitious but achievable and continue to target the speci c needs of the community while building broad par-
ticipation and support.”
e City of Brighton’s primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for its residents, focusing on the Brighton sustainability plan, which includes commitments such as energy e ciency, water conservation, waste diversion, and sustainable mobility.
With the new board in place, Brighton is now accepting applications to ll vacancies on the Sustainability Advisory Board.
“ is board will help Brighton grow its sustainability e orts in meaningful ways across the community,” McLean said. “ e board will support goals and tasks outlined in Brighton’s 2024 Sustainability Plan, which also addresses waste diversion, air quality, community engagement, resiliency, and public health, among other key focus areas.
“Member workplans will change along with the needs of the community, so there is the potential to become involved in a wide variety of sustainability focus areas.”
According to o cials, the new board will be providing strategic recommendations on policies, programs, and initia-
volunteer residents to join its first Sustainability Advisory Board. FILE PHOTO
tives that focus on areas within the Brighton Sustainability Plan.
e board should include residents, experts and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds. e city encourages individuals with expertise or interest in environmental science, business, education, or related elds to apply. e board’s rst meeting is expected to take place later this year, according to o cials.
For more information about the Sustainability Advisory Board or to apply, visit: brightonco.gov/3062/sustainability.
Adams County looking to fill board positions
BY BELEN WARD BELEN@COTLN.ORG
Adams County is encouraging individuals interested in making a di erence in their communities to apply for a seat on the 28 citizen advisory Boards, according to a June 25 news release.
Commissioner Julie Duran Mullica, Vice Chair, Adams County Board of Commissioners, said serving on volunteer and advisory boards is how she got her start. “ roughout my time in public service, and even before, I have served on many di erent advisory boards, commissions, and committees, and those experiences hold a special place in my career and in my heart,” Mullica said. “ ey not only gave me a deeper understanding of how local government — and the community about which I deeply care — works, but they also
helped me build relationships with neighbors and leaders who were passionate about making a di erence.”
Duran-Mullica said residents serve as board members and can bring experience from various elds to contribute their expertise. e boards can focus on planning, zoning, open spaces, a ordable housing, public health, veterans’ services, and the library. eir advice helps create policy, develop and strengthen programs, and their decisions represent the community.
“Now, as Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners, I continue to be grateful for the invaluable insight and dedication our citizen boards bring to the table.
ese volunteers are trusted partners in the county’s decision-making process, and their voices matter,” Duran-Mullica said. “If you care about this community — and I know you do — I encourage you to nd a board that speaks to your passions and apply. Whether you’re interested in cultural programming, economic development, re and building codes, or simply giving back in a meaningful way, there’s a place for you.”
To apply for this round of vacancies, please submit your application before the deadline on July 3. Interviews will be held later in the month. For more information about the 28 board positions and to apply online, visit adcogov.org/joinaboard.
“Adams County’s government is here to serve you, so you should have a seat at the table. ere’s a chair waiting for you,” Duran-Mullica said.
Weld looking for junior fair board members
BY BELEN WARD
e Weld Fair Board is establishing a Weld County Junior Fair Board and Advisors Program, according to a news release on June 27.
e Junior Fair Board encourages youth leaders to take on civic responsibilities, participate in the Weld County Fair and build teamwork skills. e Junior Board members are chosen by the Weld County Fair Board based on recommendations from the advisors, according to o cials.
According to o cials, the advisors will oversee and support the Junior Fair Board, which will be responsible for helping with meetings and project planning, coaching and mentoring members, and approving outreach projects. ey will act as liaisons to the Weld County Fair Board and Fair Coordinator to ensure adherence to Weld County policies and youth protection standards. e Weld County Fair Board will choose the advisors.
e application timeline runs from July 16 to August 18, 2025. e advisor application deadline is from now until July 25, 2025. To apply, visit https://www.weldcountyfair.com/Get-Involved
Ex-charter school teacher faces sexual assault charge
Alleged assault happened in 2016 when victim was at Landmark Academy
BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG
A former teacher at Landmark Academy in Commerce City faces a felony sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust charge after police investigated an incident in 2016.
e teacher – 44-year-old Michelle McMillan – turned herself in on June 29 to the Adams County Detention Center.
Commerce City Police said in a news release that the victim came forward to a parent in December 2024, alleging that in 2016, when he had been attending Landmark Academy, he was sexually assaulted by McMillan.
McMillan was employed as a teacher at the time of the alleged assault. McMillan is no longer employed by the Brighton 27J School District, said district spokeswoman Janelle Asmus. No one could be reached for comment at Landmark Academy, which is a K-8th school.
A warrant was issued for McMillan’s arrest last week after an investigation by the Commerce City Police Department and Brighton Police Department’s combined Sexual Assault Task Force, o cials said.
According to Denke, the new site will enable more e cient routing and maintenance, reducing mileage and operational costs while improving service for families across the district’s vast boundaries.
Ongoing sta ng and operational challenges
Despite the new facility, 27J faces the same hiring challenges as many districts, particularly for transportation and nutrition services.
Denke said the district is holding regular hiring fairs to recruit more drivers and support sta to meet demand. With furniture now delivered and ofces set up, the North Transportation Terminal is expected to be operational by July, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for early August.
As 27J prepares for another school year, the terminal stands as a tangible sign of the district’s forward momentum.
“ is is just one piece of the puzzle,” Denke said. “We’re building not just for today but for where we know the district is going.”
The Brighton City Council is looking for
Mullica
The Weld County Junior Fair board is seeking young people to join its board.
National Association of Realtors Boasts About Getting Its Top Priorities Into the Senate’s Tax Bill
The bill as passed by the Senate included NAR’s five key priorities:
A permanent extension of lower individual tax rates
An enhanced and permanent qualified business income deduction (Section 199A)
A temporary (five-year) quadrupling of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, beginning for 2025
Protection for business SALT deductions and 1031 like-kind exchanges
A permanent extension of the mortgage interest deduction
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC): Key provisions from the LIHTC Improvement Act are included on a permanent basis to support affordable housing development.
No Changes to Carried Interest Rules
“These provisions form the backbone of the real estate economy—from supporting first-time and first-generation buyers to strengthening investment in housing supply and protecting existing homeowners,” according to a NAR spokesperson. “Real estate makes up nearly one-fifth of the entire U.S. economy, and we made sure policymakers understood that homeownership is the essential component to building wealth and a strong, prosperous middle class.”
Several other provisions in the bill championed by NAR add to its positive impact on the real estate sector:
Child Tax Credit Increased to $2,200: Permanently raises the credit, with inflation indexing. This provision could ease housing affordability for families.
Permanent Estate and Gift Tax Threshold Set at $15 Million (Inflation-Adjusted): Prevents a sharp drop in exemption levels and supports generational wealth transfer.
No Increase to the Top Individual Tax Rate: The proposed 39.6% rate was removed from the bill.
Restoration of Key Business Provisions:
Full expensing of research and development
Bonus depreciation Fixes to the interest expense deduction limit
Immediate Expensing for Certain Industrial Structures: Applies to facilities used in manufacturing, refining, agriculture and related industries.
These Past ‘Real Estate Today’ Columns May Interest You
Clickable links for each column can be found at www.JimSmithColumns.com
May 29, 2025 — Divorcing Couples With a Home Need a Realtor With Specialized Training
May 22, 2025 — Home Sharing Helps Single Seniors Deal With Finance and Loneliness, Allowing Them to Age in Place
April 24, 2025 — Lennar to Build 1,500 Geothermal Homes; My Review of the Mustang Mach
E
April 17, 2025 — Redfin Report Highlights the Increasing Cost of Buying versus Renting a Home
April 10, 2025 — The Typical Wood-Frame, SiteBuilt Home So Common Since the ’90s May Soon Be a Thing of the Past
Mar. 27, 2025 — Here’s How Money Is Handled at a Real Estate Closing
Mar. 20, 2025 — Thinking of Using a Reverse Mortgage to Purchase a Home? Here’s Some Information
Mar. 13, 2025 — Will Colorado Be Able to Sustain Its ‘Green Agenda’ Under Pressure From Washington?
Mar. 6, 2025 — 62% of Americans Think a 20% Down Payment Is Required, But It’s the #1 Myth
Feb. 27, 2025 — As Society Deals With Homelessness and Affordability, Expect a Greater Focus on Manufactured Homes
Feb. 20, 2025 — We Have a Tool to Help You Find the ‘Perfect’ Home That’s Not on the MLS
Dec. 26, 2024 — As Pro-Tenant Laws Expand, Some Small Landlords Are Considering Cashing Out
Dec. 19, 2024 — What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home in Colorado?
Nov. 7, 2024 — We Need to Take Seriously the Pollutants Emitted When Cooking With Gas
Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors
Sept. 26, 2024 — Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Sept. 5, 2024 — What Knowledge and Skills Should You Expect Your Real Estate Agent to Have?
Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Over 70 Might Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home
July 25, 2024 — Many Homeowners Don’t Understand Title Issues, Which Could Lead to Big Problems Later On
June 6, 2024 — Here Are Some Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises After Closing
Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?
Feb. 22, 2024 — Most Sellers Don’t Know How to Interview a Listing Agent. Here’s Some Guidance.
Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build Homes With OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood
Nov. 23, 2023 — Scamming Has Become An Industry, and We’re All Prospective Victims
Sept. 28, 2023 — Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California. Is That in Our Future?
Aug. 10, 2023 — What Are Some Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?
June 15, 2023 — Don’t Let Capital Gains Tax Deter You From Cashing Out on an Investment Property
May 11, 2023 — Do Agents Inflate the Cost of Buying or Selling Your Home with ‘Junk Fees’?
Apr. 20, 2023 — What Are Some Affordable Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Buyers?
Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Accommodating to Seniors
Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes
Oct. 27, 2022 — Sales Taxes May Be Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Unincorporated Areas
Strengthened Opportunity Zones: Renewed with revised incentives to promote targeted investment, including in rural areas. NAR polling found that 80% of voters support such tax incentives to drive economic development in underserved communities.
The deadline for this ad was last Friday, before the House of Representatives took the Senate bill up for approval. NAR is hopeful the provisions detailed above will remain in the final version of the bill.
This article was adapted from an email newsletter article I received from NAR. I made only minor edits to it.
Some Useful Charts That Explain the June Market
The following charts were provided by Samanth Glenn of Land Title, along with this summary of the market for June 2025:
The Greater Metro Denver housing market saw active listings continue to grow in June — a 33% increase when compared to last year at this time. New listings declined when compared to last month (-19%) but were up 3% when compared to last year. Pending sales (demand) increased 6% when compared to last year, but did see a slight decline when viewed month-over-month.
The average days on market remained high at 35 days, an increase of 30% year over year. More highlights are below.
In June, active listings were down 0.2% month-over-month but remained elevated when compared to June 2024, which saw 9,866 active listings.
June saw 5,582 new listings enter the market. This data point decreased 18.7% when compared to last month, which saw 6,869 new listings. Last year at this time we saw 5,446 new listings.
Pending sales decreased by 3% when compared to last month. Last year at this time we saw 3,777 pending sales.
Look at how the months of inventory (unsold lis ngs) compare to prior years:
The ra o of closed price to lis ng price (99.1%) was the lowest of the past ve years:
June saw the average days on market at 35. Last month saw 33 days and last year at this time saw 27 days, on average.
The number of showings per listing for June was at 4.6. This was a decrease of 6.1% compared to last month. Last year at this time we saw 5.2 showings per listing, on average:
More readable versions of these charts are at http:RealEstateToday.substack.com
A “Lost Boy of Sudan” returns to north Denver
Arok Garang said cuts to USAID immediately hurt supplies to the refugees
BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG
Cuts to a key international aid program by the Trump administration hit the Seeds of South Sudan education e ort quickly and hard, said founder Arok uch Garang.
e cuts were immediately felt in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where orphans rescued by Seeds of South Sudan subsist and struggle for a better life, said Garang, one of the original Lost Boys of Sudan.
e USAID organization provided basic needs such as food and medical supplies for the 250,000 who crowded
into Kakuma, said Garang, a former Westminster Schools employee.
“ ere wasn’t anything or anybody not a ected by cuts,” he said. “Now there is a daily scramble, a daily competition for rations.”
Yet, the young orphans still yearn for an education, which Seeds works to provide through donations, mostly from Americans, Garang said. “We try and help them as much as we can. ey (the orphans) want a bright future.”’
Kakuma orphans are selected to attend boarding schools in Kenya for their education. e students received three meals a day, medical care and an education, Garang said. Since the founding of Seeds of South Sudan in 2009, sponsors in the United States have helped educate 187 orphans, Garang said.
Weld County has openings on advisory boards
BY BELEN WARD BELEN@COTLN.ORG
Weld County is looking to ll three atlarge positions for the Board of Adjustments and the Board of Public Health, according to a news release on June 25. e county is accepting applications for multiple boards, according to the release.
“Advisory boards help us provide the best services every day to residents and businesses throughout the county,” Weld County Chair Perry Buck said. “ e work volunteers do helps us decide how our services can be most e ective.”
For the Board of Adjustment at-large position, candidates can live anywhere in Weld County. Members’ responsibilities include holding hearings and making decisions on appeals or enforcement of the Weld County Zoning Ordinances.
Prospective members must live in Weld County. Residents with backgrounds, experience or expertise in land
use, planning, real estate, or building are helpful but not required. e board meets the rst Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m., only when there is business to address, according to o cials.
e Board of Public Health is seeking one Weld County resident who resides in Advisory Board District 2, which includes Eaton, Galeton, Windsor, or Briggsdale.
e Board of Public Health holds hearings, listens to presentations from the health director and sta , and o ers recommendations on biosolids, septage applications, and variances for onsite septic systems, according to o cials.
Residents interested in public and environmental health are encouraged to apply. e board meets at 9 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month, except December.
Other boards
According to o cials, other boards and commissions that need volunteers
include the Area Agency on Aging, Building Trades Advisory Committee, Extension Advisory Council, Human Services Advisory Commission, Noxious Weed Management Advisory Board, Weld County Building Code Board of Appeals, Weld Faith Partnership Council, and Workforce Development Board. e mission of advisory boards varies, but they depend on residents to share their knowledge or expertise with county commissioners and departments affecting communities, according to ocials.
Board members also propose ways to enhance government services and implement changes to reach a wider audience and create a greater impact. Furthermore, those who serve gain experience that helps them grow both personally and professionally.
Applications are accepted until July 23, 2025. To learn more about these opportunities and apply, visit www.weld. gov/go/boardopenings.
Weld County updates fees for clerk and recorder
BY BELEN WARD BELEN@COTLN.ORG
Weld County recording fees will be updated, e ective July 1, 2025, according to a news release on June 30. e recording fees are now a at rate of $43 per document, according to House Bill 24-1269. is replaces the previous fee structure, which was $13 for the rst page and $5 for each additional page. Death certi cates will cost $3, with some exceptions that may apply. e costs for Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) lings will remain unchanged.
For more details on recording fees, visit the Weld County Clerk and Recorder’s O ce webpage and click on “Recording Department.”
Arok Thuch Garang speaks at several churches and non-profits about Sudanese orphans MONTE WHALEY
SEE LOST BOY, P6
New rules for free and reduced-price school meals
Colorado updates rules for eligibility before the 2025-26 year begins
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
Starting July 1, families in Je erson, Adams and Weld counties can apply for free and reduced-price school meals for the upcoming 2025–26 school year.
While many schools in the area now o er free meals through Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, the state still requires all families to complete the household income form.
And it’s not just about meals.
e household income form helps determine how much state and federal funding a school district receives for programs that support low-income students, including Title I services, fee waivers and grant eligibility.
State education o cials encourage all families to complete the application, regardless of whether their child attends a school that o ers universal free meals.
“When families ll out this application, they help unlock essential funding that supports students and schools across Colorado,” said Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. “Strong participation from families makes a real di erence.”
Families should apply if they have experienced a recent drop in income, receive SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, have children in foster care or Head Start or face housing instability.
Submitting the form can have a signi -
cant impact, even in schools that provide meals to all students.
How to apply
Families can nd applications online – at www.cde.state.co.us./nutrition/determine-program-eligibility – or through their local school. Families only need to complete one application per household.
e state says the form is con dential and doesn’t ask about immigration or citizenship status. It typically requires household income information, the last four digits of a Social Security number (or a note if none is available) and a signature.
Household size and income determine eligibility. For example, a family of four earning $41,795 or less quali es for free meals, while those earning up to $59,478 qualify for reduced-price meals.
e Colorado Department of Education, as well as district nutrition services departments, provide a comprehensive eligibility chart.
Beyond meals, qualifying families may also receive discounts on internet, testing fees and other student services. Foster children automatically qualify for free meals and students experiencing homelessness or enrolled in Head Start may also qualify.
a child quali es may not need to apply unless the notice omits the child’s name.
Families can submit applications at any time during the school year, especially if a household’s situation changes, such as a job loss or a change in family size. ose who receive public assistance can include a case number to expedite the automatic eligibility process.
State o cials note that families who receive a letter from their district stating that
Eligibility lasts through the school year and extends 30 days into the next.
O cials warn that some families may end up paying full price for meals if their school does not participate in the universal free meals program and if eligibility expires.
e Healthy School Meals for All program currently has funding through
December 2025. State o cials say voters may be asked to approve additional funding through a ballot measure later this year to continue the program beyond that date.
More information is available through district nutrition services pages or on the Colorado Department of Education’s website, at www.cde.state.co.us./nutrition/determine-program-eligibility online.
Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program would face cuts if voters don’t approve proposed referendums expected to be on November’s ballot. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
DUI enforcement a hallmark of Fourth of July
Last July, troopers investigated 12 impaired driving fatal crashes
BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG
Welcome to July, the month that racks up the most impaired driving crashes in Colorado. e Fourth of July, meanwhile, remains the most signi cant holiday for those violent crashes, the Colorado State Patrol says.
Over four years, from 2021 through 2024, Colorado State Patrol troopers have investigated over 2,450 fatal and injury crashes determined to be caused by impaired drivers. Year af-
related crashes expands during the warmer months, with the peak month for impaired crashes being July, according to the CSP.
“Last July, troopers investigated 12 impaired driving fatal crashes that resulted in the loss of 13 people. An additional 32 people were left with serious injuries during this month from impaired drivers,” said Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew C. Packard, in a news release. “We are imploring people who have risked taking substances and driving in the past to change their behavior,” said Packard, noting driving while impaired has long-term consequences beyond just getting a citation.
“Driving intoxicated is literally rolling the dice with your license, your freedom and your life,” Packard said.
In 2024, Independence Day tied with New Year’s for the most common
responded to investigate a crash (property, injury or fatal) involving an impaired driver, according to the news release. Both holidays had 22 instances. Halloween was next with 17 and Labor Day and Christmas each had 16 accidents involving impaired drivers.
“You have the freedom to choose your sober driver,” said Packard. “When you fail to do your part, and your driving behavior concerns an ocer to pull you over, the consequences will be life-changing. A DUI conviction leads to a criminal record and is generally not eligible to be expunged.”
In addition, DUIs become a matter of public record, meaning information is accessible to the public. A DUI conviction also impacts your driving record.
erefore, DUI convictions can impact many aspects of your life when a background check or driving record is required, the news release states.
BLOWOUT
and gas wells were planned to be drilled on the Bishop site as part of a development plan approved by the ECMC in September 2022.
As part of the enforcement process, ECMC sta will calculate penalties against Chevron that will then be adjudicated by commissioners. Greg Duranleau, the ECMC’s deputy director of operations, said the penalties were “one piece of the nancial impacts this incident may have on Chevron.”
“ ere may be civil settlements for damage, there’s a possibility for other agencies to enforce their regulations, and of course, there’s the cost of the response and cleanup,” Duranleau told commissioners during a special public hearing on ursday.
Four of 14 families that were evacuated from the Galeton area after the blowout remain dis-
placed from their homes, according to Chevron.
“We continue to actively work with the remaining residents on the next steps, including getting access to their properties to conduct assessments and cleaning,” the company’s website says.
An extensive cleanup and remediation e ort is underway, a process that Chevron estimates could take up to ve years. ousands of environmental samples have been taken across a 7-square-mile “assessment area” centered on the well site, sta told commissioners.
“I am optimistic that Chevron will work with us through the enforcement process to bring a timely resolution,” ECMC Director Julie Murphy said in a statement. “And I am grateful to the many folks at Chevron who are working diligently to remediate the signi cant impacts of this incident.”
is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
LOST BOY
82 have graduated from high school and 24 are in college in Kenya, said Peggy Gonder, a spokeswoman for Seeds of South Sudan. Five have earned scholarships to universities in Canada.
Fleeing across Africa
Garang’s journey is one of harrowing survival. He said his family herded cattle peacefully in South Sudan until 1989 when oil was discovered on the land, and the Arab Muslim militia from Khartoum declared jihad against southern Christians and traditional believers.
e militia set re to his village, and he ed Sudan at age seven. He said he survived with the aid of a 10-year-old cousin as they traveled 1,000 miles to Ethiopia. ey had to ee Ethiopia 18 months later due to war and many died swimming across a crocodilelled river.
It took him and his cousin a year to walk to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, “a brutally hot and dangerous place,” Garang said on the Seeds of South Sudan website.
Garang said he spent nearly 10 years in the Kakuma refugee camp before coming to Denver in 2001 with the help of the United Nations. He then earned a degree in economics at the University of Colorado-Denver.
He eventually returned to South Sudan to help his people answer God’s calling, he said.
“ roughout the years, I’ve heard God calling me to rebuild my village by educating, equipping, and empowering the South Sudanese children who survived the genocide,” Garang has said. is week, Garang disclosed the meaning behind the Seeds of South Sudan name.
“A village elder told me I will return to my home to plant the seeds of a new life. at’s where my organization is going and why we are trying to help.”
Spreading the word
Garang began speaking to several local non-pro ts in May in hopes of raising awareness of Seeds of South Sudan’s e ort to educate the South Sudan orphans. His talk, “Inspiring HopeTransforming Lives,” describes Garang’s journey of survival to Kenya and then the US, where he founded Seeds of South Sudan, and he’s made his presentation at churches in Denver and in the northern suburbs, as well as in Nebraska.
Garang spoke at the Secular Hub, 254 Knox Court in Denver on June 28 and at Denver’s Montview Presbyterian Church in Westminster’s Covenant Living on June 29. His Denver Metro tour continues at 9 and 10:30 a.m. July 13 at Northglenn Christian Church, 1800 E. 105th Place in Northglenn. Check the website: https://seedsofsouthsudan.org for updates and more information.
To schedule Arok Garang to speak to your group, email info@ seedsofsouthsudan.org or leave a message at 720-644-6662 by July 8.
Colorado State Patrol warns about 4th of July impaired driving. SHUTTERSTOCK
Footprints in a pond close to Willow Creek by County Roads 72 and 51 on May 6, 2025,, near where Chevron’s Bishop well blew out in Galeton on April 6, 2025. Much of the work around the well involves protecting the creek and other waterways from liquids that spewed from the well for nearly five days. FILE PHOTO
It’s Tubin’ Time: Clear Creek opens for summer
Creek users navigate rocky conditions, icy waters as Golden’s tubing season begins
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CORINNE@COTLN.ORG
With temperatures hitting 90 degrees and with the creek open to tubing and swimming, it’s no wonder that everyone and their dog ocked to Golden’s section of Clear Creek for the June 28-29 weekend.
After a two-week closure, city and county o cials reopened Clear Creek to tubing and swimming on June 24, as water levels and speeds dropped. is e ectively kicked o Golden’s tubing season, as the corridor sees thousands of tubers throughout the summer.
Many took advantage of it on June 28, as tubers, kayakers, riverboarders, rafters, swimmers and others enjoyed a hot afternoon on the creek.
City of Golden ambassadors remarked how, while June 28 was certainly busy, the corridor sees much bigger crowds later in the summer. ey attributed the smaller crowds to the yellow- ag conditions, which caution against children recreating in the water.
Yellow- ag conditions also can be hazardous, and adults are recommended to wear helmets and life jackets and to proceed with caution, they said. ere have been a few rescues and other dangerous situations since the creek reopened to tubing on June 24, they explained.
Along the Clear Creek Trail between U.S. Highway 6 and Vanover Park, there were dozens of people oating along the creek. Many were wearing protective equipment; others were not. Some ipped out of their tubes as they were going down a rapid but managed to regroup. Most of them seemed to be enjoying themselves.
At Vanover Park, though, there were still plenty of smiles and laughs, but others were processing and recovering from their experiences.
One rafter said he got tossed out and smacked into a rock, and describing how his adrenaline kicked in during the experience and was just starting to wear o .
Among the tubers, Brad Meyer said he’d lost feeling in his toes because the water was so cold, and couple Brandi Scarboro and Scott Kerner were also recovering from the extra-cold water by basking in the sun. en, Geneva Espinoza and Shannon Lawrence had scrapes on their shins and cuts on their toes from where they ran into rocks.
Overall, the tubers said they had fun but recommended caution.
Espinoza and Lawrence speci cally encouraged people to rent life jackets, as they did, even though they brought their own innertube. ey also wished they could’ve rented a paddle to better steer themselves away from the rocks and other hazards.
Espinoza said she probably wouldn’t go
tubing on Clear Creek again, but Lawrence was more open to it. ey both described how “if it wasn’t for the rocks, it would’ve been ne.”
‘A fun, free thing to do’
Meyer, who was visiting from Texas, and Jay Sheridan from Virginia were rst-time tubers on Clear Creek. e two said they were in town for the Metallica concert and were looking for things to do. Sheridan’s cousin who lives in Longmont said they could go tubing, and recommended Golden over Boulder.
Sheridan and Meyer rented tubes at Adventure West and took the shuttle up to Clear Creek Canyon Park, and then rode their tubes down to Vanover one time.
Sheridan said he’d be willing to do a second trip, but Meyer said he wanted to get feeling back in his toes rst.
Despite the cold water, they felt the experience was “smooth” and “well-organized.” ey said they felt safe and wellinformed before their tubing adventure.
Meanwhile, Scarboro and Kerner were veteran tubers who have been visiting Clear Creek for four and two seasons, respectively. ey typically go tubing four or ve times a season, taking roughly three trips down the creek for each visit. ey said they recently bought their own tube to use in Golden and other tubing destinations.
ey’d been checking the ag restrictions on Clear Creek and, when they saw tubing was allowed, they were excited to kick o their tubing season.
“It’s a fun, free thing to do,” Scarboro said, “and there aren’t many of those around.”
Scarboro and Kerner remarked how, while Clear Creek is usually quite cold because it’s snowmelt, the water seemed “super-cold” on June 28. e two normally like getting ipped out of their tube while going down the rapids, but the water temperature dampened the experience this time.
ey also recommended life jackets, especially if people aren’t experienced with colder water, and said the ambassador information stands are also a good resource for newcomers.
For Lakewood’s Ben Cohen, considering it was the rst summer weekend when tubing and swimming were allowed, he said, “It’s nice to see such a big turnout.”
While he and his friends oated down Clear Creek in in atable rafts, he noted how there were dozens of people along the creek cheering on and supporting the tubers.
Overall, he felt like Golden was very friendly to tubers and water sports in general.
Cohen anticipated he and his friends would return to Golden in the coming weeks, saying they’d be monitoring the water speeds and conditions to identify the best time to go rafting.
“Any time it’s over 400 (cubic feet per second), that’s a good time to come out,” he said.
Groups of tubers, swimmers and others gather at Golden’s Clear Creek Whitewater Park on June 28. The temperatures hit 90 degrees that afternoon, so many sought relief in Clear Creek’s icycold waters.
On June 28, a tuber bounces along Golden’s section of Clear Creek near the U.S. Highway 6 bridge. Both Golden and Je erson County moved to yellow-flag restrictions on June 24, unocially kicking o Golden’s tubing season.
Early flowers again this year. That’s good, right?
Spring came early this year on the mountain slopes near Crested Butte. David Inouye has monitored the blooming of wild owers there during the last 55 years. is was not a record year, he reported in May, but it was remarkably di erent from just a few decades ago.
“ irty years ago, owering didn’t start until the rst week of June,” reported Inouye, who studies the timing of periodic biological events in plants and animals, a discipline called phenology. By late April this year, seven species of wild owers had blooms on the slopes of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.
More wild owers earlier in spring. What’s not to like about that?
In Paonia this year, where Inouye lives, Apricot trees owered in mid-March. Later frosts killed this year’s crop. at, he says, is one harm to earlier spring.
Early springs produced by rising temperatures also have long-term consequences. In 2005, when I rst started writing about climate change, I traveled to the outdoor laboratory at Gothic to see an experiment then underway. John Harte, a scientist from Berkeley, had mounted electric heaters over plots to approximate future temperature increases. How would this change vegetation over time? Would sagebrush eventually replace the wildowers?
Intimacy is a deeply personal and evolving aspect of a woman’s life, shaped by physical, emotional and hormonal changes across different life stages. From early adulthood to post-menopause, the way women experience intimacy can shift in many ways. ese changes are natural and should be understood with compassion and openness, both personally and in relationships.
In early adulthood, intimacy is often in uenced by exploration, selfdiscovery and the development of emotional bonds. is period is usually marked by high energy and libido, and fewer barriers to sexual activity. As women move into their 30s and 40s, intimacy can become more emotionally rooted. Relationships may deepen with time and communication often becomes a cornerstone of satisfaction and connection.
Menopause, a signi cant milestone in a woman’s life, introduces a new phase of change. During this time, estrogen levels drop, which can lead to physical symptoms that impact sexual function. Many women experience a decrease in libido, vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse. Common symptoms include hot ashes, mood changes, anxiety and even urinary problems — all of which can in uence how a woman feels about intimacy.
Despite these changes, intimacy does not have to end. Instead, it can be re ned. Women are encouraged to
e answer is complex but comes down to one word: yes. We can expect more sagebrush and fewer wild owers on south-facing hillsides at 9,500 feet in elevation. is, Inouye pointed out, will take time. “Almost all the wild owers here are long-lived perennials, so change doesn’t happen rapidly. Even if they stop making seeds, some of those individual plants will still live for decades,” said Inouye, who lives in Paonia but remains on the faculty of the University of Maryland.
“It takes long-term study to document changes to the high-altitude environment,” he added. “To some degree that longevity provides a bu er to the ongoing climate changes, especially if we can succeed in reversing them in the foreseeable future.”
An early spring was observed far beyond Colorado’s mountain slopes. A U.S. Geological Survey website on June 6 showed a spring leaf index two and three weeks early across broad bands of the United States, including Colorado.
Once again, so what? In most places, people prefer summer to winter. Besides, isn’t this story about earlier spring get-
How intimacy changes throughout a woman’s life
ting old? I have been writing about it for 20 years. One scientist I queried said yet another story about early springs would induce yawns unless I had a new angle, like a spike in electricity demand for air conditioning during April.
Brad Udall delivered a strong rejoinder at a recent Colorado River conference. “Hold on to your seats,” he told his audience at the University of Colorado’s Getches-Wilkinson Center, “because I’m going to make you uncomfortable.”
e world, explained Udall, a water and climate research scientist at the Colorado Water Institute, is on track for warming of 9 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. “ is far exceeds anything agreed to by the 2015 Paris Climate Accords. And frankly, it terri es scientists.”
Over land, the temperature increase will be even greater than the global average. “ at’s a world unlike anything we currently know, and it’s going to challenge us all on every front.”
Nearly all scientists agree that heattrapping greenhouse gases are responsible for our predicament. Emissions have risen 60% during the last 35 years. “What we’re witnessing is a monumental failure of both capitalism and governance,” he said.
Why sound the climate change siren at a Colorado River conference? Because water availability in the Colorado River Basin
It’s
is inextricably linked to rising temperatures. Drought can ease. Aridi cation, the result of rising temperatures, will not. e seven states who share the river now struggle over how to share this shrinking river. e 1922 compact assumed 20 million acre-feet. Flows this century have averaged about 20% less.
“I’m now convinced that we need to plan for the worst possible climate future, and that’s somewhere around 10 million acre-feet runo ,” said Udall. “But what it also means is taking a hard look at every existing agreement in the river. It either breaks them or substantially modi es them.”
A hopeless situation? Udall warned against despair. “ ere’s a term called the pessimism aversion trap. It’s the tendency look the other way when confronted with dark realities,” he explained. Don’t go there, he said. “We still control our destiny, even if the solutions seem daunting.” And nally, his plea: “I plead with you to get serious about guring out how to reduce the emissions of your organization and even your own personal emissions. I agree that individual actions aren’t going to solve this, but they send a really strong signal to everyone around us.”
Allen Best is a Colorado-based journalist who publishes an e-magazine called Big Pivots.
your move
WWINNING
WORDS
What’s your game plan?
explore new forms of connection, whether through emotional closeness, communication, sensual massages or even changes in sexual activity. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise and a balanced diet can also support well-being and sexual health.
Hormone therapy, relaxation techniques and open conversations with partners or healthcare providers can help women adapt to these transitions.
Ultimately, intimacy is not de ned by our youth. It is a lifelong journey that can ourish at any age when nurtured with care, openness and understanding. Restoring your sense of self is key to reigniting intimacy postmenopause. Your con dence begins with taking care of your body and mind. Whether it’s through regular exercise, a balanced diet or self-care rituals, taking time for yourself can improve your mood and overall wellbeing, making you feel more comfortable in whatever stage of life you’re in.
For more information, visit urogyns.com.
is guest column was written by Dr. Terry Dunn, the owner of Foothills Urogynecology, a Denver-based practice specializing in women’s health. To learn more, visit urogyns.com.
hen the lights are the brightest, the stakes are the highest, and all eyes are watching, those who rise to the moment are rarely surprised by it. Why? Because they’ve been there before. Not necessarily in the stadium, on the eld, or in front of the big client, but in the quiet, gritty, and repetitive hours of practice. ey’ve made the move a hundred times before it ever mattered.
Elite athletes, masterful gamers, accomplished performers, these people don’t just show up and “ gure it out.” ey prepare. ey sweat. ey fail. ey adjust. And they do it when no one’s watching, precisely so they can deliver when everyone is.
The practice behind performance Golfers don’t wait for the tournament to learn how to hit out of a bunker or adjust their swing for a downhill lie. ey put themselves through every scenario imaginable before they ever step onto the rst tee. Likewise, tennis pros hit forehands, backhands, and serves over and over again, against lefties, righties, net rushers, and baseliners, so that nothing rattles them during a match.
Quarterbacks study defenses and prepare audibles not so they might use them, but because they know they will have to. MLB pitchers memorize hitters’ weaknesses and develop sequences of pitches for each batter, each count, and each game condition. ey don’t leave anything to chance.
Even a recreational skier knows better than to assume every trail is the same. Shifting snow, moguls, icy patches, and tree lines all require anticipation, balance, and muscle memory.
Now let’s bring that down from the slopes, o the eld, and into your life. Because here’s the truth: Life is coming for you. And it’s not always friendly.
We live in a world of distraction, disruption, and division, the “3 D’s.” at’s your opponent. And it’s relentless. Curveballs will be thrown. People will lie to you, some subtly, some blatantly. Situations will knock you o balance, surprise you, and frustrate you. So the question is: Are you ready?
Have you practiced how you’ll respond when the storm hits? Or are you hoping you’ll just “ gure it out” in the moment?
Salespeople who thrive don’t wing it. ey role-play objections before they hear them. ey rehearse how to respond to pricing pushback, to questions about the competition, to ghosting, and to negotiation traps. at preparation, done behind the scenes, becomes uidity in the real game.
Building a values-based foundation
You need a life playbook, too. And it starts with knowing who you are, your values, beliefs, and anchors in the storm. When division shows up, is unity your move? When adversity knocks, do you respond with resilience? When o ense is hurled your way, do you o er grace?
If the world throws chaos, confusion, and cruelty at you, what are your practiced responses? Are kindness, humility, forgiveness,
BIG PIVOTS
Allen Best
WOMEN’S WELLNESS
Dr. Terry Dunn
Art Through the Distortions of History
The creative process is ever-changing and often requires taking a look back to locate the way forward. e Arvada Center’s three summer exhibitions celebrate this fact by using the past as a guide to nding a way to and through modern times.
“I hope people come away from the galleries with a new understanding of what they can perceive,” said Olive WitwerJarvis, exhibitions manager and associate curator at the Center. “ e personal stories and struggles on display provide a new look at what’s important.”
Melissa Furness — Embedded: A MidCareer Survey, Haley Hasler — Origin Stories and Past is Present is Past is Present are all on display at the Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Aug. 24.
Set up in the Main Gallery, Embeddedi s an engrossing look at the career of an artist who is constantly nding new ways to explore themselves and the world around them. Broken up into subsections like In Ruins and Gathering Moss, Furness’ shows that she’s a conceptual artist of the highest order. Guests will see work that was created in places as disparate as Ireland and China, each with unique subjects and mediums worked into beautiful paintings.
History and its impact on our current times is a subject Furness — a professor at the University of Colorado Denver — returns to in fascinating ways, from making surreal recreations of well-known works to displaying discarded bricks from China.
“My work explores human nature and struggle as it manifests itself in relation
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Clarke Reader
to contemporary society and the remains of the past,” Furness said in a provided statement. “I am interested in what one culture upholds as signi cant — objects and ideals that we revere versus those that we discard or discount as unimportant. What does what we throw away say about us as a people versus what we place on a pedestal or seek to preserve?”
e Upper Gallery is home to Origin Stories, where Fort Collins artist Haley Hasler paints portraits that take her friends and family and put them in elaborately staged settings. e end results are transporting, at once familiar and slightly foreign.
“ is show includes work from the past as well as my newest body of work,” Hasler said in a provided statement. “ e beloved, everyday people around me are transformed in my paintings into gods and goddesses of the everyday realm.”
In Past is Present is Past is Present, located in the eatre Gallery, visitors can see how Colorado artists use their ancestry, religious and cultural iconography, and mythology to shed a light on contemporary concerns, like our tumultuous political climate and missing Native women and children. e works are fascinating examinations of the artists’ relationship with the past and provide a window into the things that matter most.
“ ese exhibitions question what’s important and why,” Witwer-Jarvis said. “What makes something like the Mona Lisa so important, when there is so much happening in people’s day-to-day life?”
For more information, visit https://arvadacenter.org/galleries/current-exhibitions.
Go for a Moonlit Ride in Castle Rock Castle Rock’s Pedal the Moon bike ride goes from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 and departs fromCastle View High School, 5254 N. Meadows Drive, at 7 p.m. As dusk starts, riders will follow the East Plum Creek Trail for about 6 miles to Festival Park.
According to provided information, the terrain is suitable for all riders and participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes with lights and other items. ere will be a decorating station for those who want some glow-in-the-dark decorations. At Festival Park, riders can relax and enjoy some music while participating in some giveaways.
Full details and registration information is available at https://www.crgov. com/3184/Pedal-the-Moon.
Feel the Artistic Power of ‘Mutual Terrain’ RedLine Contemporary Art Center is celebrating Denver Month of Photography withMutual Terrain, curated by Adán De La Garza and Jenna Maurice. e show is on display at the Center, 2350 Arapahoe St. in Denver, from Friday, July 11 through Sunday, Aug. 3.
According to a provided statement from the curators, “Mutual Terrain’brings together six artists whose works reveal the land as a living presence — one that remembers, resists, and responds. is exhibition invites viewers to reconsider their relationship to the natural world, not as separate from it, but as deeply entangled within it.” e show encourages and rewards patience, so be ready to take your time. Find more information at https://www.redlineart.org/mutual-terrain-denver-monthof-video-mov.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Car Seat Headrest at Mission Ballroom
Virginia’s Car Seat Headrest are one of the most ambitious bands in the indie rock world. Over the course of their career, they’ve experimented with all kinds of stylistic approaches, from kind-of rock operas to just straight up ripping rock albums. You never quite know what you’re going to get, but the lyrics are always extremely literate and the music is topnotch.
In support this their latest release, e Scholars, the band is coming to the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. ey’ll be joined by openers Slow Fiction for what’s sure to be an evening of great, adventurous live music. Get tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
A publication of
Fort Lupton Press (USPS 205880)
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Ft. Lupton, Colorado, Fort Lupton Press is published weekly on Thursday by The Colorado Trust for Local News, 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton CO 80601. .
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BRIEFS
Co ee with a cop Fort Lupton Police set aside one morning each month to share a few cups of co ee with residents. Co ee with a Cop is a chance for police to meet with community members and discuss many topics, including parking regulations. To accommodate more people, they have changed their meeting location to the MultiPurpose Room at the Fort Lupton Rec Center!
e same time is on the rst Wednesday of each month at Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S Harrison Ave, Fort Lupton. e next scheduled event is from 8-9:30 a.m. on Aug. 6. Co ee with a Cop is an easy way to get to know the men and women who serve our community and tell them about the issues that matter most to you. Remember that you can always reach our police department at our non-emergency number, 720-652-4222.
Citywide Yard Sales July 10 & 11
tion, PO BOX 27497, Greensboro, NC 27498-1103.”
e Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Fort Lupton replacing water meters
e City of Fort Lupton has hired Northern Colorado Contractors to replace the water meters in town.
Over time, meters age and require replacement to ensure accurate measurement and efciency of water use. e majority of the meters in the City are reaching their useful life, prompting this program. e replacement of the meters is entirely free of charge to residents.
Fort Lupton invites everyone to participate in the annual Citywide Yard Sales July 11 and 12. If you are interested in having a yard sale at your property and would like to be included on the City map of the event, please submit your information by June 26. Submit information for the yard sale here. https://forms.gle/QAbjuL5TvjkWG6xs5
A map of participating sales is located here: https://tinyurl. com/37tde y.
Saturday pancakes
e Fort Lupton Public Library hosts a simple pancake breakfast on the last Saturday of each month in the library’s community rooms. is month’s pancake breakfast runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. July 26. e library is located at 370 S. Rollie Ave.
According to the city, the current meters continue to work properly; however, some meters do not transmit the data from the meter to the system. e meter must then be read manually.
Accounts with meters that can’t be manually read will be estimated. If the actual amount consumed is lower than the estimated amount previously billed, then the bill will be adjusted to reect the higher usage. When the new meter is connected, it will re ect the correct usage moving forward.
e event is combined with the library’s weekly reading program, so families can enjoy a good meal while listening to popular cult classic children’s stories that never get old. Breakfast starts at 9:30, and read-aloud starts at 10 a.m. every last Saturday of the month. All ages are welcome.
Post o ce seeks new location in Hudson
Due to space constraints, the Postal Service must relocate retail services to a yet-to-be-determined location within the zip code of 80642, which includes Hudson and the surrounding area.
e desired size of the new facility needs to be approximately 2,750 square feet with adequate parking.
Sept. 6, at Carmichael Park, 650 Southern St. ose artists interested in showcasing and selling their artwork can visit www.brightonartinthepark.com for more information and to apply. e deadline for booth applications is Aug. 15. is one-day festival brings together talented artists, live performances, interactive activities, and a vibrant artist market. For more information, contact Communications & Engagement Director Kristen Chernosky at 303-655-2146 or kchernosky@ brightonco.gov.
Blessings in a Bag
Fort Lupton’s Backpack Program helps schoolchildren in need with a backpack of healthy food. It’s an all-volunteer program and needs volunteers. If interested in volunteering or donating, call 303-718-4440.
City committees need members
Fort Lupton is looking for several community-minded individuals to ll openings on several boards that advise the City Council and help run city programs.
between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Call 303-857-1096.
Free short-term radon test kits
Weld County residents can receive a free radon test kit (one per household, while supplies last). Test kits can be requested online at www.drhomeair.com/weld, according to a statement. Call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at (970) 400-2226 or visit: www.weldgov.com/go/radon.
Silver Sneakers
Silver Sneaker Yoga is available three times per week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave.
Contractors will notify residents when they will replace meters in their vicinity. For houses with meters that are outside and accessible, the contractors will let residents know when they plan to replace the meter. For houses that have inaccessible meters that are inside, in a basement or a crawl space, residents should contact Public Works to schedule an appointment.
More information can be found here- https://www.fortluptonco. gov/1240/Water-Meter-Replacement-Program.
Acts of Connection seeks to lessen loneliness
e relocation project will consist of procuring a suitable substitute location, as close as reasonably possible to the existing location. Retail Services will continue at the current location until necessary preparations are completed at the new location. Instead of a public meeting, the Postal Service is inviting residents and property owners to send comments on the proposal to “United States Postal Service, Attn: Hudson, CO MPO Reloca-
e Cemetery Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Golf Committee, the Library Board, Public Safety Committee and the Senior Advisory Committee have openings. e openings consist of a two-year term running through the end of 2024. If you or anyone you know is interested in serving on a committee, please complete a committee application at https://www.fortluptonco.gov/966/I-Want-To-Apply-for-a-Committee on the city’s website.
Help for vets
Quali ed Listeners, a veteran and family resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, has several power chairs, scooters, and electric wheelchairs available.
Free short-term radon test kits
Weld County residents can receive a free radon test kit (one per household, while supplies last). Test kits can be requested online at www.drhomeair.com/weld, according to a statement. Call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at (970) 400-2226 or visit: www.weldgov.com/go/radon.
Volunteers needed
Quali ed Listeners, a veteran and family resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, provide handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become quali ed listeners. Visit quali edlisteners.org/volunteerapp and ll out the form or call 720-600-0860.
Weld County and North Range Behavioral Health are working to target social isolation and build personal connections throughout the county with the Acts of Connection Initiative.
According to the group, four of ve adults younger than 24 and seniors older than 66 all reported feeling lonely at some point.
e campaign encourages everyone to nd ways to connect with others, build relationships, and promote a stronger sense of well-being and a culture of connection for all.
e group has sponsored a website at https://actsofconnectionweld.org/ to survey members of each group, o er some tips to help and take pledges to connect to the community and connect with other members of the community.
e VA o ers urgent care services to eligible veterans at VA medical facilities or several in-network urgent care clinics that are closer to home.
To nd the closest facility to you, visit www.va.gov/ nd-locations or call 720-600-0860.
Quali ed Listeners also needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries, and veterans to be trained to become quali ed listeners.
Donation time
Community Reach Center launches “warm line”
Community Reach Center is o ering a warm line (303-2806602) for those who want to talk to mental-health professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. e professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance. e line is not for crisis intervention. ose feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.
Visit the e ort’s website at https://actsofconnectionweld. org/ for more information.
Brighton Art in the Park seeks local artists
e Fort Lupton Food & Clothing Bank is asking for donations of canned fruits and nuts, varieties of dry pasta and pasta dinners, peanut butter and canned meat such as tuna (including the pouches).
Other potential donations could include chicken, Vienna sausages, spam and salmon. e bank also needs personal items, such as toiletries and baby needs.
Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second oor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.
Legal advice e Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the rst Tuesday of every month. e program is for customers without legal representation who need help navigating through legal issues.
e City of Brighton will host its annual Art in the Park festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday,
Drop o donations at the food and clothing bank’s back door, 421 Denver Ave., on weekdays
Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss family law, civil litigation, property, and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for a Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours before.
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
Drop-in child care at the Denver airport due in 2026
Denver airport officials plan to open a small drop-in child care center in 2026 and are studying the possibility of opening another child care center that would serve more employees in the future.
The drop-in center will have room for 20 children and be located on the fourth level of the airport’s hotel and transit center, within a new training facility called the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation. The child care center is meant to provide occasional care and will primarily serve the children of airport employees or community members who are participating in training center activities.
While the planned center would serve only a tiny fraction of the airport’s more than 40,000 employees, it represents a first step toward boosting the number of child care seats in an area with limited
supply. Officials at the airport, which is the nation’s third busiest, beganstudying the possibility of a child care centerat or near the airport’s far northeast Denver campus earlier this year.
That area of the city has so few statelicensed child care slots, it’s considered a child care desert.
The Denver airport will soon join a few other U.S. airports with on- or near-site child care facilities. They include Los Angeles International Airport, which operates a center for the children of employees a few blocks from the airport campus, and Pittsburgh International Airport, which runs a center in a converted terminal. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is slated to open a center on its campus this year. The three centers are bigger than what’s planned at Denver’s airport.
Denver’s drop-in center will have two classrooms — one for babies and toddlers and one for preschoolers — and a
separate play area. It will be open 10 to 12 hours a day Monday through Friday year-round, including on holidays, according to the airport’srecent request for proposals,which seeks an operator to run the child care center.
Parents participating in activities at the airport training center will pay nothing for care. Some airport employees not participating in training activities also will be allowed to use the child care center for back-up care, but will have to pay a fee.
Ashley Forest, an airport spokesperson, said by email that she couldn’t provide information on which employees will be eligible for back-up care at the center or whether they will pay a discounted fee. She also couldn’t provide details on whether families will be limited to a certain number of weekly or monthly hours of care at the center.
Forest said plans for the drop-in center came out of the second phase of the
airport’s three-phase child care feasibility study. The third phase will look at the possibility of “an airportwide child care solution,” which could be a second child care center on or near the airport campus.
Earlier this spring, airport officials estimated that 19,000 of more than 40,000 airport employees fall into the 20- to 39-year-old age range, but said they still needed more information about how many of those employees have young children and need child care.
The airport is working with a businessoriented group, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children, on the child care feasibility study. Forest said she expects a recommendation to come out of phase three later this year.
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
State leaders work to circumvent vaccine skepticism
BY DELILAH BRUMMER
NEWSLINE COLORADO
Many Colorado lawmakers and medical experts were already concerned about how the Trump administration could shake up vaccine recommendations and access in the state. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,dismissed all 17 expertson the federal Advisory Committee on Immu-
nization Practices, replacing them with eight new members, many of whom are seen as vaccine skeptics.
But months before the changes at ACIP, state lawmakers approved a bill meant to insulate Colorado from vaccine policies that are inconsistent with scientific evidence. House Bill 25-1027 allows the state Board of Health to go beyond exclusively following ACIP for school vaccine requirements and consider recommendations from doctors’ groups, including
the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians. It was signed into law in April.
State Sen. Lindsey Daugherty, an Arvada Democrat, was one of the bill’s sponsors. She said the provision that gives the state Board of Health more flexibility came from “discussions of what could be the worst thing that could happen (with ACIP), and how do we protect Colorado, future-looking?”
“Unfortunately, we’ve had to play on
the defensive a lot in Colorado, and that’s something we take really seriously, because now, at least in Colorado, folks can look to science-based recommendations for vaccines for kids, instead of the politically stacked ACIP,” Daugherty said.
The federal advisory committee, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is now chaired by Martin Kulldorff, a doctor and former Harvard Medical School professor who was fired in 2024 after declining the COVID-19 vaccine.
Skilled campers detail Colorado’s best summer spots
BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG
Summertime is in full bloom in Colorado, meaning perfect temperatures and picturesque backdrops for some hiking, camping and stargazing along the Front Range and beyond.
But in such a saturated state for adoring nature, plus those weekend crowds on I-70, how do you know where to start? Just like trying to pin down a hike on AllTrails, it can feel like spotting a needle in a haystack.
You don’t want somewhere too crowded, too far away or all booked up with reservations. Plus, where you pitch a tent for the night may determine the extent of supplies you’ll need.
e Colorado Trust for Local News asked experienced locals where to start when looking for ideal camping nights in the Centennial State. Take notes from the testimonials below.
Important note: Always check campground rules and regulations before hitting the road and settling down for the night. Camping in the wrong areas is illegal and could result in nes or criminal charges.
Dispersed camping
is that there’s camping by the water and up on the mountain. Some spots are paid, but others are BLM.
I also really enjoy the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. ere’s a load of free camping nearby and it’s a jaw-dropping experience, from the drop o to the views. I remember getting in late for my rst visit and setting up camp, excited for the canyon. Waking up, I expected nothing, but walked out and felt like I was shot back to prehistoric times. Absolute beauty.”
-Jimmy Garcia, Northglenn
Secluded and private
“I love Guanella Pass because it’s just easily accessible, provides beautiful water and valley views and feels secluded and private.”
-Shelby Andress, Denver
Falls and dunes
“ ere are a couple of places south of Buena Vista. ere’s a road out there that I like going to. It’s a little bit more traveled, but I found camping there last weekend ... it’s really close to town near Browns Creek Trailhead. And this is dispersed camping (I camp with a camper. I’m not a tent camper, I’m a camper camper). It gets real close to town, and it’s quiet back in here, and there’s a trailhead right there where I like to camp.”
-Joe Lopez, Arvada
Awesome spaces in Deckers
“Down just o US 285, just south of it, that whole region is called the South
Platte. In the northern portion of the South Platte, the Deckers area as a whole, there’s a lot of open space land and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. In that, you can nd a lot of awesome spaces there. Potentially, some of them are free to just go camp. You just pull your car right to the spot. ere’s no one around, usually, and you just pitch your tent or park your RV and you’re camping.”
-Angus Applegarth, Evergreen Fire Protection District
Options for campers or for backpackers
“ ere is one trail that leads you to Horse Shoe Campground in Golden Gate State Park, which is a backpack-in-and-out situation, really nice and not a crazy hike, but
very beautiful. en Wolford Reservoir is great for next-to-water camping and large groups. For a camper-accessible option, the River Campsite near Estes Park would be a good option.”
-Lori Abbey, Arvada
Riverside camping
“Poudre Canyon is probably my No. 1. It’s easily accessible and the drive out is beautiful. Along the canyon is the Poudre River that has accessible beaches for chilling, shing and tubing. ere’s also guided white water rafting before my favorite spot, a restaurant/venue called Mishawaka Amphitheater, which is always a good stop for a beer and lunch by the water. e great part about the canyon
“We really enjoy camping at the Great Sand Dunes, for obvious reasons. Zapata Falls is only about seven miles south of the sand dunes. It’s a really wonderful spot to go visit, and right now it’s actually glacial, so you need crampons to get up in there, but it’s beautiful. We camp a lot at Carter Lake just because it’s so convenient. It’s relatively inexpensive, it’s a good place to go sh and go exploring.
We have a 30-foot camper, travel trailer, so we have to rent a space like six months in advance. But there are tent sides all over the place. e cool thing about that, too, is you can go from dome tent campsites to the walk-in, double-room ones. It’s all really at. On the south campground, there’s a boathouse so you can rent whatever you need. If you go to the marina, you can actually rent a boat and kick around. We like to take our paddle boards into a couple coves ... gosh, just lay on your back, stare at the sky and fall asleep for a while, let the water just take you where you go.”
-Keith Hancock, ornton
Colorado Alpenglow players named WUL All-Stars
Pro ultimate frisbee players to represent the best in Wisconsin
BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG
For the rst time, an All-Star showdown is set between the Western Ultimate League and the Premier Ultimate League during the 2025 United Frisbee Association Championship weekend. ree Colorado Alpenglow players are making the trip to Madison, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23 to represent the WUL. e Alpenglow is an ultimate frisbee team of women and nonbinary players that plays at the Pinnacle Athletic Complex in ornton. Founded in 2022, the Alpenglow has seen quick success, and the team is the reigning 2024 WUL Champions.
Colorado’s Allysha Dixon, Jade McLaughlin and Abby orpe are joining 17 other WUL All-Stars from the seven
teams in the league and will take on 20 players representing the PUL. Surprisingly, WUL O ensive Player of the Year Ari Nelson, also on the Alpenglow, didn’t make the All-Star team.
e rosters were determined by fan voting and team nominations.
According to the WUL’s website, “these players represent the best of what both leagues have to o er — elite skills, unmatched athleticism and leadership on and o the eld. More than just a showcase of talent, this event is a celebration of the community, the progress, and the players pushing professional women’s and nonbinary ultimate forward.”
e Alpenglow nished 6-0 in the 2025 season before falling short in the playo s. Coaches omas Echols, Lena Goren and Madison Oleson won Coaching Sta of the Year.
e WUL versus PUL All-Star Game begins at 5:00 p.m. E.T. on Aug. 23. Tickets are available at watchufa.com/league/ champweekend, and the event will be live and free on YouTube.
For more, visit coloradoalpenglow. com.
A view of Poudre Canyon from atop a mountain paints the perfect picture for a summertime camping spot in Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY OF JIMMY GARCIA
Colorado Alpenglow player Jade McLaughlin screams triumphantly after snagging a disc out of the air for a catch. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COLORADO ALPENGLOW
States suing to block Medicaid data sharing
Colorado is joining a multistate coalition in a lawsuit to block the mass transfer of individual personal data to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Attorney General Phil Weiser and his counterparts in 19 states are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to a press release issued by his o ce.
e attorneys general said the mass transfer of the data violates the law and asked the court to block any new transfer or use of this data for immigration enforcement purposes. e suit was led in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
“ e personal health care data collected about Medicaid bene ciaries is con dential, to be shared only in narrow circumstances that bene t public health and the integrity of the Medicaid program,” said Weiser, a Democrat. “ ere’s no reason to share this sensitive data with immigration or law enforcement agencies. We’re suing to protect Colorado’s Medicaid program and the health and welfare of the people it serves.”
In early June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, orCMS, the federal agency that administers the nation’s health program for low-income Americans, made a “lengthy and detailed”data requestto Colorado’s agency that administers Medicaid, according to Marc Williams, public information o cer with the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. e request was made to seven other states, he said, without providing details on which ones.
eAssociated Press reportedCMS has shared personal information of Medicaid from people living in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington D.C., with the Department of Homeland Security, the agency in charge of immigration enforcement and the administration’s deportation push.
In response, advocacy groups in Colorado raised a variety of privacy, safety and health concerns.
An HHS spokesperson told CPR last month the request was within the agency’s authority.
“HHS and CMS take the integrity of the Medicaid program and the protection of American taxpayer dollars extremely seriously,” said U.S. Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon, in an email. “With respect to the recent data sharing between CMS and DHS, HHS acted entirely within its legal authority –and in full compliance with all applicable laws – to ensure that Medicaid bene ts are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them.”
“Colorado’s immigrant communities should never have to fear that accessing life-saving care could lead to detention or deportation,” said Nicole Cervera Loy, Policy and Campaign Manager at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, in an email to CPR. “ is unprecedented request for sensitive health data is not about program integrity—it’s about surveillance and punishment. We call on state leaders to reject this directive and uphold Colorado’s values of dignity, safety, and care for all.”
e coalition highlighted in the suit that “the Trump administration’s illegal actions are creating fear and confusion
Colorado has joined a coalition of states seeking to block the sharing of Medicaid data with other federal agencies. SHUTTERSTOCK
that will lead noncitizens and their family members to disenroll, or refuse to enroll, in emergency Medicaid for which they are otherwise eligible, leaving states and their safety net hospitals to foot the bill for federally mandated emergency healthcare services,” according a press release from the Attorney General’s Ofce.
Colorado joined the following states in the legal challenge: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr. org.
and compassion just ideas you agree with, or are they moves you’ve practiced until they’re second nature?
Make no mistake: Life will challenge you. It will confront you with opponents in the form of circumstances, people, and inner voices that test your core. If you haven’t prepared, you’ll default to panic, anger, or paralysis.
You’ve got the next move
So today, right now, it’s your move. Not in some hypothetical, far-o , big-moment kind of way. But in this moment. You get to decide what you’re practicing. Because what you practice in private is what you’ll perform in public.
What conversations are you rehearsing? What mindset are you building? What virtues are you strengthening so they’re not just concepts, but quick-draw responses?
Don’t wait for the game to start to prepare. Because, ready or not, it already has, and the next move is yours.
How about you? Are you more likely to take things as they come and deal with it all in the moment? Or are you someone who prefers to be prepared, like the U.S. Coast Guard, Semper Paratus, always prepared? Either way, I always love hearing your stories at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we take the time to plan to win and prepare to win, it really will be a better-than-good 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. FROM PAGE 8
The Details: Goosetown Station @ 6:30pm Goosetown Station, 514 9th St, Golden
Mon 7/14
Raptor Camp @ 9am / $240 Jul 14th - Jul 18th
Trailside Saloon, 10360 Colorado Blvd, Thornton
Sun 7/13
Eric Golden @ 1pm
Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53 Teens: Elitch Gardens : July 14 @ 9am Fort Lupton Community / Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Avenue, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
The Well at Bradford Junction, 27051 Barkley Rd, Conifer
Matthew Marcus McDaniel @ 2pm
Prost Brewing Company, 351 W 104th Ave Unit A, Northglenn
Virgi Dart: Insectival 2025 @ 5pm
Butter�y Pavilion, 6252 W 104th Ave, Westmin‐ster
G. Lockley Discovery Center, 17681 W Alameda Parkway, Golden. 303-697-3466 ext. 101 Lake House Camp 2025 @ 9am Jul 14th - Jul 18th Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. 720-880-1000 Sarah Minto-Sparks: Cactus Jack's Evergreen @ 6pm
Cactus Jacks Tavern, 4651 Co Rd 73, Evergreen
Thu 7/17
Stephen Wilson Jr: Supporting Eric Church @ 6pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison Summer Evening BBQ/Potluck @ 5:30pm Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks Depart‐ment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a female goat called?
2. TELEVISION: What is the name of the town in “Gilmore Girls”?
3. GEOGRAPHY: How many states does the Appalachian Trail cross?
4. MOVIES: Which actress voices the character Jessie in “Toy Story 2”?
5. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What is believed to have caused President Zachary Taylor’s death?
6. ANATOMY: What is the most abundant protein in the human body?
7. GEOMETRY: How many sides does a hexagon have?
8. LITERATURE: Serial killer Hannibal Lecter rst appears in which novel?
9. ASTRONOMY: What are planets outside our solar system called?
10. MUSIC: Who was the rst women inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of
TrIVIa
Fame?
Answers
1. A doe or nanny.
2. Stars Hollow.
3. 14.
4. Joan Cusack.
5. Acute gastroenteritis.
6. Collagen.
7. Six.
8. “Red Dragon” by omas Harris.
9. Exoplanets.
10. Aretha Franklin.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
This is to advise you that a Sheriff’s Sale proceeding has been commenced through the office of the undersigned Sheriff pursuant to above-referenced documents. PLEASE BE ADVISED THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN ON THE FOLLOWING REAL PROPERTY, legally described as follows:
A PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED IN THE S 1/2 OF THE NW 1/4 OF SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP 3 SOUTH, RANGE 67 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M., BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:
sented at the time and in the manner specified herein. Any person owning property in the proposed Districts may request that such property be excluded from the Districts prior to approval of the Service Plan and shall submit such request, in writing, to the City Manager no later than ten days prior to the
hearing.
BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON
Legal Notice No. BSB3946
First Publication: July 10, 2025
Last Publication: July 10, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING FOR THE NORTH METRO TASK FORCE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Governors of the North Metro Task Force, Adams County, Colorado, has been presented a proposed budget for the year 2026. A copy of the said proposed budget will be available for public inspection at the Adams County Finance Department, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, 4th Floor, Brighton, CO 80601.
If you would like to request a copy of the proposed budget amendments, please call 720-523-6239 during business hours, which are Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Such proposed budget for 2026 will be considered for adoption by the Board of Governors at a public hearing to be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 24th, 2025, at the Adams County Government Center, Conference Room W8101, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton, Colorado 80601. Any interested elector may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption thereof.
Board of Governors of North Metro Task Force
Legal Notice No. BSB3944
First Publication: July 10, 2025 Last Publication: July 10, 2025 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Summons and Sheriff Sale
Public Notice
DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO Adams County Justice Center 1100 Judicial Center Dr. Brighton, CO 80601
Case Number: 24CV31567 Div C Courtroom 506
Plaintiff: Mayflower Capital Company Profit Sharing Plan, V. Defendants: 6815Locust LLC and Josh Friberg
SHERIFF’S COMBINED NOTICE OF SALE AND RIGHTS TO CURE AND REDEEM
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
RE: Sheriff’s Sale of Real Property pursuant to a Judgment entered on May 30, 2004 in the original amount of $109,750.00 in favor of Shanna Bernstein against Josh Friberg, a Transcript of the Judgment on August 7, 2024 as Reception No. 2024000043196 and an additional Transcript of Judgment on October 1, 2024 as Reception No. 2024000054096 of the real property records of Adams County, Colorado (“Judgment Lien”), Assignment and Sale of the Judgment to Mayflower Capital Company Profit Sharing Plan dated October 9, 2024, and an Order Granting Motion for Default Judgment Pursuant to C.R.C.P. 55(b) and C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-14 directing the Adams County Sheriff to foreclose the Judgment Lien in the same manner as prescribed by statue for the sale of land on execution. The principal and interest due and owing on the Judgment as of April 15, 2025, is as follows:
COMMENCING AT A POINT ON THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID S 1/2 OF NW 1/4 OF SECTION 5, A DISTANCE OF 492 FEET 8 INCHES WEST AND 105 FEET NORTH OF THE SE CORNER OF SAID S 1/2 OF NW 1/4 OF SECTION 5; THENCE NORTH AND PARALLEL WITH THE EAST LINE OF SAID S 1/2 OF NW 1/4, A DISTANCE OF 65 FEET; THENCE WEST AND PARALLEL WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID S 1/2 OF NW 1/4 OF SECTION 5, A DISTANCE OF 120 FEET; THENCE SOUTH A DISTANCE OF 65 FEET; THENCE EAST 120 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO, also known by street and number as 6813 LOCUST STREET, COMMERCE CITY, CO 80022 THE REAL PROPERTY TO BE SOLD AND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS NOT ALL THE PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE JUDGMENT.
NOTICE OF SALE
Notice is hereby given, that I will at 9:00 A.M on August 7th, 2025 in the office of the Adams County Sheriff, Civil Division, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601, the Sheriff shall sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the Real Property described above, and all interest of the Judgment Debtors in the Real Property, for the purpose of paying the Judgment amount entered herein, and will deliver to the purchasers a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.
First Publication: June 12, 2025 Last Publication: July 10, 2025 Name of Publication: Brighton Standard Blade NOTICE OF RIGHTS
YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY BEING FORECLOSED OR HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS OR SUFFER CERTAIN LIABILITIES PURSUANT TO COLORADO STATUTES AS A RESULT OF SAID SHERIFF’S SALE. YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO REDEEM SAID REAL PROPERTY OR YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CURE A DEFAULT OF THE JUDGMENT BEING FORECLOSED. A COPY OF THE STATUTES WHICH MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS ARE ATTACHED HERETO.
A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE PURSUANT TO C.R.S. § 38-38-104 SHALL BE FILED WITH THE SHERIFF AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) CALENDAR DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRST SCHEDULED DATE OF SALE OR ANY DATE TO WHICH THE SALE IS CONTINUED.
IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;
A NOTICE OF INTENT TO REDEEM FILED PURSUANT TO C.R.S. § 38-38-302 SHALL BE FILED WITH THE SHERIFF NO LATER THAN EIGHT BUSINESS (8) DAYS AFTER THE SALE.
The name, address and telephone number of the attorney representing holder of the Judgment is:
Harvey L. Kramer, Esq., Registration No. 31239 Kramer Law LLC 3731 Buffalo Lane Montrose, CO 81403 (303) 282-4342
Email: hkramer@kramlaw.com
Attached hereto are copies of certain Colorado Statutes that may vitally affect your property rights in relation to this proceeding. Said proceeding may result in the loss of property in which you have an interest and may create a personal debt against you. You may wish to seek the advice of your own private attorney concerning your rights in relation to this foreclosure proceeding.
If the borrower believes that a lender or servicer has violated the requirements for a single point of contact in section 38-38-103.1 or the prohibition on dual tracking in section 38-38-103.2, the borrower may file a complaint with the Colorado attorney general, the CFPB, or both, but the filing of a complaint will not stop the foreclosure process.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or CFPB P.O.
Clinton, Iowa 52733-2900
Telephone: 855-411-2372
Fax: 855-237-2392
Intent
County Sheriff Civil Division, 4430 South Adams County Parkway, 1st Floor, Suite W5400, Brighton, CO 80601.
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED MAY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Dated: May 16, 2025.
Gene R. Claps, Sheriff Adams County, Colorado
By: Kathy Grosshans
Deputy Sheriff
Statutes attached: C.R.S. §§ 38-37-108, 38-38-103, 38-38-104, 38-38-301, 38-38-302, 38-38-304, 38-38305, and 38-38-306, as amended.
Legal Notice No. BSB3901
First Publication: June 12, 2025
Last Publication: July 10, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Public Notice STATE OF WISCONSINCIRCUIT COURT – SAUK COUNTY
CREATIVE FINANCE, INC. 815 Business Park Road PO Box 454 Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965, Plaintiff,
v. MELISSA MARIE SCHUMANN 14787 Madison Street Brighton, CO 80602 Defendant.
Case No. 25CV204
SUMMONS
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
To each person named above as a Defendant: You are hereby notified that the Plaintiff named above Creative Finance, Inc., by its attorney, Christopher M. Kern, filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you.
Within Forty (40) days the 25th day of June, 2025, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the Complaint. The demand must be sent or delivered to the Court, whose address is: Clerk of Circuit Court, Sauk County Courthouse, 510 Broadway Street, Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913, and to Plaintiff’s attorney, Christopher M. Kern, 815 Business Park Road, PO Box 454, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, 53965. You may have an attorney help or represent you.
If you do not provide a proper answer within forty (40) days, the Court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the Complaint.
A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.
Dated this 25th day of June, 2025.
General Counsel for Plaintiff
Signed By: Christopher M. Kern Christopher M. Kern State Bar Number: 1093883
Creative Finance, Inc. 815 Business Park Road P.O. Box 454 Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 Phone: (608) 254-6855
Fax: (608) 253-5005
legal@creativefinanceinc.com
Legal Notice No. BSB3939
First Publication: July 3, 2025 Last Publication: July 17,
before November 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
R. Scott Fitzke, #35293 Fitzke Law, LLC 4 W. Dry Creek Circle, Ste. 100 Littleton, CO 80120 scott@fitzkelaw.net
Legal Notice No. BSB3945
First Publication: July 10, 2025 Last Publication: July 24, 2025 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of MATTHEW AARON GARDNER a/k/a MATTHEW GARDNER a/k/a MATT GARDNER a/k/a
Lawmakers seek answsers on wolf reintroduction
Program costs have far exceeded initial estimate presented to voters
BY SARA WILSON NEWSLINE COLORADO
e head of Colorado Parks and Wildlife told lawmakers on Monday that it is the department’s “preference” to release more wolves into the state next year, despite calls to pause the reintroduction program.
“I don’t have the right answer to whether or not a pause is the right thing to do, or get the last 15 (wolves) out and move on to the management piece,” CPW Director Je Davis said. “Every time we release more animals, it’s more emotional and di cult for us to pull o that operation, and it’s also challenging for the (livestock) producers at the same time.”
Davis appeared in front of the Colorado Legislature’s Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee to give an update on the state’s wolf reintroduction plan, which voters approved in 2020. Wildlife o cials have released 25 wolves in the state since December 2023 from Oregon and Canada.
e original goal was to release 10 to 15 per year for three to ve years, beginning in 2023, to get to a stable population of at least 50 wolves in the state.
Davis said the department’s preference is to sign a new agreement with British Columbia to relocate more wolves from Canada.
But the program is highly controversial,
especially among rural Colorado farmers and ranchers who decry wolves killing their livestock. Between April 2024 and April 2025, wolves killed at least 25 cattle and sheep, according to the recently released annual report on the reintroduction e ort.
e Copper Creek pack was responsible for many livestock deaths in Grand County in 2023, prompting to CPW to capture the six wolves last September and release them alongside the Canadian wolves earlier this year in a di erent part of the state. at decision, producers said Monday, led to an erosion of trust in CPW.
“A depredating pack was known to have depredated in Oregon before they put them in Middle Park. ey had a serious impact there. ey packaged them up, put them away for a while and then they put them back out right in my backyard,” said Tom Harrington, a cattle producer in Roaring Fork Valley and previous president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association.
A September 2024 petition led by a coalition of livestock associations and other agricultural interest groups requested a pause in CPW’s planned reintroductions until the department could implement strategies to prevent depredations. CPW’s commissionrejected the petitionin January.
“I believe that we need no more new releases until plans are in place and the basics are working,” Harrington said Monday. “We need metrics to measure the success of what this program is. I believe we can — and here comes that word that I really don’t like — coexist with the wolves that choose to not prey on our livestock.”
CPW has worked through some of the seven points of the petition, including de ning “chronic depredation” as three or more depredations by the same wolf or wolves within 30 days. e division has also outlined a lethal removal approach that starts by killing one or two wolves, evaluating the pack’s behavior and its e ect on depredation, then considering additional lethal removals. CPW also started a range rider program to deploy riders in areas with high wolf conict to “proactively haze predators using non-lethal techniques,” according to the annual report.
CPW killed a wolf for the rst time in May in Pitkin County.
“ e idea of a pause continues to make sense to me, if it creates more time for more robust implementation and completion of those seven items, and maybe now beyond those seven,” House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat, said. “But I think the entire reintroduction and restoration is at risk if we can’t get our legs underneath us and be in a position to do this the way we need to.”
Representatives from CPW also told lawmakers Monday that the cost of the reintroduction has reached about $3 million. In 2020, voters were given an estimate of about $800,000 for the program.
“I understand a lot of this money is going to ranchers and producers to help to compensate them,” Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Frisco Democrat, said. “ at’s money hopefully being well spent, but that’s also money in the state of Colorado right now — in the budget situation we’re in — that is not going to xing potholes in roads. It’s not going to classrooms across the state. It’s not going to people who are
REVERSE MORTGAGES
losing their health care and many who are about to lose their health care. is seems out of control.”
Davis said there are a lot of factors that go into realizing the reintroduction plan that were not considered in the ballot cost estimate, such as the state’s decision to compensate for livestock weight loss and fewer pregnancies due to wolf presence and the high cost of beef.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife placed GPS collars on two wolves in North Park on Feb. 2, 2023. Male wolf 2101 has a gray coat and is in the foreground on the right. Male wolf 2301, believed to be the o spring of the gray colored wolf, has a black coat and is in the background on the left.
