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SPECIAL REPORT

‘EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS DIFFERENT’ Hero’s parents urge community to remember STEM tragedy Page 4

ELECTION RESULTS

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THE BOTTOM LINE

“I will never forget the struggling for air. That was painful in every way, shape and form.”

Karen Holmes of Highlands Ranch on her battle with presumed COVID-19 | Page 2

se n i o r c ommunite s

INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | SPORTS: PAGE 18

HighlandsRanchHerald.net

VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 24

2 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

Sharing stories of recovering from COVID-19

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For some, the COVID-19 pandemic is nothing but distant stories of strangers in far-off places. It’s statis-

tics, figures and fleeting headlines.

But within the Highlands Ranch community, there are families and individuals who have felt the effects of the virus in a much more tangible way. They’ve felt it in their own

lungs and seen it in their loved ones exhausted by it.

The Highlands Ranch Herald spoke to people in or near the community about their journey through COVID-19 and compiled their stories

‘I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow’ The next afternoon, March 31, her doctor called and said she had tested positive. Then came another call, from the Centers for Disease Control and It started with a dinner party.

Prevention, asking her to help them The friendly gathering, about two retrace her steps. weeks before the state’s stayBefore long, Ashley learned at-home order was put in that almost everyone at the place on March 26, brought a March dinner party tested group of about seven together positive for the virus. for food and fun.

“One of us must have had “No one was sick,” said Troit,” she said. “We had all been he Ashley, a Highlands Ranch going to the grocery store. resident who later tested posiWho knows which one of us tive for COVID-19. “At the time brought it in?” no one thought anything of About 10 days after her first it because it was before the symptom, things got much stay-at-home order.”

Trohe Ashley worse. She got up the mornA few days after the party, stands outside her ing of March 26 and when Ashley, 48, and her family Highlands Ranch she got in the shower, she saw that for an incredibly home soon after noticed something strange. discounted price, they could recovering from a “I couldn’t smell my fly to Maui for a quick family COVID-19 diagnosis. vacation. By the time they PHOTOS BY ELLIOTT WENZLER shampoo and I was like that’s weird,” she said. got to Hawaii, the first sympShe went to the kitchen to toms had set in. make herself a cup of coffee and the “That night, I started to feel my strangeness continued. throat get scratchy,” she said.

“I couldn’t taste the coffee — it tasted A few days later her husband, Dan, like warm water,” she said.

47, had the chills, but they chalked it up Then, she had another 10 days with to a sunburn. They decided to leave the the illness with more intense sympisland a day early anyway, fearing the toms. island could get shut down as the virus “I had five days just in bed. I couldn’t began to pick up speed. lift my head off the pillow,” she said.

“From there it went downhill,” AshThe coughing didn’t begin until the ley said. end of her bout with the illness, she The night they returned home, Trohe said. On April 5, her fever broke and and Dan both had fevers of about 100 she began slowly improving, though degrees. Trohe also had body aches, a difficulty breathing persisted. headache and fatigue.

Now that she’s recovered, she’s While her husband’s condition working on ways to help others with improved in about five days, Trohe said the virus. The American Red Cross she remained sick for nearly a month. recently contacted her asking her to Out of fear she could have pneumodonate plasma to help people hospitalnia, she decided to go to the doctor. ized with the virus. This treatment, Even though she was told she wouldn’t intended for high-risk and life-threatbe able to get tested for the novel ening cases of COVID-19, is currently coronavirus at the appointment, when being evaluated, according to the Trohe arrived, that’s exactly what hapAmerican Red Cross. pened.

here.

As of May 4, there were 586 reported cases in Douglas County, with 175 of them in Highlands Ranch. At least 125 people in the county were hospitalized with the virus.

‘It was a fatigue I’ve never ever experienced before’

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

stories and you start thinking ‘oh my God, am I going to be OK? Should I go to the hospital? If I go will I not be able to see anyone?

For Littleton resident Cynthia Will my daughter have to stay with Westin, the crippling fatigue that somebody?’” she said. “I was dead accompanied her COVID-19 diagset against going to the hospital.” nosis was unlike anything she had While she was able to still proever felt. vide for her daughter and take the Westin, 49, had been feeling the dog out, it took all her energy to do exhaustion for a few weeks before so, she said. she was able to get tested, along “It was a fatigue I’ve never ever with a headache and a sore throat. experienced before,” she said. “It Her doctor told her it was probtook everything out of me to take ably just strep throat and instructmy dog down the stairs and walk ed her to go home and rest. back up.”

For about three and a half April 17, about a month after weeks, the symptoms persisted. her first symptoms, she said she She experienced a few days here woke up for the first time with no and there of improvement, but symptoms. then the symptoms would return.

“I actually feel like a

By April 7, she was struggling to breathe, normal person again,” frequently coughing she said a few days later.

Going forward, she and had a fever. Because Westin works at a senior hopes to use the experiliving facility, she was ence as a reminder to be able to get tested for the healthier and take better virus. care of herself, she said.

“I don’t think they Five days later, she got the confirmed COVID-19 know if I will ever have it again,” she said. “But diagnosis. once we’re OK to go out “I couldn’t get out of Cynthia Westin, bed, my fever was 103,” 49, experienced ex- again, I’m going to go she said. treme fatigue when out. I’ll just watch things more, try to be healthier The worst part, she weathering her said, was the difficulty COVID-19 diagnosis. and take good care of breathing and the perWestin tested posi- myself.”

Westin’s hope for her sistent coughing. On top tive for the virus in neighbors is that they of everything, Westin early April. will heed the warnings also had her 7-year-old of public health officials. daughter and a dog to care for.

“I was the person at the beShe started wondering who would ginning saying this is silly and watch over them if she ended up ridiculous... it’s real,” she said. in the hospital.

“People are dying from this. Take “That was a scary time, there it serious.” was all the fear of these horror

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

‘I will never forget the struggling for air’

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Karen Holmes sits in her home’s basement, where she spent three weeks during her presumed COVID-19 diagnosis.

Holmes, a Highlands Ranch resident, was never able to get tested for the virus.

Highlands Ranch resident Karen Holmes would love to know if COVID-19 is the illness that kept her restrained to her basement for three weeks. She will likely never be sure, though, because she wasn’t able to get tested.

While Holmes, 42, wasn’t tested for the novel coronavirus, her doctors told her they were going to treat her as if she had tested positive, she

said.

She said she was told if she wasn’t admitted to the hospital, she couldn’t be tested due to a shortage of kits.

Like many states, Colorado is dealing with a shortage of test kits, said state epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy. Increasing testing is part of the state’s plan for containment of the virus, Gov. Jared Polis has stated.

“I wish I knew,” she said. “I would love to know if I had it so I could be helpful to some-

body else as well as know if I’m going to get it now.”

Her symptoms, which began March 21, were largely consistent with those associated with the virus, including coughing, difficulty breathing and headaches.

“I will never forget the struggling for air,” she said.

“That was painful in every way, shape and form.”

Her teenage children and husband helped out by bringing her trays of food, picking up her laundry and empty-

ing the trash. Even with her family only a flight of stairs away, Holmes felt afraid, she said.

“I had this fear of dying alone,” she said. “I didn’t want to tell my husband about it in the worst of times because I was afraid he would take me to the hospital... I didn’t want to be alone there.”

Once she started to feel better, Holmes found herself facing another fear: telling neighbors and friends.

“I was afraid of being the leper on the block,” she said.

“Mentally and emotionally, it has been hard.”

Highlands Ranch Herald 3

May 7, 2020

plea s e r eg is ter a t

R E N E W S E N I O R . C O M

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The Hidden Strategies For Achieving Well-Being While Caring For An Elderly Loved One A Renew Talks Webcast Series Event h o s t ed b y

Nadine Roberts Cornish, Gerontologist, Author, Family Caregiver Expert Lee Tuchfarber, CEO of Renew Senior Communities Amelia Shafer, Colorado Executive Director and Region 4 Lead, Alzheimer’s Association

Wednesday May 13, 2020 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM MT Renew Senior Communities is committed to bringing together highly-credentialed experts in the area of Pandemic Mental Health. This webinar is one in a series dedicated to educating people with inspiring viewpoints and covering the unique and unexpected challenges and solutions around successfully navigating coronavirus isolation and mental health.

4 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

STEM SCHOOL TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER

For grieving parents, ‘everything in life is different’ One year later, Kendrick Castillo’s parents urge community to remember STEM

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

By April 24, John Castillo had begun struggling to sleep. May 7 was approaching — the day he and his wife, Maria, lost their only child. With each passing day, anxiety built up a little more.

“I didn’t know what my emotional realm would be,” he said by Zoom interview that afternoon.

John began thinking about his son, 18-year-old Kendrick, more and more as the one-year mark of Kendrick’s death drew near.

Kendrick was fatally shot May 7, 2019 while he and fellow students Brendan Bialy and Josh Jones rushed a student who is set to face trial for his alleged role in the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch last year.

A second shooter pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. Eight students were injured in the attack.

Kendrick, Brendan and Josh are credited with saving lives that day.

Kendrick is remembered as a hero.

One year later, John and Maria tearfully reflected on a tumultuous 12 months. John hopes his words will help people and keep Kendrick’s memory alive.

As time goes on, he fears people’s memories of his son will fade. Or, that they will think less often of STEM, particularly now as a global pandemic consumes the world’s attention.

That’s why he still tells his story, difficult as it is.

“Everywhere you turn, everything in life is different after an event like this. Nothing is as easy as it was before,” John said.

‘One of a kind’ On April 30, John and Maria sat in front of Kendrick’s grave, as they do every afternoon. The couple has not missed a day visiting Kendrick since his death. The only exceptions were a couple out-of-state trips for speaking engagements. For those, Maria packed pictures of Kendrick to take along.

When they returned, they drove straight from the airport to see Kendrick, as they put it.

Maria gently tended to the roses by his headstone and straightened little gifts left for him. A small cow, for Kendrick’s favorite, Chick-fil-A, where he loved to eat with friends. A columbine flower left by a survivor of the Columbine High School mass shooting. Tools from technology students Kendrick mentored.

May 7, then one week away, now had John reflecting on the days leading up to the shooting. If he could have known what his son would face that day, maybe he could have helped.

John and Maria Castillo sit beside the grave of their son, Kendrick, who was shot and killed during the STEM School shooting a year ago. They are reflected on the polished surface of another nearby headstone.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GIBBS

A number of items at Kendrick Castillo’s grave honor things he loved — a small cow to remember his times eating Chick-fil-A with friends, a columbine flower left by a Columbine survivor, tools from technology students he mentored and more.

He could have kept him home from school, he thought.

The Castillos quietly looked at Kendrick’s grave as the sun hung over Douglas County’s foothills, shining across Kendrick’s headstone. Birds sang nearby, bringing a lighter mood to the scene. The soothing sound of running water from nearby fountains filtered around them.

Sometimes, deer gather by the cemetery and eye them, John said. The deer enjoy munching on roses they bring Kendrick, particularly in the winter. John and Maria come back to find only stems, he said, chuckling.

The botanical-gardens cemetery in Douglas County where Kendrick rests, Seven Stones, focuses on healing

through nature, director of customer care Becky Holm said. She quickly became friends of the Castillos, having seen them nearly every day this past year. The couple brought “a sense of peace to the gardens,” she said.

Sometimes John and Maria see someone they know at the cemetery, which is near Chatfield State Park.

Other times people recognize them while visiting. Either way, the Castillos are open with everyone, she said.

“Last week another family lost their son too young to cancer, and they prayed with them after the service,” Holm said. “That’s a very common occurrence, that the Castillos will pray with other families that have just lost their loved ones, and it’s very welcome

all around.”

Not far from Kendrick’s grave is the resting place of Zackari Parrish, the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office deputy fatally shot on Dec. 31, 2017, while trying to assist a mentally ill man from Highlands Ranch. The Castillos’ victim’s advocate was a friend of Parrish, John said, who told them about Seven Stones.

Holm said it did not take the Castillos long to find the perfect spot for Kendrick — right next to a trio of column sculptures made of Colorado basalt. The memorial reminded John and Maria of their family of three.

Being in Kendrick’s presence while surrounded by nature is comforting, John said. The shift to springtime brought an added sense of peace as the world came to life. Plants began to grow. He liked listening to the birds chirp.

When people get too busy, they do not always notice the changing of the seasons, John said. Going to Seven Stones gave him a renewed appreciation for that. Maria thinks Seven Stones is less scary than other cemeteries, John said as she smiled.

John remembers Kendrick as a calming presence in his life.

Kendrick never hated or got angry, he said. If John got upset at a driver on the road, Kendrick was the one to talk him down. When Kendrick was a child, he once put himself in timeout after his parents scolded him.

Kendrick was not afraid to show his faith. He quietly prayed over a Taco Bell meal when eating out, and never did it so people would see him, John said. That was “just his demeanor. He was brave that way.”

SEE STEM, P5

Highlands Ranch Herald 5

May 7, 2020

STEM SCHOOL TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER

STEM FROM PAGE 4

Kendrick loved the outdoors, space and robotics. He set goals and worked toward them. When friends fought, he tried to bring them together. He stood up for what was right, and ultimately died living by that standard, John said.

“He truly was one of a kind,” John said.

Pain persists amid new crisis The family’s grief and anxiety has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. John, a diabetic, is at risk for the pneumonia-like disease that is more lethal for people with underlying conditions.

The pandemic also prompted many governments, including Colorado, to ban gatherings and issue a stay-athome order that recently expired in Douglas County, creating more challenges in the Castillos’ grief process.

“The support that we probably normally would have isn’t there right now. That’s been a very difficult thing,” John said when the order was in place. “There is a big distraction.

We know that they’re concerned for their families.”

COVID-19 spurred a painful drawing out of the open case against the older suspect, who pleaded not guilty in January. The suspect’s trial was rescheduled from May to September.

The second teenager is scheduled to be sentenced in May, but it’s possible the pandemic will delay that hearing as well.

John worries trial jurors will feel uncomfortable serving during the pandemic and won’t focus.

“It’s been difficult. The COVID-19 situation has thrown an interesting twist on a lot of things that we just, I guess, never thought of before,” John said. “From a survivor standpoint, it does play heavy on our minds, what justice will look like going forward with this new twist of a pandemic.”

COVID-19 also ruined original plans to honor Kendrick on May 7.

John wanted to hold a candlelight vigil to speak about his faith and the importance of family values. The pandemic rendered that impossible.

Instead, he and Maria will have a small gathering of friends and family at Seven Stones with a prayer service and bagpipes.

When there, he and Maria read kind notes left at Kendrick’s grave by friends. That uplifts them. They think of his friends around the one-year mark, too.

“It also hurts our hearts that they’re suffering the loss that we are. They are suffering the pain as well,” John said. “We think and wonder about those kids every day and how they are making it through.”

Being tested John and Maria thought seriously about moving closer to Kendrick.

There are too many memories in their Denver home, he said, which sits 17 miles from Seven Stones. The couple

Among the gifts John and Maria bring Kendrick is a small Bronco figurine from John, and a small Jeep, like the one Kendrick drove.

JESSICA GIBBS Kendrick Castillo is shown before his last prom at STEM School.

COURTESY PHOTO looked at some properties before COVID-19 geared up and made selling their home, in their view, impossible.

For now, they are working on home improvement projects to make their property more sellable.

The pandemic changed their work plans, too.

Maria, a chef, and John, an engineer in the hotel industry, are both on sabbatical and have been since May 7, 2019. John expected his employer to reevaluate his work status in June or July before COVID-19 hit but doubts he can return to work under the pandemic.

The couple’s grief symptoms worsened as they weathered both crises.

After losing their son, John and Maria battled sleep deprivation. During the pandemic that grew worse.

They stay up, restless, until 12:30 a.m., 1 a.m., 2 a.m., and wake up by 4:30 or 5 a.m.

Each morning John puts on coffee.

They drink their cups next to a wall covered in photos of Kendrick — prom photos, senior photos and one signed by his senior class — while thinking about ways to occupy their time. John does yardwork, waters plants and grows vegetables.

John and Maria typically visit Kendrick in the afternoons. On especially hard days, the Castillos skip coffee at home, grab a Starbucks and drive to Seven Stones, where they sit in the gardens. They often return again on those days to spend more time with him.

An added challenge during the pandemic was losing the ability to leave the house. Like most people, John said, the couple is limiting time away from home, only getting groceries every three to four weeks.

They mostly leave to fuel their vehicle at Costco so they can go to and from the cemetery, which feels safe because they are often alone there.

Before COVID, John spent time at the state Capitol, but work under the dome came to “a screeching halt.”

“I will say that it doesn’t matter what we’re involved in,” John said.

“There always comes a point at the end of the day when we’re having dinner. There is just a calm, empty time where we eat, we think about

Kendrick, and it’s difficult, extremely difficult, for about an hour.”

This experience has tested them in many ways they didn’t expect, John said.

Significantly, it tested their faith.

The couple wanted 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler to pursue the death penalty in the older suspect’s case, but they are devout Catholics and John knows capital punishment is against their doctrine, he said.

Brauchler announced through court documents filed in March he would not seek the death penalty, noting jurors would have to consider the 19-year-old suspect’s age and lack of serious prior offenses.

John said at the time he believes justice for Kendrick means the suspect giving up his life. John hopes people will not judge him and Maria for their stance on the death penalty. No one could understand unless also in their place, he said.

“It pits our loss against our spiritual beliefs,” John said.

The experience also sharpened his views on the importance of strong family systems, and the need to be informed community members. He urged people to understand local laws and get involved in shaping policy.

If people want to support survivors of mass violence, they should pay attention to how the criminal justice system works, he said. He stressed victim impact statements in the STEM case will have influence years into the future if the convicted shooter seeks parole.

John is eager for solutions to school safety and believes it starts with strong families. Court hearings revealed the younger suspect grew up amid abuse and neglect, and is accused of masterminding the shooting, then coercing the older suspect into aiding him.

Washington Post reporter Robert Klemko tweeted that March 2020 was the first March without a school shooting in the U.S. since 2002. John called that profound.

“I thought, how ironic,” he said. “Is this what it takes to end the cycle of terror and violence that takes place in our schools?”

Crushing clarity Talking about Kendrick often

overwhelms Maria.

For most of the past year, she let John take the lead during news interviews at court hearings and serve as their spokesman in other situations.

She’s never far from John’s side, though, usually listening with a tearstricken face and quiet sobs.

When she does speak, Maria moves people deeply. She left a packed courtroom weeping in November 2019 after she testified during a hearing that decided the 16-year-old suspect would be tried as an adult, not a juvenile, if his case had progressed to trial.

Kendrick, she said, was her life.

As John spoke on April 24, Maria sat nearby listening and overcome with emotion. She later wrote her thoughts down in an email, describing the past year as a personal hell. She is angry and in pain. She usually stays home, sometimes sitting at her computer searching for answers and information.

“Even going to church is extremely difficult, seeing other families together,” she said, “and mine is not complete anymore.”

Maria misses Kendrick’s hugs, “his beautiful smile,” his jokes and everything they used to do together, all stolen “by one evil day.” She would trade places with him if she could.

Kendrick had too much to live for, she said.

“He was not only my only child, he was my best friend, my life, everything that we did was for him and with him,” Maria said.

John said time failed to lessen their pain.

“I wish I could say that things have gotten better, or seem like we have, but honestly, it doesn’t feel much different than this time last year. I guess the only difference is there’s a sense of clarity now,” John said.

That clarity makes the grief stronger. For months after the tragedy, John and Maria felt a sense of denial. They lived in a fog. Now, the shock and disbelief of Kendrick’s death has worn off. His loss feels more real.

“I never knew a person could be in shock for many months,” John said.

‘A really bad nightmare’ The Castillos frequently close down Seven Stones.

Holm, the director of customer care, doesn’t mind if they come in late at night, such as after a long court hearing, or leave after she does. John and Maria fasten the gate when they leave and make sure the grounds are locked up.

“They can come and go as they please, whatever they need,” Holm said. “They’re family. There’s no other way to describe it. We’re sad that they have to be there, but we love having them.”

John said Holm is special. He and Maria will keep seeing her around as they visit Kendrick, taking each day as it comes.

“It seems like just a really bad nightmare that you’re never going to wake up from,” he said. “We made it through one year. What’s the next year going to be like?”

6 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

STEM SCHOOL TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER

A year toward recovery complicated by virus STEM School Highlands Ranch weathers back-to-back crises

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For Penny Eucker, executive director of STEM School Highlands Ranch, one of the more challenging aspects of preparing for May 7 was finding the right words for that day.

“We really don’t have a word in the English language to use for a tragedy’s coming around,” she said. “I don’t want to use the word ‘anniversary.’ I don’t want to use the word ‘commemorate.’ We don’t want to use a word that has any hint of celebration. We just use ‘one-year mark,’ because there isn’t a word that’s appropriate.”

On May 7, 2019, a shooting left eight STEM students injured and 18-yearold senior Kendrick Castillo dead.

The behavioral health disaster response team at AllHealth Network immediately activated. A crisis center opened the following morning. Disaster response evolved into the longerterm effort of disaster recovery.

That summer, the school started discussing how best to address the one-year mark once it came about.

Knowing how each person will react on that date is impossible, Eucker said. With 1,800 students and 2,800 parents, the school had to prepare for vastly diverse reactions to trauma.

That sentiment was echoed among numerous school and mental health leaders who shepherded STEM’s recovery this past year. Grief is as unique as the person. Managing disaster recovery is a day-by-day, person-byperson journey.

Then enter the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered schools across the state to in-person learning. Suddenly, the STEM community was weathering two school years in a row disrupted by crisis.

“Nothing prepares you for a tragedy of this magnitude,” Eucker said. “We had trained extensively for emergencies, for lockdowns, but just like a global pandemic, nothing prepares you for the magnitude of events that are unthinkable.”

‘The year of firsts’ Hannah Reese, STEM’s recovery coordinator, spent this school year connecting students with care and coordinating mental health education.

“Often we refer to the first year as the year of firsts, and for everyone, you have to get through the first day of school, and the first winter break,” Reese said.

Marina Altmann Godoy, 13, decided before COVID-19 she would not go to school on May 7. The seventh grader now attends Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch but was a STEM School student last year.

Her plan was to get away from the scenery of school and grab doughnuts

STEM School Highlands Ranch is weathering back-to-back crises, between last year’s shooting and this year’s global pandemic.

JESSICA GIBBS with family on the one-year date.

That’s what she did during the first lockdown drill this school year.

Marina was home sick during the second drill. By the third, she felt relieved. It went easier than expected.

Marina participated from a room without a speaker, so she did not have to hear announcements. That helped.

Still, she got frustrated seeing some students mess around during the exercise.

“It might be a day where it’s not a drill,” she said. “To them it’s probably like that same old drill that you do. To people like me, it’s like, oh yeah, we could be in danger.”

Evan Forster is a behavioral health clinician with AllHealth who embedded in STEM for the year. Many students transitioned back well, he said.

“But there were definitely kids that were more responsive to unexpected loud noises in the hallway happening and experiencing heightened anxiety related to being in different areas of the school,” he said. “Especially surrounding drills.”

To help, Forster scheduled student meetings during fire drills. When alarms sounded, he walked students through “grounding techniques,” like deep breathing and identifying the situation as a drill.

During lockdown drills, Forster sat in classrooms to be a reassuring presence. If students experienced “heightened emotions,” Forster reminded

them it was practice and they were safe.

Eucker said STEM tried to alert parents about drills beforehand and immediately posted to social media when a drill was underway. Instead of the PA system blaring an alarm, staff spoke announcements in a calming voice.

“We are going to have a drill,” the announcements would say. “This is just a drill.”

STEM took numerous steps to help students ease back into the year. The school reconfigured classrooms in a different orientation and redecorated.

The school also reconfigured classrooms 107 and 109, the scene of the shooting. Walls came down. Access to those rooms changed. Every room in the area now has a different number.

The numbers 107 and 109 no longer exist.

A year of challenges Other obstacles arose as the community searched for answers following the tragedy.

Families including John and Maria Castillo, whose son, Kendrick, was fatally shot that day; and Brendan Bialy sued the school for injuries and wrongful death. Bialy rushed a gun-wielding student at the onset of the shooting with Kendrick and fellow student Josh Jones.

The suits alleged STEM missed warning signs that the suspects could

become violent and mishandled threats to STEM’s safety.

Kendrick’s mother, Maria, said by email she spends hours researching the school. The family’s suit remains open.

“I have discovered many things that we did not know about the school where our precious child, Kendrick, was murdered,” she said. “I did my job as a mother, unfortunately, I trusted the wrong people with everything I had.”

COVID-19 has also drawn out the two ensuing criminal cases involving the shooting suspects.

The younger attacker, Alec McKinney, pleaded guilty in February and awaits a sentencing hearing scheduled this month. The hearing could be delayed. The older suspect, Devon Erickson, was supposed to begin trial this month after pleading not guilty in January. That was pushed back to September.

A term-limited 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler wanted nothing more than to finish both cases before he leaves office this year, he said.

Victims need closure, and the criminal cases are the last formal reminder of the tragedy, he said, except only for the civil suits. Brauchler is not sure he can deliver that amid the pandemic.

COVID-19 further creates uncertainty around holding court hearings.

Large gatherings are banned. Will people be forced to view hearings remotely? How does that affect transparency? Brauchler is waiting for answers to those questions and more.

“As we approach May the 7th, I really thought we’d be in a different position,” Brauchler said. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

‘STEM is trying its best’ Throughout this experience, Reese focused on the unity she sees among STEM’s children, their empathy for one another and is “continuously astounded” by how quickly the community can rally together.

Forster hoped the community would find creative ways to connect during the isolation of COVID-19.

“We were definitely anticipating being able to be together in person as we approached this one-year mark,” Reese said.

While the pandemic forces isolation on the community as a whole — through stay-at-home orders and the banning of gatherings — there have been positives, Lakshmi Ganapaneni said.

The 14-year-old sophomore at STEM said COVID-19 brought her family closer. They see each other more, and she was grateful to be home with them as the one-year mark approached. She planned to spend time that day with her brother doing arts and crafts.

“I don’t know how exactly I’m going to react on the day,” she said on May 1.

“I’m basically helping myself by helping others.”

SEE VIRUS, P8

Highlands Ranch Herald 7

May 7, 2020

STEM SCHOOL TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER

New center provides support for STEM School community STEM Center for Strength opens virtually amid COVID-19 pandemic

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Suzi McKay wishes she could have known in 2013 what she knows now.

That year, her daughter was a 15-year-old sophomore at Arapahoe High School in Centennial when a shooting rocked the community. In the years since, she’s learned more about helping her daughter handle stress and anxiety “in a more purposeful way,” and how to self-advocate.

It’s a skillset she better developed over time and needed when the incident happened, she said. But one of the most important lessons she learned is that no two tragedies are the same.

She does not know firsthand what the past year was like for the STEM School Highlands Ranch community, but her experience with Arapahoe High School gives her a little insight, McKay said. She hopes to use it to give back as she works at a new resiliency center opened to support STEM. “Having been part of a community that’s been through an act of school violence and being the parent of a child that has been affected, I know that the event never goes away,” she said.

The new center is virtually open to provide mental health support for anyone affected by the tragedy at STEM School Highlands Ranch last year. STEM Center for Strength, at 640 Plaza Drive, Highlands Ranch, will open to in-person services as soon as is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic pushed back its in-person opening date, which was supposed to be in March, forcing the center to operate virtually. McKay is the center’s activity coordinator.

The center also has planned a variety of services that will be virtually available on May 7, the one-year mark of the shooting that injured eight STEM students and left 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo dead.

“Knowing that you’re not alone, that you have a community of people you can connect with,” Cynthia Grant, chief clinical officer at AllHealth Network said, “even if it’s an online community, is I think really helpful and healing.”

The services are free to the public and available to anyone affected by the May 7 incident. That could be a first responder, school employee, student, alumni, parent or other community member. More information is available at stemcenterforstrength.com.

STEM student Logan Cooper came up with the center’s name, which was voted on by the school. Student Grace Triplett designed the center’s logo.

The facility is operated by AllHealth Network, which handled the behavioral health disaster response when the

The STEM Center for Strength planned to open in March but was forced to operate virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Still in the works is signage, art and more details to the facility.

Students designed the center’s logo and chose the name.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GIBBS

“The chill room” is filled with a comfy couch and seating for students to do homework, lounge and enjoy time relaxing at the STEM Center for Strength.

STEM School incident occurred and continues to provide disaster recovery with a network of stakeholders.

Everything is grant funded through August 2022, Grant said.

Grant said without resiliency centers, informal support groups often form among survivors of mass violence and victims individually sift through an ocean of resources or information about recovery.

“Without having a place to go, each individual deals with their own grief and trauma in their own setting,” she said. “But it doesn’t bring together sort of the shared experience that people have until you have a place with a clear purpose.”

Resiliency centers provide a centralized location for mental health support, she said. The staff have clinical expertise and vet resources about trauma and recovery before providing it to survivors, “so that people aren’t going to try and find this on their own.”

Grant said as the one-year mark draws near, people may experience intrusive thoughts or memories.

Anxiety and stress may increase and struggling to sleep is common.

“That’s very normal,” she said. “We really want people to know that what they’re experiencing is normal.”

Grant encouraged people to avoid bottling feelings up. People can use humor to talk through issues, she said. Focus on sleep. STEM Center for Strength has tips online for meditation and breathing techniques. There is yoga instruction for anxiety attacks and a video on coping skills.

Resources on the center’s website vary based on age group and a person’s connection to the school, such as whether he or she is a student, staff member or parent.

One of the most important ways for survivors to stay well is to know what crisis resources are available, Grant said.

Hannah Reese, the recovery coor-

dinator for STEM School Highlands Ranch, oversees recovery within the school and worked closely with AllHealth in setting the center up.

She hopes the center will be a place where students can connect, de-stress and make new friends. Having a place to bring everyone involved together is an ideal situation, she said. From a survey sent to the STEM community, Reese said there was one universal request people agreed on: therapy dogs.

The center will be sure to bring those in, she said.

The center is located next to the school, within walking distance for students.

“Having that location for healing is wonderful and honestly any time students can connect with each other and relax is wonderful,” Reese said.

McKay is Reese’s counterpart within the center. The center worked closely with the school in developing its operations, she said, and she was glad students were behind its logo and name.

“We want the kids not only to tap their talents,” she said, “but also that gives them more ownership of the space.”

McKay said the center has four support groups right now and is starting up a fifth for alumni.

Their biggest challenge in opening the center has been reaching community members who moved on after the shooting, like students or teachers who left for other schools. She hopes word of mouth can help them reach everyone who may need the center’s resources.

While the mission is to ensure people have mental health support if they need it, the center is also meant to be a gathering place for people to spend time, socialize and unwind.

“It’s not only about the availability of the clinicians and support services,” she said.

Grant wanted the community to know “we all remember what happened.”

“It has changed the community, and yet we have seen incredible strength and recovery that have come from people,” Grant said. “We can continue to heal from it and support one another.”

8 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

STEM SCHOOL TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER

VIRUS

ABOUT THE REPORTER

FROM PAGE 6

Ganapaneni serves on the advisory board for the new STEM Center for Strength. The center was supposed to open in March but is operating virtually during COVID-19. It provides mental health resources for anyone who needs support because of the incident, like counseling and therapy groups.

That work has been good for her, she said.

“STEM is trying its best. We are all trying to reach out to everybody who is being affected,” she said. “Everybody was hit.”

Ganapaneni was in the high school section of STEM as the shooting unfolded in the middle school. She did not know how to react, she said, but she remembers her first thought was her then 7-year-old brother, a secondgrade STEM student at the time.

“More than myself I was worried about him,” she said. “Am I going to see him or not the next minute?”

Her brother now attends a different school. Ganapaneni still attends STEM. She never considered switching schools. She believes the incident was beyond STEM’s control. Ganapaneni is doing well this year, she said, but she knows not everyone can say the same.

Eucker, the STEM School’s executive director, said for some staff and students, returning to STEM was too

Jessica Gibbs, a Colorado Community Media reporter since 2016, was part of the CCM team that covered the 2019 STEM School Highlands Ranch tragedy. That coverage recently received first place for breaking-news reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists in its four-state Top of the Rockies awards. painful.

Last year the school employed 163 people, of which 53 left. A spokeswoman said that is not an unusual amount of turnover for STEM in a given year, and the school did not ask departing staff if the shooting influenced their decision to leave.

The employees did fill out a standard exit survey. Nearly half said they decided not to return, 11 left teaching, 11 left for what they considered better offers, five moved out of the region and five said they were dissatisfied with the school. The spokeswoman said she did not have a breakdown of turnover by position type.

Eucker noticed “quite a bit of turnover” at the elementary school level, which she thinks was because elementary teachers have high empathy.

Enrollment dropped from 1,844 students in the 2018-19 school year to 1,749 in the 2019-20 school year.

Nara Altmann, Marina’s mother, said she moved Marina to a different school mostly for concern about STEM’s rigorous academics.

She worries too much focus on

John and Maria Castillo stand among students, teachers and community members of STEM school Highlands Ranch during Run For the Fallen on Sept.

15. Many in the crowd raised a closed fist after an attendee shouted a common saying following the shooting: “STEM strong.”

ELLIOTT WENZLER

grades can hinder students. Through research and word of mouth, she heard Cresthill excels at fostering development of the whole child, she said, including social-emotional learning.

Marina felt apprehensive about leaving STEM but both she and Nara said the move to Cresthill turned out to be the right choice.

For many, returning to STEM was the right choice, Eucker said. It meant being with people who endured what they endured. STEM represented to them a shared experience and people who understood the significance of May 7 firsthand.

“That was something that I didn’t really think about until so many had voiced that sentiment, even at the very young ages,” Eucker said.

‘A day of strength’ If there is one thing Ganapaneni wants the community to know, it’s that “STEM is still a great school, and

we’ve always been a great school.”

STEM planned to complete service projects on May 7 in an effort called “STEMShares,” but again had to pivot plans during COVID-19. Families are now encouraged to do good acts — donating to a food bank, helping a neighbor — at the family level instead of the classroom level, Eucker said.

“My personal hope is that we can redefine this from a day of fear to a day of strength,” Eucker said.

Nara listened to her daughter reflect on the tragedy — for the first time to someone outside the family — with a patient smile on April 28.

For Marina, May 7 taught her a tragic lesson that helped her walk into the COVID-19 crisis with confidence.

She more fully understands people can reach rock bottom, she said, but still move forward.

“Everyone is going to fall down and crumble under pressure,” Marina said, “but then you build yourself up.”

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Highlands Ranch Herald 9

May 7, 2020

COVID-19 Community Response Assistance is as close as your phone or computer. We understand that this is a difficult time for many in our community. Douglas County is ready to help you find support. Call 303.688.4825 for information about human services countywide including: *Food, shelter and childcare emergency assistance *Aging, employment and disability resources *Physical and mental healthcare The call center is staffed 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to answer your questions and provide assistance. Call to speak with department staff or visit DouglasCOVID19.com Brothers Cal and Logan MacNair pitch a tent in their backyard as a part of Boy Scout troop 633’s virtual camp out.

COURTESY PHOTOS

May is Mental Health Month

Local Boy Scout troop hosts virtual campout

Everyone face challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The Douglas County Mental Health Initiative has resources to help you navigate these challenging times. For more information visit douglas.co.us/mental-health-initiative

Kids put up tents in backyards and hopped on video call

It’s Wildfire Season It only takes one spark to change your life forever. Thankfully, it takes only seconds to sign up for free emergency notifications at douglas.co.us/CodeRed/ ensuring that you will be in the know if a wildfire is happening near you.

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Local Boy Scout troops may not be able to venture into the great outdoors for their activities, but there is one place they can camp out: their backyard.

And that’s exactly what local troop 633 did April 25. The troop, made up mainly of Highlands Ranch kids, has gotten innovative with how they stay in touch.

“Sports are all canceled and so many of these kids, especially in Highlands Ranch, are so into sports,” said troop command chair Jim Arnold. “So they’ve gotten to do absolutely nothing since mid-March.”

That’s why Arnold decided to have a virtual campout in which scouts would pitch tents in their backyards and hop on a video call with the rest of the group. During the hour-long call with about 35 people, the troop completed all of the group’s traditions, including one leader building a fire and the troop singing and performing skits, Arnold said.

“It was received somewhat skeptically at first but once everybody logged on, it became very real,” Arnold said.

What’s happening with your County government?

Boy Scout Carter Fitzgerald stands by his backyard tent April 25. His troop’s trip to Moab, Utah was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of parents participated and thought it was a great diversion with all the stuff going on.”

Scouts are also able to complete nearly 60 merit badges during this time of social distancing, including chess, cooking, genealogy, photography and pottery.

In May, the troop plans to do another virtual campout, possibly for two nights, Arnold said.

The troop has also coordinated events like neighborhood trash pickups to help serve the community.

“I’m just trying to do anything to keep our Boy Scout program viable and important in all of this,” Arnold said.

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about all public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view agendas for various public meetings, visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.

DoItOnlineDouglas.com

10 Highlands Ranch Herald

BOOK CLUB IN THE PARK

May 7, 2020M

Sheriff’s office searching for shooting suspect Castle Pines incident linked to attempted burglary

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A group of seven women, all neighbors and friends, met for their book club in Civic Green Park on April 30. Normally they meet with a glass of wine, but this time, they sat in foldable chairs, many with masks over their faces. While they have all been reading the same book, much of their meeting was spent discussing the strangeness of the COVID-19 pandemic and its complications.

ELLIOTT WENZLER

On May 7, 2019, you answered the call when we needed you the most.

From all of us at STEM School Highlands Ranch, we Thank You for your commitment to serve, protect and care for others.

THANK YOU • Our Entire STEM School Highlands Ranch Community (current and former students, families and staff) • First Responders from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Lone Tree Police Department, Littleton Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, National Parks Service Rangers, Parker Police Department, Centennial Police Department, Paramedics, South Metro Fire District Station 18, and so many more • Douglas County School District Security and Administrators • Doctors and nurses from Littleton Adventist and Children’s Hospital • Staff and volunteers from the Highlands Ranch Community Association • Members of the Highlands Ranch Community and surrounding areas • Businesses surrounding STEM School Highlands Ranch and in our community

We will forever be #STEMStrong together.

The Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office is asking for the public’s help as they search for a vehicle and its occupants, who were involved in a shooting then morning of April 29.

The white, single cab Ford truck, last seen with a brown box in the bed, was photographed by a security camera while leaving the scene in the 200-block of Green Valley Circle in Castle Pines.

The incident began in what deputies believe was an attempted burglary.

The suspects then fired at a nearby neighbor but did not hit anyone.

The vehicle that deputies are searching for has older-style wheels, a silver grill and small hubcaps, according to a release from the sheriff ’s office.

“It appears there is a large rust mark behind the rear driver’s door,” according to the release. “The truck also has a hitch and a faded 4x4 decal on the rear fender.”

The truck was seen at a nearby King Soopers before the incident and reportedly had three people inside, including two hispanic men and a hispanic woman.

A rendering of the suspect involved in an April 29 Castle Pines shooting was released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office May 2. Deputies are asking for help from the public in locating the person.

COURTESY OF DCSO “These guys are still out there,” spokeswoman Lauren Childress said.

“I really want to stress the importance of locating this vehicle and its occupants to prevent anything happening to anyone else.”

The sheriff ’s office is working with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers to provide a reward for those offering information on the incident.

Those who provide tips can remain anonymous and earn up to $2,000, according to a release from the group.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 720-913-7867.

Sterling Ranch opens new village for home sales Ascent Village will eventually have more than 1,500 homes

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Sterling Ranch has opened a new neighborhood, which now has homes available for presale.

The process of opening the community has been unique, as the pandemic pushed all permitting and associated paperwork, normally completed in an office, into a virtual setting, said Harold Smethills, president of Sterling Ranch’s board of directors.

“It’s different because it’s all remote,” he said. “It’s been a challenge.”

Many of the required steps for opening the community were completed through Douglas County, which has all of its offices open virtually.

“The county hasn’t missed a beat,” Smethills said.

Sterling Ranch is a master-planned community in northwest Douglas

County that is projected to eventually be home to more than 30,000 people.

The first homes broke ground in 2016 and the community is expected to be built out over a 20-year span.

The Ascent Village, which makes up 584 acres, is planned to eventually hold more than 1,500 homes. The community will also include the first townhomes offered in Sterling Ranch.

While the community has the same amenities as the primary neighborhood, called Providence Village, the architecture style and models will be unique.

The new village will include multiple small parks and a regional trail.

“A cultural trail is also planned where local art exhibits will be periodically staged along the trail,” according to a release from the community.

Eleven homes in the village are under construction, with eight of them having already been sold, Smethills said. The first residents will be able to move in this summer, he said.

“We’re moving right along,” he said.

The homes will be priced similarly to the already existing property, with prices ranging from about $400,000 to more than $1 million.

Highlands Ranch Herald 11

May 7, 2020

Paying back first responders with popcorn Cornzapoppin of Highlands Ranch treats frontline teams

BY MARK HARDEN MHARDEN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Highlands Ranch purveyor of gourmet popcorn is sharing kernels of kindness with those on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus.

Cornzapoppin, at 9555 S. University Boulevard, has been delivering hundreds of bags of its popcorn -- it boasts more than 40 flavors available at any one time -- to local hospitals, fire stations and the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Highlands Ranch substations.

Since the drive began in mid-April, Cornzapoppin has delivered “well over $3,000 worth of product,” proprietor Rich Van Hersett estimates.

Popcorn has been delivered to a different location each weekday: South Metro Fire Stations 17 and 18 in Highlands Ranch on Mondays and Thursdays respectively, UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital on Tuesdays, Littleton Adventist Hospital on Wednesdays and the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office’s Highlands Ranch substation on Fridays.

The program dovetails with a business shift forced by the COVID-19 crisis for the family-owned business, founded in 2003.

Cornzapoppin of Highlands Ranch donated 29 bags of popcorn to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s Highlands Ranch substation on May 1, and Servpro of Englewood/East Littleton donated another 40 bags.

COURTESY OF CORNZAPOPPIN Normally, “the backbone of our company is business-to-business sales” nationwide, Van Hersett said.

“The people we supply most are hotels, schools, churches, corporate folks, catering companies. But this kind of business has more or less dried up. So we have pivoted a bit to business-to-customer.”

That means more sales and deliveries to local, non-business customers.

The usual five to 10 deliveries a week has risen to 40 or more, as homebound customers stock up on movienight munchies, Van Hersett said.

“When you’re dealt lemons, you try to make lemonade,” he said.

Van Hersett’s customers often said they wanted to help first responders, he noted.

“This is really something that came from our customers,” he said. “We

were reciving calls or emails or Facebook posts from out customers, saying, ‘We love your popcorn; what can we do further to help?’ At that point we said, ‘Why don’t we do something for everyone?’”

So he decided to incorporate a donation program into the company’s ordering system. He told customers that if they used the promo code “RESPOND” when ordering, Cornzapoppin would donate a bag to first responders for each bag ordered.

Local affiliates of Servpro, a cleanup and restoration service, offered to help sponsor the program, and other businesses have inquired about helping out, Van Hersett said.

Cornzapoppin has long donated popcorn for various causes, Van Hersett said, including for after-prom parties (in the pre-COVID era) and as prizes in charity silent auctions.

While at press time the firstresponder program was set to expire May 8, it’s likely to continue, Van Hersett said.

Like most businesses, Cornzapoppin has taken a hit from the pandemic, but Van Hersett said he’s been heartened by his continued customer support.

“It’s been absolutely amazing to hear the outpouring of people who say, ‘We want you to thrive, we want you to do well, we want to spend our money with you,” he said. “It’s been nothing short of remarkable.”

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12 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

Highlands Ranch farmers’ market opens with masks, distancing

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As the first farmers’ market of the season kicked off in Highlands Ranch on Sunday, May 3, vendors and shoppers worked to adjust to new guidelines prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An entrance sign asked attendees to follow procedures like wearing a face mask and staying away from each other whenever possible. While most people practiced social distancing and wore masks, some were seen not following the guidelines.

“We’re happy to be here,” said Marc Gaudreault, founder of Trubucha, which had a booth in the market. “We just hope it doesn’t deter too many people with all the regulations.”

While the market was never fully packed like it would be on a normal Sunday, a steady flow of foot traffic continued throughout the event.

“Normally it’s more of a social event,” Gaudreault said “Now, it’s a ‘get your stuff and leave’ mentality this year.”

One major thing that shoppers and vendors missed at the market was samples. In an effort to reduce transmission of the COVID-19 virus, samples are not allowed at the booths.

Usually, offering small bites or sips of the products for sale helps generate sales, Gaudreault said.

The virus also affected booths selling clothing items.

“It’s changing the way that I sell because usually people come up and want to touch (my shawls),” said Tirzah Washington, owner of Love My Shawl.

Without a traditional brick and mortar store, events like trade shows and markets are Washington’s main source of revenue, she said.

“I’m thankful we can sell at the farmers’ market because it’s my only business now,” she said.

Vendors weren’t the only ones grateful for the event. Shoppers also expressed an appreciation for an outdoor, somewhat interactive market.

“I’m glad they’re open because we’ve been inside for weeks now,” said shopper Kylie Christiannssen. “I’m less worried about (the virus) because it’s outdoor and spaced out so much.”

To Krista Obney, a sales associate with the New Era Distributors clothing booth, the market being open is good for all.

“They really want to be here and we really want to be here,” she said.

“It’s a win-win if we all do what we’re supposed to.”

For many of the vendors, the kickoff event served as a trial run, giving them vital insights into how to operate their business moving forward.

Obney is optimistic that farmers’ markets will continue to provide products that other retail experiences can’t.

“Target can only give you so much,” she said.

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Kylie Christiansenn and Kevin McGuinnis look through the masks available for sale at the New Era Distributing clothing tent while shopping at the first Highlands Ranch farmer’s market of the season May 3.

PHOTOS BY ELLIOTT WENZLER A vendor of the Highlands Ranch farmers’ market fills the bag of a patron at the May 3 event. Both shoppers and vendors were asked to wear masks at the market.

Douglas County offices begin phased reopening New remote and in-person services increase choices STAFF REPORT

Thousands of residents and businesses seeking services from Douglas County over the past several weeks discovered what could be achieved without leaving their homes, businesses or job sites.

“Leveraging the combination of the county’s and our customers’ investment in technology, as well as the devotion of our employees, resulted in time saved, efficiencies realized and made it possible to quickly transition to online and other remote services delivery,” Douglas County Board of Commissioners Chair Roger Partridge said in a news release.

Recognizing that there are those who prefer a face-to-face transaction and some services that do require a visit to county facilities, the county’s Human Services and Philip S. Miller County Administration buildings are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to

Friday, effective May 4, the release said.

“With ongoing public safety among our top priorities, we will open and appropriately staff these facilities to provide another layer of access to needed county services,” Partridge said in the release.

Additionally, beginning May 4, paperwork drop boxes are available at the county’s Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, and Castle Rock motor vehicle offices. The drop boxes will serve Motor Vehicle and Recording Division customers, the Veteran’s Affairs Office and the Assessor’s Office (including remote appeals).

In-person appointments will be made available for critical services in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office beginning May 11. Appointments will be scheduled when a transaction cannot be completed online, by phone, MVExpress kiosk, or by paperwork drop box.

In-person appointments for driver’s licenses and passports will begin in the coming weeks as full staff resumes work on-site and as other services are restored over time.

Highlands Ranch Herald 13

May 7, 2020

Sheriff Tony Spurlock read “Officer Buckle and Gloria” to groups of Douglas County preschoolers April 14 and 15 over a video conference. He also introduced one of the sheriff’s office K-9s.

COURTESY PHOTO

Sheriff reads to preschoolers over video connection Douglas County’s Spurlock also answered children’s questions

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As part of an effort to keep up a relationship between law enforcement and Douglas County children, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, in partnership with Council for a Strong America, participated in a virtual book reading April 14 and 15.

By remote video conference, Spurlock read the children’s book “Officer Buckle and Gloria” to two groups of preschoolers at Coyote Creek Elementary School in Highlands Ranch.

He also introduced one of the sheriff ’s office K-9’s to the children and answered their questions in sessions lasting about 40 minutes, according to a release from Council For a Strong America, or CSA. CSA is a nonprofit made up of law enforcement officers, retired admirals and generals, business and community leaders, faith-based leaders and athletes and coaches. The goal of the nonprofit is to help prepare children for successful lives.

Spurlock is a member of the nonprofit’s group, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.

“The kids loved it and Sheriff Spurlock did as well,” according to the release. “In the environment in which we now find ourselves, it is important that we give kids great opportunities like out Cops & Tots program, even if done virtually.”

Answers

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14 Highlands Ranch Herald

L

LOCAL

May 7, 2020M

VOICES

Unleash your kindness and let it run wild

ots of conversations going on these days are about unlocking or unleashing our potential.

There are so many podcasts, WINNING webinars, columns, WORDS and blogs speaking to the need for us to focus on our mindset so that we can keep our heads and attitude in a good place right now. As a matter of fact, I am one of those voices and faces on those podcasts and Michael Norton webinars and authoring many of those columns and blogs, just like this one.

Kindness is a mindset or attitude,

but it is also an emotion and an action.

How awesome would it be if we could unleash our human potential and also unleash our kindness at the same time? Powerful. During this time, we are seeing so many examples of kindness being lived out. After last week’s column where I shared the story of an owner of an awning company repairing an awning at no charge for a shop on Main Street, I received so many emails from people sharing their experiences and observations of other people and businesses demonstrating kindness.

When we live with the attitude or mindset of kindness it means we are actively thinking about ways that we can show kindness, and our kindness radar is always on. When we live with kindness in our hearts, we get to expe-

rience firsthand the emotions that are stirred as acts of kindness play out in front of us. I don’t know about you, but it brings absolute joy to my heart when I see kindness in action. And when we live with the attitude of kindness and with the emotion of kindness it’s impossible not to demonstrate kindness in everything we do and in everything we say.

My brother-in-law Dylan is a perfect example of this. He and my sister-inlaw Caroline have this awesome dog, Ziggy. As Dylan was walking Ziggy the other day, there was a woman in their neighborhood walking her dog.

She was using one of those retractable leashes and as her dog maxed out the length of the leash, the leash snapped and recoiled all the way back into the handle. As the woman tried to gain

control of her dog, she realized that the leash had broken. As she was still quite far from her home, she became a little distressed. Dylan quickly came up with a solution. Since he was close to his own home, he offered the woman his leash so that she could get her dog home. He unleashed his kindness. Hence the origin of this week’s column. Thanks Dylan.

Kindness costs us nothing, but it returns to us everything.

That old saying, “No good deed goes unpunished,” is absolutely a falsehood. Some may say that they attempted to do something nice for others or show kindness in some way only to be on the receiving end of anger or hurtful words.

SEE NORTON, P15

This seems like dreams and weird extremes

D

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thankful for kindness In a time of so much uncertainty, where all we hear is the negative side of what is going on in the world, it is important to highlight positivity and true acts of kindness. Over the last month, our grandfather has been battling the COVID-19 virus. On April 19, he unfortunately passed away due to complications from

A publication of

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this horrible virus.

During this difficult time, it was an absolute blessing to see the way the health care workers and police officers took care of and honored our grandfather in his last days and even hours. In times like these, where everyone is worried about their own health and SEE LETTERS, P24

ickens memorably began “A Tale of Two Cities” with a perfect description of 2020, especially the first twelve

words.

It sums up, at least in my lifetime, the current world, where extraordinarily good people are doing extraordinarily good things, and where extraordiQUIET narily bad people are doing extraorDESPERATION dinarily bad things.

It seems where there are challenges and tragedies and vulnerabilities, some of us crawl out from the Grimpen Mire, look around, and seize the opportunity to Craig Marshall take advantage of the situation.

Smith I am old enough to know it comes as no surprise.

Ask Sartre.

I am one of the lucky ones.

Retired, a safe home to live in, sufficient paper products, and an enviable roommate.

My roommate has no idea what is

going on. That helps.

Not much has changed around here. We just go on fewer car trips.

When was the last time you filled your car’s gas tank?

Half the news is heartwarming and the other half is inconceivable.

Conspiracy theorists blame a U.S. Army reservist and mother of two for starting the pandemic. The false claims about her are spreading like the virus itself.

Lewis Carroll said, “What I tell you three times is true.”

Is there anything worse than being wrongly accused?

I was blamed for things I didn’t do when I was a kid. My sister was an angel and could do no wrong.

But if she did, she cruised, because little Craig was seen as an impish lad, more capable of spilling the milk.

Alfred Hitchcock understood the effect false accusations have on someone: therefore, his films often featured someone trying to prove his or her innocence.

Best: “North by Northwest,” but

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Highlands Ranch Herald 15

May 7, 2020

Shelter your body but let your mind run free LIVING & AGING WELL

Juliana Young

-

T

o embrace a positive balanced approach to health and aging, the importance of keeping our minds as active as our bodies is essential. This article provides some great tools to keep your mind active especially during this season.

Older adults have been instructed to limit face-to-face interactions with individuals outside their immediate household to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. This has forced many family members to avoid visits to parents and grandparents or stop visiting older loved ones at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in their homes for fear of spreading the virus.

In a world where social distancing and shelter-in-place orders are the new norm, now, more than ever, it’s imperative that we do whatever we can to reduce isolation among people of all ages.

With decreased social engagement and stimulation comes decreased mood and overall well-being, and in some cases, this results in depression. Some older adults

SMITH FROM PAGE 14

also “The 39 Steps,” “The Wrong Man,” “Strangers on a Train,” and “Saboteur.”

I anticipate a 21st-century retelling of “The Grapes of Wrath.” Small business owners who have lost everything and have to find something else to do with their lives.

There will be documentaries and coffee-table books filled with haunting photographs.

And there will be humor. There already has been.

(Some of it, unfortunately, has been unintentional. Take your pick.)

The mystery, of course, is not knowing when it will be safe again to move around and commingle like always.

Some are ready to resume now.

Maybe you have noticed the protests and rallies.

A woman in my birth state held up a sign that conjoined the governor’s name with Adolf Hitler’s.

Hand-lettered words beyond

NORTON FROM PAGE 14

I do know how that feels, it feels like a gut punch, it is awful. However, when I look back at what I might have done with the attitude, emotion, and act of kindness to help someone else, I let that sink in and remember that I can’t control how others react, I can only control how I choose to respond.

Unleashing kindness is never a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it is one of the greatest things we can do for each other.

“Do things for other people, not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you

may also be at higher risk of isolation because their social world becomes smaller and their opportunity to socially connect decreases.

The fact of the matter is that the basic principles of healthy living remain the same, so we should look for alternative ways to meet those needs. People need to remain physically active, eat healthy foods, remain connected to family, friends and their community, and maintain good mental health.

Staying physically active can mean getting out for a walk every day for 20-30 minutes while waving at neighbors at a distance. If you were used to going to the gym or recreation center to work out, look online for exercise programs from your local senior centers, SilverSneakers.com and go4life.nia.nih.gov.

If you need assistance with your computer or smartphone and your family can’t come over to show you at this juncture, try to connect with companies that specialize in helping seniors. Senior Planet is a Den-

comprehension provided the woman with her legacy. No apology accepted.

Television commercials are outdoing themselves with soothing words instead of self-promotions. Nice, isn’t it, not to have someone blasting deep dish car and truck discounts at you?

I look forward to the day when I can go back to doing what I do best: namely, find fault in irrelevancies such as the broken English the newest National Football League millionaires gargled and tweeted when they were drafted.

And Christmas music in November.

And sitting on an airplane next to someone who talks too much. Won’t it feel good to sit on an airplane again?

ESPN and others have been showing replays of football, basketball and baseball games. Stadiums are filled with people. It looks very normal. And it looks very strange.

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

are.” - Harold S. Kushner So how about you? Are you seeing amazing acts of kindness in your home, neighborhood, and on your virtual meetings? Are you living with the attitude and emotion of kindness that puts your kindness muscles to work? I’ll bet you are, and I would love to hear your kindness story at mnorton@tramazing.com. And when we all learn how to unlock our human potential and at the same time unleash our kindness, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.

ver-based company that assists older adults on how to use technology. They have some great “how to” videos on their website called “While Stuck at Home.” You can also learn how to set up a “Zoom” video call to connect with your family and friends. Find them at SeniorPlanet.org.

Google Arts & Culture (type in search bar) teamed up with more than 2,500 museums and galleries to provide virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world, including Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, London’s National Gallery and the Guggenheim in New York City.

If you want to connect with creatures, big and small, several aquariums and zoos that are temporarily closed still offer virtual visits. The Denver Zoo provides a “Zoo to You” online experience that includes a virtual safari, daily videos, and wildlifethemed activities to keep you informed and entertained. The Monterey Bay Aquarium SEE YOUNG, P24

OBITUARIES GAAL-OSHIRO

Sandra Gaal-Oshiro

Sandra Gaal-Oshiro of Highlands Ranch, CO passed peacefully away at home on April 15, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. She was 73 years old. A lifelong loving mother and R.N. from Kauai, Sandra devoted much of her time taking care of others. Sandra is survived by her daughter Jade, her son Wade, and three grandchildren. Future burial services will be at Olinger Chapel Hill.

In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

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16 Highlands Ranch Herald

LOCAL

LIFE

May 7, 2020M

The Colorado Emerald Society Pipe and Drum Band, which includes 75 first responders throughout Colorado, began playing bagpipes at sunset every night as part of an international movement.

Locally, it’s called Pipers for Sundown Solidarity.

Dave Carrigan, of South Metro Fire Rescue, plays his Great Highland bagpipe every evening as the sun sets in solidarity with pipers around the globe in a movement to spread hope.

IPHOTOS BY NCK PUCKETT

First responders play at dusk amid COVID-19 crisis

BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A

lone in a field at the edge of the Cottonwood subdivision in Parker, firefighter Dave Carrigan stood tall and stiff as he played his bagpipes.

The sun started to set April 22 at about 7:46 p.m. As sunlight disappeared, Carrigan’s few regular fans gathered to hear him play. A handful of neighbors ventured to the slight overlook at the foot of Carrigan’s driveway. Some driving by on Parker Road across the field to the east pulled off, listening to the notes slice through the droning of passing cars.

Carrigan, a firefighter for South Metro Fire Rescue for 29 years, has marched out to the field bordering his house every evening since March 29, three days after the stay-at-home order began, to play traditional marches and songs until the sun sets.

“It’s to show solidarity not only for everybody who’s fighting the disease, but all our brothers and sisters, firefighters, police officers, paramedics. … They’re kind of taking a beating out there,” Carrigan said. “It’s to show we’re all in this together and we have each other’s back.”

Carrigan is one of many first responders regionwide playing bagpipes at dusk to inspire hope amid the stayat-home orders and COVID-19 crisis.

First responders throughout Colorado are participating in Pipers

Dave Carrigan has played his bagpipes at dusk every night since the start of the stayat-home orders in Colorado. “It’s to show we’re all in this together and we have each other’s back,” he said. for Sundown Solidarity, a movement organized by the Colorado Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Band, a bagpipe band made up of 75 firefighters and police officers throughout the state.

Thousands of pipers play songs from their respective homes at the same time each night as the sun sets in an ongoing effort to encourage strength and resolve in the community.

‘Next phases or normalcy’ Mike West, fire chief for Front

Range Fire Rescue, is the Pipe Major for the Colorado Emerald Society. He helped start the pipe band at South Metro Fire in 2002. He resigned from South Metro in June 2019. Front Range Fire covers Johnstown, Milliken, Larimer and Weld counties.

“Our guys and gals are working every day at their police stations and precincts and firehouses dealing with the pandemic face-to-face,” West said.

“It was a great way to wind down from the day spread a little hope to the neighbors and make sure they still know we’re still out there fighting the

good fight every day.”

Carrigan does not always deck himself out in his kilt and uniform. He said he plays because it brings a smile to his neighbor’s faces and connects people when they’re more isolated than ever.

Pipers in the group play every day and play whatever they want, except on Sundays, when the group collectively decides on a single song to play at the same time together.

The Colorado Emerald Society announced on its Facebook page April 24 that members would stop playing bagpipes nightly beginning May 3.

Pipers still play on Sundays “until the state moves to the next phases of normalcy,” the post reads.

“We can’t express our gratitude enough for your cheers, posts, shares and love. When we get through these social distancing steps and back to holding events, we’re looking forward to seeing you all at a big celebration,” the post reads.

West said the Colorado Emerald Society plans on holding a celebration to make up for losing the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

‘A droning feeling’ The movement, which started shortly after the stay-at-home order began, is steeped in tradition.

Soldiers began marching to the sound of bagpipes in Scotland in the 1400s. The instrument is used often as a morale booster for the military.

South Metro Fire Rescue and Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department each have Pipe and Drum bands.

Carrigan has been playing pipes for about 11 years, around the time South Metro Rescue’s pipe and drum band started.

West, who has been playing bagpipes on and off for 30 years, noted the way the vibrations from the drones blaring from the player’s shoulder hits you.

“It runs through you,” West said.

“A lot of people, prior to this, the only time they hear bagpipes is at a funeral, so they associate that droning note with an emotional event. … To me, it’s that kind of droning feeling. It kind of gets down to your soul sometimes.”

Highlands Ranch Herald 17

May 7, 2020

Colorado Renaissance Festival delayed Coronavirus concerns postpone bawdy event in Douglas County

BY MARK HARDEN MHARDEN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Colorado Renaissance Festival — a popular summer attraction that draws throngs to south Douglas County — has been postponed for several weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic and will now start Aug. 1, organizers said.

The festival in Larkspur, midway between Denver and Colorado Springs west of Interstate 25, had been scheduled to open its 43rd anniversary season on June 13.

“Due to the current health concerns and taking into consideration the safety of our patrons and Renaissance community the Colorado Renaissance Festival will be postponing its 2020 opening day,” says a notice on the festival’s website.

“The new dates will be Saturday August 1st, 2020 for 8 weekends with a closing day of Sunday, September 20th, 2020. Dates will be posted publicly on both our website and announced through our social media outlets,” the notice says. “Please stay safe during these unsettling times and we look forward to seeing every-

Entertainers greet people from above as they pass through the gates of the Colorado Renaissance Festival castle in July 2019.

JESSICA GIBBS

one soon!”

The festival, set in a faux-16th century Tudor village, celebrates Renaissance culture with a bawdy mix of shows and music, jousting matches, animals, costumed characters, games, food and drinks. It’s one

Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes open

W

e will assume, optimistically, that summer drama classes and performances for kids will happen, because registration SONYA’S has been ongoing.

SAMPLER Some organizations are not on a regular track due to the current otherworldly, ongoing upset, so one will have to keep searching the internet … Also, classes in visual arts, crafts and more are scheduled Sonya Ellingboe as of this writing …

Plans underway We communicated with Town Hall Arts Center education direcstor Robert Michael Sanders at the Littleton venue, and he says classes for “Kokonut Island,” “Shrek” and “Performing the Song” are “moving forward” and may still have some available space. Each involves classes and a performance. Townhallartscenter.com.

Town Hall possibility Also re: Town Hall Arts Center

of dozens of similarly themed events staged across the country each summer.

The festival typically draws about 200,000 attendees during its run, The Gazette of Colorado Springs reports.

The announcement comes as “stay

at home” orders are being gradually relaxed across Douglas County and most other parts of Colorado, but people are still being urged to practice social distancing and to avoid crowds larger than 10 people to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

FIND WHAT SPARKS YOUR INTEREST.

— we are told that they still hope to present “Almost Heaven,” the John Denver musical program, if only … Stay tuned if you have tickets — or if not… “We are following state mandates and applying a powerful disinfectant, Perisept 62 …”

Happenings in Parker Parker Performing Arts, PACE Center, has a full schedule of classes and performances, geared to different age groups. See Parkerarts.org. Look also for visual arts offerings here …

Check into Englewood Englewood Parks and Recreation offered a strong summer drama program and production in past years.

I am not finding a listing yet, but assume this will again be offered when the world starts up again …

Wonderbound Dance Company Wonderbound Dance Company has been offering “Dance Along,” a series of dance classes, at wonderbound. com.

Writing class Local Theater Company offers a SEE SAMPLER, P24

SUMMER BREAK CAMPS

Arts, Co Video a oking, nd Film , y g o l o n ch eater e T , c i s Mu e, and Th Scienc PARKER ARTS.ORG/EDUCATION

18 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

STUDENT-ATHLETE STUDENT ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Pitcher stays in shape Kyle Kahn keeps working with eye on college future

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

T

hunderRidge senior baseball pitcher Kyle Kahn wasn’t surprised when he heard on April 21 that the Colorado High School Activities Association had canceled the 2020 spring season because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve been keeping up with the news and what is going on so I kind of figured we weren’t going to have a season and it’s just something that we can’t control,” said Kahn, who will be heading to play baseball at Central Missouri

this fall. “It is something we are going to have to deal with in a positive way.

That’s my way of looking at the whole situation.”

Kahn has been completing his school work, trying to stay in baseball shape and hanging out with his family to fill the void created by the absence of baseball practices and games.

“I’ve been throwing long toss like every other day and working out to stay in baseball shape just in case,” he said.

“That’s a good way for me to cope with it, just going out and throwing ball with my dad.

“I do a bunch of throwing, working out and hanging out with my family, doing movie nights and still getting all my school work done. It’s frustrating but it (COVID-19) is also something I can’t control or do anything about. So it is just figuring out how to deal with it in a positive way.”

Q&A with Kahn What is the hardest thing about missing your senior season?

The hardest thing for me was just not going out to practices with all of my best friends and being able to spend every day after school with them. It’s a big deal for me and a kind of relaxing place for me to be on the baseball field with all my friends.

What would have been your goals if you had played this season?

To lead the league in ERA. My goal every time I got out to pitch is give it my all and give 110 percent every time I touch the field.

COACH’S TAKE: ‘Kyle is a great pitcher, but more importantly he is an amazing young man.

He is the sort of young man that people gravitate to, he has tremendous leadership skills and genuinely cares about his community. I’ve never heard Kyle speak a negative word about his classmates on the team.’

Brad Johnson, ThunderRidge head baseball coach

QUALITY & VA

COURTESY PHOTO

How does missing the season affect your college plans, if at all?

My coach (at Central Missouri) reached out to me when he found out we weren’t playing, so I asked him if there was anything I needed to be doing. The answer I got was to do long toss to strengthen my arm and be able to do whatever workouts I could to stay in shape. And over the summer to figure out mechanical stuff and not worry about games or anything.

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May 7, 2020

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To Advertise call Karen 303.566.4091 kearhart@coloradocommunitymedia.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-566-4100 Fireplaces

Heating/ Air Conditioning

GAS FIREPLACE SERVICE, REPAIR, CERTIFICATION

Serving the the Front Serving Front Range Rangesince since1955 1955 Furnaces Water Heaters Furnaces •• Boilers • Water Heaters Rooftop HVAC • Mobile Furnaces Rooftop HVAC • Commercial Commercial Residential • Install •• Residential Repair • Replace InstallInspections • Repair • Replace Free Furnace & A/C Startups

THE ORIGINAL FAMILY OWNED COMPANY - 27 YEARS IN BUSINESS Selling Your Home Soon? Home Inspection Problems? We Have The Solutions!

OUR Techs are NFI Certified and Experienced In All Types Of Real Estate Transactions!

If Your Fireplace Has Quit Working, Why Wait? Enjoy It Now And Know It’s Ready For Fall!

Call Now! Don’t Wait Until October – Enjoy Your Fireplace Year Around! $10.00 OFF Service!

Working on real estate transactions during COVID-19

303-946-6535 The Original and Only Name You Need For Gas Fireplaces!

Handyman

Handyman

Free Estimates Free Estimates •• 720-327-9214 720-327-9214

!

’s DeSpain HOME SOLUTIONS

Solving All your Remodeling & Repair Problems – Just Ask!

DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE SERVICE Over 30 Years Experience Licensed & Insured

Eric DeSpain 303-840-1874

Robert Pencak

General Construction Handyman

JIM 303.818.6319

“HONEY-DO’S DONE… THAT YOUR HONEY DON’T DO.” — SMALL JOBS INSIDE AND OUT —

Hauling Service

Cut Rate Hauling

Landscaping/Nurseries

Serving Castle Rock and surrounding areas

Quality*Integrity*Honesty

A&M Lawn Service • Sprinkler & Lanscape Design & Installation • Lawn Aeration (Average $40, 5,000sq. ft.)

• Power Raking & Vacuuming (Average $95, 5,000sq. ft.)

• Spring Fertilization (Average $40-$60) • Sprinkler Systen Start-up & Repairs (From $60-$80) • Weekly Mowing: Sign Up For 4, Get 1 FREE! (Average $30-$45)

www.amlawnandlandscape.com amlandscaping@gmail.com

Landscape & Concrete Landscaping • Yard Cleanup • Sod Concrete • Sprinklers • Fertilization Tree Trimming/Cutting • Planting Retaining Walls • Flagstone Fencing • Gutter Cleaning Power Raking • Aerating

720-436-6158 RON’S LANDSCAPING Yard Clean-up, Raking, Weeding, Flower Bed Maintenance, Shrubbery Trimming Soil Prep - Sod Work Trees & Shrub Replacement also Small Tree & Bush Removal Bark, Rock Walls & Flagstone Work FREE Estimates Family owned business with over 35 yrs. exp.

Call or email Ron 303-758-5473

vandergang@comcast.net

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS. TM

HOME REPAIRS & REMODELING • Drywall • Painting • Tile • Trim • Doors • Painting • Decks • Bath Remodel • Kitchen Remodels • Basements & Much More!

Call Today for a FREE ESTIMATE 303-427-2955

303-791-5551 720-209-5594

Professional and Reliable Year Round Service Rubin (720)434-8042 Kerwin (720) 519-5559

303-883-2461

Interior and Exterior Construction Services Deck Fence Outbuildings Siding Basements Remodels Interior Trim Cabinets Douglas County Licensed Contractor

FRFINISHCARPENTRY.COM Call Dave for a FREE estimate

303-324-3896

Fences: pressure washing / Drywall patch Free Estimates • Great Winter Rates

Highlands Ranch resident

Colorado Lawn Care, LLC SPRING/SUMMER:

Landscaping – Tree/Hedge Trimming Shrub Removal – Aeration – Sod Edging – Weekly Mowing – Power Washing – Deck/Fence Install/Repair coloadolawncareoflittleton@gmail.com Commercial – Residential 720-202-9975

Licensed/Insured

303-523-6372

L.S. PAINTING, Inc.

SPRING SPECIALS

Lawn/Garden Services

Home Improvement

Lawn/Garden Services

Landscaping & Lawn Care Services

Trash / Rubbish / Debris and Junk Removal

Framing-Finish Carpentry-Plumbing Doors-Windows-Drywall Decks-Tile-Paint

Painting

Interior • Exterior Residential Specialist Woodworking, Decks

Call Joseph

Licensed & Insured • Family Owned & Operated Serving Littleton and Jeffco for 39 years

INSURED

Painting

Alpine Landscape Management

Weekly Mowing, Aerate, Fertilize, Spring Clean Up, Power Raking, Trim Bushes & Small Trees, Senior Discounts

720-329-9732

PROFESSIONAL OUTDOOR SERVICES TREES/ SHRUBS TRIMMED

Littleton Based & Family Owned

303-948-9287

• Stain and Renew Custom Handrails • Custom Interior & Exterior • Residential & Commercial Painting • Paint Kitchen Cabinets • Free Estimates - Insured • 30 Years Serving Metro Denver • Satisfaction Guaranteed

A+

Rating BBB

LS@LSPaintinginc.com www.lspaintinginc.com

Planted, Trimmed & Removal • Sod Work • Rock & Block Walls • Sprinklers • Aeration • Stumps Ground • Mulch

Licensed / Insured

DICK 303-783-9000 Lighting Robert Dudley Lighting LLC For all your indoor & outdoor lighting needs, plus…

• Internet/TV Cable & Outlets •Ceiling Fans •Thermostats •Wall-Mounted TV’s • And many more services Free Estimates All Work Guaranteed

Call 720-456-8196

Misc. Services

Residential Experts

Residential Experts We paint over 800 Homes Per Year No Deposit Ever Satisfaction Guaranteed 5 year, 7 year and 9 year Exterior Warranties 2 Yr. Interior Warranty Licensed & Insured up to $2 Million Locally Owned and Operated In business for 29 years Free Color Consulting & Samples

35% Off

All Int. & Ext. CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE QUOTE

720-328-2572

www.innovativepaintingllc.com

Scrap Metal, Batteries, Appliances, Wiring, Scrap Plumbing/Heating, Cars/Parts, Clean out Garages/Yards, Rake, Yard work done w/chainsaw, Certified Auto Mechanical / Body Work & paint available Also can do inside or outside cleaning 303-647-2475 / 720-323-2173

The

Master Painter Interior/Exterior Specialist COVID-19 Free (document to prove)

Mask friendly FREE ESTIMATES! Call with questions

Jeff States • 720-628-2895 Please Recycle this Publication when Finished

22 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

www.ColoradoServiceDirectory.com

To Advertise call Karen 303.566.4091 kearhart@coloradocommunitymedia.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-566-4100 Plumbing

Lawn/Garden Services

CONTINENTAL INC. Commercial and Residential Lawn Maintenance Mow – Edge - Trim Call for a Aeration & Fertilization FREE quote Sprinkler Repair

720-283-2155 Continental8270@yahoo.com

Plumbing

(303) 961-3485 Licenced & Insured

We are open and operating on normal schedule!

Call Dirty Jobs 720-308-6696 Over 35 yrs experience• Free Estimates www.askdirtyjobs.com

Thomas Flooring & Tile • All Types of Tile • • Granite-Ceramic • • Porcelain • • Natural Stone •Vinyl • •Bathroom Remodel•

32 Years Experience • Work Warranty

303-781-4919

Roofing/Gutters

FREE Estimates

All Types of Roofing New Roofs, Reroofs, Repairs & Roof Certifications Aluminum Seamless Gutters Family owned/operated since 1980 Call Today for a FREE Estimate • Senior Discounts

(303) 234-1539

Remodeling is my specialty!

Call now for free estimate

(303) 646-0140

www.AnyWeatherRoofing.com • Sales@AnyWEatherRoofing.com

Tree Service

Sprinklers Professional Installations & Repairs Sod Installations

Plumb-Crazy, LLC.

“We’re Crazy About Plumbing” CUSTOM HOMES • REMODEL FINISHED BASEMENTS SERVICE AND REPAIR Licensed • Insured

PH: 303-472-8217 FX: 303-688-8821

SAVE MONEY AND WATER Fast, friendly service Lifetime Warranty!

All Work Guaranteed!

Time to winterize

Tree Service

Tree and Shrub Trimming CALL FOR FREE QUOTE

720-283-2155 Windows

● Marble ● Repairs ● Granite Counter Tops

TOP WINDOW CLEANING #1 in Customer Satisfactions

10% OFF to NEW CUSTOMERS Over 20 Years Experience Insured / Bonded Call Today For A FREE Estimate Quality work guaranteed Gutter, Tree Trimming/Removal

720-400-6496 topwindowcleaning.net

Sprinkler Solutions

ALAN ATTWOOD, Master Plumber

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Drain Clearing & Plumbing Repair • Garbage disposal • Leaking pipe • Water Heater • Sump pumps

ANYTHING TILE

Residential: Hot Water Heat • Forced Air Water Heaters • Kitchens • Baths Service Repair • Sprinkler Repair

Free Instant Phone Quote Repair or Replace: Faucets, Sprinklers, Toilets, Sinks, Disposals, Water Heaters, Gas Lines, Broken Pipes, Spigots/ Hosebibs, Water Pressure Regulator, Ice Maker, Drain Cleaning, Dishwasher Instl., for coupons go to vertecservices.com CALL Vertec 303-371-3828

Handy Man Screwed up your plumbing?

Plumbing

ANCHOR PLUMBING

PLUMBING & SPRINKLERS

Tile

ABE’S TREE & SHRUB CARE Abraham Spilsbury Owner/Operator

www.sprinklersolutionscolorado.com

303-523-5859

• Pruning • Removals • Shrub Maintenance • FreeEstimates Certified Arborist,Insured, Littleton Resident 720.283.8226 • C:720.979.3888 aspilsbury@msn.com

Local ads, coupons & deals are just one click away!

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For Local News Anytime of the Day Visit OurColoradoNews.com

CHECK IT OUT AT:

ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Advertise your business here Call us at 303-566-4100

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Highlands Ranch Herald 23

May 7, 2020

P L A C E A D S O N L I N E 2 4/ 7 AT

www.ColoradoCommunityClassifieds.com

To Advertise call Karen 303.566.4091 kearhart@coloradocommunitymedia.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-566-4100

Adopt Me Ragu is an adorable 6-month-old kitten who is looking for her forever family. Although shy at first, her affectionate personality will blossom with a quiet and patient home.

Ragu would do best in a home with children over 12 and without dogs. ID# A0808726 Louie is a happy and affectionate 4-year-old pit bull. This handsome man has a big personality making him the perfect companion for an active owner. Leash walks, gentle pets and cuddles are the name of the game for sweet Louie.ID# A0812486

Colorado Statewide Classified Advertising Network To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or call Colorado Press Association Network at 303-571-5117.

WANTED

COLORADO PRESS ASSOCIATION NETWORK

Cash for Mineral Rights Free, no-risk, cash offer. Contact us with the details: Call: 720-988-5617 Write: Minerals, PO BOX 3668, Littleton, CO 80161 Email: opportunity@ecmresourcesinc.com

Buy a 25-word statewide classified line ad in newspapers across the state of Colorado for just $300 per week. Ask about our frequency discounts!

Contact this newspaper or call Colorado Press Association Network 303-571-5117

Miscellaneous Farm Products & Produce

Firewood

Grain Finished Buffalo quartered, halves and whole

719-771-8742

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Split & Delivered $300 a cord Stacking available extra $35 Call 303-647-2475 or 720-323-2173

Wanted to Buy Want To Purchase minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: P.O. Box 13557 Denver, CO 80201

TRANSPORTATION

Wanted

Cash for all Vehicles!

Mount Olivet in Wheat Ridge - Niche # 119 for two Cremains in the Circle Mausoleum; The first mausoleum built at Mt. Olivet In an open & peaceful area with easy access. Asking $4900/or best offer Call 303-422-3318 ME.

Cars, Trucks, Vans, SUV’s

Powa Caddy golf cart with 2 batteries, golf clubs and balls for sale. $250. Call John at 303-985-3209

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Any condition • Running or not No title OK • Free towing

(303)741-0762

Cell: (303)918-2185 for texting

Bestcashforcarsco.com

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For Local News Anytime To Advertise call of the Day Visit OurColoradoNews.com

For Local News Anytime TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-566-4100 Karen 303.566.4091 kearhart@coloradocommunitymedia.com of the Day Visit OurColoradoNews.com

REAL ESTATE

RENTALS

Office Rent/Lease VARIOUS OFFICES 100-2,311 sq.ft. Rents from $200-$1750/month.

Full service.

405-409 S Wilcox

Castle Rock

Wasson Properties 719-520-1730

For Local News Anytime of the Day Visit OurColoradoNews.com

24 Highlands Ranch Herald

May 7, 2020M

LETTERS FROM PAGE 14

the health of their family, it would be very easy to do the bare minimum when working in uncertain conditions. However, the health care workers at the Highlands Ranch hospital went above and beyond their duties. They held his hand and comforted him in his last days and sat by his bedside to talk to him. Additionally, sheriff ’s deputies took time to come down to the hospital to perform a funeral procession in honor of his dedicated service with the New York Police Department.

It is everyday heroes like these that really show the true definition of humanity. We will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done for our family as

YOUNG FROM PAGE 15

features creatures ranging from jellyfish to penguins.

As “Champions of Aging Well,” Home Care Assistance of Douglas County created a comprehensive “Life Enrichment Guide,” full of meaningful activities to keep the mind

we mourn our grandfather, but we want you to know that it will never be forgotten. Thank you for treating him with the respect and care that we all hope for and thank you for honoring his service. I know he is smiling down and grateful for your many acts of kindness.

Bobby Cusick Highlands Ranch Hoping for new normal Recently, Paul Albani-Burgio wrote a piece highlighting the finding of significantly cleaner air across the Denver area, according to measurements taken in late March. Those with respiratory conditions must be especially thankful for this brief respite from our increasing issue with declining air quality along the Front Range.

As we regroup from the multifaceted trauma brought on by the pandemic, I hope that we as individuals

and body active from the comfort and safety of your home. All of these activities can be accessed through a smartphone or a computer, and will open your eyes to a virtual world of possibility. To view the “Life Enrichment Guide” go to HCADouglasCounty.com and click on Resources to download a free copy. Have fun, learn new things, and go on some adventures!

and as businesses, with the necessary smart bipartisan government leadership in support, will make

this part of our “new normal.”

Lois McLauchlan Sedalia

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs, please.

• Letters must be limited to 250 words.

• Do not use all caps, italics or bold text.

• Keep it polite: Do not resort to name calling.

• Include a source and a link to it for any information that is not common knowledge. We will not publish information that cannot easily be verified.

• If you quote a person, we must be able to easily verify it. That means the quote must have been published, stated

Juliana Young is the business development manager with Home Care Assistance of Douglas County. For more information, visit www.HCADouglasCounty. com, or call 720-287-1685.

This column is hosted by the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County. For more information, please visit www.MyDougCoSeniorLife. com, email DCSeniorLife@ douglas.co.us or call 303663-7681.

during a public meeting or found on video.

• Submit ideas and opinions that are yours — and in your words. We do not publish letters as part of a letter-writing campaign.

• Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length.

• Letters will not be published from the same writer on consecutive weeks.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Friday for it to appear in the following week’s newspaper.

• Include your full name, address and phone number. We publish only your name and city or town of residence • Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SAMPLER FROM PAGE 17

class for adults: “Writing for Stage and Screen” offered on Zoom, May 7, 14, 21, 28 — Thursdays at 6-7 p.m. $125. (Two scholarships available.) See localtheaterco.org.

Stay up to date Watch for more com-

C Mo #1 olora rtg Rev do ag ers ’s eB e rok er

Taking Giant Innovative Leaps

by Kathy Muni

A

s our great state of Colorado takes small steps to reopen and get our lives back to normal, Silver Leaf Mortgage is taking giant innovative leaps.

Leaps we believe are needed to ensure the health and safety of our clients while continuing to do business today and in the future. deployed our Mobile Clean Room Office that includes two mobile workspaces, separated by a sealed glass wall. We will come to your home or any location where you choose to meet. You will have your own separate entrance to a 99.999% germfree area in which to go over documents at our mobile “kitchen table.” Your loan officer will be on the other side of the glass wall and you will communicate via audio and visual. A copier and fax will be in your space for your use so you can provide supporting documents without difficulty.

This will allow us to conduct business with you while keeping everyone safe from Covid-19 infection.

After each use, the Mobile Clean Room Office is disinfected with commercialgrade electrostatic foggers, the same type

munications from your local park and recreation districts, as well as school districts as we head towards summer---the corona virus will dictate/limit what programs are possible. There will no doubt be a number of creative projects at home from backyard drama to basement murals to original books and prints. We’d be interested to learn about them!

used in hospitals, to ensure a 99.999% germ-free environment.

With home values remaining high and interest rates at near record lows, the time to act is now. The proceeds from a reverse mortgage are tax-free money that may be used in any way you choose. For some, it’s the instant lifesaving help you need today.

For others, it’s the safety net for your future or the unplanned life events like medical emergencies that may arise.

Call TODAY for more information.

No Upfront Appraisal Fee. Offer Code 0508CCM

Kathy Muni, NMLS #1368981, is Senior Vice President and Reverse Mortgage Specialist at Silver Leaf Mortgage in Centennial.

Kathy Muni

Contact me at: (720) 458-4034, or you can email me at: KathyM@SilverLeafMortgage.com

720-458-4034

720-458-4034

Located in The Streets at SouthGlenn 6972 South Vine Street | Suite 366 | Centennial, CO 80122

NMLS #1368981 Reverse Mortgage Specialist

Kathy Muni: Re ve Mortgage Expe rse rt!

KathyM@SilverLeafMortgage.com Listen to Muni for Your Money – The Reverse Mortgage Show weekly on Legends 810 and 94.3FM, 670 KLTT, 100.7FM KLZ and 560 KLZ or see us live on Colorado’s Best KWGN CW2 & Fox-31, or Colorado & Company KUSA 9News.

SLM NMLS #1394377 is an Equal Housing Lender. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Regulated by the Department of Real Estate.