February 4, 2021
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
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INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 9 | SPORTS: PAGE 19
VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 11
Changes approved for County Line Road Construction is set to take two years and begin in 2023 BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
One of the Sports Complex’s three ice sheets — an improvement over the old South Suburban Ice Arena, which only had two. PHOTOS BY DAVID GILBERT
Massive Sports Complex now open New facility on County Line Road features three sheets of ice BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
“Colossal” hardly begins to convey the scale of South Suburban Parks and Recreation District’s sprawling new Sports Complex. Crews are still putting the finishing touches on the 206,000-squarefoot complex, which quietly opened to the public in early January on the south side of County Line Road
just west of Holly Street. A grand opening is scheduled for Feb. 20. The complex makes a mighty addition to South Suburban’s athletic offerings, featuring two 195-foot-by85-foot indoor synthetic turf fields, a sports performance training room and a gymnasium that can be divided into two full-size basketball courts, four junior basketball courts, four volleyball courts or eight pickleball courts. Most significant, however, is the complex’s three sheets of ice, which replace the two sheets at the half-century old South Suburban Ice Arena along Arapahoe Road. SEE COMPLEX, P8
SUPER SMART More than 50 local students are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists P3
South Suburban Parks and Recreation District opened its sprawling new Sports Complex on County Line Road west of Holly Street in mid-January. A grand opening for the 206,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Douglas County commissioners took the first steps in a project to reconstruct a section of County Line Road along the border between Highlands Ranch and the City of Centennial during a Jan. 26 meeting. Construction of this section, stretching from Broadway to University Boulevard, is expected to cost $20 million and to be finished in 2025. The design for the project, which will cost about $880,000, was unanimously approved by commissioners during the meeting. That phase is planned to be mostly completed by fall of this year. “I, like a lot of people, use that stretch,” said Commissioner Lora Thomas during the meeting. “I am looking forward to people not trying to cut me off and whip in front of me and cause crashes in there. This is going to be a great safety project.” The reconstruction and widening of the road has several goals, including adding roadway capacity, improving safety and drainage on the road, adding sidewalks and traffic lights and mitigating roadway noise SEE COUNTY LINE, P5
DON’T BE SCARED
A wonderful world of monsters awaits on the 16th Street Mall P12
2 Highlands Ranch Herald
February 4, 2021F
MY NAME IS
SAM CALKINS
lions of dollars a year committed to making sure all that infrastructure works without you having to think about it.
Local director of water and wastewater operations I’m 49 years old and I’ve lived in Highlands Ranch since August 2019. I grew up in Miami, Florida and went to West Point after high school. When I graduated in 1993, my first assignment was to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. I fell in love with Colorado and planned on moving back here when I retired from the Army. I ended up serving as an Army engineer officer for 26 years. It turned out that my brother fell in love with and married a woman who had grown up in Highlands Ranch. They eventually settled here and we loved it when we visited over the years. So my family and I decided this would be the perfect place to settle. My daughters both ended up at their aunt’s alma mater, Highlands Ranch High School. A career in water
For my last few years in the Army, I worked with the Army Corps of Engineers and learned a lot about how important water is to our health and economy – and how much most of us take it for granted. Benefiting from that experience, the stars aligned and I found a job at the Centennial Water and Sanitation District in early 2020. I started as Superintendent of Field Operations and recently
Family and fun
Sam Calkins.
COURTESY PHOTO
moved up to become the Director of Water and Wastewater Operations. Two things get me fired up to come to work every day. First, I’m passionate about the mission to provide safe, sustainable and reliable water and wastewater services to our customers. Second, I love the people I work with. They’re hardworking, highly skilled and focused on service. The most surprising thing I learned soon after I started working here is that we use significantly
more water for outdoor irrigation than indoor purposes. In the winter, when no one is watering the grass, we only use about 7 million gallons a day. In the summer, that number goes up over four times, sometimes reaching 30 million gallons a day. The extra 20+ million gallons is all for watering our landscaping. Aside from that, I think it’s interesting to realize that every time you drive past a fire hydrant or manhole, turn on a faucet or dishwasher, or take a shower, there are 75 people and mil-
I love spending time with my wife and our two daughters. We cook and eat dinner and talk about school and work every evening and try to do something fun as a family every weekend. My favorite pastimes are mountain biking and skiing. I love the trails around Highlands Ranch – I commute to work on my bike most days – and we get out into the foothills for hiking and mountain biking every chance I get. While I truly love working in Highlands Ranch, my career as an Army officer was hard to beat. I got to drive tanks, jump out of airplanes and see the world. I served two tours in Iraq, which was tough, fascinating and career defining. I got to live in Turkey, Germany, Alaska, England, Colorado and lots of other great places. And I worked with some of the finest people possible, from all over this amazing country. The overwhelming majority of people I know who have served in the military are proud of their service and would do it all over again if they had the chance. The sense of service, camaraderie and adventure you have in the military is hard to find anywhere else. If you have suggestions for My Name Is …, or if you would like to be featured in the segment, contact Elliott Wenzler at ewenzler@coloradocommunitymedia.com.
- E DUC AT IONA L A DV E RT I S E M E N T -
Better read this if you are 62 or older and still making mortgage payments. It’s a well-known fact that for many older Americans, the home is their single biggest asset. And with interest rates near all-time lows while home values are still high, this combination creates the perfect dynamic for getting the most out of your built-up equity. But many aren’t taking advantage of this unprecedented period. According to new statistics, senior homeowners in the U.S. are now sitting on more than 7.7 trillion dollars* of unused home equity. It’s not surprising that more than a million homeowners have already used a government-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan to turn their home equity into extra cash for retirement. It’s a fact, with a government-insured HECM loan, no monthly mortgage payments are required; however, the borrowers are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of their home, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and, if required, their HOA fees.
Today, HECM loans are simply an effective way for homeowners 62 and older to get the extra cash they need to enjoy retirement. The cash from a HECM loan can be used for almost any purpose. Other common uses include making home improvements, paying off medical bills, or helping other family members. Some people simply need the extra cash for everyday expenses while others are now using it as a safety net for financial emergencies. AAG Area Sales Manager, Jarred Talmadge, says, “As your local AAG team, our goal is to provide you with information and never pressure you. We’re here to answer your questions and give you guidance. If that means you want to work with us, great. If not, that’s okay, too. The best part? We are local, right here in Denver!” If you’re a homeowner age 62 or older, you owe it to yourself to learn more so that you can make the best decision—for your financial future. Call (855) 272-5864 to learn more!
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*https://www.nrmlaonline.org/about/press-releases/senior-housingwealth-reaches-record-7-70-trillion NMLS# 9392 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). American Advisors Group (AAG) is headquartered at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612. AAG conducts business in CO (Regulated by the Division of Real Estate; to check the license status of your mortgage loan originator, visit http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/index. htm). These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency. For full legal disclosure, please visit: www.americanadvisorsgroup.com/disclosure
Highlands Ranch Herald 3
1February 4, 2021
National Merit Scholarship semifinalists announced STAFF REPORT
The Douglas County School District has announced the names of 56 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. These academically talented students advance in the competition, which awards 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million. Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be awarded in the spring and summer of 2021: • 2,500 National Merit Scholarships • 1,000 Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships • 4,100 College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships Finalists will be announced in February, with National Merit Scholarship winners announced in the months to follow. Here are the semifinalists from DCSD:
Shriya Amara, Rock Canyon High Arjun Avinash, Rock Canyon High Rory Bartlett, Rock Canyon High Gretchen Becker, Highlands Ranch High Shama Bhargav, ThunderRidge High Kyra Bowden, ThunderRidge High Colton Brown, Rock Canyon High Elizabeth Brunn, ThunderRidge High Andrew Carter, Legend High Kevin Chen, Rock Canyon High Samantha Choe, ThunderRidge High Josephine Defnet, Castle View High Erik Eisenrich, Ponderosa High David Gao, Rock Canyon High Olivia Gibson, Rock Canyon High Amanda Gin, Rock Canyon High Chloe Hansen, Legend High Ethan Hedrick, Highlands Ranch High Rebekah Helton, Rock Canyon High Nicholas Henley, Rock Canyon High Lindsey Heyd, ThunderRidge High Nathan Hoffmann, ThunderRidge High Tanner Holmes, ThunderRidge High Ella Iveslatt, Mountain Vista High Alec Jang, ThunderRidge High Kaushik Kaja, Rock Canyon High Emma Knezevic, Highlands Ranch High Riley Koldyke, Rock Canyon High
Garrett Lail, Rock Canyon High Tanner Leonard, Rock Canyon High Audrey Lyp, Mountain Vista High William McCall, STEM School Zoe Meredith, Rock Canyon High Luke D Miga, Highlands Ranch High Kyle Mullins, Mountain Vista High Sydney Naibauer, Rock Canyon High Igor Overchuck, Rock Canyon High Joseph Parsons, STEM School Sarah Paschke, Highlands Ranch High Narendhar Prasad, Rock Canyon High Matthew Procter, Rock Canyon High Julia Reigrut, Highlands Ranch High Anna Reimers, Rock Canyon High Derek Robinson, Mountain Vista High Arianna Sanchez, Rock Canyon High Prachi Shah, SkyView Academy Justin Sheu, Rock Canyon High Emma Slack, STEM School Wyatt Stelzig, Ponderosa High Sriya Surapaneni, Rock Canyon High Benjamin Trillet, Chaparral High Sindhu Veeranki, Legend High Makena Vetter, Rock Canyon High Chloe Voss, Rock Canyon High Olivia Wilson, Rock Canyon High Harrison Witt, Mountain Vista High
Local Focus. More News. ColoradoCommunityMedia ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
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Draft Plan public comment opportunity Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. for the presentation of the Draft 2021 Douglas County Local Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update. We will review the Draft Plan and look forward to receiving your public comments. For more information visit douglas.co.us and search for Local Natural Hazard Mitigation.
Business Personal Property Tax Declarations due by April 15 2021 Business Personal Property Tax Declarations may be filed online at DouglasFilesOnline.org. Business owners who own or lease business personal property with a total market value greater than $7,900 must report the property to the County Assessor. For more information visit douglas.co.us/assessor
Reminder first half property tax payments due First half payment is due by the last day of February, second half payment due by June 15 or full payment due by April 30. For more information visit douglas.co.us/ treasurer or douglascotax.com
Where can individuals 70 and older get a COVID-19 vaccine? Those 70+ who have not been contacted by an affiliated health care system should contact a vaccine provider listed on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s website. Visit covid19.colorado.gov/ vaccine, call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or call 2-1-1.
Funds available to veterans Emergency assistance is available for veterans struggling with housing (mortgage/rent), transportation, employment, healthcare or other emergency needs. To apply for the veterans assistance funds visit douglasveterans.org or call 303-663-6200.
Are you ready if disaster hits? It takes a matter of seconds for disaster to strike and change your life forever. Thankfully, it also takes only seconds to sign up for free emergency notifications at DouglasCountyCodeRED.com ensuring that you will be in the know if dangerous circumstances are foreseen or happening near you.
What’s happening with your County government? Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meeting livestreams visit douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.
Visit douglas.co.us
4 Highlands Ranch Herald
February 4, 2021F
Colorado to loosen restrictions in color-coded COVID-19 dial BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In the latest ratcheting down of Colorado’s COVID-19 restrictions, the state public-health department announced plans to drastically ease the limits that allow counties to remain in certain color-coded levels of coronavirus restrictions. The proposed “dial 2.0” changes would put Denver metro counties in level yellow, likely promising loosened business-capacity restrictions. Some would even sit close to entering the notably low blue level. The move comes as the number of vaccinated Coloradans continues to grow, Jill Hunsaker Ryan, the department’s executive director, said in a news release. “This updated proposal is based on Colorado’s disease and vaccination rates, plus input from local public health agencies and local governments, and we are seeking the public’s help to refine it further,” Hunsaker Ryan added in the Jan. 30 afternoon announcement. The department gave Coloradans two days to submit comments on the proposed changes, a period that is
now closed. The public could leave comments until 5 p.m. Feb. 1 at tinyurl.com/NewCOVIDdialfeedback. View the full proposed changes at tinyurl.com/ NewCOVIDdial. The final changes were to be available shortly after the comment period closed. The state’s COVID-19 dial is the set of restrictions counties must follow based on local virus spread. The level a county qualifies for on the dial generally depends on the county’s rate of new cases, its percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive, and whether hospitalizations are increasing, stable or declining. The current version of level red — a relatively new addition that took effect
Nov. 20 in metro Denver and other areas of the state — banned private gatherings and indoor dining at restaurants, and tightened capacity limits at some types of businesses. Red is the second-highest level next to purple, a stay-at-home order. Eventually, more than half the state’s 64 counties operated in level red. Citing improving virus trends, Gov. Jared Polis on Dec. 30 announced that he told the state public-health department to move counties from red to orange effective Jan. 4 — even though many counties didn’t meet requirements for level orange according to the dial system. Weeks later, roughly half of Colorado’s counties still
had “incidence rates,” or rates of new cases, that meant they should technically be in level red, according to a chart in the draft of the proposed changes. The data was updated on Jan. 27, the chart says. Now, the state publichealth department intends to greatly relax the requirements for new-case rates that correspond to some of the dial’s six levels. Other levels’ thresholds will see less dramatic changes. Under the current dial system, if a county crosses 350 new cases per 100,000 people over a two-week period, that generally requires the county to move to level red, although state officials, including Polis, haven’t held firm to that guideline. The COVID-19 dial public health order — the document that outlines how the dial works — gives the state public-health department flexibility in choosing to change a county’s level. “CDPHE reserves the right to move counties one or more levels more quickly as circumstances warrant,” one part of the public health order says. In an apparent effort to align the dial system closer to how state officials have
actually applied it, the line a county needs to cross to enter level red was proposed to change drastically. Rather than 350, the threshold would essentially change to 1,000. The line for level orange, the level nearly all counties were operating in as of Jan. 31, was 175. Now, it could change to 600. Level yellow’s threshold could change from 75 to 200. The state plans to start measuring new-case rates in seven-day periods rather than 14-day chunks, so technically, the new thresholds are about 500 for red, 300 for orange and 100 for yellow over seven-day windows. The limits for blue and the lowest level, green, would basically stay the same. Qualifying for level green, known as “protect our neighbors,” involves different criteria such as supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE, according to the draft of the new rules. A county could only land itself in level purple, a stay-at-home order, if hospital capacity risked being breached, according to the current dial system. The new rules could tweak that standard so that a county SEE DIAL, P7
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Highlands Ranch Herald 5
1February 4, 2021
COUNTY LINE FROM PAGE 1
for nearby residents, according to a presentation from county staff in the meeting. Funding for the project will be split between several entities, with the majority of funding, $10 million, coming from the Denver Regional Council of Governments. The City of Centennial and Douglas County will each contribute $4.5 million and the City of Littleton will put in $1 million. The west end of the project is in the City of Littleton. The two-year construction project is planned to begin in early 2023. One portion of sidewalk will be added along the entire north side of the project, in Arapahoe County. Another portion of sidewalk will be added on the south side of the road from Clarkson Street to University Boulevard in Douglas County. A new traffic light will be added at the Clarkson Street intersection beginning in summer of 2021. In the same meeting, commissioners approved design costs for
A portion of County Line Road between Broadway and University Boulevard. Construction to widen and make other improvements PHOTO BY ELLIOTT WENZLER to that section of road will begin in 2023.
construction at the Havana Street and Meridian Boulevard intersection in Lone Tree. This project will cost $8 million and is planned to begin in 2022. They also approved design costs for changes at Bayou Gulch Road south of Parker from Pradera Parkway to Scott Avenue. Construction on the project, which will cost $3.5 million, will begin in early 2022. SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
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6 Highlands Ranch Herald
February 4, 2021F
LPS VIRTUAL 5TH GRADE PARENT NIGHT
This Franktown-area home was certified by Wellness Within Your Walls, which is intended to guide consumers and builders to healthier measures for home design and PHOTO BY JOSH DROVDAL/REVL MEDIA construction.
FEBRUARY 16, 2021 VIRTUAL PRESENTATION - 7:00 P.M. INTERACTIVE SCHOOL SESSIONS - 7:40 P.M.
Custom home puts focus on health YouTube, Amazon Prime miniseries included house in Franktown BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A custom home built in unincorporated Douglas County was featured in an interior design trade magazine and received a certification from an organization focused on healthy living spaces. The ranch-style home, located in the Fox Hill community in Franktown, was also featured in a miniseries on Youtube and Amazon Prime created by House Beautiful, the interior design magazine. Eleven designers from across the country collaborated on the concept. The home includes four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, three laundry rooms, five fireplaces and a full “boomer suite” for aging parents, said Nick Nettleton, custom builder for the home and owner of Nicholas Custom Homes. “It was very rewarding to see it all come together,” he said.
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Highlands Ranch Herald 7
1February 4, 2021
DIAL
Differences between orange and yellow
FROM PAGE 4
would only enter a stay-at-home order if statewide hospital capacity risked being breached. Under the new rules, limits on COVID-19 test-positivity rates would become stricter. For example, rather than a limit of 10% test positivity to remain in level yellow, counties could only remain in yellow with positivity rates up to 7.5%. “Testing is an important containment strategy, and we want to encourage counties to continue to test,” the draft of the new rules says. State officials met with several groups to discuss the potential changes, including local public health agencies, county commissioners, mayors and city managers, the draft says. “The dial has been a useful tool in helping us to manage our response to the pandemic, but it needs to be updated based on lessons learned over the past five months,” John Douglas, executive director of TriCounty Health Department, said in the news release. New levels and ‘5-Star’ businesses The proposed rules would move some Denver metro counties from orange down one level to yellow, and other nearby counties would stand closer to moving another notch down to blue. As of Feb. 1, the state’s website listed Adams County’s incidence rate at 338, Arapahoe’s at 353, Douglas’ at 314, Denver’s at 314 and Broomfield’s at 338. Those counties,
all in level orange under the current rules, could move to yellow under the new framework. Jefferson County sat at 284 as of Feb. 1, so if the virus’s spread continued to drop and Jefferson’s rate dipped to 200, the county could end up in level blue soon. Elbert County sat even closer at 236. Those are rough estimates using two-week incidence rates, while the new framework would measure trends in one-week rates. Across the state, most counties are expected to be in orange or yellow, with some in blue, once the new dial system takes effect, the draft says. The proposed rules arrive amid
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confusion regarding the state’s 5-Star State Certification Program, under which a business can operate with expanded capacity if it follows stepped-up COVID-19 safety protocols. The 5-Star program allows qualifying businesses to follow restrictions that are one level less severe than they otherwise would need to follow based on their county’s color level on the dial. Although the state manually moved counties from red to orange effective Jan. 4, counties still needed to meet the orange requirements in earnest before 5-Star certified businesses could operate one level lower — at level yellow — according to the
state public-health department. Now, under the proposed rules, 5-Star businesses would be still allowed to operate one level lower on the dial than they otherwise would. That raises the possibility that 5-Star businesses in many metro counties that would move to yellow could operate at notably low blue restrictions. The businesses may not operate at green, or “Protect Our Neighbors,” restrictions unless the county is formally in the Protect Our Neighbors level, the draft says. More changes on way in spring, summer The proposed modifications wouldn’t change each color level’s capacity restrictions, and they include no changes to school settings. “Dial 3.0 will occur in the spring, and we will seek input for this evolution and again for an update this summer,” the draft framework says. A final update to the dial is expected to happen in early summer, the draft adds. The proposed winter changes are an effort to “continue to balance disease transmission with economic hardship,” the draft framework says. “Our top priority has always been to prevent a breach of the hospital system. With vaccine distribution and higher levels of immunity in our 70+ population, there is less pressure on the system,” the draft adds. Since a post-holiday spike in new cases has appeared to subside, the rate of daily new cases in Colorado has continued to fall again in recent weeks, a chart in the draft shows. Hospitalizations have also fallen on a generally steady trend since early December, another chart shows.
8 Highlands Ranch Herald
February 4, 2021F
COMPLEX FROM PAGE 1
With ice sports growing in popularity, the old Ice Arena just wasn’t cutting it anymore, said Bill Dobbs, South Suburban’s ice manager. “The old arena had character,” Dobbs said. “A lot of people learned to skate there for generations. It has a special place in all our hearts, but it was time to grow. There’s just no comparison with this new facility. We can offer so much more from beginners to pros now. It’s a dream come true.” The new facility features a main sheet with seating for 800 — meeting the requirements to host national tournaments. A second sheet features seating for 250, and a third with minimal seating can host practices and free-skating. The spectator areas beside the new ice sheets also offer far greater access for people with disabilities than the old arena, Dobbs said. The ice facilities are augmented by a designated figure skating warm-up room, five locker rooms, a skate rental shop with 600 pairs for rent and a pro shop owned and operated by Wayne “Smokey” Flemming, the longtime equipment manager for the Colorado Avalanche hockey team. “It’s a lot more than a pro shop,” Dobbs said. “Smokey can fix any gear. He’s amazing.” The old Ice Arena will be mothballed for now, said Mike Braaten, South Suburban’s deputy executive director.
One of the Sports Complex’s two indoor artificial turf fields.
“We’re not sure what we’re going to do with that facility yet, but we’re in no hurry,” Braaten said. The ground beneath the old arena’s ice sheets is effectively permafrost, Braaten said, and the district plans to hire crews to drill into it to see how deep the ice goes. “It could take years to thaw,” he said. The new Sports Complex also features a restaurant and bar overlooking the ice sheets, with plans for 10 on-tap beers, and an app system that will allow spectators to place orders from their phones and have their food delivered to the stands. The facility also includes party rooms, meeting space and other rental space for club sports and school athletics programs. Like most South Suburban facilities, users pay either a resident or nonresident fee to use the complex, depending on whether they live
The Sports Complex’s Pro Shop is managed by Wayne “Smokey” Flemming, the forPHOTOS BY DAVID GILBERT mer equipment manager for the Colorado Avalanche.
within South Suburban’s boundaries. South Suburban encompasses Littleton, west Centennial, Lone Tree, Sheridan, Bow Mar, Columbine Valley and parts of unincorporated Douglas, Jefferson and Arapahoe counties. The complex’s final price tag was $63 million, paid for with a combination of bonds and certificates of participation, Braaten said. That’s up from initial estimates of $50 million several years ago, and $61 million last year, owing largely to the addition of the third sheet of ice and construction delays.
Though restricted to 25% capacity in late January, the complex is already Five-Star certified, meaning it could see its capacity boosted to 50% in February if COVID-19 numbers keep trending downward, said Nicole Stehlik, South Suburban’s assistant director of recreation. “It’s a great place for us to expand our competitive and recreational offerings,” Stehlik said. “A lot of groups and athletes are going to benefit from this for a long time. It’s new, it’s exciting, and it’s a big deal.” Visit ssprd.org/Sports-Complex for more information.
Sterling Ranch welcomes Pulte Homes back to Colorado STAFF REPORT
PallerFinancial.com mark.paller@pallerfinancial.com Paller Financial Services, Inc. is a CPA & Registered Investment Advisory Firm licensed by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The information presented is not specific to any individual’s circumstances and is only provided for general information and educational purposes. From time to time, this information may change without notice. Each person should seek independent professional guidance based on their situation.
Pulte Homes, the nation’s thirdlargest homebuilder, is returning to the Colorado market as a builder with Sterling Ranch, according to a news release from the community. “The addition of Pulte Homes to our impressive list of homebuilders will provide our buyers with even more options to choose from within our master planned community,” said Brock Smethills, president of the Sterling Ranch Development Co., according to the release. Pulte Homes will purchase 197 homesites in Sterling Ranch over the course of two phases. Seventyeight were purchased in December 2020, and the remaining 119 homesites are anticipated to close by June 202. The Pulte Homes offering will feature one and two-story singlefamily home designs with flexible, open living spaces situated on large homesites, as well as unique alleyloaded three-story townhomes. “With its unmatched location, va-
riety of amenities and spectacular surrounding views, Sterling Ranch is a one-of-a kind community and a perfect fit for Pulte Homes,” said Les Anderson, PulteGroup’s division president for New Mexico and Colorado, according to the release. “We are thrilled to offer our innovative home designs that give buyers the ability to create personalized spaces to fit their everyday living and entertainment needs.” Sales of these homes are anticipated to begin in late 2021 or early 2022. Details regarding floor plans, home sizes and prices will be made available at a later date, according to the release. New homes in Sterling Ranch are available for sale now by Richmond American Homes, TRI Pointe and Taylor Morrison, Dream Finders Homes, Lennar and Parkwood Homes. Information regarding each homebuilder, the selection of homes available at Sterling Ranch and pricing is available at www.sterlingranchcolorado.com, according to the release.
Highlands Ranch Herald 9
1February 4, 2021
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W
LOCAL
February 4, 2021F
VOICES
Irrelevance of watches was just a matter of time
atch out. Believe it or not, years and years ago wristwatches were intended solely to tell someone what time it was. QUIET Not anymore. DESPERATION Maybe you saw this? The president wore a $7,000 “statement watch” — a Rolex Datejust — to the inauguration. It’s doubtful he needed the watch to tell him what time it was. His day was Craig Marshall pretty well orchesSmith trated. Perhaps he wore the watch to tell those Russians something about him. I always think that actions speak louder than watches, but what do I know? I haven’t worn a watch — not even a cheap-o — in 40 years. Back when I was wearing a watch, I needed one to know what time it was; nothing more. Then, all of a sudden, there were
time pieces everywhere. Every appliance comes with a digital clock. Digital clocks come with digital clocks. Stoves, coffee makers, microwave ovens. Your television tells you what time it is too. Mobile phones know what time it is. That means you can confirm what your watch is telling you once you leave the house. Your car has a clock. Office buildings have digital clocks outside and analog clocks inside. Every stadium, gymnasium, auditorium has multiple clocks (yet coaches wear watches). Every classroom has a clock. Yet hundreds — thousands — of dollars are spent on wristwatches. Why? Because expensive wristwatches let people know you have (choose one): high standards; good taste; a lot of money; a warped sense of priorities. As you might have guessed, I don’t accessorize. In fact, I am uncomfortable with the word. No watch, ring, bracelet, necklace, or chain.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SEE LETTERS, P11
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What does a Rolex Datejust weigh? The one the president was wearing? Two pounds at least. His watch also tells him what day it is. It seems like he would know. There are watches that do more than tell the time and date. I always envied Dick Tracy’s watch. He talked into it. Now and then in grade school I talked to my wrist. (My teacher sent a note to my parents. “Craig talks to his left wrist.”) In one way or another, we all make statements with what we are wearing or not wearing. In the winter, I wear a sweater and jeans. In the summer, a shirt and shorts. I think this means one of two things: I undervalue the benefits of making statements with what I am wearing, or I’m too old and distant to care about making statements with what I am wearing. It’s time to feed the dog. Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.
The power of accountability
Follow science, not politics
Dear neighbors of the Castle Rock Town Council and Douglas County Commissioners: Castle Rock is my hometown. I have lived here since the 1970s, and graduated from Douglas County Junior High and High School. Like you, I love this town. Wearing a mask is uncomfortable and COVID-19 restrictions are a hardship on everyone. Those are not the problem: The virus is the problem. Let’s proclaim the virus the enemy and become heroes by saving lives. COVID-19 has already killed more Americans than any war except the Civil War, and that’s on track. Let’s embrace science, lean in to health professionals’ recommendations and use our much-lauded American ingenuity to create solutions. Caryn Johnson displays leadership when she is the only Castle Rock Council member to vote “no” on leaving Tri-County Health Department. Health care providers should call the shots (literally) on what is effective in fighting infection. They have the expertise and motivation to provide appropriate guidance. Elected officials have the responsibility to enact policies based on that guidance. Wise leadership follows the recommendations of the experts, and makes the case if the citizens are reluctant.
Entertainer William Jonathan Drayton Jr. takes the concept of carrying a timepiece with him to the greatest extreme. Known as “Flavor Flav,” he wears a dinner plate-sized clock on a chain around his neck. In high school, I was given a Timex with a “Twist-O-Flex” band. The band always managed to capture wrist hairs and bring tears to my years. Later I purchased a Swatch for less than $20. One day at school I looked at it and realized it was nothing more than a bracelet. After all, there were clocks everywhere. In an article about “statement watches,” Watch Shopping states, “Welcome to the complicated world of Rolex. The iconic brand often sends differing, even conflicting messages. “While a Rolex exudes a sense of sophistication and success, it also risks looking like overcompensation.” I don’t want something on my wrist to exude anything.
A
ccountability is one of those words that gets a lot of attention; however, it also receives a fair amount of avoidance. I mean it’s great when we can hold others WINNING accountable for WORDS doing what they say they will do and then actually getting it done; but when it’s time for others to hold us accountable, well, let’s just slow down a bit and talk this whole thing over. Michael Norton Accountable? I don’t need anyone holding me accountable. It does seem like there is a lot of conversation these days about accountability. We hear things like, “Why isn’t anyone being held accountable for that?” If we can get ourselves past the macro view of accountability and focus on the micro view, meaning our own personal accountability, we will be able to accomplish more, feel better about
what we achieve, and put some of the enjoyment back in our lives. Enjoyment that may have been lost while we were too busy concentrating on what others are “not” doing. Over the years I have developed a huge sense of appreciation for accountability. I have also embraced the idea of accountability partners. I would like to share five of my accountability partners with you. These are people in my life who have absolutely helped me achieve success in many areas where I am always seeking improvement. My fitness accountability partner happens to be my wife Kim. She holds me accountable for many other things too. We are accountability partners for each other when it comes to what we eat, how much water we drink, and making sure that we get our workouts in each day. The gains that we have both seen in the past few months have been incredible. When it comes to faith, my good friend Mark Foley and I have been accountability partners for many years. Every day, without fail, we participate in a
Bible study and a devotional. We share our intimate reactions and thoughts. And we typically do this the first thing in the morning. This accountability sets the tone for the day and grounds us in the truth. There is another friend whom I have known for 20 years. We speak almost every single night and have done so since the pandemic started. Our calls include catching up on the events of the day, but we also make sure we talk about specific business activities, behaviors, prospects, and customer interactions. I call John Vanderslice on the odd number days of the month and he calls me on the even days of the month. His knowledge and practicality are so valued, and if I try to avoid the details of my day, he digs in and holds me accountable to talk through it. Frank Singer is my accountability partner in so many incredible ways, as we have walked the same road in life. Long before the pandemic, we would speak often. Frank’s presence in my
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Highlands Ranch Herald A legal newspaper of general circulation in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the Herald is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124. Send address change to: Highlands Ranch Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Highlands Ranch Herald 11
1February 4, 2021
2021 is time to lead charge against ageism
D
uring 2020, the need to talk about ageism — defined by the World Health Organization as “prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination based on age” — became clearer than ever. Consider how ageism was exLIVING & posed during the AGING WELL pandemic. COVID-19 was originally dismissed as a disease affecting only older people. The hashtag #BoomerRemover abounded on social media. Older workers were pushed Janine Vanderburg out of the workforce in higher percentages than any other groups. Personal protective equipment was not initially made available in congregate living settings. Public policies were established that negatively affected older people, policies like Colorado’s Critical Standards of Care, which use scoring mecha-
nisms that effectively push older Coloradans to the back of triage lines if hospitalizations surge and there is a shortage of ICU beds and access to health care professionals. Yet 2020 also demonstrated the resilience and contributions of older adults: • Retired health care professionals coming out of retirement to help with the pandemic • Older Coloradans stepping up to care for grandchildren and other children • Organizations serving older adults pivoting and creating innovative ways to stay connected and serve those who need more support Together, this has created an opportunity in 2021 to talk about ageism and its harmful effects. Ageism is not new. Research has shown its serious consequences on the financial security, physical and mental health, memory life, and even life span of older adults. Recent studies have also shown the negative effects of ageism on communities and on the economy. A study by the
LETTERS
vices for the community during transition. With our new federal administration now in place, COVID response and vaccination will be vastly accelerated. Let’s put this matter to rest once and for all. I urge you to contact the BOCC once again and express your views. Chris Demarest Castle Rock
FROM PAGE 10
Please pivot to listening to science, not politics, to inform decisions. Let us, like our forebears, be a “Great Generation.” Thank you. Angel Horvath Castle Rock BOCC grandstanding again
The Douglas BOCC is currently pursuing leaving TCHD, again. There was passionate community response against this last summer. A DougCo health department would still be required to follow CDPHE mandates, so what’s the point in leaving? This is simply political grandstanding against perceived government overreach, aka “We don’t like Governor Jared Polis telling us what to do.” Post-COVID this is a non-issue, and people would go back to being oblivious to TCHD’s daily business. The price tag alone makes this a non-starter, not to mention the disruption to critical health ser-
NORTON FROM PAGE 10
life has always reminded me to hold myself accountable for the blessings and appreciation of true friendship. Frank and I have spoken almost every single day since the pandemic as well. And whether it’s Frank holding me accountable, or me holding him accountable, to have a brief call every day reminds us both of the necessity and value of friendship. Lastly, I will share with you my accountability partner and my voice of reason and truth. Tom Ziglar has an amazing capacity to understand situations for what they really are. We are partners, we have been co-workers, friends, and
Yale School of Public Health found that ageism in health care resulted in $63 billion in annual health care costs in the United States. AARP released a study in 2020 that showed the cost of age discrimination in the workplace in the United States to be $850 billion annually. The good news? All of us have opportunities to address ageism. 1. We can reframe aging: learning effective ways of communicating about older adult and aging issues that help people better understand aging and combat negative stereotypes about older adults. 2. We can change our own language and behavior. We can stop saying things like: “I’m having a senior moment,” and we can stop sending ageist birthday cards to our friends. Visit this website to learn about Anti-ageist Birthday Card Project: https://changingthenarrativeco. org/anti-ageist-birthday-cards/. 3. We can engage in intergenerational programs, such as mentoring and tutoring, even virtually. We can have intergenerational conversa-
SEE LETTERS, P14
we are brothers. When the world looks like a maze that I am trying to navigate and feeling a bit lost, Tom will always hold me accountable bringing me back to reality. Five accountability partners, one for each: fitness and more, faith, business, friendship, and for keeping things real. How about you? Is there a chance that you can benefit from a little bit of accountability? I would love to hear your story at mnorton@ tramazing.com, and when we have the right amount of accountability in our lives, it really will be a better than good year. Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.
Janine Vanderburg is director of Changing the Narrative, a campaign to change the way people think, talk and act about aging, older adults and ageism. To learn more, contact janine@encoreroadmap.com or visit ChangingTheNarrativeCo.org. This column is hosted by the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County. Please join us for our next virtual online presentation March 4 at 10 a.m. Janine Vanderburg will be our presenter and provide an overview about ways we can work together to address ageism. For more information, please visit www.MyDougCoSeniorLife.com, email DCSeniorLife@douglas.co.us or call 303-663-7681.
OBITUARIES MCCLATCHY
Martha Sue McClatchy 6/13/1939 - 1/21/2021
School board isn’t leading
My heart goes out to our middle and high school students in Douglas County. They’re too often experiencing academic and social/emotional harm from ongoing remote learning. What’s more, their peers in nearby schools have often returned to in-person learning formats. What’s keeping our kids from following suit? The leadership failure of our Douglas County School Board. School board leaders put children’s education first. However, our board has kept kids in remote learning and average student grades have sharply dropped as a result. Across the country, mental-health
tions. Research shows that intergenerational connection and education reduces ageism. Douglas County, the state of Colorado, the United States and the world are getting older. When we come together to address ageism, we are doing so not only for ourselves, but for our children, grandchildren and generations to come.
Martha Sue McClatchy passed away at Cedars Health Care Center in Lakewood, Colorado on Jan. 21, 2021. She was born in Galveston, Texas June 13, 1939, to Dr. John C. and Jessica (Bright) Galbreath. Her father was an US Army doctor and the family spent several years in California when he was stationed there during World War II. They later moved back to Texas. Martha graduated from Brownwood High School in Brownwood, Texas in 1957 and Texas Women’s University in Denton, TX in 1960. That same year she married Kenneth McClatchy. They moved to Denver in 1966 and raised 4 children before divorcing in 1980.
She was preceded in death by her parents, half-sister Ann Simmon and half-brother Jess Galbreath, and her daughter Jessica Lawrence. She is survived by her sister Mary Ellen (James) Adams, children Melissa (Paul) Hermes of Fergus Falls, MN, Marsha (Bruce) Girdlestone of San Diego, CA and Michael McClatchy of Thornton, CO; grandchildren Chad and John Hermes, Rachael Girdlestone, Leo and Cris McClatchy and Sara (Michael) Truckey as well as great grandchildren, Scarlett and Maddox Truckey. A private ceremony for the family will take place this spring at Mt. Lindo Cemetery in Morrison, CO. Olinger Mortuary is taking care of funeral arrangements.
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12 Highlands Ranch Herald
LOCAL
LIFE
FOR THE LOVE OF MONSTERS
February 4, 2021F
Immersive artainment experience offered at Denver Pavilions
BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
T
he world-renowned monster-makers at Greeley’s own Distortions Unlimited and the award-winning production team at Loveland-based Blazen Illuminations have teamed up to offer Denver an out-of-this world adventure filled with spooky and supernatural creatures. Distortions Monster World, an immersive artainment experience, offers guests an opportunity to explore life-sized creatures – many recognizable from television and film – and interactive, technologyforward installations in a 19,000-square-foot space in the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall. The monsters featured in the various scenes of the exhibit are the creations of Distortions Unlimited owners Ed Edmunds and Marsha Taub-Edmunds, their team and the many artists and sculptors they work with. The monsters in each scene are accompanied by special effects, props, theatrical lighting and sound design by Blazen Illuminations. “Distortions Monster World is a celebration of a lifetime of making monsters and a way to share our love for all things monster,” Edmunds said in a news release. “I have never seen monsters as ugly, and certainly haven’t associated them with just one time of the year. My hope is that visitors will walk away appreciating the art and beauty behind these creatures, and realize there is more to monsters than meets the eye.”
A group of friends gather for a photo in front of a display at Distortions Monster World. Masks must be worn while exploring the PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN 19,000-square-foot space, but guests are permitted to remove them for photos.
IF YOU GO Distortions Monster World is located at 500 16th Street Mall on the first floor in Suite #180. Typical hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets must be purchased online in advance, and are available up to one hour before your desired time slot. Each time slot lasts one hour. Tickets cost $25 per person for guests age 12 and older, $18 for youths age 6-11, and children age 5 and younger are free. Masks must be worn while exploring the exhibit, but may be removed briefly for taking a picture. The exhibit is deep cleaned before opening and at the end of the day. To purchase tickets or learn more about the Distortions Monster World exhibit, visit https://distortionsmonsterworld.com.
Many of the creatures on display at Distortions Monster World are well-known from movies, television or music, such as USDI from Star Trek Continues.
A giant, creepy tree is one of the installations at Distortions Monster World, an immersive artainment experience at the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall.
Highlands Ranch Herald 13
1February 4, 2021
Museum reveals discovery of rare dinosaur remains
I
org. Check online at www.curioustheatre.org/nowyouknow_teachers. The plays are: “Black” by Lamaria Aminaha and “In Transit” by Holden Thomas.
and shaped like the famous wooden Dala Horses. Englewood-based artists will be given preference. Winners will receive $1,000. Horses will be installed in early summer for five years and may be moved around. Interested artists who did not receive a notice should contact Toni Arnoldy, 303-762-2490. Request the notice, which has a horse form to use in indicating your proposal.
n 2017, Smithsonian Ecology Fellow Erin Spear, Ph.D., was part of a Denver Museum of Nature & Science team exploring rocks dating 73.5 to 77 million years old in northwestern New SONYA’S Mexico. She spotted SAMPLER a fragment of skull of tube-crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus, previously known only from a specimen collected in 1923 in the same area. Research was funded through the Sonya Ellingboe DMNS’ Laramidia Project. The skull discovery was reported in last week’s edition of the journal PeerJ — watch for more news about this fascinating find! In other DMNS news, the Gates Planetarium is now open, as is the rest of the DMNS. It is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd. 303-370-6000, dmns.org.
Wonderbound dance company
Stories on Stage
“A Kiss is Still a Kiss” will be a Valentine’s Day treat livestreamed from Boulder’s Nomad Playhouse at 7 p.m. Feb. 12. Actors Kate Gleason, Ilasiea Gray and Ryan Warner will read a selection of funny and romantic stories as the organization celebrates its 20th anniversary. Tickets: $15. storiesonstage.org or 303-494-0523. Ticket holders will receive a link to the performance.
Denver Jewish Film Festival
Life reconstruction of the head of Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus based on COPYRIGHT ANDREY newly discovered remains. ATUCHIN/COURTESY OF DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE
The Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver, will host 30 films from Feb. 8-17 in the Annual Jewish Film Festival. It includes 20 feature films and 10 shorts showcasing Jewish films from 14 countries. Nearly half of the filmmakers represented are women. For more information and tickets, available Feb. 8, see: jccdenver.org/
Swedish Horses Corral Project
The Englewood Cultural Arts Commission is accepting artis applications for the Swedish Horses Corral Project 2021, with a Feb. 25 deadline. Fiberglass horses will be about 4 feet tall, 3 feet 7 inches long
film. Films can be viewed by Chromecasting to your TV, or via the Eventive Smart TV apps for Roku or Apple TV. Curious Theatre
“Now You Know,” a two-play education series, is written by young playwrights in the Curious New Voices program: it’s virtually available until June 15. Tickets cost $10 per family and both productions will be available until June 15. 303-623-0524, info@curioustheatre.
HOME FROM PAGE 6
“It starts from the ground up,” Nettleton said. “We’re trying to make the house as healthy to live in as living in the wilderness. We didn’t want the house to cause any negative health effects.” Nettleton’s team accomplished this by implementing several techniques like using all sealed-combustion appliances, which improves efficiency and safety of those items. They also only used building materials that don’t have harmful volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which can have adverse health impacts. They built the house with a full water filtration system — complete with a water softener and a UV light — to remove everything from the drinking water including any
A wet bar in the Douglas County home.
PHOTO BY JOSH DROVDAL/REVL MEDIA
bacteria or chlorine. The furnaces were also made to ensure the air is as clean as possible.
“It makes sure that the air you’re breathing is very healthy and allergen and bacteria free,” he said.
“The Troublemakers” will be the next production by Wonderbound dance company, which just held a size-limited live performance at its new home, 3824 Dahlia St., Denver. Performances will be at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 25, 26; March 4, 5, March 11, 12; at 2:15 and 6:15 on Feb. 27, 28, March 6, 7, March 13, 14. Only 25 people at each performance, masks required, social distance for anyone but members of your party. (Feb. 28 and March 7 at 2:15 sold out.) Wonderbound.com.
Littleton Town Hall
Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton has sent an audition notice to actors and will present an in-person performance of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” later in the spring, with actors enclosed in a plastic bubble on the stage floor — if COVID regulations remain as they are — we wish them luck and hope to attend, assuming audience seating will be very limited ... townhallartscenter. org.
Nettleton said not many homes have these features yet. “I do think it’s getting more popular, especially with COVID-19,” he said. “I think a lot of people have realized they spend a lot of time at their home and being made aware of healthier living in general.” The company broke ground on the project at the end of March 2020 and it was completed in August of that year. “It was a struggle to build an almost 6,000-square-foot house with (11) designers in four and a half months,” Nettleton said. “With the COVID-19 situation, that made it much more challenging.” Nettleton said his company plans to only build homes that meet the Wellness Within Your Walls certification going forward. “It was an exciting process for us,” he said. “We’ve never done something like this before.”
To advertise your place of worship in this section, Serving the southeast Denver area
Castle Rock/Franktown
Greenwood Village
call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eaddenbrooke@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com Parker
Advertise Here!
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Advertise Your Place of Worship
Advertise Your Place of Worship
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Call or check our website for information on services and social events! www.cbsdenver.org
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Please check our Website for details about Sunday Services. www.CSLParker.org
14 Highlands Ranch Herald
February 4, 2021F
C R O S S W O R D LETTERS P U Z Z L E FROM PAGE 11
emergency room visits for kids are up at least 25%. Leaders don’t settle for these painful results. Leaders are accountable. Our current board ran on this promise. Yet, as families across Douglas County have pleaded for a return to in-person learning, the board has deflected the responsibility to other entities. But as their recent decrees to delay have demonstrated, our board has decision-making power. Leaders find a way to make it work. Leaders utilize data. The CDC says in-person schooling does not add to overall COVID spread. Charter and private schools in Douglas County as well nearby school districts are proving that in-person learning can be done safely. Our families, kids, and teachers need leadership from our school board. They aren’t getting it. This shakes our faith in them, not just in this crucial instance but in future challenges they’d face. For our community’s sake, we need to replace this board as soon as we can and elect leaders who will put our children’s education first. Brandi Bradley Littleton Free speech and ethics challenged?
I was shocked to see Smith Young’s challenge to our Democratic Party county chair’s values of freedom of speech and ethics (letter in the papers of Jan. 21 and 22). Don’t Conservative Blogs have the same values as the rest of us? The local party members feel very strongly about these issues which can be seen in the platform: “As trust is paramount in these social networks, we believe that our government should be comprised of public servants who place honesty and transparency in highest regard and operate from a shared
set of facts.” “We believe that all members of our society have added value, and that their voices are worth being heard.” “We support safeguarding our election process so it truly reflects the will of the American people.’ The days of “fake news” are over! It is time to recognize the good work that political parties are capable of performing and focus our efforts on providing for shared needs. Charles H. Bucknam Parker Klotz should stick to his job
I was alarmed to hear that Douglas County Clerk Merlin Kotz called for a challenge to electoral tallies from key swing states that certified their election results for Joe Biden. I would like to hear where he gets his information to make that kind of allegation. Mr. Klotz has not provided one trustworthy, credible source confirming his repeated claim. What is most troubling is that he makes these accusations on his personal Facebook page where his job as Douglas County Clerk is prominently proclaimed. That is a role that influences people’s opinions about the trust they can place in our government and our elections. He needs to be extra careful about spreading disinformation. Particularly after the invasion of our nation’s Capitol by an armed mob that was prompted to action by lie-filled violent rhetoric, it is more important than ever that elected officials like Klotz keep their personal opinions to themselves, and stick to the job we elected him to do. Last check, there are many thousands of registered voters in Douglas County who may not share his particular views. His public comments are an explicit disenfranchisement of the clear majority of people who vote in our county. Gail Frances Highlands Ranch SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
115-43
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February 4, 2021F
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1February 4, 2021
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Highlands Ranch Herald 19
LOCAL
1February 4, 2021
SPORTS
Season B goes ahead after much consideration Prep athletes in six sports get chance to play amid pandemic rules BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Season B started Jan. 25, but it took work, determination and soulsearching from the Colorado High School Activities Association to usher in the six sports seasons. Boys and girls basketball, hockey, girls swimming and diving and boys and girls wrestling are the sports in Season B that will have abbreviated seasons, but at least as of press time there will be competition and eventually state champions crowned despite the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. CHSAA has had to make adjustments after seeking variances from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. CHSAA had to direct teams to make altered schedules, modify state tournament brackets and venues, try to find referees and officials from a dwindling list plus listen to complaints and suggestions from administrators, coaches, parents and spectators. There will be a new look for all six sports as practices and competition must follow local and state COVID-19 guidelines and mandates. “It’s just been a challenge, but I think the best part of this is, it looks like we are going to get a season in, and number two, we are going to be able to conclude with some state championships,” said assistant CHSAA commissioner Bert Borgmann, who oversees boys and girls basketball. All boys and girls basketball players must wear masks this season while playing, and CHSAA got a
There will be a new look at high school basketball games this season. The Arapahoe bench was social distancing with no fans in the gym against Cherry Creek on Jan. 27. PHOTO BY JIM BENTON
variance from the CDPHE to have 14 instead of 12 games during the regular season. Roster limit has been set at 12 for each team with three coaches and a trainer. That also required a variance. State basketball tournament fields have been reduced. In Class 5A there will be a 32-team bracket with league champions automatically qualifying. The CHSAA seeding selection index will determine state tournament at-large teams. Highest seeding teams will be hosts for games on March 9, 11, 13 and 16 until the state championship games at a site still to be determined as of press time. “There are a lot of little things that go into it,” said Borgmann. “We set out with a couple of goals. One was to have a season where we could get the kids on the floor, which to me is the most important one. Secondarily, we didn’t finish and crown champions last year. I think it is important that we crown a champion. “The variances we got were so that kids could play games,” Borgmann said. “There is nothing about capacity limits or anything like that. The
capacity limits will be set by the local health care agencies. So you are going to go from this district to this district, this league and this league where some leagues are going to allow parents and others are not going to allow anybody. Those were decisions that were made locally for whatever reason.” CHSAA does not have the authority to interpret or change CDPHE, local health departments or the governor’s executive orders in regard to capacity limitations for sport arenas, gyms, pools, recreational facilities, ice rinks, classrooms, restaurants, theaters and so on. Boys and girls wrestling regular season meets will be limited to four teams with 25 athletes in the competitive gym at one time. At the end of each match the official will instruct the winning wrestler to raise his or her hands while also raising his or her own hands with the same colored wrist band. Adam Bright, the CHSAA commissioner who oversees wrestling, wrote in his Jan. 15 memo in the state wrestling bulletin that “a recent ranking system ranked our
state tournament as third in the country. While this year will be different than those in recent memory, we will continue to work toward the goal of achieving that top ranking.” Regional tournaments on March 5-6 will be divided into two days with certain weights wrestling each day. The top two boys in each weight class in the four regionals will advance to state while the top four girls in the two regionals will earn a ticket to state. The 4A, 5A state tournament with eight-athlete brackets and a full consolation bracket will be held March 13 at a still-to-be-determined site. Justin Saylor is the assistant commissioner who manages hockey and girls swimming. “The upcoming season will present challenges we have not had to face during any point in our careers,” he said in his bulletin memo. “Collectively, we will overcome these challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and be better for it on the other side. I look forward to working with all the coaches, administrators and officials throughout the year.” Hockey will have another class with 4A being added. There will be a 13-game maximum regular season and a team must play 12 of the 13 games against a league opponent. There will be 20 participants per team allowed. There will be a four-team bracket for the 4A and 5A state tournaments and each league will have one automatic qualifier with the fourth team being an at-large selection. Girls swimming will have a sevenmeet maximum plus the league meets. CHSAA was granted a variance allowing 50 total participants for all teams. The state meets schedule finds 5A teams competing on March 11, 4A on March 12 and 3A on March 13.
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PUBLIC NOTICES
Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Adoption / Guardianship Public Notice DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO Douglas County, CO 80109 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO In the Interest of: ADRIAN AARON FRANK, D.O.B.: 5/12/2014; Child, And concerning:
legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com
SHARISE GREGORY, D.O.B.: 5/22/1987; Legal Custodian; JOHN DOE; Father, Respondents,
4 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, and Section 19-3-503, C.R.S. 2020.
And GABRIEL DISCEPOLO, D.O.B.: 2/17/1995; Legal Custodian’s Husband, Special Respondent.
TO THE RESPONDENT NAMED ABOVE: You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed which alleges that the above-named child is dependent or neglected as per the facts set forth in the Dependency and Neglect Petition, a copy of which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.
Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833 Angela Borkowski, #50088 4400 Castleton Ct. Castle Rock, CO 80109 (303) 814-5326 Fax: (303) 479-9259 lreigrut@douglas.co.us aborkowski@douglas.co.us CASE NUMBER: 20JV222 DIVISION 8 DEPENDENCY SUMMONS This Summons is initiated pursuant to Rule 2.2 of the Colorado Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rule
TO: JOHN DOE
A Return of Service for Respondent Father and Pre-trial Conference have been set for February 8, 2021 at 11:45 a.m. in Division 8 by phone: 720-437-6180 + 75590#, Douglas County District Court, 4000 Justice Way, Castle Rock, Colorado, 80109. Your presence before this court is required to defend against the claims in this petition. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT WILL PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE, WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, TO CONDUCT AN AD-
JUDICATORY HEARING AND MAY ENTER A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT THEREBY ADJUDICATING YOUR CHILD AS A DEPENDENT OR NEGLECTED CHILD. You have the right to request a trial by jury at the adjudicatory stage of this petition. You also have the right to legal representation at every stage of the proceedings by counsel of your own choosing, or if you are without sufficient financial means, appointment of counsel by the Court. Termination of your parent-child legal relationship to free your children for adoption is a possible remedy in this proceeding. If that remedy is pursued, you are entitled to a hearing before a Judge. You also have the right, if you are indigent, to have the Court appoint, at no expense to you, one expert witness of your own choosing at any hearing on the termination of your parent-child relationship. If you are a minor, you have the right to the appointment of a Guardian ad litem to represent your best interests. You have the right to have this matter heard by a district court judge rather than by the magistrate.
You may waive that right, and in doing so, you will be bound by the findings and recommendations of the magistrate, subject to review as provided by sec. 19-1-108(5.5), C.R.S. 2020, and subsequently, to the right of appeal as provided by Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4. This summons is being initiated by the Douglas County Department of Human Services through its counsel. Dated: January 27, 2021 /s/ Angela Borkowski Angela Borkowski, #50088 Assistant Douglas County Attorney Legal Notice No. 938652 First Publication: February 4, 2021 Last Publication: February 4, 2021 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press
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