Columbine survivor’s esthetics business o ers healing, empowerment
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Marjorie Erickson sits down with a client, permanent makeup tools in hand, she’s not just crafting a symmetrical wing or perfectly arched brow on people — she’s rebuilding condence, one meticulous stroke at a time.
“It’s not about vanity,” Erickson said. “It’s usually people who struggle with some con dence issues and it helps them with it.”
Erickson is the founder and owner of Decadent Beauty, a growing permanent makeup business she opened at Image Studios in Englewood. She splits her time between operating Decadent Beauty in Englewood and its other location in Nebraska.
After years of working in a different career — an investigator for the Colorado Public Defender’s O ce — Erickson took a leap of faith to pursue her lifelong passion for aesthetics and helping others feel comfortable in their skin.
As a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, Erickson said the trauma shaped her life, making traditional schooling di cult.
“After Columbine, I was pretty scared of school and didn’t do well with anything in person,” she said. “I did online stu , but you can’t be an esthetician online. It doesn’t work like that.”
Despite those obstacles, Erickson persevered. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Colorado Denver — in 2010 and 2013, respectively — through online and hybrid programs.
However, after relocating to rural Julesburg in northeast Colorado with her husband, Craig, she realized her position at the public defenders’ o ce was no longer feasible.
at opened the door to her long-deferred dream. So, with her husband’s encouragement, Erickson felt she could nally pursue her calling.
WESTMINSTER WINDOW
“I had done a lot of years of therapy … and felt I was in a position where I could go to class in person,” Erickson said.
New dress code rankles Je co library sta
JCPL
workers say new policy proposal silences support for marginalized
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
Je erson County Public Library workers say a proposed dress code policy under negotiation would bar them from wearing Pride pins, DEI-themed shirts or other visible signs of support for marginalized communities, despite the library’s public celebration of diversity. e proposed change comes as sta are negotiating their rst-ever union contract. In March 2024, JCPL employees voted to unionize, forming the Je erson County Library Workers Union under Colorado’s new collective bargaining law. Contract talks have been underway since the vote.
At issue is the library’s current dress code, which allows sta to wear business casual attire and include limited adornments on lanyards, such as pronoun buttons and two additional pieces. e policy also states apparel should be “free of slogans/wording other than JCPL or County-sponsored items.”
Union members say they had hoped to clarify and expand this policy to explicitly allow supportive t-shirts and buttons tied to library events, such as Pride Month, Black History Month or Banned Books Week.
Instead, management has proposed further tightening restrictions, eliminating all visual messaging, including buttons and other visual elements.
Williams said management has cited safety concerns, arguing that visible political messaging could lead to verbal altercations. For instance, a patron might yell at a sta member for wearing a Pride button.
Williams said she’s unaware of any prior incidents involving apparel, and noted the library’s public-facing code of conduct already addresses verbal harassment.
Permanent makeup artist Marjorie Erickson tattoos permanent makeup on a client. Erickson o ers her services in both Nebraska and Englewood, where recently rented a space at Image Studios. COURTESY OF MARJORIE ERICKSON
Locals make case for Medicaid
Je co Transcript (ISSN 1089-9197)
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Je erson County, Colorado, the Je co Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 3540 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen, CO 80439.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT EVERGREEN, COLORADO.
POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Je co Transcript, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Transcript. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Family, nonprofit healthcare organizations discuss impacts of potential cuts
BY ISABEL GUZMAN IGUZMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Tim and Kara Norick of the Littleton area adopted their secondyoungest son of six children, Malakai, from China in 2016, when he was almost 3 years old.
Malakai was found on a bridge in China at just days old in dire medical condition and was rushed to a hospital in Shanghai, where he was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, organ failure and other complex medical conditions.
After almost three years in an orphanage, Malakai was adopted and brought to join his new family near Littleton.
After being treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Malakai was diagnosed with Opitz G/BBB Syndrome — a rare condition a ecting the entire midline of his body.
“ ink about anything that crosses through your midline like your digestive system, your trachea, your lungs, even your eyes and your nose, are all impacted by the syndrome,” Tim Norick said.
Now almost 12, Malakai has undergone several surgeries and treatments, and even received a custom-built larynx, or “voice box.”
e Noricks have private health insurance to keep up with Malakai’s medical costs and use Medicaid, or government issued health insurance, to supplement.
“Children’s Hospital gave us a caseworker o the bat and we were very grateful for that because they were able to do a lot of the front work (setting up) Medicaid support (which) we’ve had since the very beginning,” Kara Norick said.
Medicaid helped cover costs for Malakai’s growth hormone medication, something the Noricks’ private insurance wouldn’t pay for.
Additionally, Kara Norick said their primary insurance paid for feeding tubes, but not for Malaki’s Malone tube, a small tube that empties bowels. Medicaid paid for Malakai’s Malone tube equipment.
Because of the several times Medicaid was able to cover costs for Malakai’ health, the Noricks are avid supporters of preserving Medicaid.
Medicaid under the ‘big, beautiful bill’
e budget consolidation bill, H.R.1, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was introduced by House Republicans. It aims to “reduce taxes, reduce or increase spending for various federal programs, increase the statutory debt limit, and otherwise address agencies and programs throughout the federal government,” according to the bill’s language.
Ranging from tax cuts to implementing new work requirements to qualify for Medicaid and SNAP, the bill narrowly passed in the Senate on July 1 and went back to the House of Representatives for another vote.
e Congressional Budget Ofce estimated that H.R.1 would decrease federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion because of new work requirements that the o ce said would cut insurance coverage for 10.3 million people nationwide.
According to WhiteHouse.gov, the bill will strengthen “the integrity of Medicaid by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.”
cost the clinic thousands. e organization is currently losing $20,000 per month in Medicaid funds from the now-ended Public Health Emergency’s Continuous Coverage Unwind that was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
e clinic doesn’t turn away anyone who can’t a ord a visit and uses a sliding fee scale, for which the price of services and medication are adjusted to what a patient can pay. Currently, 30% of Doctors Care’s patients are uninsured.
“We’re going to see another 5-to-15% of people who will become uninsured, and that just places so much pressure on the overall healthcare system,” said Bebe Kleinman, CEO of Doctors Care.
Elizabeth Hockaday, Doctors Care’s development and marketing director, said while the clinic will continue its mission of serving all patients regardless of insurance status, the lack of income has pushed the facility to rely on donations.
Since H.R.1 would also seek to decrease federal spending on SNAP, Kleinman said she is worried about people losing food resources, which would a ect the health of many. Patients who have access to nutritious food, have housing and are employed are easier to care for than when they wait too long to see a doctor due to medical costs and become very sick, according to Kleinman.
Hockaday said the stress put on the healthcare system then impacts nurses, doctors and other hospital sta who become quickly burned out from treating an in ux of sick and diseased patients.
Colorado Access is a nonpro t public sector health plan that exclusively serves public programs like Medicaid and children’s health insurance. Colorado Access CEO Annie Lee said the company acts as a connection point between the state, Medicaid providers and its members.
“ e work requirements in the reconciliation bill is a huge concern,” she said. “ is is a big administrative burden to be placed on states.”
Lee said in 2023, when the Public Health Emergency Unwind ended, 800,000 Coloradans lost Medicaid coverage. According to the Urban Institute, at least 120,000 Coloradans are expected to lose coverage due to the introduction of Medicaid work requirements alone, with more likely mistakenly disenrolled. “When people can’t access health care, they’re getting sicker until they get care, usually at the emergency department … people shouldn’t wait until they’re terribly sick to get care — and when it’s the most expensive care,” she said. e cost of expensive medical intervention that is not compensated begins a ripple e ect on the healthcare system, Lee said.
“Having our members lose coverage is painful and it’s also painful to know that our providers will not be able to access the kinds of revenues that they need in order to stay a oat to continue serving their communities,” she said.
Both Lee and Kleinman said they are “weathering the storm of uncertainty” each day, waiting to see if the bill passes and how soon changes will be ordered. ey addressed the perception that Medicaid is an abused welfare resource.
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Community Media asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
As part of Children’s Hospital Association’s Family Advocacy Day, the Norick family recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with 60 other patients and their families to advocate for preserving Medicaid amid the potential cuts being debated in Congress. Kara Norick said she was impressed with how legislators spoke with Malakai and made him feel valued.
“It was a breath of fresh air to see how truly bipartisan things can be,” she said.
Kara Norick said she worries about keeping Malakai on his necessary medications as he gets older.
“We are proponents of trying to be as independent as you can,” Kara Norick said. “But unless I am making (the medicine), administering it, doing everything, it’s seen as: ‘oh, he’s independent, he doesn’t need it.’”
The local Medicaid battle
For Doctors Care, a nonpro t clinic in Littleton, the cuts to patients’ Medicaid coverage could
“Charitable giving can be just as volatile sometimes as whatever is happening in politics and the stock market,” Hockaday said.
Kleinman said Doctors Care’s partners with other nonpro ts that o er resources for food, housing and community engagement are also in a vulnerable position.
“In previous years when budgets have been in crisis, there might be one partner that is in a dip,” she said.
“But what we’re seeing now is that there’s really no part of the community safety net that isn’t under attack. at’s very impactful to the patients we serve.”
“Medicaid saves lives,” Kleinman said. “We judge what selfsu ciency looks like and most of us are not in a position to be judging others.”
Lee echoed the importance of Medicaid for children: “We know cases of kids born with severe developmental delays and diseases that are very di cult and expensive to treat, and if not for Medicaid, they wouldn’t be able to go on and live their lives.”
For Malakai and his parents, Medicaid lls in the gaps that primary insurance can’t.
“Medicaid can provide life-afrming care that Malakai would not have otherwise,” Tim Norick said.
Tim and Kara Norick and their son, Malakai, traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Medicaid. COURTESY OF CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO
National Association of Realtors Boasts About Getting Its Top Priorities Into the Senate’s Tax Bill
The bill as passed by the Senate included NAR’s five key priorities:
A permanent extension of lower individual tax rates
An enhanced and permanent qualified business income deduction (Section 199A)
A temporary (five-year) quadrupling of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, beginning for 2025
Protection for business SALT deductions and 1031 like-kind exchanges
A permanent extension of the mortgage interest deduction
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC): Key provisions from the LIHTC Improvement Act are included on a permanent basis to support affordable housing development.
No Changes to Carried Interest Rules
“These provisions form the backbone of the real estate economy—from supporting first-time and first-generation buyers to strengthening investment in housing supply and protecting existing homeowners,” according to a NAR spokesperson. “Real estate makes up nearly one-fifth of the entire U.S. economy, and we made sure policymakers understood that homeownership is the essential component to building wealth and a strong, prosperous middle class.”
Several other provisions in the bill championed by NAR add to its positive impact on the real estate sector:
Child Tax Credit Increased to $2,200: Permanently raises the credit, with inflation indexing. This provision could ease housing affordability for families.
Permanent Estate and Gift Tax Threshold Set at $15 Million (Inflation-Adjusted): Prevents a sharp drop in exemption levels and supports generational wealth transfer.
No Increase to the Top Individual Tax Rate: The proposed 39.6% rate was removed from the bill.
Restoration of Key Business Provisions:
Full expensing of research and development
Bonus depreciation
Fixes to the interest expense deduction limit
Immediate Expensing for Certain Industrial Structures: Applies to facilities used in manufacturing, refining, agriculture and related industries.
These Past ‘Real Estate Today’ Columns May Interest You
Clickable links for each column can be found at www.JimSmithColumns.com
May 29, 2025 — Divorcing Couples With a Home Need a Realtor With Specialized Training
May 22, 2025 — Home Sharing Helps Single Seniors Deal With Finance and Loneliness, Allowing Them to Age in Place
April 24, 2025 — Lennar to Build 1,500 Geothermal Homes; My Review of the Mustang Mach
E
April 17, 2025 — Redfin Report Highlights the Increasing Cost of Buying versus Renting a Home
April 10, 2025 — The Typical Wood-Frame, SiteBuilt Home So Common Since the ’90s May Soon Be a Thing of the Past
Mar. 27, 2025 — Here’s How Money Is Handled at a Real Estate Closing
Mar. 20, 2025 — Thinking of Using a Reverse Mortgage to Purchase a Home? Here’s Some Information
Mar. 13, 2025 — Will Colorado Be Able to Sustain Its ‘Green Agenda’ Under Pressure From Washington?
Mar. 6, 2025 — 62% of Americans Think a 20% Down Payment Is Required, But It’s the #1 Myth
Feb. 27, 2025 — As Society Deals With Homelessness and Affordability, Expect a Greater Focus on Manufactured Homes
Feb. 20, 2025 — We Have a Tool to Help You Find the ‘Perfect’ Home That’s Not on the MLS
Dec. 26, 2024 — As Pro-Tenant Laws Expand, Some Small Landlords Are Considering Cashing Out
Dec. 19, 2024 — What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home in Colorado?
Nov. 7, 2024 — We Need to Take Seriously the Pollutants Emitted When Cooking With Gas
Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors
Sept. 26, 2024 — Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Sept. 5, 2024 — What Knowledge and Skills Should You Expect Your Real Estate Agent to Have?
Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Over 70 Might Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home
July 25, 2024 — Many Homeowners Don’t Understand Title Issues, Which Could Lead to Big Problems Later On
June 6, 2024 — Here Are Some Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises After Closing
Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?
Feb. 22, 2024 — Most Sellers Don’t Know How to Interview a Listing Agent. Here’s Some Guidance.
Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build Homes With OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood
Nov. 23, 2023 — Scamming Has Become An Industry, and We’re All Prospective Victims
Sept. 28, 2023 — Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California. Is That in Our Future?
Aug. 10, 2023 — What Are Some Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?
June 15, 2023 — Don’t Let Capital Gains Tax Deter You From Cashing Out on an Investment Property
May 11, 2023 — Do Agents Inflate the Cost of Buying or Selling Your Home with ‘Junk Fees’?
Apr. 20, 2023 — What Are Some Affordable Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Buyers?
Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Accommodating to Seniors
Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes
Oct. 27, 2022 — Sales Taxes May Be Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Unincorporated Areas
Strengthened Opportunity Zones: Renewed with revised incentives to promote targeted investment, including in rural areas. NAR polling found that 80% of voters support such tax incentives to drive economic development in underserved communities.
Some Useful Charts
The deadline for this ad was last Friday, before the House of Representatives took the Senate bill up for approval. NAR is hopeful the provisions detailed above will remain in the final version of the bill.
This article was adapted from an email newsletter article I received from NAR. I made only minor edits to it.
That Explain the June Market
The following charts were provided by Samanth Glenn of Land Title, along with this summary of the market for June 2025:
The Greater Metro Denver housing market saw active listings continue to grow in June — a 33% increase when compared to last year at this time. New listings declined when compared to last month (-19%) but were up 3% when compared to last year. Pending sales (demand) increased 6% when compared to last year, but did see a slight decline when viewed month-over-month.
The average days on market remained high at 35 days, an increase of 30% year over year. More highlights are below.
In June, active listings were down 0.2% month-over-month but remained elevated when compared to June 2024, which saw 9,866 active listings.
June saw 5,582 new listings enter the market. This data point decreased 18.7% when compared to last month, which saw 6,869 new listings. Last year at this time we saw 5,446 new listings.
Pending sales decreased by 3% when compared to last month. Last year at this time we saw 3,777 pending sales.
Look at how the months of inventory (unsold lis ngs) compare to prior years:
ra o of closed price to lis
(99.1%) was the lowest of the past
June saw the average days on market at 35. Last month saw 33 days and last year at this time saw 27 days, on average.
The number of showings per listing for June was at 4.6. This was a decrease of 6.1% compared to last month. Last year at this time we saw 5.2 showings per listing, on average:
More readable versions of these charts are at http:RealEstateToday.substack.com
Eclectic octopus mural livens up Rheinlander Bakery
Olde Town Shindig Mural Contest winner adds to Arvada’s bustling public art scene
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As a giant Paci c Northwest octopus climbs a tree stump in a forest, a western bluebird perches on its head while monarch butter ies y around the octopus, which is also drinking a cup of co ee.
It’s a scene that’s unlikely to be found in nature, but is now displayed, in mural form, on the north side of Rheinlander Bakery in Olde Town Arvada.
For muralist Patrick Maxcy, who earned the mural commission by winning last year’s Olde Town Shindig Mural Contest, putting octopuses in unexpected places is a vital part of placemaking.
“ e octopus is a character I paint often in my work,” Maxcy said. “I love painting them where they are least expected because visitors remember them, take photos with them, and my work is full of fun, whimsical storytelling.”
Maxcy is an accomplished muralist who has painted 18 murals throughout Colorado and beyond, with other mu-
DRESS CODE
“ ey’re saying it will make library workers safer,” Williams said. “But what keeps us safe is enforcing the code of conduct, not telling us not to wear a button.”
Sta raise concerns over free expression Williams and union sta believe the issue goes beyond a few slogans.
“ is isn’t just about a dress code,” said librarian Katherine Williams, a member of the union’s bargaining team. “ is is the canary in the coal mine.”
JCPL leadership declined to answer speci c questions, citing the ongoing
rals completed in Nicaragua and Uganda, to name a couple. He was one of the rst supporters of public mural art in Arvada’s historic district, long before Olde Town became replete with sprawling installations.
“I actually started pitching murals to Olde Town Arvada before there were murals even here,” Maxcy said. “ I lived in Arvada for a few years, and lived very close to Olde Town, and I remember meeting (Olde Town BID Director) Joe (Hengstler) at a mural festival in Fraser, Colorado.
“And even back then, I was trying to pitch ideas to him for murals in Arvada,” Maxcy continued. “And I don’t think there were any. e rst project we did was (painting) the electrical boxes to kind of get people used to the idea. I was part of getting that project going and working on that mural, and then it slowly grew from there into more murals.”
Hengstler said he was thrilled to have Maxcy’s mural work nd a home in Olde Town, especially on a historic shop like Rheinlander’s, which turned 61 years old this year.
“It’s been great working with Patrick on this latest mural,” Hengstler said. “Patrick did one of our rst public art installations when we painted the electric boxes in Olde Town ve years ago, and I’ve personally always loved his work.
“I think it is especially meaningful to
collective bargaining process.
have this latest mural installed on Rheinlander Bakery,” Hengstler continued. “Having been in Olde Town for three generations, the community has a lot of memories of coming here as children and now bringing their kids or grandkids. It’s our hope that this piece can now be part of that memory-making process.”
Maxcy said that as a former Arvada resident, he hopes his mural will conjure a sense of wonder for the visitors of Olde Town, especially families with young children.
“I love that Arvada has been so open to creativity and letting artists do a little more of their concepts and ideas,” Maxcy said. “My stu was a lot more imaginative and whimsical, and I wanted something a lot more playful, because I lived in Arvada, and there are a lot of families here, so I wanted something fun that kids and lots of families could enjoy as they walk through Olde Town.”
To celebrate the occasion, Rheinlander’s has released a limited edition batch of cookies commemorating Maxcy’s work. e cookies — which will be available until July 12 — depict paint brushes, a paint palette and spray paint cans (Maxcy’s preferred medium), respectively.
More of Maxcy’s work can be found at his website, patrickmaxcy.com, or on his Instagram, @patrickmaxcy.
Executive Director Donna Walker emphasized the library’s public-facing commitment to equity.
“JCPL remains unwavering in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we will not restrict or diminish our support for these e orts,” Walker said.
JCPL also highlighted its continued support for LGBTQ+ communities with a robust lineup of Pride Month programming in June, including author talks, book displays, lm screenings and family-friendly events across multiple branches.
But union members say that’s not what’s playing out behind the scenes.
“How can the library present itself externally as radically welcoming, while in-
ternally telling sta they’re not allowed to express the same kind of support?” asked sta member Katy Conway during public comment at a June 18 board meeting. at meeting, according to Williams, drew more than 40 attendees, including over 20 patrons who spoke out against the proposal. No one, she said, spoke in favor.
“ is proposed policy is not neutral,” sta member Anna Sparlin told the board. “It’s going to be a nightmare to enforce, and it throws our most vulnerable sta and patrons under the bus.”
Williams also pointed to what she described as a double standard. While management seeks to ban symbolic support for marginalized groups, the library has declined to implement a county stat-
ute that would prohibit the open carry of rearms in library facilities.
“If management views signs of support for marginalized communities as ‘o ensive’ or a safety concern while simultaneously refusing to implement a county statute that would prohibit open carry of rearms in libraries, we are forced to ask: whose safety really matters?” she said While the dress code issue hasn’t derailed broader negotiations, sta said it re ects larger concerns about creeping restrictions on library programming and materials.
“Public libraries exist to serve everyone,” Williams said. “But that only works when sta are empowered to re ect the values of equity, safety and inclusion that our communities need and deserve.”
Rheinlander’s is o ering limited edition cookies to celebrate the mural. COURTESY PHOTO
Hazelpalooza raises over $5,000 for Inner City Health
Acclaimed bandleader
Hazel Miller used her birthday bash to raise money for a good cause
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Colorado Music Hall of Famer Hazel Miller took the stage on her birthday at the Arvada Elks Club, anked by a cadre of her closest collaborators, the goal was not simply to entertain — though the musicians certainly did that too.
e June 30 concert, organized by volunteers, raised $5,000 for Inner City Health, a healthcare clinic with locations in Denver and Wheat Ridge, which strives to serve patients regardless of their insurance
status or nancial straits.
Miller was backed by the usual suspects in her band, e Collective, along with an all-star cast of local musicians including fellow Hall of Famer Chris Daniels, Jack Hadley, Josh Blackburn, Dave Fermivich and Alice Frisch. e crew jammed for over two hours, keeping the sold-out crowd of 250 on their feet for the duration of the evening. “ ese children played their hearts out,” Miller said. “It was fabulous. e audience danced all night long. It was like a party, a concert and a jam session — all in one! We had a great time.”
Miller said that she wanted to use the event to support Inner City Health because of the good the clinic does for the community. Miller said she has been a patient at Inner City Health for over 30 years, and added that scores of local musicians also utilize the clinic’s services.
“We just have to keep these spaces open,” Miller said. “It’s just one of those places we cannot a ord to lose. ere’s too many people who can’t a ord insurance, who can’t afford deductibles; it’s a place where your needs are put above yournances.”
Debbie Hansen, who helped Miller plan Hazelpalooza and volunteered at the event, said she was thrilled with how the festivities played out.
“Hazelpalooza was a great success with lots of dancing, celebrating, and, of course, amazing music,” Hansen said. “We appreciate everyone who came and donated for a great cause. We’re really happy to be able to support Inner City Health.”
Miller will be taking the stage on July 17 at Goosetown Station in Golden. Tickets are available at her website, hazelmiller.biz.
New rules for free and reduced-price school meals
ballot. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Colorado updates rules for eligibility before the 2025-26 year begins
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
Starting July 1, families in Je erson, Adams and Weld counties can apply for free and reduced-price school meals for the upcoming 2025–26 school year.
While many schools in the area now o er free meals through Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, the state still requires all families to complete the household income form. And it’s not just about meals.
e household income form helps determine how much state and federal funding a school district receives for programs that support low-income students, including Title I services, fee waivers and grant eligibility.
State education o cials encourage all families to complete the application, re-
gardless of whether their child attends a school that o ers universal free meals.
“When families ll out this application, they help unlock essential funding that supports students and schools across Colorado,” said Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. “Strong participation from families makes a real di erence.”
Families should apply if they have experienced a recent drop in income, receive SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, have children in foster care or Head Start or face housing instability.
Submitting the form can have a signicant impact, even in schools that provide meals to all students.
Families can nd applications online — at www.cde.state.co.us./nutrition/ determine-program-eligibility — or through their local school. Families only need to complete one application per household.
e state says the form is con dential and doesn’t ask about immigration or citizenship status. It typically requires household income information, the last four digits of a Social Security number (or a note if none is available) and a signature.
Household size and income determine eligibility. For example, a family of four earning $41,795 or less quali es for free meals, while those earning up to $59,478 qualify for reduced-price meals.
e Colorado Department of Education, as well as district nutrition services departments, provide a comprehensive eligibility chart.
Beyond meals, qualifying families may also receive discounts on internet, testing fees and other student services. Foster children automatically qualify for free meals and students experiencing homelessness or enrolled in Head Start may also qualify.
Families can submit applications at any time during the school year, especially if a household’s situation changes, such as a job loss or a change in family size. ose who receive public assistance can include a case number to expedite the automatic eligibility process.
State o cials note that families who receive a letter from their district stating that a child quali es may not need to
apply unless the notice omits the child’s name.
Eligibility lasts through the school year and extends 30 days into the next.
O cials warn that some families may end up paying full price for meals if their school does not participate in the universal free meals program and if eligibility expires.
e Healthy School Meals for All program currently has funding through
December 2025. State o cials say voters may be asked to approve additional funding through a ballot measure later this year to continue the program beyond that date.
More information is available through district nutrition services pages or on the Colorado Department of Education’s website, at www.cde.state.co.us./nutrition/determine-program-eligibility online.
Sell Practical marketing solutions to local businesses.
Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program would face cuts if voters don’t approve proposed referendums expected to be on November’s
Colorado Music Hall of Famer Chris Daniels, Coco Brown, and fellow hall of famer Hazel Miller. PHOTO BY THE COWGIRL CAMERA
Arvada Center hires Kenny Moten as associate artistic director
Moten has directed Arvada Center productions including ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Clybourne Park’ and ‘Once Upon a
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A frequent Arvada Center collaborator and acclaimed director, writer and vocalist is going to be working with the regional theatre company on a more consistent basis, as Kenny Moten has joined the Arvada Center team as its associate artistic director.
e position will see Moten, who has directed Arvada Center productions including “Cinderella,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” and “Clybourne Park,” working alongside Artistic Director Lynne Collins
with casting, producing and planning for the 2026-2027 theatre season and beyond. Moten will direct “Frozen” and “Come from Away” during the upcoming 20252026 season.
“We feel incredibly lucky that Kenny will be sharing his energy and talents with us,” Collins said. “Along with being a gifted director and theatre-maker, Kenny’s skills and background will provide a fresh perspective for our work onstage and enhance our connections and engagement with our audience and community.”
Moten said he wanted to take a fulltime role at the Arvada Center because of the “strength of the collaboration” present at the facility.
“‘Cinderella’ was imaginative and full of fresh perspective,” Moten said. “‘Clybourne Park’ featured a unique intermission transition that blended scenic and sound design in a compelling way. Even ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ brought thoughtful new ideas to a classic. ose experiences made me realize this is the kind of environment I want to be part of every day.
“What really sets the Arvada Center
Mattress’
apart is the creative exchange that happens during the production process,” Moten continued. “It is a place where artists feel free to bring ideas forward and take risks, and that freedom leads to stronger and more thoughtful work. While my focus is in theater, you can feel that same energy throughout the organization. at kind of environment is rare, and it elevates the work in every corner of the building.”
Tickets for the upcoming Arvada Center theatre season, which is set to open in September, are on sale now at arvadacenter.org.
Colorado Alpenglow players named WUL All-Stars
BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG
For the rst time, an All-Star showdown is set between the Western Ultimate League and the Premier Ultimate League during the 2025 United Frisbee Association Championship weekend. ree Colorado Alpenglow players are making the trip to Madison, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23 to represent the WUL. e Alpenglow is an ultimate frisbee
ESTHETICS
team of women and nonbinary players that plays at the Pinnacle Athletic Complex in ornton. Founded in 2022, the Alpenglow has seen quick success, and the team is the reigning 2024 WUL Champions.
Colorado’s Allysha Dixon, Jade McLaughlin and Abby orpe are joining 17 other WUL All-Stars from the seven teams in the league and will take on 20 players representing the PUL. Surprisingly, WUL Offensive Player of the Year Ari Nelson, also on the Alpenglow, didn’t make the All-Star
In April 2023, Erickson enrolled in esthetician school. By December, she was licensed and by the beginning of 2024, she began training in permanent makeup. After completing over 130 hours of hands-on training and an apprenticeship in June last year, she o cially opened Decadent Beauty on July 5, 2024. In April of this year, she began renting her space at Image Studios, located at 200 W. Belleview Ave. #120 in Englewood. Currently, Erickson o ers permanent eyeliner and eyebrow tattooing, with
Proclaiming Christ from the Mountains to the Plains www.StJoanArvada.org
12735 W 58th Ave · 80002 · 303-420-1232
Daily Masses: 8:30am, Mon-Sat
Confessions: 8am Tue-Fri; 7:30am & 4:00pm Sat
Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm
Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am, 5:30pm ST. JOANOF ARC CATHOLICCHURCH
“Find Connection…Discover Faith” All Are Welcome
Sunday Worship 10:00AM
Green Mountain Presbyterian Church 12900 W Alameda Pkwy Lakewood, CO 80228 303-985-8733 www.gmpc.net
team.
e rosters were determined by fan voting and team nominations.
According to the WUL’s website, “these players represent the best of what both leagues have to o er — elite skills, unmatched athleticism and leadership on and o the eld. More than just a showcase of talent, this event is a celebration of the community, the progress, and the players pushing professional women’s and nonbinary ultimate forward.”
plans to expand her services to include brow and lash lamination, tinting, chemical peels and microneedling.
But the heart of her work lies in the deep, personal impact it can have on her clients.
Her clientele spans from young women facing autoimmune disorders to elderly clients struggling with tremors or fading features. She’s also worked with individuals who sustained facial injuries.
e Alpenglow nished 6-0 in the 2025 season before falling short in the playo s. Coaches omas Echols, Lena Goren and Madison Oleson won Coaching Sta of the Year.
e WUL versus PUL All-Star Game begins at 5:00 p.m. E.T. on Aug. 23. Tickets are available at watchufa.com/league/champweekend, and the event will be live and free on YouTube.
For more information, visit coloradoalpenglow.com.
like, ‘yes, this is the best idea ever.’ But the actuality of it, I was really scared. I was like, ‘I’m going to be the oldest in my class. And people are going to think I’m a loser because I’m brand new in this eld. And there’s people who literally could be my child training me’ ... It’s really humbling to start over again.”
But she also found strength in her mother, who, after losing her husband to addiction following Columbine, became a counselor later in life.
“ e world is so hard on people if you don’t look a certain way,” Erickson said. “And people have this ingrained in them … If I can take away one of the things that chips away at their self-esteem so that they can go out and live their lives without ever thinking about that again, I love that.”
“I think she was 47 and she was interviewing daycares and everywhere to just try and to make it,” Erickson said. “Now she’s a very successful counselor. So, I look to her for that strength because it’s humbling.”
Advertise Your Place of Worship HERE
Join us in person: 1st & 3rd Sundays 59th Ave. Arvada CO 80003
Other Sundays on Zoom 10:30 am Live Music Livingwaterunity.org Livingwaterspiritualcommunity@gmail.com 720-576-9193 All Are Welcome
To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eadams@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Erickson isn’t walking this path alone. Her sister, Sara Lindholm, joined her in attending both esthetician and permanent makeup school. Lindholm specializes in areola tattooing for breast cancer survivors — a direction Erickson herself is now pursuing.
“My sister also dealt with a lot of the devastating parts of Columbine,” Erickson said. “She was at Ken Caryl Middle School during it, but she was still in my household unit … It impacted my household so tremendously. So, at my husband’s suggestion, he paid for us both to go to esthetician school and permanent makeup school.”
Craig, who now works as an ER doctor in Nebraska, has been a constant source of support for Erickson.
“He’s absolutely wonderful,” Erickson said.
For Erickson, there are many challenges to going into business for herself — including the actual practice of tattooing — but she said she relies heavily on her training to soothe her anxieties.
However, starting over in her 40s was the aspect of her journey that really terri ed her.
“It is scary to start over in your 40s,” Erickson said. “When I rst did this, I was
Going forward, Erickson’s goals include expanding her business and mastering areola tattooing — especially in rural communities where such services are nearly nonexistent. She’s also interested in eventually o ering scalp micropigmentation for clients experiencing hair loss and dreams of one day teaching and mentoring others in the eld.
“ e great thing about this job is there are no limits on the possibility of it,” Erickson said.
Erickson travels monthly between Colorado and Nebraska to o er her services.
“I’m just happy to be back in the community I grew up in and able to o er my services here and have the support of my community,” Erickson said.
While she’s seen steady success in rural areas, Erickson admits that getting her name out in the competitive Denver market has been more di cult. Still, she said her clients are consistently thrilled with the results.
For Erickson, it’s not just about beauty — it’s about healing, empowerment and helping others nd the freedom to nally feel at home in their own skin.
For more information on Decadent Beauty visit Erickson’s Instagram account at decadentbeautypmu.
New policy goals for public land discussed
Extractive uses in, protection out for federal lands
BY HANK LACEY NEWSLINE COLORADO
e Trump administration’s revised Department of the Interior strategic plan calls for expanded fossil fuel development across federal lands, while omitting any reference to public land sales rst raised in an earlier draft.
Required under a 1993 statute and in 2010 amendments to that law, the draft plan outlines high-level goals for the Interior’s management of 480 million acres of federal land, including approximately 24 million acres in Colorado. Language emphasizing a commitment to extraction is particularly stark. In a break from contemporary descriptions of the natural resources under federal management, the Trump administration declared in a proposed introduction to the plan that the department “is the U.S. balance sheet, and natural resources are the country’s assets.”
“ ese lands — rich in energy, minerals, biodiversity, and recreational value — are worth trillions of dollars to current and future generations,” the draft introduction continues.
Chris Winter, executive director of the University of Colorado Law School’s Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment, said the draft plan con rms what many in the environmental community have feared: a shift away from conservation in favor of extractive industries.
“ e administration is going to emphasize extractive industries and fossil fuels on federal public lands and is going to move away from conservation and renewable energy,” he said. e plan makes no mention of renewable energy or even of climate change, a sharp contrast from Interior’s current guiding template. e Bidenera2022–2026 strategic planemphasized climate resilience and a transition to clean energy. e new draft, by contrast, omits the subject of climate entirely. at is one of several breakpoints critics say re ects a reversal in federal priorities. e absence of any mention of renewable energy in the strategic plan signals, to some experts, a deeper shift in federal priorities. Wyatt Sassman, an associate professor at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law who specializes in natural resources matters, thinks a federal abandonment of that imperative is already underway.
“At least some reporting has suggested that (the) Fish and Wildlife (Service) has stopped issuing permits for wind energy projects,” he said. “I don’t see any legal process for that. And it’s seemingly inconsistent with the way it’s treating fossil energy projects.”
It may undercut environmental review President Donald Trump did not wait very long after taking o ce to tighten restrictions even on wind energy production that does not rely on public lands for facilities. Seventeen states, including Colorado, and the District of Columbia launchedlitigationMay 5 in a Bostonbased federal court in an attempt to prevent the administration from executing his Jan. 20 executive orderthat purports to halt o shore wind energy development.
Trump’s team at Interior is expected
to pursue a continued sharp reversal, facilitated by a likely attempt to deregulate oil and gas activities on Bureau of Land Management and other lands and waters under Interior’s control. Authors of the document explain that the department “will focus on expediting leases and streamlining and cutting regulations while promoting conservation.” Moreover, “by o ering economic incentives and better access to energy resources, Interior will encourage private investment and create more American jobs.”
Environmental advocates say they are not surprised by the draft plan’s focus on stimulating the national economy, but they warn that the plan may presage a determined e ort to evade or undercut processes mandated in public land laws. e danger in that approach, Sassman said, is that Interior decision-makers may act in a manner that is blind to environmental consequences. “My sense is that it will get in the way of them trying to make good, well-reasoned decisions,” he said.
Sally Paez, a sta attorney at Santa Fe-based New Mexico Wild, warned that Interior’s language about process streamlining signals an intent to sidestep longstanding environmental review laws.
“ e thing that really concerns me is that what I’m seeing is a lot of e orts to sort of cut any type of public participation, to cut any type of perceived red tape,” she said. “And, by ‘perceived red tape,’ what I mean are bedrock environmental laws that are in place to make sure that extraction is done in a way that doesn’t destroy our very limited water supplies in our arid state, and doesn’t impact big game corridors or endangered species and things like that.”
Environmental advocates warned that Interior’s approach may undercut review even under the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act. Paez called the e ort “unprecedented,” citing fast-tracked reviews and diminished public comment periods.
e administration did not provide in the newest version of the draft strategic plan any details about how much additional logging Interior will seek to advance on BLM lands.
A March executive order directs increased logging on BLM and Forest Service lands, and the strategic plan calls for “active timber management” to reduce wild re risk but does not specify locations at which more timber extraction would occur or the scale of tree removal.
Grazing and mining are not speci cally addressed in the May document, though the drafters note a commitment to “clean coal” and reiterate a traditional adher-
ence to “multiple-use land management.” According to the draft plan, that approach will “ensure the country’s public lands can be used for recreation, grazing, timber sales, mining, and mineral exploration, all of which provide revenue for the U.S. government.”
Public land sales dropped Beyond extractive industries, the strategic plan outlines priorities for water infrastructure but avoids mention of critical regional shortages. Interior would “upgrade and maintain water infrastructure to ensure water supplies while also promoting water conservation and reuse for drought resiliency.” But there is no mention in the document of how the department would approach questions of reduced supplies in the Colorado River Basin and California rivers and, other than a nod toward hydropower as an energy source, the challenge of assuring adequate ows for wild salmon in the Columbia River system and other anadromous sh freshwater habitats.
Interior o ers little detail about wildlife protection in the draft strategic plan, at least beyond mention of promoting hunting and shing on public lands and a promise “to remove harmful invasive species, delist endangered species once recovered, and involve local communities in decisions about managing nature and wildlife.”To Winter, this lack of clarity raises a risk that Interior may fail to advance the goals of the Endangered Species Act.
“We’ve already seen very aggressive steps to roll back protections under the Endangered Species Act,” he said, pointing to a recent proposal to rede ne the ESA’s de nition of harm to exclude damage to vital habitats. “We suspect that the administration intends to undermine protections for wildlife moving forward.”
e draft strategic plan includes a stated goal of strengthening “governmentto-government relationships with Native Americans and Insular Areas.” at objective, the document says, would involve “shared management of land, increasing investment in education and jobs programs, and managing trust assets for bene ciaries.”
However, the plan does not mention existing co-stewardship arrangements at major national monuments in the West, such as Bears Ears in Utah and Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands in California. It also does not address whether those monuments will retain their protections under the Antiquities Act.
e draft strategic plan’s utilitarian perspective may nevertheless have little
impact on expected legal battles over the department’s e orts during the next few years to facilitate oil, gas, and coal production and mineral exploration, logging, and grazing.
“I’ve never seen the strategic plans relied on in a legal context,” Sassman said. “ ere are other kinds of legal actions they will have to take in order to e ectuate these goals.”
A rst e ort at a 2026-2030 plan, released in April, also declared that Interior’s rst priority will be to “restore American prosperity.” at version, unlike the one Interior released last month, also explicitly raised the prospect of public land sales. Winter said that the exclusion of that idea from the new rendering should not be taken as a signal that the administration has abandoned the proposition.
“I don’t think the administration is backing away from that idea,” he said. “ is issue is being taken up by Congress as part of the (budget) reconciliation process and this is really an issue that will be determined by Congress and not by the department because that’s where the authority lies.”
e public will have an opportunity to comment on the plan, once Interior nalizes a draft. e department has not yet posted it at regulations.gov, the federal government’s online portal for that purpose. is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
Quadra-Fire Discovery Series Wood Stove
A view of oil and gas development on Bureau of Land Management lands in Colorado in July 2017. COURTESY COLORAODO BLM
There is something uniquely powerful about walking down a street lined with neighbors cheering for you, even if they do not know your name. at is the feeling you get when you are in a parade.
It is not about ego. It is about being part of the heartbeat of your hometown. It is about the waves from a stranger, the giggle from a child, the warmth in the air that says, “You belong here.”
So, why do people participate? Why do businesses, scout troops, marching bands, and civic groups put in the time, e ort, and energy to be part of something that moves at 2 mph?
The pull to participate
Some participate for exposure. A local business may want to build brand awareness. A new school might want to enroll students. A club may want to boost membership and show what it stands for.
This week, I learned about the Finnish word “sisu.” ere is no good English translation of the word, so I spent some time seeing what I could nd out about it.
I discovered that it is a word that has been around for more than 500 years, and that Finnish people see it as integral to their designation by the United Nations as the happiest people in the world.
Not having any background in the Finnish language, I had to rely on di erent sources to nd the meaning of the word. As I dug, I found that sisu means courage, stamina, and perseverance combined with exibility and cleverness to create an ingenuity that allows individuals to overcome obstacles.
As the meaning of sisu became clear, I was struck by how important this idea is for overcoming struggles.
To truly face di culty in life takes great courage. I saw this with my friend Shane as he navigated a four-year battle with cancer. I know from my own experience with MS, the courage it takes to get up each morning, to do the things that I must do to be able to move around smoothly.
Along with courage, it takes
VOICES
Parade Insights: Why people march
GUEST COLUMN
Others join for tradition. It is what their group has done for years — a hometown ritual passed from one generation to the next. ere’s pride in saying, “We’re in the parade. We always have been.”
And then some do it for something deeper: connection.
ey see the parade as a chance to bring joy, to give back, and to represent something of which they are proud. ey do not just want to be seen — they want to make someone feel something.
To light a spark.
Why some entries succeed
Not every entry grabs your attention. e ones that do share a common trait — they create a moment. ey do not just pass by. ey reach out, they are surprised and they connect. And
Think outside the box
sometimes, they plant a seed. Let me tell you a story.
The Scout Story
A couple walked into our parade o ce with a printed application in hand and asked to deliver it in person. When I asked why they did not just email it like everyone else, they smiled and said, “Because a child came up to our Scout entry last year and said, ‘I don’t know who you are or what you do, but I want to be a part of it.’” at is the impact a great entry can have. at moment, that spark of curiosity — it stays with a child long after the candy is gone and the confetti settles. It becomes the start of a story, maybe even a calling. ey did not win a trophy. ey did not have the biggest oat. But they won something else: in uence, inspiration and belonging.
The secret to a successful entry It is not about money. It is not about size.
It is about meaning. When an entry shows e ort, creativity, and heart, people remember it. And when it connects with children, it connects with the entire crowd. It whispers to every person on the curb: “You matter. You’re part of this, too.” So, if you are thinking about entering a parade this year, ask yourself, “What can we do that will make someone watching say, ‘I want to be a part of that?’” at is when your entry becomes more than a spot in a lineup — it becomes a moment. A memory. A message that lingers long after the marching stops. Need help producing an idea? I have seen thousands of entries over the years and would be glad to help you brainstorm.
Let us make something that matters. is guest column was written by Ed C. Tomlinson, who is the Arvada Harvest Festival parade chair. He can be reached at edctomlinson@gmail.com.
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
stamina to navigate an issue. Courage and stamina go hand in hand; you can’t have one without the other when you are traversing difcult times. Our lives do not come with message boards that tell us, “In 127 days, the issues you are navigating will be resolved and you will have 300 days of smooth sailing.” We must move forward without a clear understanding of what the future holds. To navigate those issues daily, without the bene t of a clear endpoint, takes courage and the stamina to put one foot in front of the other.
But sisu goes further. It declares that courage, stamina, and perseverance are not enough, and explains that to overcome our struggles, we must think di erently, be exible in our mindset, and be open to di erent ways of doing things. When we combine grit with exibility, we nd true genius — we nd new ways.
I guess you could write it as a
Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:
• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia. com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.
• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.
• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Com-
cookbook recipe: add one cup each of courage, stamina, and perseverance to a struggle. Mix in healthy amounts of exibility and openness to new ways of doing things. Bake in the oven of experience, and what will emerge is an ingenuity that will allow an individual to overcome their obstacle.
I think it is exceptionally easy to get stuck in the idea that working harder will lead to victory over a struggle. Sisu opens us up to the idea that it takes more than our internal drive to get over our most di cult hurdles. It takes a di erent mindset.
If you have not thought outside the box in your struggle, maybe it is time.
You have got this!
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife, Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.
munity Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
How intimacy changes throughout a woman’s life
Intimacy is a deeply personal and evolving aspect of a woman’s life, shaped by physical, emotional and hormonal changes across different life stages. From early adulthood to post-menopause, the way women experience intimacy can shift in many ways. ese changes are natural and should be understood with compassion and openness, both personally and in relationships. In early adulthood, intimacy is often in uenced by exploration, self-discovery and the development of emotional bonds. is period is usually marked by high energy and libido, and fewer barriers to sexual activity. As women move into their 30s and 40s, intimacy can become more emotionally rooted. Relationships may deepen with time and communication often becomes a cornerstone of satisfaction and connection.
Menopause, a signi cant milestone in a woman’s life, introduces a new phase of change. During this time, estrogen levels drop, which can lead to physical symptoms that impact sexual function. Many women experience a decrease in libido, vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse. Common symptoms include hot ashes, mood changes, anxiety and even urinary problems — all of which can in uence how a woman feels about intimacy. Despite these changes, intimacy does not have to end. Instead, it can be re ned. Women are encouraged to explore
WOMEN’S WELLNESS
new forms of connection, whether through emotional closeness, communication, sensual massages or even changes in sexual activity. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise and a balanced diet can also support well-being and sexual health. Hormone therapy, relaxation techniques and open conversations with partners or healthcare providers can help women adapt to these transitions.
Ultimately, intimacy is not de ned by our youth. It is a lifelong journey that can ourish at any age when nurtured with care, openness and understanding. Restoring your sense of self is key to reigniting intimacy post-menopause. Your con dence begins with taking care of your body and mind. Whether it’s through regular exercise, a balanced diet or self-care rituals, taking time for yourself can improve your mood and overall wellbeing, making you feel more comfortable in whatever stage of life you’re in.
For more information, visit urogyns.com.
is guest column was written by Dr. Terry Dunn, the owner of Foothills Urogynecology, a Denver-based practice specializing in women’s health. To learn more, visit urogyns.com.
Ed C. Tomlinson
Dr. Terry Dunn
Jim Roome
Art Through the Distortions of History
The creative process is everchanging and often requires taking a look back to locate the way forward. e Arvada Center’s three summer exhibitions celebrate this fact by using the past as a guide to nding a way to and through modern times.
“I hope people come away from the galleries with a new understanding of what they can perceive,” said Olive Witwer-Jarvis, exhibitions manager and associate curator at the Center. “ e personal stories and struggles on display provide a new look at what’s important.”
COMING ATTRACTIONS
so much happening in people’s day-today life?”
Melissa Furness — Embedded: A Mid-Career Survey, Haley Hasler — Origin Stories and Past is Present is Past is Present are all on display at the Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Aug. 24.
Set up in the Main Gallery, Embeddedi s an engrossing look at the career of an artist who is constantly nding new ways to explore themselves and the world around them. Broken up into subsections like In Ruins and Gathering Moss, Furness’ shows that she’s a conceptual artist of the highest order. Guests will see work that was created in places as disparate as Ireland and China, each with unique subjects and mediums worked into beautiful paintings.
History and its impact on our current times is a subject Furness — a professor at the University of Colorado Denver — returns to in fascinating ways, from making surreal recreations of well-known works to displaying discarded bricks from China.
“My work explores human nature and struggle as it manifests itself in relation to contemporary society and the remains of the past,” Furness said in a provided statement. “I am interested in what one culture upholds as signi cant — objects and ideals that we revere versus those that we discard or discount as unimportant. What does what we throw away say about us as a people versus what we place on a pedestal or seek to preserve?”
e Upper Gallery is home to Origin Stories, where Fort Collins artist Haley Hasler paints portraits that take her friends and family and put them in elaborately staged settings. e end results are transporting, at once familiar and slightly foreign.
“ is show includes work from the past as well as my newest body of work,” Hasler said in a provided statement. “ e beloved, everyday people around me are transformed in my paintings into gods and goddesses of the everyday realm.”
In Past is Present is Past is Present, located in the eatre Gallery, visitors can see how Colorado artists use their ancestry, religious and cultural iconography, and mythology to shed a light on contemporary concerns, like our tumultuous political climate and missing Native women and children. e works are fascinating examinations of the artists’ relationship with the past and provide a window into the things that matter most.
“ ese exhibitions question what’s important and why,” Witwer-Jarvis said. “What makes something like the Mona Lisa so important, when there is
For more information, visit https:// arvadacenter.org/galleries/current-exhibi-
Go for a Moonlit Ride in Castle Rock
Castle Rock’s Pedal the Moon bike ride goes from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 and departs fromCastle View High School, 5254 N. Meadows Drive, at 7 p.m. As dusk starts, riders will follow the East Plum Creek Trail for about 6 miles to Festival Park.
According to provided information, the terrain is suitable for all riders and participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes with lights and other items. ere will be a decorating station for those who want some glow-inthe-dark decorations. At Festival Park, riders can relax and enjoy some music while participating in some giveaways. Full details and registration information is available at https://www.crgov. com/3184/Pedal-the-Moon.
Feel the Artistic Power of ‘Mutual Terrain’
RedLine Contemporary Art Center is celebrating Denver Month of Photography withMutual Terrain, curated by Adán De La Garza and Jenna Maurice. e show is on display at the Center, 2350 Arapahoe St. in Denver, from Friday, July 11 through Sunday, Aug. 3.
According to a provided statement from the curators, “Mutual Terrain’brings together six artists whose works reveal the land as a living presence — one that remembers, resists, and responds. is exhibition invites viewers to reconsider their relationship to the natural world, not as separate from it, but as deeply entangled within it.”
e show encourages and rewards patience, so be ready to take your time. Find more information at https:// www.redlineart.org/mutual-terraindenver-month-of-video-mov.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Car Seat Headrest at Mission Ballroom
Virginia’s Car Seat Headrest are one of the most ambitious bands in the indie rock world. Over the course of their career, they’ve experimented with all kinds of stylistic approaches, from kind-of rock operas to just straight up ripping rock albums. You never quite know what you’re going to get, but the lyrics are always extremely literate and the music is top-notch.
In support this their latest release, e Scholars, the band is coming to the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. ey’ll be joined by openers Slow Fiction for what’s sure to be an evening of great, adventurous live music. Get tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.
Clarke Reader
Ozomatli marks 30 years with songs from throughout its career
BY ED CONDRAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Ozomatli has played to a devoted fan base during its 30-year run. e eclectic band, which delivers a potpourri of sounds ranging from rock to merengue, R&B to salsa and reggae to jazz, has performed around the world. Cuba, Burma, Tunisia and Jordan are among the many locales that have hosted the Los Angeles natives through the decades. With seven albums under its belt and a reputation for advocacy (particularly for farmworkers’ rights and immigration reform), it has plenty of material to choose from as it presents a career-spanning setlist during an upcoming show at the Arvada Center’s Outdoor Amphitheatre on ursday, July 31, as part of the center’s Summer Concert Series.
e members have enjoyed an enviable career. But when asked what they have yet to achieve, guitarist Raúl Pacheco paused for a moment before responding. “I never think about it, but to answer that question, it is that we’ve never had a song that was a hit nationally,” Pacheco said while calling from Burbank. “We never had that moment when we were on radio or on the cover of a magazine. We’ve yet to have that cultural moment. We haven’t had any of that. But we have been able to make a living creating new music and performing. It’s a unique thing and we appreciate that.”
Not everyone lands songs on the radio. But the same can be said for many who subsist only on income earned as working musicians. Ozomatli has a fervent group of a cionados due to the band’s amalgam of sounds buoyed by the rich blend of horns and percussion.
It all comes together for Ozomatli live since it’s an organic show delivered with considerable energy. “We love playing live,” Pacheco said. “We rely on our live shows to connect with the fans. We’re a decent live band.”
Now that’s an understatement. Ozomatli, which also includes vocalist-percussionist Justin “El Niño” Porée, vocalistbassist Wil-Dog Abers, trumpet player Asdrubal Sierra, saxophonist Ulises Bella and drummer Jiro Yamaguchi, has earned acclaim for delivering incendiary sets. at kind of showmanship is due in part to the amount of time devoted to the art of live performance. Much like such legends as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and James Brown, Ozomatli has put in the time onstage.
“For a good part of our career we would play 250 shows a year,” Pacheco said. “We work as hard as we can onstage to be as good as we possibly can be.”
Not that Ozomatli’s members are slouches in the studio. 2004’s “Street Signs” and 2010’s “Fire Away” sold well in the United States and throughout the world. e former is a varied gem, which featured Middle Eastern in uences that t
in well with salsa, Tejano and funk. “Fire Away” was successful since the band’s live energy was present in the studio, which isn’t easy to pull o .
“We’re proud of what we’ve written, recorded and released,” Pacheco said. “We’ve always put everything we have had into it.”
Ozomatli has put even more e ort into some demos the group recently dusted
o . e band re-recorded a few tunes that failed to make it onto the debut release.
“We did it because we wanted to do something that marks our 30th year as a band and so we went back to these songs that for whatever reason didn’t make our rst album,” Pacheco said. “It was this cool trip down memory lane for all of us.”
States suing to block Medicaid data sharing
Colorado joins 19 other states to stop transfer of Medicaid data to ICE
Colorado is joining a multistate coalition in a lawsuit to block the mass transfer of individual personal data to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Attorney General Phil Weiser and his counterparts in 19 states are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to a press release issued by his o ce.
e attorneys general said the mass transfer of the data violates the law and asked the court to block any new transfer or use of this data for immigration
enforcement purposes. e suit was led in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
“ e personal health care data collected about Medicaid bene ciaries is con dential, to be shared only in narrow circumstances that bene t public health and the integrity of the Medicaid program,” said Weiser, a Democrat. “ ere’s no reason to share this sensitive data with immigration or law enforcement agencies. We’re suing to protect Colorado’s Medicaid program and the health and welfare of the people it serves.”
In early June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, orCMS, the federal agency that administers the nation’s health program for low-income Americans, made a “lengthy and detailed”data requestto Colorado’s agency that administers Medicaid, according to Marc Williams, public information o cer with the Department of Health Care Policy
and Financing. e request was made to seven other states, he said, without providing details on which ones.
eAssociated Press reportedCMS has shared personal information of Medicaid from people living in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington D.C., with the Department of Homeland Security, the agency in charge of immigration enforcement and the administration’s deportation push.
In response, advocacy groups in Colorado raised a variety of privacy, safety and health concerns.
An HHS spokesperson told CPR last month the request was within the agency’s authority.
“HHS and CMS take the integrity of the Medicaid program and the protection of American taxpayer dollars extremely seriously,” said U.S. Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon, in an email. “With respect to the recent data sharing between CMS and DHS, HHS acted entirely within its legal authority – and in full compliance with all applicable laws – to ensure that Medicaid bene ts are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them.”
“Colorado’s immigrant communities should never have to fear that accessing life-saving care could lead to detention or deportation,” said Nicole Cervera Loy, Policy and Campaign Manager at the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, in an email to CPR. “ is unprecedented request for sensitive health data is not about program integrity—it’s about surveillance and punishment. We call on state leaders to reject this directive and uphold Colorado’s values of dignity, safety, and care for all.”
e coalition highlighted in the suit that “the Trump administration’s illegal actions are creating fear and confusion
that will lead noncitizens and their family members to disenroll, or refuse to enroll, in emergency Medicaid for which they are otherwise eligible, leaving states and their safety net hospitals to foot the bill for federally mandated emergency healthcare services,” according a press release from the Attorney General’s Ofce.
Colorado joined the following states in the legal challenge: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr. org.
Ozomatli poses prior to a performance. COURTESY OF PIERO F. GIUNTI
COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO
Colorado has joined a coalition of states seeking to block the sharing of Medicaid data with other federal agencies. SHUTTERSTOCK
SEE OZOMATLI, P19
A ‘Lost Boy of Sudan’ returns to north Denver
Arok Garang said cuts to USAID immediately hurt supplies to the refugees
BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG
Cuts to a key international aid program by the Trump administration hit the Seeds of South Sudan education effort quickly and hard, said founder Arok uch Garang.
e cuts were immediately felt in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where orphans rescued by Seeds of South Sudan subsist and struggle for a better life, said Garang, one of the original Lost Boys of Sudan.
e USAID organization provided basic needs such as food and medical supplies for the 250,000 who crowded into Kakuma, said Garang, a former Westminster Schools employee.
“ ere wasn’t anything or anybody not a ected by cuts,” he said. “Now there is a daily scramble, a daily competition for rations.”
Yet, the young orphans still yearn for an education, which Seeds works to provide through donations, mostly from Americans, Garang said. “We try and help them as much as we can. ey (the orphans) want a bright future.”’
Kakuma orphans are selected to attend boarding schools in Kenya for their education. e students received three meals a day, medical care and an education, Garang said. Since the founding of Seeds of South Sudan in 2009, sponsors
in the United States have helped educate 187 orphans, Garang said.
82 have graduated from high school and 24 are in college in Kenya, said Peggy Gonder, a spokeswoman for Seeds of South Sudan. Five have earned scholarships to universities in Canada.
Fleeing across Africa
Garang’s journey is one of harrowing survival. He said his family herded cattle peacefully in South Sudan until 1989 when oil was discovered on the land, and the Arab Muslim militia from Khartoum declared jihad against southern Christians and traditional believers.
e militia set re to his village, and he ed Sudan at age seven. He said he survived with the aid of a 10-year-old cousin as they traveled 1,000 miles to Ethiopia. ey had to ee Ethiopia 18 months later due to war and many died swimming across a crocodile- lled river.
It took him and his cousin a year to walk to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, “a brutally hot and dangerous place,” Garang said on the Seeds of South Sudan website.
Garang said he spent nearly 10 years in the Kakuma refugee camp before coming to Denver in 2001 with the help of the United Nations. He then earned a degree in economics at the University of Colorado-Denver.
He eventually returned to South Sudan to help his people answer God’s calling, he said.
“ roughout the years, I’ve heard God calling me to rebuild my village by educating, equipping, and empowering the South Sudanese children who survived the genocide,” Garang has said. is week, Garang disclosed the mean-
ing behind the Seeds of South Sudan name.
“A village elder told me I will return to my home to plant the seeds of a new life. at’s where my organization is going and why we are trying to help.”
Spreading the word Garang began speaking to several local non-pro ts in May in hopes of raising awareness of Seeds of South Sudan’s effort to educate the South Sudan orphans. His talk, “Inspiring Hope - Transforming Lives,”describes Garang’s journey of survival to Kenya and then the US, where
he founded Seeds of South Sudan, and he’s made his presentation at churches in Denver and in the northern suburbs, as well as in Nebraska.
Garang spoke at the Secular Hub, 254 Knox Court in Denver on June 28 and at Denver’s Montview Presbyterian Church in Westminster’s Covenant Living on June 29.
His Denver Metro tour continues at 9 and 10:30 a.m. July 13 at Northglenn Christian Church, 1800 E. 105th Place in Northglenn. Check the website: https:// seedsofsouthsudan.org for updates and more information.
Arok Thuch Garang speaks at several churches and nonprofits about Sudanese orphans
Skilled campers detail Colorado’s best summer spots
Summertime is in full bloom in Colorado, meaning perfect temperatures and picturesque backdrops for some hiking, camping and stargazing along the Front Range and beyond.
But in such a saturated state for adoring nature, plus those weekend crowds on I-70, how do you know where to start? Just like trying to pin down a hike on AllTrails, it can feel like spotting a needle in a haystack. You don’t want somewhere too crowded, too far away or all booked up with reservations. Plus, where you pitch a tent for the night may determine the extent of supplies you’ll need.
e Colorado Trust for Local News asked experienced locals where to start when looking for ideal camping nights in the Centennial State. Take notes from the testimonials below.
Always check campground rules and regulations before hitting the road and settling down for the night. Camping in the wrong areas is illegal and could result in nes or criminal charges.
Dispersed camping
“ ere are a couple of places south of Buena Vista. ere’s a road out there that I like going to. It’s a little bit more traveled, but I found camping there last weekend ... it’s really close to town near Browns Creek Trailhead. And this is dispersed camping (I camp with a camper. I’m not a tent camper, I’m a camper camper). It gets real close to town, and it’s quiet back in here, and there’s a trailhead right there where I like to camp.”
-Joe Lopez, Arvada
Awesome spaces in Deckers
“Down just o US 285, just south of
it, that whole region is called the South Platte. In the northern portion of the South Platte, the Deckers area as a whole, there’s a lot of open space land and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. In that, you can nd a lot of awesome spaces there. Potentially, some of them are free to just go camp. You just pull your car right to the spot. ere’s no one around, usually, and you just pitch your tent or park your RV and you’re camping.”
-Angus Applegarth, Evergreen Fire Protection District
Options for campers or for backpackers
“ ere is one trail that leads you to Horse Shoe Campground in Golden Gate State Park, which is a backpack-in-and-out situation, really nice and not a crazy hike, but very beautiful. en Wolford Reservoir is great for next-to-water camping and large groups. For a camper-accessible option, the River Campsite near Estes Park would be a good option.”
-Lori Abbey, Arvada
Riverside camping
“Poudre Canyon is probably my No. 1. It’s easily accessible and the drive out is beautiful. Along the canyon is the Poudre River that has accessible beaches for chilling, shing and tubing. ere’s also guided white water rafting before my favorite spot, a restaurant/venue called Mishawaka Amphitheater, which is always a good stop for a beer and lunch by the water. e great part about the canyon is that there’s camping by the water and up on the mountain. Some spots are paid, but others are BLM. I also really enjoy the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. ere’s a load of free camping nearby and it’s a jaw-drop-
ping experience, from the drop o to the views. I remember getting in late for my rst visit and setting up camp, excited for the canyon. Waking up, I expected nothing, but walked out and felt like I was shot back to prehistoric times. Absolute beauty.”
-Jimmy Garcia, Northglenn
Secluded and private
“I love Guanella Pass because it’s just easily accessible, provides beautiful water and valley views and feels secluded and private.”
-Shelby Andress, Denver
Falls and dunes
“We really enjoy camping at the Great Sand Dunes, for obvious reasons. Zapata Falls is only about seven miles south of the sand dunes. It’s a really wonderful spot to go visit, and right now it’s actually glacial, so you need crampons to get up in there, but it’s beautiful. We camp a lot at Carter Lake just because it’s so convenient. It’s relatively inexpensive, it’s a good place to go sh and go exploring.
We have a 30-foot camper, travel trailer, so we have to rent a space like six months in advance. But there are tent sides all over the place. e cool thing about that, too, is you can go from dome tent campsites to the walk-in, double-room ones. It’s all really at. On the south campground, there’s a boathouse so you can rent whatever you need. If you go to the marina, you can actually rent a boat and kick around. We like to take our paddle boards into a couple coves ... gosh, just lay on your back, stare at the sky and fall asleep for a while, let the water just take you where you go.”
-Keith Hancock, ornton
The sun sets on a perfect summer camping night at the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado. COURTESY OF KEITH HANCOCK
Thu 7/17
Magoo @ 6pm
New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden Costa @ 8pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Outdoors at the New National Western Center Yards, 5004 National Western Drive, Denver
Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St, Denver
Bison Bone @ 9pm
Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Float Like A Buffalo: Evergreen Summerfest @ 12:30pm Buchanan Park Recreation Center, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen
Last Train To Juarez: The Englewood Tavern, South Broadway, Englewood, Colorado, USA - Englewood, CO @ 5:30pm The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Mumford & Sons w/ Madison Cunningham @ 8pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison
Tue 7/22
molly santana @ 7pm
Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Den‐ver
The Railbenders: Coohills Beats on the Creek @ 7:30pm Coohills, 1400 Wewatta St, Denver
Hope MacGregor at Lot 46 Music Bar @ 7pm Lot 46 Music Bar, 5302 W 25th Ave, Edgewater
Chris Isaak @ 8pm
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Den‐ver
CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ
1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a female goat called?
2. TELEVISION: What is the name of the town in “Gilmore Girls”?
3. GEOGRAPHY: How many states does the Appalachian Trail cross?
4. MOVIES: Which actress voices the character Jessie in “Toy Story 2”?
5. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What is believed to have caused President Zachary Taylor’s death?
6. ANATOMY: What is the most abundant protein in the human body?
7. GEOMETRY: How many sides does a hexagon have?
8. LITERATURE: Serial killer Hannibal Lecter rst appears in which novel?
9. ASTRONOMY: What are planets outside our solar system called?
10. MUSIC: Who was the rst women inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of
TrIVIa
Fame?
Answers
1. A doe or nanny.
2. Stars Hollow.
3. 14.
4. Joan Cusack.
5. Acute gastroenteritis.
6. Collagen.
7. Six.
8. “Red Dragon” by omas Harris.
9. Exoplanets.
10. Aretha Franklin.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Crossword
MARKETPLACE
OZOMATLI
Ozomatli will play some of these revamped demos in addition to previewing some new songs. “We like trying out the songs in front of an audience,” Pacheco said. “We have fun with the fresh material onstage.”
ere’s no faking the camaraderie
among the band members, who seem to genuinely have a good time under the lights.
“We’re like brothers,” Pacheco said.
“It’s great being in a band with guys who are as close as we are. ese are the longest relationships we’ve ever had. We were together before any of us had wives or partners or kids. And we made it 30 years and hopefully we”ll continue to do this for many more years.”
Even though Ozomatli never cracked
the Billboard Top 40, Pacheco, 56, is satis ed since his teenage dream was to become a musician. “ at’s what I wanted to do,” Pacheco said. “I grew up in Los Angeles and music was always around the house. My parents listened to the Great Mexican Songbook and my sisters, who were all older, listened to a lot of classic rock, such as Van Morrison, Linda Ronstadt. I loved early punk rock. I got into Devo and the Pretenders and the B-52s. And then I loved heavy metal
before discovering R.E.M. and the Cure. So many di erent styles of music moved me and that’s kind of why there are so many di erent sounding songs with our band.”
While in his mid-teens Pacheco learned how to play the guitar, which enabled him to enter the world of music and its endless possibilities. “ ere was a jam one day in my neighborhood and I showed up with my guitar,” Pacheco said. “And I never stopped playing.”
OF JEFFERSON COUNTY; JEFFERSON COUNTY TREASURER; JEFFERSON COUNTY ASSESSOR; FOOTHILLS METROPOLITAN RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT; and all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action.
Attorneys for Plaintiff: JEFFERSON COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, Amber J. Munck, #39531, Assistant County Attorney, Levi Stubbs, #50262, Assistant County Attorney, 100 Jefferson County Pkwy, Suite 5500, Golden, Colorado 80419, Phone: 303.271.8965, Email: amunck@ jeffco.us; lstubbs@jeffco.us.
SUMMONS, TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS:
You are hereby summoned and required to file with the clerk of this court an answer or other response to the attached Complaint. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon you within the State of Colorado, you are required to file your answer or other response within 21 days after such service upon you. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon you outside of the State of Colorado, you are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after such service upon you. If you fail to file your answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within the applicable time period, judgment by default may be entered against you by the Court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.
The following documents are served herewith: Complaint and District Court Cover Sheet. Dated this 27th day of March, 2025. By JEFFERSON COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, Levi Stubbs, Amber J. Munck, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF REAL PROPERTY THAT IS THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS ACTION; A part of the Northwest quarter of Section 29 and part of the Northeast quarter of Section 30, Township 5 South, Range 69 West of the Sixth Principal Meridian, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Section 30; thence S89º19’32”W along the North line of said Section 30, 255.00 feet to the Point of Beginning; thence S17º28’49”E, 2,709.77 feet to the South line of the Northwest quarter of said Section 29; thence N89º58’27”W along said South line, 5.40 feet to the Easterly Right-of-way of C-470; thence along said Right-of-way the following courses: thence N18º58’22”W, 1,444.16 feet; thence N19º45’37”W, 900.00 feet; thence N14º00’32”W, 382.62 feet to the North line of said Section 30; thence along said North line, N89º19’32”E, 57.87 feet to the Point of Beginning.
Legal Notice No. Jeff 6110
First Publication: June 26, 2025
Last Publication: July 24, 2025
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
Public Notice
CORRECTION
This Notice corrects information related to the Arvada Housing Authority RFP published in the June 26, 2025 edition of the Arvada Press.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ARVADA AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND
The Arvada Housing Authority (AHA) invites developers of property in Arvada, CO to submit proposals for a subordinate gap financing loan from the Arvada Affordable Housing Fund (AAHF).
The AHA has allocated funds to be awarded in the form of subordinate gap financing from the AAHF to a qualified housing initiative in the City of Arvada in 2025.
For the Year 2025 up to $1,000,000.00 in
funds may be competitively awarded as a subordinate gap financing loan to a project or projects that further the City’s housing goals for 2025.
Awards will be made following an impartial and competitive application process where proposals will be evaluated based on the identified Threshold and Priority Criteria as determined by the HAC for the Year 2025. Should no acceptable applications be put forth, no award shall be made.
2025 Identified Goal(s): 1. The creation of new income-restricted Affordable or WorkForce Units 2. The rehabilitation of income-restricted Affordable or WorkForce Units
All proposals should be submitted via email to sbradley@arvada.org. Only proposals in response to this invitation will be accepted for consideration. Owners/Developers will be notified by letter of the acceptance or rejection of their proposals. The AHA will also publish its notice of selection of AAHF proposals on the AHA’s website as well as the Arvada Press. All proposals MUST be received no later than 5:00 P.M., Friday, August 8, 2025.
Proposal documents can be obtained from the Arvada Housing Authority’s website: Website:https://www.arvadaco.gov/1155/ Affordable-Housing-in-Arvada
Questions can be directed to Samantha Bradley at sbradley@arvada.org or 720898-7479.
Legal Notice NO. Jeff 6124
Publication: July 10, 2025
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Carol E Ladbury, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR230
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before November 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
John Ladbury
Personal Representative 10951 W 100th Drive Westminster, Colorado 80021
Legal Notice No. Jeff 6123
First Publication: July 10, 2025
Last Publication: July 24, 2025
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Fusako Okuno, Deceased Case Number: 25PR3
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before October 27, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Denise T. Okuno-Prickett
Personal Representative 8324 S. Quay Ct. Littleton, CO, 80128
Legal Notice No. Jeffco 6100
First Publication: June 26, 2025
Last Publication: July 10, 2025
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of PAUL DANIEL MORAN, a/k/a PAUL D. MORAN, a/k/a PAUL MORAN, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30643
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before October 27, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Carol Moran, Personal Representative 516 Monaco Parkway Denver, Colorado 80220
Legal Notice No. Jeff 6103
First Publication: June 26, 2025
Last Publication: July 10, 2025
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of James Lewis Henderson, Deceased Case Number 2025PR30775
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before November 3, 2025 or the claims may be forever barred.
James M. Henderson Personal Representative c/o Kitto Law, PC 2899 North Speer Blvd., Unit 103 Denver, CO 80211
Legal Notice NO. 6112
First Publication: July 3, 2025
Last Publication: July 17, 2025 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Donna J. Shay, aka Donna Jean Shay, aka Donna Jean McCosh, aka Donna Jean McCosh Shay, akaDonna Shay, Deceased Case Number 2025PR30796
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before November 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Maire Erin Jean Shay, Personal Representative c/o Katz, Look & Onorato, P.C., 1120 Lincoln
