Jeffco Transcript June 12, 2025

Je co schools consider deep cuts in 2025-26 budget

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG

Faced with a looming $60 million structural de cit, the Je erson County school board reviewed the district’s proposed 2025-26 budget on June 4 and began a sobering discussion about what comes next.

In the upcoming school year, Jeffco is projected to spend more money than it brings in, relying on savings to bridge the gap.  e proposed budget relies on $39 million in one-time spending from the district’s fund balance, and Chief Financial O cer Brenna Copeland warned that without signicant changes, reserves could dip to unmanageable levels by the 202728 school year.

WESTMINSTER WINDOW

Arvada City Council recognizes June as Pride Month

Rate increase of 3.5% proposed for this month; ‘opt-out fee’ to remain the same

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e district has already shuttered 21 schools since 2021, resulting in $20 million in recurring cost savings. Yet, Copeland said the overall budget continues to grow due to in ation, compensation increases and special education needs.

“ is is not a proposal. is is a hypothetical illustration,” Copeland said as she walked board members through a series of bleak multi-year forecasts. “If we just keep doing what we’re doing, we do not right the ship.”

Accountability and long-term planning

For the fourth time in its history, Arvada has recognized June as Pride Month, as the city council presented a proclamation to members of the Apex Park and Recreation District to mark the occasion.

Councilmember Brad Rupert read the proclamation, which recognized Apex’s role in fostering community for LGBT+ residents of Arvada — including its monthly Pride Night events for LGBTQ+ teens and their allies.

Arvada rst recognized June as Pride Month in 2021 and continued to do so in 2023 and 2024, according to the city’s Director of Communications Rachael Kuroiwa.

WINDOW

“Whereas the Apex Park and Recreation District has demonstrated leadership and commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ com-

munity through inclusive programming, community education and the hosting of joyful, a rming pride events in Arvada, and whereas the city of Arvada applauds and honors organizations like Apex Park and Recreation District who foster a sense of belonging and visibility for LGBTQ plus residents and help create a stronger, more uni ed community now, therefore be it proclaimed that the mayor and the Arvada City Council hereby designate June 2025 as Pride Month in the city of Arvada,” the proclamation reads.

Vee Duran, Apex’s recreation coordinator, said that since the rst Pride Night in 2019, Apex has been working on providing safe spaces for young people.

“Our mission is to create spaces that are not only fun and active but are also inclusive and afrming for everyone, improving the lives of our residents, physically, emotionally and socially,” Duran said. “Since (2019), Pride Nights have grown into one of our most beloved monthly traditions, featuring music, games, resources, a little karaoke and a sense of community for teens in attendance and all identities.

SEE COUNCIL, P27

e district is statutorily required to adopt a high-level plan to address ongoing shortfalls when using reserves to fund recurring costs. is year’s budget plan, presented in May and reiterated at the June 4 meeting, outlines a phased approach: reduce expenditures through program changes and staing cuts, avoid future cost increases where possible and consider asking voters for additional funding through a mill levy override.

e new forecasts assume modest revenue increases and enrollment declines over the next three years.

e district anticipates losing 800 students in both the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

Members of the Apex Park and Recreation District are presented with a Pride Month proclamation from Arvada City Council. COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA

Denver mayor taps former planning director as interim department director

Brad Buchanan is also the CEO of the National Western Center Authority

BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG

To quickly but temporarily ll the role that leads Denver’s Department of Community Planning and Development, Mayor Mike Johnston today named Brad Buchanan, the CEO of the National Western Center Authority, as the interim director.

“We are thrilled Brad is willing to return to lead CPD in an interim capacity,” Johnston said in a press release Tuesday. “Having served as Executive Director from 2014 to 2018, Brad knows the agency and the team extremely well. His deep expertise in Denver’s permitting and development processes gives me full condence in his ability to guide CPD forward as we continue overhauling our permitting processes and delivering services to our community.”

Buchanan will begin his dual roles on June 10. e National Western Center Authority is a nonpro t that programs, operates and maintains the National Western Complex. e authority has a 13-person board of directors.

e authority was approved on Monday by the Denver City Council on a 9-4 vote to receive up to $812 million to further develop the National Western Center, which will include a new equestrian

center, hotel, community center and other projects in an e ort to enhance the experience of the site that hosts the annual National Western Stock Show.

e city council approved spending $23.3 million through bond funding over the next 35 years with an assumed interest rate of 4.92%.

“I’ve got a fantastic team in both places,” Buchanan told Times Media Group.

“I know the teams at the National Western Center and Community Planning and Development. I’m working with some amazing individuals, and I’ve had some conversations with the board and my team about this possibility, and everyone was very supportive. Every manager manages scope and projects beyond their own capacity. at’s what management is all about. I’m comfortable with managing a lot of spinning plates, and that’s what I’ll do here.”

In leading both the authority and the city department in charge of approving the developments his current organization is seeking, Buchanan said there will be times when he’ll have to step back to avoid con icts of interest.

“I’ve thought about that, I think that there’s really only one area of protectional con icts, and that’s if we’re applying for a building permit while I’m the executive director,” he said. “I’d been in this position for almost ve years previously, but the executive director is not involved the day-to-day of the review process, and I’ll keep my distance from that. I have a high bar for our integrity and our team’s integrity and I know what lines not to cross.”

Where to find

School across metro Denver o er free meals to kids all summer

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG

When school cafeterias close for the summer, thousands of Colorado families lose access to a vital resource: free and reliable meals for their children.

Fortunately, public school districts across the state are stepping up to ll the gap through the federally funded Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals to anyone 18 years old and under, with no registration or ID required.

Whether you live in Brighton, Fort Lupton, Golden, Westminster or the mountain communities served by the Canyon and Clear Creek Couriers, multiple locations are o ering nutritious meals all summer long.

Some locations o er breakfast and lunch each weekday, while others serve meals at parks, schools and community centers or provide grab-and-go options.

Below is a district-by-district guide to help you nd a free summer meal site near you. Be sure to check dates and times. Some programs start as early as late May and run through early August, but hours and service days vary.

A comprehensive search for the permanent executive director of the department will be conducted, Johnston’s ofce stated. Buchanan said he expects the search to last about six months.

Buchanan said he wants to continue to improve approval times for building permit applications — something Johnston has highlighted as a priority in his administration — as well as improve the “customer experience” of the process. He said he also plans to catch up with everything the department is handling at this time and help the mayor with selecting a new, permanent director.

Part of Monday’s council decision included the e orts of the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea Community Investment Fund, a program established by the authority, to direct money toward a revolving loan fund for the purchase of collectively owned land, homes and cooperative businesses in the GES neighborhoods.

e fund seeks $16 million from the allocated money to the authority in order to accomplish those goals.

“Last night’s vote just laid out the work that needs to be done with the (community investment fund),” Buchanan said. “We all heard loud and clear that there are signi cant needs in GES, and that’s what we have to do every day, to partner with them and increase that revenue stream and apply those funds to address neighborhood priorities and needs.”

Shannon Ho man, the project manager for the community investment fund, told Times Media Group that the organization is looking forward to working with

Buchanan on the future phases of the National Western Center.

“We know he has a lot of knowledge from his previous experience in CPD,” Ho man said.

e Community Planning and Development executive director was Manish Kumar until May 31 when he announced his departure after 13 months at the position. Kumar’s last day is Friday, June 6. Johnston announced in April, by executive order, the creation of the new Denver Permitting O ce to “overhaul Denver’s permitting and development approval processes, making building in the city easier by streamlining permit review timelines and coordination across city departments,” according to the announcement.

free meals for kids this summer

Clear Creek School District

(Idaho Springs, Georgetown, Dumont,

Monday to Friday June 3 – August 2

Lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Carlson Elementary School: 1300 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs Free for children 18 and under. No registration is required. Meals must be eaten on site. Adult meals may be available for pur-

Je co Public Schools

(Golden, Edgewater, Lakewood)

Monday to Friday, Dates vary by location Lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Edgewater Elementary, 5570 W. 24th Ave., Edgewater June 2 – June 27, no service on June 19  Deane Elementary: 580 S. Harlan Street, Lakewood June 2 –July 31, no service on June 19 and July 4 Lumberg Elementary: 6705 W. 22nd Ave, Edgewater June 2 – July 3, no service on Free for children 18 and under. Adult meals are available for $5.25. Meals must be consumed onsite. You do not need to be a Je co stu-

Additional Resources

USDA Summer Meals Site Finder (www.fns.usda.gov/summer/site nder): Locate nearby meal sites across Hunger Free Colorado (hungerfreecolorado.org/): O ers a Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626 for statewide assistance.

Brad Buchanan

What I’ve Learned About Why Condominiums Are Getting Harder to Finance

Four years ago on June 24, 2021, part of a 12-story condominium building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed at 1:14 a.m. killing 98 residents and injuring 11 others.

But that’s only one event that has contributed to the increasing difficulty of selling and financing the purchase of condos across America.

Primarily because of severe weather, especially hail storms in Colorado, master insurance policies have gotten more expensive and their deductibles increased dramatically. When the deductible in a master insurance policy exceeds 5% of the insured value, units within a condo association become “non-warrantable” according to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines — and over 90% of all loans are sold to those federal agencies after closing and must therefore meet those guidelines.

home for first-time homebuyers who are less likely to have that much cash. They could also go to a “portfolio” or “non-QM” lender, but those lenders don’t typically offer the low down payments of conventional or FHA lenders.



by a single entity

Fewer than 35% of the units are the primary or second home of the unit owner (FHA only)

The HOA has inadequate reserves

Every lender has its own condo questionnaire that must be completed by the association property manager. The questionnaire addresses the numerous concern areas of the lender. The loan could be rejected if:

Master insurance deductible is over 5%

Commercial space exceeds 35%

More than 15% the unit owners are 60 or more days delinquent on HOA dues

A construction defect lawsuit is pending Less than 10% of the HOA budget is allocated to reserves

There’s a lot of deferred maintenance

FHA does a lot of this analysis for lenders and will provide a 3-year certification which lenders can rely on, but the application process is tedious and many condo associations fail to apply for or renew their certification.

That FHA lookup website is https:// entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm

Here’s what the screen looked like when I searched for the Centennial condo featured with a price reduction in last week’s ad:

Sometimes it’s hard to know whether a unit is a condo or a townhome. The simple distinction is that a townhome owns the land under it, but even a standalone home could legally be a condo.

Buyers can pay cash, of course, but condos have long been considered the entry-level

More than 20-25% of the units are owned

NAR Dilutes Its Rule Against Hate Speech by Realtors

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis cop in May 2020, and the heated rhetoric, much of it racist, which followed, the National Association of Realtors enacted a “standard of practice” to go along with Article 10 of the NAR Code of Ethics, which bars Realtors from denying professional services based on “race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

Inspired by demand for social change and an unprecedented number of complaints received by NAR relating to discriminatory conduct and language by Realtors, the Board approved Standard of Practice 10-5 with language that expanded Article 10 to include the prohibition against harassment and hate language generally and not just limited to a Realtor’s professional life.

SOP 10-5 was implemented by the NAR Board of Directors on Nov. 13, 2020, and read as follows: “Realtors must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs

based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

Here’s the new language, which no longer enforces that rule on Realtors’ communications or actions outside their business life:

“Realtors, in their capacity as real estate professionals, in association with their real estate businesses, or in their real estaterelated activities, shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.” (Emphasis added.)

SOP 10-4 continues as follows:

“As used in this Code of Ethics, harassment is unwelcome behavior directed at an individual or group based on one or more of the above protected characteristics where the purpose or effect of the behavior is to create a hostile, abusive, or intimidating environment which adversely affects their ability to access equal professional services or employment opportunity.”

The search showed that this condo is approved by FHA for the 3-year period beginning July 24, 2023.

Although regulators have determined that the buyer’s agent, not the listing agent, is obligated to check whether a condo is FHAapproved, a responsible listing agent should, in my opinion, do the simple search described above and not list “FHA” as acceptable financing if the community is described as “rejected” or “expired” on that website.

Even if the website shows the association as approved, the lender will still require the long-form questionnaire from the association and study the budget, declarations, bylaws and more before approving a loan, so the lender should request those documents as soon as possible after the buyer goes under contract — certainly within a week.

The legal description can sometimes mislead a lender, broker or buyer as to whether they’re dealing with a condo or a townhome. Typically, the legal description should refer to a “condo declaration” and not have a “block and lot” description that is more appropriate to a parcel that includes land. Some legal descriptions which include the word “condo” are in fact townhomes, and vice versa. The title company can quickly research the full legal description and answer that question, which becomes critical to obtaining loan approval. Another clue would be if the association is on the FHA condo lookup database.

Back to the subject of insurance coverage and deductibles, a buyer who purchases a condo as a primary resident or second home should get an HO-6 “walls-in” condo insurance policy which includes a “loss assessment” endorsement, which would pay for the deductible which is assessed to each unit owner as the result of a hail or other claim. The annual cost of such a policy is far less than the insurance policy for a single-family home and can save you up to a 5-figure special assessment from the condo association.

If the master policy does not include roof, exterior, etc., the unit owner should purchase a more expensive HO-3 policy instead of the HO-6 policy.

FHA is favored because of its low downpayment requirement — as little as 3.5% — but with a higher down payment it’s possible the lender will only require a “streamline” review, which is quicker and less expensive. That requires a minimum 10% down payment for a primary residence and 25% for a second home.

It’s important for a buyer to hire an agent experienced in condo purchases and who can refer you to the best lender.

$560,000

This updated, 4-bedroom/2-bath, 1,586-squarefoot tri-level home at 6337 W. 68th Place is in a quiet, established neighborhood. Each level has been thoughtfully renovated. The vaulted main level has new luxury vinyl plank floors, and there’s new paint throughout. The galley kitchen has new cabinets, complemented by white appliances. The upper level has 3 bedrooms with new carpet and an updated full bathroom. The lower level has a spacious family room with a brick fireplace and above-grade windows. There is a 4th bedroom, laundry, and updated 3/4 bathroom on that level. The windows and siding were replaced in 2018, and a new roof was installed last month. A narrated video tour is posted at www. GRElistings.com. Call Kathy at 303-990-7428 to request a private showing.

Schools consider financial literacy curriculum

New law asks what teens must learn about handling money

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG

Forget balancing a checkbook. Today’s teens need to know how to avoid identity theft, decode a credit score and gure out if that “buy now, pay later” plan is actually worth it.

With a new state law requiring all Colorado high school students to complete a course in nancial literacy beginning with students in the 9th grade on or after Sept. 1, 2026, educators now face a practical challenge: how do you design a course that prepares 21st-century teens to make smart nancial choices in a world of skyrocketing rents, digital wallets, student loans and TikTok stock tips?

e law, House Bill 25-1192, mandates a semester-long course in personalnancial literacy for every public school student, beginning with the class of 2028.  But it leaves the details up to local school districts, many of which are still guring out what today’s students need most: the basics of budgeting and saving, yes, but also how to navigate the gig economy, manage online spending and protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated nancial scams.

Colorado schools are working to determine the curriculum for new required financial literacy classes for teens. SHUTTERSTOCK

isting course rather than create a new standalone class.

But, students must understand and practice lling out the federal or statenancial aid form (FAFSA or CAFSA), unless they and their parents opt out.

What the law requires, and what it doesn’t

While the law sets a content requirement, it allows schools to integrate the nancial literacy standards into an ex-

Colorado has one of the lowest FAFSA completion rates in the country, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education. is means Colorado students are missing out on signi cant amounts of federally available grant

money.

e law doesn’t include a standardized curriculum or end-of-course exam. Instead, it points to existing high school standards, last updated in 2020, as the foundation. ose standards cover budgeting and saving, credit and debt management and understanding taxes. But they also include topics like risk management and insurance, fraud prevention and identity protection and nancial decision-making and planning for college.

Each district will determine how to implement the course, whether as a graduation requirement embedded in current o erings or as a standalone class

What’s useful for teens in 2025

Anneliese Elrod, chief operating ofcer of Westerra Credit Union, says the curriculum must go far beyond “checkbook math” to prepare students for reallife nancial challenges. at includes understanding how credit cards work, budgeting realistically and navigating everything from nancial aid to digital payment scams.

“Budgeting by available balance is one of the most common mistakes we see young people make,” Elrod said. “ ey don’t understand the di erence between their current balance and what’s pending. It can lead to overdrafts or worse.”

She said teens should learn how to read a pay stub, build a credit score and avoid scams on payment apps like Venmo and CashApp. Lessons should also guide them through how to evaluate nancial decisions, such as whether to rent an expensive apartment or sign up for a “buy now, pay later” plan.

“Even understanding basic investing, like what a Roth IRA is or how to open an interest-generating savings account can give them a huge head start,” Elrod said.  Elrod said she was especially glad to see FAFSA covered in the new requirement.

“ at knowledge is something you just don’t intuitively understand, and it’s a very convoluted maze,” she said. “If we are doing it for that reason — bravo.”

Additionally, she emphasized that understanding FAFSA and student loans is crucial, as many students miss out on nancial aid by skipping the application process, which can leave them paying o

“Every student is di erent. Some are ready at 10, others not until 16. The key is creating habits early and making the conversation feel relevant.”

Anneliese Elrod, chief operating o cer of Westerra Credit Union

debt well into the future.

While today’s teens may be more aware of traditional scams than older generations, Elrod said, they’re often more vulnerable to savvy marketing and highpressure sales tactics.

“Marketers are very good at making it feel good and immediate,” she said. “And kids are all about that.”

Keeping teens engaged in a dry subject

Teenagers may not be thrilled about taking a required money class, but educators can keep them engaged with realworld scenarios, Elrod said. at starts with relevance.

“ ey’re not going to understand purchasing a house. ey are going to understand going out to dinner with friends or buying new clothes,” she said. “Making the examples relevant helps students connect the dots.”

Elrod’s team at Westerra Credit Union o ers a classroom simulation that gives students a job, a salary and bills to manage and then throws high-pressure sales pitches their way.

“It’s one thing to talk about budgeting,” she said. “It’s another to experience the consequences of blowing your budget on an apartment with killer mountain views and realizing you can’t a ord to eat.”

When students walk through those decisions, Elrod said, the lessons tend to stick. “You can tell them they need to budget, but letting them feel what it’s like to make the wrong choice is much more e ective.”

What parents can do at home

Financial education doesn’t have to stop at school. Elrod encourages parents to involve teens in family budgeting, talk openly about money and consider opening joint accounts or debit cards when they’re ready.

“Every student is di erent. Some are ready at 10, others not until 16,” she said. “ e key is creating habits early and making the conversation feel relevant.”

Elrod recommends apps that help families gamify chores, savings and spending. Some allow parents to set savings rules, such as automatically diverting one-third of every allowance into savings and help kids track their spending in real-time.

“ e goal isn’t to lecture,” she said. “It’s to build con dence. When teens feel in control of their money, they make better choices.”

Survival rates of Colorado’s reintroduced wolves are falling below a critical threshold

Wildlife o cials to review ‘translocation protocols’ after a string of recent deaths

BY CHASE WOODRUFF COLORADO NEWSLINE

It’s been a week of bad news for supporters of Colorado’s voter-mandated efforts to reintroduce gray wolves.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife o cials announced Friday that agents had shot and killed wolf 2405, a yearling male belonging to the rst litter of wolf pups born in the state since reintroduction, after a series of livestock attacks in Pitkin County. at news was followed Monday by CPW’s announcement of the death of a recently reintroduced wolf, 2507-BC, in northwest Colorado on May 31.

e latest con rmed death means at least ve of the 15 wolves relocated from Canada in January have now died. Two of the animals traveled north into Wyoming, where wolves are largely unprotected under federal and state laws; one was killed by federal o cials after livestock attacks, and the other is wide-

ly assumed to have been legally hunted — Wyoming wildlife o cials have invoked a hunter con dentiality law when asked for details. e causes of death for three wolves found dead in Colorado are all under investigation by CPW and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Roughly 20 other adult or yearling gray wolves remain alive and in the wild across the state, and advocates and CPW o cials hope that an unknown number of pups born this spring can soon be conrmed and added to the total.

But for now, with a small population working to establish itself in the early stages of the program, the deaths of one-third of the individuals reintroduced this year have pushed Colorado wolves’ survival rate below a critical threshold outlined in CPW’s formal reintroduction plan.

Citing research derived from other states’ wolf management plans and the federally-led e ort to restore wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, that plan, adopted by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission in 2023, anticipated that survival rates for reintroduced wolves would range between 70% and 85% in the early years of the program. Early survival rates were listed among the benchmarks CPW said it would use

to measure “short-term success.”

“A survival rate of less than 70%” for reintroduced wolves within six months of release, the plan says, “would initiate protocol review.”

“An unusually large number of losses during the rst year of releases or following any modi cation to established protocols will prompt a full review of man-

agement procedures,” the document continues. “To assure high initial postrelease survival, the project may be suspended at any time until likely cause(s) of problems are identi ed, and acceptable solutions can be implemented to resolve the problem(s).”

Denver home prices are unchanged as thousands of listings pile up

There are more homes on the market now than anytime since 2011

BY ANDREW KENNEY DENVERITE

ere were nearly 13,600 homes for sale in the 11-county metro area at the end of May. at’s the highest number since 2011, a sign that home buyers are hesitant to take what the market is offering.

e mismatch between supply and demand means the Denver market looks very di erent than in recent years. More people are selling homes than buying them. Just about 4,000 sales were closed in May, even as nearly 7,300 new

homes hit the market, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.

It’s still possible to sell a home in Denver, especially for the right price and location. In fact, if a home does sell, it typically takes only a couple weeks

But that statistic excludes the homes that  aren’t  selling. Many properties are going unsold for months. e average unsold home has been sitting on the market for 45 days.  e number of people selling their homes isn’t abnormally high, appearing fairly consistent with recent years. But the number of buyers has dropped o signi cantly from the 2010s and pandemic years. Many are hesitant to pay high prices at high interest rates

Despite the lack of buyers, the median price for single-family homes rose by about $5,000 to $665,000. e prices of townhomes and condos also increased.

ose who do buy are looking for the strongest o erings at the best prices. ey are increasingly likely to back out of a deal over inspection issues, according to DMAR — unlike a few years ago, when some buyers agreed to skip inspections altogether.

However, there is a sign of a little movement in the market. Until now, it looked like the spring sales season had peaked early, with the number of completed sales dropping instead of growing from March through May.

But the number of pending sales — those that are in progress but not yet completed — ticked up at the end of May.

is story is from Denverite, a nonpro t Denver news source a liated with CPR News. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.

A home for sale in Denver’s Whittier neighborhood. Dec. 4, 2024. PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE

A reintroduced wolf is seen shortly after release in Grand County on Dec. 19, 2023.

Colorado music legend Hazel Miller to host birthday bash at Elks Lodge on June 30

Colorado Music Hall of Famer plans star-studded birthday a air to benefit Inner City Health

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado Music Hall of Famer Hazel Miller is no stranger to a spectacle, and her birthday celebration this year — dubbed “Hazelpalooza” — will be no exception.

Set for 6:30 p.m. on June 30 at the Arvada Elks Lodge, 5700 Yukon St., Miller will take the stage with her backing band, e Collective, and a host of local music luminaries including Josh Blackburn, Chris Daniels, Jack Hadley and Alice and Dave of Soda Blue.  e proceeds from the event will bene t Inner City Health, an organization Miller says is close to her heart.

“ ese people have saved my life,” Miller said of the clinic. “ ey provide health care for anyone who walks through the door. Doesn’t matter what you do, where you live; if you need help, they’re prepared to give it to you. ey are faith-based and I’m hoping to be able to hand them some money we will take in at the show.”

Miller said the festivities will culminate in a jam session lasting nearly two hours, where the acclaimed singer will be joined by her guests on a genre-spanning collection of hit songs.

“It’s just going to be an old fashioned ‘We’re here to have a party jam’ — you know, the old fashioned jam session, everybody singing, everybody playing,” Miller said. “We’re all going

WOLVES

CPW spokesperson Travis Duncan conrmed to Newsline Tuesday that the agency would review its procedures, but not until causes of death for the animals are established.

“Out of an abundance of caution, CPW will assess the mortalities of wolves translocated in 2025 to determine if any translocation protocols should be modi ed,” Duncan said. “ is cannot occur until nal determinations from the USFWS necropsies have been made on the cause of the mortalities.”

A decades-old benchmark

e 70% target in CPW’s plan comes from a 2015 technical report by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife assessing that state’s wolf population. e Oregon report, in turn, cited three previous studies from wildlife biologists who found that wolf populations can be sustained with mortality rates as high as 25% to 30%. Crossing that threshold, the report’s authors wrote, results in an “increased risk of conservation failure and biological extinction.”

e target also roughly aligns with benchmarks set by planners of the rst-ever managed wolf reintroduction program, undertaken by the USFWS in and around Yellowstone National Park beginning in 1995. Federal ofcials projected that the restoration e ort would be successful if overall mortality could be limited to 20% — 10% from authorized killings of wolves due to livestock con icts and another 10% from “natural causes, accidents, or illegal killing.”

e 1990s e orts near Yellowstone met or

to be singing backup for each other. We’re all going to be having just a good old time.”

Debbie Hansen, the owner of La Dolce Vita co ee shop in Olde Town, helped Miller organize the event and said it was a great opportunity for folks to see a local legend. Miller is a longtime Arvada resident and was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame alongside her longtime bandmates, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, in 2023.

“Hazel is an amazing lady, and she does so

exceeded those expectations, successfully reestablishing sustainable wolf population in two di erent areas ahead of the predicted schedule of three to ve years. In the Yellowstone area, 24 of 31 relocated wolves survived the program’s rst two calendar years, along with 19 of 23 their pups, for a total mortality rate of 20%. In a parallel e ort in central Idaho, wolves fared even better. Although no pups were born within the rst year of reintroduction, 30 of 35 relocated individuals survived the program’s rst 20 months, a 14% mortality rate.

CPW biologists will have a better understanding of the state of reintroduction once the number of pups born in Colorado in 2025 is con rmed. e agency says it’s monitoring four “potential dens” of breeding pairs.

But it’s clear now that Colorado’s restoration e ort is falling short of the successes experienced in the northern Rockies in the 1990s: Including three deaths con rmed in 2024, eight of the state’s rst 25 relocated wolves have died, a mortality rate of 32% — with more than half of calendar year 2025 left to go.

e state’s plan calls for winter releases of 10 to 15 wolves annually in the program’s rst three to ve years, with an initial target of a stable population of at least 50 animals within the state. Without a turnaround in survival rates and pup production, however, that timeline could be in jeopardy.

“CPW is developing plans for the coming year’s translocation e orts, so Colorado’s wolf population will continue to grow, leading toward a self-sustaining population,” the agency promised in a press release this week. is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline. com.

many amazing things for the community,” Hansen said. “She just wants to celebrate her birthday with everybody. And if you get to meet her and talk to her, you’d be instant friends.”

Tickets for Hazelpalooza are available at Hazelmiller.biz and on Eventbrite.

Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: Je coTranscript.com

A publication of To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or Scan this QR Code

STEVE T STRICKBINE President steve@timeslocalmedia.com

NADINE JOHNSON Director of Operations nadine@timeslocalmedia.com

NICK OLIVERI Director of Sales nick@timeslocalmedia.com

COURTNEY OLDHAM Production and Design Director production@timelocalmedia.com

ERIC HEINZ West Metro Editor eric@cotln.org

ERIN ADAMS Marketing Consultant eadams@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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.

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 and additional mailing o ces.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Je co Transcript, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

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.

Arvada resident and Colorado music legend Hazel Miller has quite the birthday bash planned for June 30. COURTESY PHOTO

Colorado experts say vaccination is strongest defense against measles

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With con rmed measles cases popping up across the Denver metro area, here’s what you need to know about the infectious disease and what to do if you believe you have been exposed.

With more than 1,000 measles cases con rmed nationwide, there have been about a dozen con rmed in Colorado, as of June 4.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, these cases have been con rmed in Aurora, including Children’s Hospital Colorado, Greenwood Village, Denver, Evergreen, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Glendale and Windsor.

In addition to the department collaborating with municipal partners at Metro Denver Partnership for Health to deliver information, Laura Larson, the assistant director for community health for the county, said its epidemiologists have been working with child care facilities and the school district to educate and inform families with unvaccinated children.

“We are working closely with CDPHE in preparation for managing any measles exposures in the county,” Larson said.

Signs, symptoms and who to call Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease.

e virus spreads if an infected person coughs or sneezes onto someone else, or touches a surface in which another person touches the same surface. Additionally, if a person breathes in air in the room up to two hours after a person with measles spent time in, the person can contract the disease.

According to state law, illnesses including measles must be reported.

“When you’re trying to evaluate whether to get vaccinated against measles or not … you’re not only protecting yourself, you’re protecting other people and potentially other people that you love.”

Daniel Pastula, chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at UCHealth

Symptoms appear one to two weeks after being exposed. First signs include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes and a fever up to 104 degrees.

White spots in the mouth can appear about 2-3 days after the rst signs appear, and raised bumps atop red spots occur a few days after that.

Measles can cause other severe illnesses and long-term complications such as hearing loss, pneumonia, lung damage and brain swelling. Daniel Pastula, the chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at UCHealth, added that it has the ability to hide in the brain and cause dementia.

the vitamin can be toxic to the liver.  Report an illness at tinyurl.com/dougco-health-report.

The MMR vaccination

Experts say the strongest defense against measles is being vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, which can prevent measles, mumps and rubella. ere is another vaccine called MMRV, which includes prevention from varicella.

Pastula said since 1989, the recommendation has been for children over the age of 1 to get two doses of the live measles vaccine and they will “be good for life.”  e Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention recommends that children get the rst dose of the MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months old and the second dose between the ages of 4 and 6.

However, the vaccine doesn’t prevent an individual from getting measles. One dose of the vaccine is 93% e ective and two doses is 97% e ective. If a vaccinated individual gets measles, Pastula said they will most likely develop milder symptoms and be less likely to have severe side e ects

“Vaccines aren’t necessarily designed to prevent you from getting sick, they’re designed to keep you out of the hospital,” Pastula said.

e National Foundation for Infectious Diseases states that about one in ve unvaccinated people in the United States who contracts measles will be hospitalized.

Also, if an unvaccinated individual is exposed to measles, they can most likely get vaccinated within 72 hours.

However, pregnant women, immunocomprised individuals and infants under the age of 1 are unable to get the measles vaccine.

Samuel Dominguez, professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Colorado said that while the vaccine is safe, infants under the age of 1 already received immunity from their mother’s antibodies. ese antibodies can interfere with the infant’s ability to respond to the vaccine.

“When you’re trying to evaluate whether to get vaccinated against measles or not… you’re not only protecting yourself, you’re

protecting other people and potentially other people that you love,” Pastula said.  If people are planning on traveling outside of the country, Dominguez said infants between 6 and 11 months should get a dose before they go. Once they return, they should still get the two recommended doses.

For more information about what to know when traveling, visit cdc.gov/measles/travel/index.html.

How did we get here?

Pastula called the highly contagious disease an “ancient virus.”

In 1912, measles became a national epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 6,000 measlesrelated deaths were reported each year within the rst decade.

Before a vaccine became available in 1963, it was estimated to infect 3 to 4 million people in the U.S. each year. However, an improved vaccine was developed in 1968, which is the vaccine that is available today.

By 1981, the number of reported cases was 80% less compared to the year before. en in 2000, the disease was declared eliminated from the U.S.

Pastula said despite measles cases occurring every year since then, most doctors have never seen an active case, including himself.

“But, unfortunately, we’re sliding back into the history books,” Pastula said.

Various locations across Douglas County provide measles vaccinations. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

BUDGET CUTS

At the same time, it projects rising costs for salaries, bene ts, utilities and mandated services, such as special education. Copeland said the forecasts already include sta reductions aligned to enrollment loss.

“We are recognizing that when we lose 800 students, we do sta for fewer positions,” she said. “I get frustrated when people suggest that we’re not including reductions. We are.”

Still, the projected gap persists. By 2027-28, Je co’s unassigned reserves and its designated fund balance for future use are expected to fall to zero, leaving no cushion for emergencies or midyear adjustments.

at, Copeland said, poses operational risks.

“I don’t know how schools would navigate a negative October adjustment without carryforward,” she said, referring to the reserve balances schools typically rely on when enrollment numbers change.

Board confronts painful choices: job cuts likely

At the board’s request, Copeland presented three models showing how the district could close a $60 million shortfall.

Each hypothetical model involved signi cant cuts to sta ng, showing that even steep cuts to software, supplies and other discretionary spending don’t go far enough.

One proposed a at 6% cut across all spending categories, totaling about $60 million. Another suggested a 6% cut to full-time sta , resulting in the elimination of approximately 564 positions. A third option varied the approach, cut-

ting 5% to 10% in targeted areas while attempting to shield general instruction and school-based sta ng.

Board Member Danielle Varda asked why sta appeared to be the main target of cuts when some families might assume administrative or central expenses could be trimmed instead.

Varda said that if cuts to school-based sta are on the table, the district has a responsibility to explain why central services aren’t absorbing more of the burden.

Copeland explained that 84% of the general fund budget is tied to salaries and bene ts. at includes not only teachers, but paraprofessionals, counselors, custodians, transportation sta and others.

“Of the $60 million target, $49 million would come from reductions to salary and bene t accounts,” Copeland said. “ at’s where the money is.”

Board responds with urgency

“We’ve got to prepare our community for the fact that there are going to be signi cant reductions in force,” said Board Member Paula Reed. “ at’s going to be unavoidable.”

Director Michelle Applegate somberly agreed.

“Even small gestures to demonstrate we are tightening our own belts are important. We need to show our community we are taking this seriously.”

Applegate suggested implementing cost-saving policies now, such as travel limits, caps on consultant contracts and leaving vacancies un lled.

Deputy Superintendent Kym LeBlancEsparza said stakeholder input will be critical to shaping district priorities and understanding what families value most.

“In three decades of education, I’ve been through downturns before,” she said. “We have to establish criteria, involve stakeholders, educate people on what’s in each category and identify

what’s undesirable versus what’s impossible.”

e board agreed to form a working group, likely comprising at least two board members and district leaders, to develop that framework this summer.

Applegate and others said the district should begin community conversations about asking voters to approve a mill levy override. Without one, they said, the kinds of cuts needed in 2026 and beyond could reshape Je co schools.

“If we are going to ask the community to support a mill, we need to be speci c,” Varda said. “We need to be clear about what we’re protecting, what we’re cutting and what we’re asking the money to do.” is year’s resolution will include that

required plan, she said, and will outline broader strategies for reducing expenditures and possibly going to voters with a tax request.

e board will vote on the 2025-26 proposed budget on June 12.

Looking ahead, board members acknowledged that decisions must come soon. School budgets are typically built in November for the following year, meaning discussions about sta ng, programming and potential tax requests can’t wait.

“We have to start talking now about what we will do,” Reed said. “Not just what we won’t.”

Je erson County Board of Education members and Deputy Superintendent Kym LeBlancEsparza listen intently during the June 4 budget discussion. Superintendent Tracy Dorland was absent from the meeting. SUZIE GLASSMAN

Documentary details Denver ‘70s band Sugarloaf

Brighton man, Evergreen shop owner to star in upcoming rockumentary

BY JANE REUTER

JANE@COTLN.ORG

Neither Brighton resident and Morrison bartender Cory Pearman or Evergreen business owner Eric Martinez had been born when the iconic 1970s Colorado rock band “Sugarloaf” was in its heyday.

Today, both men have been cast in an upcoming movie about the group.

Pearman is depicted on the movie’s website among the lead cast as singer/ songwriter Bob Yeazel, and Martinez has a part as bassist Bob Raymond’s adult son Aaron.

e movie “I Got a Song” is being lmed locally, including a scene shot at e Little Bear in Evergreen April 11 and more in Denver later this summer.

Sugarloaf, known for hits like “GreenEyed Lady” and “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You,” was named after Boulder’s Sugarloaf Mountain. e movie promises to share “compelling details of the group, the unique members, how they came together and what tore them apart.”

Pearman, frontman for local bands “Float Like a Bu alo” and “ e C Minuses” and a bartender at the Morrison Holiday Bar, is not just playing the lead vocalist, but singing Sugarloaf’s songs as well.

“I really enjoy it,” he said. “Diving into ‘Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You’ … I don’t have a very high-pitched voice. I had to learn that and struggled when I did it.

“Bobby was also apparently the wild man, so I’m excited about that. I get to push some boundaries.”

Yeazel was with the band for a short but prominent time, Pearman said. e group formed in 1969, and Yeazel joined them in 1971 for their second album, . He wrote or co-wrote many of the songs, including “Tongue in Cheek.”

He left the group in mid-1972 saying

he was “disillusioned” with the group’s direction. Sugarloaf o cially disbanded in 1978. Yeazel, who joined the FreddiHenchi band and later wrote songs for the still-popular Chris Daniels and the Kings, died in 2016.

Sugarloaf band was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2012.

Both Pearman and Martinez said the movie centers around bass player and founding member Bob Raymond.

As Raymond’s son, the actor Martinez struggles with his father’s 2016 death and later his son Bailey’s emergence in

the music industry.

Neither Pearman nor Martinez are new to acting. Martinez, who owns Evergreen’s Java Groove had a lead role in the holiday movie “Mocha and Mistletoe”, which was lmed in Evergreen in late 2024 at his urging. Sugarloaf’s documentary will be the fourth movie in which the 43-year-old has played a part, in addition to a couple of commercials and a truecrime reenactment podcast.

He saw the casting call for ‘I Got a Song’ on Facebook and auditioned in March.

“Sugarloaf was a bit before my time,

and I didn’t know (much about them) before I saw the callout,” he said. “I went back and listened to their music, and I love it. And knowing their story, the way they got together, and how passionate they were about the music, makes listening to it even cooler now.”

As a young man, Pearman moved to Los Angeles to “chase the dream of being an actor.” While he had some success, he quickly realized the Hollywood lifestyle wasn’t for him. After strumming his rst guitar in 2016, “I never looked back.”

‘I Got a Song’ director Kyle Lamar had also directed some of Pearman’s music videos and asked Pearman to play Yeazel.

“He said, ‘I think you’d be great for it. You look like the guy,’” Pearman said, laughing and stroked his beard, and adding that he had to dye some of the gray hairs that have lately appeared there to match his otherwise reddish-blond hair.

“I’m 47 playing a 25- or 26-year-old. I’m lucky I still look youthful.”

Pearman and Martinez met brie y at a June 1 cast/crew mixer and movie fundraiser at Aurora’s Rock restaurant. Martinez, who will shoot his rst scenes in June as well, also met Aaron Raymond at the fundraiser.

“I got to meet the real person I’m playing,” he said. “Not everybody (from the band) is still with us. But he is.”

Both men are open to more acting roles, though Pearman is dedicated to his musical career rst and Martinez is equally devoted to running his wellloved downtown Evergreen co ee shop and raising a family.

“Right now, I’m just leaning into it,” Martinez said.

“I’m having a blast,” Pearman said. “If it leads to more and I don’t have to move anywhere and can keep doing music, I’d be interested.

“I’m getting a little bit overwhelmed. But I’m still having fun doing it. It’s the life I chose for myself.”

‘Float Like a Bu alo’ just released a new album, and sets o on a Northwestern U.S. tour in mid-July. But before it does, the funk band will help Evergreen celebrate the Fourth of July at Foothills Fourth, playing at 3:30 p.m. on the stage at Buchanan elds.

Members of Sugarloaf from the cover of their 1971 album ‘Spaceship Earth,’ with Bob Yeazel far right. COURTESY PHOTOS

State Patrol warns motorists to watch for wildlife

CSP enforcement ramps up for calving season

BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COTLN.ORG

e Colorado State Patrol is stepping up patrols on Colorado State Highway 74 in Evergreen to protect motorists and local wildlife. e e ort is especially important in June and July during peak calving season for elk in the state.

e CSP’s “Give Me a Brake” campaign is being unveiled to increase enforcement and education about wildlife crossings, especially in Evergreen in Je erson County.

“Highway 74 in Evergreen, like so many picturesque areas of Colorado, is an example of a roadway that sees many wildlife crossings,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol in a news release.  “We want to warn drivers to slow their speeds and stay alert during this high activity season for new animals traveling with their mothers.”

While dusk and dawn are the most common times for wildlife-vehicle collisions, they can happen at all hours of the day – and they do. Colorado State Troopers will also be conducting weekly enforcement on Highway 74 this June to keep speeds down and increase knowledge on how to spot wildlife and what to do, the news release states.

Last year, animal-involved crashes were the third most common crash factor among all crash types (fatal, injury, and property damage), the news release states. Troopers investigated 3,573 of these crashes. Ninety-six percent of the crashes caused property damage only for the motorist, but the wildlife often did not survive, the CSP states. e State Patrol o ered practical tips from Wild Aware and their Wild Eyes Program can reduce the risk of motor-

lights to warn other drivers. ey also urge drivers to slow down and not to exceed the speed limit. Wildlife-vehicle collisions can be very costly to drivers, the CSP states. According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, the insurance industry pays out nearly $1.1 billion yearly in claims for all wildlife collisions nationwide. e average property damage cost of these crashes is estimated at over $3,000. If you are involved in a crash with an animal, Colorado State Patrol wants you to call 9-1-1 just as you would in any other emergency. In addition, if you witness wildlife in distress from possibly being struck on or near the side of the road, call *CSP for the proper resource to be notied and sent to the scene.

ist/wildlife collisions. ey urge drivers to scan roads or shoulders for movement and eye shine and ask drivers to use bright lights at night when safe and ash lights at oncoming cars to warn of wildlife on the road. Do not honk at wildlife in or near road if stopped and use hazard

A mother elk and her newborn calf stand in Evergreen Lake in 2024. The Colorado State Patrol is launching the “Give Me A Brake” campaign to urge drivers to be careful of wandering animals.

For 10 years as Assistant Principal at Eaglecrest High School, I had the privilege of overseeing the program for students with unique educational needs. at experience was transformational. One portion of my responsibility included a program known as the Integrated Learning Center, ILC. at primarily selfcontained classroom included students with particularly unique learning needs.

In the ILC, I observed new dimensions to the human spirit and courage to depths I did not know possible. I learned what fun a lack of inhibition can be for everyone around and about the joy of being recognized. I actually had to stand outside the ILC to listen to what the teacher was saying before I entered the room, so that the students’ learning was not disrupted by an inevitable chorus of voices saying “Hi, Mr. Roome!”

During that decade, the two most profound lessons I learned from students were about having an unwavering love of life and determination without bounds. I watched students bounce with joy because they glimpsed a friend or grasped a favorite toy. I observed full-on belly laughs because of a word or a wink. In fact, I cannot think of a time when the room was void of smiles. It is not that life is easy or the road is clear for students in ILC.

In fact, just the opposite. Students’ lives can be lled with unimaginable hardship, and yet there is still time for drinking the joy of living. ere is a great lesson in

AThe

fter decades of working in the personal and professional development space, I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate businesses, teams, and individuals across a wide range of industries. Whether we’re conducting a classic SWOT analysis; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, reviewing assessment data on talents and competencies, or sitting down for interviews with key players, one thing becomes abundantly clear time and time again: when strengths and weaknesses are laid out side by side, far too many people zero in on the weaknesses.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

VOICES

Finding joy to help overcome struggles

that room for all of us. Why would we have been put on this earth if it were not to bask in the joy of living?  at bottomless well of joy sits next to determination, which outshines all other ideas in the ILC. Determination to live, to be, to thrive, determination to overcome. e goal might be to walk or to speak, or to share an idea. e size of the mountain does not matter, determination rules the space. We can learn from the students and ll our lives with the determination to overcome the mountains we encounter.

Six years ago, I stopped overseeing the ILC program. To the end of my days, thoughts about those wonderful students will bring a smile to my face and a resolve to my heart because of the joy and determination I observed in that space.

Whatever your struggle, my hope is that you, too, will nd a lesson in this story of amazing students and that you will ll your week with joy and determination, no matter the struggle.

You have got this.

I hope my words encourage you and that you will share them with those who need support. ank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far; I truly appreciate hearing about the

valuable ideas you nd in these columns and how you use them to uplift those around you. You can reach me at jim. roome@gmail.com.

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.

often-missed path to greater success

at focus makes sense, on the surface. After all, we’ve been taught to improve what’s broken. If a machine isn’t functioning, we x the faulty part. If a report is wrong, we nd the error. But when it comes to people, teams, and businesses, this singular focus on “ xing” weaknesses can back re, especially when it comes at the expense of building upon strengths.

Now, let’s be clear: acknowledging and addressing weaknesses is important. In fact, neglecting them altogether is a recipe for stagnation or decline. I make a point each year to take assessments that shine a light on areas where I need to improve. And yes, that list is always longer than I’d like. Without a plan to address those areas, they’ll only grow into bigger problems.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to embrace, and what I hope you take away from this column: the real momentum, the kind that lifts us to the next level,

comes from doubling down on our strengths. When we re ne what we already do well, when we lean into our natural talents, repeatable behaviors, and reliable competencies, we nd traction. And that traction leads to tangible, repeatable suc-

ink about it. Professional athletes are the best in the world at what they do, yet they spend countless hours re ning their strengths. ey don’t stop practicing their signature moves because they’re already good at them. In fact, they practice them more, seeking that slight edge that will make them unstoppable. e same holds true in business, entertainment, and high-level leadership. Top performers rarely become top performers by trying to be great at everything. Instead, they become elite by identifying what they do best and doing it better than anyone else. is is a transferable truth. Whether we’re talking about a business unit, a leadership team, or a high-potential employee, there is incredible value in identifying the strengths and intentionally investing in them. at might mean assigning roles that align with natural abilities, providing tools that elevate already-strong performance, or simply encouraging more time and focus on the work that brings energy and results. Let’s not forget the psychological bene t. When we only focus on weaknesses,

our mindset often follows. We begin to feel like we’re always behind, constantly catching up, never enough. at kind of thinking can be toxic. But when we focus on strengths, we tap into con dence, momentum, and engagement. It’s a motivating force, one that propels us forward rather than weighing us down. Ultimately, this isn’t an either-or conversation. It’s about balance. We absolutely must identify and work on our weaknesses, creating long-term strategies to grow in the areas that need improvement. But we must also capitalize on our strengths for near-term success and condence-building wins. at balanced approach, acknowledging both what needs to change and what needs to be ampli ed, is the real key to unlocking potential.

So the next time you conduct a selfreview, a team evaluation, or a strategic

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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 Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters

plan, pause. Before diving into all the things that need xing, ask: What’s already working? What strengths can we build upon? at might just be where your next breakthrough lies.

How about you? Do you tend to focus too much on what’s wrong? Or do you take the time to take inventory of your strengths and then leverage those strengths? As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can learn to lean into our strengths to tap our true potential, it really will be a better-than-good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

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.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

Jim Roome

ARTSWEEK GOLDEN Highlights Community Importance

Summer is the perfect time to get out and about and enjoy beautiful public spaces, and if you can add some artistic touches to the mix, so much the better.

at’s just what visitors can do as part of the Foothills Art Center’s annual ARTSWEEK GOLDEN, which runs from Monday, June 16 through Sunday, June 22 at various locations around Golden.

“ e event was launched in 2018 by Foothills Art Center to bring creativity into Golden, showcase artists and build community through the arts,” wrote Maura Adamson, executive director of the Center, in an email interview. “At its core, it’s about celebrating creative expression and directly supporting artists by allowing people to engage, connect and buy original work.”

Art fans or budding creatives can participate in a range of events, including a Wearable art class from10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, June 17 in the Foothills Art Center’s Astor House Courtyard, 1133 Arapahoe St. Attendees will work with professional artist Dyanna Csaposs on the art of natural dyeing and painting on silk.

ere is also an opportunity to create your own tarot cards from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on ursday, June 19 at Golden City Brewery, 920 12th St., Building No. 2. Participants will tap into the symbolic power of tarot and how it helps parse the variety of life experiences. All mediums welcome.

ere is also Modern kintsugi from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20 at Golden City Brewery. All materials will be provided for this experience, which will walk people through this ancient Japanese craft.

Additionally, places like Bob’s Atomic Burgers and e Golden Mill will be donating a portion of their sales to Foothills Art Center.

e capper is the ARTSWEEK GOLDEN Festival, held on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 20 in Parfet Park, 719 10th St. It will feature more than 70 artist booths selling original work, live demos and a local beer garden.

“ is year feels especially exciting. We have moved the festival to Parfet Park, right in the heart of downtown Golden,” Adamson wrote. “ e park o ers grassy space, shade from trees, and a central location that encourages visitors to stay, explore downtown and support local businesses throughout the weekend.”

Supporting local businesses and artists is the driver of the whole event, because these are the things that make a community unique.

“Local artists and creative nonpro ts don’t just make beautiful things, they shape the culture and identity of Golden,” Adamson wrote. Supporting them through events like this ensures creativity stays visible, valued and sustainable. When you buy a piece of art or donate to the cause, you’re directly supporting someone’s craft, their small business and the cultural health of Golden.”

e aim is no matter what event a person attends, they come away invigorated and eager to stand behind the creative community.

“We hope everyone leaves feeling inspired and ideally taking home something handmade,” Adamson wrote. “Whether it’s a painting, jewelry, a bowl, a story, or just a renewed connection to

COMING ATTRACTIONS

art, we want people to walk away feeling like they invested in something genuine. ARTS-

WEEK GOLDEN is our mission in action, ‘We create stronger community through art.’

For the full schedule and more information, visit foothillsartcenter. org.

Catch Julia Stiles’ Directorial Debut on Amazon

As part of the annual Denver Film Women+Film Festival, actor and director Julia Stiles was at the Denver Botanic Gardens on June 30 to introduce her directorial debut, “Wish You Were Here,” and the lm is now available for streaming everywhere through Amazon. It’s a lovely, quiet lm based on a book by Renee Carlino and examines the enduring power of love, despite the challenges it presents.

“ is is a total dream come true because the story means so much to me,” Stiles said at the screening. “I think this kind of story is necessary in our world today.”

Watch the lm at Amazon.com.

Learn About a Crucial Resource at the South Metro Water Festival

While water is important all year round, during the summer it is more evident just how much we rely on this resource for enjoyment and to keep our daily lives going. To teach families about its importance, South Metro water organizations are hosting the South Metro Water Festival from 2 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, at the Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, 1375 W. Plum Creek Parkway in Castle Rock. e event’s aim is to teach people about where their water comes from and attendees can learn everything from the internal workings of a toilet and how a watershed functions to using a water meter to nd a leak and more. ere will be science experiments, song and other activities, plus food vendors and a beer after-party.

For more information, visit the events page at https://www.crgov.com/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — James Taylor at Red Rocks

As someone who has experienced it in person several times, you really should see legendary singer/songwriter James Taylor at Red Rocks at least once in your life. e musician behind immortal songs like “Fire and Rain,” Carolina in My Mind” and “Sweet Baby James” stops at the venue almost every summer, and it’s always a performance full of warmth and top-notch musicianship. is year’s concerts are at Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 and he’ll be joined by alt-folk group Tiny Habits. It’s the perfect blend of artist and venue, so don’t miss this quintessential summer evening. 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

BY ISABEL GUZMAN IGUZMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In a softly lit room in Centennial, Lilly Cadillac Unger shu es her tarot cards with practiced hands. e space, lled with gentle natural light, is the heart of her business, Altered Arcana. On the table, a classic three-card spread — past, present and future — unfolds a story. Among the cards drawn: Death, the Six of Cups and the Nine of Wands.

“I see here that there was some kind of huge transition,” Unger said, pointing to the Death card.

e card’s reputation, she said, is the most feared and is more Hollywood than reality — its real message is transformation and rebirth.

Unger’s journey with tarot began at age 12, sparked by curiosity and the little guidebook included with her rst Rider–Waite deck — the most popular tarot deck, she notes, and one she’s mis-

placed more times than she can count.

For Unger, tarot isn’t about predicting the future.

“Tarot really should tell you about your present,” she said.

e Rider-Waite tarot card deck, rst published in 1909, was created by artist Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of occultist A.E. Waite. e deck consists of 78 cards — 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana — with each card featuring symbolic illustrations designed to evoke intuitive and emotional responses.

Distinctive for its fully illustrated Minor Arcana, the Rider-Waite deck’s imagery draws from esoteric traditions that embrace practices that involve secret or hidden knowledge, Christian mysticism and the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society that studied occultism and metaphysics, according to the University of St. omas.

Kate Kettelkamp, who reads tarot cards from her Denver o ce, also starts

with the three card spread that displays the past, present and future. After she shu es, she has the person receiving the reading pull three cards.

“I like people to choose their own cards,” Kettlekamp said. “Di erent tarot readers have di erent rules. I like people to select the cards because I feel like you bring your own energy to it.”

When the cards are pulled and laid out as reversals — meaning the card’s art is upside down — Kettlekamp said that can signify an energy blockage.

Looking towards the card that represents the past, Kettlekamp observed the Nine of Cups, reversed.

“Cups are water, so it has this emotional, imaginative quality to it,” she said. “With it reversed, it can (signify) wanting to move something forward but having some obstacle.”

When Kettlekamp moved from California to Denver almost 10 years ago, she said everyone she met in the new city knew their astrology signs and

owned a tarot deck, inspiring her to dive into the metaphysical world. She currently studies consciousness in a graduate program at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

In the program, Kettlekamp studies culture, the human journey, the soul and the environment, which she said sets her up for inquisitive knowledge for reading tarot.

“I like to approach (tarot) from a place of inquiry. Some people ask, ‘should I break up with my partner?’ But I nd that the tarot doesn’t answer deterministically,” she said. “ en they’ll pull the Death card and I’ll say, ‘well, possibly, what do you think? It’s up to you.’ at could just be their current energy that is creating a trajectory towards breaking up.”

Kate Kettelekamp reads tarot cards at Kronos Astrology in Denver. COURTESY

Florentino re ected on the readings she’s done that the cards portray a potentially negative message, and how she communicated it to her client.

Kettlekamp said the cards do not tell the future but can give insight into what struggles someone may be currently facing. She said it’s important for readers to uphold ethics when doing a reading.

“I’ve had people come into my o ce who have been disturbed from prior readings because they’ve been told things that make them anxious. So I do think that there’s some responsibility on the reader’s part to not induce anxiety by giving a deterministic prediction about someone’s life,” she said.

When the cards convey a negative message, Rachel Florentino from Bridge the Gap Tarot in Westminster said she views the cards as morphable.

“It’s not set in stone. ( e cards) are something we can bring to the present and change if we want to,” she said.

“ ere was a client that desperately wanted a baby … When I looked at her present, the problem was, she worked 80 hours a week and she wasn’t listening to her doctors telling her, ‘no, you cannot sustain that type of lifestyle while you’re pregnant,’” she said. “It hurt me because she wasn’t going to do that. I had to tell her she has to listen to people.”

Something Florentino did not always do at the beginning of her reading journey — even when she met the woman who wanted a baby — was shielding. In an e ort to protect herself from her clients’ energies, sometimes Florentino will imagine herself wearing a cloak that acts like a shield.

During another reading, Florentino pulled the Tower card in a past, present and future spread — with the Tower card in the future pile, she said it’s the harshest card of the deck.

“It’s because there’s things that you should be doing that you’re not doing and so the universe is going to make it happen. It can be harsh because it can no longer be in your control,” she said.

According to Florentino, the Tower card can show up when someone may be losing a job if they continue down their current trajectory.

“It’s de nitely a warning of: what do we know we need to be doing but we haven’t done yet?” she said.

Regarding the seemingly worrisome card — the Death card — Florentino said the image of the card, which typically displays a grim reaper-esque skeleton with a sword, scares people, largely due to Western society’s perspective of death.

“I think Hollywood has done a great job in scaring us with (death). In the United States, we’re not open about death and don’t view it as a rebirth but as the end of something. In a lot of other cultures, death is looked at as a deathrebirth process,” she said.

Regarding the online popularity of tarot card readings — from mass-collective tarot readings on YouTube to online psychic chats — Kettlekamp and Unger suggest looking at reviews to avoid being scammed.

“I would recommend for people to nd someone that has reviews because there are people who will take your money,” Kettlekamp said. “Anybody that has a physical location, not that that’s necessary, but it can indicate how much time they spend practicing.”

For Unger, reviews and having a connection with a reader are two ways to prevent scams.

“You just have to be honest with yourself about if it resonates, and I think you should be careful who you go to,” she said. “I think at the end of the day, getting reviews, and maybe just really asking yourself: ‘who am I being led to and why? Am I being led to this person because I saw something online that said: he’s thinking about you? And is that what I’m seeking?”’

LEFT: In the two photos, Lilly Cadillac Unger reads tarot cards in Centennial at Altered Arcana. PHOTO BY ISABEL GUZMAN

RIGHT: Kate Kettlekamp moved from California to Denver and was inspired to learn tarot card reading after meeting others who owned tarot card decks. COURTESY OF KATE KETTLEKAMP

Jared Polis signs bill aimed at reducing Colorado’s rape kit backlog

Law will increase oversight, try to decrease turnaround time of evidence kits

BY LUCAS BRADY WOODS THE COLORADO SUN

Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law June 3 launching new e orts to cut down on the state’s delays in processing sexual assault evidence kits, including by increasing oversight over the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Currently, it takes 554 days for the CBI to process DNA evidence kits from sexual assaults, which has left 1,369 cases in limbo as victims and investigators wait for results, according to the agency’s latest available data.

One of those victims is Democratic state Rep. Jenny Willford of Northglenn, the leading lawmaker behind the new bill. Willford says she was sexually assaulted over a year ago and led a police report. But her case was one of the many swallowed up by the backlog.

“Living this reality is really heavy,” said

Without moving through this backlog, we don’t have that evidence, there cannot be accountability.”

Colorado Sen. Sen. Mike

Weissman, D-Aurora

Willford at the bill signing ceremony Tuesday. “It’s disorienting and it’s dehumanizing. It’s like being frozen in time while the rest of the world moves on without you. And no survivor should ever be made to feel this way ever, because that’s not justice.”

Man convicted of rock-throwing murder sentenced to life without parole

Joseph Koenig will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of Alexa Bartell

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Joseph Koenig, who, in April, was found guilty of murdering 20-year-old Alexa Bartell, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 60 years by First Judicial District Court Judge Christopher Zenisek on June 3.  Koenig’s conviction on a rst-degree murder charge carried an automatic life sentence without possibility for parole. Koenig was sentenced to 60 additional years for felonies related to the events of the evening of April 19, 2023, which included the murder of Bartell and the throwing of rocks at other cars, which

caused injuries and property damages.  Koenig spoke to the courtroom, which included members of Bartell’s family, for the rst time during the sentencing hearing Tuesday, expressing remorse for his actions. Koenig was advised by his lawyer, Martin Stuart, not to testify during the trial.

“To the family and friends of Alexa Bartell, I’m so, so sorry,” Koenig said.

“I know that nothing I say can bring Alexa back; nothing I say can give you one more minute with her. And I know that it is my fault that she is gone. Every day since she died, it is the rst thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing that I think of when I go to sleep.

“I never knew Alexa, and I didn’t get the chance to even meet her, but from what I have learned about her, she must have been a very special person, and I know that the world is a worse place without her in it,” Koenig continued.

Zenisek said that while Koenig’s age

was considered during the sentencing process, the impact of his actions could not be ignored regardless of the circumstances.

“It is true that there are mitigating factors present before the court,” Zenisek said. “Mr. Koenig was 18 years old at the time and had a lack of any signi cant criminal history or any adult history. He (was) a high school senior at the time of these events and had lived at home with his parents, and the court must give him credit for this.

“ e court believes his remorse stated here today, I believe that to be genuine,” Zenisek continued. “ ere are, of course, many aggravating factors.”

Zenisek called the events of April 19, 2023 “so impactful, so dangerous, so consequential, and (showing) such a disregard for human life” and mentioned the toll speci cally on the family of Bartell. He also mentioned that a paramedic who responded to the scene had to med-

ically retire because of the “devastation” incurred when arriving at the scene.

Before Koenig spoke, Bartell’s mom, Kelly Bartell, and dad, Greg Bartell, expressed anger toward Koenig.

“I have yet to see any sign of true remorse from Joseph Koenig throughout this whole process,” Kelly Bartell said.

“ is low-life piece of garbage sitting over here, who thinks a fun night out is throwing rocks at cars until they accomplish their goal of killing my daughter,” Greg Bartell said.

Taylor Bartell — Alexa’s cousin — said she hopes Koenig, along with fellow codefendants Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik (who were sentenced to 32 and 45 years, respectively, for their role in the murder) re ect on their actions.

“My cousin did not deserve this and did not ask for this,” Taylor said.“My hope is that Joseph Koenig and his co-defendants spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they did to her.”

Gov. Jared Polis signs a bill aimed at tackling the state’s sexual assault kit processing backlog into law at the governor’s mansion in downtown Denver on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

PHOTO BY JESSE PAUL / THE COLORADO SUN

Thu 6/12

Valdez

@ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Night Jobs @ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Spells @ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Black Dots

@ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Yookie

@ 10pm

The Church Nightclub, Denver

Fri 6/13

Daniella Katzir Music: Trio on the 16th St. Mall

@ 3pm

Little Moses Jones Opening Up For

Rick Lewis Project At The Buffalo Rose @ 7pm

Skyline Block 1, 16th St Mall & Arapa‐hoe, Denver

Jay_Martin

@ 6pm

The Bluegrass Coffee & Bourbon Lounge, 7415 grandview ave, Arvada

Pat McGann: Comedy Works - 9PM @ 9pm

Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St, Den‐

ver

Junkie Kid

@ 10pm

Club Vinyl, 1082 N Broadway, Denver

Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Ave, Golden

Sat 6/14

Why Will?: Open mic + Show @ 3pm applewood artist collective, 2001 Routt St, Lakewood

Sun 6/15

Sarah Banker @ 1:30pm The Hampton Social - Denver, 2501 16th St, Denver

Live @ The Rose - Sunday Swing @ 3pm / $20

Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Av‐enue, Golden. information@buf falorose.net

Wyatt Flores: The BIG ASS Stadium Tour @ 7:30pm Empower Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St, Denver

The Barr Brothers @ 7pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

Mon 6/16

Aaron LaCombe: America's Soul Live @ 7pm

Foothills Event Space, 3901 S Carr St, Lakewood

Adam Deitch @ 7pm

Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

Shane Mauss @ 7pm Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver

Tandava @ 7pm

Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

SNOW RAVEN IN THE PORTAL DOME @ 8pm Auraria Campus, 777 Lawrence St, Denver

Wed 6/18

Sage & Aera: Planting Seeds: Celebrating the Launch of Col‐orado's Natural Medicine Program @ 6:30pm The Beacon, 2854 Larimer St, Denver

Tue 6/17

Brian Kassay at Cactus Jacks @ 6pm

Cactus Jacks Tavern, 4651 Co Rd 73, Evergreen Keddjra @ 7pm

Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Raquel de Souza: ROOTED IN FUN WHEAT RIDGE @ 6:30pm

Anderson Park, 4355 Field St, Wheat Ridge

Exhorder @ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

Shinyribs (16 & Over) @ 8pm Bluebird Theatre, Denver

NFL legend Champ Bailey honors

‘most positive’ Colorado student athletes

BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG

High school athletes, two coaches and an athletic director were honored for being the “most positive” in Colorado at the Douglas County School District Legacy Campus in Lone Tree June 2. Pro Football Hall of Famer and Broncos legend Champ Bailey is the Positive Athlete organization’s lead athlete. Bailey helped to recognize the top seven male and female athletes in high school sports who displayed the highest character and generated overall positivity on and o the eld. e full list of recipients includes students from schools across Colorado, from Colorado Spring to Fort Collins and Breckenridge to La Junta.

ose honored are: Alex Beasley - Lewis-Palmer (Monument); Avery Leman - Poudre (Fort Collins); Jaden FrancisElizabeth (Elizabeth); Jay Peltier (coach) - Summit (Breckenridge); Katherine Lorck - Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs); Kevin Prosser III - Rangeview (Aurora); Kinsley Mayo - La Junta Jr/Sr (La Junta); Liam Graham - Standley Lake (Westminster); Megan Waters - Lakewood (Lakewood); Peighton Marrero - Strasburg (Strasburg); Ray Lopez (coach);Abraham Lincoln (Denver); Rhett McDonald - Wiley (Wiley); Roxann Serna (athletic director); - Centennial (San Luis); Ryan Cornell - Longmont (Longmont); Sage Adkins - Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch); Simon Lunsford - Green Mountain (Lakewood);and Staia Yohe-Savage -

pictured with NFL legend Champ Bailey, who is the lead athlete for the Positive Athlete organization. COURTESY

George Washington (Denver).

“I’d seen their Positive Athlete nominations and bios, but meeting and celebrating the winners in person exceeded all expectations,” Bailey said. “It’s easy to see why they are the future leaders in their communities and the workforce. I’m excited to follow them as they lean in to take advantage of the ever-growing resources o ered by Positive Athlete—not just to

winners but to all nominees.”

More than 440 nominations from coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers and parents were submitted for the Positive Athlete program state-wide, representing 197 di erent public and private high schools (equivalent to 53% of all Colorado high schools with formalized athletics programs).

Nominations covered all 27 state-sanc-

‘I’m just like anyone else’

12-year-old Centennial resident shares impact of adaptive recreation program

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

By the age of 3, Lucy Harris was riding a bike without training wheels, kicking a soccer ball on a eld and feeling the unique sense of joy that sports bring to a person.

Being active was all she had ever known.

Lucy’s love for sports runs so deep that even after a car crash in the summer of 2023 that left her paralyzed from the chest down didn’t stop her from exploring new sports — like fencing and basketball —

through a Children’s Hospital adaptive recreation program.

Going into the seventh grade at Newton Middle School in Centennial this fall, Lucy is hoping to take her love of recreation and sports and inspire others to know that their opportunities are limitless.

“I feel like there’s so many people out there who feel like they have to stop living their life because of a spinal cord injury,” said Lucy. “ at’s not true — you can still do everything that you want to do.”

tioned sports as well as e-sports, archery, equestrian, martial arts, motocross, ultimate, Uni ed Sports and more.

Considerations for awards included if students displayed how positive athletes “O.P.E.R.A.T.E.” (Optimistic, Put team rst, Encouraging, Respectful, Admits imperfections, True heart for others and Embraces service).

Five scholarships were awarded, totaling $8,000.

Standley Lake High School’s Graham won the male O.P.E.R.A.T.E. Award, while Leman from Poudre won the female O.P.E.R.A.T.E. Award. Each received $2,500 toward their chosen academic institution or trade school. Additionally, Mayo, McDonald and Yohe-Savage received Positivity Champ Awards, including a $1,000 scholarship.

“I think that being recognized as a Positive Athlete really gave me more condence not only in my athletics but also in my everyday life, like I was being seen for the work I was putting into my everyday life and my positivity through times of di culty and struggle,” said Waters from Lakewood. “I loved being able to meet the other kids and parents being awarded, because you can really tell that it’s a good group of kids and they were all raised by incredible people. ey are all so kind.”

Nominations will reopen in the Fall for the next school year. However, Positive Athlete is currently taking pre-nominations at www.PositiveAthlete.org, which will trigger an automatic reminder when nominations reopen.

In mid-July 2023, Lucy, who was 10 at the time, and her family were on their way to a Children’s Hospital fundraiser. Lucy was sitting behind the driver’s seat with her younger brother to her right. Driving along Interstate 70, near Genesee, the family was rear-ended at a high speed.

Everyone in the vehicle sustained minor injuries, but Jennifer, Lucy’s mom, said that most of the impact of the crash was on Lucy.

Having su ered a spinal cord injury — a complete T4 injury, meaning she has no signals going from her brain past her T4 level in her chest — Lucy was taken to Denver Health Hospital, But within 36 hours, she was transported to the pediatric ICU at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora.

Lucy had no recollection of the crash.

“I just woke up randomly,” said Lucy. “I had no idea what happened.”

Once she gained consciousness, Jenni-

fer said that Lucy was looking around for her family. Unable to speak due to being intubated, Lucy began to write her brother’s name out with her ngers.  is was just one of many ways that Jennifer saw her daughter’s strong mindset.  Jennifer and her husband began looking at research and clinical trials, trying to gure out where the best places were to get Lucy support and services. However, that plan changed one night when Lucy told her mom that she may not want to do any of those options.

She said maybe she was not meant to walk again and that she just wanted to start living her life.

“We shifted from the mindset of trying to x her to realizing that she’s not broken,” said Jennifer. “We just need a new jumping o point and work from there.”

Shifting the mindset

Wanting Lucy to be able to keep sports as part of her identity, the family began looking for programs.

Over the course of a 10-week hospital stay, Lucy was introduced to Andrea Colucci, an operations manager for the Adaptive Recreation for Childhood Health program.

e Adaptive Recreation for Childhood Health program is a national program

Standley Lake High School’s Liam Graham was awarded a $2,500 scholarship for being the most positive male student athlete in 2025. Here, he is

Golden baseball captures first state championship since 2003

Demons 2025 squad joins 2003 squad in history books

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Twenty-two years ago, Mark Melancon celebrated on the mound at All-City Field as Golden High School won the school’s rst state baseball title.

Fast-forward to Saturday afternoon at Erdle Field at the Air Force Academy.

Senior shortstop Jaydon Stroup elded a bouncing ball and red it to senior Luca Casali for the nal out, giving the Demons their second Class 4A baseball state championship with a 5-1 victory against Cheyenne Mountain.

“I don’t have a lot of words right now. Less than usual,” the soft-spoken Stroup said moments after elding the nal out and throwing it over to Casali at rst base. “It felt good to win the game, make the last play. It just feels really good.” e 2003 state championship team had to defeat Mountain View twice on a Saturday in Denver to claim the state title. Melancon — who went on to a 14-year MLB career as a relief pitcher, four-time All-Star and a two-time NL saves leader — got the win on the mound in the rst game against Mountain View. His cousin, Luke Roberts, took the victory on the hill in the second game before Melancon closed out the game. is time around, it was senior left Taden Svendsen going six and a third innings to pick up the victory. Svendsen allowed just one run while scattering eight hits.

“It feels amazing knowing we’ll have a 2025 state championship banner hung up on the walls of Golden High School,” Svendsen said. “To take this home is great for the community.”

Svendsen and fellow senior Sawyer Brinkman would have likely shouldered the pitching load if the Demons were

HARRIS

that began in 1968. It aims to help children with physical disabilities nd their con dence through adaptive sports and outdoor recreation year-round. Whether it’s through extra instruction or equipment, the program centers around what individual children want and need.

When Lucy learned about the dozens of sports and activities o ered, she wanted to sign up immediately.

Just one week before the crash, Lucy was timing herself on how fast she could climb a rock wall. Months later, after the crash, it was the rst sport she was participating in with her injuries. Although she was hesitant at rst, Lucy made it to the top of the rock wall in just a few attempts.

“I remember getting up there and looking around like, ‘oh my gosh, I’m not attached to my wheelchair anymore,’” said Lucy. “I’m free. I’m just like anyone else.”

Now Lucy is enrolled in archery, sailing, golf, family bike rides, trail biking and horseback riding. Each season, coaches help the children accomplish the goals each child sets, and Lucy said she has demolished her goals.

“You just tell them what you’re able to do and what you’re comfortable with, and they will work with you,” said Lucy. “You feel so active, happy and just able to

able to force a winner-take-all 4A title game two years ago. However, Severance edged Golden 1-0 to send the Demons home with the 4A runner-up trophy in 2023.

“I always worry about it, no matter who the player is. It could be a senior. It could be a freshman. How are they going to respond being on this stage? is is a big deal,” Golden Coach Jackie McBroom said. “Taden did a phenomenal job. He came out and pitched his game. He didn’t let the environment dictate how he threw.”

e environment got a little uncomfortable when Cheyenne Mountain won its fth straight elimination game in the state tournament with a 5-2 extra-inning victory against Golden.

“I looked at my watch and just said, ‘It’s over now. It was time to move forward,’” McBroom said about the Demons refocusing after the extra-inning loss where Golden stranded eight runners on base in the nal three innings of the 5-2 loss.

e morning ended the Demons’ 20game winning streak and set up a winner-take-all second game, but it didn’t derail Golden’s goal to win the state title.

“ e focus in between games was just to ush it,” Stroup said about the extrainning loss to Cheyenne Mountain. “A lot of underclassmen made some really big plays and got some really big hits.”

Casali reached and scored during all three of his at-bats. A three-run bottom of the fth inning gave the Demons (264 record) a 5-1 cushion. Sophomore Anthony Boucher had a big RBI single to right eld that scored Casali to put Golden up 3-1. Sophomore Liam Le ert delivered the dagger with a two-run triple to push the lead to 5-1.

“It was all just reset,” said Casali, who was 0-for-5 from the plate in the rst game before going 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored in game two. “ is was a fresh game. We knew we were the better team. Let’s build our con dence early and attack early. at was our

live your life more.”

The start of Lucy’s advocacy work

Not only has the adaptive recreation program allowed Lucy to continue her love for sports, it has also helped her, and her family, get involved in the community.

“It’s bridging the gap between getting back into the community and developing friendships and a support network,” Colucci said.

Lucy has met a handful of Paralympians and has been enamored by their strength and capabilities. She recently enrolled in the Rock-Climbing Paralympic Panel through the adaptive recreation program.

“I want to inspire other kids like they (the Paralympians) inspired me,” Lucy said.

Since her injury, Lucy said she has noticed a lot in the world that’s not accessible and needs to be changed. She believes that everybody should be able to access the same things, such as sidewalks, playgrounds and getting to and from grocery stores.

As a rst step in her advocacy journey, Lucy joined Rep. David Ortiz, who represents Arapahoe and Je erson counties, on the House oor for Disability Rights Advocacy Day in March.

“It’s important to have that feeling of ‘I’m just the same as everybody else because I’m really not that di erent,’” Lucy said.

whole mentality.”

McBroom went to freshman lefty Austin Bittner to nish the game with one out in the top of the seventh inning. It was only Bittner’s fth appearance in a varsity game this season.

“Not at all,” Bittner said if he imagined closing out the state championship game. “I was de nitely trying to work toward it the entire season, starting on JV and then swinging up to varsity for a couple of games. I was working hard to get to the varsity level and pitch.”

Winning the state title will put the 2025 team in the same breath as the 2003 squad.

“First time in a long time and only the second time in 150 years,” Stroup said of matching the historic 2003 state championship team. “To be one of the two

Golden teams to have done this feels really special.”

It also caps o a remarkable four-year run for McBroom’s squads at the state tournament.

“People can look at it that we got the monkey o our back now,” McBroom said of the Demons winning their rst state title after multiple trips to the eightteam double-elimination state tournament. “Ultimately, there aren’t many teams from Je co that have been down here four years in a row. I don’t see it as a failure of getting down here and not winning it. We’ve had a lot of success in these last for years.”

Dennis Pleuss is the Sports Information Director for Je co Public Schools. For more Je co coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com

ST. JOANOF ARC

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

Green Mountain Presbyterian Church 12900 W Alameda Pkwy Lakewood, CO 80228 303-985-8733 www.gmpc.net Sunday Worship 10:00AM “Find Connection…Discover Faith” All Are Welcome

Advertise Your Place of Worship HERE

To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eadams@coloradocommunitymedia.com Join us in person: 1st & 3rd Sundays 7401 W. 59 Ave, Arvada Other Sundays on Zoom 10:30 am Live Music Livingwaterunity.org Livingwaterspiritualcommunity@gmail.com 720-576-9193 All Are Welcome

Golden players, coaches and athletic trainer pose for photos with the Class 4A baseball state championship banner and trophy Saturday, May 31, at Erdle Field on the Air Force Academy campus in Colorado Springs. The Demons defeated Cheyenne Mountain 5-1 in the winner-takeall state championship game. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Golden Mill hosts

Johnny Cash-themed fundraiser for MAPAC

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

For the last month, the Miners Alley Performing Arts Center has been hosting a Johnny Cash-themed party.

On June 4, that party temporarily relocated to the Golden Mill, as the venue hosted “Ring of Fire” cast members for a special performance that doubled as a fundraiser for MAPAC.

e Johnny Cash-themed jukebox musical “Ring of Fire: e Music of Johnny Cash” is playing at MAPAC through June 29. It portrays Cash’s journey of “misadventure, success, faith, redemption and the love of a good woman” through his music, according to the MAPAC website.

“Ring of Fire” cast member David Otto, left, and Michael Phillips clap and sing during the June 4 concert at the Golden

POLIS

Law enforcement  nally issued an arrest warrant for Willford’s alleged attacker last month, more than a year after the incident, after they received the test results from her evidence.

e new law is named the “Miranda Gordon Justice for Survivors Act of 2025.” Gordon is a vocal advocate for sexual assault victims who helped call attention to the backlog, after waiting more than a year for the results of her own sexual assault evidence kit.

e measure, Senate Bill 304, directs

Mill. Otto, Phillips and their fellow cast members performed Johnny Cash songs from the show, which runs through June 29.

Six cast members, who double as the musical’s band, showcased their vocal and instrumental talents June 4 at the Golden Mill. About 80% of the songs they played were arrangements from the “Ring of Fire” show, but they mixed in a few other songs from Cash’s contemporaries as well as some originals.

Overall, organizers from both MAPAC and the Golden Mill said the event was a “win-win-win” as it generated interest in “Ring of Fire,” raised funds for MAPAC and brought more people to the Golden Mill on a rainy Wednesday evening.

Right show, right time

Susan Ganter, the Mill’s co-owner, said she’s been wanting to host a fundraiser for MAPAC for years — even before her team took over the Mill in spring 2021.

However, MAPAC never had a show that could easily translate to a fundraising concert. at is, until “Ring of Fire” came along, MAPAC’s Producing Artistic

the attorney general’s o ce to create the Colorado Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Review Board to oversee kit processing and make recommendations for how the state can better address sexual crimes.

e group will convene by Aug. 1 and will be made up of sexual assault victim advocates, medical forensic experts and members of law enforcement.

e law also creates a 60-day turnaround goal per DNA evidence kit, three times faster than the state’s current 180day guidance.

Polis said he would like to see even faster turnaround times.

“We always appreciate some room in statute to achieve as much as we can, but

One (Musical) Piece at a Time

Director Len Matheo said.

“Ring of Fire” cast member David Otto plays guitar during the June 4 concert at the Golden Mill. Otto and his fellow cast members performed Johnny Cash songs from the show, which runs through June 29.

Matheo and MAPAC Executive Director Lisa DeCaro told Ganter about “Ring of Fire” about in April, and they all worked to make the June 4 concert and fundraiser happen. Ganter said 10% of the evening’s proceeds would go toward MAPAC, and hoped to raise about $3,000.

Ganter said, if possible, she’d like to host MAPAC for another fundraiser soon and make June the Mill’s cultural arts month.

e venue is also hosting the Circus Foundry aerialists’ annual ARTSWEEK GOLDEN show June 18, which will also be a fundraiser for Foothills Art Center.

For Johnny Cash and theater fans, DeCaro said there were still “Ring of Fire” tickets available, but she recommended people get them sooner rather than later as performances are selling out quickly.

my goal would be to turn the tests around in even quicker than 60 days,” Polis said.

Sexual assault victims will also be entitled to updates on their pending evidence kits every 90 days under the new law.

Speaking at Tuesday’s signing ceremony, Democratic Sen. Mike Weissman of Aurora, the measure’s lead sponsor in the Senate, said the bill is about getting sexual assault perpetrators o the street as well as justice for victims.

“We can get lost in processes and abstract terms like ‘kits,’ but what we’re talking about here is bringing forward evidence by which we can arrest people who have committed hideous crimes and subject them to appropriate con-

Quadruple threats

She hoped Goldenites would come to see the show, describing the entire cast as quadruple threats who can act, sing, dance and play. She said most of them play several instruments and that watching them perform is impressive.

A Golden Mill patron watches “Ring of Fire” cast members’ June 4 concert of Johnny Cash music. e Golden Mill hosted the concert as a fundraiser for Miners Alley Performing Arts Center.

Because of how “Ring of Fire” is structured, no one performer plays Johnny Cash. e cast members described how they take turns as Cash depending on what aspect of his life they’re portraying.

“It’s the most unique way you’ll hear Johnny Cash music,” cast member Michael Phillips said of the musical.

Cast member David Otto described it as “high energy” and “a party.”

Clark Destin Jones said he’s had a lot of fun with his fellow cast members over the past several weeks and hoped to continue that through closing night on June 29. “I just love playing with these guys,” he said.

sequences,” said Weissman. “Without moving through this backlog, we don’t have that evidence, there cannot be accountability.”

Weissman said he and Willford plan to continue to work on speeding up the backlog reduction during the legislative interim and bring further ideas to the 2026 legislative session. He also suggested the General Assembly could take up the issue during a special legislative session should one be convened in the coming months.

is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

“Ring of Fire” cast member David Otto, left, and Michael Phillips clap and sing during the June 4 concert at the Golden Mill. The venue hosted cast members from Miners Alley Performing Arts Center’s “Ring of Fire” show as a fundraiser for MAPAC. PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

“Ring of Fire” cast member David Otto plays guitar during the June 4 concert at the Golden Mill. Otto and his fellow cast members performed Johnny Cash songs from the “Ring of Fire” stage musical as part of a fundraiser for Miners Alley Performing Arts Center.

Swift water rescue is serious business

As mountain snow melts creeks and rivers rise in flow, force and danger

BY CHRISTOPHER KOEBERL CHRIS@COTLN.ORG

Clear Creek is well known for its whitewater rafting opportunities with adventure guides or by experienced individuals – especially this time of year.

is is the time of year that mountains release their snowpacks to create Class IV and V rapids, gorging the creek to dangerous levels and speeds, or cubic-feet-persecond measurements.

“ is is the exciting time of year, June is ‘it’ on Clear Creek,” professional whitewater guide and county resident Amy Ward said.

However, the anticipation and enthusiasm for the season, Ward said, is tempered by years of witnessing the power of water and how its force can entrap a person in a heartbeat, risking lives.

“River waters have undertows and hydraulics that can be more powerful than ocean rip-tides. You can’t see them all the time but the parts that look safe aren’t always,” Ward said. “ e allure is the danger but the fun is dangerous, it comes in the same package.”

“Deceptively dangerous” and “incredibly powerful” are common phrases experienced emergency rst responders use to describe the exponential power of swift water, Clear Creek Fire Authority Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Jones said.

“Most of the injuries are trauma related,

you just can’t avoid every rock unfortunately,” Jones said.

Jones advised anyone venturing into the river this time of year to wear a wetsuit, carry a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and wear a helmet 100% percent of the time. at water is cold even in August, Jones advised.

”You just don’t want to take that chance,” Colorado Search and Rescue leader Dawn Wilson added.

“A shallow amount of water at high speed

can really pull people o their feet and they don’t expect it,” Wilson said.

Professional whitewater rafters say respect for the uid environment is essential because ultimately the water dictates the ride.

Ward described it as a complicated relationship

“You can’t control it. It’s a dance and you need to know where the water is going in order to dance with her and she’s pretty powerful,” Ward said.

“If it is at or above your knees it has the ability to sweep you down river… so it’s deceptive,” Jones said.

e CCFA has trained and conducted swift water rescues since 1983, it’s among the rst agencies to be certi ed in Colorado.

Jones said the department works closely with local rafting out ts on rescue strategy, organization and roles in the event of a serious incident.

“ e raft companies do such an amazing job at having safeties. ey’ve really stepped up to protect the people that raft as a commercial enterprise which is good for us, it allows us to focus on the high risk stu ,” Jones said.

High risk swift water vehicle rescues

But rafts are not to be the riskiest rescues for swift water rst responders. ose tend to be the unfortunate but surprisingly common four-wheeled vehicles that somehow end up in Clear Creek, according to re authority.

“ e most complicated ones aren’t rafters as much as they’re motor vehicle crashes in the river, occupied vehicles in the creek are a very high hazard for us,” Jones said.

Constant training for rst responders –to the point of building “muscle memory” in response to an occupied vehicle in swift water – is critical. So are joint training exercises with other responding agencies, according to Jones. Every agency should know their specialized role when arriving on-scene. at can save seconds or minutes – which correspond with saving a life, he said.

“Vehicles in the water, that’s the one thing that is going to determine if you’re going to have a good day or a bad day depending, on how it works,” Jones said.

High-risk swift water vehicle rescues in Clear Creek County combine e orts of fire authority, the sheri ’s department and Alpine Rescue. PHOTO

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. AD SLOGANS: Which retail chain urges consumers to “Expect More. Pay Less”?

2. MATH: What is an obelus?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was the last to own slaves?

4. LITERATURE: Author Ian Fleming’s Jamaican estate has the same name as which James Bond movie?

5. TELEVISION: How many seasons of “Wheel of Fortune” did Pat Sajak host?

6. SCIENCE: What are cordyceps?

7. MOVIES: Which actor/comedian/ lmmaker made his lm debut in the movie “Donnie Darko”?

8. ACRONYMS: What does the acronym BBC stand for?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the only bird that can y backward?

10. FOOD & DRINK: What is a mirepoix?

TrIVIa

Answers

1. Target.

2. e division sign.

3. Ulysses Grant.

4. “GoldenEye.”

5. 41.

6. A type of fungus or mushroom.

7. Seth Rogen.

8. British Broadcasting Corp.

9. Hummingbird.

10. A recipe base of onion, celery and carrots. (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

MARKETPLACE

Miscellaneous

www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢/ day! 1-844-591-7951

Become a published author We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ ads

Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971

Miscellaneous

Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-399-3595

Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value! Call 24/7: 1-833887-0117. Have zip code of service location ready when you call!

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866859-0405

MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call 1-888-489-3936

Miscellaneous

Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM

DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091

Have zip code of property ready when calling!

We buy houses for cash as is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-877-5833

Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving all installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. Offer ends 6/30/25. 1-844-5013208

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800245-0398

Landscape & Garden

ONE AFFORDABLE MONTHLY PAYMENT PROGRAM

We work with you to set up a monthly payment that fits within your budget.

BECOME DEBT FREE IN AS LITTLE AS 24-48 MONTHS

Do you owe more than $10,000 in credit card bills, medical bills or other unsecured debt? National Debt Relief can help! Our Certified Debt Advocates have helped over 500,000 people nationwide resolve their debt for a fraction of what they owe.

NO UPFRONT FEES

You won’t pay a penny until your debt is resolved.

GUARANTEE

RESOLVE YOUR DEBT IN 24–48 MONTHS We’ll resolve your debt as quickly as possible so you can finally start living the life you want.

I am so happy with National Debt Relief. They just resolved one account and saved me over $11,000. They keep me in the loop and work with me to get the most savings. —Cheryl (Trustpilot review)

COUNCIL

“In 2023 we introduced Pride Prom, a special evening created for LGBTQ+ teens and allies to celebrate themselves in an environment where they feel seen, valued and supported,” Duran continued. “ e city of Arvada has been a huge support from the beginning, helping to fund Pride Prom and making it possible for us to o er this meaningful experience to so many young people.”

Trash hauling

A year after Arvada’s City Council approved a 3.5% increase on waste hauling fees, another increase appears to be on the horizon. City council approved a motion to continue the discussion on another increase to waste-hauling fees that would go into e ect on July 1 and would not impact “opt-out” fees to the June 17 city council meeting for a variety of reasons.

Some confusion about roll o events — such as the leaf collection program and bulky item drop-o — caused several councilmembers to request that the city team clarify the language about those events in the resolution.

Councilmember Shawna Ambrose also said that she would like to have Councilmember Randy Moorman present when they vote on the item. Moorman was an excused absence at the June 3 meeting.

Assuming the resolution passes at the June 17 meeting, the new rates will show up on resident’s bills starting on July 1.

While the minimum service fee (which is sometimes referred to as the “opt-out” fee and includes no services) of $4.55 will stay the same, other rates will go up by somewhere between 59 and 90 cents a month, according to Arvada’s Director of Infrastructure, Jacqueline Rhoades.  “ is is known as the cart service fee,” Rhoades said. “So, those rates would, in total, be $9.34, $13.92 or $18.50 depending on your cart size — 35 gallons, 65 gallons or 95 gallons, respectively.”

PUBLIC NOTICES

District Engineer by and for the Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1

Legal Notice No. Jeff 6052

First Publication: June 05, 2025

Last Publication: June 12, 2025

Publication Name: Jeffco Transcript Legal Notice No. JEFF-6076 Publication: June 12, 2025 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed bids in an envelope marked: WESTRIDGE SANITATION DISTRICT 2025 SEWER MAIN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

Bids will be received until June 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time by RG and Associates, LLC, on behalf of Westridge Sanitation District, electronically at gwelp@rgengineers.com or via mail at 4885 Ward Road, Suite 100, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

(Attn: Gary E. Welp, P.E., CFM). Plans, Specifications and bid forms are available online for a $22 download fee at http://www.rgengineers.com/construction-bidding.html.

The 2025 SEWER MAIN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT consists of 808 linear feet of 18-inch, 290 linear feet of 20-inch, and 250 linear feet of 24-inch cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) in several locations with 2 service connections along the locations of the CIPP. This project also includes the removal and replacement of four manhole chimneys. This project is to be completed by December 19, 2025.

Legal Notice No. JEFF-6077 Publication: June 12, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

Cole Blvd, Suite 125, Lakewood, CO 80401, on or before the date and time herein above shown for final payment. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1, its directors,

A public hearing will be held before the Arvada Planning Commission scheduled for July 2, 2025 at 6:15 p.m., Arvada City Hall, 8101 Ralston Rd., Arvada, when and where you may speak on the matter to consider the Rezoning and Major Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Allendale Elementary Schoo l. Members of the public may attend. To submit written public comment to be considered by the Commission, email comments to cedboardsandcommission@arvada.org by 5 p.m. on 7/1/2025. Additional information can be obtained from https://www.arvadapermits.org/etrakit3/ search/project.aspx?activityno=DA2025-0013

CITY OF ARVADA PLANNING COMMISSION

/s/ Brandon Figliolino, Secretar y

Legal Notice No. 6080

Publication: June 12, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT

NOTICE is hereby given that Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1 of Jefferson County, Colorado, shall make retainage release payment at 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, CO 80228 on or after July 03, 2025, at the hour of 9:00 a.m. to the following: American Demolition Inc. 401 N. Kuner Road Brighton, CO 80601

For all work done by said Contractors in construction or work on the Candelas Parkway Sanitary Interceptor Crossing and performed within and/or for the Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1 in the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado. This includes the Contract for JCMD Sanitary Interceptor Crossing Candelas Parkway.

Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by such contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplies rental machinery, tools or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, and whose claim therefore has not been paid by the contractors or their subcontractors, at any time up to and including the time for final settlement for the work contracted to be done, is required to file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid, and an account of such claim to: Independent District Engineering Services, LLC, 1626 Cole Blvd, Suite 125, Lakewood, CO 80401, on or before the date and time herein above shown for final payment. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1, its directors, officers, agents, consultants and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS JEFFERSON CENTER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO.1

By: Independent District Engineering Services, LLC, Brandon Collins, PE District Engineer by and for the Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1

Legal Notice No. JEFF-6078

First Publication: June 12, 2025 Last Publication: June 19, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

A public hearing will be held before the Arvada Planning Commission scheduled for July 2, 2025 at 6:15 p.m., Arvada City Hall, 8101 Ralston Rd., Arvada, when and where you may speak on the matter to consider the Annexation and Zoning for Martinez Annexation No. 1 & 2. Members of the public may attend. To submit written public comment to be considered by the Commission, email comments to

cedboardsandcommission@arvada.org by 5 p.m. on 7/1/2024. Additional information can be obtained from https://www.arvadapermits.org/etrakit3/ search/project.aspx?activityno=DA2024-0068

CITY OF ARVADA PLANNING COMMISSION

/s/ Brandon Figliolino,Secretary Legal Notice NO. Jeff 6082

Publication: June 12, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript NOTICE OF HEARING

UPON APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE OF LOCATION FOR THE BREW PUB LIQUOR LICENSE OF NEW IMAGE BREWING COMPANY LLC

D/B/A: NEW IMAGE BREWING COMPANY TO 5614 OLDE WADSWORTH ARVADA, CO 80002

Notice is hereby given that an application has been presented to the City of Arvada Local Liquor Licensing Authority for a change of location of the Brew Pub liquor license of New Image Brewing Company LLC, d/b/a New Image Brewing Company from 5620-5624 Yukon St. to 5614 Olde Wadsworth Blvd.

The license would allow sales of malt, vinous and spirituous liquor by the drink for consumption on the premises at 5614 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO 80002.

Said application will be heard and considered by the City of Arvada Liquor Licensing Authority at a virtual meeting to be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 23, 2025. The application was submitted on May 14. 2025.

For further information call Sarah Walters, Deputy City Clerk, at 720-898-7544.

Dated this 12th day of June.

/s/ Sarah Walters Deputy City Clerk

Legal Notice NO. 6081 CITY OF ARVADA, COLORADO

Publication: June 12, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of CAROL LYNN HOUP, AKA CAROL L. HOUP, AKA CAROL HOUP, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR030674

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before October13th, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

/s/Chelle LeBlanc Chelle LeBlanc

Zalessky Law Group, LLC Attorneys for Personal Representative 9725 E. Hampden Ave. #103 Denver, CO 80231

Legal Notice NO. Jeff 6083

First Publication: June 12, 2025

Last Publication: June 26, 2025

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Kellen Ann Leister, a/k/a Kellen A. Leister, a/k/a Kellen Leister, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR030611

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Jefferson, County, Colorado on or before October 13, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

Andrew T. Leister, Personal Representative c/o Brian E. Onorato, Esq., Reg. No. 24021

KATZ, LOOK & ONORATO, P.C. 1120 Lincoln St., Suite 1100. Denver, CO 80203

Attorney for Person Giving Notice

Legal Notice No. Jeff 6084

First Publication: June 12, 2025 Last Publication: June 26, 2025 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Norman Reece Hutton, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR258

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 Monday, October 13, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

Daniel R. Hutton

Personal Representative 1624 S. Balsam Street Lakewood, Colorado 80232

Legal Notice No. Jeff 6060

First Publication: June 12, 2025

Last Publication: June 26, 2025 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript 06/12/25, 06/19/25, 06/26/25

Pubic Notice NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT

NOTICE is hereby given that Jefferson Center Metropolitan District No.1 of Jefferson County, Colorado,

Apex was honored for its e orts to host a monthly Pride Night for Arvada queer teens and allies. COURTESY OF APEX PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT