Attainable senior housing coming to Lone Tree
RidgeGate community will have 101 rental units
BY HALEY LENA
Just a few weeks after the City of Lone Tree broke ground on a new Justice Center along RidgeGate, another development is celebrating its recent groundbreaking.
Forte Senior A ordable Housing Community is being added to RidgeGate’s Village Center in Lone Tree at 10760 Cross eld St.
WEEK OF JUNE 19, 2025 FREE questions than answers. As con icting perspectives played out on stage, some voters walked away still uncertain about what home rule would actually mean for the county.
is marks the second a ordable housing community in the RideGate community. e attainable housing rental community for older adults will include 101 units ranging in size from 594 to 1,074 square-feet. Each unit will have controlled heating and cooling units, a full kitchen, coat closet, in-unit washers and dryers and cable and internet wiring.
Of these, 74 will be single-bed-
room units — estimated to cost around $780 per month — and the remaining will be two-bedroom units. Koelbel and Company, a family-owned and Colorado-based real estate company, also aims to have 64 additional units by early 2027.
Other amenities will include a rooftop gathering space, a community room, a tness room, a game area, a lobby-level lounge with a co ee bar, an outdoor space with a barbecue area and a wrap-around covered patio. ere will also be on-site man-
agement, controlled access entries to the building, security cameras and covered parking. ese parking spaces will be available on a rst come, rst served basis. e community is anticipated to open in May 2026. Due to its proximity to public transportation — such as the RTD light rail station — parks and open space, nearby retail and the HCA HealthOne Medical Center — also known as Sky
“Democrats seem much more united in their opposition to home rule, where conservatives still seem pretty split about it,” a DCC organizer told the Douglas County News-Press at the event.
Several candidates used their two-minute introductions to champion the measure. Former state lawmaker Frank McNulty framed it as a chance to push back on state control, calling the commission “an opportunity for us to
SEE
COURTESY OF KOELBEL AND COMPANY
A look at candidates for home rule panel
Some support proposal while others oppose it
On June 24, Douglas County voters will be deciding who will form a commission to draft a home rule charter. e commission will serve only if the home rule measure is approved.
It will consist of 21 members — six from each of Douglas County’s districts and three at-large members. ere are 48 candidates — some in support of home rule and some against — vying for the positions.
Candidates for at-large seats
Kevin Van Winkle, George Teal and Abe Laydon: all are currently serving as county commissioners.
Angela omas: ran for Douglas County commissioner and has served in leadership roles with the Douglas County Democratic Party.
Steve Johnson: 42 years experience serving in public service, including eight years as a Bureau Chief with the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce.
Mindy Bandimere-Jordan: Douglas County resident.
Steve Authur Boand: former Douglas County commissioner.
Candidates for District 1
Matthew M. Lunn: public safety executive who serves as chair of Parker Parks, Recreation and Open Space.
David Weaver: formerly served as Douglas County sheri and as a Douglas County commissioner, and a former U.S.
HOME RULE
put a ag in the ground in Douglas County and tell the Democrats and the leftists in Denver (that) enough is enough.”
County Assessor Toby Damisch echoed that sentiment, accusing the General Assembly, Gov. Jared Polis and state courts of showing “absolute contempt for rural Colorado ... and more so than anything else, they have total and unabated contempt for Douglas County.”
Other supporters focused on speci c priorities they’d like to enshrine in a charter. Sheri Darren Weekly, for instance, advocated for maintaining the independence of his o ce from county commissioners.
But opponents, including Lora omas, who is a former county commissioner, urged voters to reject the measure entirely. omas argued that proponents were overstating what home rule could actually change — particularly in areas like law enforcement and gun policy, where state law would still apply.
“ ere’s a lot of misinformation that is going on out there,” Weekly acknowledged. “We can’t get out of state law. State law is state law.”
Candidate Tom Wiens added to the mix of interpretations, suggesting that home rule would give counties virtually the same powers as home rule municipalities, a claim that is not accurate, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s o ce.
“ e powers that a home rule municipality (has) and the powers that a home
Marshal for the District of Colorado.
Mary H. Lynch: 2018 county commissioner candidate.
Emily Roth Suyat: attorney and a podcaster for “Red County, Blue State.”
Jack Hilbert: formerly served as a Douglas county commissioner and councilmember for the Town of Parker; has served on the Cherry Creek Water Authority board and the Urban Drainage Authority; currently chairs the Douglas County Water Commission; 2014 Republican candidate for District 44.
Jason Hamel: Douglas County resident and nancial professional.
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly: currently serving.
October Ann Levy: IT specialist, secretary of the Town of Parker Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory committee.
Jack Gilmartin: member of the Lincoln Club of Colorado, Colorado National Guard, Douglas County Planning Commission, and is a legislative aide for the Colorado General Assembly.
Douglas County Assessor Toby Damisch: currently serving.
Laura Hefta: Town of Parker council member, retired Army colonel from U.S. Army Reserves, practices estate planning.
Irene Bonham: Parker resident and volunteer with nonpro ts.
Julie Gooden: Lone Tree resident who serves on the Douglas County School District’s District Accountability Committee.
Bart Dorscheid: member of the State Commission of Judicial Performance and former district attorney for the 18th judicial district.
Candidates for District 2
Jennifer E Green: former Castle Rock town councilmember and mayor, and
served as a delegate in the Republican County Assembly.
Kevin Leung: representative for the South Metro Fire Rescue board of directors, commissioner of the Castle Pines Urban Renewal Authority, and has served as Douglas County School board director and treasurer.
Jae Mundt: attorney with a practice in Castle Rock.
Charles O’Reilly: serves on the nonpartisan Elections Committee for the Rotary Club of Castle Rock.
Julien Bouquet: member of the Regional Transportation District Board of Directors.
Barrett Rothe: previous candidate to represent District 43 at the state level.
Juli Watkins: serves on the Douglas County School District’s Equity Advisory Council.
Max Brooks: Castle Rock town councilmember and State House Representative for District 45.
Tom J. Wiens: former state representative and state senator, formerly served as Republican Caucus chair in the Colorado Senate.
Tim Dietz: Castle Rock town council member.
Douglas John Gilbert: served on the home rule charter commission for the City of Castle Pines, former Castle Pines treasurer and mayor pro tem, has served on the South Metro Chamber Economic Development Group and its Legislative Action Committee.
Douglas County Treasurer Dave Gill: currently serving.
Candidates for District 3
Robin Webb: former candidate to represent District 43 at the state level, chairs the Douglas County Republican Party.
Lora omas: former Douglas County commissioner, former candidate to represent District 43 at the state level, former county coroner and is a major with the Colorado State Patrol.
Michael Lees: Highlands Ranch resident.
Priscilla Rahn: former Douglas County Planning and Zoning commissioner and former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party.
Bob Marshall: State Representative for District 43 and a retired active duty Marine Corps lieutenant colonel.
Sudee Floyd: Douglas County resident.
Frank McNulty: Former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, formerly represented District 43 and a former Centennial Water board member.
Alicia Jean Vagts: licensed attorney.
Monica A. Wasden: Highlands Ranch Community Association board member and a Douglas County Community Foundation board member.
Matthew Burcham: former candidate to represent District 43 at the state level.
Ted Harvey: former state representative for District 43 and was an at-large delegate to the 2016 Republican national Convention.
Susan Meek: Douglas County School Board member and was a liaison to the school district’s Accountability Committee and the Equity Advisory Council.
Lee Hudson Frame: served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years, 11 years as a senior federal civil servant and is a volunteer EMT. Daniel Brown: Douglas County resident.
Gordon B. (Spud) Van de Water: Highlands Ranch resident; had a policy consulting rm.
SuJeanne Foster: Douglas County resident.
rule county would have ... they’re the same for both … they’re generally the same,” Wiens said.
However, county and municipal home rule powers di er signi cantly. Counties remain more limited under state law, particularly in areas where the state legislature has preempted local authority.
Other opponents questioned the home rule process outlined by county commissioners – all of whom were invited to the DCC event but did not attend. Ste-
ven Arthur Boand and Charles O’Reilly criticized the proposed 60-day timeline to draft the charter as “rushed.” Boand, who once supported home rule, said he reversed his position after seeing how the process played out.
“If the commissioners’ favored candidates all win, we’ll be done with this in 62 days ... that’s too short to get this right,” Boand said.
O’Reilly and others pointed out that the process lacked adequate public en-
gagement. Some accused the county commissioners of having pre-planned the initiative without involving residents early on.
On the audience’s part, there was still a good deal of confusion around the legal mechanics of home rule. With less than two weeks before the vote, questions remained about what home rule would actually allow, how the 21 commissioners would work together, and how much public input there would be while a charter was formed.
Candidates were unable to answer many questions about the charter’s details, since its contents won’t be known until it’s written — and that will depend on who’s elected to draft it.
Damisch said a home rule charter could either raise or lower property taxes; for example, “depending on the commissioners that we elect.”
One attendee asked what would happen if the ballot measure fails this month.
“It doesn’t mean it’s dead forever,” said candidate Mindy Bandimere-Jordan.
Under Colorado law, residents can bring a home rule measure back to the ballot by submitting a petition signed by at least 5% of voters from the last general election. Boand suggested that if the current measure fails, it could be revived through that process.
“Perhaps, if we had more time to talk about it, we would broaden participation,” he added.
By the end of the evening, uncertainty still hung in the air.
“I came tonight hoping that I’d get clarity on whether to vote yea or nay,” one attendee said. “I honestly haven’t gotten that.”
Home rule charter commission candidates Charles O’Reilly and Mindy Bandimere-Jordan shake hands at a June 11 conservative forum in Douglas County. PHOTO BY JULIA KING
Sellers Are Putting Homes on the MLS, But Buyers Are Playing Hard to Get
In this article, I’m going to provide a market analysis that you won’t find anywhere else. Using my access to the Denver MLS, I will show you what is happening among listings within a 25-mile radius of downtown Denver that are active, pending and sold between $550,000 and $650,000.
I chose the price range because $600,000 is the median sold price in our market, unchanged from a year ago. I chose the 25-mile radius because that defines the metro area in my opinion. Every other statistical report you’ll read analyzes listings in 7 to 10 metro area counties, some of which extend many miles into the mountains (Park county) or out onto the plains (Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert counties). If you live in the Denver metro area as most people define it, my statistics are going to more accurately reflect the reality of our metro market.
Currently, as I write this on Tuesday, there are 1,543 active single family homes listed in that price range and in that 25-mile radius on REcolorado. Only 180 of them have been on the market 7 days or less, so 88.3% of them have been on the MLS over a week without selling Median days on the MLS is 38
dian listing sold for its listing price, but 20 sold for between 5 and 14 percent below the listing price.
738 listings are “pending,” and 219 of them went under contract within 7 days, so 70.3% of them lingered on the market over a week before selling. Median days on market for the pending listings is 11
Now let’s look at the 561 listings which closed in the last 30 days, not the month of May. Ten of them sold before they were entered on the MLS, and another 224 went under contract in 7 days or less. So, 57.9% of those closed listings lingered on the MLS over a week. Median days on the MLS before going under contract was 11. The me-
Denver Leads the Nation in Increase of Unsold Listings
Compare those percentages, which I have put in bold for easy spotting. There’s over a 30% difference between the percentage of sold and active listings that have lingered unsold on the MLS for over a week.
Also compare the days on MLS. The median pending and closed listings went under contract in 11 days, but the active listings have a median days on MLS of 38. Any real estate professional will tell you it’s pricing. Many active listings may now be at a price that would have sold quickly, but they were overpriced in the beginning and now fail to get buyers’ attention.
979 days on the MLS — 95 have reduced their prices, but not enough to go under contract yet. Some of those price reductions are pretty dramatic, too. Nine of them have reduced their prices by $100,000 or more, and one by $250,000 — and they still haven’t gone under contract! As mentioned above, I would wager that if those listings had started out at their current price as new listings, they would have sold quickly and possibly above their current listing price, but they remain active today as stale listings, which are harder to sell at any price.
The bottom line of this analysis should be clear by now. If a home is not priced right in the beginning, it runs the risk of lingering on the market. Price reductions should be considered within a week if there are few showings and no offers. Don’t wait a month or longer to reduce the price.
The above article first appeared on the real estate page of last Saturday’s Denver Post.
Decline in First-Time Homebuyers
The chart from realtor.com displayed below shows the wide disparity in the increase of active listings compared to before the pandemic. The darker the red, the greater the increase over pre-pandemic levels, and Denver is the darkest at a 100% increase, or double the number of pre-pandemic listings. Coming in second was Austin with 69% increase, then Seattle with 60.9% increase.
Of course, many of those active listings which haven’t sold will either be withdrawn from the MLS or will expire without selling. Indeed, there are already 87 listings in that price range in that area that were “withdrawn” from the MLS in the last 30 days. That means they are still subject to a listing agreement but have been withdrawn from the MLS for one reason or another. The median days on the MLS before being withdrawn was 41.
The cities in blue still don’t have as many active listings as they did prior to the pandemic. Worst cases are Hartford at minus 77.7%, Chicago at minus 59.3%, and Virginia Beach at minus 56.7%.
See http://RealEstateToday.substack.com for additional analysis.
Check Out My Two Blogs
Everything you read in this ad (and more) is posted on our Real Estate Today Substack blog. Scan the QR code at left to open and subscribe to it — free of course. Each article and listing is there, often with additional content and graphics, plus useful hyperlinks. My other Substack is Talking Turkey, a left-of-center political blog. It is not in print anywhere. Click on the QR code at right if you would like to see what I have to say.
There are 760 listings in that price range and area which “expired” without selling in the last 30 days, with a median days on the MLS of 70. Of them, 51 expired despite price reductions of up to $125,000.
Of the 100 oldest sold listings (between 68 and 339 days on the MLS) that went under contract in that price range and in that area, all but 9 of them only sold after reducing their listing price at least once. The average price reduction was $39,000, with the highest being $251,000.
Among the 100 oldest listings that are still active on REcolorado — ranging from 152 to
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports only 24% of housing sales last year were by first-time homebuyers, down from 50% in 2010. The typical purchaser is also older than in the past, with an average age of 38, or about 10 years above historical norms.
Roughly 20% of listed homes in March were affordable for households with $75,000 in annual income, according to a NAR analysis of property listings. Today, a household with annual income of $50,000 can only afford 8.7% of listings, down from 9.4% a year ago, according to the data.
These are national figures, however. The NAR report (for which you’ll find a hyperlink at http;// RealEstateToday.substack.com) does not provide separate figures for our market, which is probably even more severe in this regard.
These Past “Real Estate Today” Columns May Interest You
Clickable links for each column can be found at www.JimSmithColumns.com
Feb. 20, 2025 — We Have a Tool to Help You Find the ‘Perfect’ Home That’s Not on the MLS
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Dec. 19, 2024 — What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home in Colorado?
Nov. 7, 2024 — We Need to Take Seriously the Pollutants Emitted When Cooking With Gas
Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors
Sept. 26, 2024 — Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Sept. 5, 2024 — What Knowledge and Skills Should You Expect Your Real Estate Agent to Have?
Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Over 70 Might Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home
July 25, 2024 — Many Homeowners Don’t Understand Title Issues, Which Could Lead to Big Problems Later On
June 6, 2024 — Here Are Some Simple Steps to Take to Avoid Unpleasant Surprises After Closing
Mar. 21, 2024 — What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ and ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?
Feb. 22, 2024 — Most Sellers Don’t Know How to Interview a Listing Agent. Here’s Some Guidance.
Dec. 21, 2023 — D.R. Horton Inks Deal to Build Homes With OSB Made From Grass Instead of Wood
Nov. 23, 2023 — Scamming Has Become Its Own Industry, and We’re All Prospective Victims
Sept. 28, 2023 — Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California. Is That in Our Future?
Aug. 10, 2023 — What Are Some Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?
June 15, 2023 — Don’t Let Capital Gains Tax Deter You From Cashing Out on an Investment Property
May 11, 2023 — Do Agents Inflate the Cost of Buying or Selling Your Home with ‘Junk Fees’?
Apr. 20, 2023 — What Are Some Affordable Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive to Buyers?
Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Accommodating to Seniors
Feb. 9, 2023 — Understanding Indoor Air Quality and How It’s Managed in Super-Insulated Homes
Oct. 27, 2022 — Sales Taxes May Be Lower, But Property Taxes Are Higher in Unincorporated Areas
Oct. 6, 2022 — How to Make Sure That the House You Buy Will Not Be a ‘Money Pit’
Sept. 22, 2022 — What Steps Can You Take to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient?
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May 26, 2022 — Reflections on Selling Our Home and Moving Into a 55+ Rental Community
Jan. 6, 2022 — Marshall Fire Is a Wake-up Call for Building More Fire-Resistant Homes
Dec. 2, 2021 — My Favorite Home Improvements When Purchasing a New-to-Me Home
Oct. 14, 2021 — Court Rules That Sending an Email Can Bind You, Even Without Signing It Oct. 7, 2021 — What Are the Most Common Foundation Issues You Might Encounter in a Home?
Behind the fence at Toepfer Park in Highlands Ranch
Park to open this fall with new playground, trails and shade structure
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY
With Toepfer Park on Venneford Ranch under construction and fenced off to the public, some may be wondering: what exactly is taking place and when will it be back open?
In partnership with the Highlands Ranch Metro District and Douglas County, Toepfer Park, which was originally built in 1996, will be seeing needed updates to the parking lot and play space.
Over the past few years, the Highlands Ranch Metro District asked for the public’s feedback on the park, and an October 2023 survey revealed that about 75% of respondents wanted the park to focus on its natural elements.
About 66% wanted the park to be a place for relaxation, 56% wanted it for informal play, and 58% for exercise.
The playground will see an expansion with new play equipment for children between the ages of 2 and 12, including climber slides, a hammock seat, spinning chair, a connection swing and a structure with STEM activities.
And, to make the play area more accessible, there will be a ground-level play component and a solid surface.
In addition to improved landscaping, there will be a new trial loop around the existing irrigated bluegrass field.
The Metro District aims to keep Dad Clark Trail, which runs alongside the park, accessible to residents throughout construction. However, there will be occasions when access will be closed or detoured.
Crews will also place a 10-foot-wide trail to provide a direct connection from the existing ball field to the parking lot. The parking lot will also expand to 51 parking spaces, to include three ADA van-accessible spaces.
Other updates include new benches, barbeques, bicycle racks, picnic tables,
energy efficient LED pedestrian and parking light fixtures, a replacement and relocation of the toilet vault and an additional 20-by-20-foot shade shelter with an accessible ramp that can accommodate up to 40 people.
In February, the Metro District solicited an additional survey concerning the addition of a dog park, but according to the Metro District’s website, the board of directors voted against including a dog park based on public feedback.
With construction underway, a tentative opening date is expected this fall.
Regular updates for the Toepfer Park
construction will be provided on the Highlands Ranch Metro District’s website at tinyurl.com/toepfer-park-update.
Explore the parks nearby
Nearly 48% of the above-mentioned survey respondents said that the park is within a quarter of a mile of their home and 96% said they walked to the park.
Toepfer Park is just one of the 26 public parks managed by the Metro District, 19 of them being neighborhood parks.
There are four other neighborhood parks within a 2-mile radius of Toepfer Park.
For those looking for walking space or a quieter picnic area, the closest park is Sand Creek Park, located at 8843 Green Meadows Drive.
The following parks cater to families and children: Springer Park, located at 1200 Goldsmith Park; Cougar Run Park, located at 8810 Venneford Ranch Road; and Kistler Park, located at 9665 Burntwood Way.
Although it’s two miles from Toepfer Park, the closest community park is Falcon Park, located off Fallbrooke Drive. Find more parks at highlandsranch. org/explore/parks.
SHOWCASE
WARBIRD INVASION
Sh case
SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH
10:00AM - 2:00PM
Check out a spectacular display of aviation history and see various types of warbirds up close at Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight.
Toepfer Park on Venneford Ranch will be under construction over the next several months, with the expectation that it will reopen this fall with amenities and park features.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
SENIOR LIVING
Ridge — the city said its location is ideal for this type of community.
e project is focusing on older adults, which is an increasing population in Lone Tree.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are about 14,000 people in Lone Tree as of 2024, and 18.2% of them are over the age of 65.
Maria Ciano, executive director of the Douglas County Housing Partnership, said that by 2033, Douglas County anticipates a 54% population change of adults
65 and older.
“We want our folks that have lived here, raised their kids here, to be able to stay and continue to live here through retirement,” Ciano said.
Koelbel and Company said the project will be utilizing the income-average approach of Area Median Income levels between 30% and 80%, with the average area median income below the 60% threshold.
“A orable rentals allow seniors to discover a place to put permanent roots without the stress of looking for housing for sale,” Luke Cannon, vice president of Koelbel and Company, said in a statement.
Lone Tree Mayor Marrisa Harmon
Return ballots by Tuesday, June 24
added that this project re ects the vision the city has had for years, and that housing is not just a market issue, it’s a community commitment.
“It’s not just appreciated, it’s essential,” said Harmon. “As Lone Tree grows, it will grow for everyone.”
With the west side of Lone Tree nearly complete, the Forte Senior A ordable Housing Community is part of the early stages of growing the east side of the community.
Within its 3,500 acres, the city aspires to have the area be walkable, liveable and accessible with various amenities and housing.
Ranging in housing types to include single family homes, townhomes, con-
dos, apartments and urban lofts, the city aims to have nearly 10,000 homes built through 2030, which would house about 30,000 residents on both sides of RidgeGate.
Approximately 8,000 of those homes will be built on the east side of the community, including 350 units of attainable housing.
Residents will have access to the 80acre High Note Regional Park, 58 acres of village parks, 404 acres of open space and 14.5 acres of public space in the upcoming Lone Tree City Center, which the city is describing to be a walkable downtown area.
Learn more about the RidgeGate community at ridgegate.com/.
LOCAL CONTROL
Pro-Home Rule had just 5 donors give > $110K from three developers outside Douglas County and two developer/commissioner spouses. (This does not include untold amounts of hidden dark money of a 501(c)(4) registered to also push Home Rule upon DougCo voters). By contrast, Home Rule opponents raised $30K from almost 300 individual donors, the vast majority living in DougCo. Which represents the people and which represents special interests? See tracer.sos.colorado.gov 6/18/2025
Luke Cannon, vice president of Koelbel and Company, speaks at an o cial groundbreaking for an a ordable housing development in the RidgeGate community in the City of Lone Tree. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
Construction for the senior a ordable housing community on the east side of Lone Tree began in December 2024 and is expected to open May 2026 with 101 units.
Seeing stars among new NWSL team
BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@CTLN.ORG
Since the announcement in January, Colorado has been abuzz about Denver being awarded the newest National Women’s Soccer League team, set to begin play in 2026.
Between powerhouse additions to the ownership and investor groups and the groundbreaking on a new state-of-the-art performance center in Centennial, Coloradans have made it clear that professional women’s sports are long overdue in the area.
e club also unveiled plans for a future stadium district in downtown Denver, which will represent the largest investment in women’s team sports infrastructure in history.
e exclamation point came on June 3, when Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (and obvious Denver legend) Peyton Manning joined the club as a Denver NWSL investor.
e Sheri announced his involvement in a cheeky video of him FaceTiming his brother, NFL legend Eli Manning, a minority owner of Gotham FC in New York. But the ve-time NFL MVP and twotime Super Bowl winner’s addition is just the icing on a star-studded cake of owners and investors for the new soccer club.
See the full list below, with details pulled from DenverNWSL.com.
Olympic Alpine Skier Mikaela Shi rin A Colorado legend is joining the Den-
ver NWSL group as an investor. Shi rin has 101 World Cup victories, is a two-time Olympic champion, an eight-time World Champion and a ve-time Overall World Cup Champion.
“I’m beyond thrilled to join the ownership group of Denver NWSL and support something so meaningful in the community I call home,” Shi rin said in a statement. “ e sport culture in Colorado is rich and deep, and — most notably — the growth of women’s sports is one of the most exciting movements in our culture today.”
General Manager Curt Johnson
With seven major NWSL trophies under his belt, Johnson already has a decorated resume in the sport.
According to Je Kassouf at ESPN, “Johnson left the North Carolina FC and North Carolina Courage organization in December after 14 years combined with the men’s and women’s teams. As chief soccer o cer, he oversaw the rise of the Courage’s NWSL dynasty that included back-to-back NWSL Shields and NWSL Championships in 2018 and 2019.”
Johnson is a two-time NWSL champion, a three-time NWSL Shield Winner and a two-time NWSL Challenge Cup Winner.
President Jen Millet
A Colorado native, Millet is Denver NWSL’s rst employee.
According to the club’s website, Millet joins Denver NWSL from Bay FC, where she served as chief operating o cer for
Sell Practical marketing solutions to local businesses.
Sales territories currently available in various communities.
the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) 14th expansion franchise. Millet will return to the Mile High City to lead all of Denver NWSL’s business operations, including partnerships, ticket sales, marketing, and venue operations.
Founder Rob Cohen
Cohen is the chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group, Inc., a top-25 North American insurance brokerage specializing in risk management, insurance, wholesale brokerage and wealth management headquartered in Denver.
In 2001, Cohen founded the Denver Sports Commission, whose mission is to proactively identify, pursue and attract regional, national and international amateur and professional athletic competitions and events to Denver. e commission has helped bring notable events such as the All-Star Games of MLB, NBA, NHL, Women’s Final Four and Hockey Frozen Four to the greater Denver area.
Cohen also served as a founding member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF) and is the chair of the Games Hospitality Committee. He most recently was on the Salt Lake City Bid committee, which was awarded the Winter Olympic Games for 2034. He has served on the board for the United States Olympic Museum and has attended 15 di erent Olympic Games in his lifetime.
Alternate Governor Mellody Hobson
Hobson is co-CEO and president of Ari-
el Investments, LLC (“Ariel”), the rst and oldest African-American-owned mutual fund company in the United States. Ariel is the parent company of Project Level, which is investing in the Denver NWSL franchise.
Led by Hobson and former Washington Commanders President Jason Wright, Project Level’s mission is to level the playing eld in women’s sports through investment and ownership. In 2022, Hobson made history as one of the rst Black owners in the National Football League, as part of the Denver Broncos’ WaltonPenner Family Ownership Group. She is also a shareholder of the Chicago White Sox, the Women’s National Basketball Association and League One Volleyball.
The Borgen/Moritz Families
Working closely with Cohen and in alignment with the team at For Denver FC on the nearly two-year journey, siblings and founders Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz were key contributors in the early movement and eventual bid to bring an NWSL team to Denver.
Together with their spouses, Brooke Borgen and Misha Moritz, and the recent addition of sister Randi, the Borgen family has a distinguished legacy of nancial, athletic and philanthropic impact and success in Colorado. is communityfocused investment through their FirstTracks Sports Ventures, LLC, represents their passion for women’s athletics, el-
New rules for 2025-26 high school basketball season
Goaltending, bench decorum are among main focuses
SMITH
We’re still a year away from Colorado adopting a shot clock for high school basketball. The rule kicks in for the 202627 season, with a 35-second timer for all classifications. However, some changes are coming ahead of the 2025-26 season also.
The National Federation of High Schools adopted new rules and procedures changes for the coming highschool basketball season.
Goaltending/basket interference
A main focus is on dealing with goaltending and basket interference. The goal-
tending rule says a ball is on its downward arc toward the basket once the shot hits the backboard. If a defender touches the ball after it hits the backboard, it’s two/three points for the shooter’s team.
Before this rule change, it was up to officials to determine whether the ball was still climbing toward the goal before any potential goaltending call.
“By establishing that a ball is considered to be on its downward flight upon contacting the backboard, this rule change introduces a clear and objective standard,” said Monica Maxwell, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee, in a statement posted to CHSAANow.com. “It significantly reduces the need for officials to make subjective judgments regarding the trajectory of a shot, thereby enhancing consistency and accuracy in goaltending calls.”
The rule regarding basket interference
Coors is also on the Young Guns Committee for the National Western Stock Show.
Brooke Woody
evating opportunities for all and their commitment to bringing the first professional women’s soccer team to Denver.
Molly Coors
It’s not Denver pro sports if Coors isn’t involved.
Coors is a fifth-generation Coloradan. She played collegiate lacrosse at Connecticut College and worked for AllianceBernstein for 14 years (in the U.S. and abroad) from 2008 to 2022.
Another connection from North Carolina, Woody entered the women’s sports arena with a minority ownership stake in the NC Courage. She recently served on the board of the Community Impact Fund, is a director of a local foundation and volunteers at a community food bank.
Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri
Two powerhouse investors also joined the group. Denver NWSL’s page details
has also changed.
Now, only a defensive player can commit goaltending. The NFHS statement said the rule change disposes of the need to determine whether the ball in flight is a field-goal attempt or a pass.
“Any alliteration of a shot attempt with contact to the basket or backboard by an offensive player would be considered basket interference,” the statement said.
Also, intentionally slapping or striking the backboard during a field-goal try becomes basket interference and not a technical foul.
Also, incidents in which players who intentionally delay returning to the court after being out of bounds and then become the first to touch the ball will result in an infraction and not a technical foul.
Bench rules
The NFHS also changed a rule related to time-outs.
their experience below.
Joshi is a Colorado native and seasoned finance professional with experience in corporate finance, community leadership and non-profit board governance. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Food Bank of the Rockies. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Biennial of the Americas, an organization which was established by the Colorado Governor’s office to promote cultural exchange, innovation and collaboration throughout the Americas.
Jhaveri is the founder, chairperson and CEO of Kuvare, a global technology-enabled financial services platform with $46B in assets that provides insur-
Players on the floor when officials call for a timeout are now “bench personnel.”
The NFHS statement said the switch “ensures consistent enforcement of penalties for unsporting conduct by allowing officials to issue technical fouls to bench personnel during time-outs.”
Before the change, game officials had to determine whether a player who warranted a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct was actually on the floor or the bench at the time.
“One of the points of emphasis this year will be bench decorum,” said Billy Strickland, executive director of the Alaska School Activities Association and chair of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee, in the NFHS statement. “How can we help coaches and officials know that communication is a two-way street? It just needs to be done in a proper manner.”
Keep up with all rule changes and sports at CHSAANow.com.
ance, reinsurance and asset management solutions. Additionally, Kuvare has a strong commitment to community enhancement, infrastructure development and sports-related investments. More information can be found at denvernwsl. com.
Cordillera Investment Partners
According to Denver NWSL’s website, Cordillera Investment Partners is an investment management firm focused on investing in niche, non-correlated assets. Its investments are generally in sectors that are misunderstood, undercapitalized and
SEE NWSL, P9
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 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.”
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
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 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 the 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 consequences,” 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.
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
Taylor Swift wins protection from Adams County man
Henderson resident claims relationship with pop star
BY MONTE WHALEY
An Adams County man who claims rock superstar Taylor Swift is the mother of his son is the target of a restraining order issued at Swift’s request.
The restraining order against 45-yearold Brian Jason Wagner of Henderson was issued by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge.
The order prohibits Wagner from harassing, stalking, assaulting or disturbing Swift as well as contacting or approaching within 100 yards of Swift, her home, and her workplace. The order is effective through the court hearing in the case on June 30, according to USA Today.
Wagner couldn’t be reached for comment by press time.
In her June 6 petition to the court, Swift said she lived with “a fear of imminent harm” due to Wagner’s alleged repeated visits to her home and “concerning and threatening” communications with her staff, USA Today reported.
the safety of my family.”
Swift’s filing was submitted two weeks after Wagner allegedly made two consecutive appearances at her Los Angeles home on May 21 and May 22 “... asking to see me personally and stating that he was there checking on a friend (again, this is entirely untrue).”
Wagner first visited Swift’s home on July 9, 2024, and returned at least two more times that month, according to her petition and reported by USA Today.
“During each of these visits, I am informed that Mr. Wagner made various statements about living at my property (not true), being in a relationship with me (not true), believing I am the mother of his son (not true), and needing to see me in person, all of which are untrue and disconnected from reality,” Swift wrote to the court.
In addition, Swift said, Wagner “tried to divert mail from my residence to his attention” and successfully changed his driver’s license residence to reflect her address.
“I do not share publicly where I re-
Denver is the newest addition to the National Women’s Soccer League, with play to begin in 2026.
COURTESY
side and have never shared my address or the location of my Los Angeles residence with Mr. Wagner,” Swift wrote to the court. “Therefore, the fact that Mr.
Wagner has determined where I reside and visited the property several times, refusing to leave and claiming to need access, makes me fear for my safety and
Yoga in the Park
uncorrelated with traditional assets. Cordillera manages approximately $1.8 billion of capital on behalf of endowments, foundations, family o ces, wealth advisors and other institutional investors.
The Soin Family, led by Vishal Soin Raj Soin and Vishal Soin represent two generations of entrepreneurial leadership and philanthropic commitment of the Soin Family. More online at denvernwsl. com.
For Denver FC Capital Partners (SPV)
Founded in 2022 by Ben Hubbard, Tom Dunmore, Jordan Angeli and Nicole Glaros, For Denver FC launched the movement that ultimately brought professional women’s soccer to Colorado. e club’s site reads, “For Denver FC’s work was instrumental in the early stages of Denver’s pursuit of an NWSL franchise, helping lay the foundations for Denver’s successful bid by generating deep grassroots enthusiasm, exploring infrastructure solutions, and engaging Rob Cohen and other key members of the ownership group. In early 2025, Hubbard, Dunmore, Angeli and Glaros were joined by Stacy Carter to form ForDenverFC Capital Partners, which includes Yoav Lurie and Lana Kimayeva, Jodi Asarch, Sebastian Somen, omas and Carrie Hutchinson and others.
Follow Denver NWSL on social media channels for updates on stadium-building, partnerships and more. All other information can be found at denvernwsl. com.
An additional declaration from one of her security staffers, Alex Welch, revealed Wagner’s new California driver’s license was mailed to Swift’s home, which alerted her security team to the fact that he was falsely claiming to live there, USA Today states.
Join RidgeGate and South Suburban Parks and Recreation for free community yoga classes on the grass at the south end of Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat, water bottle and towel to all classes. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled.
Tuesday, June 24th – 6:30-7:30pm
Tuesday, July 29th – 6:30-7:30pm
Guided Nature Hikes
Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from the district, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate. Registration is required and available at RidgeGate.com
Friday, June 20th, 7-8:30pm – Celebrating the Solstice
Thursday, July 10th, 8:30-10pm – Buck Moon
Saturday, July 26th, 6-7:30pm – Survivor in the West
Summer Beats Concerts
Enjoy these free summertime concerts out on the grass in Prairie Sky Park, just west of the Lone Tree Recreation Center, courtesy of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District.
Tuesday, June 24th, 6-8pm – Ninety Percent 90s
Tuesday, July 8th, 6-8pm – Wash Park Band
Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center
RidgeGate is proud to sponsor Lone Tree Art Center’s Tunes on the Terrace – an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life. The stars are out this summer! Find more details and buy tickets at LoneTreeArtsCenter.org
Friday, June 27th, 7:30pm – Sierra Green and the Giants
Friday, July 12th, 7:30pm – Dan Tyminski Band
Saturday, July 19th, 7:30pm – John Oates: An Evening of Stories and Song
Friday, July 25th, 7:30pm – The Dreamboats
Experience Historic Schweiger Ranch
The restoration of the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, led by the Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us a glimpse into settlers’ lives. Today, the ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits and a variety of events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events online at SchweigerRanch.org
Friday, June 20th, 6-7pm – Guided Public Tour
Sunday, July 13th, 7-8:30pm – Natural Heritage Walking Tour with SSPRD (Nature Mystery) Saturday, July 19th, 1-2pm
An Adams County man is accused of stalking Taylor Swift. BRIAN FRIEDMAN / SHUTTERSTOCK
Have you ever noticed how sometimes you see the shape of a heart in the most unexpected places? Maybe it’s in the clouds as they part and rejoin, or in the way the sunlight cuts through a break in the sky. Perhaps it shows up in the pitting of a worn sidewalk, the irregular pattern of asphalt, or the jagged edge of a stone. It might be in the bark of a tree, the curve of a seashell, or the delicate lines of a fallen leaf. I know it’s not just me, when I’ve shared these little sightings with others, they nod and smile. ey’ve seen them too.
Recently, during my morning walks, I’ve noticed more hearts than ever before. At rst, it felt like a happy coincidence. But then I started wondering: Why now? Why am I seeing hearts everywhere I look?
e answer came quietly but clearly: Maybe it’s because my heart is open, open to loving and being loved, open to noticing the signs, open to receiving the messages all around me.
And perhaps these heart-shaped reminders are just that, messages. Messages that love is always present. Not just in
WINNING WORDS
VOICES
When everything looks like a heart
ey become a gentle whisper: You were loved. You still are.
June, named after the Roman goddess Juno — protector of marriage, childbirth, and women — stands for nurturing and protective energy. So it is no surprise this month is popular for weddings and raising awareness of many social causes representing children’s and women’s issues. e top of the list is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness month. is is near to my heart, having two sisters die of Alzheimer’s disease and being a vigilant supporter of ghting the disease and its e ects on families.
ere is so much to deal with emotionally and medically when a family member is diagnosed with any form of dementia or brain issues. When you add the nancial burden, it is almost unbearable. As a nancial adviser, I have seen the devastation brain illness causes for the entire family and community.
Sometimes, I am the rst to notice a client slipping mentally in conversation or especially in grasping nancial concepts. is could be due to infrequent visits when I can see a noticeable change that a regular friend or family member might not recognize as a change in cognitive function. Also, when you add numbers to the conversation, this is a di erent environment than others may see their loved one in and think everything is ne at Sunday dinner or when out for a walk.
I am not the goddess Juno, but the best nurturing and protective advice I can give is to always be prepared, for any illness, event, or end of life. You don’t want to leave your family scrambling to understand your needs and wishes when you are most vulnerable and may not be able to communicate. I often hear clients say they are not ready to make arrangements for a medical directive, health care agent or a Power of Attorney (POA). I suggest you make them anyway and then vow to change them in the future if you want
grand gestures or hallmark moments, but in the everyday. In nature. In the people around us. In our memories and in our moments of stillness.
It reminded me of that old country song, “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” Maybe we need to start looking for love in all the right places, the kind of love that isn’t loud or ashy but present, steady, generous, and sometimes even quiet. e kind that leaves clues if you’re willing to see them.
As I walked and re ected, each heartshaped nd brought to mind someone I love, my wife, my family, my friends, my coworkers, my church family, and those kind souls whose presence lifts me. But it also opened the door to grief, reminding me of those whose faces I no longer get to see. ere’s a tender pain in that kind of remembering, but also a deep beauty. e memories themselves carry love.
Focus on brain health awareness
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
to make adjustments. Also, make sure your POA is good for nancial accounts, not just selling a house or car. We may still be dealing with a generation who is uncomfortable discussing nances with their adult children. Get your nancial adviser to hold a family meeting and you direct how much should be disclosed but at least get the conversation started.
e Alzheimer’s Association states that worldwide, there are more than 55 million people living with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. is is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ey list the top ve signs as:
• Memory loss such as forgetting events, repeating yourself
• Di culty planning or solving problems, paying bills, or following instructions
• Trouble completing familiar tasks, driving, cooking, shopping, using technology
• Confusion with time or place, losing track of dates
• Problems with visual images and spatial relations, balance, judging distance, tripping, dropping, or spilling things.
Alzheimer’s can strike at any time but is most common in our eighties or later. My sister Alice was 47. My sister Ruth was 70. It is important to be aware and start the conversation and plan. is helps ease family dynamics and address the nancial burden while you can all communicate and prepare together.
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.
I’ve come to believe that when everything starts to look like a heart, it’s a sign that our emotions are not just alive but awake. We are tuned into something deeper. We’re allowing love to rise to the surface and shape how we see the world.
Of course, not everyone walks through life looking for hearts. Some seem to make it their mission to nd what’s broken. ey focus on the bad, the unjust, the messy. And while we should never turn a blind eye to pain or pretend problems don’t exist, there’s something to be said for being a good- nder, someone who seeks out what’s beautiful, kind, and loving. Or better yet, a love- nder. ere’s no denying the division and noise that echo through the world today. But maybe, just maybe, there’s truth in another song lyric: What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. Not the abstract kind. e real kind. e kind that sees hearts in tree bark and cracks in the pavement. e kind that sees people fully. at gives generously. at believes again and again that love is always worth it.
So if your heart feels a little more open lately, or even if you’re just beginning to crack the door, I hope you start seeing the signs. I hope hearts show up in unexpected places. I hope you let those shapes turn your thoughts to the people you love and to the memories that still breathe warmth into your spirit.
And maybe, just maybe, when everything starts to look like a heart, it’s God reminding you of what truly matters. After all, we’re called to love as we have been loved.
So here’s my prayer for you: May your days be lled with hearts. May your heart be open. And may love always nd its way in. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we take notice when everything looks like a heart, 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.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
BOCC messed up recycling
Regarding the article “An eco-friendly and safe way to recycle paint, electronics in Parker”:
It used to be easy to do. It’s a shame Douglas County communities have had to struggle to put together these types of events recently. Up through 2019, TriCounty Health Department, the county’s former shared health department, sponsored such annual events around the county in the fall, called the Household Chemical Roundup. I volunteered for the one in Castle Rock for many years, doing vehicle o -load. It was a lot of fun and a great way to give back to the community. But the pandemic changed all of that. Masking and other so-called encroachment on “freedom” was a bridge too far, and the BOCC at the time, of which two members remain, decided to part ways with TCHD and form a new county health dept. As such, those events no longer happen, and here we are.
Chris Demarest Castle Rock
Consider leaving Trump behind I’m submitting a de nition as follows:
A person who suppresses the press; appoints supporters in key posts in his administration (attorney general, secretary of state, inspector generals, FBI director, and others); silences his critics via threats; uses ICE to arrest and often deport not only undocumented immigrants (he claims to be getting rid of criminals) but citizens of the country; attempts to use the judicial system to attain his goals; completely disregards the rule of law etc.
As many have realized I’ve de ned a dictator.
makes up the rest of his administration we could have the same problems. I urge those who voted him in to consider voting for candidates who truly support a democratic form of government in the midterms of 2026.
Lawrence Sena Castle Rock
Medication plan is bad idea
I’m fortunate to be in generally good health, but like many others, I rely on maintenance medications to keep it that way. Often, speci c brand-name drugs are the ones that work consistently. I pay close attention to any policy that could a ect whether patients can keep getting the medications they trust. at’s why I’m alarmed by the Trump administration’s recent Most Favored Nation (MFN) proposal. Tying our drug prices to foreign countries might sound like a quick x, but it won’t guarantee access, and it could choke the investment pipeline that makes brand-specific innovation possible in the rst place. When a treatment nally works for someone, access should never be up for negotiation.
One person exhibits these traits: Donald J. Trump.
I fervently hope against all odds that, he is impeached and convicted — we would hopefully get back to some degree of normalcy. However given who
At the same time, we know the current system has its own problems, especially with PBMs. ese corporate middlemen have long been an issue in so many ways. ey manipulate which drugs get covered and often pocket the discounts instead of passing savings to patients. Reforms to crack down on PBM abuse, already in Congress’s reconciliation package, are long overdue. DC should follow Colorado’s example: is year the state took a major step toward holding PBMs accountable and passed HB25-1094.
Let’s not trade one broken system for another. I hope Colorado’s congressional delegation will reject MFN and instead focus on passing PBM reform that helps real patients now.
omas Miller
Highlands Ranch
Michael Norton
Medicaid reductions would hurt residents of Colorado
As an experienced pediatrician at Every Child Pediatrics, I have grave concerns that the cuts to Medicaid currently being considered by Congress will be devastating for Colorado families. e well-being of our children depends on access to insurance coverage for them and their caregivers. is legislation directly strips coverage from more than 100,000 Colorado adults and children and increases administrative barriers, which will result in coverage losses for those who remain eligible.
Parents with access to healthcare are better equipped to support the healthy growth and development of their children. e same is true for extended family members, childcare providers, teachers, and the many other adults who care for children. When adults in our community lose access to healthcare, children su er the consequences.
Every Child Pediatrics is a nonpro t safety net clinic that cares for more than 30,000 children across Colorado regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. In the past year, we have seen the number of uninsured patients more than double, resulting in a drastic increase in the amount of uncompensated care we provide at our clinics. Medicaid cuts will further increase uncompensated care and risk the sustainability of safety-net providers across the state.
e proposed changes to the Medicaid program will make it harder for people to access health insurance. Insurance coverage enables people to access preventative care, protect themselves from illness, and seek early detection and treatment when problems arise. Immunizations protect our communities from outbreaks of vaccine preventable infections. Screening for lead and iron deciency in young children prevents longterm impacts to their health and brain development. Appropriate management of chronic disease not only improves quality of life and health outcomes but also prevents hospitalizations and lowers healthcare costs. Many Coloradans will lose access to preventative care with cuts to Medicaid.
e proposed cuts do not eliminate fraud, waste, or abuse. Instead, they create administrative barriers — such as requiring members to re-enroll every six months or prove they have a job or are a caregiver — which will prevent people from accessing coverage. Colorado witnessed the catastrophic e ects of administrative barriers on healthcare coverage
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GUEST COLUMN
following the pandemic. With the end of the public health emergency, more than 211,000 Colorado children lost their Medicaid coverage, the majority due to problems with paperwork. Several of my patients’ families didn’t know that they had lost coverage until they arrived in clinic. Many had completed the necessary steps, but their children went months without coverage due to delays in the Medicaid system. Administrative burdens forced eligible families and kids to lose coverage after the public health emergency and will again with the proposed measures.
Every Child Pediatrics was founded on the principle that all children deserve the quality healthcare needed to become healthy adults — medical care, mental healthcare, nutrition services, dental care and resource support for their families. roughout my career, I have seen that parents and caregivers also need resources and support for their children to thrive. Families living in poverty, many juggling multiple jobs while caring for their children, deserve a safety net that works to eliminate barriers, not a system that creates unnecessary administrative burdens framed as cost-saving measures. e proposed Medicaid cuts will harm Colorado families. ey will miss immunizations, well visits, and screening for chronic conditions. ey will be unable to access medications for chronic diseases and will have more hospital stays and worse health outcomes. All of us will pay for this as healthcare costs rise and our families get sicker.
If we fail our children now by cutting o their coverage or the coverage for the adults in their lives, it will be at the expense of our state today and for many years to come. e future of Colorado depends on the ability of our children to become healthy, productive adults who continue to help our communities thrive. We should protect Medicaid - for kids, for families, and for Colorado.
is guest column was written by Laura Luzietti, M.D. She is a pediatrician who serves as executive director of Every Child Pediatrics, a nonpro t safety-net clinic that serves more than 30,000 children across Colorado regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
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Colorado fire risk grows as federal funding wanes
Uncertain federal support undercuts preparedness in Colorado communities
BY LINDSEY TOOMER NEWSLINE
Wild re experts say the best way for Colorado to reduce the destructive power of wild res is to prepare a proactive response supported by the federal government.
But it’s uncertain whether federal resources will continue to support re mitigation and resilience projects, and organizations that work on those projects are no longer sure whom to talk to at federal agencies they’ve previously worked with. In a re-prone state that’s entering the warm months, this has reduced momentum on re prevention e orts some experts say are essential to protecting Colorado communities.
e Trump administration has upended federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management with sta reductions and reorganizations. And the federal hiring freeze Trump implemented on inauguration day has meant many open positions are left unlled.
Rebecca Samulski, executive director of Fire Adapted Colorado, a nonpro t that supports wild re resilience professionals around the state, said the energy around proactive mitigation has “kind of stalled right now,” as organizations determine how to stay a oat without the guarantee of federal support. With all of the moving pieces, prevention experts have again become reactive while trying to “stay sane.”
“I just think it’s really important that the federal government continue to have a role in the proactive wild re resilience work,” Samulski said. “We know that it’s a lot more cost e ective to do the work up front with communities than to wait and to respond to disasters or recover from them.”
Matt McCombs, Colorado State Forest Service director, said that in what is expected to be an average wild re season — which “is a really bad year in Colorado” — work to improve resiliency and protect communities and watersheds is essential to safeguarding Colorado’s billion dollar recreation and outdoor economy.
of climate change, as well as prolonged drought and a buildup of dry fuels. e three largest wildres in state history all occurred in 2020, and the most state’s most destructive re — the 2021 Marshall Fire — leveled entire subdivisions during winter in an urban area once thought relatively safe from wild res.
Vail Fire Chief Mark Novak said there are three tenets to the nationally recognized “cohesive wild re management strategy”: resilient landscapes, re adaptive communities, and a safe and e ective response. In Vail — where the town is 4.5 square miles surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of U.S. Forest Service land — collaboration with the federal government is essential to successfully reduce the threat forests can pose in the event of a re.
“In a community like ours where we’re surrounded by the forests, there’s a lot we can do to protect our community by creating that re-adapted community and by having a good response, but ultimately we have to have all three pieces of the cohesive strategy and we need to have resilient landscapes,” Novak said. “If that pipeline of the work that needs to be done slows down, it makes us more vulnerable, so that’s very concerning.”
education and training for local jurisdictions as it looks to roll out its newly developed wild re resiliency code. Christopher Brunette, chief of the division’s re and life safety section, said the division is looking for other ways to provide that training without federal funding.
At the end of April, Colorado’s entire Democratic delegation in Congress, as well as Republican U.S. Rep. Je Hurd of Grand Junction, wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and asked her to reinstate Forest Service sta who were trained to respond to wild re incidents outside of their primary work duties.
“ e Forest Service is now entering peak re season in a compromised position, placing an even greater re danger on communities across Colorado,” the lawmakers said in their letter.
U.S. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse of Lafayette and U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, both Democrats, also sponsored legislation that would reinstate all sta at the Forest Service and the National Park Service who were “wrongfully terminated” by the Trump administration.
from Rollins. e forest service “remains operationally ready to support wild re response e orts” with state and local partners, the statement said.
About 5,000 “non- re” Forest Service sta have left their positions or are in the process of doing so across the country, the statement said, but it did not provide more information on those positions or what they did.
While many of the “primary re” positions have been exempt from reduction in force e orts, Novak said many “secondary re” positions, like biologists who could help as a resource adviser in the event of a re, have left their roles.
“So if we look at re suppression as a system, we know that system has less capability than it did just last year,” Novak said.
Vail Fire hires seasonal foresters to help with projects during the warmer months, and Novak said it just hired someone who left a full-time forest service position for a six-month seasonal position.
“I don’t want to speak to their motivations, but I think it’s pretty telling when people are leaving full-time positions to take seasonal positions,” Novak said.
CORRECTIONS
• The story “Schools’ summer lunches underway” that ran in June 5 editions incorrectly reported the population of Douglas County. The estimated population is about 394,000.
• The story “Life after breast cancer, and lessons learned” that ran in May 29 editions included an incorrect URL for Diane Simard’s website. The correct URL is dianemsimard.com.
e Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s 2025 Wild re Preparedness Plan warned that Colorado may have “slightly above-average wildland re activity” this year, as well as the potential for delayed response times and fewer reghting resources because of concerns around federal funding. at can jeopardize communities, natural resources and infrastructure in Colorado.
e wild re season is longer and more intense in Colorado and the West due to the e ects
Fire Adapted Colorado and the Colorado Forest Collaboratives Network wrote to Colorado’s members of Congress in April asking them to intervene because of how funding freezes and executive orders are “severely hampering” wild re preparedness. at includes the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
e state’s Fire Prevention and Control was in the process of applying for the resilient communities grant under FEMA to support
Novak said he’s heard estimates that 25% of the Forest Service’s resource positions in Colorado, such as those who conduct environmental analysis on projects and verify eld work is being done properly, are open and likely won’t be lled.
“People have left them or there’re seasonal positions that won’t be lled, so we’re very concerned about being able to actually implement projects, even projects that already have approval,” Novak said.
A statement from the U.S. Forest Service said that wildland reghting positions are considered public safety positions, which are therefore exempt from the federal hiring freeze under an April order
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees the BLM, cited a “joint re memo” signed by Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to ensure wildland re ghting in the U.S. is “highly coordinated and focused on ghting wild res quickly and e ectively.” at order allows an exemption from the federal hiring freeze for certain positions.
“ e Department is working to hire key positions that will continue to protect public and tribal lands, infrastructure, and communities from the impacts of wild res through hazardous fuels management, wild re prepared
The East Troublesome Fire burns north of Granby on Oct. 22, 2020.
CHASE WOODRUFF/COLORADO NEWSLINE
FIRE RISKS
ness, and close collaboration with interagency partners,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Dependent on federal funding
McCombs said Trump’s budget proposes a wholesale elimination of an arm of the U.S. Forest Service that provides support on non-federal lands and is a core component of the state forest service’s funding. He said Colorado State Forest Service is proud of how it uses the resources it receives from the federal government, which it and other state forestry services have done for decades.
In the 2024 fiscal year, running through the end of June 2024, the CSFS spent about $11.1 million from federal grants, which is just under 36% of the state forest service’s budget.
Samulski said many wildfire prevention organizations do their work with the support of federal funding, with several becoming reliant on those federal funds to continue operating. Some groups have reduced their work or shut down entirely because of the fear that they will lose funding, or because there aren’t projects being funded right now, she said.
Many long-standing grant programs shifted to receive funding from the Inflation Reduction Act under the Biden administration, even though they were previously funded from other sources, and were frozen by the Trump administration, Samulski said. While some grant programs have been unfrozen, others haven’t, and the uncertainty has led some groups to search for other revenue sources.
“Many of the organizations are trying to figure out how to pivot and be less reliant on federal funding, and I’ve already had to pause … projects on the ground or cancel projects because they don’t know if they’ll get the reimbursement,” Samulski said.
Those projects include removal of hazardous fuels on the ground or vegetation surrounding state, federal or private lands near communities, homes or watersheds, Samulski said. She said organizations focused on wildfire prevention have been growing in recent years as they realized
they need to be more proactive.
“No amount of firefighting is actually going to change the outcomes that are happening on the ground that much,” Samulski said. “We need to do more in advance of the fires, and so there’s kind of been this recognition and a shift in terms of trying to build up that capacity.”
Dissolving partnership agreements
On top of its primary responsibilities of overseeing state and private forestry projects in Colorado, the CSFS has agreements with the federal Forest Service and the BLM under the Good Neighbor Authority, a concept McCombs said started in Colorado. The Good Neighbor Authority allows federal agencies to establish agreements with state agencies to conduct forest management activities such as fuels reduction, forest health improvement and habitat improvement on federal lands.
The CSFS has about 25 active projects under the Good Neighbor Authority, with 15 full-time employees staffed through funding from the GNA. The state forest service has completed over 15,000 acres of forest treatment through the GNA on federal, state and private land.
“I don’t think there’s a national forest in the state where we are not under agreement to do some work to support and build capacity for the (U.S. Forest Service) so they can accelerate the critical forest health wildfire mitigation work that needs to be done,” McCombs said. “Our people know each other, they trust each other. Sometimes it’s not easy for federal and state entities to work well together. We do this really well in Colorado.”
As agencies potentially affected by financial cuts at the federal level wait to see the final outcomes, McCombs said CSFS leaders remain in consistent communication with their USFS counterparts to determine how state foresters can best help and continue working together.
“That’s a really positive thing that even amidst all of this rapid and in some instances, unwanted or unwelcome change, we’re still striving to try to stay in communication and keep moving things forward, because the wildfire is not going to wait,” McCombs said. “We’ve got to keep driving forward under whatever context we’re operating in.”
Coalitions and Collaboratives, a Colorado-based nonprofit that advocates for
resilient ecosystems, also works under a cooperative agreement with the Forest Service to help with wildfire resilience and mitigation. Jonathan Bruno, CEO of COCO, said the group helps local programs working on resilience and mitigation efforts ensure they have long-term sustainability. The nonprofit also distributes grants funded by the Forest Service.
After the Trump administration took over, Bruno said all of his organization’s grant agreements with the Forest Service were put under review and frozen. He said about 90% of the funding his organization works with comes from the federal government.
“That delay thankfully was short-lived, thanks to the courts, but I’m scared because it feels as though maybe those court rulings may not hold up,” Bruno said. “How do you budget if you don’t know that you’re going to even have a dollar?”
Bruno said his organization is “being really cautious” about entering into any new agreements since he’s unsure they will get all the funding they have been promised. While COCO already selected recipients for their spring grant cycle this year, they haven’t executed any contracts yet.
Under the five-year agreements COCO historically enters with the Forest Service, Bruno said it makes adjustments every year depending on actual funding needs and developments in its projects. As he is planning adjustments to those agreements with his federal partners this year, both parties are unsure what to expect.
“The challenge is that the internal people that I’ve worked with for years and the people that I’ve trusted, they don’t know either,” Bruno said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the system, which makes everyone really nervous and uncomfortable.”
Bruno said the mitigation work of many people in the Forest Service is already thankless, and they do it simply because they care about protecting their communities. He’s had to pivot from working with those local, on-the-ground Forest Service staff to working with the higherups now making the decisions.
“It’s never what we wanted, because those that have the most to lose and gain are those people in a community, not the politicians,” Bruno said. “We need to make sure that those that are in these
powerful, decision-making positions have the information they need to make well-defined, well-reasoned sort of judgments on who’s going to live and who’s going to die.”
Historically, Vail Fire has collaborated with the Forest Service to get federal approval for fuels reduction projects, and the two entities split the costs for the review process as well as the actual fuels management once projects are approved. Recently, it’s become unclear whether funding previously guaranteed to projects with Vail will come through.
“Pretty much every kind of landscapelevel project we’ve done has been on Forest Service land,” Novak said.
The process can take years and can cost millions. One project Vail Fire is currently working on with the Forest Service took about three and a half years to plan and get approval, Novak said, and Vail paid about $300,000 throughout that process with the understanding that the Forest Service would pay for the actual treatment. They’ve received “some direct funding,” but not nearly all of the funding needed to fully implement the $3 to $5 million project, he said.
While apprehension around federal fire mitigation, prevention and suppression capabilities continues, local government firefighters will still be there to protect their communities, Novak said. For about 80% of all fires, the initial response comes solely or partially from local firefighters and responders — though prevention should be prioritized, he said.
McCombs said he views the success of the Forest Service and the BLM’s work in Colorado as Colorado’s success, and less funding and staff for those agencies is “an explicit translation to less work.”
“The alternative is uncharacteristic wildfires that have damaging, just wildly disruptive impacts and long-term impacts to things that are really important to Coloradans,” McCombs said. “We’re communicating through our partners and engaging with those that have a vested interest to make sure that folks are aware of some of the trade-offs that exist when funding is reduced and when staffing in particular is reduced.”
This story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
BY RYLEE DUNN
For many, the feeling is all too familiar: hands awkwardly gripping the fretboard, the sharp bite of the strings digging into ngertips, an out-of-pitch buzz emitting from the soundhole — the early days of learning to play guitar can dissuade even the most persistent student from the pursuit.
Yet those who persist often discover the hard-earned spoils of guitar playing. Camp res become enlivened with sound, impromptu jam sessions serendipitously come together and in some cases, bands and long-standing musical careers are formed.
While many guitarists learn the instrument when they’re children, others come by it later in life – and the instrument has plenty to o er folks no matter when they pick it up. David Gilbert, a father of two from Englewood, began playing recently because he wanted to expose his young children to the magic of live music.
“I’m pushing 40,” Gilbert said. “At this point, the likelihood that I’m going to end up some guitar virtuoso is pretty slim, but what I recognize is that I can get to a point where I can subject my family to some camp re songs.
“And I think that kind of speaks to the essence of guitar — kind of as this common man’s instrument that doesn’t take too much to get to a point where you can play
some simple sing-along songs with kids, or get to a point where you can just make a fun sound or a little tune,” he continued. “So at this point, that’s my goal; to learn enough chords that I can play some music.”
Gilbert, like many other later–life guitar learners, has turned to a common source of information in the modern age for instruction: YouTube.
e widely utilized social media site is sought out by both novices and seasoned professionals alike.
Warren Rubin is a lifelong guitarist who began playing at an early age and now plays bass guitar in the Arvada-based band, Dive Bar Diva. Rubin works as a soundman for artists such as Hazel Miller and operates an ampli er repair shop out of his garage. He is sometimes known as the “Amp Whisperer.”
Rubin says that there are more resources out there for aspiring guitarists now than there have ever been.
“You don’t have to take classes every week or every month; as much as you need to just pursue interesting ideas,” Rubin said. “Watch other people who have other approaches to the instrument. We live in a golden age for this sort of thing, because you can turn to YouTube and there are people who are just absolutely brilliant guitarists showing you what they do and how they do it.”
Guitarist Kevin Pounds has played in a number of Colorado bands, including We Are Not A Glum Lot (pictured). PHOTO BY MACHKNE RUDNICKI
Some of the YouTube channels Rubin and Gilbert recommend are Rick Beato, Justin Guitar, Paul Davids, Andy Guitar, and Wings of Pegasus.
While Rubin acknowledges the utility of something like YouTube, he also continues to take in-person lessons at the Olde Town Pickin’ Parlor in Arvada, despite having played the instrument for over six decades.
“All of the best guitar players I know — including my teacher, who has a master’s degree in jazz — continue to take classes,” Rubin said. “If you can a ord it, take lessons, not because it’s the only way to learn the instrument, but it gives you a strong set of fundamentals.”
e Denver metro area is awash with music schools that o er guitar lessons. Arvada’s Pickin’ Parlor, Denver’s Swallow Hill Music, Englewood’s Denver Music Institute and the Littleton School of Music all o er lessons for a variety of di erent styles and skill levels.
While many continue to take lessons long after rst picking up the instrument, other players eschew them altogether. Kevin Pounds — a Colorado Springsbased musician who records under the name Kevin Lbs. and has played in bands including We Are Not A Glum Lot and e Short-TERM — is completely self-taught and learned the instrument by ear.
“I spent my rst year playing, probably hours a day, sounding out Nirvana songs by ear,” Pounds said. “Just dragging my ngers up the strings until I heard some semblance of what was coming out of the speaker across from me. I became a bit more literate with time. I started to realize that certain chords that I was learning matched individual notes on my fretboard.”
Pounds echoed Rubin’s sentiment about trying to learn from others.
“Try not to compare yourself to others,” Pounds said. “It can be very discouraging. But on that note, don’t be afraid to steal their tricks or techniques. You’re always going to put your own scent on it anyway.” Gilbert said the main hurdles he’s dealt with as a newer player are developing the muscle memory to be able to quickly change chords and nding time to practice.
“It reminds me, actually, somewhat of where I started to feel a little stumped with learning a foreign language,” Gilbert said. “Doing rapid chord changes is still something I’m training my ngers to do.
“ e other big challenge for me right now is just time,” Gilbert continued. “You know, I’ve got a full-time job and I’ve got kids, so, if I’m lucky, I’ve got half an hour in the evening to sit down with a YouTube tutorial and mess around with guitar. But that’s sort of the bene t of the YouTube thing. I don’t have to build lessons into my schedule. I can t them in where it works.”
Rubin said that instead of seeking out mastery, one should play simply for the enjoyment of the instrument.
“If it brings you joy, you already play well enough,” Rubin said. “And you know, what brings you joy? Is it just playing three chords and being able to sing some of your favorite songs? Is it being able to sit in your chair and noodle a little bit while you watch television? Do it. It’s never too late to start.
“You don’t need to become a virtuoso,” Rubin continued. “I’m not going to live long enough to be a virtuoso, but you don’t need to be a virtuoso for playing to bring you joy.”
Guitarist Kevin Pounds learned the instrument by figuring out songs by ear, demonstrating one of the many paths one can take on their way to learning to play.
PHOTO BY MACHKNE RUDNICKI
Folks of any age can learn to play guitar, and there are lots of methods available by which to do so.
PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT
Though Warren Rubin has been playing most of his life, he advocates for players to continue with lessons and keep sharpening their skills. COURTESY PHOTO
Castle Rock Ducky Derby returns on June 22
Popular fundraiser will benefit Rotary Club of Castle Rock
BY LILLIAN FUGLEI
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
On June 22, Plum Creek in Castle Rock will turn yellow. ousands of rubber ducks will descend upon the creek, racing towards victory. Out of the ood of ducks, six will be named winners.
e Rotary Club of Castle Rock will be hosting its annual Ducky Derby on June 22, continuing the nearly threedecades-long tradition. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Festival Park will be lled with ducky festivities, with the main event — a race down Plum Creek — kicking o at 1 p.m.
Alongside the race, the day will be lled with fun for the whole family. A kids area with face painting, balloon animals, a bubble pond and rubber duck painting will keep younger attendees occupied, while the Downtown Castle Rock Farmers Market will bring local artisans for adult attendees to peruse, along with food for the whole family.
e duck race itself o ers friendly competition, with cash prizes for the rst six ducks to cross the nish line. Attendees who want to join in the half-mile race can do so, using a ducky friend. Ducks can be purchased through the Rotary Club of Castle Rock; the purchase of each duck is a donation to the club.
Money from the ducks will be used by the club to support the Castle Rock community through a variety of projects, from senior transportation to educational programs and more.
“We’re really well connected to, and support, the community every year,” said Castle Rock Rotary Foundation Board Member Megan Boesp ug. “We want to raise as much money as possible and then help as many people as possible locally.”
With or without a duck in the race, onlookers can still cheer the yellow blur on as it traverses the winding creek.
“It’s really cute,” Boesp ug said. “You’ll hear everybody going, ‘oh, here they come, here they come.’ en they’ll come around the corner. It’s quite remarkable. e whole creek just turns yellow with duckies.”
Once the winners are crowned, the rest of the ducks are recovered, with local Boy Scouts lending a helping hand in the e orts.
For Boesp ug, the derby o ers a chance to connect with her neighbors in a di erent setting than the usual.
“ is gets us connected to Plum Creek,” Boesp ug said. “Not a lot of people go down to the creek.”
rough the Ducky Derby, Rotary Club of Castle Rock o ers the community the chance to have fun, while supporting causes throughout the town.
“ is is really what Castle Rock’s all about — raising funds for a good cause,” Boesp ug said. “It’s very family friendly, the kids love seeing it. It’s just been one of those local joys for 29 years.”
More information on the Ducky Derby can be found on the Rotary Club of Castle Rock’s website at https://www. castlerockduckyderby.org/about.
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Rubber ducks descend upon Plum Creek, vying for a spot in the top six.
Alongside the race, the day will feature many family friendly activities, such as a farmers market and rubber duck painting.
PHOTOS COURTESY ROTARY CLUB OF CASTLE ROCK
At the Ducky Derby, attendees can jump into the race--through a ducky friend.
Fri 6/27
Lani Watson: Local Pride Celebration @ 3pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
May Be Fern
@ 3:30pm Larimer Square, 1430 Larimer St, Denver
2025 Wine Event -- Hyatt Regency
DTC June 27, 2025
@ 5pm / $225
Cecelia Band: Cecelia + Splintered Autumn + Pretty Trouble @ 6pm
Wendy Clark Band and more at Denver Art Society @ 12pm
Denver Art Society, 734 Santa Fe Dr, Denver
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Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 East Tufts Avenue, Denver. spon sorships@childrenscoloradofounda tion.org
My'StroE: Vibes & Pride Artist Showcase @ 6pm
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Denver
KB ANGEL: ICRME Gay Pride Show @ 7:30pm #VYBE, 1027 N Broadway,, Denver
Red Rock Vixens @ Tailgate Tavern (Night 1)
@ 7:30pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
Sat 6/28
Caffeine and Chrome – Classic Cars and Coffee at Gateway Classic Cars of Denver @ 8am
Gateway Classic Cars of Denver, 14150 Grass‐lands Drive, Englewood. marketing@gateway classiccars.com, 618-271-3000
Yes Plz Pride 2025 @ 1pm Club Vinyl, Denver
Tue 7/01
Sarah Adams: Lion's Lair | duo @ 4:30pm Lion's Lair, 2022 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood
Jr Soccer Stars - Ages 6-8
@ 8:30am / $89
Jun 30th - Jul 2nd
John Baumann @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Sun 6/29
Nordic Daughter: Scandinavian Midsummer Festival 2025 @ 10am Civic Green Park, 9370 S Ridgeline Blvd, Highlands Ranch
Jackson Emmer: Songwriting Workshop @ 5pm
Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver
Otlo @ 7pm
Your Mom's House, 608 E 13th Ave., Denver
Wed 7/02
DEADROCKS XI WITH ZEDS DEAD @ 3:30pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Kistler Park, 9603 Burntwood Way, Highlands Ranch. 720-297-0117
Helicopter Copter: Perc Ens @ Evenings al Fresco @ 4pm
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St, Denver
Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra @ 6pm
Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Den‐ver
Film on The Rocks: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) @ 7pm
Sugar Britches John Prine Tribute at Four mile historic Park, Denver @ 5:30pm Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S Forest St, Denver
Thu 7/03
Rob Schneider LIVE @ 6:30pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village
Foggy Memory Boys Live @ the Velvet Banjo - Phish After Party @ 9pm Velvet Banjo, 741 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Renaissance Festival returns for 48th season
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Step beyond the castle gates and into a world of kings and queens, knights and jousts, jesters, witches and wandering minstrels as the Colorado Renaissance Festival returns to Larkspur for its 48th season.
e festival opened on June 14 and will remain open until Aug. 3.
Nestled within towering castle walls, this beloved summer tradition transforms a forested hillside into a bustling village, where the clang of swords, the scent of roasted turkey legs and the melodies of lute music ll the air. is year’s event promises both beloved traditions and exciting new additions. Kristy Ekiss, operations manager and performer, said among the headliners is Adam Crack, a Guinness World Record-holding whip artist, who will perform during the festival’s rst three weekends.
New artists will also join the bustling artisan marketplace, including a stained glass creator, a permanent jewelry booth and talented graphic artists. “I think people enjoy getting away from digital entertainment and stepping into a 360 theatrical experience,” Ekiss said.
Additionally, she said the Colorado Renaissance Festival is known for its
fully immersive environment, where every visitor becomes part of the show.
e cast is a highlight for many, renowned for being one of the most interactive festivals around.
“We are known for having one of the friendliest and most interactive casts in the country. Look for them throughout the day in the lanes and enjoy the small one-on-one interactions just as much as the big, impressive stage shows,” Ekiss said.
Tens of thousands of attendees are expected to visit the festival throughout the summer, drawn by the mix of entertainment, shopping, food and fantasy.
“I also play the Queen on the weekends, and my favorite part is meeting the children and making them smile — especially at Royal Teatime,” Ekiss said.
“I think the little moments can be just as magical as the big ones.”
As the Colorado Renaissance Festival celebrates nearly ve decades as part of the state’s summer traditions, organizers are excited to welcome back returning guests and rst-timers alike.
“We are honored to be celebrating 48 seasons as a part of the Colorado community and can’t wait to see everyone,” Ekiss said.
For details on tickets, themed weekends and special performances, visit coloradorenaissance.com/.
Two soldiers joust on the field at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, which runs until Aug. 3 this year.
COURTESY OF DUSTIN LIANG
Young patrons dance with ladies of the court at the Colorado Renaissance Festival.
COURTESY OF BRITT JONES
1. MOVIES: What is the title of the rst James Bond lm?
2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the color of the “black box” that records an airplane’s performance?
3. TELEVISION: What is the theme song for the long-running sitcom “All in the Family”?
4. LITERATURE: What is the name of Ron Weasley’s family home in the “Harry Potter” series?
5. GAMES: How many dice are used in a game of Yahtzee?
6. SCIENCE: What does a mole measure in chemistry?
7. MYTHOLOGY: What is the Greek god of darkness called?
8. FOOD & DRINK: Which type of liquor is traditionally used in a gimlet?
9. ASTRONOMY: How many moons does Saturn have?
TrIVIa
10. CHEMISTRY: What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Answers
1. “Dr. No.”
2. Orange.
3. “ ose Were the Days.”
4. e Burrow.
5. Five.
6. e amount of chemical substance.
7. Erebus.
8. Gin.
9. 274.
10. Au.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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