Lone Tree Voice May 1, 2025

DCSD board votes to close 3 schools

Some families say decision felt inevitable, with little time to respond after recommendations

SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Douglas County Board of Education voted on April 22 to approve a reorganization that will close three elementary schools in Highlands Ranch and transition sixth graders to middle school, starting in the 2026-27 school year. e decision followed a multiyear planning process and culminated in a nal presentation that included updates to district plans, such as enhanced busing support, a commitment to future use of buildings for district programs and expanded outreach for students with disabilities.

“ is is one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to be part of, and I don’t take it lightly,” said Board Member Tim Moore. “I know there are families who will feel they got the raw end of the deal, and that’s never our intent. We’re trying to do what’s right for the right reasons — for the students, the families and the community.”

Panel clears bill that targets careless driving

Teri Vogel, a Parker resident.

“ e majority of these deaths are in fact preventable … so the penalties that de ne and make the distinctions to support the di erences in crimes is imperative.”

BY HALEY LENA

In an e ort to hold negligent drivers accountable, more than 25 advocates and families of crash victims from across the state testi ed mid-April at the Colorado state Capitol in support of Senate Bill 25-281 to increase the penalty for careless driving resulting in death.

“Somehow society has normalized that vulnerable road user deaths are accidents,” said

However, an amendment made to the bill and passed on April 21 by the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee — which considers matters regarding civil and criminal proceedings, civil liberties, courts, judges, the state constitution and statutes, the state’s correctional system and prison facilities, homeland security and juvenile justice — disappointed the families of victims.

“It loses the spirit of what it’s supposed to be,” said Josh

Stewart, whose son was killed in 2023 in Littleton.

“It’s not representative of what we were trying to accomplish,” Vogel added.

e proposed bill was brought forth by Sen. John Carson, a Republican from Highlands Ranch, and Sen. Marc Snyder, a Democrat from Manitou Springs.

“If we increase public perception and awareness, it will have a deterrent e ect,” said Carson.

“If people know they can face the penalty, go to jail for careless driving resulting in death of another person, then they may very well be more careful on the roads.”

e current penalty for a person who commits careless driv-

ing and causes the death of another is a Class 1 misdemeanor tra c o ense with 12 license suspension points.

An amendment to the bill adds a new eight-point deduction for careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury.

“ e number of people that get held accountable for the behavior is miniscule, perhaps even non-existent,” said Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Matthew Packard. “It is a choice to drive carelessly and this state should hold people accountable for making that choice.”

e original proposed bill would have brought the penalty up to a Class 6 felony, following

Moore acknowledged the pain and frustration that many families have expressed, but emphasized his trust in the sta and the process.

“I hope we receive forgiveness and grace from the people who aren’t going to be happy, because we really are trying to do the right thing,” Moore said.

e approved resolution adopts Superintendent Erin Kane’s recommendation to close Saddle Ranch, Heritage and Acres Green elementary schools, e ective July 1, 2026.

Saddle Ranch’s attendance area will pair with Eldorado Elementary, Heritage with Summit View Elementary and Acres Green with Fox Creek Elementary.

Beginning that same school year, all sixth graders in the Highlands Ranch, Mountain Vista and underRidge high school feeder

From left, Jill White, Victoria Cegielski, Teri Vogel and Josh Stewart, stand side-by-side in a press room at the Colorado State Capitol, holding onto photos of their loved ones that have been killed as they listen to Sens. John Carson and Marc Snyder speak about proposed Senate Bill 25-281. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

County commissioners violated law, suit claims

Complaint

says Van Winkle, Teal, Laydon engaged in ‘routine practice’ of improperly convening all three behind closed doors

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

Highlands Ranch state Rep. Bob Marshall, former Douglas County Commissioner Lora omas and Lone Tree resident Julie Gooden have come together as “concerned citizens of Douglas County” to le a lawsuit against the Douglas County commissioners following a series of alleged non-public meetings that violated Colorado Open Meetings Law.

“I have always worked for good government,” said omas, who served as a commissioner for eight years. “I’ve always believed that government is supposed to add value to lives, value to our community, and I just don’t see that anymore.”

Although omas and Marshall have disagreed about political issues in the past, they agree that public policy is basic business and should not be conducted in secret.

e lawsuit claims that the Douglas County commissioners have, since midDecember 2024, engaged in “routine practice of convening all three of its members” to discuss public matters, such as home rule, behind closed doors and notice of such gatherings was not provided to the public .

e lawsuit further claims that, behind closed doors, the county commissioners discussed and decided to adopt two resolutions concerning a home rule charter and its commission. ese resolutions were then “rubber stamped” during a 10-minute meeting that was not recorded.

A written statement provided by the Board of Douglas County Commissioners states that the legal action taken against the board is an attempt at keeping voters from voting. It reads, in part: “Commissioners are con dent that the people of Douglas County will prevail in this attack on their right to vote on issues of independence and local control.”

Not the first open meetings lawsuit

to settle scores,” said omas. “ is isn’t about that. is is about their … disregard of following Open Meetings Laws.”

What is in the lawsuit?

is isn’t the rst time Marshall has led a lawsuit against a Douglas County entity alleging a violation of Colorado’s Open Meetings Law.

March 2022 began the 19-month legal battle between Marshall and the Douglas County School District after it was brought to his attention that four board members were having a series of private conversations about ring the former superintendent Corey Wise.

In that lawsuit, a Douglas County District Court judge ruled in September 2023 that the school board members acted illegally and the district was ordered to pay Marshall more than $103,000 in attorneys’ costs and court fees.

Now, Marshall has been joined by omas and an una liated voter, Gooden, who says she represents una liated residents: e residents who “just ll out their ballots and vote,” said Gooden. “ e ones that expect full transparency that we’re not currently seeing right now.”  omas was looking at what was taking place in the Douglas County government when she found a string and pulled, she said. It led her to nd out that the commissioners were meeting behind closed doors in what she claims were called “advanced planning meetings,” and were not recorded or posted to the public.

With a lengthy feud between omas and current Commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal, omas was asked if this was a way to “settle the score.”

“I don’t even want to talk about trying

e lawsuit brought by Marshall, omas and Gooden against the commissioners includes three allegations.

e rst allegation listed on the lawsuit is the defendants’ — the Board of County Commissioners — routine practice of discussing public business among a quorum without providing notice or permitting public attendance.  is claim is based on the records Marshall acquired by Douglas County government o cials and shared with the Douglas County News-Press. e records describe nearly a dozen dates in which all three commissioners met without providing notice or permitting the public to observe.

All three commissioners were also  invited to speak at a private Parker Conservatives meeting in early April, during which a spokesperson for Douglas County told the News-Press that sta was unaware until a few hours before, which was when the event was posted on the commissioners’ agenda.

e private event invitation, provided to the News-Press from someone who had received it, stated that guests would hear directly from the commissioners on how home rule would a ect them.

All meetings of a quorum or three or more members of a body during which any public business is discussed must be open to the public, according to the Colorado Department of Local A airs. However, this does not apply to executive sessions or if it is a chance meeting.

As previously reported by the NewsPress, a meeting is part of the policy-making process when it is held to purposefully discuss a rule, regulation, ordinance or formal action.

Furthermore, a meeting is subject to Open Meetings Law if the record supports that the meeting is rationally connected to the policy-making responsibilities of the public body by holding or attending

the meeting, as the News-Press previously reported.

e lawsuit also claims that Douglas County did not post a notice of a private event held by a political organization called Freedom Fellowship that advertised current commissioners Teal and Kevin Van Winkle would appear and discuss public

From left, former Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas, Lone Tree resident Julie Gooden and Highlands Ranch Rep. Bob Marshall stand outside of the Douglas County building on April 22 to announce their lawsuit against the Board of Douglas County Commissioners. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

A woman stands behind Highlands Ranch Rep. Bob Marshall with a ‘No Little Kings’ poster in front of the Douglas County building in Castle Rock.

Castle Rock’s month-long scavenger hunt reveals history

BY JULIA KING

TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Castle Rock’s Scavenge e Rock returns for its fth year this May, offering locals and visitors a chance to rediscover the town’s history while supporting small businesses.

Organized by the Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum, the free event runs through May 31 and invites participants to explore historic buildings and local shops downtown in honor of National Historic Preservation Month.

Originally, the goal of the hunt was to create something fun and educational during a time when local businesses were still recovering from COVID-19 shutdowns, said Claudine Phibbs, who has worked at the museum for nearly a decade and has organized the scavenger hunt since its inception.

“We thought this would be a great way to keep the museum on people’s minds and teach everyone about the history of Castle Rock,” Phibbs said.

“We also wanted to help the local businesses get some foot tra c.” e scavenger hunt has grown steadily over the years. e museum distributes 200 to 300 clue sheets annually, and last year, 75 completed sheets were turned in — a jump from just 50 in the rst year.

Participants earn points by visiting 25 historic markers around town, each with a QR code linking to the building’s history. Each page includes a red word that, when combined, forms a mystery question for

extra points. e clue sheet also includes visits to 26 businesses, where participants collect stickers. ose who earn 130 points or more are entered into a prize drawing, though all participants who return a clue sheet receive a goodie bag lled with local business “shwag,” Phibbs said.

New stops this year include Castle Toys, Mod Mountain Boutique, Sip Tea, Waxing the City and even the school district building.

“I love working with the businesses around town to organize the scavenger hunt. I even nd out about businesses that I didn’t know were here,” Phibbs said.

Top prizes this year include passes to Castle Rock’s Summer Concert Series, golf certi cates to Red Hawk Golf Course, and more gift cards from participating businesses. e prize drawing will be held at 3 p.m. on May 31 at the Castle Rock Museum, located at 420 Elbert St.

“Scavenge e Rock gives the community a taste of small-town charm, where friendly local businesses warmly welcome visitors as they explore the town and even learn some history,” Phibbs said.

“Many times when longtime residents come to the museum, they say they never knew Castle Rock had a museum, so we hope the scavenger hunt helps spread the word — we do have a museum, and it’s a meaningful part of our community.”

Clue sheets will be available starting May 1 at the museum. For more information, visit castlerockmuseum.org.

Part I: Affordable Housing? Think Small (Maybe an Accessory Dwelling Unit?)

This column is the first installment of a monthly series about one of the hottest topics in real estate: Accessory Dwelling Units. ADUs have gotten a lot of attention recently as a housing option. My thanks to John Phillips of Verdant Living for helping on the research for it. ADUs (accessory or additional dwelling units) are a wonderful idea. They utilize an existing piece of residential real estate and create a separate living space. They have been around for a long time. In the TV series Happy Days, Fonsie lived in one, on top of a garage. And often they have been a converted basement (still worth considering). They can be a separate building, usually in the backyard. Until recently, zoning regulations made that difficult to do. Throughout the United States, as a part of the need for more housing, zoning codes are being changed to allow ADUs. In Colorado, a law was passed last year allowing ADUs in all major metropolitan areas. That was the subject of my “Real Estate Today” column on February 13, 2025, which is archived online at www. JimSmithColumns.com

have been done by relatively well off homeowners and have been relatively expensive. They really don’t qualify as affordable.

So, can accessory dwelling units play a role in affordable housing? Absolutely, for a very understandable reason. They are smaller. The smaller living space is less expensive to build. Is it for everyone? Of course not, but the well designed living spaces are comfortable and mimic the way most of us live, which is in just a few rooms anyway.

Rita and I now live in a 3-bedroom apartment, having sold our 4,000-squarefoot home in Golden. Back then, we really only used the eat-in kitchen, the living room, the primary bedroom/bathroom, and the office. The basement was filled with stuff we didn’t use, except for a ping pong table we used a couple times a year and a portable sauna that we used a half dozen times. The formal dining room was made into a game room, but we hardly used that. The second bedroom was only occasionally used by a guest.

need. The apartment has all we need for daily life sort of like an ADU.

ADUs are perfect for intergenerational housing (AARP loves them), for young adults as starter homes, and for childless couples, like Rita and me.

ADUs are part of a larger movement emphasizing smaller, high quality living spaces. There are entire developments of smaller homes on smaller lots, some of them the size of an ADU.

Affordability Characteristics

¨ Cost. Because of their small size, ADUs offer a more affordable option compared to traditional homes, making homeownership accessible to a broader segment of the population, including young adults and seniors.

¨ Housing stock. By integrating ADUs into the housing market, communities increase the overall housing supply, especially when they are located in areas dealing with an affordable housing shortage.

Opportunty Alert Kol Peterson, a recognized authority on ADUs, is holding an ADU Academy in Denver on June 13. Early registration ends May 9. Visit https://www.aduspecialist.org/ aduacademy

es land that is already owned. For a standalone mini home, the size of the real estate is much smaller.

¨ Water & Sewer. When the ADU is just that accessory to an existing single family home it can share the same water and sewer tap, saving a 5figure cost associated with building a new standalone home. .

Another positive is that an ADU adds long-term value to an existing singlefamily home, increasing the wealth of the homeowner.

When Colorado’s General Assembly passed the law, the legislature was concerned that ADUs would be possible for homeowners of moderate means and add to the affordable or “attainable” housing. Up until now, most of the few detached ADUs that have been built in Colorado

Now, in our 1,200-square-foot apartment, our life hasn’t changed much. We eat next to our kitchen, which is part of the living room. One bedroom is my office, and we have a guest bedroom that we’ve only used twice, but it’s nice to have. True, we have no room for a piece of exercise equipment that I’d like to buy, but there is a fitness center on the main

¨ Operational expense. Because of their smaller footprint, ADUs require less heating and cooling, as well as less long-term maintenance.

¨ Versatility. ADUs can serve various housing needs, including for family members or as rental properties, providing the homeowner with an additional income source.

¨ Land cost. This is a big one. When the ADU is a backyard bungalow, it utiliz-

If you want to find out more about ADUs, you should check out the buyer’s guide on the Verdant Living website, which lists many other companies and resources: www.VerdantLiving.us Or call or text John Phillips on his cell: 303-717-1962.

Next month: Why aren’t more ADUs being built in Colorado?

NOTE: My “Real Estate Today” column that normally appears on this page is now published bi-weekly. Look for it here next week and every other week thereafter.

Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY KUHLEN

SCHOOLS

regions will attend middle school.

District o cials said the pairings are necessary to address long-term enrollment declines, particularly in Highlands Ranch, where 11 elementary schools are projected to drop below 400 students.

Without consolidation, o cials warned, the district would continue to spend millions supporting small schools while struggling to maintain robust programming across the system.

While the recommendations for which schools to pair did not change since rst introduced on April 8, the April 22 presentation included several newly-announced measures aimed at easing the transition.

New support for families and students

Families a ected by the pairings will now have bus stops at their current school buildings — Saddle Ranch, Heritage and Acres Green — to allow students to gather with classmates before and after school and preserve some community routines.

Transportation fees will also be waived for two years for all students required to change schools due to consolidation.

In response to community feedback, the district is also evaluating temporary, transition-year busing for students who currently walk to their neighborhood school but will face longer distances after consolidation. e district will nalize those plans by September 2025.

Additionally, district sta con rmed that it will maintain each closed school building for community use or repurpose it for district-run educational programs, helping to reduce the district’s reliance on leased facilities. Sta emphasized that buildings will not be sold or leased to charter schools.

Special education transition planning expands

e most signi cant updates involved support for students with disabilities and their families. Over the past month, special education leaders held meetings with families and sta to identify concerns and build transition plans. In the updated presentation, the district committed to a more comprehensive structure for special education transitions.

School and special education leadership will hold speci c meetings with families whose children are in center-based programs such as Signi cant Support Needs and A ective Needs.

ey will also host general engagement sessions for all families receiving special education services in paired school communities. Sta will meet separately to discuss needed program alignment, envi-

ronmental accommodations and sta ng continuity.

“Several themes have emerged from these conversations, and we’re using that feedback to guide future decisions,” the district’s updated presentation stated. at includes evaluating the need for new center-based programs, improving classroom environments, and ensuring stable sta ng during the transition. e district also said it would coordinate orientation activities for students receiving special education services throughout the 2025–26 school year, and emphasized that continuity of support remains a top priority.

Community skepticism remains

For many families, however, the newlyannounced support doesn’t outweigh what they view as a awed process and a lack of meaningful engagement. Parents like Jordan Hayes, a Saddle Ranch parent, said the decision to pair their school with Eldorado ignored tra c concerns, walkability and school site limitations.

“ ey asked for our input, but then acted like we were wrong for giving it,” Hayes said. “We don’t trust the process, and we don’t trust the plan.”

Hayes said families were told their school lacked space to expand, but later discovered the district owns adjacent land. Meanwhile, tra c patterns and walkability still pose challenges, especially for students living south and east of the

current Saddle Ranch boundary.

“ ey’re acting like two miles is nothing,” she said. “It’s not just about distance — it’s about what we’re losing as a community.”

She described the process as emotionally exhausting.

“We were patient. We followed all the steps. en we watched as the district twisted our questions into reasons to close our school,” Hayes said. “It feels like gaslighting.”

Still, Hayes said she and others are already thinking ahead to how they’ll rebuild community on their own terms.

“We’re going to be ne. We have Easter egg hunts. We have book clubs. We have the neighborhood pool. at’s not going anywhere. e kids are still going to grow up together,” she said. “It just won’t be because of the district — it’ll be in spite of it.”

At Heritage Elementary, families made a formal request for the district to pause the closure, citing the school’s role in serving students from lower-income households and those with disabilities. ey questioned whether Summit View, the proposed receiving school, could fully replicate Heritage’s services and inclusive culture.

“Heritage isn’t just a building,” one parent said. “It’s a lifeline for our kids.”

What comes next

e 2025–26 school year will serve as a transition year, with current students re-

maining in place while leadership teams and sta begin planning for full implementation in the fall of 2026.

Over the next 16 months, the district will oversee building modi cations, sta collaboration and various community engagement activities. Proposed leadership teams for the newly-paired schools have already been announced.

Allison Hawk will serve as principal of Eldorado Elementary, which will receive students from Saddle Ranch. Katie Lawson and Marlo Frank will co-lead Summit View, which will receive students from Heritage.

Cheryl Folmer and Kirsten Sola will serve as co-principals of Fox Creek Elementary, which will merge with the Acres Green community.

ese principals will begin working with families to align academic and extracurricular programs, develop building identities and nalize logistical details like drop-o plans and school safety routes. e district has committed to providing regular progress reports to the board throughout the transition year, including updates on transportation, special education, sta ng and school culture planning. Still, families like Hayes say no amount of updates can undo the distrust created by the process.

“ ey made us wait, made us think we had a voice,” Hayes said. “Now I just feel like all we can do is try to hold our community together on our own.”

Outside the Douglas County School District building in Castle Rock. The school board recently decided to close three elementary schools despite the objections of parents.

PHOTO BY ARIA MARIZZA

DRIVING BILL

the precedent set by the Move Over for Cody Act, also known as Title 42-4-705.

Title 42-4-705 states that drivers must move over one lane or slow down when approaching stationary emergency vehicles, a tow vehicle or a public utility service vehicle. If the driver fails to avoid and show due care and their actions cause the death of another, the driver commits a Class 6 felony.

However, the amendment changes the o ense back to a Class 1 misdemeanor, unless the driver’s history meets one of two categories within the last ve years, then it can be elevated to a Class 6 felony.

One category is if the person has a prior conviction of vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide in which the act included driving a motor vehicle, vehicular assault, or careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury or death.

e second category includes if the person is driving without a current and valid driver’s license, a minor’s driver’s license

or instruction permit, driving without a complying insurance policy or self insurance, a prior DUI conviction, DWAI, aggravated driving with a revoked license, or driving with a license under restraint.

“ ere should be zero ways to kill somebody and it be a misdemeanor,” Stewart said.

is amendment also led to Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Democrat who represents Colorado’s Eighth Senate District, to have a pit in his stomach, he said.

“Somebody else has to die and then somebody else might die after that before this gets treated as a felony,” said Roberts. “ at to me is, kind of a very, I think, strange thing to put into statute given the tragedy that it involves.”

e Judiciary Committee passed the bill in a 6-to-1 vote, and it will now be passed onto the House Appropriations Committee, which conducts hearings concerning the nancial impact of the bill.

“We’re not going to give up on it,” said Vogel. “We’re going to keep doing what we can to get the victims’ and the citizens’ voices out there.”

What is Senate Bill 25-281

Victoria Cegiel-

a photo of her son, Alex Mackiewicz, with the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, “If you can’t fly, run, if you can’t run, walk, if you can’t walk, crawl, but by all means keep moving.”

ere are two other parts to the proposed Senate Bill 25-281. One is to address the language in the current statute that allows for only one sentence for a driver. If the driver causes the death of one or more people, each person killed would be a separate o ense.

e third part focuses on strengthening the requirement for chemical testing — for alcohol or substances — of drivers following any fatal or serious injury crash.

For Michael White, the father of 17-yearold Magnus who was killed on July 29, 2023, in Boulder, mandatory chemical testing is objective, removes bias and is impartial.

While on one of his last cycling training sessions before representing the United States in the World Mountain Bike Championships, Magnus was struck by a woman who had stayed up the night prior consuming alcohol and drugs.

“Without it (mandatory chemical testing), we are choosing ignorance over accountability and that cost is paid in human lives,” White said.

But Carson has also recognized that true accidents do happen.

He said there are some situations in which the victim may be involved. In that case, the district attorney should not use the charge of careless driving resulting in death; instead, the charge of careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury may be more appropriate.

Potential concerns with the bill

While the bill looks to bring more ac-

countability, there were concerns about the express consent for chemical testing, and over-penalizing drivers when there are charges such as reckless driving and vehicular homicide.

James Karback from the Colorado State Public Defender’s O ce said evidence tools have advanced to allow o cers and prosecutors to make more robust decisions and classify the level of crime correctly.

However, Packard added that there isn’t always an action from the driver that ts the statutory de nition.

Representatives from the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar brought up the importance of mens rea in the court system. Mens rea is the intention or knowledge of wronging that constitutes part of a crime.  e potential class six felony would be severe for drivers who had no intention of taking a life and were not under any in uences, said Karback and Rhidian Orr from the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar.

“If it becomes a felony, that person who’s driving loses a lot of ability to pay back — nancially, job-wise, whatever it may be — the victims of the family,” Orr said.

‘Born out of tragedy’ ose who were seemingly strangers to one another stood side-by-side testifying for Senate Bill 25-281, unitedbecause of a common tragedy: the death of a loved one.

Colorado State Patrol Chief Col. Matthew Packard, Arvada Deputy Police Chief Todd Reeves representing the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, and Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly testify on April 16 in support of Senate Bill 25-281, which aims to increase the penalty for careless driving resulting in death.

ski holds

Teri Vogel, a Parker resident whose husband, Chuck, was killed in the summer of 2019 after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bike, speaks in front of the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee on April 16 on behalf of proposed Senate Bill 25-281.

DRIVING BILL

“For those who keep saying that accidents happen, I can assure you, your opinion will change very quickly once you see your child or your loved one in a casket,” said Victoria Cegielski, whose son died in March of 2024.

With the statewide movement to encourage people to use alternate forms of transportation, like bicycling, more frequently, Snyder said there are more vulnerable road users today than before.

“Colorado begs for people to live an outdoor life,” said 23rd Judicial District

Attorney George Brauchler. “Your life is at the hands of someone who may not even have their hands on the wheel.”

Between 2014 and 2024, pedestrian fa-

talities increased by 73%, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s fatal crash data. Within that decade, 1,131 bicyclists and pedestrians lost their lives on Colorado roads.

In 2023, 156 bicyclists and pedestrians lost their lives, which increased to 683 vulnerable road user deaths in 2024, including lives lost in construction zones.

White, Vogel, Cegielski and Stewart’s loved ones are part of those statistics.

On July 4, 2019, Chuck Vogel went on an early morning bike ride. Instead of coming home, Teri Vogel, was awoken by a call from AdventHealth Parker. He died the next day.

“This might sound really strange, but Chuck was excited about turning 65,” said Vogel. “It was the anticipation of becoming a grandfather that put him over the moon. Chuck did not get to experience any of that. A vibrant and beautiful life

was taken by (a) driver’s poor choices.”

On their way to school, two 13-year-old boys were struck and killed by a vehicle, five months apart. On Oct. 17, 2023, Liam Stewart was on his bike, following all the rules of the road when he was struck at an intersection in Littleton, Stewart said.

Then on March 6, 2024, Alex Mackiewicz was almost across a crosswalk in Highlands Ranch when a driver ran a red light and struck Mackiewicz.

“Clearly, we have an issue that’s getting worse in our state and we need to address it,” said Carson. “This legislation is born out of tragedy.”

Next steps

Preferring the bill how it was originally proposed, Roberts said the bill needs to be more tailored with a focused approach to give justice to the people who testified. Other committee members also had res-

ervations despite passing the bill.

Sen. Matt Ball, a Democrat representing Denver, added that he is not convinced the amended bill solves the core of the problem.

“What we heard was that we have a statutory scheme that theoretically gives district attorneys sort of a ladder of different charges to bring based on the facts,” said Ball. “We heard a lot of powerful anecdotal evidence that the accidents that are occurring are not being charged in the way many of us think they should.”

Although the bill that passed wasn’t exactly what the families had hoped for, Josh Stewart hopes that the discussion of careless driving can change the minds of others in the justice system.

“Maybe district attorneys will wake up and start realizing criminal negligence as a proper charge for these cases,” Josh Stewart said.

Shopping H FOOD H EXHIBITS H MUSIC H RIDES H FAMILY FUN

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Sunday 3:30 pm: THE THREADBARONS 6:00 pm: JEWEL & THE ROUGH

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MAIN STAGE – Music All Day — Highlights

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Colorado sees 4th measles case of 2025

Denver adult identified with disease in April

BY JOHN DALEY CPR NEWS

Denver has a second case of measles. It’s the fourth recorded in the state this year and a number not seen in Colorado since at least 2014. It comes as the number of measles cases in the U.S. is rising sharply.

e new case is in an adult — a household contact of the rst Denver case identi ed earlier this month.

e health departments of the city and the state say there’s no risk of exposure to the general public because the person has been in public health quarantine during their infectious period.

Measles can be severe but is preventable. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97 percent e ective in preventing measles, according to a press release Wednesday from the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment. “ e MMR vaccine is safe and highly e ective, providing long-lasting protection,” the release said.

is latest case comes as numbers in Colorado climb, mirroring a national spike.

e latest case is now the fourth con-

rmed in Colorado in just the last three weeks. Four cases are double the most for the state recorded in a single year; two cases were reported in 2016, according to the state health department’s website.

In no other year in the last decade has the state recorded more than 2 cases. For six of those years, there were zero cases.

Colorado recorded its rst case of 2025 in an adult in Pueblo County on March 31. A second case was con rmed in Denver in an infant about a week later. Both were unvaccinated.

e third case was in Archuleta County, in south-central Colorado, in an adult with an unknown vaccination history.

In the fourth case, the Denver health department could not verify proof of vaccination for the person; their blood results showed they did not have immunity to measles, a spokesperson said, via email.

As of April 17, 2025, a total of 800 conrmed measles cases were reported by more than two dozen states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. e list includes Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

ree people have died from measles this year. Two were in Texas, which has re-

People often associate measles with its telltale red rash, but the disease can be much more aggressive than that — attacking the brain and the respiratory system. SHUTTERSTOCK

corded 624 cases as of April 18. e third, which is still under investigation, was in New Mexico.

What

to know about Colorado’s confirmed measles cases

Nearly all the cases in the U.S. this year, 96%, were unvaccinated. Also, a third of the cases recorded were in those under 5

years, with another third being in people

In about one in 10 U.S. cases recorded this year, the person has been hospitalized, according to the CDC. People exposed to measles typically develop symptoms seven to 21 days, the incubation period, after exposure, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a distinctive rash. It usually starts several days later on the face and spreads. People with measles can spread the illness four days before the rash starts until four days after.

Measles is highly contagious. It can live for up to 2 hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area, according to the CDC. It spreads through contact with an infected person and via air droplets. Only humans spread measles, according to the agency.

According to the CDC, if a person with the measles enters a room with 10 people who are not immune to the disease, nine will become infected.

Health o cials urge people to call their doctor immediately if they think they or their child has been exposed to the measles.

is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

Lora Thomas loses bid for legal fees

Judge declines former o cial’s request in suit against BOCC

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

Former Douglas County Commissioner Lora omas was stymied in her request for attorney fees when a judge ruled against her in a lawsuit she led against her former colleagues.

“While we respect the decision of the Douglas County District Court, we believe that the decision is (in) error, and that the Supreme Court should rule on this important issue,” omas told the Douglas County News-Press.  omas had requested a summary

judgement, which involves a judge making the decision if a case can be dismissed or resolved without a trial. In this case, the judge would look at the evidence and rule if she was entitled to the attorney fees. e judge did not grant that summary judgement.

omas is considering options for an appeal.

Douglas County District Court Judge Robert R. Lung did grant a cross-motion for summary judgement for the Board of Douglas County Commissioners.

e Board of Douglas County Commissioners released this statement: “Today marks a decisive victory for the people of Douglas County against censured and disgraced former Commissioner Lora omas, whose baseless lawsuit cost taxpayers over $100,000 in legal fees. We

were always con dent that the county was in the right and that this was just another in a series of self-serving attacks rooted in political ambition rather than fact.”

In 2023, omas led a lawsuit against her then-colleagues, Abe Laydon and George Teal who are current county commissioners, seeking  to recover the attorneys fees omas had incurred while defending herself among allegations that she had created a hostile work environment and wrongfully distributed a government document.

e year prior, Laydon and Teal launched an investigation using outside legal counsel and determined that omas had distributed an anonymous letter that criticized certain employees in the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce. However, the investigation concluded that doing

so did not create a hostile work environment, as previously reported by the Douglas County News-Press.

In the post made by the county on April 23, the county commissioners claim that omas continues to abuse the legal system in a “desperate” attempt to rewrite history and escape accountability.  In response, omas maintains that she was the victim of two “malicious, unfounded and defamatory” investigations, in which she was exonerated on all accusations, including criminal, made against her.  “ e historical record is that on three di erent occasions, I o ered to waive reimbursement for my legal expenses if Laydon and Teal each personally reimbursed the county for his share of the legal costs of the frivolous investigations they initiated against me,” omas said.

Economic Factors, Policy Landscape Lead to Budget Shortfall

Fire and medical emergency response services are at risk

The Challenge

There’s been a 20% increase in calls for service since 2019.

This includes structure, vehicle, and wildland fires; explosions and hazmat incidents; water rescues; vehicle crashes; public or police assistance; and medical emergencies.

Emergency medical calls now account for 65% of all response – this is expected to increase with an aging population.

Costs have increased dramatically in six years; for example:

The cost for a fire engine has gone from $725,000 to $1.3 million (79% increase).

The cost for protective bunker gear has gone from $4,321 to $6,047 (40% increase).

To continue providing quality fire and emergency response, South Metro needs an additional $34 million annually.

State legislation that passed during a special session in 2024 reduces property tax revenue South Metro collects by $16 million in 2026 and $270 million over 10 years.

South Metro Fire Rescue is facing an immediate budget shortfall due to years of rising costs, consistent increases in demand, and new state legislation. Without new revenue, the organization will not be able to maintain the high level of service for fire and emergency response that residents and businesses deserve, and have come to expect.

Did You Know?

South Metro is a full-service department Here are a few key facts:

stations across 30 square miles 287

personnel across 800 divisions 8

residents, which will serving 571,500 in grow to 595,0004 years municipalities and 12 counties 3

Centennial Airport, Lockheed Martin, Highlands Ranch, 4 Square Mile, and The Pinery Including:

The Bottom Line

With $34 million needed to address increased demand for services and rising costs, plus the $16 million shortfall, South Metro needs to identify how it will generate $50 million in additional funding annually.

Rotary aids nonprofit Crutches 4 Africa

Gently used mobility devices being collected through May 15

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

e Castle Rock Rotary Club was looking for a service project that the entire community could get involved with when it discovered the nonpro t, Crutches 4 Africa, a Denver-based nonpro t that collects and distributes mobility devices across the globe.

e organization has expanded across the United States to collect devices such as crutches, canes, walkers, ankle boots and wheelchairs that are shipped to people in need throughout Africa and in other countries.

“ e need is signi cant,” said Ed Brewer, a member of the Castle Rock Rotary Club.

Having previously worked with Crutches 4 Africa and seeing the impact the organization makes, Brewer was reminded of how lucky many people in the United States are to have medical treatment.

“You need a knee replacement or a hip replacement, you’re going to eventually heal and not need your crutches anymore,” said Brewer. “Over there, they’re not getting knee replacements, they’re going to get a pair of crutches and probably be using them for the rest of their life.” rough May 15, people can donate their used mobility devices — except those with a motor or battery — in one of the 55-gallon barrels that are spread

across Castle Rock, including in front of the Castle Rock Police Department, 105 West Brewing Company, and in select churches and schools.

“Most organizations here — clubs and service groups — don’t have connections and the ability to distribute these crutches in various countries in Africa, where (Crutches 4 Africa) does,” said Brewer.

“Having these crutches drives saves them a lot of work because then they pack them up, ship them and distribute them.”

How it all started

e organization was started by Denver resident David Talbot after he visited Uganda in 2005. While working with a nonpro t assisting widows and orphans, he looked around and saw a woman whose leg was twisted up behind her back.

“I saw so many people that were struggling and having so much di culty with mobility,” Talbot said.

He added that people were using anything to help them move. He saw people being carried, the elderly using an old stool or chair instead of a walker, people using pieces of plywood as crutches or holding onto a pole with their hands and wrapping their a ected leg around the pole.

While some people might look at a pair of crutches and see them as a limitation, others around the world might see them as a chance to experience freedom, Talbot said.

“Mobility is freedom,” said Talbot. “Without mobility, you’re a prisoner and you have to depend on other people.”

SEE CRUTCHES, P11

The Castle Rock Rotary Club has set up 55-gallon barrels across Castle Rock to collect mobility devices such as crutches, canes, walkers and wheelchairs, which will be donated to the nonprofit Crutches 4 Africa.

CRUTCHES

Struggling with mobility is something Talbot has faced himself.

In the spring of 1955, Talbot was just a toddler when he had fallen ill. He was brought to a doctor who believed it was the u. However, a few days later, his body had become sti so he was taken to Children’s Hospital Colorado where he was diagnosed with polio, a highly infectious disease that can lead to paralysis.

His diagnosis came three weeks after the vaccine was proven to be successful in preventing the disease.

Whether it was a wheelchair, leg braces, crutches, “ugly shoes” — as Talbot called them — or a mobility scooter, Talbot has often relied on di erent mobility devices throughout his life.

Although he was well enough to play sports and travel during periods of his life, at the age of 72, he has recently developed post-polio syndrome, which is a recurrence of the symptoms, not the disease itself.

Talbot believes so many people in the United States take mobility for granted.

“You turn on the faucet, you have water; you ip on the light switch, you have electricity. We just take it for granted,” said Talbot. “It’s the same thing with mobility.”

Nearly 20 years of making an impact

From Nigeria to Kenya to Tanzania, Crutches 4 Africa has distributed over 220,000 mobility devices to 17 countries in Africa and other countries outside of that continent, such as Albania.

“ e harshness of knowing that there’s always one more person in line that

didn’t get anything,” said Talbot. “ at’s a big part of my motivation and that’s been present ever since we got started.”

With 235 pairs of crutches, Talbot began distributing mobility devices in 2006.

Over the past two decades, Talbot became inspired by Rotary International’s work to help eradicate polio, and at an annual international convention, he partnered with clubs from across the United States and developing countries to help collect and distribute mobility devices.

Once the organization gets enough mobility devices to ll a 40-foot shipping container, which is about 3,000 pieces of equipment, the containers are shipped. Crutches 4 Africa has shared containers in order to get devices to people in need.

With the cost of the shipping containers to be approximately $10,000, Talbot said each mobility device essentially costs $3 to ship overseas, which is roughly the same amount it costs to buy a candy bar.

“ ree dollars a piece,” said Talbot. “ at’s outrageously inexpensive to help somebody get o the ground.”

e Castle Rock Rotary Club has also designated $4,000 to help with the cost of shipping.

When working with people with disabilities, Talbot said the mobility devices are also about giving them self-reliance, respect and something to hope for.

“I gure every other house has got some kind of mobility equipment that they’re not using — it’s stacked and it all ends up in the land ll if we don’t get after it,” said Talbot. “(We need) to utilize what we take for granted.”

Learn more about the organization’s impact at crutches4africa.org.

CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTING

May 7th @ 9:00 A.M.

Inspection Times: May 5th & 6th from 8:15am - 4:45pm

Volunteers unloading a shipping container of wrapped up crutches, walkers and wheelchairs.

Bring out the di erence maker in you

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” - Michael Jordan

Let that quote sit for a moment. Let it challenge you. Because in today’s fastmoving, tech-saturated world, it’s easy, tempting even, to outsource initiative. Information is on demand. Groceries show up at your doorstep. AI can write your emails. We’re living in a time when tasks once considered necessary are now optional or automated. But here’s the truth: there will never be a substitute for the human spirit set on making a di erence. Yes, technology can help. It can save time, spark ideas, and extend our reach. But the spark, the heart behind real change, comes from you. You, with your God-given gifts, your experiences, your grit, your compassion. You are the one who makes it happen.

feel like we’ve got anything left to give. Life has a way of draining our tanks. Maybe you’re feeling overextended at work, at home, in your community. Maybe you’ve poured into others for years and you’re wondering, “When’s it my turn?” Or maybe, like so many, you’ve drifted into a mindset of convenience. After all, why go the extra mile when you can just

Being a di erence maker isn’t about grand gestures or public recognition. It’s about a consistent willingness to show up. To serve. To give. To lead with a servant’s heart, freely, generously, cheerfully. at’s what separates the people who wish and want from the ones who do.

But let’s be real: sometimes we don’t

Here’s why: because deep down, you want to matter. You want to be the one who makes things happen. And the truth is, you still can. Start by getting proactive. Don’t wait to react to life, lean into it. Take initiative. Set the tone. Be the thermostat, not the thermometer. en add intentionality. Being proactive is good, but without intention, it can become just more busywork. Intentionality means doing the right things, for the right reasons, at the right time. It’s what transforms action into impact. Ask yourself: What di erence did I

A look back at 2024-2025

HEDUCATION CORNER

ere in the Douglas County School District (DCSD), we have some of the most dedicated teachers, principals, and support sta who give their all each and every day to ensure that our students receive the best possible education. Because of their e orts, the 2024-2025 school year was full of celebrations!

Did you know?

• For the second year in a row, DCSD is the top scoring district in the Denver metro area!

• Our graduation rate is 92.2%! e highest it’s been in 15 years.

• DCSD is one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic!) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row.

• DCSD o ers 76 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders — nationwide — in “blurring the lines” between PK-12, higher education, and industry.

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

• e Class of 2024 earned more than $131 million in scholarships and saved nearly $20 million in college expenses through DCSD’s concurrent enrollment partnerships and AP programming!

Award-winning academic success

• irty-two of our schools received the 2024 John Irwin Award of Excellence from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).

• Nine of our schools received the 2024 Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award from CDE. e future is bright!

What’s next for DCSD?

DCSD is developing a roadmap for our school district that will prepare students to not only adapt to the pace of our ever-changing world, but to lead the change! More information will be coming your way in the coming months! ank you for an incredible 20242025 school year. We are very grateful for our students, families, teachers, sta and community members. #ProudtoBeDCSD is guest column was written by Erin Kane, the superintendent of the Douglas County School District.

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

used to make that I’ve stopped making? Who have I stopped serving, not because I don’t care, but because I got distracted or discouraged? Where can I make something happen today, with no expectation of reward, just the joy of contributing? You don’t need a title, a platform, or permission. What you need is the decision.

e decision to say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” at quote by Denis Waitley isn’t just motivational, it’s directional. It points us toward ownership, toward action, toward meaning.

We can’t let convenience rob us of calling. We can’t let fatigue steal our re. And we certainly can’t expect AI to take our place in the hearts and lives of the people around us. e world doesn’t just need more content, it needs more di erence makers.

So here’s your invitation: Look at your life, your team, your family, your company, your neighborhood, and ask, What’s one thing I can do today to make something happen? Not for applause, but for impact. Not for validation, but because it’s who you are.

Authenticity is the heartbeat of a true di erence maker. When you show up as

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

your authentic, imperfect, fully engaged self, people don’t just see you, they feel you. ey trust you. In a world full of lters, curated images, and polished personas, being genuine cuts through the noise like nothing else. It’s not about having all the answers or being the loudest voice in the room; it’s about being present, consistent, and honest in your intentions. When you lead with empathy and act from a place of sincerity, your impact becomes more than just what you do; it becomes who you are.

Has the di erence maker in you been dormant for a while, maybe even too long? Or are you always looking for an opportunity to help or serve in some way? As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we adopt the philosophy of “If it’s to be, it’s up to me,” 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.

Frank the Pizza King is treasure I have known the Krascek family since about 1964. Frank sponsored an Old Timers baseball team playing at Denny Miller Field where I worked for the City of Englewood. In 1965 our family moved from Girard and Sherman out to South Englewood near Belleview Park. We did not have a lot of spare cash but a splurge from “Frank the Pizza King” was a special weekend treat. As I grew up, Frank’s became an after-game treat with that special girl. It was and is the most welcoming restaurant where all are treated as family. As my parents grew older they had a standing order from Frank’s on Friday night until their passing in 2015! My folks introduced our two daughters to the wonder of this unique pizza and now my kids brought their spouses and children to Frank’s. We have three generations of Frank’s enthusiasts, none of whom live in Englewood but who visit as often as possible.

Englewood has a treasure in this restaurant. Look around the Denver area and try to nd other restaurants that have survived 64 years. ey did this without a liquor license and in a very simple but homey building in an area that could be sketchy at times. I certainly understand private property rights of new owner and his prerogative to do as he wishes with the property. However, I hope that the city can commemorate this location in some way. I would like to think that the city has economic development money to help them relocate if they wish.

To Walter, Maria and Matt and the rest of the crew our family wishes to thank you for many wonderful memories. I hope you land on your feet in a new location! Gary Poole, Parker

Look at cause of divisiveness

House, not stop constantly spewing vitriol against perceived enemies (wasn’t that a wonderful Easter message on X?), not stop issuing of blatantly unconstitutional executive orders, not stop causing extreme market gyrations by constantly ip- opping on tari s (which were based on the most ignorant of algorithms) and attacking the independence of the Fed, not stop threatening to impeach judges, not stop the indiscriminate rings by the DOGE team, and not stop indiscriminately grabbing brown men, claiming they are all Tren de Aragua, for incarceration in El Salvador? So, who is really to blame? Let’s call spade a spade.

I agree with recent letter writer Linda Mazunik’s statement that divisiveness is the wrong path, but to place the blame on Democrats is disingenuous. Why does that “awful orange man’’ not stop the constant chaos coming from the White

Running the country is not a game show like ` e Apprentice,” Donald Trump’s only successful endeavor, where a ring a ects only that person. Yet, even with a history of failed enterprises and multiple bankruptcies, some continue to admire him as a businessman and give him free rein to drive the economy into recession after promising prosperity. ere is no longer an independent DOJ and the Republican Congress has forsaken its oversight responsibility as an equal partner of government. e only thing left for the Democrats is LLEAC and there are many who voted for him and are su ering the consequences of his actions that no longer believe that it is left-wing dogma. Finally, the Supreme Court, with its emergency ruling on the weekend prohibiting more deportations without due process, may be stepping up to the plate. Will he follow this order?

Ernst Popke, Highlands Ranch

Transparency talk rings hollow e Cabal of Douglas County Commissioners and their entourage have repeatedly shown all the cards … standing tall next to Donald Trump and kowtowing to his MAGAn tribalism and ideology.

Just as soon as e CABAL returned from D.C. and the inauguration (on the taxpayers’ dime, of course), they latched

onto Trump’s tribal patterns and gish-gallop governance tactics as their own.

The local redirection wasn’t a surprise, but it was an unnatural development, nonetheless.

The Cabal’s combination of arrogance and testosterone set the path to the Trumpistanian method — operating away from the light of day, making self-interested decisions, and snuggling up to those invited into the cocoon.

Has the Cabal overstretched its stubby wings? Seems so.

Sidling up to Trump’s dog whistles is turning out to be an ethical and moral dead end, even in a red county, carrying the political equivalent of a boat anchor.

More importantly, when The Cabal blows the official horn of transparency and engagement … it sounds like a solitary toot in the wind.

Lloyd Guthrie, Roxborough Park

Stop trashing others

I am writing this letter in response to the “Disappointed with letter” opinion published in the April 3, 2025 Highlands Ranch Herald. The writer is upset that the newspaper published the “Trump is a disaster” letter to the editor on grounds that it included name calling. Letters to the editor allows readers to express their opinions about various topics. The editor doesn’t choose only letters they agree with, as the writer implied. There are times I don’t agree with what a writer has said, but it is their constitutional right to express their opinion. They are not free to call for violence though. If someone doesn’t like Trump or any politician, that is their right. If someone feels the opposite, that is their right. That is part of living in a democracy rather than a dictator, fascist, communist, or autocratic country.

You don’t think people should call other people names. I agree. If you want to call someone out for calling other names, you should start at the top. Donald Trump calls everyone he disagrees with by a nasty name. Do you think that is OK? I don’t. Let’s all be respectful of others.

Janis Sabel, Highlands Ranch

Say no to home rule

Douglas County is at a crossroads, and the push for home rule presents a serious risk to transparent, balanced, and representative government. While the idea of home rule may sound like a chance for “local control,” the reality is far more troubling — especially given the rushed and opaque process being led by our current commissioners.

Home rule would allow our county to write its own charter — essentially a local constitution — and reshape everything from how elections are run to how taxes are managed. But the issue isn’t just what could change; it’s how it’s being done.

Commissioners George Teal, Kevin Van Winkle, and Abe Laydon are barreling ahead without public input, committing $500,000 in taxpayer dollars to push a plan most residents haven’t even been consulted about. They’re using less than half the legally allotted time — from July to October — to draft an entirely new government system that could fundamentally alter how Douglas County operates for de-

cades. All of this is being done behind closed doors, with a charter commission made up of handpicked allies. Out of 64 counties in Colorado, only two adopted home rule — and that was back in the 1970s. Why the sudden rush now? What’s the emergency?

The proposed charter could concentrate power in the hands of a few, weaken public oversight, and leave room for vague legal language that strips citizens of accountability and recourse. Imagine a future where commissioners appoint themselves or their allies to boards, eliminate independent oversight, and consolidate departments without checks or balances — all while reducing transparency and public input.

This is not hypothetical. We’ve already seen attempts to override normal appointment processes, like with the county library board. Home rule could make such overreach permanent.

Douglas County is already functioning well under our current system. This effort appears more like a political maneuver than a genuine attempt at better governance. A new charter could be written to serve a narrow agenda, not the broad interests of a rapidly growing community.

If home rule passes without a deliberate, transparent, and communityled process, we risk handing over far too much power to too few people — with no easy way to take it back.

Let’s not gamble with our future. Vote no on home rule in the June 24 election.

Constance Ingram, Highlands Ranch

President making life worse

I’m wondering how much time trump spends during the wee hours of the night and morning thinking of ways to make the lives of Americans a bit worse.

Let me count the ways:

The creation of DOGE headed by his wannabe co-president has eliminated thousands of federal jobs. Economic impacts on families are terrible.

His tariff policy has rattled stock markets worldwide. Everyday people have had their 401Ks reduced drastically in value.

trump’s immigration policy is terrible as it is inhumane and deprives human beings of due process. I fully agree deportation of illegally immigrants is necessary, especially known criminals, but only if due process is followed.

Proposed cuts to Medicaid will simply add more misery in the lives of many who are already struggling with housing, food, and medical costs.

Proposed cuts to Head Start will affect families, in which both parents work, adversely as it affects a child’s “head start” in education. It will undoubtedly affect the families’ budget.

Cuts in Americorps will cause the help the agency provides during disasters to be reduced. This agency, among other services, provides aid to military families including often building homes.

USAID budget cuts impact vulnerable populations worldwide as it provides aid and support with disasters, drought, and famine.

These are but a few of trump’s actions detrimental to most of us. Hopefully, Republicans in the House and Senate will grow some backbone and put a stop to his actions. I urge all voters to call your congressional representatives expressing your concern.

Lawrence Sena, Castle Rock

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CORRECTIONS

A story in April 24 editions on the Mental Health First Aid courses had the incorrect titles of a couple of sources. The correct titles are: Laura Larson, assistant director for community health at the Douglas County Health Department; and Jennifer Morris, a licensed therapist who also serves as a school-based mental health specialist with the AllHealth Network.

Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.

Lone Tree to celebrate 30 years

Mayor reflects on city’s history and what’s to come

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

Deep Roots, New Heights.  is tagline represents the history that the City of Lone Tree has made for itself, while looking forward to the community’s next chapter. Mayor Marissa Harmon unveiled the new tagline at the annual State of the City address on April 22.

“Deep roots honors the legacy and the leadership of those who served before us … to build the strong foundation on which we stand on today, with their collaborative spirit and their vision of Lone Tree,” Harmon said. “New heights re ects our commitment to smart growth, innovation and the bold steps we are taking to elevate into the next chapter.”

e city is gearing up to celebrate its 30th anniversary this fall.

Harmon’s State of the City address — attended by more than 450 people — highlighted a number of the city’s milestones and Harmon invited everyone to celebrate them.

e celebration of milestones couldn’t begin without re ecting about the only historic property in Lone Tree: the Schweiger Ranch.

In the 1870s, the Schweiger family, who were Austrian immigrants, settled on the 38-acre parcel of land on the east side of what is now Lone Tree. Now, more than a century later, the active ranch continues to be a backdrop to numerous citywide annual events.

e City of Lone Tree was ocially born in 1995 and began to grow quickly as voters approved annexing the RidgeGate commu-

nity into the city ve years later.

Life was brought into the city throughout the 2000s, particularly with the opening of HCA HealthOne at Skyridge, which currently has about 3,000 employees, making it the region’s largest employer. e establishment of the police department, recreation center, Park Meadows Mall — now known as the Park Meadows Retail Resort — and the Lone Tree Arts Center shortly followed.

More recently, 2023 marked another period of growth when the rst residents of the Lyric community moved in, expanding the city’s residential areas to the east side of Interstate 25.

In addition to the Lone Tree Police Department making national news in 2024 for a unique pursuit that ended in an apprehension, the department made 1,961 arrests. According to Sgt. Kyle Maddox, the numerous ock cameras around the city not only helped solve cases, but also helped stop crimes before they took place.

With more than 50,000 calls for service last year, the police department maintained an average response time of four minutes.

“We will do all the things necessary, whether you’re a visitor or whether you’re a resident, to make sure that you get the assistance that you need,” Police Chief Kirk Wilson said.

e city generated about $1.5 billion in taxable sales this past scal year with the help of its 1,562 licensed businesses.

Additionally, the city’s expenditures was just over $117 million. About 87% of the expenditures were dedicated to public safety

and infrastructure.

In terms of revenue, Harmon said taxes account for nearly 55% and intergovernmental agreements accounted for 33%.

“Our 2025 budget is just shy of $81 million,” Harmon said.

Reaching for new heights

As for new heights, there are plenty of upcoming projects and experiences to come in the near future, Harmon said. Whether it’s through new businesses, outdoor recreation or housing developments, the city is continuing to grow.

“From senior housing at e Reserve to single family homes in Lyric and everything in between,” said Harmon. “We are focused on continuing to o er a diverse housing range of options.”

As housing continues to develop, the community can also expect a new elementary school. Harmon announced that Doug Humphreys, the current principal of Eagle Ridge Elementary in Lone Tree, will be the principal of the new school, which is set to open for the 2026-2027 school year.

e city council also recently approved three developments.

A King Soopers Marketplace will be built within the Central Village Couplet District on the east side of I-25, located between RidgeGate Parkway to the south and RidgeGate Parkway to the north. e new commercial shopping center aims to include a gas station and six commercial buildings. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2025 or early 2026 and be complete in about a year.

On the east side of Lone Tree will be a new justice center that will house municipal court and the police headquarters. Crews

are anticipated to break ground this May to open in 2027. e new Public Works Operations facility is also anticipated to open in 2027.

Also breaking ground this year will be the Lone Tree Mobility Hub, which, through Bustang Express Bus services, will provide a better connection to Colorado Springs. Additionally, the hub will include a pedestrian bridge that will connect to the up-andcoming Lone Tree City Center.

Some other new additions to the city will be a Chase Bank near the Link Bridge, a Living Spaces furniture store between the Marriott Hotel and Cabella’s, an amenity plaza near the Park Meadows Retail Resort, and ICR, an aerospace company that aims to bring more than 200 jobs to the city.

And, many residents have been waiting to see what will replace the empty Red Lobster on County Line Road. Harmon o cially announced that it will be e Capital Grille, a ne dining restaurant and steakhouse.

One of the most talked about projects is the 80-acres High Note Regional Park. e city has partnered with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to bring a large, vibrant park and recreation opportunity for many.

With an entertainment stage, sports elds, destination playground, dog park with a bark bar and more, Harmon hopes that it’s a place where people can come together to embrace the community.

As the design of the park continues to be developed, residents are invited to take a one-mile site walk with sta to learn more about the area and the design. Residents can sign up at cityo onetree.com/regionalpark.

City of Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon speaks at an annual State of the City event on April 22 at the Lone Tree Arts Center. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

To celebrate the City of Lone Tree’s 30th anniversary this fall, Mayor Marissa Harmon unveiled the city’s new tagline: Deep Roots, New Heights.

County commissioners vote to increase parking enforcement

BY FRANK DEANGELI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

On April 22, the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners adopted an ordinance regarding the regulation of tra c and parking.

It passed with a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner George Teal voting no.

“Recreational vehicle parking should be at the owner’s (discretion) in unincorporated Douglas County,” said Commissioner Teal, explaining his no vote.

At the board’s April 8 business meeting, Cmdr. Alan Stanton of the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce recommended that the board adopt the ordinance in order to “promote the general public welfare and safety by imposing and enforcing reasonable and necessary tra c and parking restrictions in the county.” Stanton cited safety concerns from parking commercial and recreational vehicles in highly urbanized areas as the primary driver behind this new ordinance.

e sheri ’s o ce identi ed nine urban and suburban areas in which com-

mercial vehicles will not be allowed to park, and three in which recreational vehicles will not be allowed to park. ese three locations are Highlands Ranch, the Chat eld Urban Area and the Parker Municipal Planning Area including Stonegate.

Drivers of commercial vehicles will automatically receive nes in these areas, and those of recreational vehicles will be allowed 72 hours of parking within a 7-day period before receiving nes.

In addition to these new restrictions, the ordinance establishes several new permitted parking areas, many near schools. It also limits parking of commercial and recreational vehicles in several private lots, including recreation centers.

e proposed policy change follows 2022’s Colorado House Bill 22-1139, which forbids homeowner’s associations from prohibiting the use of public rights-of-way. Stanton says that since the passage of this bill, the county sheri ’s o ce has received a number of complaints about oversized vehicles parked in residential areas.

U.S. to restart collections of defaulted student loans

Nearly 43 million borrowers owe more than $1.6 trillion

BY SHAUNEEN MIRANDA COLORADO NEWSLINE

e U.S. Department of Education said that it will resume collections May 5 for defaulted federal student loans.

After pausing during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has not collected on defaulted loans in over ve years. More than 5 million borrowers sit in default on their federal student loans, and just 38% of borrowers are current on their payments, the department said.

“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

During last year’s presidential campaign, President Donald Trump criticized his predecessor and successor, President Joe Biden, for his e orts to erase student debt. McMahon resumed that line of attack April 21, blaming Biden’s administration for unreasonably raising borrowers’ expectations of forgiveness.

“ e Biden Administration misled borrowers: the executive branch does not have the constitutional authority to wipe debt away, nor do the loan balances simply disappear. Hundreds of billions have already been transferred to taxpayers,” McMahon said.

She added that “going forward, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury, will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law, which means helping borrowers return to repayment — both for the sake of their own nancial health and our nation’s economic outlook.”

e department said the O ce of Federal Student Aid will restart the Treasury O set Program, which the U.S. Treasury Department administers, on May 5.

e Education Department statement said all borrowers who are in default will get emails over the next two weeks “making them aware of these developments and urging them to contact the Default Resolution Group to make a monthly payment, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan, or sign up for loan rehabilitation.”

e department said the O ce of Federal Student Aid will “send required notices beginning administrative wage garnishment” later this summer.

More than 42.7 million borrowers owe more than $1.6 trillion in student debt, according to the department.

e administration claims that “instead of protecting responsible taxpayers, the Biden-Harris Administration put them on the hook for irresponsible lending, pushing the federal student loan portfolio toward a scal cli .” is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Veterinarian student Sarah Hilliard retreated to a far corner of a room lined with kennels for the animal hospital’s patients, sat down and thought about how she was going to end her life. Suicide seemed like the best exit out of a grueling, joyless life that included 70-hour work weeks and treating sick and dying animals in a callous, competitive environment.

“I just sat in the corner, and I cried and cried,” said Hilliard. “I was planning on going home and take a long cool smoothie with all my meds and calling it quits. I often thought about what it would be like to nally just take a long deep sleep and never wake up.”

Hilliard is now co-owner of PetVet 365, a new-style pet clinic in Westminster that emphasizes compassion for both animals and their veterinary caregivers. But in 2010 — when she considered her suicide — she was working on her residency in internal medicine at Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in old-school conditions that emphasized only clinical survival.

“ ere was no time for self-care,” said Hilliard. “ ere was no role model telling me, ‘Hey, you are not doing so well. Why don’t you take a day o ,’” she said. “You were pretty much on your own. No one talked about having any doubts about what they were doing. No one wanted to admit any kind of weakness.”’

A colleague found Hilliard and she was admitted to a psychiatric ward for seven days. She balked at going back to her residency and reconsidered her relationship with the veterinary profession, stepping away from practicing medicine for several years.

“I just felt the veterinary world just chewed me up and spit me out,” the 44-year-old Hilliard said. “I had to deal with the giant elephant in the world … what to do next.”

She underwent cognitive behavioral therapy to get to the root of her anxieties. She eventually helped open PetVet 365, which practices a “fear free” approach to treating its patients. She also speaks up about the prevalence of veterinarian suicides in the United States.

“It’s a problem that has not really been looked at or dealt with up until just the last few years,” Hilliard said. “It is time for people to realize that we deal with a lot of stu . It’s not just all bunny rabbits and owers.”

A study by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2019, found that veterinarians in the United States are three-to- ve times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. ere was a similar conclusion reached in a2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

About 80% of all veterinarians su er from clinical depression at some point and about 50% report feeling unhappy in their careers, according to Psychology Today.

“ ese statistics paint a bleak picture that calls for a profound examination of the underlying factors fueling this troubling trend,” states Psychology Today.

e publication points to several factors that weigh heavily on the mental health of veterinarians, including performing euthanasia on patients, wrestling with large school debt and burnout.

“ e fear of making a mistake or failing to provide optimal care can foster feelings of inadequacy and perfectionism, which can be detrimental to their mental health,” the article states.

Veterinarians can also be the target of cyberbullying. A client can deliver poor online ratings on Yelp and Google or leave derogatory messages which leads to anxiety, depression and stress among

vets and veterinary technicians, states Psychology Today.

“Veterinarians may feel overwhelmed by the constant negativity,” the publication states.

Colorado State University o cials say they are responding to the new needs of veterinary students — including their mental health — through the university’s Veterinary Health and Education Complex, or VHEC, which includes a new Primary Care Center.

e facility includes a teaching hospital for routine and urgent care; a new Livestock Veterinary Hospital, fully equipped with medical, surgical and ambulatory facilities built to meet current and future demands for large animal care; and reimagined classrooms with interactive workstations, according to CSU.  e complex — slated to be nished in fall 2026 — is coupled with a signi cant curriculum update. e new educational roadmap maintains the rigor of a robust science-based doctoral program while emphasizing ideas such as resilience, professionalism and wellbeing, according to CSU.

Dr. Matthew Johnston, professor of avian, exotic and zoological medicine and co-chair of the college’s curriculum renewal committee, told CSU Magazine last April that changes needed to be made to head o the mental and emotional toll exerted on veterinarian students and practitioners.

Veterinarian Sarah Hilliard holds Vienna, a rag doll cat at her practice. PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY

Veterinarian Sarah Hilliard talks to her patient, Westly, an Australian shepherd.

VET HEALTH

“We started seeing declining attendance at lecture-based courses. We’ve seen upticks in students leaving the program not for academic reasons, but for mental health reasons,” Johnston told the magazine. “I personally have colleagues who have died by suicide.”  Johnston, who has taught for more than 20 years, told the magazine that CSU’s revamped program can have a signi cant impact by changing the way it teaches veterinary medicine. Fewer static lectures. More hands-on learning and group work. Dedicated breaks throughout the semester for re ection and restoration.

“We’re not just going to give you information about mental health and wellness, we’re changing the whole system,” Johnston told CSU Magazine. “CSU is radically ipping the script more than any vet school has done.”

Melinda Frye, associate dean for veterinary academic and student a airs at CSU, said the school will include an embedded counselor to aid troubled students. Financial counselors will also be available, as well as someone to talk about a student’s “vocational wellbeing.” Students can also take time o for religious holidays, Frye said.

“We want to encourage students to understand the human dimensions of our profession,” Frye said.

Students still are faced with a curriculum that demands they gain expertise on a variety of animal species from kittens to dogs and horses, she said. And it’s all done in four years.

“I do understand this contributes to a lot of our students feeling a bit overwhelmed,” Frye said. “ at’s a lot to take in in a short period of time.”

Hilliard grew up in Ohio and was always interested in animals and science. She wedded the two by attending Ohio State’s veterinary school from 2004 to 2008 to become a general practitioner.

She got into CSU’s internal medicine residency program and began dealing with feelings of inadequacy and “imposter syndrome,” she said.

“I kept thinking to myself, ‘How did I get here? What am I doing here?” she said.

Hilliard got help in counseling and began taking prescription drugs for panic and anxiety.

“ e medicine did multiple things to help my physical feelings, but I didn’t understand what the underlying problem was,” she said.

She returned to Ohio State for her residency in small animal internal medicine. Hilliard admits she was not ready for the emotional toll the program would take on her.

“Everything just intensi ed, the patients were very sick, and you are supposed to know the answers,” she said. “But I did know that you were not supposed to ask for help.”

Her breakdown and departure from Ohio State led her down several paths that included going back into a general practice with a friend. She also worked for a pharmaceutical company for a few years.

“Still, I knew something just wasn’t right,” Hilliard said.

at led her to cognitive therapy and

to a group of friends starting a new kind of veterinary practice.

“ ey wanted a nice place to work and for people to bring their pets to,” Hilliard said.

e group created PetVet 365, a Fear Free practice. e waiting room is eliminated, and every patient and pet “guardian” is given their own private dog or cat suite, complete with a TV, couch, rug, toys, species-speci c pheromones and treats.

“Everyone feels more comfortable, including the patients, guardians and the sta ,” Hilliard said.

Not every problem has been eliminated. Some pet guardians are still angered or hurt when they receive bad news about their pets.

“We just talk to them and tell them that our sta needs to be treated respectfully,” Hilliard said.

And there are days when a dog or cat must be euthanized. Hilliard said her sta works to help the animals slip peacefully away.

“It’s not the easiest part of our day, but it’s one of the things we can give as a gift to families that they have an opportunity to end their pet’s su ering,” Hilliard said. “ at’s the unique part of our profession. In many ways, it’s one of the more beautiful things we can do.”

Westminster veterinarian Sarah Hilliard tends to Wesley, an Australian shepherd.

Sarah Hilliard helped start PetVet365 in Westminster. The clinic emphasizes a “Fear Free” environment.

PHOTOS BY MONTE WHALEY

Sarah Hilliard

Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble coming to Littleton

A library may not be the rst place one thinks about going to for a concert, but Bemis Public Library has been home to an annual concert by the Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble for many years.

“We’ve hosted music at Bemis for decades and the Smithtonian is one of our signature events,” said Claire L Mattoon, senior librarian for programming and outreach. “Usually they’re here for the holidays, but we’re switching things up and trying a spring concert this year.”

e Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble will be at Bemis Public Library, 6014 S. Datura St. in Littleton, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.

Founded in 1983, the Smithtonian has been bringing top-notch handbell performances to the south metro area for 40 years. Its mission is to “entertain, delight and educate the public in the art of English handbell ringing,” according to provided information.

“What we do is one instrument played by 26 hands,” said Maggie Wild, event manager for the ensemble. “It takes a lot of excellent players to be able to perform the quality of music we do and a lot of closeness with our fellow musicians.”

Instead of the usual holiday music, this concert will feature songs of the Shenandoah, ragtime classics, festive dances and more. e aim is to highlight to listeners how varied a repertoire handbell ensembles are capable of.

“Audiences will be able to see all the things bells can do and all the techniques we use,” Wild said. “ ere are so many di erent kinds of music we can play and

about 14 members of the ensemble, and the way they are able to turn a handbell concert into something that feels more like an orchestra.

“We make it look so easy because we do it so well. It’s not only fun to listen to, but fun to watch as well,” Wild said. “We’ve been working on this show since January, working to perform musical pieces

cert is an opportunity to ful ll its own mission, which Mattoon said is connecting people with the resources they want and need.

“Most people think only of books and databases, but we see ‘resources’ as anything that gives knowledge, enjoyment and enrichment to people’s lives,” she said. “Looking at it that way, the musical

programming we do ts the mission re-

Learn more about the Smithtonian at https://smithtonians.org/ and get information about the Bemis performance at https://www.library.littletonco.gov/ Home.

is coverage comes courtesy of a grant from the Littleton Arts and Culture Program. As a matter of policy, funders exercise no control over editorial decisions.

The Smithtonian Handbell Ensemble is coming to Bemis Public Library for a pair of performances on Saturday, May 10. The Smithtonian will be performing songs of the Shenandoah, ragtime classics, festive dances and more. COURTESY OF THE SMITHTONIAN HANDBELL ENSEMBLE

With AI on hand, financial scammers on the rise

It started with a seemingly routine reminder for Nancy Hall to update her Norton antivirus software.

e 69-year-old Philadelphia resident sat down at her laptop to le her taxes recently and was prompted to call a number that was said to be the software company’s customer support. She had been hacked, the message said.

“It said, ‘you must call Microsoft right away, or else, you’re in danger of losing everything,’” Hall said.

A man on the line claimed to be in talks with her bank, saying hackers managed to download child pornography to her computer and transfer $18,000 to Russian accounts overnight.

He told Hall he was transferring her to the fraud department at her bank, where she spoke to someone who knew details about her local branch. After verifying personal details, that person asked her to come in to make a cash withdrawal that she could then use to purchase cryptocurrency at a speci c ATM.

e pair told her she was at threat of being arrested by Homeland Security for what was found on her laptop unless she obliged.

After a few stressful hours of trying to sort out the situation, something clicked, Hall said — a friend was scammed out of $800,000 in retirement savings last year after being persuaded to purchase cryptocurrency in an emergency. Hall hung up the phone, then blocked the number when it continually called her back.

Financial crimes, or scams like these, have always been around, experts say. But the rise of arti cial intelligence, access to sensitive information on the dark web, and a lack of federal oversight for these crimes means it’s never been easier to be a scammer, security experts say.

“AI has made these things so believable,” said Melissa O’Leary, a Portland, Maine-based partner and chief strategy o cer at cybersecurity rm Fortalice Solutions. “Sometimes you can’t tell, ‘is this legitimate or not?’”

Hall’s experience mirrors many of the thousands of well-established attempts at tech-enabled nancial crimes currently underway in the U.S. Scammers often pose as trusted corporations, government departments or as someone a victim knows. Many companies that have been spoofed, like Norton, put out warnings about these scams.

ey also use heightened emotional responses and a sense of urgency to get you to transfer money or release personal details, cybersecurity experts say.

“Now I look back on it, I’m like, ‘how was I so stupid to say stay on the line that long?’” Hall said. “But then I look at this girl I know, and they managed to get her to go all the way.”

The business of scamming e Federal Trade Commission reported the overall loss Americans experienced via nancial scams in the 2023-2024 scal year to be between $23.7 billion and $158.3 billion. e gures di er so much because so many losses go under or unreported, the FTC said in the report.

fecting as much as 1.5% of all transactions, though many of those attempts are caught before they can go through.

Matthew Radolec, D.C.-based vice president of Incident Response and Cloud Operations at data security rm Varonis, said he sees these phishing attempts in two parts; the scam is the technique being used to get access to money, and the actual crime itself is the loss of the money.

Because these crimes are digital, it’s hard to know who to report them to, or how to follow up. Many scammers also ask for cryptocurrency payments, or transfer them to crypto accounts shortly after the transaction.

“ ere’s no insurance for accidentally wiring someone $10,000,” Radolec said. “If you fall for a ruse, you fall for a ruse. It’s like a carnival trick, a sleight of hand. It’s a digital form of that.”

Kimberly Sutherland, the Alpharetta, Georgia-based vice president of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said they’ve seen a 20% year-over-year increase in digital fraud since 2021, af-

A large part of their e orts are focused on monitoring new account openings and payments, as fraudsters want to either create a fraudulent account at the start, or they want to be able to intercept transactions as they’re happening, Sutherland said. ey’ve also had to evolve their monitoring strategies, as over the last few years, there’s been a shift from laptop and desktop targeting to mobile attacks, she said.

A few decades ago, scammers were focused on getting enough information from a company or individual to pull o a fake transaction. But as data breaches have become more common, the personal data unearthed makes it easier to pose as someone a victim knows, or give them details to become trustworthy.

Sutherland said the concept of synthetic identities — carefully crafted digital pro les of someone who doesn’t actually exist — have also deepened criminal’s abilities to get access inside of a variety of institutions like banks, colleges and corporations.

“You don’t have to steal an identity of someone; why not create a brand new one?” Sutherland said. “It started with jokes like, ‘I can get a credit card in the

SHUTTERSTOCK

name of my dog,’ and it became sophisticated fraud rings who could actually create identities and nurture them to be used by others.”

Individuals and companies are not the only ones at risk of nancial scams — government institutions have reported an increase in nancial crimes in recent years. In California, community colleges have reported at least $5 million in losses to AI-simulated students who applied for nancial aid.

One of the most current, wide-spread scams are texts and alerts from toll payment agency E-ZPass, asking a user to pay an outstanding bill at the included link. Last year, E-ZPass said the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center had received more than 2,000 complaints about the texts. ose who had lled out the included form should contact their banks, the company said.

It’s similar to a longstanding scam posing as UPS trying to deliver a package — it plays on our human nature of trust and curiosity, O’Leary said.

How AI is playing a role

AI has lowered the barrier for setting up a scam, O’Leary said. ose looking to lure someone to wire money or purchase cryptocurrency need some space on a server or in the cloud, and some sort of infrastructure to reach out to victims. Many programs that can be used to fake a persona, to send out mass text messages or phishing links are as easy as downloading an app.

“It’s almost a step by step for someone who wants to make a quick buck,” O’Leary said.

Large language models and AI chatbots can easily be prompted to sound like someone else, and give non-English speakers a much easier ability to communicate, O’Leary said.

Radolec has seen an uptick in AI bots being used to gain credentials to company databases or pay systems. Bots can hold legitimate conversations with a target to build rapport, and plant phishing scams to gain passwords in standard documents.

“ e next thing you know, you can log in as me,” Radolec said.

From there, scammers can divert paychecks to o shore accounts, sell data on the dark web or plant further phishing attempts in internal systems.

Because of the rapid advancements in AI technologies, phishing attempts and scam strategies are constantly changing. Now, AI tools can help alter legitimate images, and create deepfakes, or likenesses of someone’s image or voice, in just a few minutes. It’s the strategy behind an increasingly common scam on grandparents — they get a call from someone that sounds exactly like their grandchild, saying they need a wire transfer or cash for bail.

Many digital scams target older people, both because they’re expected to have less technical knowledge to spot a ruse, and because they tend to have larger sums of money accessible, Radolec said.

In its report, the FTC estimated between $7.1 billion and $61.5 billion in losses for older adults.

is week, AARP, Amazon, Google and Walmart partnered on a new initiative that will be based out of Pittsburgh, called the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center, an attempt to tap in private companies who have resources in data privacy to assist in national law enforcement investigations. Its founder and

CEO, former FBI agent Brady Finta, said that the technical side of these crimes are often partnered with an emotional side, like pretending to be a family member in trouble.

“ ey’re talking you through the crime,” Finta said. “ ey’re adding this anxiety and thought process to you and to overcome your normal decision making processes.”

Legislation and enforcement ere are hundreds of thousands of victims of nancial scams each year, and they’re reporting them to di erent places — local police, state organizations, federal agencies, and the tech platforms where the crimes occurred, Finta said. Part of the reason some nancial scams go unreported is that there’s not one clear route, government agency or law enforcement agency that has ownership over them. at was also the consensus of a new report by the Government Accountability O ce, FedScoop reported this month. ere are 13 federal agencies, including the FBI, CFPB and the FTC, that work to counter scams, but they do not share one overarching strategy.

Finta is hoping that leveraging the private sector data from their partner corporations can help connect some fraud cases across the country and make these investigations more comprehensive.

While the FTC has the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act, which aims to raise awareness of nancial scams, there’s no o cial federal protection or legislation on this topic. Some states are passing consumer protection laws that put some liability on banks to do due diligence on fraud and even reimburse customers for fraudulent transactions.

And the U.S. may be facing less protections than it currently has. Susan Weinstock, CEO of the Consumer Federation of

America, said she’s worried that Congress just voted on a resolution under the Congressional Review Act that removed the rule that required digital payment apps like Venmo and Apple Pay to be regulated for fraud.

“Years ago, nobody had heard of Venmo or CashApp, and now these things are ubiquitous,” Weinstock said. “So it puts consumers in a really tough, scary position to be subject to fraud and not have the ability to deal with it.”

Because the strategies behind thesenancial scams change often and because there are few ways to track these crimes after they happen, a lot of responsibility falls on individuals and institutions to be able to spot them. Radolec’s rst piece of advice is to slow down. If it really is your grandson calling from jail? Is it the end of the world if he spends a night in jail, he said.

Adding another person into the loop of communication is another strategy that will usually knock o an impersonator. If it appears to be a higher-up at work making a strange request for access to your nances, there’s no harm in looping in another person to review, Radolec said. Lastly, the cybersecurity experts all said, it’s always safer to get in contact with the original source. If someone on the phone says they’re with your bank, hang up and call the bank directly to verify information.

“A lot of times they’re trying to create a sense of urgency that’s from a false place, so how can we ground ourselves?” Radolec said. “And can we ask, is this truly like a life or death situation that you have to act on right now? Or can time be in our favor?” is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

business.

e second allegation is that the Board of County Commissioners met behind closed doors on at least three occasions to discuss public business — appearing as “executive sessions” — but did not meet in public to announce the topic of the meetings. e allegation also claims that they did not vote in public to enter into an executive session as required by law.

e third allegation is that the Board of Douglas County Commissioners adopted two resolutions outside of any public meeting and “rubber stamped” those decisions at a convened special meeting, during which there were no minutes taken, allegedly.

On March 25, the commissioners publicly announced adopting a resolution to pursue a home rule charter for the county and bring it to voters as a ballot initiative in a June 24 special election.

Page 6 of the lawsuit states that the statements made by the commissioners at the March 25 press conference were identical to the “run of show” “script” that had been prepared by the county’s communications consultant, Roger Hudson, which was drafted before the public special meeting. is documentation was shared with the News-Press.

Despite the subject of home rule, Marshall said this lawsuit is not directed at home rule.

board and to issue an injunction telling the board to not continue to violate these laws.

“ ey (the commissioners) could come in and say, ‘oh, sorry, we didn’t know we were violating them.’ (But) that’s almost impossible because the newspapers were publishing front-page stories that they were violating open meetings laws and yet, they continue to do it,” said Marshall. “Us going to the court and saying, ‘(the) court of public opinion won’t even get them to follow the law, you’re going to need to issue an injunction to stop them.’” e third request is to declare the behind-closed-doors March 25 meeting to be null and voided.

According to a Colorado appellate court case, the adoption of a position outside of a public meeting is prohibited.

e lawsuit outlines a sequence of meetings, starting in early March, during which all three commissioners, other elected o cials of the county and County Attorney Je rey Garcia discussed a ninepoint plan for voters to approve adopting a home rule charter, establish a commission and to hold a special election.

“I’ve told people I’m kind of agnostic on home rule,” Marshall said. “It could be a good thing, it could be a bad thing — but it should be done in the open.”

In the lawsuit, Marshall, omas and Gooden are making three requests. ey are asking the judge to validate that the Open Meetings Law was violated by the

“People can say, ‘you’re doing this because you’re a Democrat and hate Republicans’ or ‘you’re doing this because you don’t like those commissioners and you’re trying to get back at them.’ (But) the facts speak for themselves,” said Marshall. “You can attack the messengers or you can look at what the message is.”

1. TELEVISION: Which actor was nominated for an Emmy for the same character on three di erent sitcoms?

2. MOVIES: Who was the rst actor to refuse an Oscar award for Best Actor?

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which modern city is in the shadow of the active volcano Mount Vesuvius?

4. FOOD & DRINK: What gas is used to create seltzer water?

5. SCIENCE: What is the center of an atom called?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Who are the six men who have made a career Grand Slam in pro golf?

7. ANATOMY: What is the largest artery in the body?

8. LITERATURE: For which category is the O. Henry Award given?

9. ASTRONOMY: Which star system is nearest to our solar system?

TrIVIa

10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many presidents have died in o ce?

Answers

1. Kelsey Grammer for “Wings,” “Cheers” and “Frasier.”

2. George C. Scott, for “Patton.”

3. Naples, Italy.

4. Carbon dioxide.

5. Nucleus.

6. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

7. e aorta.

8. Short stories.

9. Alpha Centauri.

10. Eight.

(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Special Education Teacher and Child Find Coordinator

1 Day a week Early Childhood Special Education Teacher and Child Find Coordinator, for East Central BOCES for the 2025-2026 school year

• Duties include: Complete assessment & provide direct and indirect services with preschool children in rural school settings

• Requires a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education Can be hired with a Bachelor’s Degree in a Related Field if willing to enter into a Master’s degree program in Early Childhood Special Education upon hire

• Salary Range BA-$$9214 to $10,474 and MA $10,264-11524, dependent on experience

• Mileage reimbursement

• Flexible scheduling with the opportunity to complete some work at home.

• May be eligible for loan forgiveness!

• Financial support may be available through grants if required to enroll in a Master’s degree program

• Questions contact Tracy (719) 775-2342 ext. 101.

To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

Structures Staff Scientist Boom Technology, Inc. seeks Structures Staff Scientist in Centennial, CO to work handin-hand w/ the Chief Eng, Eng Team and Program Leadership to architect and design the Overture aircraft. Telecommuting permitted. Domestic travel throughout the U.S. 5% of the time required. $252,000 - $265,650 per year. Apply @ www.jobpostingtoday. com Ref#14760

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WIDOWED MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA. A social club offering many exciting activities and life long friendships. Social hours for all areas of Metro Denver. Visit Widowedamerica.org for details In your area!

Garage and Estate Sales

Garage Sales

Save the Date! Gigantic Garage Sale in the Pradera Golf Community Subdivision Friday & Saturday, May 16th and 17th 8am-4pm

Numerous homeowners in the Pradera community will be participating in this event Major cross streets into Pradera are Bayou Gulch and Parker Road, Parker 80134 Call Dotson Skaggs, Kentwood Real Estate 303-909-9350 for more information.

100+ HOMES CHERRY KNOLLS, THE KNOLLS & TIFFANY NEIGHBORHOODS Fri. & Sat. May 2 & 3 S. Colorado Blvd. & E. Dry Creek Rd 80122 Maps Available

Miscellaneous

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

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Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-5439189

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Inflation is at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up. Credit cards. Medical bills. Car loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief and find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote: Call 1-844-955-4930

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

Miscellaneous

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

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

Portable Oxygen Concentrator

May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 877-305-1535

We buy houses for cash as is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling

Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-8775833

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-4338277

Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value! Call 24/7: 1-833-887-0117. Have zip code of service location ready when you call!

Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-3993595

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

Consumer Cellular - same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No longterm contract, no hidden fees free activation. All plans feature unlimited talk & text, starting at just $20/mo. Call 1-877-751-0866

FoundationRepair!Apermanent solutionforwaterproofing,failing foundation,sinkingconcreteand nastycrawlspaces.FREE Inspection&SameDayEstimate. $250offANYproject withcode GET250. Call1-888-717-0104RNET ToPlacea25-wordCOSCAN Networkadin91Colorado Newspapersfor$300 CallLeafGuardandsaygoodbyeto guttercleaningforgood.No cleaning.Noleaking.Nowater damage.Nomoreladderaccidents. GetLeafGuardtodayandbe protectedforlife.FREEestimate. Financingavailable.20%offtotal purchase(Restrictionsmayapply) Call1-844-264-8866

Newspaperoremail rtoledo@colopress.net

Pets Dogs

Doodle Puppies Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today!

Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398