Lakewood Sentinel 0423

READY TO RACE Local runners navigate postponements, crowded trails amid COVID-19 P14

APRIL 23, 2020

JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

HARD ON THE HOMELESS With no place to go and little access to medical care, one group is especially hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown P7

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Lakewood losing $1 million a month ducts in revenue due to COVID-19 P9

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Fewer cars on the road means drop in pollution P4

2020 GRADS

All Jeffco public school ceremonies moved to August

P10

THE BOTTOM LINE

“Maybe as we begin to emerge from this crisis, we can use what we learn about community and connection and commitment, and refocus our attention on, literally, saving the planet.”

Columnist Andrea Doray | P12 INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14

LakewoodSentinel.com

VOLUME 96 | ISSUE 35

2 Lakewood Sentinel

April 23, 2020A

Party candidates for primary ballot selected in assemblies altered by COVID-19 Szabo and Inman will face Kraft-Tharp and Kerr in county commissioner races

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One of the local milestones of any major election year was set to take place on March 26 with Republican party loyalists meeting at the School of Mines’ Green Center in Golden to vote on which candidates for various county and state offices to send to the primary ballot.

But then came COVID-19, which forced the party to transition from the physical gathering to a first of its kind digital with candidates making their case via Zoom and votes being placed digitally.

Denise Mund, the chair of the Jefferson County Republicans, said that the process went “fine” overall, but there were some challenges related to technology.

“From our caucus data we know that the average of our caucus attendee was 62,” said Mund.

“And so we had technology issues with some of our older attendees that are not as familiar with the technology.”

Attendees also missed the typical assembly experience of “being together and being able to catch up with people and that kind of thing.”

But despite the less than ideal conditions, the five-hour assembly process ended with a finalized ballot for Jeffco’s state senate and house races as well as those for district attorney and county commissioner.

The party’s candidates for the latter will be incumbent Libby Szabo for the district one commissioner’s seat and Golden resident Joni Inman for the district two seat.

Szabo touted her leadership experience on the board and in local

government.

“I will be the only commissioner with more than a few years of experience and that experience is vital in Jeffco because if you do not Szabo have an experienced leader, the staff ends up running the county and not leadership elected by the citizens,” Szabo said.

District two candidate Frank Hutfless fell short of making the ballot when Inman he received only 12 percent of the vote at the assembly.

“I am looking at the very serious position we are in right now in the county and I think it’s going to take experience that understands manageKraft-Tharp ment,” Inman said of her candidacy. “I have years of experience in both managing local government as well as private sector of businesses.”

In November, Szabo will be running against Democrat Tracy Kraft-Tharp, Kerr the current Colorado House District 29 representative.

Kraft-Tharp and other Democratic candidates were selected for the ballot during a mail assembly that occurred at the end of March. Jefferson County Democratic Party chair Susan Glass could not be reached to discuss the details of that process.

“I am passionate about creating practical pathways to improve the lives of individuals and their families,” Kraft-Tharp said.

Inman, meanwhile, will face former state senator and representative Andy Kerr of Lakewood.

Challenging times like this

PRIMARY ELECTION The primary election will be conducted by mail beginning in early June.

Ballots must be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m. on June 30. County polling places will also be open on the day. Voters who are registered with a specific party will receive that party’s ballot, while unaffiliated registered voters will receive ballots for both parties, but can only return one.

In addition to the county races, the Democrats primary will also include a vote to determine the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate. require proven leadership from our elected officials,” Kerr said.

“The people I’ve been talking to have let me know public and mental health, affordable housing and open space and these are the issues I plan to focus on for the campaign.”

Here is a look at the other races ahead of the primary: In Senate District 19, Democrat Rachel Zeninger will face Republican Lynn Geber.

In House District 22, Mary Parker will be the Democrat’s candidate. However, Republicans still need to choose between incumbent Chris Larson and Justin Everett, as both made the primary ballot out of the assembly.

In House District 23, Republican Fred Clifford will face incumbent Democrat Chris Kennedy.

In House District 24, incumbent Democrat Monica Duran will face Republican Laurel Imer.

In House District 25, Republican and former Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier will face incumbent Democrat Lisa Cutter.

In House District 27, Republican Vicki Pyne will face incumbent Democrat Brianna Titone.

In House District 28, incumbent Democrat Kerry Tipper will face Republican MJ Paulsen.

In House District 29, Republican Vanessa Demott will face Democrat Lindsay Daugherty.

Helping the helpers during COVID-19 crisis

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From food banks to providers of services for seniors, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen nonprofits all over Jefferson County step up to fill community needs created by the diseases spread.

Yet just when many non-profit services are most needed, the COVID-19 pandemic is also creating new and unprecedented challenges for those same non-profits.

In response to that crisis, Jeffco’s Community First Foundation has launched a new fund aimed at strengthening and stabilizing non-profits throughout the country as they continue to struggle with the financial challenges posed by COVID-19. The foundation also seeded the fund, which is called the Jeffco Hope Fund, with $1 million and is now taking contributions from the community.

“As a community foundation, we are here to support our local community,” said Kelly Dunkin, Community First Foundation’s CEO and President. “We recognize the challenges COVID-19 is putting on the community and we hope this fund can help nonprofits continue to serve our neighbors through the recovery efforts.

Grant opportunities will open soon with two rounds of priorities. The first round of applications opened March 26 with grant award decisions to be made the week of April 17.

This round provides support for organizations providing direct services to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 (examples include but are not limited to health care and mental health providers, senior service providers, food banks, housing service providers, workforce development centers) and those who are leading a coordinated community response to the impacts of COVID-19.

“I think in the first round we are looking at either organizations that are themselves directly responding to COVID-19 so that could be a food bank that’s seen a huge demand in need for food or it could be an entity that’s organized a response by many food banks or other organizations,” Dunkin said.

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Lakewood Sentinel 3

April 23, 2020

Colorado stay-at-home order to end on time; some restrictions will remain ‘Safer at home’ social distancing phase will likely last months, followed by a more relaxed period of caution

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In the final week of Colorado’s stay-at-home order, Gov. Jared Polis compared the month-long measure to a sprint and emphasized that the months ahead — a “marathon” of social distancing — will be critical

to keeping the COVID-19 pandemic under control in the state.

“I hate to break it to you, but the easy part was the sprint,” Polis said at an April 20 news conference, announcing a new phase of restrictions Coloradans likely will need to sustain for months.

Coloradans won’t endure a second extension of the statewide stay-athome order — it will be lifted April 27 as scheduled. But after that date, the state still encourages staying home as much as possible, while some semblance of normalcy will return to business and people’s social lives.

Retail stores, for example, will be open for curbside delivery and then

gradually open with precautions, according to Polis’ presentation. That could involve spacing between customers, one-way aisles and employees wearing masks, Polis said.

Clubs and event venues will remain closed, and bars and restaurants won’t open for dine-in service at least at first, according to Polis’ presentation.

The state will wait for data on how opening up retail affects the pandemic in Colorado before making a decision on restaurants, Polis said.

“A phased reopening of restaurants” by mid-May is the goal, Polis said.

Details of ‘safer at home’ State officials dubbed the new

phase of social distancing a “safer at home” phase, and for adults older than 60 and people with serious underlying health conditions, the state still recommends staying home except when absolutely necessary.

Social distancing is a public health term that means reducing face-to-face interaction.

For everyone else, the state strongly advises wearing face coverings in public. Among other restrictions: Sick people may not go to work, Coloradans should avoid unnecessary travel and another part of the presentation said “no gatherings over 10 people.”

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Real Estate, Oddly Enough, May Be the Last Industry to Adopt Live-Action Video

The term “virtual tour” was introduced to the real estate industry a couple decades ago, but only because photography vendors were able to convince listing agents to hire them and competed to offer the coolest technology.

Early vendors wowed us with 360-degree still photos of each room, although that is now out of style.

The latest “shiny object” is a 5- or 6-year-old product by Matterport. I remember getting a demo of it at a trade show in San Francisco. They call their product an interactive virtual reality (VR) tour of still photos in which you can use your mouse or finger to rotate each photo manually left to right or up and down. Gray circles indicate new photo points. You click or touch them and you are taken to that place where you can, again, rotate horizontally or vertically. Thus, you can, at your own pace, navigate around the entire listing choosing which room you want to enter and leave.

The “coolest” feature of Matterport is the “dollhouse” view. You remember dollhouses, where one side was open so you could look inside each room? That’s what Matterport’s dollhouse view is like except that it’s on your screen and you can rotate it on any axis.

Still, it’s only a collection of still photos with no narration. Personally I find it kind of dizzying and nowhere near as useful as being walked through the home

by a listing agent with a video camera who explains the obvious and not-soobvious features of the home. I wouldn’t call anything less a “virtual” tour.

I have been selling real estate now for 18 years and seen maybe a dozen different variations of the “virtual tour” concept, but almost all of them are nothing more than still photos presented in different, often interactive ways. None have the advantage of a simple video walk-through of a home by the listing agent. That’s what we do at Golden Real Estate, and have been doing since 2007.

What amazes me is how few agents do what we do. In the article at right, I mention that 109 homes listed last week went under contract by week’s end, at a time when in-person showings and open houses were not allowed. Assuming they followed the 2-week-old rule against in-person showings, buyers of those listings had only the photos and “virtual tours” on the MLS to go by in making their decision to submit an offer.

One might assume that those 109 listings had great virtual tours, but almost none of them did. Surprisingly, only 60 of the 109 had any “virtual tour” on the MLS, but more surprisingly only two of them had a narrated video tour. Five of them had video walk-throughs with music. One had no sound track at all, and one really cracked me up. It was done by the agent holding his smartphone, but his footsteps and breathing were all you could hear. Imagine if an agent walked

Watch Our Video Tour of This Stapleton Listing This brand new home at 10030 E. 59th Drive is $579,000 in the heart of Denver’s Stapleton North community. Custom finishes can be found throughout, including hardwood maple flooring, quartz countertops, upgraded lighting, and a luxurious master bathroom with walk-in shower. You’ll like the bright, open floor plan, with its eat-in kitchen, featuring quartz countertops, under-cabinet lighting, gas range, stainless appliances and tile backsplash.

Ten-foot ceilings create a spacious feel. Upstairs is a master suite, two additional bedrooms, a second full bathroom and laundry room.

A 4th bedroom, full bathroom and additional living space are in the basement. You don’t need a showing to appreciate this home. At www.StapletonHome.info you can watch a narrated walk-through with listing broker David Dlugasch, then call him at 303-908-4835 with any questions.

you through his listing in person and never said a word about anything — that’s what it was like!

The two narrated tours were quite good in the detail which the agents shared, but they both shot with their phones in vertical mode and one was quite shaky since it was handheld. Too

bad she wasn’t using the Osmo camera that we use, which has a gimbal, making the picture totally steady.

Over 30 of the 60 listings had Matterport tours, which I found very disappointing. Others were just slide-shows with music, and many were just a collection of still photos or brochures.

Number of Listings & Contracts Remains Low Each week I have been checking the MLS to see how many homes are being listed afresh and how many are going under contract as the Covid-19 stay-athome order remains in place.

In last week’s column I reported that during the 7-day period from Sunday April 5th to Saturday April 11th, a total of 819 homes within 25 miles of downtown Denver were entered on Denver’s MLS, This past week — from Sunday April 12th to Saturday April 18th — that number dropped slightly to 799. Of those, 23 had already been sold privately, compared to 22 the previous week, so there were only 776 new active listings last week. Amazingly, 109 of those went under contract by Saturday, compared to 133 the previous week, despite stricter

enforcement of the “no-showings” guidance from the Division of Real Estate.

Another 25 of those new listings went under contract by Monday noon.

Bottom line? The 50% drop in listings from previous years which we saw last week has become the “new normal” for the current situation in which inperson showings are not allowed until a buyer has signed a contract to buy a home.

This is actually a great time to list your home! The fact that so many buyers are still submitting offers without even seeing a home in person should inspire more sellers to offer their homes for sale. Just be sure you do it with a narrated video tour like we do for all Golden Real Estate listings.

Watch Our Video Tour of This Lakewood Ranch If main-floor living is what you want, this home at 1957 S. Taft Street will suit you perfectly. It is located less than a mile southeast of a Green Mountain trailhead and within walking distance of an elementary and middle $470,000 school. Another trailhead (to a greenbelt) is at the end of the block this home is on! This is a view of the home from the backyard, which features over a dozen lichen-covered boulders, brick planters, a pergola-covered deck outside the master suite, and the included hot tub.

Watch the video tour narrated by Jim Smith at www.LakewoodHome.info, then call him at 303-525-1851 with any questions.

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See All Our Listings, Active & Under Contract, at www.GREListings.com

Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON — 303-929-2727 CARRIE LOVINGIER — 303-907-1278 CHUCK BROWN — 303-885-7855 DAVID DLUGASCH — 303-908-4835 ANDREW LESKO — 720-710-1000 CAROL MILAN — 720-982-4941

4 Lakewood Sentinel

April 23, 2020A

Front Range air cleaner following drop in driving Wildlife appearing more often in urban areas as crowds grow in animals’ habitat

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From the health-care system to the economy, COVID-19 has unleashed extraordinary stress and pain across the Denver metro area. But there’s one aspect of life on the Front Range that experts say has been impacted positively — albeit almost certainly temporarily — by the behavioral changes brought on by the virus: the natural environment.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Division says a preliminary analysis of air quality data shows there have been significant declines in the concentration of several significant pollutants in the air since stay-at-home and social distancing practices started to be widely observed in the Denver area in March.

Those data come from five sites in and around Denver where the Air Pollution Control Division measures those pollutants.

Comparisons of average measurements collected between March 1 and 25 to measurements collected in January and February 2020 and March 2019 found that concentrations of all six pollutants the division measures declined in nearly every instance, with some concentrations declining for as much as 60%.

Levels of nitrous oxide, a pollutant that is emitted from the burning of fuels and contributes to global warming, decreased by at least 11% and as much as 25% from March 2019 and as much as 59% from February, the comparisons show.

The amount of sulfur dioxide, a component of acid rain, also decreased by more than 50% from March 2019 at two measurement locations, although a third in Adams County showed a 6% increase.

But while those decreases suggest the pandemic crisis is having a positive impact on air quality in the metro area, CDPHE Air Pollution Control Di-

The view of central Golden from Lookout Mountain. vision Director Gary Kaufman said in a statement that more data would be needed to draw any long-term conclusions about the overall impact of the response on air quality.

“We have never faced a pandemic like this, and that means tremendous uncertainty in trying to predict (longer range) outcomes from the crisis,” Kaufman said.

Although CDPHE did conduct an analysis of the air quality measures in response to media inquiries, Kaufman said predicting or modeling the longterm air quality impacts of the crisis is “not a current priority” at a time when CDPHE is focused on addressing the health aspects of the crisis.

Kaufman said it is also “too early” to assess the effects of the COVID-19 on ozone, as ozone season does not typically start until June.

But while the positive changes that have resulted from COVID-19 will likely be reversed as people return to normal activities, the American Lung Association says the COVID-19 crisis is serving to illustrate why the government needs to play a bigger role in dealing with air pollution, particularly as some studies suggest air pollution exposure may increase COVID-19 risk.

“The science is really clear that the

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nation needs stronger limits on ozone and particulate pollution to safeguard our health,” said JoAnna Strother, a senior director of advocacy at the American Lung Association.

While city residents may for now be able to breathe a little easier thanks to a decrease in pollution driven by COVID-19, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been monitoring the impact the crisis has been having on Colorado’s wild inhabitants.

Jason Clay, a spokesman for CPW, said heavy visitation to state parks and other popular natural areas seems to be leading some animals to avoid those areas. In contrast, many urban areas that animals typically avoid have become quieter and less heavily trafficked, which is leading some animals to visit or seek shelter in those locations.

Still, Clay said residents should not expect to see widespread changes in animal behavior, particularly if the crisis does not last too long.

“We are not necessarily predicting there is going to be major impacts because of this,” Clay said. “In general, wildlife are slow to adapt to big changes in human behavior.”

But there is one big change that Clay said he is expecting to see during the

A goose stands on the banks of Clear Creek in Golden. Behind the goose is tape restricting the creek to water activities. crisis — a sharp reduction in animal roadkill numbers. Those numbers are tracked by CPW but the organization has not yet released figures for the period since the COVID-19 crisis began.

“With so many fewer cars on the road you definitely expect to see a decrease,” he said. “So, it will definitely be interesting to get a look at those numbers.”

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April 23, 2020

A dozen Jeffco jail deputies test positive for COVID-19 antibodies Total of 20 sheriff’s office employees tested positive during voluntary testing STAFF REPORT

The Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office announced on April 16 that 12 deputies who work in the county jail have tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 antibodies, which indicate they either currently have the virus or have had it in the recent past. Those employees were referred to health care providers for additional testing and have not been working since their presumptive positive tests.

The 12 deputies were among the 250 county public safety employees who have so far participated in voluntary COVID-19 testing the county began offering to public safety personnel earlier this week. A total of 209 Sheriff ’s Office employees had participated in the testing with

approximately 20 testing presumptive positive.

As of the morning of April 16, eight inmates in the county jail were in isolation and eight more were being quarantined related to COVID-19.

The Sheriff ’s Office says none of the employees are in quarantine or isolation due to exposure to an employee who has tested presumptive positive or positive. Rather, the department says all are believed to have been exposed or possibly exposed to COVID-19 outside the facility.

According Sheriff ’s Office Public Affairs Director Jenny Fulton, the Sheriff ’s Office has only tested one inmate for COVID-19. That was early on during the pandemic and the Sheriff ’s Office did not get test results back before the inmate was released from the facility.

Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Officer Michael Taplin has previously said that inmates are tested when they show at least two symptoms associated with

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COVID-19. Fulton said the seventh floor of the jail, which had been closed since the start of the year as a result of county budget cuts until the COVID-19 crisis, continues to be used for isolation and quarantine, when necessary. It is also being used for video court appearances for inmates, as in-court appearances have ceases.

The rapid response test is performed on-site at the Sheriff ’s Office, in a drive-through manner. The test involves a finger prick to draw a small blood sample and provides a result in approximately 10 minutes.

The test is considered 90% accurate, with a presumptive positive meaning the individual has COVID-19 antibodies, indicating he or she has or had the virus.

In accordance with public health guidelines, the Sheriff ’s Office is instructing a 14-day symptom watch for co-workers or inmates who may have come into contact with an employee who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Sheriff ’s Office announced its first deputy who works in the jail had tested positive for COVID-19 back on April 2.

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April 23, 2020A

Answering your questions about COVID-19 in Colorado What are stay-at-home limits? When is peak? Can a person get virus twice?

And more

your travel is essential. There are no checkpoints because of COVID-19.”

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Still have questions about COVID-19? You’re probably not alone.

Just over a month after authorities detected the new coronavirus in Colorado, information about the disease itself — and how Colorado policies are reacting to it — is still evolving and can be tough to follow.

Here is a look at questions about COVID-19 in Colorado, including answers about how the statewide stayat-home order is enforced (hint: you don’t need to provide paperwork to police), whether you can leave your house to take care of a friend, when the pandemic will reach its peak in Colorado and more.

How far can a stay-at-home order go?

It’s unclear, but it appears unlikely that the order could get much more extreme.

Under Colorado law, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has broad authority to close theaters, schools and other public places. The agency also can seek isolation or quarantine of individuals when necessary to protect public health, according to a fact sheet from the office of Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.

The health department’s executive director, Jill Hunsaker Ryan, has not said the state is considering closing more types of businesses or giving people less ability to leave home — nor have other state officials.

The state has been evaluating the success of the order, and “if we need to do something differently around the stay-at-home order, we certainly can,” Ryan told reporters April 6.

But she added: “When we make these decisions in Colorado, the governor takes into account personal freedom and economic consequences and then tries to balance all that in the context of hospital capacity.”

When will the peak occur?

The “peak” is the time when the number of reported COVID-19 cases reaches its highest point.

Data show that Colorado’s social distancing has slowed the spread of COVID-19 and has delayed the peak to some degree.

For a while in March, the number of COVID-19 cases in the state was doubling every 1 1/2 days. As of early April, cases were doubling roughly every six days, according to state officials.

The peak “could be anywhere from May until later in summer, and we hope to narrow that down,” Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, told reporters on April 6. She noted that predictions depend on the level of social distancing the stay-at-home order achieves — in other words,

Left, two N95-type face masks, or respirators, at left. On right, a third respirator, an N100-type mask. The N95 protects against matter such as dust, aerosols and smoke, as well as biological particles, including bacteria, viruses and allergens.

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how well people comply.

Can I take care of a friend?

The statewide stay-at-home order explicitly says Coloradans can leave home to care for family members and pets — and even livestock — in another location. But what about a friend?

The order also allows for taking care of other “vulnerable” people.

During the pandemic, state officials have used that term to mean people more likely to become infected with COVID-19 — people older than 60 or those with serious health conditions.

Young people who have disabilities or other needs may need support, too, said Mike Willis, director of the state Emergency Operations Center.

The word “vulnerable” used in this part of the stay-at-home order isn’t limited to older adults, or people with disabilities or serious health conditions, according to Ian Dickson, a spokesman for the state health department.

And in general, the order allows Coloradans to deliver necessary services or supplies, such as food or other groceries, to others.

What about school resources?

Under the order, Coloradans can still get meals or collect materials for online class from schools or related institutions.

What happens when stay-at-home order ends?

The order is set to expire April 26.

But even if it is lifted on that date, life won’t fully snap back to normal until there are medical advancements regarding the virus, such as a vaccine, Gov. Jared Polis said at an April 8 news conference.

“The guidance around how we do business and live our lives in a safe way, because the COVID-19 virus will still be with us after April 26, will be issued before April 26,” Polis said.

State officials are considering how restaurants can reopen in some way, whether it’s at the end of April or later, Polis said.

Lifting the order likely doesn’t mean going to a crowded concert at the Pepsi Center or going to a crowded bar and dance club anytime soon, Polis told reporters two days later.

Can I get COVID-19 twice?

Based on public health officials’ understanding of other coronaviruses, those who recover from COVID-19 should have immunity, said Ryan, the health department director.

But the full picture is not yet understood, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Patients with MERS-CoV — another coronavirus that causes severe respiratory illness — are unlikely to be re-infected shortly after they recover, but it is not yet known whether similar immune protection will be observed for COVID-19 patients, the CDC’s website says.

Will I get pulled over by police?

Violating Colorado’s statewide stay-at-home order could result in a fine of up to $1,000 and imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year.

But Coloradans likely won’t see law enforcement conduct road checkpoints or pull over drivers or pedestrians to enforce the order.

When asked about such measures, Willis said the state encourages voluntary compliance.

The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which covers Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties, said this in a news release: “Law enforcement and public health officials are tasked with investigating possible violations of the orders, but if they question you, you do not need to provide any paperwork or documentation that

Is testing free?

In March, there was confusion over the actual cost of a COVID-19 test. “Testing is free,” a March 10 state news release said.

The cost of medical visits related to getting tested was a different story.

Now, because of recent federal legislation, people with any kind of private health insurance should have G free access to the COVID-19 test — r along with any doctor visits associ- m ated with getting the test — with no w co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance i charged, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance. e Coloradans should check with w their health-care provider to be sure,h h though.

For Coloradans with Medicare, all of the costs are covered if a doctor h d orders a COVID-19 test, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and n s Medicaid Services. f Under Colorado’s Medicaid program — Health First Colorado w — and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), all the costs of testing and s the doctors’ visits associated with a getting tested are covered, according g to the state Department of Health c Care Policy and Financing.

Uninsured Coloradans should con- r tact that office at 303-866-2993 to ask t about options. To apply for Medicaid o h and Child Health Plan Plus, visit colorado.gov/peak. p o Can I get a test?

The state is working toward mass S testing capability to more accurately m s quarantine individuals “instead of quarantining an entire society,” b T Polis has said.

Such an effort could take weeks or w perhaps months to be ready, he said z m in late March.

In the meantime, the state health o department has reminded residents s a that at-risk individuals — such as hospital patients, health-care work- t e ers and some others — are first in line for scarce testing supplies.

“If you have only mild symptoms, p i self-isolate and don’t wait for a test,” Scott Bookman, incident com- e mander for the department, said in a s G March 30 news release.

b How can I get financial or other help?

The state has put together a web- t v site of resources for food, shelter, rental assistance, unemployment as- t sistance, child care, health care and c more: stayathomeco.colorado.gov/ G get-help-now.

Or call 2-1-1 for help with many of b L these resources. h A How can I get help as a business?

Small business owners in ColoradoW with fewer than 500 employees can o apply for a paycheck protection loan b i to help keep their workforce ems ployed during the pandemic.

Visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website for more d information: www.sba.gov/funding- y programs/loans/coronavirus-relief- s options.

Lakewood Sentinel 7

April 23, 2020

Homelessness in Jeffco during COVID-19 A mixture of bad weather and the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more difficult for the homeless

BY JOSEPH RIOS JRIOS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Life has not been easy for Wayne Graham since he came out to Colorado four years ago. The 60-year-old man came to the state from Georgia with hopes of joining the marijuana industry with his nephew.

But when business with his nephew didn’t go as planned, Graham was forced out of his house because he couldn’t afford to pay rent and has been homeless since.

On Christmas of last year, he says he had a seizure that caused him to dislocate his shoulder and damage a nerve in his back, making it impossible for him to make an income from his profession — painting.

Winter grew colder for Graham when his car, the place where he slept, was impounded three months ago. He does not have the money to get his car back.

With most public places being closed, the combination of the Colorado snow and COVID-19 has made this an especially difficicult time on a vulnerable population — the homeless.

Libraries where many homeless people go for resources or to stay out of the cold weather are closed.

Stores are shutdown, making it even more difficult for the homeless to do something as simple as going to the bathroom or washing their hands.

The Severe Weather Shelter Network, which partners with organizations and agencies in the Denver metro area to provide emergency overnight shelter in cases like snowstorms, has also closed its doors — and the homeless are trying to adapt to a world that wasn’t kind to them even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those that work with the homeless population in Jefferson County say it is a grim time for people experiencing homelessness on the west side of the Denver metro area, like Graham.

“I am not scared of (COVID-19) because of the pain I have been through. I would rather have the virus than this pain I am going through because I have a better chance of getting rid of the virus,” Graham said.

During the week of April 13 snow blanketed Colorado with areas like Lakewood experiencing six and a half inches of snow from April 15 to April 16, according to the National Weather Service website. To stay out of the cold, Graham says he has been riding RTD’s light rail until it is time for him to find a place to sleep.

“Everything being shut down is detrimental — it is killing us. All you can do is sit around outside,” he said.

Still providing for those in need

Robert Watenpaugh hands Marcos Jaramillo a piece of pie. Mean Street Ministry is located in Lakewood and provides resources to PHOTOS BY JOSEPH RIOS the homeless like food, help with finding jobs and more.

On a snowy day last month, Rev. James Fry of Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood found a man on the streets in a wheelchair with an amputated leg, shivering uncontrollably. The man had black spots on his fingertips, Fry said.

“We called the EMT, they show up in hazmat suits and say it’s not serious enough to take him in,” said Fry. He thinks the EMT’s decision was made out of an abundance of caution to not crowd emergency rooms right now. Fry got the man a motel room for the night and has not seen him since.

Before the pandemic, around 70 to 80 people a day were seeing Fry and the rest of Mean Street Ministry for clothing, its food bank, café and its severe weather shelter before it was closed. But now, Fry said the ministry is serving even more people since the pandemic started. And as Mean Street Ministry has still managed to keep offering its food bank and café despite COVID-19, Fry said all shelters are closed except for those in Denver, but a lot of the people he serves are scared of going to big Denver shelters.

“I don’t go to the shelters, I would avoid a place like that at all cost and not just because of the pandemic — because I have seen them before,” said John, a homeless man who asked to keep his last name out of this story as he is trying to find employment.

Mean Street Ministry shares a building with the Denver Street School, but because COVID-19 has forced the school to close, the ministry has moved its café to Denver Street School’s gym. Residents who

Wayne Graham stands outside Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood on April 16.

Graham, who is homeless, said there is nowhere for him to go on cold days as places like libraries are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. use the café sanitize their hands before coming in and are spaced out from each other when they eat at the gym.

“The people we’re working with, they don’t want to get sick either.

I’ve got a bunch of veteran homeless, and they know how to swab the deck and maintain order,” said Fry. As grocery stores have been hit from panic shoppers, Mean Street Ministry’s food bank has had a tougher time getting food, particularly canned goods. The ministry has partnered with other churches like Bridge Church at Bear Creek

who hosted a drive through food drive for Mean Street Ministry on April 14.

But despite the help, Fry said finances are getting tough, and a few donors said they can’t provide assistance in ways they normally would. He said Mean Street Ministry is gaining 16 to 20 clients a day who are looking for food.

“Our navigation system (connecting people to services) is just overwhelmed, (there are) a lot of new homeless,” said Fry. SEE HOMELESS, P8

8 Lakewood Sentinel

April 23, 2020A

HOMELESS FROM PAGE 7

Growing problem Cathy Alderman, a spokesperson for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said the organization doesn’t have data available about how many people have become homeless since the pandemic started, but said it is likely some residents who have their jobs will enter homelessness. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported that the unemployment rate increased two percentage points to 4.5% in the state last month — and that number is expected to rise as more data becomes available from the state.

Kory Kolar, participant experience manager at The Action Center human resources organization in Lakewood, said the Action Center sees a lot of the same homeless people as it did when the organization was open under normal circumstances. Kolar said the biggest difference for the Action Center since the pandemic started has revolved around what services it can provide.

The Action Center is only

Andrew Cunningham, Mean Street Ministry’s food bank manager, stands inside the ministry’s food bank. Cunningham said he has noticed more people utilizing the food bank recently.

JOSEPH RIOS providing food and mail to residents, Kolar says. On snowy days, the organization hands coats out to residents in need, but typically the Action Center has racks of clothes inside its building that residents can

choose from.

“It’s just not the same. It’s less dignified to be handed something rather than getting to shop,” said Kolar. He said on average, the organization is serving twice as many households as it did

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streets, and the world has shut down,” he said. “It must seem so strange and scary to not have anywhere to go.”

Glenn Wallace contributed to this report.

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before COVID-19 and added that the Action Center is now offering services to residents outside of Jefferson County.

“It’s a weird feeling. I can’t imagine what it is like if you’re living on the

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FINALLY, THANKS TO THE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ACTIVELY SUPPORTED THIS YEAR’S ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARDS PROGRAM. AND A SPECIAL THANK-YOU TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA FOR DONATING THE SPACE FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

Lakewood Sentinel 9

April 23, 2020

Lakewood prepares for economic impacts from pandemic The city originally estimated that over $70 million would come in from sales tax this year

BY JOSEPH RIOS JRIOS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Time will tell what kind of impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on Lakewood’s 2020 budget, but the city is taking proactive measures in anticipation of sales tax revenues coming in lower than what was estimated.

Lakewood’s 2020 budget estimated that around $78,621,417 would come into the city this year from sales tax — amounting to around 51% of the city’s revenue. But as restaurants have been limited to takeout services only, businesses being temporarily closed and major economic generators for the city like the Colorado Mills Mall and Belmar being shut down, Lakewood has placed a hiring freeze on nonessential positions and is working on creating an economic recovery task force.

The hiring freeze went into effect on March 30, but the city is assessing how to manage filling positions needed for summer operations like pools, festivals, camps and other programs. The economic recovery task

Brett Zahtre, co-owner of the Old 121 brewery in Lakewood, poses for a photo on April 19. Old 121 is offering to-go and delivery services, and Zahtre said he has seen new customers from neighborhoods near the brewery order beer.

JOSEPH RIOS force will include business owners and leaders from large, medium and small businesses. It will assist in the city’s response to business needs and will provide potential solutions to Lakewood City Council. Once the task force is created, residents and community members will have a chance to provide their ideas online on how to assist businesses.

“While our biggest concern is for the health and safety of our residents, we know that the economic effects of this emergency will be something that the city will have to manage for the coming months. The solutions won’t necessarily be easy or quick, but we are working on this issue every day to ensure that we do all we can to continue to provide the services that residents depend on and need,”

said Lakewood City Manager Kathy Hodgson.

Lakewood’s Budget and Audit Board, made up of residents and city councilmembers like Jacob LaBure, is preparing to meet next month to analyze sales tax receipts as they lag behind the current month. LaBure said the city feels confident that it is in a position to weather through the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the city has around $30 million in reserves and that it is saving money by having around 50 job vacancies. It is estimated by Lakewood’s finance department that the COVID-19 pandemic is costing the city around at least $1 million in sales tax collection per month, LaBure said.

“The question is how bad is it going to get, do we need to do more, do we need to look at other spots to find things, and we have the ability to do that. We put away money every year for economic development and capital improvement projects,” said LaBure.

“There is some flexibility in the budget as long as council is willing to work with (Hodgson) to be as nimble as we can be.”

Staying afloat in Lakewood It has only been a little over a year since the Old 121 brewery opened its doors in Lakewood. And while its co-owner Brett Zahtre declined to provide specific numbers on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the

brewery, he did point to data from the Brewers Association that reflects the mean revenue drop for craft brewers.

According to a survey of breweries from the Brewers Association, which works to promote and protect small and independent American brewers, breweries are experiencing an average sales drop of 65%. The survey covered 525 respondents in 49 states and was conducted from the week of March 30 until April 9.

“We were really excited to be turning the corner 12 months into business,” said Zahtre. Old 121 opened on March 23 of last year.

“Aside from a financial impact, it has been an emotional impact to hit such an important milestone of being in business and to have the rug pulled out from underneath us,” he said.

But it’s not all bad news for Old 121. With Colorado banning dine-in services at restaurants and bars until April 30, Old 121 began offering to-go and delivery services. Zahtre said the brewery has seen new exposure to nearby residents who never went to Old 121 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a business, Zahtre said the brewery doesn’t have an opinion on sales tax in the city.

“We’ll continue to do business, pay our taxes at the local and federal level and stay in business as long as we can through these challenging times,” he said.

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April 23, 2020A

Graduation, college plans not the same for high school seniors Virus has delayed graduation four months, could affect fall start

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Class of 2020 has already seen much of their senior year disrupted, if not outright cancelled. Even now, not much is certain about the future, but Jefferson County Public Schools’ spring graduation ceremonies, district leaders have announced a plan to give students the next best option, tentaStudents Emma Hirshblond, right, and tively rescheduling high school graduMeghan Scaggs, at Lakewood High ations for Aug. 7, 8, 14 and 15.

School’s Senior Sunrise event on the first day of school.

The hope is that by those dates, four COURTESY OF EMMA HIRSHBLOND months away from the district’s April 10 announcement, restrictions on goodbye with them.” group gatherings will no longer be in For Lakewood senior Emma Hirshplace. blond, the rescheduling likely means her grandparents can no longer attend However, even if ceremonies can her graduation, she said. go forward, local seniors agree that On top of that, “the biggest differthe pandemic is bound to bring some ence is going to be the feeling of it,” disappointments that the students she said. “Most of us will have moved previously hadn’t foreseen. on from high school at that point. A lot

By August, “I know that some of of us are already going to be looking my friends will be in boot camp (basic into the future more than we would training) by then and some will be have been.” rushing around to leave for college,” Even so, as the two students look to said senior Ciara O’Neill, Lakewood the August reunion with their classHigh School’s student body president. mates, “I think it will mean so much “The thought of them not getting to Towne 1065 N Ford.pdf 1 to 4/16/20 12:18 PM after having to be apart for more to us have thatOlde final experience is adding so long,” O’Neill said. the sadness that I won’t get that final

In addition to rescheduling their graduations, schools have been working with their student governments to determine which senior year events can somehow continue.

At Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, students have found ways to ensure a number of traditions go on, such as by holding a virtual senior countdown and scheduling their senior class picnic for later in the summer.

The school is also planning to provide guides for students on how they can host their own “mini proms” online, and potentially ask students to send in photos of themselves in their prom dresses for a virtual fashion show, said Jenny Braketa, math teacher and student government sponsor.

“This class has shown a lot of resilience. They’ve overcome some difficult situations and they’re trying to make the best out of just a weird situation,” she said. “I haven’t found them feeling sorry for themselves. I’ve found them just owning it.”

At Lakewood High, some events like the senior picnic could also potentially still happen, with Hirshblond highlighting the district and administrators for ensuring students’ senior year will be as special as possible.

“Jefferson County is doing a really good job of making sure students’ needs are met,” she said.

What’s next The rescheduled events and graduations don’t mark the end of the uncer-

tainty for the class of 2020. For many of them, the pandemic has already affected some of their college plans.

“My college has already canceled inperson orientation, which is definitely going to be tricky,” said Hirshblond, who will attend the University of Washington in the fall. “And every senior in the US is going through the same things I am.”

Reinke, who plans to attend Colorado State University next year, said her freshman orientation sessions have also been moved online.

Additionally, “if my first semester of college was online, I would consider taking a gap year,” she said. “I want to get the full experience and I don’t want to have to do another year of online school.”

As for O’Neill, who was in the process of deciding whether to attend a local community college or the University of Colorado Boulder when the pandemic began, she said the virus’s continued effects have made her more likely to attend a community college, at least for next year.

Even so, amid all of the scheduling and logistical changes that other classes haven’t faced, the class of 2020 has also grown in ways the seniors believe will carry into the future.

“I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this has shown me about high school. I feel content that I made the best of my senior year leading up to this, and I’m still going to finish off the year and graduate,” Reinke said. “I think the good has outweighed the bad.”

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Standards address ‘unknown variables’ that could prevent students from engaging STAFF REPORT

On April 13, Jeffco Public Schools informed families that in response to COVID-19 and the need to transition to remote learning and instruction, grading will look different this semester for students in all grade levels.

“In a remote learning environment, there are many unknown variables that can contribute to students’ ability or inability to engage,” said the district statement, prompting Jeffco to change its grading approach.

For high school and middle school students, grades will be determined based on several factors.

“As long as students continue to participate,” students’ grades cannot drop lower than the grade they received in the most recently completed grading period, the statement said. That period may be a semester, trimester or quarter, depending on the school.

Individual schools determine what measures show a student is participating in remote learning.

“Definitions of participation should include demonstrating progress towards mastery of content standards,” the statement said.

While participating students’ grades cannot drop, students can raise their grades by completing assignments throughout the remainder of the school year.

In high schools, students can also choose to accept a credit or no credit indicator on their transcript instead of a traditional grade, though the option may not be available for some concurrent or dual enrollment classes.

In elementary schools, “for the duration of the third trimester, students and teachers have exclusively engaged in remote learning,” the statement said. “Because of this shift, grading for the remainder of this academic year will focus on more qualitative feedback from teachers,” including comments on whether a student has met expectations and can advance to the next grade in the fall.

Charter and innovation schools will determine and communicate their own grading policies, the statement said.

Lakewood Sentinel 11

April 23, 2020

ORDER FROM PAGE 3

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to big nightclubs, but you shop for clothes, get a haircut,” Polis said. Businesses such as salons, tattoo parlors, dog grooming and personal training will open with precautions.

Other changes include: • Office workplaces the state had deemed noncritical can return to work May 4 at 50% capacity. Large workplaces are advised to use temperature and symptom checks.

Working from home still “needs to be maximized,” and Polis encouraged staggering shifts to keep distance between workers.

• “Elective” medical and dental services — those that that are not urgent — will be allowed with precautions.

• Higher education and K-12 schools will remain closed. It’s unclear if that would apply in the fall. The governor’s office could not immediately respond to a question about that timeline.

• Real estate showings can begin, but no open houses.

• Child care will be open with precautions.

Coloradans are asked to avoid “unnecessary social interactions,” according to the presentation.

Eagle County has seen a “susEventually, a third social distanctained decrease for the last 14 days” ing phase — dubbed “protect our and has shown its testing capabilineighbors” — would see people ties and preparedness to contain the socialize more normally with “sigvirus, according to Polis. nificant precautions” and protecLocal public health agencies may tions for vulnerable populations.

That will occur when the capacity to apply for relief from the stay-athome order to more effectively meet better test for COVID-19 and monilocal conditions, according to the tor its spread will work “at scale,” order’s text. the presentation The governor’s said. enthusiasm apBut “that’s a peared to enlong way off,” courage moves Polis said. for local control Fluctuation begoing forward, tween the three and the presentalevels — the first tion announced a was the stay-atprocess for local home order — governments to may be needed modify the state’s to recover from new guidelines outbreaks, acJared Polis, based on local cording to the presentation. govenor of Colorado on conditions.

“There should Polis has said a what citizens can do not be, in a big stay-at-home order may need to once order is lifted diverse state, one statewide apbe issued again proach. We knew if the virus’s the situation spread is dire would be different in Otero County, enough. in Pitkin County” and so on, Polis said.

Rollback may vary across state That means county officials could Polis announced the state has its implement measures locally to first application from a county to address a COVID-19 outbreak at a lift the state’s stay at home order losingle facility, or issue a temporary cally, a few days before it would end stay-at-home order for a neighborstatewide.

‘It doesn’t mean we’re going to big nightclubs, but you shop for clothes, get a haircut.’

hood or area with an outbreak, Polis said.

Mass testing not yet reached State officials in recent weeks have noted the importance of increased testing as social distancing restrictions roll back, to keep the virus’s spread controlled.

And while there was never a clear timeline for Polis’ goal of mass testing, it appears Colorado won’t achieve widespread statewide testing before the stay-at-home order ends.

Polis said the state continues its work to increase testing capacity and noted the state is seeing 10 times as much testing as around when the pandemic began in Colorado.

“But even if you had all that (mass) testing, you wouldn’t have the ability to follow up from a quarantine perspective” on most people, and social distancing would still be necessary, Polis said.

Another shortcoming of testing is that a large portion of those with COVID-19 don’t show symptoms, the governor added.

“No one anywhere is even close to testing (all) asymptomatic people,” Polis said.

Colorado is dealing with testing supply shortages, like other places across the country, according to Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist.

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12 Lakewood Sentinel

ALCHEMY

Andrea Doray

LOCAL

April 23, 2020A

VOICES

O

Observing Earth Day amid a pandemic

n April 22, 1970, a group of people came together to create Earth Day, what is now the planet’s largest civic affair. Fifty years later, the crisis many of these forward-thinking activists feared is upon us.

Climate change in wreaking havoc for our planet, including the heightened chance of extreme weather events no country, region, or continent has escaped. Carbon emissions have reached an all-time high. Industries that had been moving toward the preservation of clean air, clean water, wildlife and wilderness are now allowed to look the other way when the science shows the damage.

Observing Earth Day amid the coronavirus pandemic is not without its paradoxes. For

example, at the moment, air pollution from cars and industry is at its lowest levels in years along Colorado’s Front Range … most residents are observing stay-at-home guidelines.

And have you seen of the photos out of India and China and other locales that live daily with nightmarish pollution? Go to the Internet this minute and look for side-by-side photos from various locations in India … they are absolutely stunning. One of the captions mentions that, now that the smog has cleared, residents are seeing the Himalayan mountains to the north in Nepal and Tibet for first time in their lives.

I spent three weeks in Nepal in late 2013.

Pollution from the clogged traffic in Kath-

mandu – cars, trucks, tourist buses, scooters … lots of scooters – was visible on the streets, and it seared my lungs. But the mountains were crystalline, the visibility unlimited to the horizon, and the breathing was wonderful (unless, of course, I was struggling on a trek carrying a pack, at altitude).

This phenomenon reminded me of Denver’s infamous weather inversions and the “brown cloud” they bring with them, trapping pollution against the foothills. Much like Nepal, we here in Colorado can escape to the mountains and their more pristine environments, but wouldn’t it be great if part of the “new normal” didn’t include a relapse SEE DORAY, P13

Make sure your new routine is a good one

B LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Fisher my pick I would like to strongly endorse Bill Fisher for City Council in Ward 4. I have known Bill for many years back to the day he first served on City Council. He has extensive experience as a successful business man, entrepreneur and business owner as well as a City Council member. He also is a trained nurse who understands the delivery of health care services at the grass roots level. We live in challenging times right now and hard earned experience is critical for anyone who aspires to public office. Bill would hit the ground running because of his experience and we re-

A publication of

ally need that right now. Bill is very passionate about Golden, its values and its unique heritage. He knows better than anyone how to balance the need for some level of growth while at the same time preserving those things that make Golden such a special place to live. His experience as a business man, managing cash flow and competing priorities are a big asset at a time when town’s tax base is under pressure due to the shut down of the private sector which is the source of revenue to pay for all the services that Golden provides it’s citizen’s.

SEE LETTERS, P13

JERRY HEALEY President

MINDY NELON Marketing Consultant

jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com

mnelon@coloradocommunitymedia.com

GLENN WALLACE Editor gwallace@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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ack before quarantine, about 400 years ago, a normal day looked a little bit like this: I would get up, get ready, make a cup of very weak, welldisguised coffee and take my son to school. From there, I would go to my first school, set up chairs, check emails, make photo copies or do whatever printing job I needed to do, and then teach.

Forty minutes later, HITTING I clean up chairs, HOME gather my stuff, and get in my car to drive to the next school. On my way to the next school, typically, I have a few sips of water and eat a small, healthy snack. Then I get to the next school, set up, teach, tear down, drive, Michael Alcorn drink, snack. And then I would repeat the whole thing one more time. Sometimes, that third school is the last one before lunch, so then I would eat lunch.

And then go to the last school.

It took me several years to built this good habit, the one where I drink water and eat a small, healthy snack. See, if I allow myself to get even a little bit hungry as the day is going on, I tend to get headaches —

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something about blood sugar. And if I don’t drink water, I tend to… get thirsty. Plus, water is really good for you.

So, my old normal helped me stay hydrated and helped me avoid entirely predictable headaches. You know what I’ve had a lot of the last four weeks? Dry mouth and several headaches.

I noticed something else last week, when I put on my fitbit for the first time since January: I don’t get in my steps right now. I used to never have a problem getting in my steps — my fellow teachers understand — and now, I’m nowhere close. Sitting at my desk all day working with students over the computer has ruined that good habit, as well.

And it’s not just me. Once the novelty of this whole episode started to wear off, and we all settled into new routines, some of the old habits were no longer tenable. Hard to make a lunchtime trip down to the company gym when you’re not in the same building as the company gym; hard to make a deliberate effort to walk up a few flights of stairs to get to the break room when you live in a ranch style home.

For me, as dumb as it sounds (or, more precisely, as dumb as I sound), simply remembering to eat

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SEE ALCORN, P13

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Lakewood Sentinel 13

April 23, 2020

DORAY FROM PAGE 12

into lung-slugging smog?

I’ve written before in this space about Earth Day. Fifty years ago, more than 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums in massive coast-to-coast rallies to demonstrate for a healthy sustainable environment. In 1990, Earth Day went

LETTERS FROM PAGE 12

Lastly, with children of his own, he is a passionate believer in education and our local school system.

Malcolm Aylett, Lakewood Endorsing Bill I commend both Bill Fisher and Stacy Fowler for their visions for Golden and their dedication to the community. After reflecting on their positions and experience, I am pleased to endorse Bill Fisher for Ward 4 City Councilor.

I have been highly impressed with Bill Fisher’s deep experience and smart leadership skills. I especially appreciate his approach to mitigating and controlling the growing impacts of traffic, development, and visitor pressures on our sought after small town. I believe he will tackle these challenges in a thoughtful and forceful way, ensuring that current residents can afford to continue to live in Golden, while also supporting working professionals.

Bill has demonstrated a commitment to a more proactive, effective, and equal relationship with the School of Mines. He has the vision and experience needed for the city and the community to prevent negative impacts from further Mines development while allowing us to benefit from the cultural diversity,

ALCORN FROM PAGE 12

and drink a little as the morning is going along is not in my habit zone, because I’m not even getting into my car right now.

But that’s no longer a viable excuse, and I know it. This is our reality, for the foreseeable future. So it’s time to make a deliberate effort to build back up some of those good habits.

You know what the worst part of building new habits is? You have to think about it. You have to be intentional and deliberate. And good habits take time to build — they’re not like bad habits, which seem to form almost instantly. Good habits require effort, patience and persistence.

But it’s doable. We got this. Set your watch alarm, everybody, and get out of your chair at a set time

global, engaging 200 million people in the 141 countries, setting the stage for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable. For its 50th anniversary, Earth Day Network notes that the enormous challenges – but also the vast opportunities – of acting on climate change are the most pressing topics.

One of the intriguing aspects of Earth Day Network’s observation is their year-round call for daily action … encouraging people to vote, speaking up as advocates for the planet and the people, and staying engaged with the science.

The official focus for Earth Day 2020 is Climate Action. So maybe, just maybe, as we begin to emerge from this devastating coronavirus crisis, we can use what we learn about community and connection and commit-

ment, and refocus our attention on, literally, saving the planet. We can continue to nurture our remarkable relationships with nature and with each other.

And who wouldn’t want that?

recreational, and educational amenities that Mines offers.

Finally, Bill has the expertise we need in tackling the daunting challenges of recovery from the economic, health, and social impacts of COVID-19. Bill’s past experience on the Golden City Council, with the Golden Urban Renewal Authority, and as a public health professional will bring vital assets in achieving a robust recovery and in supporting those in need.

I hope that you will join me in supporting Bill Fisher for Ward 4 City Councilor.

Ron Benioff, Golden

Ward 4. I’ve known Bill for most of the 12 years we have lived in Golden and I believe he is a family man who is concerned with the future and the quality of life in Golden.

Bill is a nurse and his knowledge and understanding of the health care field are always important, never more than now. He is also a former City Council member of Golden and I have bumped in to Bill at various political candidate gatherings and public forums – he is someone interested

in and familiar with the political system and I believe that experience is valuable.

I believe Bill is a listener and that he understands and is sensitive to the issues of residents of Golden.

As someone who loves this town and wants to see its beauty and character preserved, I am supporting Bill Fisher and I encourage you to do so, too.

Andi Pearson, Golden

My choice for Golden Bill Fisher will serve Golden well as Ward 4 City Councilor.

Bill has already served on City Council (2008-2011), and proved to be an effective and energetic councilor.

Bill has a strong vision for our community, and will work tirelessly to make things happen. He knows how to work with council and staff and that cannot be taken lightly.

If you want your Ward 4 City Councilor to hit the ground running, have a vision for our community, and listen to his constituents, Bill is your councilor. A vote for Bill is a vote for Golden!

Mat Burde, Golden Fisher the one to angle for I am writing this letter in support of Bill Fisher as Councilperson for

every day; walk to another room (or, better yet, outside) and spend 10 minutes breathing and doing light stretching. Eat a healthy snack, and grab a bottle of water. Then get back at it. You’ll feel better, you’ll work better, and you’ll emerge from quarantine sane.

Oh, and if you didn’t see the Thunderbirds on Saturday, you missed an awesome display. The might of the U.S. military brought to bear to thank our critical personnel. Hats off to the U.S. Air Force for that one! Now, go outside and scream — make your voices match the pitch of the F-16s. Much love to our critical personnel!

Michael Alcorn is a teacher and writer who lives in Arvada with his wife and three children. His new novel, “Charon’s Blade,” is available at Amazon.com, on Kindle, or through MichaelJAlcorn.com.” His opinions are not necessarily those of Colorado Community Media.

Andrea Doray is a writer who believes the words of Henrik Tikkanen: “Because we don’t think of future generations, they will never forget us.”

Contact Andrea at a.doray@andreadoray.com.

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14 Lakewood Sentinel

LOCAL

April 23, 2020A

LIFE

Lakewood reopens Fox Hollow and Homestead golf courses

W

the pandemic hit, the group has canceled its weekly group runs, staying in touch over social media instead.

Thornton resident Veronica Reish said that while she used to complete longer training runs while her father biked beside her, she since has transitioned to running alone.

But even despite a commitment to running without training partners, social distancing can prove difficult along the Denver area’s crowded trail system, the runners said.

“I’ve done a couple of very early morning runs, but I’m trying to not go out because there are more people on the trails,” Reish said. “I’ve had to step back a little bit and do a lot more running on the treadmill at home.”

Others, like Rich Airey, a Denver resident and running coach, have turned to running on the streets to avoid crowded parks and trails.

“There’s hardly any traffic. I’m trying to run every street (in the city),” Airey said. “I started off with a square-mile perimeter of my house and I’m going from there. I check off the streets as I go.”

Another common challenge for local runners has been figuring out exactly how much to run, as they balance unusual amounts of free time with the fact that races won’t resume until the fall.

As a coach, Airey said he has seen two common trends among Colorado runners.

ith playgrounds and parks all over the metro area closed down to stop the spread of COVID-19, options for people to safely get some outdoor time have become limited. But on April 18 the City of Lakewood provided a muchneeded option with the reopening of Fox Hollow and Homestead Golf Courses.

“Early on we were being inundated with people on the COMING trying ATTRACTIONS grounds to get exercise, so we thought if we’re going to be crowded anyway, they might as well have a golf bag on their shoulder,” said Craig Parzybok, head golf pro at the courses. “We Clarke Reader went back and forth on opening, and there was a lot of uncertainty. We certainly don’t want to be irresponsible, but we received the okay as long as we don’t encourage people to be too close together.”

Fox Hollow, 13410 W. Morrison Road, and Homestead, 11500 W. Hampden Ave., were closed on March 22, but now that they are reopened, staff have implemented a number of guidelines and measures to keep both golfers and staff as safe as possible.

Firstly, all tee times must be made in advance (up to four days prior) by phone and pre-paid by credit card at the time of reservation.

Walk-ups are not allowed, and the driving range and other practice areas will remain closed for the time being.

Carts (both motorized and walking) will not be available to rent, and the courses are going to put in extra effort to ensure players are maintaining the requisite 6-foot social distancing requirements during their time on the links.

“I think we’re going to be helicopter golf pros for a while at first, to make sure people are staying away from each other,” Parzybok said.

SEE RACE, P15

SEE READER, P15

Barb Hurtt, who lives in unincorporated Jefferson County, runs along Golden’s Clear Creek Trail. Hurtt has been a runner for about 25 years and has run about half a dozen previous marathons, with plans to run the Boston Marathon this year, postponed until Sept. 14.

CASEY VAN DIVIER

Local runners navigate postponements, crowded trails amid COVID-19

I

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

n March, Lakewood High School cross-country and track coach Bryn Smetana was four months into training for her first Boston Marathon. She was following a training schedule planned out to the day and the mile, preparing for a race about a month away, when an announcement threw a wrench into her plans: Following the lead of numerous athletic events worldwide, the marathon would be postponed for five months.

“I was doing my longest runs and running every day, and now I have to in a sense start over,” Smetana said.

“I recreated my entire plan.”

With the marathon rescheduled from April 20 to Sept. 14, Smetana’s focus has shifted from pushing herself to the limit to simply maintaining her fitness levels. And among fellow Colorado runners also waiting out the five-month marathon delay and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many have taken the same approach.

The Boston Marathon brings more than 30,000 runners from across the world to Boston each spring. This

LOCAL RUN CLUBS When social distancing restrictions are lifted, area runners can get together with any one of the many running clubs spanning the metro area. Groups include: Arvada Runners: facebook.com/groups/ arvadarunners Belmar Running Club: facebook.com/ BelmarRunningClub Castle Rock Run Club: strava.com/ clubs/211712 Colorado Masters Running/Racewalking Association: comastersrun.org Denver Trail Runners: denvertrailrunners.com Highlands Ranch Running Club: highlandsranchrunningclub.org Mile High Runners: www.milehighrunners.com Rocky Mountain Road Runners: rmrr.org year, more than 300 individuals from the Denver area have plans to run the race, with entrants making a series of unexpected adjustments to ensure they can stay committed to an event that is now months away — and stay fit in a time when training requires more precautions than ever before.

Those precautions span the physical, such as learning to run with a mask on, to the social, as distancing guidelines require residents to stay at least six feet apart.

Focus on safety Arvada resident Brad Lindeberg said he often has run with groups like the Arvada Runners club, but since

Lakewood Sentinel 15

April 23, 2020

RACE

Aiming to raise money for Children’s Hospital Colorado through the race, she acknowledged the virus could have a negative impact on fund-

raising. “Especially with people being out of work, people are more focused on their day-to-day, instead of donations,” she said.

That said, “I hope through the summer, I’ll possibly be able to raise more,” she said.

Barb Hurtt, a University of Denver teaching assistant professor who lives in unincorporated Jefferson County, added that for runners who actually have more work during the pandemic, instead of more free time, the postponement has been a somewhat welcome break.

“My work obligations increased about 50%, so it’s kind of been a blessing that I’ve had less demand on my training,” she said. “And I’ll enjoy being able to train over the summer, in nicer weather — I can’t tell you how many days I spent on the treadmill in February.”

Many of the runners said they remain unsure whether the race will actually go forward as scheduled in September, or if the virus’s impacts will prompt the Boston Athletic Association to postpone the race again.

But if all goes as planned, Airey, Hurtt, Lindeberg, Reish, Skokos and Smetana all still plan to represent Colorado at the race later this year, with hopes that the changes could, ultimately, even improve their times Sept. 14.

“This has helped me strengthen my runs. It’s something I look forward to every day,” Smetana said. “I’m just grateful I’m still able to get fresh air.”

Call Fox Hollow at 303-986-7888 or Homestead at 720-963-5181 to make a reservation, or visit www.lakewood. org/Government/Departments/Community-Resources/Lakewood-Golf.

Support the Colorado Chautauqua and learn something new The Colorado Chautauqua is one of the state’s most beautiful concert, cultural and historical venues, and like many similar locations, it is facing some seriously trying times during the pandemic. As a result, the organization had to make staff cuts to deal with financial shoratges.

Despite the grim reality, the Chautauqua is still educating people. In the community events section of its website there are gardening tips from the Chautauqua’s horticulturist, historic recipes from its cookbook, activities for children and even zoom backgrounds.

To keep the history of this beautiful site alive, visit www.chautauqua. com to contribute to the Chautauqua

COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week - Pickathon presents A Concert A Day for MusiCares While we all wait to see some of our favorite musicians perform live with our friends, the Pickathon festival in Oregon is bringing some of its best performances to your home.

Every day at 1 p.m. through June 3, the festival is releasing one of its favorite performances, totaling 60 concerts. Artists like Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, underground hip-hop stalwarts People Under the Stairs and many others will be showcased during the series’ tenure. Viewers can donate money, which goes directly to the Recording Academy’s GRAMMYs’ MusiCares initiative, to help musicians pay for health care.

To get a taste of the Pickathon experience and help out struggling musicians, visit www.pickathon.com.

Streaming style - ‘Brockmire’ Hank Azaria has been a constant in

most of our lives because of the range and power of his voice. His work on “The Simpsons” for the past 30 years is timeless, but IFC’s “Brockmire,” allows Azaria to stretch some different muscles.

Azaria plays Jim Brockmire, a Major League Baseball announcer who has a public meltdown and then tries to reclaim his job and the sport he loves. The main cast is rounded out by the always stellar Amanda Peet and Tyler Jackson Williams, and while they are fantastic in their roles, this is truly Azaria’s show.

Anyone who is missing baseball or is looking for seriously gut-busting laughs should catch new episodes in the fourth and final season airing on Wednesday nights, and previous episodes can be streamed on-demand and on Hulu.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

FROM PAGE 14

“Either people are completely losing all of their motivation and doing nothing, or they’re thinking, ‘I need to take advantage of this and do more,’” he said. “My advice would be just to continue what you’ve been doing and, if anything, do a little bit less.”

Lindeberg agreed, saying members of the running community have been encouraging one another not to push themselves too hard.

“When you train really hard, you compromise your immune system.

Now, it’s more of a focus on running for enjoyment and not doing as many miles,” he said. “We’ve collectively said, let’s just get our base mileage in and be ready to race when races start happening again.”

A positive spin For some, the rescheduling has come with silver linings. Littleton runner Callie Skokos, for instance, had plans to run the Boston Marathon April 20 and the London Marathon April 26. With both rescheduled, for Sept. 14 and Oct. 4 respectively, she’ll now have a longer turnaround between the two races, she said.

READER FROM PAGE 14

“We’re hoping people will get creative with their celebrations, since they shouldn’t be doing things like high fives.”

High-frequency touch points like bathrooms and door handles will be disinfected regularly and bunker rakes, water stations, ball cleaners and benches have been removed from the courses as well. Clubhouses will only be open for bathrooms use and to place and pick-up take out orders from the restaurant. Once the game is over, golfers should promptly head home.

“I think reopening is a good sign, as long as people can adhere to the rules in place,” Parzybok said. “We’re trying to walk that tightrope of being responsible stewards of the property, because the longer this goes on, the more people will need to get out.”

Lakewood High teacher and cross-country coach Bryn Smetana runs a trail in Littleton, wearing a cloth face covering as directed by the CDC. COURTESY OF BRYN SMETANA

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Thank you

To all the Medical Staff, Teachers, Essential Workers, Our Communities, Volunteers and Local Businesses.

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16 Lakewood Sentinel

April 23, 2020A

Renters struggling as COVID-19 pandemic drags on Despite temporary halt on evictions, tenants face hardship, uncertainty

ness of strangers.

“It’s nerve-racking,” she said. “I have a baby now. I never want to be homeless again, but I know it can happen. I hope we figure this out.”

BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Anna Alling-Rafferty spent her pregnancy in a homeless shelter.

With the help of a housing assistance group, she, her husband David and their daughter Remi, now six months old, landed a two-bedroom apartment in Aurora. They moved in on March 17, as efforts to contain COVID-19 reached a fever pitch.

Alling-Rafferty, 25, found herself stuck: Her new full-time job at a pawn shop meant she no longer qualified for government assistance, but her hours were cut amid the pandemic, and stockpiling food to endure cascading shutdowns left her broke.

Short on rent and baby formula, she turned to the internet for help. She appealed to the Facebook group “Help Needed in Denver Metro COVID-19,” and the floodgates opened.

“We got food, cans of formula, even furniture,” Alling-Rafferty said.

“Someone left a box of diapers outside our door. Most importantly, someone donated enough money to cover rent.

I spent so long being looked down on when I was homeless, and here I got nothing but kindness and support.”

Anna Alling-Rafferty said she’s hoping to work out a deal with her landlord after the pandemic left her short on cash.

Thousands of Colorado renters will likely face hardships in coming months.

COURTESY PHOTO

Now, with another month of rent looming, she’s caught again: Waiting on a stimulus check that hasn’t arrived, and trying to hash out a possible rent deferment with her property management agency, but worried that deferring rent will only increase her burden in coming months. If all else fails, she may turn back to the kind-

‘I’ve never seen a moment like this’ As unemployment spikes to levels not seen in decades, Alling-Rafferty is one of perhaps thousands of people statewide who will face hardships paying rent in coming months, housing advocates say.

“It’s pretty dire,” said Zach Neumann, a Denver-based tenants’ rights attorney who founded the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, a network to help tenants navigate the pandemic.

“I’ve never seen a moment like this.”

Officials in many cities and counties have declared short-term moratoria on eviction proceedings, and the federal government has temporarily halted eviction proceedings on tenants in homes with federally-backed mortgages, but Neumann said many landlords are still placing demands for payment on tenants’ doors.

“We’re anticipating a massive wave of eviction proceedings entering the court process once the moratoria are lifted,” Neumann said. A study Neumann conducted with university researchers suggests nearly half a million Coloradans could face eviction in coming months. About a third of Colorado residents are renters, according to state data.

Federal stimulus checks and unem-

ployment insurance will likely ease the burden, Neumann said, but many tenants still haven’t received that money with the May rent date fast approaching. Rent deferments and late fees mean many tenants will see their payments spike.

The pain stretches across the system, Neumann said. With many tenants unable to pay, many landlords are in danger of being unable to pay their mortgages. Though landlords with federally-backed mortgages can defer their payments, that only applies to about a third of mortgages.

Though many activists are calling for a widespread rent and mortgage freeze -- Denver City Council unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution in support of the idea in mid-April -- Neumann said he’s not sure that’s legally feasible, a position shared by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who said he doesn’t have the authority to effectively suspend private contracts.

A longer-term statewide or national eviction moratorium to supersede the current patchwork would go a long way, Neumann said.

“It would buy tenants and landlords time, and alleviate the anxiety tenants are feeling,” he said.

‘Everyone wins when people stay in their homes’ It’s in the best interest of landlords SEE RENT, P17

Lakewood Sentinel 17

April 23, 2020

Lakewood’s Earth Day Celebration goes virtual Residents streamed the celebration on April 18

BY JOSEPH RIOS JRIOS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The city of Lakewood has steadily seen its annual Earth Day Celebration get bigger and bigger every year, says Lakewood Sustainability Manager Jonathan Wachtel.

Last year, the city watched around 2,200 people flood Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park for the event to learn about ways they can live more sustainable, to enjoy live music, to eat and drink and to connect with neighbors.

And while the coronavirus (COVID-19) forced this year’s in-person celebration to be canceled, Lakewood was not entirely ready to give up on the event.

Lakewood took its Earth Day Celebration to the internet by hosting a livestream of the event on April 18.

The event is organized each year by a committee of city employees, most of whom are volunteers that are committed to striving toward a sustainable Lakewood, Wachtel said.

“Having to cancel (the Earth Day Celebration) was a disappointing reality. The committee started brainstorming ways we can create a virtual event that can both support organizations and partners that were going to be providing content and participat-

RENT FROM PAGE 16

and tenants for people to stay in their homes, said Michelle Lyng, spokesperson for the Colorado Apartment Association, a trade association representing 75% of the state’s rental housing owners.

The association has been lobbying at the federal level for mortgage deferment programs, Lyng said, but said that’s not a panacea. For many landlords, the mortgage covers less than half their costs, with the rest going toward maintenance, payroll and utilities. Landlords make a 9% profit margin on average, she said.

A COVID-19 task force convened by the association issued recommendations to property owners, including forgoing late fees. The task force is also recommending tenants in dire straits reach out to charitable organizations for rent assistance.

“The first step for tenants is to have a frank conversation with your housing provider,” Lyng said. “It’s an awkward conversation, but you’re not alone. Nobody wants empty units, and everyone wins when people stay in their homes.”

Knowing what to ask for Meanwhile, charitable organizations, especially those offering rent assistance, are seeing demand on limited resources explode.

Devin Jaffe of Nature’s Educators shows off an owl during Lakewood’s Earth Day Celebration. The city showcased its annual event virtually as event organizers said they still wanted to find a way to host the celebration despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

SCREENSHOT BY JOSEPH RIOS ing in the event and at the same time, create a positive community opportunity to connect with one another,” he said. “It seemed like we had enough time to pull it all together and transition to a virtual event.”

While the event was only two hours long as opposed to the traditional all-day celebration, its schedule was packed with live music, art projects that can be done at home, tips on maintaining a sustainable lifestyle during the pandemic, a bike helmet fitting demonstration, ways to help the human-services organization Ac-

Daily call volume has more than tripled at Mile High United Way’s 211 call center, a clearinghouse that connects people in need to aid agencies.

“In normal circumstances, rent resources are available at the beginning of the month and run out pretty quickly,” said Fermin Avila, who runs the 211 call center. “That was preCOVID. Are we on stable footing? Not really. Things are shifting frequently.

As resources are exhausted, we keep searching for what else is out there.”

With rental assistance funds a finite resource, Avila said the call center’s “resource navigators” help callers find what he calls the “silent need” -- other ways to help the caller hadn’t thought of.

“How about utility assistance? Food assistance? Help looking for a job?”

Avila said. “If we can ease the burden in other parts of their lives, they can free up money toward rent. Everyone needs help sometimes, but they might now know what to ask for.”

‘The solutions aren’t working’ For some tenants, relying on charitable organizations and government assistance doesn’t cut it.

“Putting the onus on aid groups is saying it’s up to poor people to help poor people,” said Desiree Kane, one of the founders of “Colorado Rent Strike and Eviction Defense,” a Facebook group focused on mutual aid for tenants during the pandemic, now topping 4,000 members. “The state’s unemployment system is terribly backed

tion Center with COVID-19 response efforts and plenty more.

Some Lakewood residents got to participate in the event like Emily Post who spoke about her zero-waste lifestyle. Post said her family of five has saved around $2,000 a year by going zero-waste.

“One of the biggest tips I tell people is to take things slowly and to not try to switch everything all at once,” Post said. “I thought (the Earth Day Celebration) was really cool. (The city) had such a short amount of time, and they still pulled (the celebration) off.”

Lakewood Sustainability Planner Alyssa Vogan said the city still wanted to celebrate Earth Day despite stresses the pandemic has caused and pointed to some good that has happened to the environment since the state’s stay-athome order was imposed.

Satellite images showed less air pollution in Denver toward the end of March, 9News reported, as Colorado has been under a stay-at-home order since March 26. That order is scheduled to end on April 26.

“This pause has shown that our Earth is resilient, but now is a great time to educate ourselves (on sustainability),” Vogan said.

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 when millions of people across the United States gathered to rally for a healthier, more sustainable planet in response to an increased awareness of land and water pollution.

Earth Day fell on April 22 this year.

up. These solutions aren’t working the way they’re supposed to.”

Kane said despite eviction moratoria, the group is filling with people sharing angry letters from landlords, many threatening to throw tenants out for nonpayment.

The housing crisis is also exposing racial inequity, Kane said — much like people of color are disproportionately the victims of COVID-19, black, Latino and indigenous people are an outsize number of people facing housing insecurity.

“We’re trying to get people to come together over this,” Kane said.

“Ultimately, small-time landlords aren’t our enemies — it’s the banks we bailed out in 2008. That’s why it’s important that we’re calling for a fullscale rent and mortgage freeze.”

Kane doesn’t buy Polis’ argument that he lacks the power to freeze rents.

“It’s the only equitable answer,” Kane said. “This is only going to get worse. The economy isn’t going to magically get back on track in May.” In the meantime, back in Anna Alling-Rafferty’s Aurora apartment, the young mom is doing what she can to stay in her home.

“I hope this entire situation makes people realize our economic situation wasn’t as stable as we said, even before the virus,” Alling-Rafferty said.

“Let’s stay focused on helping each other, and keep building the connections we’re making now. Let’s focus less on ourselves, and ask each other, ‘Are you OK?’ ”

VOTING EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2020

2020 BEST OF THE

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18 Lakewood Sentinel

April 23, 2020A

Area leaders urge census participation Effort to get accurate count is forced to adapt amid pandemic ripple effects

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As Jefferson County Commissioner Casey Tighe watched people stay at home and socially distance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he couldn’t help but see their efforts as an act of patriotism.

There’s another way people can help their country during the crisis, he said, and that’s by completing the 2020 census, which launched as communities across the nation ramped up public health measures in connection with the pandemic response.

“Ask your family, your friends: ‘Have you filled out the census?’”

Tighe said.

While the census may not be top of mind for people amid the pandemic, as they worry about economic hardships and their health, local nonprofit and elected leaders are urging residents to use the extra time at home to partake in the “the gold standard” of data collection.

Gillian Winbourn is program director for Together We Count, a statewide nonprofit aiming to ensure historically undercounted

QUALITY & VA

people are represented in the 2020 census. Participation, particularly now, is paramount, she said.

“This is a way to help Colorado rebuild and make sure that it can get its fair share of support continuing for the next 10 years,” Winbourn said. “I think in a time like now, we can see how much we rely on services and the government services.”

Together We Count started in 2017 and will operate only for the duration of the 2020 census effort. The organization already expected challenges to the 2020 census because of distrust in government and the possibility that some people will face hurdles responding in new ways.

Before COVID-19 hit, the U.S. Census Bureau was already gearing up for people to respond online, by phone and by mail — for the first time in census history.

Together We Count focuses on reaching populations like renters, immigrants, refugees and people with low literacy — all demographics the census bureau defines as hard to count, Winbourn said. The nonprofit also adds older adults to that list and stresses that young children count.

“We knew that it was going to be a more challenging time,” she said.

“Particularly with COVID, it’s really affected the timeline.”

Gillian noted the census opened on March 12, shortly before social

RESPONSE BY COUNTY Here are the response rates for some metro area counties, according to an April 13 news release by the U.S. Census Bureau: Douglas County: 63.9% Jefferson County: 63.2% Arapahoe County: 58% Elbert County: 56.3% Adams County: 53% Denver County: 51.5% distancing measures took off.

Local governments and nonprofits had to scrap many of their traditional outreach methods to promote the census because of COVID-19, like providing education at community events and meetings. Many said they are now relying more heavily on social media to get the word out.

The U.S. Census Bureau adjusted its 2020 census operational timeline in response to the pandemic. Field activities are not likely to resume until June 1. The current deadline to respond is Aug. 14, said spokeswoman Laurie Cipriano.

As of April 13, the Colorado response rate trailed Kansas by less than 1 percentage point, coming in at No. 11 on the list of states with the best self-response date. Just shy of 52% of Colorado households had responded. The national selfresponse rate was 48%.

Within Colorado, two counties —

Jefferson and Douglas — are neckand-neck for the best self-response rate in the state, with both above t 63% as of an April 13 report. Commissioners for each county said they t are competitive and shooting for m that No. 1 slot. r “If you’re at home and you have access to computer and internet, yous probably have some time to do it. It’s a way to break up your day,” Tighe t a said. t But there’s much more at stake than bragging rights, the commissioners stressed, as the census will c determine how much federal fund- l ing is funneled down to local communities.

“There is so much that is based on getting an accurate count. We need to have a complete count and that means 100%,” said Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas.

Thomas, Tighe and Winbourn listed a slew of services impacted by the census.

Funding health-care clinics, Medicare and Medicaid, highways and transportation, disaster relief, educational programs, fire departments and human services are just some of the community services that rely on census data.

The data also informs the business community, such as helping grocery stores decide where to open locaSEE CENSUS, P19

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CENSUS FROM PAGE 18

tions, Winbourn said.

There’s also the issue of representation in Washington.

Since 1790, the census has determined the number of seats a state receives in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“There’s a lot of speculation that the state of Colorado is going to get an additional congressional district,” Thomas said.

Tighe said an accurate census count translates to an appropriate level of representation in Congress

HELPING

for the state and creates “a fair playing field around the country” if the nationwide count is accurate.

Under the adjusted census timeline, bureau experts will assess and deliver each state’s population total, which determines its number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, to the president by April 30, 2021.

The president delivers apportionment counts to congress within 14 days. Redistricting counts are then to be delivered to states by July 31, 2021.

Completing the census takes minutes, Thomas said, estimating she finished in less than five minutes.

“It’s really straightforward,” she said. “There’s no trick questions. It’s easy to answer.”

#SPREADHOPE

FROM PAGE 2

A second round of grant opportunities opens April 15. This second round provides support for nonprofits that may not be providing direct services related to COVID-19 but have been negatively impacted due to suspended programming, canceled fundraising events and/ or shrinking or lack of resources to continue their work during this period of social isolation. Future rounds of funding are likely as the fund grows from community donations.

Donations can be made at https://

“We recognize that right now not everyone is in a position to give but want to be a part of spreading hope so we launched a spread hope campaign where we are using our social media to spread messages of hope and good deeds,” Community First Foundation CEO Kelly Dunkin said.

In addition to launching the Jeffco Hope Fund, the Community First Foundation is also encouraging Jeffco residents to spread hope online by tagging social media posts showing good deeds or other hopeful messages with the hashtag #spreadhopeco www.coloradogives.org/JeffcoHope.

As of April 8, the fund had received about $30,000 in donations from the community.

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