Arvada Press 092922

Historical society celebrates founders

Accused killer of o cer appears in court

Preliminary hearing date set, sealed warrants and a davits could become unsealed

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Sonny Almanza, the suspect in Arvada Police Officer Dillon Vakoff’s murder, appeared in Jefferson County District Court before Judge Russell B. Klein on Sept. 20 for an advisement hearing where Almanza was made aware of the charges he faces in connection with the events of Sept. 11.

First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King has charged Almanza with three counts of Murder in the First Degree (of a Peace Officer, After Deliberation/With Intent, Extreme Indifference) for Vakoff’s murder, two counts of Attempt to Commit Murder in the First Degree against Mercedes Lopez — who was previously identified as a “female victim” by APD.

linson; Mildred Graves, played by Bernice Aspinwall; and Gail Gilbert, played by Nancy Young.

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For the 19th year, the Arvada Historical Society celebrated notable historical figures from the city’s history at the Arvada Cemetery on Sept. 24.

In honor of the society’s 50th anniversary, this year’s Cemetery Tour featured historical society members portraying important figures from the society’s past, including Lois Lindstrom, played by Karen Miller; Robert Barton, played by Ed Tom-

As is customary for the event, the actors gave 10-minute performances near the gravestones of the figure they portrayed, if they were there.

Early leaders of the Arvada Historical Society

Lois Lindstrom founded the Arvada Historical Society in 1972 and was instrumental in creating the Arvada Center, placing the Arvada Flour Mill on the National Register of Historic Places and documenting the first gold strike in Colorado.

Robert Barton was Arvada’s last appointed town clerk and first-ever

elected city clerk. He helped found the Arvada Historical Society, serving on its board from 1972 to 1978 and as its 5th president.

Mildred Graves and her husband, Louis — a fourth generation Arvadan — were charter members of the Arvada Historical Society and founded the Speakers Bureau to help tell the city’s history.

Gail “Doc” Gilbert was a two-term mayor of Arvada, a director of the Jefferson County School Board and a director of the North Jeffco Parks and Recreation District. Gilbert was on the Arvada Historical Society’s first board of directors from 1972 to 1976.

Almanza was also charged with Assault in the Second Degree (against Lopez), Possession of a Weapon by a Previous Offender, using a prohibited large-capacity magazine during a crime, First Degree Criminal Trespass and two counts of Crime of Violence.

Upon arrest, Almanza was charged with two counts of child abuse, neither of which appear on the finalized complaint.

The First Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the use of force by Officer Vakoff in the incident, while the

Cemetery Tour attendees take in Catherine Walter’s portrayal of Ida Wells.

FILE PHOTO BY R. DUNN

Wildfire preparedness a top priority for sheri candidates

Marinelli, Brady answer questions at community forum

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The two candidates wanting to be the next Jefferson County sheriff — and its countywide fire marshal — agree that preparing for wildfire is important, especially in the Evergreen and Conifer area.

The candidates, Regina Marinelli and Ed Brady, said, if elected, they wanted to work immediately to begin addressing a collective response from all first responders in the county. In addition, Marinelli said she wanted the county to begin purchasing — rather than renting — equipment to place around the county, so it would be available anytime it was necessary.

She also noted that all county law enforcement should have fire-behavior training to make better decisions since they oversee evacuations.

Marinelli and Brady answered audience questions at a Sept. 21 forum sponsored by Mountain Foothills Rotary and the Canyon Courier, with about a third of them focused on wildfire preparedness and response.

The person elected to the position will replace Sheriff Jeff Shrader, who is term-limited and cannot run again. Election Day is Nov. 8, and mail-in ballots will be sent out in mid-October. Sheriffs serve fouryear terms.

Brady agreed that preparedness to fight wildfires was important, and he has heard from fire chiefs

“We need to get the policies to where they should be rather than everybody working on their own script when it comes to wildfire,” Marinelli said. “I plan to cooperate with everybody.”

Despite major crimes being down in the county, both candidates

ness, noting that it was vital to keep the crime rates going down.

The candidates

Marinelli is a Colorado native who has pursued a career in law enforcement since middle school. She earned a degree in criminal justice and teaches. Marinelli has

plained. “We can no longer deny that it’s there.”

They agreed that recruiting was vital because more officers are leaving the profession and that it was unethical for disadvantaged groups, minorities and those with disabilities to be treated differently than others by law enforcement.

Action Center drive collects school gear for kids

drive collected 4,500 backpacks for Jefferson County Public School students in need.

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Throughout the month of September,

staffers

ESCAPE

partnered with Arvada City Councilmember Lisa Smith to

backpacks and school supplies for the Action Center, a nonprofit based in Lakewood. The back-to-school

Smith said she was thankful for Xcel’s philanthropic efforts, which were headed up by Xcel’s West Metro Community Service Manager Daniel Trujillo.

“There are always children and families in need that often

go unnoticed in our community,” Smith said. “Something as simple as getting a few members at your work to collect supplies can impact a young child’s life more than you know. Having leaders in the business community that care enough to step up to help the community is the example we hope to see in all our leaders.”

Arvada and Westminster’s premier lawn care and landscaping company, Olson Outdoors is a local, family-owned business founded in 2014. We take great care in both residential and commercial lawn care by adhering to a truly traditional, craft-based approach.

Regina Marinelli

Future of Olde Town considered

Public survey gauging feedback on designs, closed streets in Arvada

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Members of the Arvada city team and contracted landscape architects Dig Studio held a public open house at Denver Beer Co. on Sept. 21 to gauge feedback for several proposals and ideas about the future of Olde Town Arvada.

Olde Town’s streets initially closed in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, Arvada’s city council approved a five-year plan to keep the street clo

sures in place on a semi-permanent basis, during which time the city team would survey public feedback and create a plan for the long-term future of the historic district.

The open house featured render ings and concepts put together by the city team and Dig Studio and invited the public to provide feedback through an online survey which can be found at speakup. arvada.org.

Arvada’s Director of Growth and Economic Development Ryan Stachelski said the city team has completed one survey which culled about 1,800 responses. That survey informed the first set of design proposals showcased at the open house.

Stachelski added that the public can give feedback on these designs

until October 17. Then, the city team will go to council for a work shop on Oct. 24, followed by a simi lar presentation at the Olde Town Business Improvement District meeting on Oct 25. The city team will complete a preliminary design before the end of 2022.

“Beginning in January, we’ll come back out to the public and show them where we’re going with this,” Stachelski said. “And then, once we get that feedback, we’ll start design phases, and part of this work is also identifying fund ing sources for how this could be implemented over the next 20 years.

“Street closures were semipermanent for 5 years; this is the culmination of that,” Stachelski continued. “To say ‘Ok, what do we want to do going forward?’ and get

more feedback.”

Stachelski said the city team is currently in the “iterative process of collecting information,” pertain ing to the street closures.

He added that accessibility has been a key concern voiced in com munity feedback so far.

“One of the main things we heard is access to the transit hub, for example,” Stachelski said. “But there’s also, ‘Should we do more street closures?’ ‘Should we have a one-way street in certain areas?’ All that is being explored, and now we have gotten a lot of that input and we wanted to bring the information that we gathered so far to the com munity today and get more input.”

The full set of renderings and de sign concepts presented on Sept. 21 can be found on the city’s website.

Don’t Miss the Metro Denver Green Homes Tour on Saturday, Oct. 1st

If, like many people, you’ve backburnered your plans to buy a new home, now might be the perfect time to think about updating your current home. Making improvements that reduce the cost of ownership might be pretty appealing, too, and that’s what you’ll accomplish by adding solar panels, improving insulation, and maybe going all-electric.

This Saturday is your opportunity to visit a dozen metro area homes which have done just that. That’s because the first Saturday in October is the date of the annual Metro Denver Green Homes Tour. I’m on the steering committee for the tour, and I can assure you that you’ll learn a lot from this year’s selections.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is followed by an expo at the American Mountaineering Center (AMC) in downtown Golden at 710 10th Street.

It’s a self-guided tour. You pay $10 either in person at the AMC or online at MetroDenverGreenHomesTour.org. If you register online, you can pick up the

book describing each home plus a map to find them either at the AMC on Saturday morning or between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at the office of Golden Real Estate, 1214 Washington Ave., also in downtown Golden.

The homes themselves are open only until 4 p.m., after which you might want to visit the Electric Vehicle Roundup in the parking lot of The Net Zero Store (Golden Real Estate’s former office) at 17695 S. Golden Road. That event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. (See article below.) You’ll also want to visit the “Growing Dome” at 509 9th Street, a short walk from the AMC, between 3 and 5 p.m. There will be a “tiny home” in the AMC parking lot all day for you to visit, too.

All of that is followed by a Reception and Green Expo inside the AMC from 5 to 7 p.m. At the expo you’ll be able to visit with exhibitors who sell and install some of the sustainable upgrades which you learned about during the tour, while

People Want to Know: “How’s the Real Estate Market?”

My short answer is “chaotic.”

One thing is certain: the seller’s market is now history. We’re at least in a balanced market and probably moving to a buyer’s market.

The chart at right tells a large part of the story. It is limited to the past 7 days of listing activity within 15 miles of downtown Denver.

There are currently about 4800 active REcolorado listings within that radius, ranging in price from $139,900 to $24,700,000. Just under 600 of them are priced above $1,000,000, and the median price is $595,000.

Here’s the statistic that really tells the story of today’s market: the median days on the MLS of those active listings is 32 — over a month! This time last year, it was 4 or 5 days.

Roughly a quarter of the active listings have languished on the market for 2 months or longer, and about half of those for 90 days or longer.

Obviously, the surge in mortgage interest rates has played a big part, but I think it’s deeper than that. Buyers are being told that homes are overvalued, but sellers are still listing their homes based on recent comparable sales.

But recent comparable sales may have been overpriced, too, and buyers are happier on the fence than jumping into a market which they (and many professionals) don’t understand and can’t accurately predict.

I still laugh when I recall that the conventional wisdom among real estate and mortgage professionals back in January was that interest rates might reach 4% by the end of 2022. Last week they reached 6.29%.

The stock market needs to be factored in because the 20% of buyers who pay cash for a home purchase are reluctant to sell stocks that have dropped in value. They don’t want to liquidate those investments until they go up again, which they believe they will.

enjoying complimentary appetizers, local beverages and live music.

If you’d like to carpool to each of the homes in a Tesla or other electric vehicle, inquire at the AMC between 9 and 10 a.m. and they may be able to set that up for you, thanks to volunteers from the Denver Tesla Club and the Denver Electric Vehicle Council.

Leading up to Saturday’s tour, we have created a series of free lectures, the last of which is this evening, Thursday, Sept. 29th, at Jefferson Unitarian Church, starting at 7 p.m. The speaker is Conor Merrigan, who is Sustainability Program Manager at Spirit, an environmental consulting firm. His topic is “Scaling Up Green Homes to Green Neighborhoods.”

My own contribution to the tour has been to shoot narrated video tours of each home on the tour. I haven’t been

able to shoot all of them yet, but I’ve done several of them, and all are available at www.NewEnergyColorado.com, including videos from prior years.

I’ve been committed to promoting sustainability and net zero home construction for as long as I can remember, but each and every year I find that I learn something I didn’t know — a new technology or new use of an older technology — and I get to capture what I learn on those

videos so you can learn about them too.

The broker associates at Golden Real Estate and I are among the most knowledgeable real estate professionals you will find when it comes to buying and selling sustainable homes as well as making a home you buy more sustainable, so feel free to contact any of us for your real estate needs. (See list below.)

And Don’t Miss the Electric Vehicle Roundup Either!

Twice a year we hold an Electric Vehicle Roundup in the parking lot of our previous office at 17695 S. Golden Road in Golden, and each year we see more and more diverse makes and models of EVs.

The star of this year’s roundup is sure to be Ford’s F-150 Lightning, provided by Larry H. Miller Lakewood Ford. They have delivered several of these pick-ups already and have one for test drives which they’ll bring to our event on Saturday, from 2pm to 6pm.

You can also expect to see one or two Rivian pickups, a few Mustang Mach Es, all four models from Tesla, plus EVs by Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai, Polestar, Audi, BMW, Nissan and other manufacturers. The owners of these cars have, collectively, driven over 600,000 miles on electricity alone, so they can tell you from personal experience what it’s like to own and drive an electric vehicle. It’s not too late to register at www.DriveElectricWeek.info

Inside The Net Zero Store during the EV Roundup, representatives of Helio Home Inc. will be giving a presentation and answering questions about how to make your home all-electric and even net zero energy. They are the biggest vendor in this market for heat pumps systems to replace gas forced air furnaces and heat pump water heaters to replace gas water heaters. Don’t miss the chance to have your questions answered about this important topic.

Jim Smith

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851

Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com

1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401

Broker Associates:

JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727

CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855

DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835

TY SCRABLE, 720-281-6783

GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922

Arvada Police Department is investigating Vakoff’s murder and the attempted murder of Lopez.

Arvada Police confirmed that Lopez — who was hospitalized for a gunshot wound incurred during the incident — was released from the hospital last week in stable

condition.

Other developments in the case of The People of the State of Colorado vs. Sonny Almanza

On Sept. 19, the People filed a motion not objecting to the Court unsealing the sealed affidavit and warrants. The Court set a deadline for Sept. 23 for the defense to respond, either consenting or objecting to the unsealing.

At that time, the Court will review the response and either

decide the matter via a written response or set the matter for hearing.

There is currently a protection order in place prohibiting Almanza from contacting his children. Almanza filed a request to vacate the protection order; the People will respond to that request in writing by Sept. 23.

The Court also set a date for a hearing on any written motions filed by either party pertaining

to the preliminary hearing. That hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 7.

Finally, the Preliminary Hearing and Proof Evident/Presumption Great Hearing is set for 8 a.m. Nov. 9. The outcome of that hearing would determine if Almanza qualifies for bail. Another factor that would determine his bail status is if the court finds that the public would be placed in peril if he were released.

The police procession

Dillon Vako

funeral.

PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

Fallen Arvada Police O cer Dillon Michael Vako , 27. COURTESY ARVADA POLICE

School board presents awards, hears feedback on possible closures

BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Honors and awards

school “safely and on time.”

“We are so proud that you are part of the Jeffco team,” finished Parker.

by the District, and said the criteria used to choose the closing schools “didn’t show the whole picture.”

to have many quality programs they deserve and need.”

The Board presented an award to members of the Jeffco Action Center at its Sept. 15 meeting. Part of the group’s accomplishments being recognized was their School Supply Drive which, according to Board member Danielle Verda, distributes about 4,500 to 5,000 backpacks a year for Pre-K through high school students.

Public comment highlights school consolidation concerns

Public comment on Sept. 15 was exclusively about the upcoming decision by the board as to whether to close 16 elementary schools in the Jeffco Public School District.

students.

Bear Creek High School student Janet Trujillo also was recognized by the Board for her project “A Diamond in the RUF: Debating Human Rights in Sierra Leone” being selected for 2022 to be put in The Smithsonian’s exhibit showcase. This on National History Day, “a year-long academic program focused on historical research interpretation and creative expression for 6th to 12th grade students,” said Board member Susan Miller.

Also recognized was Marla Robberson, a bus driver for the Jeffco Public Schools West Terminal, and part of the transportation department for 18 years. “A hard worker in all aspects, always willing to jump in. Everyone enjoys working with her and appreciates the joy she brings to work each day,” said Board member Mary Parker. Parker went on to explain that the day before school started this year, Robberson’s house caught fire while she was on a walk, yet she still woke up at 4 a.m. to bring students to

A main concern brought up was a fear that programs such as for special needs children and those with disabilities, would not successfully transfer after consolidation. Alanna Ritchie of Wheat Ridge described the pandemic being “brutal” for her son with disabilities and in the Center Program at Wilmore-Davis Elementary.

“The larger consolidation schools don’t have Center Programs, or the resources these kids need. The support system for these children already exists in the smaller schools that already serve them,” Ritchie said, stressing that it can take years for children with disabilities to trust and feel safe with the staff and structure around them.

“These voices cannot speak for themselves, and it’s our responsibility as a community and parents to ensure these children and families don’t continue to be marginalized,” she continued.

Another concern was the school selection process itself. Destiny Farr of Lakewood said she was part of a large coalition of parents and community members gathering their own data. She critiqued the process used

“We feel that many important things were overlooked in that criteria for the sake of using low enrollment, building utilization, and financials issues to make this decision, which essentially puts the financial rolls of the district and the budget on the backs of parents, staff, students and the community — and especially on already marginalized communities: low-income, special needs, and families of color,” Farr said.

Mollie Crampton of Lakewood also brought up concerns about equity.

“The criteria used for this process benefits schools that do better in our choice system, and a choice system benefits parents with privilege who can afford the time and transportation required to get their kids to a different school,” she told the Board.

She highlighted that a large proportion of the student population at Vivian Elementary is students of color, and their academy-style curriculum “is benefitting all students, and the growth shows that we have a chance of closing achievement gaps, something that the entire state, the entire county is working for.” She sees closing Vivian as taking away an “amazing opportunity…from some of the most vulnerable children in the district.”

In support of the consolidation was previous board member Jon DeStefano. He believes that consolidation will “greatly strengthen many community schools, and allow students

Oz Campbell, a former student of a school that’s closing, said that smaller schools allowed more attention to his needs, and he found the student community to be closer, not as “toxic” as he found in his larger school.

“I implore you to decide not based on dollars and cents, but on the impact that it will have on Jeffco communities,” Campbell said.

Budget changes

A budget change was approved by the Board due to salary increases as part of the JCEA contract approved by the Board in August. Estimated compensation cost in the budget was $40 million, but was calculated before the JCEA contract, with the actual cost $4.4 million higher and required approval to change.

The Board discussed how that budget change will be compensated, suggesting a mill levy — a type of property tax. Superintendent Tracy Dorland suggested waiting until after possible consolidations to further discuss.

“I think we’ll know more after those foundational pieces are in place about the best time to think about a mill levy override, and we’ll be able to better let the Board know what it should be invested in,” she said.

The budget change was approved four to one, with Miller being the only dissenting vote, dissenting on the original approval of the salary increases in August as well.

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With a 6-1 vote, Arvada’s City Council approved seven amendments to the City of Arvada’s Land Development Code at its Sept. 19 meeting. The amendments pertain to shortterm rentals, fleet vehicle parking, murals, council oversight, notification area radius, conditional use and the definitions of fleet vehicles, heavy truck and heavy truck trips.

Councilmember Lisa Smith was the lone dissenting vote.

Before delving into the comments and discussions had at the council meeting, here are brief summaries of the seven amendments, which can be read in full on the city’s website.

Short term rentals

The language used in the section of the LDC pertaining to short-term rentals was changed in order to make the procedural guidelines of those rentals clearer, according to Rob Smetana, Arvada’s manager of city planning and development.

One change clarified short-term rental licenses, stipulating that the license is invalid until the application fee is paid and accepted by the

city. Additionally, once local contact person must be identified in the application. That local contact must be able to respond within one hour of being notified by the city team of a complaint pertaining to the property.

If the local contact changes, the license must be updated within seven days of the change.

Fleet vehicle parking

A section was added to the LDC defining maximum fleet vehicle parking parameters.

Uses with less than 25 vehicles are exempt from the maximum parking space requirements laid out as follows; in the CG zoning district, the maximum shall be no more than 50% of the minimum required parking spaces; in the IL zoning district, no more than 100% of the minimum parking spaces; and in the IG zoning district, no more than 200% of the minimum parking spaces.

Murals

A provision stating that a mural cannot contain text that covers more than 3% of the mural area was removed. There is now no limitation on mural text in the LDC.

Council call-ups

The City Council can move to “call up” administrative decisions for council review. If the motion passes, the application will be decided upon at a public hearing scheduled for “as soon as practicable.”

Notification radius

The notice distance requirement has been increased for both administrative decisions and public hearings. The notice radius for administrative decisions and public hearings less than five acres in size is now 1,000 feet — up from 500 feet — and the notice radius for public hearings more than five acres in size is 1,500 feet.

The city team reserves the ability to reduce the notice radius for projects they deem to be small to 500 feet.

Conditional use

If an application includes residential use and was granted conditional use approval, the number of residential units must be within 5% of the number of residential units presented for conditional use review.

The amended LDC also states that the project shall be “substantially similar” to the concept presented during the conditional use review, specifically in terms of building height and location, parking location and spaces, landscape, and small urban park locations, if applicable.

Definitions

Modified definitions for fleet vehicles, heavy truck trips, heavy logistics centers and light industry were included in the LDC amendments.

A fleet vehicle is now defined as one of a group of motor vehicles, excluding semi-trailer trucks, owned or leased by businesses, government agencies or any other organization other than a family. Fleets with fewer

than 25 vehicles are exempt.

A heavy truck is now defined as any truck with a gross vehicle weight greater than 16,000 pounds; a US Truck classification of Class 5 or greater.

Arvada City Council approves Land Development Code amendments Short term rentals, fleet vehicle parking, murals, council oversight among items amended in revised LDC

A heavy truck trip is now defined as a single inbound or outbound movement of the truck on a site, with each movement considered a single trip.

Furthermore, the threshold between light industry and heavy logistics centers was reduced from 100 one-way trips to 76 one-way trips.

The city team’s report to the council said the changes would not put any existing business in danger of not conforming with the LDC.

Arvada Mayor Marc Williams voted in support of the LDC amendments and said they were made in the interest of Arvada’s business community.

Williams added, in response to comments by the Ralston Valley Coalition that the site would not be home to an Amazon facility in the future. The coalition group voiced opposition to the amendments and notably fought against the Amazon delivery station proposed for the “Project Indiana” site in 2021.

“With all due respect to people who want this to just be a bedroom community, if we don’t have jobs, that’ll just create more traffic,” Williams said. “You’re not going to get an Amazon distribution center at the site you’re most worried about.”

GOVERNOR

Heidi Ganahl,

founder of the nation’s largest pet care franchise, Camp Bow Wow, is running against Jared Polis next month to be Governor of Colorado. Heidi is a mom of four beautiful young children and a mom on a mission to restore common sense in Colorado. As a CU Regent for the past six years, Heidi has been a champion for students, free speech, school safety, and affordability.

Under Jared Polis, Colorado’s crime and drug use epidemic has risen to

Under Colorado’s use epidemic unprecedented levels. Colorado has the second highest drug addiction rate and the sixth highest suicide rate amongst kids in the country; 60% of Colorado children cannot read, write, or do math at grade level. “Our kids are in a crisis!” is often heard at large rallies around the state, in support of Heidi Ganahl for Governor.

Colorado’s schools are in rapid decline, with the most affected being schools are rapid those in the major Colorado metro areas (Jefferson County, Denver County, Arapahoe County, El Paso County, etc). Including parents in what happens in the classroom and school-choice is a top priority for Ganahl. Teachers and other public servants have been hamstrung by spending on high-level administrators.

When Heidi defeats Jared Polis on November 8th, she will become the Heidi 8th, first mom to occupy the highest office in the state!

To learn more about Heidi Ganahl and her candidacy for Governor, visit www.heidiforgov.com.

PAID FOR BY HEIDI FOR GOVERNOR; REGISTERED AGENT SAM SCHAFER

Paid

Terumo Et0 emissions could pose risk

EPA expresses long-term concerns

BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment voiced long-term cancer risk concerns for an area of Lakewood during a community meeting on Sept. 22.

They focused on ethylene oxide, or EtO, emissions from the Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies sanitation facility by Kipling Street and West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood. While the amount of EtO released by the facility is well within regulation, the EPA expressed concerns that currrent regulations are not protective enough.

EtO is a common gaseous chemical used in sanitation of many medical supplies, including hospital gowns and surgical masks. At Terumo, it’s used to sanitize machines and products used for blood testing and treatment. The regulations Terumo must adhere to, and EPA references, concerns the amount of EtO allowed to escape the sanitation facility into the air.

The EPA stressed concerns with cancer risk in the longterm — they see no short-term

health risks. During the EPA presentation, representatives used extremes to portray risks, defi ning long-term impacts in their research looking at people living near the facility, breathing in EtO 24 hours a day from birth to age 70.

Within that defi nition, Senior Risk Communication Advisor Madeline Beal said the EPA sees younger children and workers as having higher risk. Workers due to possibly of more direct long-term exposure, and children because they are more vulnerable to the effects, she said.

Considering the way EtO is used in Terumo’s facility, the equipment handling it, information about the community and weather patterns, the EPA created a “Lifetime Residential Cancer Risk” map around the facility. It shows a gradient starting at 600 cases in a million where residential neighborhoods start near the facility, to 100 cases in a million at its farthest reaches.

When asked whether Terumo accepts EPA’s concern about the long-term cancer risk, Jessi Dóne, Terumo’s senior sterilization manager, said, “I think that contextual information is important, because they say themselves that it shouldn’t be looked at as actual risk — they say this is a screening tool to see if there is additional risk.”

She also points out that there are other sources of EtO, including from cars and even from the body itself. Beal does highlight within the EPA presentation that their calculated risk is specifi cally from Terumo’s facility’s emissions, and “we’re calculating that risk over and above any of these other sources.”

“What I think is pretty interesting and important is that CDPHE has conducted a review of the cancer registry of Colorado, and what they found was that the area around Turomo has no different incidents of cancer than any other area,” Dóne said.

Kristy Richardson, Colorado’s state toxicologist at CDPHE, highlighted this, but stressed the study is limited.

“We may not be able to identify an increase in cancer cases even if there is one,” she said. “That’s because we may not have information on every person who’s ever lived in this area, and there may be too few people living in the impacted area for us to be able to measure the difference in cancer in this community, and compare that across the state.”

Terumo has voluntarily updated their EtO emission control systems. When EPA fi rst released health risks concerns over EtO emissions in 2018, Terumo implemented controls that reduced emissions fi ve-fold, but the EPA

says more work is needed.

According to Dóne, another emissions control system that began work in 2018 will be running by 2023, replacing the current two systems.

Kerry Hicks, EPA air toxics coordinator for region 8, said the new system will reduce emissions incrementally further, and reduce risk in the community, “although we do not anticipate it will eliminate all concerns.”

“I think the EPA is doing what it’s intended to do,” said Dóne.

All emissions controls and emergency plans for EtO leaks are approved by CDPHE, she highlighted. The facility has continuous monitoring of EtO levels, monitors individual worker’s exposures once or more a year, and said there were engineering controls preventing EtO leaks across the facility.

“The laws we have, the rules we have, the regulations we have now on the books, are not protective enough,” said Beal. “And they’re not protective enough because we didn’t understand how dangerous this chemical was when we passed those regulations.”

She continued that more stringent regulations are being pushed in Colorado, and this push is why the EPA had the community meeting — which was recorded and can be found on their website, along with further information.

County receives $1.1 million for youth activities

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Jeffco receives $1.1 million for youth activities from Broncos franchise sale

Jeffco and the other member counties in the Metropolitan Football Stadium District are receiving a share of $41 million, thanks to the Denver Broncos’ recent franchise sale.

The $41 million will go toward youth activities across the Denver area. Jeffco’s $1.1 million check is for the county’s unincorporated areas, as municipalities will receive separate checks, stadium district officials told the Jeffco commissioners on Sept. 20.

Jeffco is one of seven counties that comprises the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, which built Empower Field at Mile High. The district levied and collected a voter-approved 0.1% sales tax from 2001 through 2010 to finance the stadium’s construction, Director of Stadium Affairs Matt Sugar said.

Sugar and Don Johnson, Jeffco’s representative on the district board, explained how the district’s lease agreement with the Broncos includes a requirement that a portion of franchise sales go toward the membership counties, to be used for youth activities.

The Walton-Penner ownership group bought the Broncos this summer for $4.65 billion, with $41 million going toward the seven counties. Sugar and Johnson said the district decided to apportion funds based on the percentage of sales tax received each county and municipality from 2001-2010.

Because unincorporated Jeffco’s sales tax revenues made up approximately 2.7% of the $289 million the district collected, Jeffco receives $1.1 million of the $41 million.

Commissioners Lesley Dahlkemper and Andy Kerr were very excited, with the former saying, “This is the best news I’ve had all week — possibly all month.”

Dahlkemper clarified that this won’t be subject to the TABOR cap, and wondered whether the county could use some of it toward youth mental health ef-

forts. She and Kerr anticipated partnering with local municipalities and stakeholders on how best to use the funds.

“When our kids thrive, our community thrives,” Dahlkemper continued.

Sugar and Johnson said there was no set definition for “youth activities,” describing how those who wrote the requirement in the lease agreement were trying to be “as broad as possible.”

Kerr hoped Jeffco could be creative with its portion. While there’s no time limit to spend the funds, he committed to having a plan in place by late 2023.

“The Denver Broncos truly are a regional team … and that’s a huge economic benefit for those of us in the metro area,” Kerr said. “But, it’s rare that the economic benefit gets returned … in the form of a check like this.”

Property taxpayers to receive TABOR refund checks

Those who pay property taxes in Jeffco will receive a TABOR refund check, county officials have confirmed.

In 2021, Jeffco received $17.3 million in revenue above the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Amendment revenue limit. Thus, the county is required to refund that money back to its 213,000 property taxpayers in 2022.

Taxpayers will receive an equitable share of the $17.3 million refund. The average check amount will be about $80, and 88% of property taxpayers will receive a check for $80 or less.

While some refund checks will be $1 or less, officials believe it’s important to be as equitable as possible.

Elected officials could’ve applied a credit to 2022 property tax bills, but believed that mailing refund checks was the most direct and transparent way for each taxpayer to receive a fair share of the refund, officials stated in a Sept. 12 press release.

Adopted by voters in 1992, the TABOR Amendment requires governments in Colorado to refund revenue collected above the TABOR limit for a given fiscal year or seek voter approval to retain the revenue. It applies to all levels of government in Colorado. For more information, visit jeffco.us.

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Food access remains a problem in south Westminster

cultural background, are considerably more expensive than they were,” said Leeds. “We are hearing specific complaints about that from both our staff and the community members that I work directly with.”

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Beverly Bishop moved to Westminster about 40 years ago and since then, she’s seen changes throughout the city. Particularly, she’s watched big chain grocery stores in her community seem to come and go like a revolving door.

In her neighborhood near 72nd and Federal stores like Walmart, Safeway, Rancho Liborio and King Soopers have all come and left.

“Gradually all of that has changed and is either gone or morphed into something else, and I’m not sure all the changes have been positive for residents of the neighborhood,” she said.

Westminster’s community survey showed that attitude. Presented at a June 18 City Council study session, results regarding the overall quality of life in the city only saw dissatisfied ratings from the southern portion of the city.

Bishop said she sees growth and development in the northern area of Westminster leaving the southern portion behind. That’s a problem for those residents faced with no easy ways to purchase inexpensive food for their families.

“The southern and older section of town, for the most part, is where the lower income people live. We don’t have as much money to spend at grocery stores or other businesses and I guess that influences the big chain stores’ decisions to vacate the area,” she said.

Few options

Small mom-and-pop stores like Asian markets and mercados do exist within southern Westminster to provide healthy food and produce for area residents. As well, the Lao Market and Lowe’s Mercado do accept programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that Bishops says some area residents benefit from.

Nobody agrees on why the bigger chains can’t survive in Westminster. Safeway Spokesperson Kris Staaf said the store wasn’t doing well financially.

“For more than a year, we evaluated this store extensively and looked at options to improve its performance.

Ultimately, our business analysis indicated that we needed to close the store. Like all retailers, we are constantly evaluating every aspect of our business and while closing this

store was a difficult decision, we are focusing on growing our business and reinvesting those resources into remodeling our existing stores in Colorado,” he wrote in a statement.

Rancho Liborio, a California-based chain of specialty grocers, permanently closed its doors in Westminster, Aurora and Commerce City after filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2012. King Soopers did not respond for comment as to why their store closed.

Walmart’s departure

Wal-Mart shut down it’s 72nd and Federal location in July 2021. WalMart officials didn’t say specifically why they closed the 72nd and Federal store but said the decision was in line with other strategic decisions. In interviews with Business Insider and CNBC Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon has said the company closes stores for financial performance and as part of a strategy to focus more on internet sales and competing with Amazon.

But Walmart leaving the area last year proved to make life more difficult for residents in the immediate surrounding area, Growing Home’s Advocacy and Community Organizing Manager Whitney Leeds said. Growing Home is a non-profit food pantry that serves the Northern metro Denver area.

Neighbors felt the impact right away, she said. The ALTO affordable housing complex, at 71st Avenue, is across the street from where Walmart used to be. According to Leeds, many of those residents are served by Growing Home and said many voiced their concerns once Walmart closed its doors.

Through surveys, Growing Homes found that 40% of those residents do not have access to a vehicle and bus services are too expensive. The next closest grocery store is about a twomile walk. With small children, a disability or mobility issues, that walk isn’t realistic or time efficient.

“What it meant was that we’re just seeing a lot of unmet needs in the community,” she said. “It’s sort of a

constant pressure point for this neighborhood, seeing one grocery store after another leave.”

Westminster Economic Development Director Lindsey Kimball said there are alternatives in the area.

“Small, local grocers like Valente’s, Lao Market, and neighborhood mercados are incredibly important to the community. They offer fresh and healthy food in addition to specialty items that may be harder to find in a larger chain grocery store,” said Westminster’s Economic Development Director Lindsey Kimball in a statement.

However, those considered to have undocumented citizenship status aren’t able to benefit from programs like SNAP, pricing them out of the smaller markets. Leeds said undocumented citizens make up a fair portion of residents in that area.

Growing Home also found through surveys that 69% of respondents from South Westminster said cost is the biggest barrier to accessing food, and 88.6% said the smaller markets are too expensive.

Additionally, Bishop said the smaller stores either don’t provide as many options as bigger stores, don’t fulfill everyone’s cultural diet or are too expensive for some.

A Save A Lot grocery store is located in South Westminster, but Bishop said its smaller size compares unfavorably with what the community previously had access to with bigger stores.

Leeds also said Save A Lot doesn’t have the ability to keep prices as low as bigger chains like Walmart or Safeway.

Alternatives

That has more residents in the area looking to pantries like Growing Homes for help, Leeds said. It comes as inflation is forcing the cost of food to rise over the summer as both participants and the nonprofit felt the higher prices. She noted that the price of eggs increased 105% percent since August 2021.

“Those simple staples that almost every family uses, regardless of

Karen Fox, president of Growing Home, said most don’t know that some food pantries purchase their food or a portion of it. Between November 2021 and March 2022, Growing Home saw a 26% increase in its total costs for food.

Since March, the average inflation rate for food has been about 10.2% per month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Despite the rise in costs, Fox notes that the consistent support from the community helped keep Growing Home afloat. As well, Government funds passed during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, helped the pantry survive those higher costs.

However, those funds are drying up.

“A lot of those programs are ending, even though the need is still there,” said Leeds.

Both Leeds and Fox said the American Rescue Plan Act’s money still benefits Growing Home, however many of those dollars are now going towards things like housing and infrastructure and moving away from focusing on food access.

Back in June, councilors reviewed the community survey and noted the dissatisfaction of area residents. City Councilor Sarah Nurmela said she thinks that the dissatisfaction correlates to household income, quality of life, how safe they feel and their access to health and mental health care.

“These are key issues that shouldn’t be looked over,” she said.

City Councilor Obi Ezeadi said that Westminster has about an 8% poverty rate, and most of those residents live in the south of the city. He wants a deeper dive into that topic.

“There are thousands and thousands of residents that cannot live, who are struggling to survive,” he said. “We need to do better for the people who have less.”

Westminster’s Kimball said the city is working on bringing another larger grocery store to the area.

“The City has been in discussions with grocers since the Walmart and Safeway grocery stores closed in Historic Westminster last year. The City recognizes the community’s need for more grocery options to complement the several existing mercado, Asian, and specialty grocery stores,” said Kimball in a statement. “The City is committed to working with our community, non-profit and private sector partners to find a quality, sustainable approach to addressing the community’s needs.”

The location of where the Walmart used to be at 72nd and Federal Blvd.

PHOTO BY LUKE ZARZECKI

As chain grocers take turns, neighbors look at new places to find staples

Clear Creek community holds vigil to remember

“We’re not going to stop until we make changes,” Flageolle said at the vigil, after sharing her father’s experience with ISPD.

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Members of the Clear Creek Community remembered Christian Glass at a candlelight vigil on Sept. 20 at Citizens Park in Idaho Springs.

Glass, 22, was killed by police in June after calling for help when his car got stuck in the town of Silver Plume. Recently released body cam footage of the incident has sparked public cries for police accountability.

A crowd of nearly 80 community members and friends and family of Glass gathered in the park to remember Glass, light candles in his honor and call for fundamental change.

“As a mom, I know this could’ve been my son, and that’s why I’m here tonight,” said community member Lisa Stamm. “This behavior by our sheriff’s department is unacceptable.”

Stamm’s remarks were supported by the emotional crowd.

Autumn Brooks, one of the organizers of the vigil, remembers her child calling with car trouble in

Clear Creek County in the past, but he got sent a tow truck instead of deputies.

“No more pain should be brought by our law enforcement,” she said.

Idaho Springs has seen firsthand the pain the police can inflict. In 2019, ISPD was involved in an incident using a stun gun on a 24-yearold deaf man. The man, Brady Mistic, who spent 4 months in jail for charges that were ultimately dropped, has since filed a suit against the city. This altercation involved Officer Hanning, who went on to tase an elderly man in 2021.

The pain brought on by law en-

forcement in Clear Creek is something that Cynthia Flageolle, who attended the vigil, is still dealing with. Her father, Michael Clark, was the victim of a stun gun deployed by ISPD Officer Hanning in 2021 that left him with lifelong deficits.

Ultimately, Hanning received house arrest and probation for his involvement in the assault of Clark and gave up his ability to serve in law enforcement. Residents of Clear Creek are looking for more accountability from the police, calling for police to “serve and protect, not hurt and neglect,” as many of their signs said.

Christian’s mother, Sally Glass, and her two daughters, sisters of Christian Glass, attended the Sept. 20 vigil. Sally shared memories of Christian and thanked the community for coming together. She remembered her son’s kind soul, and that he always wanted to be an artist when he grew up.

The community shared memories and embraces at the vigil, hoping to come together to enact change through this tragedy.

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Sally Glass,center, mother of 22-year-old Christian Glass, who was shot by police after calling 911 for help, is flanked by his sisters Katie, left, and Anna, right as they attend a candlelight vigil in Idaho Springs on Sept. 20.

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Community members come together to remember Christian Glass and urge change in law enforcement

VOICES

Pride without the arrogance

Whenever he finished an amazing run, resulting in a touchdown, and having weaved his way through the defense and even running over a defender or slipping past another with some lightningquick footwork, he never carried on, didn’t even spike the football, he just glided over to the referee and handed him the ball. The NFL Hall of Famer and icon I am speaking about is Barry Sanders.

WINNING WORDS

When Barry Sander retired, he had played in 159 games, had 110 touchdowns, 3032 receiving yards, and 15,655 rushing yards, for a total of 18,805 yards. Known as one of the fiercest and hardest-to-tackle running backs to ever play the game, but also recognized as one of the classiest players to ever take the field. Plenty of accomplishments with zero arrogance.

We all have completed something in our life where we had that tre-

mendous sense of accomplishment. Maybe it was something in our personal life where we achieved a health, fitness, or financial goal. Or perhaps we completed a small project or much bigger endeavor where we took pride in the work we have completed. At work, we may have been promoted, received an award, or we were recognized for contributing to the growth of the organization. Again, it feels good, and whether we are recognized or not, we know in our hearts that we got the job done.

And as we accomplish our goals or contribute to success, people have an even greater appreciation and respect when we walk humbly regardless of what we have achieved.

There are times where the accomplishment or achievement is so amazing that we cannot help but jump for joy and let out a shout or two. Celebrating is much different than arrogance. Especially when it’s a big win, or it’s been a longterm goal that was met or exceeded. Yes, for sure, party it up and celebrate while we enjoy those moments in time. Arrogance is when we change our demeanor, look

down on others, walk with a new sense of entitlement, sharing and boasting of incredible deeds. The impact of arrogance can wreak havoc on relationships and even when making first impressions.

Recently I had an opportunity to spend a weekend with my in-laws. My brother-in-law and his wife, as well as her parents, had hosted his parents and my wife and I for the weekend at their summer home in Ocean City, Maryland. They had only bought the home recently, so it was our first time visiting them in their new summer home. When we arrived, the first thing on the agenda was to go for a tour on the boat. My brother-in-law took us around the bay and pointed out all the things and places they were excited about. We stopped at a couple of places for some drinks and food, and then made our way home.

What stood out to me as I watched my brother-in-law was his sense of accomplishment in life. He is only 38 years old, and I have watched him grow personally and professionally. He has risen through the ranks at work and now leads a team. His team walks with the same sense of achievement,

but no arrogance, they are there to get the job done. He works out and keeps himself in top physical condition. He practices his golf game and gets better all the time. When he gets a par or birdie, he is excited, but knows the next hole needs his focus. And now he is a part owner of a summer home with his in-laws. As I watched him last weekend, I was truly happy for him and his wife, they showed pride, but more than that they showed growth, appreciation, and joy, no arrogance.

We should take pride and experience joy when we achieve our goals, big or small, we should celebrate and let ourselves feel that true sense of accomplishment. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can enjoy pride of accomplishment without the arrogance, it really will be a better than good life.

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

Missing were the stories of promise and opportunity

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and her challenger, Adam Frisch, debated on Saturday evening at a forum in Grand Junction sponsored by Club 20. Frisch tried to define Boebert as a legislator who talks a lot but gets nothing done.

Boebert suggested Frisch would be a puppet of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This was expected.

More surprising was how much of the debate revolved around climate change and energy paradigms. Frisch said he believes climate change is an urgent matter, while Boebert characterized Frisch as a “green new deal elitist.” She vaguely suggested his positions, if pursued, would result in “sacrificing American families at the altar of climate change.”

At times, I found myself wanting to leap into my computer screen

LINDA

and onto the dais at Colorado Mesa University. Hard punching entertains, but absent were words that inspired, that told of possibilities.

I heard fear, grievance, and anger — and not just a few clichés. Where was there talk about opportunities in this energy transition? Where were the bold visions? Where were the instructive stories?

Let’s talk about Pueblo, the largest city in the Third Congressional District. Some of us grew up hearing Pueblo called the “Pittsburgh of the West.” Coal was hauled from mines near and far, including those above Redstone, in Pitkin County, to power the steel mill. Beginning in the 1980s, though, Pueblo’s economy tilted as the global marketplace for steel shifted. Employment dropped, and Pueblo - long the second largest city in Colorado - faltered as cities along the northern Front Range prospered and grew.

City leaders set out to diversify their economy. Among the foundations is “green energy.” This includes one of the nation’s premier factories manufacturing wind

MINDY NELON

Marketing Consultant

towers.

Pueblo also can boast of what was, when completed in November 2021, very likely the largest solar farm east of the Rockies. That electricity will power a $500 million plant now under construction that will deliver what the big railroads want, half-mile-long rails. This will be a solar-powered steel mill.

Problems remain. Pueblo still has hard edges, a high poverty rate. Too many windows on Main Street are boarded up. Xcel Energy has agreed to pay property taxes on Comanche 3, Colorado’s youngest and largest coal-burning unit to 2040, although it will be retired at least a decade earlier. But the property tax base remains a puzzle not completely solved.

Still, this is a jewel to be cut and polished. It’s a story that inspires.

Several of our resort towns have reinvented themselves. Crested Butte was a coal-mining town that supplied Pueblo. After that career ended, it became a winter and then summer resort.

Aspen had a more dramatic rise

- and tumble. In 1885, as mansions for the silver barons were erected, it gained hydro-powered street lights, the first place between the Mississippi and San Francisco. Just a few years later federal subsidies for silver ended. But what one book described as “The Quiet Years” ended long ago, as innovators and entrepreneurs figured out how to make a living from the snow that had likely annoyed the miners.

Again, that’s not to deny Aspen’s problems. It’s hard to square carbon reduction goals with private jets. And the affordable housing problem that I have been tracking for 30 years gets worse and worse.

But even Craig seems to have an affordable housing issue: the motel that I so lovingly patronized, each room a distinctive theme honoring some outdoor critter, now has been converted into long-term units.

Hope lingers in both Craig and in some quarters of Pueblo that nuclear will replace the tax base and jobs of the coal plants. Maybe,

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Voting questions answered

How to vote and more

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado Election Day is Nov. 8 with a U.S. Senate seat, eight congressional contests, races for four statewide offices, 100 state legislative jobs, 11 ballot initiatives and more at stake at the county and local levels.

As part of our 2022 election guide, we’re here to answer some questions about voting and how the election works. Let us know what other questions you have by filling out the form at the bottom of this article and we’ll do our best to answer them.

How do I register to vote?

Colorado has automatic voter registration if you get a driver’s license or interact in some other way with state government. But you may also register online with a valid driver’s license, Colorado identification card or Social Security number.

Is there a deadline to register?

No. Coloradans may register in person or online to vote through Election Day. To receive a ballot in the mail, you must be registered by Oct. 31, and you will have to return it to a drop box or vote center.

How do I check whether I’m registered?

Check your voter registration by entering your name, ZIP code and date of birth. You may also change your address online. But if your name changed, you’ll have to fill out a paper form. If your registration says it’s “inactive,” that’s because

you’ve missed voting more than once or your ballot was returned as undeliverable. You may re-register online or by submitting a paper request.

When will my ballot arrive?

Oct. 17 is the first day that ballots will go out in the mail to registered voters and must all be mailed by Oct. 21. If you want to receive a ballot in the mail, you must register by Oct. 31. If your ballot doesn’t arrive, contact your county clerk.

What if I don’t receive a ballot in the mail?

Contact your county clerk’s office and they will be able to help you.

How do I return my ballot?

Once you’ve filled out your ballot, sealed it in the return envelope and signed and dated the envelope, put it in the mail or take it to one of 400 drop boxes or 350 voting centers. (Most voters drop their ballots off.)

Your ballot must be received by 7 p.m. Nov. 8. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office says ballots should be deliver in person, not mailed, after Nov. 1.

You may sign up to use BallotTrax, and you’ll receive an email, text or both when your ballot is accepted.

What if I want to vote in person?

More than 350 voting centers will open Oct. 24 at the latest (some counties may open earlier). Contact your county clerk for nearby locations and hours where you may vote in person. Polls are open Saturday, Nov. 5; Monday, Nov. 7; and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8.

SEE ELECTION, P23

FROM PAGE 12

BESTbut had I been on stage in Grand Junction I would have pointed out that considerable money is being spent in both Wyoming and Idaho to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the new generation of modular nuclear reactors. Why spend Colorado taxpayer money to do the same? So far, the figures don’t look good. We’re talking high costs, expensive power. Again, this may change, but any honest conversation must acknowledge those costs.

With the limited time slots, I might

not have worked in a clarification about drought in the Colorado River Basin. We’ve had drought, but this is something else that won’t go away: aridification. This has been caused by accompanied rising temperatures, which have also made forests more flammable.

Huge challenges face us, but those adversities also provide room for creativity and innovation, spaces for entrepreneurs to thrive. That’s the bold, inspiring vision I wish I had heard laid out at the Club 20 debate.

Allen Best produces Big Pivots, an ejournal that chronicles energy and water transitions in Colorado and beyond. He can be found at bigpivots.com.

Because you want to know... What’s going on in my hometown?

OBITUARIES

Robert Newberg passed away July 28th, 2022. He was from Chicago Illinois and moved to Colorado in 1965 with his wife Helen and ve children. After retiring, they moved to e Villages, Florida in 2003. December 2021 they moved to Houston, Texas.

Bob worked for United Airlines since 1965 until he retired in 1995. Bob was dedicated to taking care of and providing for his family. He loved to travel, bowl, play golf and collect coins.

Bob and Helen were married for 68 years. He graduated from Schurz High School

Helen (Meyer) Newberg passed away August 27th 2022. Helen was from Chicago IL and moved to Colorado in 1965 with her husband Bob and ve children. ey moved to e Villages, Florida in 2003. December 2021 they moved to Houston, Texas.

Helen was an incredible homemaker and hostess. She took great pride testing school aged children. She loved traveling, meeting people and working for Colorado Rockies Baseball. Helen never found a craft she didn’t enjoy, not only doing but teaching.

Bob and Helen were married for 68 years. Helen graduated in 1953 from Kelvyn Park

SMEDES

in 1949. He had six children. Linda Ghignone (Richard), William (Susan), Gregg (Kim), Wendy (John), Raymond (Pam) and Farrah (who preceded them in death). ey were blessed with seven Grandchildren and 11 Great Grandchildren.

ere will be a memorial service in Arvada, CO on October 9th at 1:30 PM. A Christian burial will follow in Chicago, IL at Arlington Cemetery on October 15th at 10:00 AM. In lieu of owers or gifts feel free to make a donation in their honor to; Christ Lutheran Church, PO Box 693, Summer eld, FL 34492.

High School in Chicago. ey had six children. Linda (Richard), William (Susan), Gregg (Kim), Wendy (John), Raymond (Pam) and Farrah Newberg (who preceded them in death). ey were blessed with seven Grandchildren and 11 Great Grandchildren.

ere will be a memorial service in Arvada, CO on October 9th at 1:30 PM and a Christian burial in Chicago, IL at Arlington Cemetery on October 15th at 10:00 AM. In lieu of owers or gifts feel free to make a donation in their honor to; Christ Lutheran Church, PO Box 693, Summer eld, FL 34492.

January 1, 1939 - August 8, 2022

Joyce “Ann” Smedes passed away August 26, 2022. She was born Jan 1, 1939 in Bellville, Illinois to Melvin and Juanita Carter. She lived in Brush, Colorado after moving 4 years ago from Arvada, Colorado, and before that resided in Je erson County and Boulder County.

Ann Met her husband Randy while they both lived in the mountains. Almost immediately he gave her the name Annie Mae.

Ann was a business manager and accountant, who had been retired for quite a while. She worked brie y in real estate. Ann enjoyed Colorado’s scenery and climates; she was an avid gardener, enjoyed camping, loved to go for rides in the mountains, shing in a lake or stream and sitting around the re in her house or backyard replace. She loved traveling to the Caribbean and was a gifted ne arts oil painter. She also enjoyed cooking; always learning new recipes and techniques.

EDWARDS

Gary Dean Edwards passed on 9/15 /2022 in Lakewood,CO A resident of Arvada CO since 1982. He was born June 16 1945 in Wellington, KS. e son of John Forrest Edwards and Helen Friend Edwards.

Gary Is survived by (son) Curtis of Westminster CO (son) Sam of Arvada CO and (daughter) Angela Everett of Ovid CO. Also survived by his Brother John of Ponca City OK and Sister Maryann Hennig of Wellington KS. He Graduated from Wellington HS in

Ann loved horses and even rode in the stock show in Denver. ere was always a dog in her everyday life.

Ann was proud of her work in adoptions. She started and ran an adoption agency focused primarily on designated adoptions, which allows birth parents to choose the adoptive parents, and possibly have continued communication with each other. Ann’s work and professional associates supported hundreds of adoptions in the United States.

For years, Ann assisted her husband, Randy in running Kettle River Corporation – a masonry and paver contractor.

Randy was by her side, and her daughter Diana was on the phone, when she passed peacefully. She was attended by several awesome, thoughtful and caring sta at East Morgan County Hospital in Brush.

Ann is survived by her husband, Randall Wade Smedes; her daughter, Diana Lee Yourell; and grandson, Colton Kevin Yourell.

1963 he also served in the US ARMY during Vietnam and was an air tra c controller.

He eventually landed at Jolly Rancher Candies and worked as eet maintenance manager. He also loved hunting and shing with his Brothers and Family.

Service will be at Ft. Logan National cemetery. 10/13 at 11:15 and a Celebration of life following from 12:30 to 4:30 at American Legion Hall 99th and Wadsworth

NEWBERG

Robert Arthur Newberg April 30, 1930 - July 28, 2022

NEWBERG

Helen Ruth (Meyer) Newberg October 28, 1934 - August 27, 2022

Joyce “Ann” Smedes

Gary Dean Edwards June 16, 1945 - September 15, 2022

From special events to local politics, We’ve got you covered.

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Dustin Smith and his wife grew up spending time at their grandparents’ farms, but many years later, the Smiths’ kids weren’t getting that same experience.

So the Smiths opened The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities and provides a chance for kids to throw horseshoes, learn about tractors and pick up crafting skills, such as how to spin wool.

“We really like the generational aspect of what we do,” said Smith, whose farm has offered the event since 2017.

The Patch features a corn maze, a pumpkin patch and the chance to meet “farm critters,” according to its website. Also part of the fun: a hay wagon ride, apple cannons, roping and corn hole.

Dustin Smith’s dad — affectionately called “grandpa Smith” — often comes out from Kansas to help at the farm, and when he was at a Subway restaurant back in Wichita, somebody recognized his shirt and asked whether he was part of The Patch.

“They had said that grandpa Smith had played with their grandson from Castle Rock, and on their way home, their grandson asked where he could ‘buy a grandpa Smith’ because he had so much fun,” Dustin said. He added: “Even as far as Wichita, it just shows that people love to connect.”

People come to the farm from all over — roughly from as far north as Broomfield, as far west as Conifer, as far south as Colorado Springs and as far east as Burlington, along with some

attendees from out of state, Smith said. The farm sits in the Elizabeth area, east of Douglas County.

The event has become a staple for some who say they’ve come every year, Dustin said.

“It’s the memories that they’re going to have for the rest of their lives. This is how the grandparents are going to remember their grandkids, how the grandkids are going to remember their grandparents,” Dustin said. “Just family time together.”

The public can visit thepatch. farm for tickets or call 720-4466001 with questions. The farm sits at 39980 Fox Trot Circle, several miles north of state Highway 86.

The Patch opened for the season Sept. 17 and is open 10 a.m.6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.

‘Annual tradition’ in Weld

Up north in Weld County, a longtime fall event arose out of a deep agricultural history.

“My grandpa and his brother bought the property in 1958,” said Rachelle Wegele, the operations manager for Anderson Farms in the Erie area.

The location was “really a tenant farm for my family from the 1950s up until the pumpkin patch (started) in 1997,” Wegele said. Tenant farming is a system where landowners contribute their land while tenants contribute their labor.

“We actually farmed closer to Mead, and that’s where I grew up,” Wegele said, referring to a town farther north.

Her father started the pumpkin patch event because some friends in another state were

holding pumpkin patches and telling him how fun it was, Wegele said.

Today, the farm’s Fall Festival includes a corn maze, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, a “pumpkin cannon,” farm animals and many other attractions, according to its website.

“A lot of families have made it an annual tradition,” Wegele said. “It’s something that the whole family can do, from little kids up to grandparents. Families just look forward to it every year.”

The festival is running through Oct. 31, and it’s open every day except Tuesdays. Call 303-828-5210 for questions or see andersonfarms.com for tickets and hours, which vary.

The farm is limiting the number of tickets available per day, so people should buy tickets ahead of time to make sure they can get in this season, Wegele said. The farm sits at 6728 County Road 3 1/4, west of Fort Lupton and west of Interstate 25.

Suburbs meet rural feel

Started in 2001, Maize in the City provides a rural fall atmosphere near the edge of Thornton.

The event features a 20-acre corn maze, a mini maze, and a variety of locally grown pumpkins, gourds and “other fall decor,” its website says. It also offers many other attractions, including sand art, a corn launcher, “5-minute escape rooms” and pony rides, according to its website.

The event takes place at 104th Avenue and McKay Road, a short drive east of Colorado Boulevard. It opened for the season Sept. 24. See maizeinthe-

city.com for tickets and other details.

New event down south

In Douglas County, the relatively new fall festivities at Lone Creek Farms include a large array of activities.

Among them are “pumpkin jump pads,” tire swings, a large pedal-kart race track, panning for gemstones, a corn maze and hay wagon rides, according to the farm’s website. And, of course, there are pumpkins for sale.

“Since 2018, we have strived to create a fun, family-friendly environment for the fall season. We are a family-owned business, and from our family to yours, we hope to create memories that will last from year to year,” the website says.

Lone Creek Farms is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays through October.

For tickets, see lonecreekfarms.com. The location has a Franktown address of 3879 N. State Highway 83 and sits in the east Castle Rock area, north of state Highway 86.

Chatfield-area event

Southwest of Littleton in unincorporated Jefferson County, the Pumpkin Festival at Chatfi eld Farms offers a pumpkin patch and corn maze, an antique tractor exhibit by Front Range Antique Power Association, hayrides and an obstacle course, according to the festival’s webpage.

See tinyurl.com/Chatfi eldFarmsFestival for tickets or call 720-865-3500 with questions.

The festival runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 7-9 at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, just southwest of Wadsworth Boulevard and the C-470 highway.

The pumpkin patch at Smoky Hill United Methodist Church on Smoky Hill Road in east Centennial featured a Halloween-themed seating area where visitors took photos in fall 2020.

FILE PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

A steady stream of families came to pick pumpkins Oct. 31, 2020, at Smoky Hill United Methodist Church in east Centennial.

FILE PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Pumpkins sit at The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities.

People take a ride at The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities. The farm sits near the Town of Elizabeth. COURTESY PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

‘Dry Land’ dives into the deep end

One of the great things about theater is its ability to reflect the challenges and convulsions of society with a speed and alacrity that most other performing arts mediums just aren’t capable of achieving.

That fact is highlighted by Benchmark Theatre’s regional premiere production of Ruby Rae Spiegel’s “Dry Land,” which runs at the theater, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood, through Sunday, Oct. 8. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Dry Land” tackles the timely topics of abortion, female friendship and much more. We spoke to Haley Johnson, executive director at Benchmark, about the show.

Answers edited for brevity and clarity.

-Tell me about selecting “Dry Land” to be part of Benchmark’s season?

When Texas enacted the Texas Heartbeat Act on September 1, 2021, we knew that a play like “Dry Land” couldn’t be more relevant. Of course, we didn’t have the foresight of what was to come from the US Supreme Court in June of 2022. As a result, “Dry Land” is eerily timely, probably more so than any of the plays in the rest of our season.

-What is the show about?

“Dry Land” is a story that follows teammates on a Florida high school girls’ swim team. Underage and pregnant, Amy has enlisted the help of Es-

ter as she is unable to obtain an abortion without her mother’s consent.

-Tell me about the cast?

We have a phenomenal cast that are all new to the Benchmark Theatre stage. Director Abby Apple Boes selected a group of artists that have been a delight to work with and really brought the story to urgent life. The play sits in realism and honesty and every member of this five-person cast has done a tremendous job grounding themselves in a genuine and raw performance.

-The show has an all-female/nonbinary creative team — how did that affect the way you told this particular story?

It was very important to us that we had the right voices around the creative table. Surrounding ourselves with female and non-binary artists, we were able to focus on the artistry of the show from a perspective that everyone could relate to on some level. This is a story about teenage girls and the adversity they face. Inherently, having female and non-binary voices to support the artistry of the story was vital.

-What do you hope audiences come away with?

I hope audiences leave the theater

with, perhaps, a sober understanding of the lengths to which some people may need to stretch to make the choice that’s right for them. The playwright does a careful and intentional job of not politicizing this play. We simply want to present the piece as a cautionary tale and a reminder that what happens in this fictitious story is all too real in high schools, summer camps and bedrooms all across the nation and beyond.

For more information and tickets, visit www.benchmarktheatre.com

LSO celebrates works of the cello

The Lakewood Symphony Orchestra is getting into its new season in a thrilling way with the upcoming “Cellists’ Favorite” performance, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway.

The concert will feature cellist Seoyoen Min performing Elgar’s “Concerto for Cello in E minor, Op. 85.” Min, a South Korea native, has been Principal Cello of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and has performed with a range of international ensembles.

All the details and tickets can be secured at www.lakewoodsymphony.org.

Walker Fine Art examines the natural world

There’s a reason so many people are worried about the state of the climate and environment. Mixed in with all

the beauty the world offers are danger and fear about the future of the planet.

“Environmental Reflections,” the latest exhibit at Walker Fine Art, 300 West 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, gives six artists — Theresa Clowes, Elaine Coombs, George Kozman, Bryan Leister, Heather Patterson and Zelda Zinn — the opportunity to explore their understanding and appreciation of landscape, climate and habitat.

The exhibit runs at the gallery through Saturday, Nov. 18. Find all the information at www.walkerfineart. com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Night Moves at Red Rocks

I have a pretty firm rule that if the name of your band references Bob Seger’s best song (and one of the best songs ever written), I’m going to be inclined to give your band a chance.

Over the last decade or so the Minneapolis-based group Night Moves have fine-tuned their approach to reverbdrenched roots rock. Their 2019 album

“Can You Really Find Me,” is home to some of the year’s best songs and their recently released “The Redaction” EP hints at great things ahead.

The group swings by Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. in Denver, at 8 p.m. Oct. 6. Get tickets at https://globehall.com.

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

Haunted Field of Screams, Maize in the City set to reopen

STAFF REPORT

Corn mazes and other activities - haunted and otherwise - are set to reopen along Rivedale Road this month.

Palombo Farms Maize in the City is scheduled to open for the fall on Sept. 24 featuring a 20-acre corn maze and assorted other family attractions. The maze is located at 10451 McKay Road in Thornton.

“We love that Maize in the City is a place that brings families and friends together and builds

community,” said Gina PalomboDinkel, Maize in the City co-owner. “We’re happy to see everyone exploring the corn mazes, picking out pumpkins and adventuring through the many attractions on our site while enjoying the fall season.”

Families lost in the cornfi eld can navigate their way through the Crazed Corn Field Maze with the help of the customizable smartphone trivia game. Little ones can take the lead through the Mini Maze - a maze cut into a shorter corn stalk fi eld.

The attraction also offers locally grown pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn and other fall décor for purchase. Kids can also swim through the free corn kernel box, take turns conquering the playground or venture through the hay bale maze.

Maize in the City is open select dates from Sept 24 through Oct. 31. Visit maizeinthecity.com for exact dates and times and attraction and site details.

Admission to the Maize in the City site is free with attraction prices varying from free to $20.

Field of Screams

The maze’s scary addition is set to open Sept. 30. The Haunted Field of Screams, Colorado’s largest haunted attraction, is built into a 40-acre corn fi eld to offer a daunting indoor/outdoor haunt experience.

“Each year we challenge ourselves to make the haunted attraction a more thrilling, memorable experience for our visitors,” said Mark Villano, co-owner of the Haunted Field of Screams. “We

Clarke Reader

Thu 10/06

A Killer's Confession

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Suitable Miss: Sarah's Suitable Birthday Show!

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HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

GHEIST

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Olde Town Arvada, Arvada. kmiller007@ msn.com, 303-420-6100

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Goosetown Station, 514 9th St, Golden

Keith Hicks

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Lainey Wilson

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Grizzly Rose, 5450 N Valley Hwy, Denver

jackLNDN

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The Church, 1160 Lincoln St, Denver

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Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver

Sat 10/08

Star Spangled Gala

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Evergreen Chamber Orchestra

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Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980 County Highway 73, Evergreen. board@evergreencham berorch.org, 303-670-6558

Your Own Medicine

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Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Denver

Mon 10/10

Jeffrey Martin & Bart Budwig (solo) live at Globe Hall

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Killboy

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OMEGA X

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Denver hit-and-run victim memorialized with ghost bike

BY KYLE COOKE & JULIO SANDOVAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

On the morning of Aug. 10, Steve Perkins met his brother, Dan, at Cherry Creek Reservoir for a bike ride.

It was something the 52-year-old identical twins would do about three or four times a week. Steve would bike from his home in Central Park and meet Dan, who came up from Littleton, for a loop around the reservoir, and then they would go their separate ways, cycling back to their respective neighborhoods.

After Steve said goodbye to his brother Wednesday, Aug. 10, he was cycling north on Syracuse Street in Denver around 7 a.m. when a Ford Explorer traveling westbound on East 13th Avenue ran a red light and hit him. Steve, who had a green light and was riding in a bike lane, died from his injuries.

The driver did not slow down and has not been found.

Exactly two weeks after Steve’s death, his family, friends and fellow cyclists returned to the intersection where the driver killed Steve for a “ghost bike” dedication ceremony.

Steve was “more than just a brother, more than just a twin,” Dan said at the ceremony Wednesday, Aug. 24. “He was my best friend.”

Ghost bikes are all-white bicycles that serve as roadside memorials in locations where cyclists have been killed, usually by drivers. The somber tradition began in the United States in the early 2000s and has since spread to more than 200 cities around the world.

The ghost bike at 13th and Syracuse is adorned with a helmet and cycling jersey of Steve’s, as well as white flowers on the rear tire rack.

“It’s great to have something out here that I can drive past, or ride past, and see it and say, ‘Yeah, that was for him and he’s still here with me,’” Dan said. “And hopefully it means that people who come through this intersection will be jarred into remembering hey, there are real lives out there and I need to be careful.”

Dan hopes that the bike captures drivers’ attention and makes them realize the danger they pose to cyclists and pedestrians when they don’t follow the rules of the road.

Dan says that he drives in addition

to cycling, but that when he’s in his car, he does not lose sight of the fact that he’s operating a “two or three ton missile that has the potential to do a lot of damage. If nothing else, [drivers should] put the phones down. Don’t eat while you’re driving, pay attention to the roads … I know we’re all in a hurry, but saving five or six seconds isn’t going to make that much difference, [but] it might save a life.”

As for cyclists, Dan said he hopes the ghost bikes serves as a reminder that “unfortunately, you cannot count on the good will of drivers, even if you have the right-of-way like Steve did.”

Steve’s death is a tragedy made more devastating by the fact that he did everything right as a cyclist: he was in a bike lane, following traffic signals and biking at a slower pace through the intersection when the driver hit him. Steve even had a camera mounted to his bicycle that captured video of the killer’s Ford Explorer. Unfortunately, the car did not have a license plate.

Pete Piccolo, the executive director of Bicycle Colorado, was at Wednesday’s ceremony. “We’re here to shine a light on what is the preventable public health crisis that is traffic violence,” he said. “This loss of life is preventable.”

Denver experienced 84 traffic

deaths in 2021, the highest number in at least a decade. Thirteen of those were hit-and-runs, a number the city has already eclipsed this year.

The Denver Police Department told Rocky Mountain PBS that so far in 2022, there have been 57 traffic fatalities in the city and 14 of those incidents involved a hit-and-run. According to Piccolo, Colorado is on track to record around 15-20 cyclist deaths this year. Below is a photo of the car that hit Steve.

“This killing has to stop,” Piccolo said, adding that Colorado does not lack the resources to make roads safer. Rather, he said, the state’s political leaders lack the compassion to do so.

Speaking about the street where Steve was killed, Piccolo suggested making East 13th Avenue a two-way street. Currently, the street is a wide two-lane, one-way road that Piccolo said invites people to speed due to the lack of stop signs and traffic calming measures like roundabouts or speed humps. He suggested making the road a two-way road in order to cull speeding and reckless driving.

“The governor is not going to listen to me, but he’ll listen to all of you,” Piccolo told the crowd at Steve’s ghost bike ceremony, encouraging them to advocate for safer streets.

The crowd included many cyclists who arrived via bike. Piccolo said he saw some “familiar faces” and Dan said he was both surprised and not surprised by the large number of people in attendance. Dan was surprised because the ceremony took place during a work day, but

not surprised because Steve was, in Dan’s words, a “consummate great guy.”

“I know that sounds cliché, but he really was the kind of guy that would do just about anything for someone in need,” Dan said. “I’m not surprised that there were that many people available to be here because he was that guy — everybody who knew him loved him, and it doesn’t surprise me that they would want to say goodbye in a special circumstance like this.”

A husband, father and attorney, Steve Perkins was also a serious cyclist. In addition to riding with his brother several times a week, he completed three Ironman Triathlons, which include 112-mile bike rides. One of Steve’s sons recently developed an affinity for cycling, too.

For Dan, riding his bike following Steve’s death has been difficult. He told Rocky Mountain PBS that he has gone on one ride in the last two weeks, but it was a gravel ride; he hasn’t ridden on the street yet.

“I know I’ll be back on the roads one of these days, it’s just a matter of when I’m comfortable with it, when my wife’s comfortable with it,” Dan said. “Because Steve would hate it if I let his death keep me from doing something I really loved. He would probably tell me, ‘Keep doing it, but be careful.’”

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

Daily Masses: 8:30am, Mon-Sat Confessions: 8am Tue-Fri; 7:30am & 4:00pm Sat

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm

Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am, 5:30pm

A ghost bike for Steve Perkins was placed at the intersection of Syracuse and 13th on Aug. 24. A driver killed Perkins, an avid cyclist, in a hit-and-run crash two weeks prior. COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Denver Zoo leaders work to diversify

Could

BY TATIANA FLOWERS THE COLORADO SUN

Denver Zoo leaders have worked earnestly over the last few years to diversify their staff and visitors, continuing on a journey toward equity that was renewed last summer, when the zoo took responsibility for the death of a Black man who was tackled and tasered by police in 2011 while he suffered from heat stroke.

Zoo leaders stayed relatively quiet for years after Alonzo Ashley died, but were thrust into a local debate about diversity, equity and inclusion after his death, before the topic came up again following George Floyd’s death, and then once more during the Black Lives Matter protests that followed in 2020.

“All of those things led to the creation of the steering committee, and to where we are today with our new strategic plan, and the personnel we have in place,” said Jake Kubie, director of communications at the Denver Zoo. “It’s all connected,”

Last summer, Denver Zoo CEO Bert Vescolani apologized to Ashley’s family, and unveiled a water fountain and cooling station at the zoo in the 29-year-old’s honor.

It was an important gesture that is part of Vescolani’s strategic vision for the zoo, which includes diversifying the organization’s staff and visitorship to reflect the makeup of the metro Denver area. The equity work, zoo leaders said, also fits in line with the zoo’s core mission of inspiring communities to conserve wildlife for future generations.

“The Alonzo incident was definitely a moment for us to really reflect on who we are and who the community thinks we are,” Kubie said. “With the Black Lives Matter movement growing over the last decade, and George Floyd, there have definitely been key moments along the journey that have really been a moment in time for us to pause and reflect on how we’re doing things.”

When Vescolani was hired in 2018, he launched a strategic planning process focused on community engagement and other DEI initiatives.

Two years later, during nationwide Black Lives Matter protests calling

for racial equality, the foundation of the strategic plan was finalized, Kubie said.

Zoo, he added, because many DEI initiatives outlined in the strategic plan are finally coming to fruition.

During the last few years, the Denver Zoo has hired two staff members primarily focused on diversifying the zoo’s staff, and two team managers focused on getting the zoo involved in community events that should reach more people of color living and working in the neighborhoods surrounding the zoo.

Zoo leaders have partnered with Inclusive Journeys, an organization creating data-driven economic incentives that push businesses toward becoming more inclusive of patrons who typically experience discrimination.

A $200,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services is being used to develop a more accessible recruitment and hiring process for early career professionals. Some of the money was used to create a paid internship program to help recruit young people of color who are hoping to break into careers in the zoological and wildlife conservation industry.

Denver Zoo leaders attribute the lack of racial diversity in the industry to too few opportunities for paid internships at a time when a racial wealth gap makes it hard for interns of color to take low paying jobs. In 2019, the most-recent data available, 74% of zookeepers were white, 16% were Latino, 4% were Black, 2% were Asian and less than 1% were Native American, according to Zippia, an online site providing tools and information to help people achieve their career goals.

Some of the zoo’s equity work is focused on training staff who provide services to guests. These frontline

workers will soon be trained in mental

to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis and then lead the distressed person to adequate services. Security staff will continue to be trained to use de-escalation techniques in a course that will include a segment about how biases can impact how a person views a threat to help mitigate incidents similar the one that led to Ashley’s death.

Ashley died after a zoo volunteer felt he was acting strangely and then called police. It was later determined that Ashley was suffering from heat stroke. He died from cardiorespiratory arrest brought on by heat, dehydration and exertion during a struggle with police who had restrained and tasered him.

Zoo leaders are revamping their interviewing process to mitigate bias and create a culture where leaders can engage and manage a diverse team. There’s a focus throughout the organization on preparing leaders for diversity and ensuring guests, volunteers and employees feel that they are a part of the team, including by ensuring that workplace meetings are more accessible for people with disabilities.

Teens, older adults, people of color and people with disabilities are among the main groups the zoo is trying to engage to increase diversity. Each year, the zoo is now hosting a sensory night, where all flashing lights and music are disabled, specifically designed to welcome people with sensory processing disorders.

When an organization is diverse, it’s more innovative and creative, and improves business outcomes, said Elkin Alfred, director of equity and culture at the Denver Zoo, whose role was recommended a few years ago by the zoo’s DEI steering committee. “But it’s also the right thing to do.”

“That is the central theme of our work,” she added. “It is internally focused, so we can be more representative of the community, but also externally focused, so that when people engage with the zoo, they feel seen, and they feel like their identities are taken into consideration when we cre-

ate exhibits, when we make updates, when we put information out on social media. We want everyone to feel like they have a role in saving wildlife for future generations.”

The Denver Zoo is a high profile, visible organization where staff are the catalysts for making connections between guests, animals and the rest of nature, Kubie said.

The demographics of the zoo’s staff and visitors are not reflective of the area, a concern for organization leaders. Of the 406 employees working at the Denver Zoo, 19% are people of color.

The zoo’s visitor demographics would reflect the racial makeup of the metro Denver area if 5% of its visitors were Black, if 23% were Hispanic, if 4% were Asian and if 64% were white. Currently, 16% of visitors are Hispanic, 5% Black, 5% Asian, and 79% of zoo visitors are white. Kubie said the organization has inched toward its goals over the last few years but recognizes there’s still room for improvement.

The zoo is using an ongoing guest experience survey to track whether guests feel welcome at the organization.

One question asks visitors to indicate whether they feel the zoo is a welcoming place for them and other visitors in their group. To date, in 2022, 88% of people have ranked the zoo as “very” or “extremely welcoming.” Zoo leaders hope that figure will increase to 95% or greater by next year.

Since Vescolani started in his role, he said he has worked hard to diversify the zoo’s staff and its board of governors, which hires and fires the CEO and maintains oversight of zoo operations. In 2018, when Vescolani was hired, 8% of the board of governors were Black and 8% were Latino. This year, the percentage of Black members rose to 13% and 20% for Latino board members.

By 2025, millennials will make up 75% of the workforce, according to the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization conducting research. “If you think about millennials, what they come to the workforce with is a far greater and more focused wanting of diversity in its broadest sense, and they come with expectations that that’s the way it’s going to be, so it is not an option for any employer,” Vescolani said. “Nature survives because of its diversity and that same diversity should translate here.”

The zoo recently opened a new animal hospital where guests are able to watch procedures in real time. The new hospital showcases the medical work done at the zoo but also helps kids see themselves in the shoes of a veterinarian or a wildlife biologist,

Lion brothers at the Denver Zoo.

COURTESY OF THE DENVER ZOO

Legislators face inflationary budget crunch

Risk of recession grows

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Inflation and rising interest rates aimed at reining in rising consumer costs are causing Colorado’s economy to slow and stagnate, according to two economic and tax revenue forecasts presented Sept. 22 to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee.

The governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting warned the risk of a recession in the next 18 months has risen since June to 50%. And nonpartisan Colorado Legislative Council Staff said there are a host of economic risks, including fallout from the war in Ukraine and the effects of the Federal Reserve tightening monetary policy even further.

“A recession could be a real possibility that you could be faced with,” said David Hansen, senior economist with Legislative Council Staff. “We don’t want to shy away from saying that.”

The upside is that the state’s job market remains strong, with unemployment hovering around 3% and two job openings available for every unemployed person in Colorado from March to July. And the governor’s office forecasts that the state’s economy is “expected to rebound by the end of 2023 and return to historical growth in 2024” as inflation eases.

“We do think that the monetary policy circumstances that we’re currently under will lessen the amount

rate to hit 3.9% in 2023. “But we don’t think it will get to the point where it’s a one-to-one ratio (of unemployed people and open jobs).”

Despite the headwinds, tax revenues are still forecast to increase by hundreds of millions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.

“Colorado’s economy is strong and will continue to grow in the months ahead,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a written statement. He is expected to unveil his 2023-24 fiscal year budget, which will take effect July 1, 2023, in the next several weeks.

But the reality for state budget writers on the JBC is that while they are expected to have $1 billion more to spend for the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to Legislative Council Staff, about 90% of that increase is expected to be consumed by the General As-

Become a Colorado Sun member today.

In other words, state lawmakers will have just $85 million to allocate to new initiatives when they convene in January after two years of unprecedented spending fueled by a strongerthan-expected economy and billions of dollars in federal aid. The news caused some jaws to drop — literally — Thursday among the six members of JBC.

That’s not fully accounting for the effects of inflation on the cost of governing, which could effectively mean the budget will have to shrink.

“I think we’re in the red before we even start the race,” said state Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat and the incoming chair of the JBC.

State Sen. Bob Rankin, a Carbondale Republican who sits on the JBC, is anxious about the prospect of not being able to raise the pay of state employees as a result.

The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, the 1992 constitutional amendment passed by Colorado voters, limits increases in government growth and spending each year to the rates of inflation and population growth. But the inflation rate used to determine the cap comes from the previous calendar year, or six months before the start of each fiscal year.

Given high inflation rates, some JBC members have complained that the TABOR cap is lagging and thus constraining the budget, a problem that compounds over time as inflation keeps rising.

The TABOR cap for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which began July 1, was set using a 3.5% inflation rate when the inflation rate in the 2021 calendar year in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area is more like 8%. While the 202324 fiscal year TABOR cap will reflect that higher rate, it only builds off the TABOR cap set using the 3.5% rate.

And because of inflation, the state is expected to collect billions of dollars in tax revenue above the TABOR cap over the next three fiscal years, according to both economic forecasts presented to the JBC on Thursday. That money will have to be refunded to taxpayers, however, so it can’t be used to combat the effects of inflation on governing.

Legislative Council Staff forecast revenue above the TABOR cap to be $3.63 billion in the current 2022-23 fiscal year, $2.28 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year and $1.9 billion in the 202425 fiscal year.

The forecast from the governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting was far less rosy. The Polis adminis-

tration forecast the revenue cap to be exceeded by $1.9 billion in the current 2022-23 fiscal year, $685 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year and $742 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

“On the surface, things looks great,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat who sits on the JBC. “We have to deal with the stuff that is under the surface.”

Complicating the situation further are two measures on the November ballot that could reduce the TABOR cap excess by hundreds of millions of dollars in future fiscal years, if not eliminate the excess entirely.

Proposition 121 would cut Colorado’s income tax rate to 4.4% from 4.55%, a reduction estimated to slash state tax revenue by $412.6 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Proposition 123 would set aside up to 0.1% of taxable income each year for affordable housing, which is estimated to shrink revenue by $145 million in the current fiscal year and $290 million in the 2023-24 and subsequent fiscal years.

Under the OSPB tax revenue forecasts, the TABOR cap excess would effectively be eliminated by the passage of Propositions 121 and 123. Should there be a mild recession and tax revenue be lower than what’s forecast by OSPB, Propositions 121 and 123, should they pass, could go beyond eliminating the TABOR excess and force the legislature to reduce the size of its budget.

More TABOR refunds coming

The majority of Colorado taxpayers already have received TABOR refund checks — $750 for single filers and $1,500 for joint filers — for the previous fiscal year. But they can expect even more money in April.

The amount of money taxpayers will receive is based on their income level and is expected to range from $160 for the lowest earners (people who make up to $48,000) who are single filers to $506 for the highest earners (people making more than $266,000) who are single filers. The refund range jumps to $1,012 from $320 for joint filers based on their income levels.

Greg Sobetski, chief economist with Colorado Legislative Council, said the amounts will be finalized in the coming weeks as the state finishes its accounting for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

Coloradans who filed their 2021 tax returns before June 30 have already received their $750 or $1,500 checks or will receive them by Sept. 30. Late filers who submit their returns before Oct. 16 will receive their checks by Jan. 31.

More information on the refund checks can be found at https://tax. colorado.gov/cash-back.

It’s unclear whether Coloradans will get TABOR refund checks in future years given the uncertainty around the economy and the passage of Propositions 121 and 123.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

The annual process to discuss and approve a budget for Castle Rock is o cially underway.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Kubie said.

“I think there’s a case to be made for the likelihood of that increasing if a Black elementary school kid sees a Black vet tech or veterinarian or zookeeper,” he said.

The Denver Zoo has nearly 2 million guests per year who visit about 3,000 animals representing about 450 species. Zoos build empathy and curiosity for children who visit and create educational opportunities for adult patrons, Alfred said.

But zoos haven’t always bathed in glory. In the 19th and 20th centuries, human zoos were prominent across the U.S., and other parts of the world, where people of color were displayed in zoos, fairs and museums as living exhibits. White visitors would pet and photograph the people on display for having features they deemed unusual.

These historical events coupled with a sense that people of color are not welcomed in the outdoors because of lacking representation has created distrust in the zoo and wildlife conservation industry, especially among patrons of color, Kubie said. Now, Denver Zoo leaders are working to engage with those communities.

Many skeptics are also concerned about the level of care provided by zoos. There are about 2,500 zoos in America and only 238 are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, meaning the accredited zoos, like Denver Zoo, adhere to the strictest animal care standards and contribute to wildlife conservation. Kubie said the only animals that come

to the Denver Zoo from the wild are those that were rescued. The vast majority of animals there are born and bred within a zoo setting in species survival programs to help conserve threatened, vulnerable and endangered species with an intent to eventually release them into the wild, he added.

“We are always looking at the barriers that prevent our community from visiting, and there are many barriers: there’s cost barriers, or psychological barriers, there’s emotional barriers, there’s people who don’t like zoos and are not going to agree with us, which is really where my department comes in to really tell people why zoos are important and what we do for wildlife conservation,” he said.

More than a decade after Ashley died at the zoo, organization leaders say they’re still on the journey toward creating a more diverse and equitable Denver Zoo.

“You don’t change systems that have existed for hundreds of years in two, three years, so the zoo is focused on this long term,” Alfred said. “We’re doing the work, and we’re looking at systemic change, and not just meeting quotas.”

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Do I need identification to vote?

If you vote in person or are voting by mail for the first time, you must present identification such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport or other identification on this list.

Where can I find more information?

To register online, check your current registration and get key election information, GoVoteColorado.gov is the place to start. It includes a variety of election information.

Where can I get more information about the state questions on the ballot?

Every election, the Ballot Information Booklet (known as the Blue Book) is produced by the state. It provides voters with impartial analysis of each initiated or referred constitutional amendment, law or question on the ballot. It includes a summary of the measure, arguments for and against, and a brief fiscal assessment.

Download a copy at bit. ly/2xjpqAd.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Orangutans at the Denver Zoo.

COURTESY OF THE DENVER ZOO

ADAPTING ATHLETICALLY

Summit’s Hail Mary answered in win over Wheat Ridge

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LAKEWOOD — Summit remained undefeated on the season Sept. 22 after a successful trip down to Trailblazer Stadium.

The Tigers (4-0 record) defeated Wheat Ridge 55-14 in the non-league game.

“It’s awesome to come down here and play Denver (area) teams,” Summit senior quarterback Jack Schierholz said. “It’s cool to come down here and prove ourselves. Prove that mountain schools have something to offer too.”

Summit capped off a high-scoring first half with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Jack Schierholz to junior Jackson Archambault with 2.4 seconds left in the second quarter.

“I stayed in the pocket and tried to stay calm,” Schierholz said about the Hail Mary down the Tigers’ sideline. “I got hit as I was throwing it, but was able to get it off just in time.

Jackson was able to come back to the ball and make the play. It was awesome. It was really electric.”

The Tigers and Farmers combined for 55 points in the first half with Summit leading 41-14.

“We practice that all the time,” Summit coach James Wagner said of the Hail Mary. “We run Hail

Marys everything Thursday during practice. It is fun to see when we can execute it.”

Schierholz had a pair of touchdown runs and three touchdown passes in the opening half. The senior quarterback’s scoring runs were 14 and 21 yards, both in the first quarter. Schierholz has a total of a

dozen touchdowns rushing and passing through four games.

All three of his touchdown passes came in the second quarter against Wheat Ridge. He flipped a forward pass to Archambault on a first-down and 30 from the Farmers’ 33-yard line. Archambault was able to weave his way into the end zone to extend

Summit’s lead to 28-7.

After a Wheat Ridge fumble, Summit capitalized with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Schierholz to Tyler Hodges.

“He is a stud. No doubt about it,” Wagner said of Schierholz. “His freshman year he threw a pass over the middle while playing on the scout team. I knew then we had someone special. He isn’t just a good football player. He is an excellent human being. He is fun to watch.”

Wheat Ridge’s two first-half scores were both on passes from quarterback Sam Christensen. The senior connected with sophomore Isaac McCune for a 75-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter. Christensen found McCune again for a 19-yard touchdown to cut Summit’s lead to 35-14.

Summit put a damper on any potential homecoming game comeback by the Farmers with the Hail Mary to end the half with the last second touchdown by Archambault to give the Tigers a 41-14 halftime lead.

With Wheat Ridge star running back Moses Archuleta sidelined with an injury during the first half, the Farmers couldn’t get much going on the ground. Summit shut out the Farmers in the second half.

Wheat Ridge senior running back Moses Archuleta (32) finds some running room in the first quarter against Summit on Sept. 22 at Trailblazer Stadium. The Farmers dropped the non-league game 55-14.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Adapted Athletic soccer teams from Lakewood and Bear Creek high schools play during Soccer Day on Sept. 22 at Trailblazer Stadium. In what is one of the biggest attended Adapted Athletic events during the school year, 25 middle and high schools from across Je co participated.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

FROM PAGE 24

WIN“We were able to make some adjustment at halftime,” Wagner said of his defense shutting out the Farmers in the second half. “I’m proud of the way the kids finished.”

Junior Ben Elam had a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the Tigers. Senior Will Koll put the icing on the cake with a pick-6 with 5 minutes to play to push the lead to 40 points.

Summit is back in action next week when the Tigers host Lincoln on Friday, Sept. 30.

“We are 4-0, but to me we are 0-0

going into next week,” Wagner said.

Wheat Ridge has already posted more wins than the previous two seasons. Under first-year coach Brandon Wilkes the Farmers ended an 18-game losing streak that dated back to the 2019.

The Farmers defeated Fort Lupton on Week 1 and picked up another victory last week with a 27-22 road win over Sand Creek.

Wheat Ridge has a bye next week before starting conference play. The Farmers open up their Class 3A League 4 schedule against Conifer on Oct. 7 at Trailblazer Stadium.

Dennis Pleuss is the Sports Information Director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.

CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

Summit Senior GC Martinez (64) puts pressure on Wheat Ridge senior quarterback Sam Christensen during the non-league game Sept. 22 at Trailblazer Stadium. Christensen was 16-for-32 passing for 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but the Farmers lost 55-14.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Good monsoons help fall colors thrive

BY HAYLEY SANCHEZ COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Cooler evenings, shorter days, all the pumpkin-themed drinks and foods you can think of — the start of fall is just a few days away. And that means seasonal fall colors are right around the corner, according to state forestry officials.

“It’s not an exact science,” said Dan West, a Colorado State Forest Service entomologist. Fall leaf colors will have average timing this year, he added.

When predicting fall colors, West breaks the state into thirds — northern, central and southern Colorado. By the end of September, northern Colorado should see changing leaves, then early October for central Colorado and mid to late October for the southern portion of the state.

The 2022 fall foliage prediction map predicts similar peak colors. It analyzes data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration like historical temperatures and precipitation, and other markers.

This year, monsoon moisture through the summer helped

REOPEN

FROM PAGE 16

purposefully play on the natural elements of our site - the corn field, the woods, the moonlight - and use

drought-stressed trees recover, West said.

That means leaves likely won’t have brown edges like they’ve had the last few years when drought was more prevalent. So while he said this year’s autumn colors will be quite average relatively, they’ll seem more brilliant than in recent years.

“The next month or so looks fantastic for the state of Colorado for leaf colors,” West said. “I think that we’re gonna have a pretty good year as opposed to years past.”

these elements to create a more realistic, daunting and bone-chilling scare.”

The Haunted Field of Screams is open Sept. 30 through Oct. 31, Friday through Sunday nights as well as select other dates. Visit hauntedfieldofscreams.com for the

The best fall foliage conditions are a combination of abundant sunshine to get rid of chlorophyll — which gives leaves their green color — and cool nights to produce sugars that create brilliant reds and purples. And you’re in luck because West said NOAA’s 30-day forecast predicts that kind of environment. (Word to the wise: We live in Colorado so you and I both know this weather forecast could always change. And if it snows, say goodbye to the cool colors.)

full schedule.

Tickets are $29.99 - $39.99 with VIP Fast Pass available. Tickets are now available for purchase at hauntedfieldofscreams.com. A limited number of onsite tickets will also be available for purchase.

“This year, we’ve had the unique

When taking in the views, West said he likes to follow Colorado’s fall colors from north to south. He starts in Routt National Forest near Steamboat Springs and moves southwest near La Veta Pass into Alamosa and toward Durango.

“The Oaks give you a beautiful show of that red and orange in the bottom of the forest and then the aspens over top of that, it’s just, breathtaking,” West said.

Although many areas of Colorado should expect beautiful scenery, some places in the southwest part of the state impacted by severe drought or burn scars like the Spring Creek fire will take more time to recover and produce similar foliage.

West’s best advice for checking out the scenery: “If things don’t look good in your favorite spot or where you normally drive, I’d say just keep for a couple more minutes and I think your chances are pretty good that you’re going to get into a good spot. Enjoy beautiful Colorado.”

This story is from CPR News, a nonprofit news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

opportunity to completely reinvent the haunted attraction on the west side of McKay Road,” Villano said. “With new thrilling natural elements incorporated into the haunt, we expect to give visitors the longest and most daunting scare experience they’ve had to date.”

As the colder temperatures arrive, the fall colors are expected in the mountains. Monsoons may help the colors.

PHOTO BY JON GRIMES

Colorado adds water quality protections for South Platte, Clear Creek Overturns 2020 ruling

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission unanimously reversed a controversial 2020 decision and added new pollution protections for the South Platte River and Clear Creek through metro Denver, citing a “com pelling” campaign by environmental justice advocates who demanded the repeal.

The vote on Sept. 13 adds new de fenses for urban streams and culmi nates a two-year campaign by a broad coalition of conservation groups, racial and economic justice advocates and local, state and federal officials to overturn the 2020 ruling. That year’s ruling had said existing polluters could discharge more waste into the urban streams without new state antidegradation reviews.

Now those permitted polluters, including Metro Water Recovery and Molson Coors, will have to prove any new actions won’t further damage the Denver-area streams, where aquatic life is already troubled by runoff, pollution discharge and high tempera tures.

The hearings this week were the result of the commission previously agreeing to review arguments from its own staff and the outside coalition, including Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, that their 2020 decision had essentially written off urban streams as hopeless.

“This is a historic moment for Colorado. To my knowledge this is the first successful petition from an envi ronmental or environmental justice group” to a state health agency, said Ean Tafoya, GreenLatinos Colorado state director. “Impacted communities are empowered, organized, and part nered with allies. We are committed to using every procedural tool and in every venue available to us to achieve environmental justice.”

Anti-degradation rules that will now apply to the stretches of the South Platte River and Clear Creek put those waters into the “reviewable” category. That rule says polluters seeking a new or renewed water quality permit must make a compelling argument that worsening the conditions of a stretch of river is an unavoidable part of an important economic development or civic improvement.

They must offer this proof even if the given stretch of water is already better than EPA water quality mini mums. The state rules effectively raise the floor of quality as a stream improves, and says those waters can’t be “degraded” below the new floor.

Decades of intense and expensive cleanup efforts on urban streams like the South Platte, including by Metro Wastewater, have improved water quality and given the river a chance at more fish, wildlife and recreation, the environmental advocates say. The

state’s job is to keep pushing for even cleaner water, the environmental co alition who brought the petition said, not to clear the way for backsliding.

The commissioners Tuesday also scolded Molson Coors and others who had spent the hearing arguing against the new protections for stretches of Clear Creek, which passes the Golden brewery, and the South Platte River north of the Denver boundary.

“I am offended that a company that makes its profit and markets its brand off the clean water of this state would work so hard to prevent protections for that clean water,” Commission Chair April Long said, before the final unanimous vote to upgrade the stretches of stream to “reviewable” waters.

Commissioner Jennifer Bock cited “compelling” testimony in favor of stronger protections that came Mon day during the first day of a two-day hearing, from metro residents who use the South Platte River and Clear Creek for fishing, boating and cycling.

Those users joined with the environ mental coalition to argue the urban streams were abused for decades by polluters and developers who paved and contaminated the waterfront. The waters are now recovering and can come back even further if afforded the right protections, and neighbors of the streams say they deserve that chance.

“The Water Quality Control Com mission’s decision highlights that no river is beyond repair. These protec

tions recognize decades of work to re store water quality on the South Platte and Clear Creek from the impacts of industrial pollution,” said Josh Kuhn, Conservation Colorado water cam paign manager. “This is an important step toward ensuring all of Colorado’s communities have equitable access to clean water.”

The initial 2020 decision, and a commissioner’s statement at the time that higher protections were reserved for “pristine mountain waters,” infuriated a coalition of dozens of conservation groups and local govern ments, from Colorado GreenLatinos to Trout Unlimited to Denver City Council members. They wrote to Gov. Jared Polis last year arguing that the statewide commission was “prioritiz ing industrial profits over the safety and well being of residents who have been historically disproportionately affected by pollution.”

When the commissioners late in 2021 agreed to set a hearing to revisit the decision, the commission staff told the advocacy groups it was the first time in their knowledge of the com mission’s history that petitioners had successfully forced such a reversal.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colo rado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

FROM PAGE 6

Smith, the lone dissenting vote, said she felt the amendments might endan ger a business’s ability to grow in the future.

“I couldn’t reasonably vote for a

code change that could put businesses in violation,” Smith said. “There’s a variable that we don’t know which is, ‘If we reduce those classes by at least two classes, how many more additional vehicles are now counted towards that business?’ And I didn’t feel like we 1. Had that information to make an informed decision there, and second, it would inherently put a few of those

businesses in violation of the code and stifle their growth if they wanted to continue to thrive in Arvada.

“So that didn’t seem like a smart de cision to make, specifically on that part of the amendment,” Smith continued.

Ralston Valley Coalition Founder Gina Hallisey said her group was try ing to voice concerns about maintain ing light industry but didn’t feel their

concerns were heard by the council.

“Although we didn’t quite get our message across, I’m not sure they understood our message,” Hallisey said. “They kept bringing it back to Amazon, and this has nothing to do with Amazon. We have nothing against light industry, we want to protect light industry. We just want to make sure that we don’t have heavy industry.”

Complex Council Chambers, 8101 Ralston Road at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022. The application was submitted on September 1, 2022.

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

Dated this September 29, 2022

/s/ Sarah Walters Deputy City Clerk

CITY OF ARVADA, COLORADO

Legal Notice No. 414769

First Publication: September 29, 2022

Last Publication: September 29, 2022

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

Public Notice

NOTICE OF ANNEXATION PETITION ACCEPTANCE

The

in its en

tirety in electronic form by going to www.arvada. org/legalnotices and clicking on Current Legal Notices. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions.

RESOLUTION NO. R22-078

A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AN ANNEXATION PETITION, CONCERNING UNION ESTATES PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED AT 12016 WEST 82ND AVENUE, FINDING SAID PETITION SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT WITH C.R.S. 3112-107(1), AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 7, 2022, 6:15 P.M. FOR CITY COUNCIL TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE AREA MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF C.R.S. 31-12-104 AND 105, AND IS CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR ANNEXATION

Legal Notice No. 414736

First Publication: September 22, 2022

Last Publication: October 13, 2022

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

Metro Districts Budget Hearings

Public Notice

NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2023 BUDGET AND AMENDMENT OF 2022 BUDGET

KIPLING RIDGE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sec tions 29-1-108 and 109, C.R.S., that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Di rectors of the Kipling Ridge Metropolitan District (the “District”) for the ensuing year of 2023. The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2022 budget of the District. Copies of the proposed 2023 budget and 2022 amended budget (if appropriate) are on file in the office of the District’s Accountant, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Pkwy., Ste. 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where same are available for public inspection. Such proposed 2023 budget and 2022 amended budget will be considered at a special meeting to be held on October 11, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. via video and telephone conference.

You can attend the meeting in any of the fol lowing ways:

To attend via videoconference, visit the Dis trict’s website at www.kiplingridgemd.com at least 24 hours

prior to the meeting obtain a link to the vid eoconference.

To attend via telephone dial 1-720-547-5281 and enter the following information:

Phone Conference ID: 544 447 307#

Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2023 budget or the 2022 amended budget, inspect the 2023 budget and the 2022 amended budget and file or register any objections thereto.

KIPLING RIDGE

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

/s/ Denise Denslow, District Manager

Legal Notice No. 414746

First Publication: September 29, 2022

Last Publication: September 29, 2022

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript and the Arvada Press