Arvada Press 120122

Words about LGBTQ+ community matter, say leaders across Denver area in wake of Club Q shooting

BY COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA STAFF

In the wake of a deadly mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, leaders in cities and counties to the north are among those denouncing hate and violence.

From county commissioners to newly-elected sheriffs, to mayors and chiefs of police, community leaders say words of support for the LGBTQ+ community are needed

now and should continue beyond the tragedy.

“Clubs like Club Q are one of our safe places where we can be free and celebrate who we are, but clubs should not be the only places we feel safe,” said Jessica CampbellSwanson, commissioner-elect for Arapahoe County.

Campbell-Swanson, who is bisexual, will be the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the board when she

takes office. It is a milestone she said signals a desire by many to see a commission that mirrors the community.

“I want the LGBTQ+ community to know one of us is on the board of commissioners, reviewing policy, looking out for us, doing what I can to make Arapahoe County a healthy and safe place for our community to thrive,” Campbell-Swanson said.

Five people died in the Nov. 19

Olde Town Arvada celebrates holiday tree lighting

shooting, according to Colorado Springs police. Another 17 were injured before the gunman’s rampage ended when he was subdued by bar patrons, including Richard Fierro, a retired U.S. Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as reported by The New York Times.

Police are holding Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, who is facing murder

City planners hope to have Olde Town vision plan, design by spring 2023

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Two years after the initial street closures, Arvada’s city team has partnered with Dig Studios to gauge community feedback and put together a plan for the longterm future of Olde Town Arvada.

Arvada Director of Growth and Economic Development Ryan Stachelski and Dig Studio’s Project Manager Ryan Sotorakis presented the details of the Olde Town Arvada Strategic Reinvestment plan at a Nov. 14 City Council Workshop.

Town tree lighting and the first Holiday Makers Market of the year taking place on Nov. 26.

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Olde Town Arvada hosted a slew of events over the weekend, with Small Business Saturday, the Olde

Thousands attended the tree lighting, which was sound tracked by live music from the Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band and the Elegant Plums. Arvada City Councilmembers Lauren Simpson, John Marriott and Bob Fifer took part in the tree lighting.

Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District Director Joe

Hengstler called the festivities the “Official kickoff of the holiday season” and said he was grateful for folks coming to the historic district.

“It’s critical for these small businesses that they see shoppers throughout the holiday season,” Hengstler said. “When you walk into an Olde Town business, you have a good chance of seeing the owner behind the county. These

Stachelski said that Phase 1 of engagement with the community brought over 1,800 online survey responses and over 300 community conversations. The main takeaways, he said, were to design, build and expand a permanent street closure, install overhead string lighting, improve Olde Town Square, activate other streets and provide more shade.

A second survey found that the majority of respondents prefer pedestrian-only streets, more local businesses, landscaping and for planners to make Olde Town “clean and safe” in regard to the

The Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band marches through Olde Town Arvada in advance of the tree lighting.

PHOTO BY VIC PAUL

Myriad festivities took place in Arvada over the weekend

FROM

district’s unhoused population. Only 5% of 215 open-ended comments were against closing streets.

The city team and Dig Studios identifies four guiding principles for the project vision; a vibrant, resilient, connected and distinct Olde Town.

“We hear loud and clear that the community wants a cohesive space that’s designed as a whole that doesn’t feel like things have been added piecemeal,” Sotorakis said. “Things that are integrated, versus movable furnishings.”

Of the three street closure alternatives, the most popular — with 79% positive responses — being an option to close Olde Wadsworth Boulevard all the way to Ralston Road and keep the other street closures largely the same.

Concerning streetscape, overhead lighting, eco-conscious elements, integrated seating and curb-less streets topped survey respondent’s preferred additions.

Differing views on how to best utilize Olde Town Square invited plenty of council discussion, especially in support of the Splash Pad.

“The Splash Pad has been very successful,” Arvada Mayor Marc Williams said. “I know it needs renovations, but there’s nothing better than seeing kiddos on a hot summer day playing and laughing. So, try to keep that.”

“Winter activation of the Splash Pad would be great too,” Council-

member David Jones added.

Councilmember Randy Moorman highlighted accessibility concerns in the historic district.

“One thing I want to keep bringing up is accessibility,” Moorman said. “As we think about continuing to close these streets, that we look at the city investing in some sort of shuttle that could help people who cannot walk get to those parts of the street that are closed.”

Through November and December, a draft plan will be in the works. From January to March 2023, the draft plan will be refined, followed by another round of community engagement in March 2023. A final plan and conceptual design will be completed between March and May 2023.

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Ice rink returns to Arvada’s Olde Town Square

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A brand-new synthetic ice rink in Arvada’s Olde Town Square opened to the public on Nov. 18 and will be available for holiday skating until Jan. 29.

This year’s rink — purchased from Minnesota-based manufacturer KwikRink by the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District — marks the second time Olde Town Square has hosted an ice rink after a pilot program in 2020.

The rink will be open 3-7 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 3-9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-9

p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays. Skate rentals will be available and Olde Town BID Director Hengstler cautioned against using your own skates due to the nature of the synthetic rink.

The fee to skate — which includes skate rentals — is $10 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under.

Synthetic ice differs from real ice and is typically made by polyethylene plastic to replicate the feel and glide of real ice. Many skaters compared the new rink favorably to the pilot rink from 2020 due to the smoothness of the tiles, though gliding on the rink seemed to take some getting used to.

NAR’s Annual Survey of Home Buyers & Sellers Shows Deviations From the Past

Every year the National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveys buyers and sellers of primary residences on a variety of topics. Usually, the changes from one year to the next are fairly minor, but the most recent survey (for the period from July 2021 through June 2022) produced some big statistical deviations from prior years.

Here are some of the findings that stood out to me.

1) The percentage of first-time buyers dropped to a record low of just 27%, beating the previous record low of 30% in 1987 — 35 years ago! In the prior year it was 34%. The age of first-time buyers jumped from 33 to 36. The age of repeat buyers also rose — from 56 to 59.

2) 88% of all buyers were White, the highest percentage since the 1990s. Meanwhile, the percentage of buyers who were Black or Asian/Pacific Islander dropped by half, from 6% to 3%. The percentage of buyers who were Hispanic/Latino rose slightly from 7% to 8%.

3) Buyer’s moved an average of 50 miles from where they lived before, up from 15 miles the prior year, which was as

high as it had been since at least the 1980s. (See chart below.) Where did they move? Suburbs took a big hit, plunging from 51% to 39%, while rural and small town destinations jumped by half — 12% to 19% for rural areas and 20% to 29% for small towns. NAR’s report attributes that change to the pandemic’s effect of encouraging work from home. “Zoom towns were boom towns.”

4) While only 3% of first-time buyers paid cash for their homes, 27% of repeat buyers paid cash, up from 17% the prior year. The report attributes this to the surge in equity which homeowners had experienced in recent years, especially during the pandemic, providing them with lots of cash to spend on their replacement homes.

5) How long buyers expect to remain in the home they just purchased had held steady since 2009 at 15 years for repeat buyers and 10 years for first-time buyers. When I entered the business in 2002, it was even lower. The NAR survey showed a huge jump in that expectation for first-time homebuyers — from 10 years to 18 years. The expectation of repeat buyers remained

unchanged at 15 years.

6) The percentage of first-time buyers who had been renters plunged from 73% to 64%, while the number who moved from

living with family or friends jumped from 21% to 27%. (See chart above.)

I’ve posted a link for a summary of the NAR report at www.GoldenREblog.com

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but for a price of their choosing. It could be pocket change, or much more. The idea is that they have the dignity of buying the toys, not getting them for free.

The goal is to provide an opportunity for them to feel empowered by their ability to take care of themselves and the children they love.

Toys can also be purchased on the Amazon Wish List at TheMiracleShop.org Cash donations can be made on that website, too. Thank you for joining us in supporting this fine project. The difference you make is real.

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A family tries out the new synthetic ice in Olde Town! PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

The tree in Olde Town Square starting to get decorated for the holidays.

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are people who have invested their lives into their business and they’re always appreciative when it comes to community support.

“The tree lighting is the perfect way to end Small Business Saturday,”

Hengstler continued. “With the crowds getting larger every year, we’ve really tried to invest in this being the best tree lighting ever.”

To that end, 57th Avenue was closed for the ceremony and pop up bars in Olde Town Square helped usher in the first-ever lighting of the new Olde Town tree, which replaces the previous tree that was felled by a windstorm last year.

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Thousands pour into Olde Town Arvada for the tree lighting, seen here from above.

PHOTO BY SCOTT SPEARS

Selfie of Arvada City Councilmembers John Marriott (left), Lauren Simpson (center) and Bob Fifer (right) participating in the tree lighting.

PHOTO BY LAUREN SIMPSON

and hate crimes charges.

Police also tweeted out photos of the five victims: Kelly Loving (she/ her), Daniel Aston (he/him), Derrick Rump (he/him), Ashley Paugh (she/her), and Raymond Green Vance (he/him).

Some families members issued statements to the press, saying they were not interested in interviews at this time, including Kelly Loving’s sister, Tiffany Loving.

“My condolences go out to all the families who lost someone in this tragic event, and to everyone struggling to be accepted in this world,” Loving said in a statement. “My sister was a good person. She was loving and caring and sweet. Everyone loved her. Kelly was a wonderful person.”

The family of Raymond Vance also issued a statement saying that he had never been to Club Q before and went to see ashow with his girlfriend, her parents, and her parents’ friends to celebrate a birthday. Although Vance is supportive of the LGBTQ community, he is not a member of it.

“Raymond was a kind, selfless young adult, with his entire life ahead of him,” the family’s statement read. “His closest friend describes him as gifted, one-of-a-kind, and willing to go out of his way to help anyone. He had just gotten a new job at a Colorado Springs FedEx distribution center and was thrilled to have received his first paycheck. He couldn’t wait to save enough

money to get his own apartment, but in the meantime, he lived with his mother and younger brother who adored him.”

Ashley Paugh’s husband, Kurt Paugh, issued a statement: “She had a huge heart. I know that Ashley cared about so many people. She helped so many people through her work at Kids Crossing, a nonprofit that helps find loving homes for foster children. She would do anything for the kids – traveling all over southeastern Colorado, from Pueblo and Colorado Springs to Fremont County and the Colorado border, working to raise awareness and encourage individuals and families to become foster parents to children in our community. This included working with the LGBTQ community to find welcoming foster placements

foster kids could have brighter holidays – and in fact, she was setting up giving trees even last week, canvassing Pueblo and Colorado Springs.”

Kurt Paugh called Ashley Paugh his “high school sweetheart” and an “amazing mother.”

“Her daughter was her whole world, and she was so proud of Ryleigh, who is a championship swimmer,” Paugh wrote.

About 55 miles north of Colorado Springs, the president of the chamber of commerce in the Town of Parker was flooded with emotion when thinking of events over the weekend.

“These places are so critical as safe spaces for a historically-mar-

ginalized community, and it’s hard to be reminded of how vulnerable they are to hate and violence,” said Parker Chamber of Commerce President T.J. Sullivan, who is openly gay.

Sullivan recalled the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and said that bars like it are places to feel safe.

“They’ve played a role for so many of us,” Sullivan said. “There are many LGBTQ+ individuals here, and countless families with an LGBTQ+ member. It’s so important that we elect leaders who are vocal that this is a safe place for everyone. If you have a loved one who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, give them a hug. We spend a lot of time worrying about our safety, the support of our family members, friends, coworkers and neighbors. An affirming word will go a long way this week.”

Sullivan noted that sometimes officials have used rhetoric that can be hurtful to the LGBTQ+ community.

Also listening to the rhetoric is the mayor of Littleton, about 66 miles north of Colorado Springs. Mayor Kyle Schlachter called the shooting “another unconscionable act in Colorado” and pointed the finger at homophobic and transphobic remarks from national and statewide officials.

“Elected officials especially should understand that words matter and words have impact,” Schlachter said. “We can’t try to have this plausible deniability of an official … they have to realize people do act in response to their words.”

Vigil outside of Club Q on Nov. 21.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHY LEES

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Mount Evans name change to Mount Blue Sky moves to governor’s o ce for final approval

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board moved to make an official recommendation to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to change the name of Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky.

The unanimous decision by the board came during the Nov. 17 meeting where all suggested names were considered. The suggested names included Mount Soule, Mount Rosalie, Mount Sisty, Mount Cheyenne-Arapaho and Mount Evans (rededicated).

The end of the meeting was reserved for public comment where Colorado residents, tribal members and others could voice opinions about the name change.

Andrea Valeska is part of Right Relationship Boulder, a group focused on forming relationships with the indigenous community that are rooted in justice and collaboration. She explained during public comment that naming parts of nature for human beings is against indigenous values.

“To name Mother Nature after a person, independent of what this person did, is very disrespectful for indigenous people,” Valeska said.

Fred Mosqueda of the Southern Arapaho tribes came up with the name Mount Blue Sky along with Chester Whiteman of the Southern Cheyenne tribes. The name they chose is universally inclusive but has meaning to indigenous people.

“It means so much as a ceremony to the Cheyennes,” Mosqueda said.

Whiteman explained at the meeting some of the details that go into a Blue Sky Ceremony for the Cheyenne Tribes.

“The Blue Sky Ceremony is a ceremony for all living things; men, women, children, plants, earth water, life; and when that gets made, anybody can go to that tipi and get a blessing from that article that’s made,” Whiteman explained

After hearing from parties involved in the name-changing process of the mountain, the consensus was that each minute it went without a new name, the mountain would continue to provide a hurtful reminder to Native Coloradans about the Sand Creek

Massacre. Board members decided against any further delay and voted in favor of the name Mount Blue Sky.

Randy Wheelock is a Clear Creek County Commissioner who has been involved in the name change process since it started two years ago.

Members of the county have worked closely with Native American tribes to properly educate themselves on why a name change is in order.

Wheelock explained that the process has not been hasty, and has been especially long for those who are hurt by the current name.

“We went through this two-year process, but that’s nothing compared to the 158 years that have passed since the Governor Evans Proclamations of 1864 and the massacre,” Wheelock said.

Valeska pointed out the history happening by including indigenous people in the decision, and thought this could be a step towards reparations.

“History is happening because indigenous people are having a voice and indigenous people are having an opportunity to share what is important for them,” Valeska said. “And as a form of reparation of the massacre that happened in this land, I think it is a beautiful step toward toward right relationship and toward healing for all of us.”

Mount Evans, seen here in Dec. 2020 from Fire Tower Trail along Highway 103, was named for John Evans, Colorado’s second territorial governor. Evans is believed to have authorized the Sand Creek Massacre.

FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

Roger Hudson, deputy chief of staff with Colorado’s House Republicans and also a member of the Castle Pines City Council, said in a statement to Colorado Community Media that “this violent attack is made even more personal because I am a gay man with several dear trans friends and a close family member who is currently undergoing her transition.”

“These feelings of fear and the absence of community are all too real for some members of the LGBT+ community,” Hudson said. “I wished I could say these fears were unfounded but we all know that is not true.”

Hudson, a former reporter who has covered mass shootings, including Columbine, was in Egypt en route to Israel when he heard the news on the BBC. He said he has pondered what to say publicly about the incident but has no “special wisdom to heal this terrible wound we all feel.”

“I will, however, recommit to making myself seen as a gay man, elected in Douglas County, as a fiscally conservative Republican, who believes fully in the rights of ALL our citizens to lead their own lives, with limited government intrusion and safe communities for ALL our residents,” Hudson added.

State Rep. Brianna Titone, DArvada, echoed that sentiment in a tweet after the shooting.

“When politicians and pundits

keep perpetuating tropes, insults, and misinformation about the trans and LTBGQ+ community, this is a result,” she tweeted. “I’m angry and my heart breaks for those who lost their lives.”

In a statement to Colorado Community Media, Titone added: “The community is devastated by this attack, but we know that, as a community, we need to be resilient, as we have always been. The fact that (retired Army) Maj. Richard Fierro took his safety into his own hands to confront the gunman is a testament to our resilience and those who are allies for us. We need to stop the

rhetoric and the damaging language directed at the LGBTQ+ community and stand up to it. We need everyone to call it out and show that we won’t tolerate this. The LGBTQ+ community deserves to be left to live our lives in peace, free of harassment and the threat of violence.”

Political scientists and activists have tracked a rise in anti-trans and anti-gay statements and threats in Colorado and across the country that can spark violence against those communities, The Colorado Sun has reported.

Schlachter said he’s seen it “ever since the 2016 presidential election

when it seemed that there were no boundaries of what was decent anymore.”

Robert Dorshimer, CEO of Mile High Behavioral Healthcare, has also tracked the indecency.

“I am frankly shocked and saddened to wake up yet again to horrible news and more traumatic news of a hateful act of violence against the Rainbow Community I’m a proud member of,” Dorschimer said.

Located in the City of Sheridan, southwest of Denver, the healthcare organization offers care and services to high-risk, high-need individuals, many of them in the transgender community.

“No community should ever have to endure this horrible act of violence. We are once again saying ‘thoughts and prayers.’ Really?” Dorschimer added.

Chase Janis, a member of Northglenn’s Diversity, Inclusivity and Social Equity Board who is queer and trans/nonbinary, said it was heartbreaking to see the LGBTQ+ community attacked in place made for people to feel safe. Janis echoed the words of author Dan Savage.

“Our community was once so used to violence against us that these clubs/bars were one of our only places of sanctuary,” Janis said. “When those were raided, the members of the community took to the streets instead despite their fears.”

Janis recalled the Stonewall riots, “where members of our community were attacked and how they responded by getting louder, by

Samaria Sullivan, 46, woke up to a friend calling to ask if she had been at Club Q in Colorado Springs on Nov. 19, 2022, when a gunman attacked, killing five people. “I’m glad some of my friends weren’t here. But this is my community.”

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN

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being prouder and championing our safety.”

“So we continue that legacy by refusing to be silenced and by refus ing to stop being who we are even in the face of hatred,” Janis said. “We are here and we are queer and we are not going anywhere. Even in my grief, it makes me so proud to be a part of this community.”

Golden Police Chief Joe Harvey said the tragedy had a significant impact on members of his staff who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I know for those folks in my organization, who live that, that it strikes home for them deeply,” Har vey said. “They know that anytime they could be the person who could be a victim of this type of rage and hatred.”

In Douglas County, Sheriff-elect Darren Weekly called the shooting “a horrific event,” and said that “violence should not be tolerated in our society.”

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Of fice tweeted that its department was “deeply saddened by the senseless shooting.”

City of Fort Lupton Chief of Police John Fryar said the shooting at Club Q was “one of those very re gretful things” and that his depart ment is shocked by the violence that occurred there.

He also said that he was worried about the potential motivation for the shooting.

In Englewood, the City Council meeting began with a moment of

silence for the victims of the Club Q shooting.

David Lewis, who chairs the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, gave an emotional state ment at the Nov. 21 meeting.

“An attack like this doesn’t just im pact those at the epicenter,” Lewis said. “This hits home for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. It strikes fear in the hearts of siblings, parents, colleagues, friends and loved ones.”

Lewis added that the city will de fend the LGBTQ+ community.

“There’s nothing that I can say tonight that will diminish the pain of prejudice and violence, but on behalf of the DEI Committee, I can say this: The City of Englewood stands with you, and we adamantly reject bigotry, hate and violence against the LGBTQ+ community,” Lewis said.

The DEI Committee is made up of 19 team members from city depart ments, Lewis said.

Chris Harguth, the city’s director of communications, said in an email the committee is currently formu lating a roadmap with measurable goals related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The City of Centennial’s council meeting had a similar tone, with Mayor Stephanie Piko expressing words of support for the Colorado Springs community.

“It is heartbreaking when any tragedy occurs in any community, and… we know what that’s like,” Piko said, referring to the 2013 shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial. “Just want Colorado Springs to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them, and hope

that their community can heal.”

Councilmember Marlo Alston added: “I not only will be thinking about the community of Colorado Springs and praying for them but having conversations with leader ship in various areas regarding this particular incident.”

Allison Wittern, the city’s com munications director, noted that Centennial recently adopted a value statement.

“In Centennial, we value kindness, integrity and diversity in order to build a strong, unified and inclusive community in which all citizens feel welcome and safe,” Wittern said via email. “In Centennial, we value protecting the community’s physical and emotional well-being. The City of Centennial is committed to up holding, demonstrating and living these values and takes pride in this statement.”

The statement is echoed yearly in strategic planning processes.

Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet was “sickened to learn of the sense less, horrific shooting.”

“The City of Lone Tree extends our deepest sympathy and heart felt support to the LGBTQ+ and Colorado Springs communities,” Millet said in a statement to Colo rado Community Media. “I know the Lone Tree community will join me in keeping the victims, their families, and the community around Club Q in our thoughts and prayers. We are very grateful for the actions of the heroes who intervened to pre vent the gunman from taking more innocent lives and appreciate the efforts of the first responders who continue to be stalwarts of support and protection in our communities.”

Newly-elected state Rep. Bob Mar shall, who represents the Highlands Ranch area in House District 43, said such statements are important to supporting everyone in the com munity.

“There is no doubt that rheto ric increases heat and (for) the fringe one-tenth of 1% out there, it gives them license in their heads to do things that normal people wouldn’t,” he said, adding he would call out that kind of lan guage from colleagues as a legisla tor.

In a Twitter post, Marshall called the Club Q shooting a “targeted hit” that shows the importance of defending equal human rights for the LGBTQ+ community.

The issue of support has come up in his community recently. Ear lier this year, he defended a drag show event at a Highlands Ranch recreation center amid protests that claimed it was inappropriate because families used the facil ity. Marshall said the event didn’t cause harm and noted a variety of 21-and-up events, including alcohol tastings, that hadn’t received the same outcry. He reiterated those thoughts on Monday to Colorado Community Media.

Marshall said he feels the laws already protect the LGBTQ com munity but added that he would defend Colorado’s current dis crimination laws from any future potential changes.

This story was co-reported by Colorado Community Media’s Rob ert Tann, Haley Lena, Nina Joss, McKenna Harford, Tayler Shaw, Rylee Dunn and Luke Zarzecki.

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VOICES

Public land — a true blessing

At every Thanksgiving dinner, my family asks everyone around the table to say what they’re grateful for. It puts new guests on the spot, so sometimes they just thank the hosts — an easy out that makes it harder for anyone else struggling for a good answer. I’ve been in that position, but this year I know what I’m grateful for.

That’s because after years away, I’m back in the West, living in western Colorado, near millions of acres of public land. If the love of wideopen spaces defines a Westerner, then our region gives us lots to love.

Alaska, which is 95.8% public land, may be king among all states, with so much wide-open space available to everyone, but Nevada is close behind at 87.8%, and Utah is next at 75.2%. Idaho ranks third at 70.4%, and Colorado has 43.3%, with most of that land west of the Continental Divide.

Until moving back West, I hadn’t thought about public land being vital for anything as basic as cutting firewood. Yet in most states without much accessible public land, firewood is an expensive proposition. Here, from May through October in Colorado, it’s ours for the permit,

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

which costs about $4 to $10 for a cord of wood. That’s enough to fill a fullsize pickup bed four feet high.

How much do you need? I’m told three cords add up to “just getting by” in Montana or Wyoming, but true winter wealth is more like six cords. While you’re gathering wood, you can also scout for a Christmas tree. That requires just an $8 permit — a world away from pricey conifers grown on a tree farm.

Writer Dave Stiller’s firewoodgathering advice is to take blowdowns or the slash piles left by logging companies. Once you’ve finished gathering, according to the Forest Service, “revisit and monitor the effects of your harvest... Become a steward of that place as you study the plants and how they respond.” In other words, think like an owner who cares about the land over the long haul.

Patrick Hunter, a Sustainability Studies student at Colorado Mountain Community College in Carbon-

dale, thinks our public lands embody a “generational legacy” that’s become a cornerstone of our democracy. From young to old, the diehard fans of public lands are volunteers from nonprofits who “adopt” a trail, constructing and advocating for them.

Political cartoonist Rob Pudim tells of hiking a trail he’d worked on for several summers and feeling an onrush of possessiveness: “I own this land,” he recalls thinking. In a way, he’s right. We do own this land, though it is managed — even if we rarely see a ranger —by federal agencies.

No one knows how many people have gone to public land with one solemn purpose: to throw ashes of their dead into a stream or launch them into the air from a mountaintop, a practice that’s allowable in most Western states’ national forests. It forever connects someone to that particular place outdoors.

And for a lot of us, the best of life can be what happens during a summer of camping, mushroom hunting, fishing, wildlife watching or just “getting out there.” Some hunters also become advocates for wildlife and public lands, championing public access.

Still, the damage we’ve done to

public lands in the West is visible and remains — mining, drilling, dam building, nuclear bomb testing, dumping nuclear waste piles along rivers and other sensitive places. Because of that legacy, the Superfund program, finally established in 1980, aims to restore these lands, some so altered that no real fix is possible.

Public land also serves as a link to modern history. Throughout the West we can still see architectural marvels built by Indigenous peoples hundreds of years ago. And ghost towns that were once small cities continue to fascinate us as we think about the economic jolt that triggered their abandonment.

Today, we’re experiencing a similar jolt as increasing aridity alters how the West works. Or doesn’t work. Meanwhile, as we struggle to figure out what we’ve got to do to adapt, at least I know what I’ll say this Thanksgiving. I am forever grateful to the public land that gives us room to breathe.

Dave Marston is publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange. org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to lively discussion about the West. He lives with his family in Durango, Colorado.

Living my own version of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” with James Stewart and Donna Reed gets shown frequently this time of year. It is ultimately a story of gratitude and hope that is timely during the holiday season. A desperate owner of a bankrupt savings and loan (Stewart) is facing ruin and becomes suicidal because of his troubles. What Stewart finds out ultimately is that his life mattered and his well being was important to a number of others.

2022 was a difficult year for me personally. My mother passed away after a short battle with rapid progress dementia and almost immediately afterward I was diagnosed with kidney stones and renal cancer. It was an almost five month battle

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In contrast to Wes Newman’s disastrous experience with the leaf recycling this year, I have dropped mine off at the Harlan street location for years. This year was a

LINDA

JOE WEBB

to get well but I was pronounced cancer free in July with a minimal chance for the tumor to return. I am blessed. I am also blessed because during the cancer battle and after I was pronounced cancer free I have been living my own version of

“It’s a Wonderful Life.” The difference is that I am not despondent or feeling quite hopeless. Far from it. What I am discovering is that my life matters to others and it matters to a degree that I did not appreciate before 2022.

What has happened is that most

breeze. The first Saturday at about 11 a.m., I drove right up, no line at all. The second Saturday, about 2 p.m., zero line again and I was the only vehicle there. It does sound like

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frequently I will get a phone call from someone asking if I am all right and doing OK healthwise. When I tell them I am, there is an audible sigh of relief that I hear on my end of the phone. I have to tell individuals specifically that I am well and that I will inform them if I am not well. Once, an elderly female relative called me crying imploring me not to die before she did. I calmed her down and promised her that I would attend her funeral mourning her instead of the other way around. When I was sick many offered to help drive me to doctors appointments. Others wanted to fly out to Denver to assist me. I am grateful and blessed for all of those offers.

I realize that what I have just

the Stenger site needs some tweaking. As for The Ralston Road construction, it has been a huge mess and inconvenience to drivers, and especially the residents in the area.

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conveyed is a little bit maudlin and Hollywood like but put yourself in my position. How can you not be grateful and smile that your friends and acquaintances are worried about you even when they have no reason to be? It makes you stop and think about things. They’ve shown me what my impact on the life of others has been. This small writing is my way of saying “Thank you” to them.

Dear reader, if these circumstances are part of my life, I am willing to bet that if serious illness became part of your life that you would have those who care about you reach out as well. I would prefer to put my illness in the rear view mirror but

Both phases have moved at an inexcusable snail’s pace. The contractors should be fined for not meeting the timelines set forth.

Robert Becker, Arvada

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Dave Marston

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Merry and Bright at the Arvada Center

Orient Express” at the Candlelight Theatre, “Freaky Friday” at the Aurora Fox and “Cabaret” at the OpenStage Theatre Company, as well as coordinated the national tour of the 2017 show he produced and directed called “Motones vs. Jerseys.”

Moten was overjoyed at the prospect of working with the Arvada Center on Beauty and the Beast.

BY TONI TRESCA SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

No one wants to spend their holiday season arguing over entertainment. So, if you’re looking for a classic musical that’s sure to please the whole family this holiday season, check out the Arvada Center’s newly imagined production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast!”

This tale as old as time is the third show in the Arvada Center’s 2022–2023 season. The plot revolves around the relationship between a prince, whose arrogance caused him to be magically transformed into a beast and caused his servants to turn into household objects, and Belle, a lonely girl who feels more at home in a book than in her hometown. The witch who curses the prince told him that in order to break the spell, he must learn to love another person and have them love him back.

Watch the Beast and Belle fall in love in this timeless story that features Alan Menken’s original songs, dancing candlesticks and a mob of angry French people determined to keep them apart! The stage musical is based on the 1991 Disney movie of the same name. Since the 1930s and 1950s, Disney has been attempting to create an animated adaptation of the Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve fairytale Beauty and the Beast, but has had difficulty adapting the story for the big screen. It

was not until the studio decided to musicalize the project that the project managed to get off the ground and was developed into the iconic Academy Award-winning film.

The studio chose to turn the movie into a stage musical as a result of the movie’s enormous critical and financial success. The production featured six new songs written by Howard Asham and Tim Rice in addition to the eight songs from the original animated film and a musical number that was brought back to life after being cut from the movie. The musical opened on Broadway in 1994, where it was a massive commercial success and ran for over thirteen years. The production was nominated for nine Tony Awards and won one for costume design. It has since gained popularity and become a staple production for regional and community theaters across the world.

Leading the Arvada Center’s

FROM PAGE 12

focusing on it one more time serves a purpose. If there is a chance that someone you know is suffering from a serious illness, reach out to them like others have with me. Let them know that in this big human family

that they are a valued part of it. If you are on the receiving end of such concern acknowledge it gracefully with regard to the concerns that others have about you. In this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas if more of that concern were shown, it would be something to celebrate.

production of Beauty and the Beast is director Kenny Moten. This is Moten’s first production as a director at the Arvada Center, but he is a seasoned professional. It’s been a rather busy year in the theater world for Moten. He directed “Murder on the

“This is just such a fun show, and it was exciting to do a show for the holidays that wasn’t specifically about a holiday,” Moten said. “The show has something for everyone, and I think it’s just such an escape from the harshness of the world.”

Moten’s first exposure to the story was through hearing the original fairytale as a little kid, but the version that made the biggest impression on him was the Disney film. “It’s the film of my generation,” Moten said. “But I do have a special place in my heart for the Broadway musical version that I attended while working as an actor in New York.”

Moten is excited to work on a show that honors the previous

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Rosanna Mae “Sally” (McDowell) Cooper September 8, 1932 - October 21, 2022

We are sad to announce that our mother, Rosanna “Sally” Cooper lost her battle with heart disease on October 21, 2022. Rosanna is survived by Gregory Cooper of Colorado ,

Tonya Andersen of Massachusetts , and several grandchildren.

A private service for immediate family was held at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

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Joe Webb is the former chairman of the Jeffco Republican party.

The ensemble practices a dance.

COURTESY OF LESLIE SIMMONS

Celebrate the holiday season in Arvada with a magically whimsical production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”

High school seniors reflect on life lessons from athletic careers

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

To paraphrase Ted Lasso, the fictional football-turnedsoccer coach, one aspect of sports is helping people become the best versions of themselves, both on and off the field.

For high school seniors a few months from graduation, athletics have helped them prepare for the ups and downs and the responsibilities of adult life.

“I don’t know what my life would be like without athletics,” Clear Creek High School’s Bode Baker said. “ … It taught me many valuable life lessons and helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Baker and five fellow seniors across the Denver area detailed how sports taught them communication, trust, perseverance, how to accept failure and other valuable life lessons.

And while there are possible downsides to competing in sports — injuries, feelings of exclusion and inadequacy, and additional commitments amid already busy schedules — the seniors believed there were far more benefits.

They encouraged parents to have their children try sports at a young age, and for younger students to try any sport they’re interested in, even if they haven’t played it before.

Conifer High School’s Patrick Doty started cross country as a freshman and was the second-slowest person on the team. However, he stuck with it and now hopes to run at the collegiate level.

“I don’t want to stop running,” Doty said. “… It helps you stay physically and mentally fit. I want to keep it around in my life as much as possible.”

And, certainly, there are plenty of life lessons to be garnered from clubs, part-time jobs, volunteering and other extracurriculars that high school students balance with academics.

Brighton High School’s Jazlyn Amaya is in five clubs and sports, including cross country and swimming, and she’s learned different things from each activity. She felt being involved in a variety of extracurriculars was important, but sports can be especially effective at forcing students outside their comfort zones.

“It’s taught me to manage my time — especially in high school — and to work hard for yourself and for others,” Amaya said of athletics. “ … It was about understanding who I was, helping me realize you’re not defined by a sport or club. You’re defined by who you are.”

Building a team, finding a family

Sami Zebroski’s never played an individual sport. She grew up playing recreation-league soccer and softball and now plays volleyball and basketball for Clear Creek.

In life, she tends to be more independent, wanting to fix everything herself. However, she said team sports have taught her the value of relying on and trusting other people.

“You’re going to have your biggest supporters on the court with you,” Zebroski said of volleyball in particular. “Once you go down, you kind of bring them with you. You have to be as reliable as your teammates are reliable to you.”

Trust and communication are the cores of teamwork, and Amaya said she’s improved on those throughout her sports career. She started playing recreation-league basketball, where she said that on-court connection was vital among teammates.

While sports like track and swimming are more individual, there’s still a team aspect. Teammates have to build each other up, critique each other in a kind way, and communicate their expectations effectively for relays and so on, Amaya and her peers described.

Maya Dawson and Mason Pratt, who both play multiple sports at Conifer, said they’ve made important memories with their teams over the years. Team-building, chemistry, and bonding time can help a group of athletes transform into something even greater than a team — a family.

“A lot of my non-blood family, I’ve found in sports,” Pratt said.

Having an outlet for self-improvement

There’s hardly a sport Baker hasn’t played. He started in T-ball when he was 3 or 4 years old, and now plays baseball, football, basketball and track for Clear Creek. He also competed in wrestling, boxing and cross country when he was younger.

For Baker, sports have always been an important mental and physical outlet.

“You have a bad day at school, you go do your sports and get your anger out,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for you to go out, have fun, and get away from your daily struggles.”

Pratt and Dawson also described how sports can be therapeutic, whether it’s in the camaraderie or the workout aspect. Dawson said sports forces athletes to make time

Conifer’s Mason Pratt dribbles the ball during a game in the 2021-22 season. Pratt, a senior who also plays baseball, hopes to play baseball at the collegiate level.

Conifer’s Maya Dawson (13) shoots a free throw during the 2021-22 season. Dawson, a senior who also runs cross country and track for Conifer, plans to study journalism in college.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COREY NEUMEIER AND CONIFER HIGH SCHOOL

UNDERRATED

in their day to take care of themselves and be active.

Dawson plays basketball and runs track and cross country at Conifer. She and Amaya explained how their experiences in both team and more individual sports highlight how the latter requires athletes to motivate, improve and hold themselves accountable.

Amaya made varsity cross country this year and pushed herself to work hard for her teammates, saying, “If I’m behind, I put everyone behind.”

Dawson described how teammates, coaches and other supporters can cheer on runners from the sidelines, but “at the end of the day, you’re the one getting yourself across that finish line.”

She and Amaya believed there’s power in learning to work hard, push oneself through pain, and accomplish individual goals.

“That feeling of accomplishment, it’s one of the best things about sports,” Dawson said. “Just knowing that you left it all out on the track.”

Learning to persevere, face failure

Whether it’s in life or in sports, Doty believes “you’re owed nothing.”

An athlete can work hard toward their goals, but the outcome might not go their way. And part of sports is learning to accept that, he described.

“It’s a nice, little reality check,” Doty continued. “ … (Sports involves) accepting that not every day is your day.”

That’s something that, as baseball players, Pratt and Baker understand perfectly. Both described baseball as a “game of failure,” where the best professional hitters strike out seven times out of 10.

Perseverance and patience are key in baseball, they explained, with Baker saying players must keep their heads up and capitalize on success when it does come.

Pratt added: “The longer you stay attached to failure, the more you’re going to fail in the future.”

Whether it’s in an individual play, a game, or an entire season, failure is inevitable in sports. Baker and Dawson described how their football and basketball programs, respectively, have experienced losing records throughout their high school careers.

But, working through conflict is part of sports, Dawson stressed. Making a journey of learning “to love a sport when you’re not successful” has been one of the most valuable aspects of her sports career, she said.

“You have to find the joy in your sport, in the little things,” Dawson continued. “ … I think that’s valuable too, maybe more so than points or wins.”

As they’ve persevered in their individual sports over the years, all six seniors hoped to continue their athletic careers in some capacity after high school. Whether it’s competing at the college level, playing intramurals, or taking daily runs, they want to make athletics part of their adult lives.

If that’s the case, they’ll likely learn more from their mutual teacher and continue becoming the best versions of themselves.

“I think (athletics) is a part of growing up,” Amaya said. “ … For people who have that opportunity, it’s important to take it. Giving it a try never hurts.”

Conifer senior Patrick Doty runs cross country, as seen here, and track for Conifer High School. He hopes to pursue a degree in nursing and run competitively at a Division I or Division II college.

COURTESY OF COREY NEUMEIER AND CONIFER HIGH SCHOOL

Clear Creek’s Sami Zebroski poses for a picture in October 2021. Zebroski, a senior, also plays basketball and will graduate this year. She plans to study psychology in college.

FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

Jazlyn Amaya, a Brighton High School senior, competes in cross country and swimming for the Bulldogs. She also plans to run track this spring, after her freshman season was cancelled in March 2020. COURTESY PHOTO

Bode Baker throws a pitch during a June 2021 game at Denver Christian. The Clear Creek senior, who plays three other sports for the Golddiggers, is considering playing baseball or football in college.

FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

FROM

Ralston Valley punches ticket to semis with win over Columbine

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — First-year head coach Jared Yannacito has his Ralston Valley Mustangs stampeding to the Class 5A football semifinals.

“It was a one play at a time mentality that we preached all week,” Yannacito said. “The kids executed.”

The No. 3-seeded Mustangs defeated 5A Jeffco League rival Columbine 28-7 in a state quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 19, at the North Area Athletic Complex.

“It’s huge. I think it’s big for the community because everyone remembers 2019 when Columbine beat us,” said Ralston Valley junior quarterback Logan Madden, who threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran in a third score. “I think everyone had that in the back of their minds. We want this to be a new era of Ralston Valley football. That is what we are doing.”

The No. 6 Rebels struck first with an impressive 9-play, 46-yard scoring drive on the opening possession. Senior quarterback Brayden Harvey hit junior Spencer Houle for a 10yard touchdown with 6:59 left in the first quarter, but it was all Mustangs (10-2 record) after that.

“The defense defintely had another amazing game,” Ralston Valley coach Jared Yannacito said. “After that first drive they really settled in and did their jobs. We told them it was going to be a four-quarter battle and the entire team stepped up in every aspect.”

The Mustangs scored 28 unanswered points. Senior Brayden Schatz had a huge kickoff return for a touchdown following Columbine’s lone touchdown.

“Schatz is explosive. When he gets the ball into his hands he can do whatever,” Madden said. “The blockers did great on that kickoff return as well.”

Madden threw a pair of red zone touchdown passes to junior Jackson Hansen in the second quarter to extend the lead to 21-7 at halftime.

Ralston Valley forced five Rebel turnovers during the game in the shutout of Columbine (10-2) after the Rebels’ first drive of the game.

“We couldn’t give them any long ones. That would change the game,” Ralston Valley senior defensive back Jason Thome said. “We had to keep everything in front of us and then going for the football really changed the game.”

Thome has a fumble recovery in the first half and then a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

“You kind of know what is coming when Columbine had to throw,” Thome said after grabbing two fourth-quarter interceptions to seal the win.

The first meeting this season was an epic at Jeffco Stadium. Ralston Valley edged Columbine 16-13 on Oct. 7 at Jeffco Stadium. Senior running back Diano Benallo’s rushing touchdown with less than a minute

to go gave Ralston Valley the win and eventually went on to take the 5A Jeffco League title.

“These kids believe in the vision. They believe in each other,” Yannacito said. “They play as a family and as a team. Whenever that happens the sky is the limit.”

Ralston Valley will travel to Highlands Ranch for the 5A semifinals next week on either Friday or Saturday. No. 2 Valor Christian got revenge against No. 7 Regis on Nov. 18 in the first 5A quarterfinal game that was played. After the Eagles suffered an early season loss to the Raiders, Valor took care of business last night with a 45-28 victory.

Valor’s first-year head coach Bret McGatlin — who coached Chatfield to the 4A state title a year ago before leaving for Valor — has the Eagles on an 8-game winning streak.

“We went through a gauntlet at the beginning of the season,” Thome said referring to losses against No. 1 Cherry Creek and No. 2 Valor, but victories over state quarterfinalist Grandview and Regis. “We are built for playoff football.”

Ralston Valley is on seven game win streak. Last loss was to Valor 27-23 on Sept. 23.

“It is who we want,” Thome said of the rematch against Valor.

Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.

Ralston Valley senior Josh Rillos (21) leaps over Columbine defensive back Cannon Burcar (22) during the Class 5A state quarterfinal game Nov. 19 at the North Area Athletic Complex. The Mustangs took a 28-7 victory over the Rebels to advance to the state semifinals this week against No. 2 Valor Christian.

Ralston Valley senior running back Diano Benallo (29) breaks away from a trio of Columbine defenders during the Class 5A state quarterfinal game Nov. 19 at the North Area Athletic Complex. Benallo had 16 carries for 120 yards in the Mustangs’ 28-7 victory at the NAAC.

PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

UP

PRODUCTION

FROM PAGE 13

adaptations while creating new moments as well.

“I didn’t want this to feel like an amusement park show,” Moten said. “This is theater. The reason this story has been around for 300 years is that it’s tethered to real human emotions. So, while it is still the Disney extravaganza that you remember from the movie, we’ve talked a lot about playing this version a little more human and allowing this special group of people to create stellar musical theater.”

Nina Ellis stars in the production as Belle and is thrilled to be making her Arvada debut. She has always admired Belle and felt a connection to her as a strong, intelligent character with a big heart. Ellis admires how Belle sticks to her convictions

but is also able to see beyond appearances, which inspires those around her to be their best selves, too.

“I hope to find the human, truthful moments in every part of her journey, from not fitting into her hometown and her relationship with her father to experiencing magic in the castle and finally connecting with the Beast,” Ellis said. “It’s an honor to play a character who is such a great role model and who means so much to so many people of all ages.”

Though the characters are surrounded by a community of people who care about them, The Beast and Belle are both isolated characters. Moten was interested in exploring the effects of this isolation and how the characters create community again after being so cut off from the world.

“It’s the same story, but the isolation piece, I think, is something

SEE PRODUCTION, P22

Ralston Valley’s varsity pom team performs during the Je co League championships Nov. 16 at Chatfield High School. The Mustangs captured first place in the Class 5A varsity Poms competition along with first place in the 5A JV Poms. The following night Ralston Valley swept the 5A Traditional Cheer, JV Traditional Cheer and freshmen Game Day Cheer.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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everybody can identify with after the experience of these past few years,” Moten said. “We all experienced such intense isolation and had to relearn how to meet each other again after the pandemic. I think there’s a part of that in this story that I want to come through.”

While he’s dedicated to bringing the script’s themes of isolation to life on stage, in the rehearsal room, Moten focuses on the joys of creating with other artists. He jokes that even on their worst days, it’s still better than when they were all on Zoom. Moten is enjoying the rehearsal process and the opportunity to work in person on musical theater again.

Local actor Barret Harper, who plays Lumiere, the Beast’s loyal candlestick servant, described the creative process as a refreshing synergy that both honored the source material and gave the character a modern sensibility.

“The greatest opportunity with a stage musical adaptation of an animated film is to take a two-dimensional animated character and

make them real,” Harper said. “Kenny has brought a lot of new vision that gives the audience a lot of what they expect but also challenges some of those traditional looks and has made something very visually and mentally engaging for all audience members.”

For Moten, this show overall has been a reminder of the power of community.

“This has been such a joyous collaboration with the designers here at the Arvada Center and every single other artist on stage and offstage that made this production possible,” Moten said.

Ellis enjoys having the freedom to make the character her own and have fun during the rehearsal process. “There has been so much thought put into all of the direction, designs, and choreography, but the team has also been open to the ideas the cast has brought in,” Ellis said. “This process has been truly lovely, and I’m excited to share what we’ve been working on.”

“Beauty and the Beast” opened on Nov. 25 and will run through Dec. 31 at the Arvada Center, located at 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. in Arvada. For tickets and more information, visit The Arvada Center’s website at arvadacenter.org.

Kevin Hack (Gaston) and Nicolas Garza (Lefou) sit center on the bench surrounded by the ensemble during a pub scene. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LESLIE SIMMONS

Brett Harper (Lumiere) rehearses “Be Our Guest.”

Smartwatches are calling 911 from the slopes

2007 to 2019 working for RECCO, a company specializing in avalanche transceivers and rescue technology.

Atkins said false alarms aren’t new, and neither is the idea of wearable technology.

“The idea of wearable technologies has really been evolving over the past couple of decades,” he said.

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clear Creek County 911 dispatchers are getting increased calls from the ski slopes, but not from people in distress — rather, their watches are calling for help when the owner takes a tumble.

Increasingly, people wear smartwatches and other devices to track their workouts, but some of these devices are tracking other activities, too. Many watches have the ability to track a “hard fall” or crash that its user is involved in and automatically call for emergency help.

In a sport known for messy falls, not every crash while skiing or snowboarding is an emergency. 911 dispatchers have been getting increased calls from smart watches at Loveland Ski Area, sometimes even as many as eight a day according to dispatcher Tom Dale.

“We’re pretty routinely, almost every day, getting at least one crash,” Dale said. “We’re getting more this year than we have in the past.”

The dispatchers aren’t ignoring these calls, though. While many of the calls might be false alarms, Dale has seen a watch help an injured

skier firsthand.

“We received a call from an older gentleman….this gentleman was obviously disoriented, possibly had loss of consciousness briefly….we were able to verify his location and notify ski patrol,” Dale said.

When it detects a crash, the smartwatch will call 911 and give an announcement about the crash. The watch will identify the device and GPS coordinates of the owner, and dispatch will attempt to call back the owner to verify if it was a true emergency.

Often, since watches are buried under layers of cold weather gear, skiers can’t hear the message from dispatch trying to verify their infor-

mation. That’s when the information gets passed on to Ski Patrol at Loveland to make sure everything is okay on the mountain.

John Sellers is a spokesperson for Loveland Ski Area. He said Loveland hopes to reduce false alarms in order to preserve resources.

“We are working with the sheriff’s department and other ski areas to figure out how to mitigate these calls,” Sellers said.

“Obviously, this could be a very beneficial tool in certain circumstances,” Sellers added.

Dale Atkins is a member of the Alpine Search and Rescue Team who has spent years working in the outdoor industry. He spent

Working at RECCO, Atkins was at the table to see many of the companies first pursuing crash detection technology.

He recalled the work of the company OnStar, which pioneered some of the first crash detection technology in vehicles over 20 years ago.

As technology advanced, more companies began incorporating it into their products.

“As the censor got smaller, it became very attractive,” Atkins said.

The Apple Watch 4, released in 2018, was the first one to have fall detection technology.

As the accessory became less expensive and more accessible, greater usership has caused an increase in false crash calls, as experienced by Clear Creek dispatch.

Atkins sees the value of the technology that has been evolving for years, and suspects the bumps will be ironed out with further development.

“It’s a wonderful concept…..but it comes with a pretty significant false alarm rate that is a big problem for sheriffs’ department and ski patrols, and eventually maybe even mountain rescue teams,” he said.

surface park ing for 156 vehicles, including 6 accessible spaces and 16 electric vehicle charging stations on the west parcel. Vehicular ingress and egress for the new development will be provided via Garrison Street. The Garrison Street bicycle and pedestrian corridor will provide bicycle and pedestrian access, and the bus stop immediately adjacent to the project site on Ralston Road will provide public transit access for residents.

Location: 9250 Ralston Road and 5790 Garrison Street in Arvada, Colorado.

Estimated Cost: $2,550,000 in HOME funding; 8 Project-based Vouchers through the Arvada Housing Authority; federal and state low-income housing tax credits

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

The City of Arvada has determined that the proj ect will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Ad ditional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at City of Arvada, 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada, CO 80002 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 5 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit writ ten comments on the ERR to the City of Arvada. All comments received by December 16, 2022 will be considered by the City of Arvada prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Arvada’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Arvada; (b) the City of Arvada has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop ment; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursu ant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Region VIII Director at 1670 Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80202-4801. Potential objectors should contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Westown 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, Simmons & Wheeler, P.C., 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 490, Englewood, CO 80112, 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 December 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2023 budget and 2022 amended budget, inspect the 2023 budget and 2022 amended budget and file or register any objections thereto.

You can attend the meetings in any of the following ways:

1. To attend via Zoom Videoconference, use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82535663123?pwd =cTFOeDBYVy84Qk1OTnQ4L1RPbkRHQT09

2. To attend via telephone, dial 1-719-359-4580 and enter the following additional information: a.Meeting ID: 825 3566 3123 b.Passcode: 729726

The City of Arvada certifies to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that Lorie Gillis in her capacity as City Manager consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce respon sibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s approval of the certifica tion satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Arvada Housing Authority to use Program funds.

Clear Creek County 911 dispatchers are getting increased calls from people’s smartwatches in the ski slopes. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Clear Creek dispatchers are getting calls from the ski slopes, but not from people — from their wrists