Arvada Press 121522

12th Annual Arvada Firehouse

Chili Cooko raises $1,235 for AFPD

Faith Christian High School closing due to multi-million dollar debt

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Faith Christian High School in Arvada will be closing at the end of the 2022-2023 school year due to mounting debt, Faith Christian Superintendent Andrew Hasz and Pastor Jason King announced in a video message to families.

The high school, located on Carr Street, has been acquired by Grace Church of Arvada for $12 million. Grace will reopen the high school for the 2023-2024 school year under a new name and leadership team, according to Grace Church Pastor Rick Long.

Faith Christian’s K-8 school, located on Ward Road, will remain open under Faith Christian Academy’s banner.

Station

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Friends of the Arvada Fire Protection District — a nonprofit that supports the AFPD — hosted the 12th Annual Arvada Firehouse Chili Cookoff on Dec. 5 at the Arvada Elks Lodge, raising over $1,200 for the department. Station 9 won the people’s choice for “Best Chili.”

Each Arvada Fire Station’s staff made home-cooked chili for entry in the contest, which was judged by a popular vote as over 250 attendees sampled and cast their ballots for their favorite entry.

Last year, Station 5’s B shift took home “Best Chili” honors.

Friends of Arvada Fire Protection District President Sue Steward thanked everyone who made this year’s event a success.

“We had another successful chili cook-off with a great turnout, plenty of tasty chili, and generous support that enables us to support our firefighters, community and Arvada Fire,” she said. “We’re thankful to those who make this event possible, including the attendees, sponsors, volunteers and our hosts, Arvada Elks.”

Hasz did not respond for comment by press time but said a representative from the school would be available for an interview with Colorado Community Media within the next couple of days.

Faith Christian Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021 but mounting financial woes had been plaguing the church over the past two decades, according to King’s comments in the video message to families, posted to YouTube on Nov. 18.

The ministry’s K-8 was founded in Denver in 1971, with the high school opening the following year.

In an interview with the Arvada Press last year, Hasz said the school’s total K-12 enrollment was “a little under 850,” a figure he said was up 100 from the previous school year. Hasz said his father Martin founded the school with the goal “to have a school where the focus on God could be central and students would be encouraged to have a personal relationship with Jesus.”

Faith also has been embroiled in a number of high-profile lawsuits, including a racial discrimination

Youngsters hand out chili at the cooko .

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AFPD

9 wins people’s choice for best chili

The scene at the Arvada Elks Lodge for the Friends of Arvada Fire’s 12th Annual Chili Cooko .

CLOSING

FROM PAGE1

suit filed by former teacher Gregg Tucker and a suit filed by FCA against the Jefferson County Public Health Department over the department’s COVID-19 protocols.

The discrimination suit is ongoing after the 10th Circuit Court declined to review it en banc, while JCPH was granted an injunction in the COVID lawsuit.

Long said that he was a parent at Faith Christian when Tucker was fired and that he was aware of FCA’s lawsuits, stating that Grace Church’s legal team would be “investigating every single detail” of the events that begat the legal proceedings.

“When we launch, with whoever we launch with, we’ll be sure it’s exactly the standards and ideals of Grace Church,” Long said. “We pull no punches with how we operate as a ministry.”

Financial woes

In the video, King said that between 1991 and 2000, FCA took out a $6.8 million loan to purchase its Carr Street campus. In 2002, Faith took out an additional $14.2 million to finance the building of its worship center.

In 2014, the ministry converted the interest-only load to a conventional load, and by 2017, the ministry had only paid off about $1.4 million, leaving Faith with a debt of $19 million. At that point, the ministry began working to cut its overhead, with King stating that they were “led of the Lord.”

“The Board of Elders felt that the Lord was leading us to make some decisions that were difficult, but we truly believe they were led of the Lord,” King — who became Faith’s pastor in 2017 — said.

“From day one decided, we’re going to live between our means, we’re going to trim the fat, we’re going to restructure, we’re going to run lean and run hard.”

King said that Faith has paid down $4 million of the $19 milliondollar debt. Nevertheless, with a looming $7 million balloon payment due in June, the ministry’s Board of Elders unanimously decided to sell the Carr Street property to Grace Church, which

is

Faith’s K-8.

“In a chain of events that can only be attributed to the leading of God, Faith Church and Grace Church became the answer to each other’s prayers,” King said. “Please know, this decision was not made lightly. With this Kingdom Transaction, it will significantly reduce our debt and allow us to come closer to fully walking out God’s call and purpose for us as a ministry.

“It will also raise the level of excellence and impact in FCA K-8,” King continued. “This will also allow for the impact of Christian education in our city to rise to the level of impact we believe is needed and we were not able to do alone.”

Hasz called the decision “heartbreaking” and added that he felt that “both schools are going to be better” in the future.

“This is God’s school, so if God wants to end the high school, that’s his prerogative,” Hasz said. “The high school is going to continue in its location. There will be a name change, but there are some exciting days ahead for the high school.”

Hasz — who said he will be helping with the transition at the high school — added that Grace is

looking to build a new fieldhouse, performing arts facility and classrooms, which Long confirmed.

“We’ve got some millions to put into (the high school),” Long said. “We’re in a fundraising mood right now.”

Hasz said that Faith is now in a “much better position” to invest in its K-8 campus.

Discrimination lawsuit

Tucker, the litigant in the lawsuit that claims that Faith fired Tucker — who taught at FCA’s high school for 10 years —for holding a discussion on race with students, said that the school’s closure won’t impact the ongoing legal proceedings.

“This does not at all impact my ongoing litigation with the school, or (sic) any impending litigation,” Tucker said in a Facebook post. “We recently won another appeal (en banc) with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and it may now be headed to the Supreme Court.”

In the post, Tucker called the closure “Really good news,” owing to the school’s “Long history of ignoring racism, sexual harassment and assault, and LGBTQ bullying, and retaliating against students and teachers that speak out against those things.”

Nancy Felix, a former FCA parent whose daughter, Ramya Sinha, said she experienced racial

discrimination during her time at the school, said in a Facebook post that she would celebrate “that racist school closing.”

In his Facebook post, Tucker raised concerns over the new leadership at FCA, calling Grace’s leadership “somewhat enmeshed” with FCA’s, and called for the school’s new leadership to consider the reconciliation document that was put together by parents, students and community members after Tucker’s firing.

“I’m concerned that what will rise in its place will not be that much different,” Tucker said.

“The leadership at Grace Church is somewhat enmeshed with the leadership at Faith Christian High School, and they were absolutely silent as the many stories about the dysfunctional leadership and toxic environment at the school came to light. So, I won’t be surprised if some of the leaders remain at the new school and some of the same problems persist.”

Long said he had not heard from Tucker nor been made aware of “any document” from the former teacher. All four of Long’s children are graduates of FCA, according to Long, who also said that the new high school would rent out FCA’s K-8 gym until a new fieldhouse is built.

“99%” of FCA administrators will stay with Faith’s K-8, according to Long.

Moving forward

“I want a high school that is affordable but is the best high school West of the Mississippi,” Long said.

FCA hosted a community meeting for families to hear from Grace Church’s leadership on Dec. 5 at its Carr Street campus, which Long said had a “really, really great” response overall.

Long added that Grace would also operate a Center of Hope community center featuring educational programs, grief counseling and other services on the Carr Street campus after school and extracurricular hours.

Current FCA high school students will be given the option to preregister and pay their deposit for the 2023-2014 school year if they would like to attend the new

led by Pastor Rick Long, with King calling the move a “Kingdom Transaction” that would improve

Parents and graduates gather in the chapel at FCA for graduation.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

school.

Regarding teachers and faculty, Long said that his team will meet with each of them individually starting this month and evaluate their future with the Grace-run high school.

“We have to get to the point of contract with each of them,” Long said. “For me, I’ve been around the school for 35 years — I coached there, and obviously have friendships and relationships with some of them, not many of them — I want to treat this in the most honorable way and we’re going to be meeting with them individually.

“We’re going to find out where they’re at and we’re going to put

the very best people in positions,” Long continued. “I know they’re all aware of that and I know they’re also encouraged by the fact that if they’re the very best person, they’re going to be there.”

Long also said that he hoped to have “a quarter of our kids on scholarship of some sort,” and wanted to work with the ACE Foundation — the president of whom, Jason DiFraia, is a Grace Church leadership team member — to achieve that goal.

The new school will also have a code of conduct, according to Long.

“In a school, you have to have a code of conduct. And you have to have very — and these are teenagers, they’re still in need of having structure, and discipline and a code of conduct,” he said. “For us, we like what we have seen but a lot

of times it’s not the letter of the law, it’s the spirit of the law.”

When asked what about the existing FCA legacy he would like to improve upon, Long pointed to inclusivity as a growth area.

“I don’t think this is an either/ or, where they didn’t do this and we’re going to do this, but rather they did this and we’re going to do it better,” Long said. “Our ministry is very grace-oriented, and that means that we absolutely love people where they’re at and we love people regardless.

“And we want to have an atmosphere in the school where every teacher, every student, every parent knows that they’re loved and there’s an open line of communication,” Long continued. “Instead of just having very dogmatic ‘this is how things are’… we want to have a little more open dialogue,

a little more grace. Not that they haven’t had that, but we think we as a ministry have a finger on the pulse of what that looks like.”

Long said the purchase of the Carr Street property will close on Feb. 1, 2023. The school will remain Faith Christian until the end of May 2023 and would reopen in August 2023 under a new name which will be unveiled after Jan. 1, 2023.

Long added that Grace Church leaders are working with marketing firms to decide the new name.

“We are ecstatic to be able to pour into the next generation to create a Christian private education that’ll be excellent, affordable, family-friendly, and completely committed to loving others,” Long said. “There’s a difference between being a religious school and being a relationally driven school, which is what we will be.”

The 2023 Update of the Sellers Property Disclosure Document Is a Great Improvement

Every few years, the Division of Real Estate releases a revised Sellers Property Disclosure to be used by real estate brokers. A forms committee suggest revisions which then must be approved by the Colorado Real Estate Commission.

I wasn’t a big fan of the version which was released in 2018, but I’m a big fan of the one which is being released for use starting in January 2023.

Some of the changes are subtle — for example, the seller is told to disclosure adverse materials facts instead of defects. That makes sense, since there is no definition of “defect” in the 2018 or new version.

Other changes are more substantive. For example, instead of just asking if the property is in an HOA, it asks for the name of the association(s) and contact information for each. If the neighborhood has cluster mailboxes, it asks for the location and number of the mailbox.

At the top of the form, it asks when the seller acquired the property, not just the year it was built. It also asks the seller to attach any reports, receipts or other documents “you believe necessary for the information you provide to be complete.”

DMAR’s ‘Metro Area’

The seller is asked whether the home is subject to deed restrictions or affordable housing restrictions, and whether it is in a historic district.

Another sign of the times is that instead of asking if there is or has been tobacco smoke, it refers only to “smoking” and adds in parentheses “including in garages, unfinished space, or detached buildings.”

Under “Access and Parking,” the form asks if there are any limitations on parking or access due to size, number and type of vehicles. Instead of asking if there are “any access problems,” it asks the broader question of whether there are “access problems, issues or concerns.” Those three words are used elsewhere to expand on the question of “problems.”

In the section on “Use, zoning and legal issues,” instead of asking simply whether any additions or alterations have been made, it specifies whether they were made with a building permit and without a building permit, including “non-aesthetic alterations,” which is undefined. It also asks whether the property has been used for short-term rentals

Statistics

Cover 11 Counties

What do the rural cities and towns of Kiowa, Agate, Simla, Fairplay, Georgetown, Empire, Black Hawk, Rollinsville, Nederland, Allenspark, Lyons, Longmont, and Bennett have in common? They’re all included in the Denver metro area statistics compiled monthly by the Denver Metro Association of Realtors for its market trends report. At right is a map of the 11 counties included in that report. REcolorado, the Denver MLS, allows infinite flexibility in drawing the boundaries when searching for listings or doing statistical analysis, so my preference is always to draw a radius of 20 miles from downtown Denver when compiling metro statistics.

At left is this month’s infographic from DMAR showing the November month-over-month statistics for their 11-county “metro area.”

Under all five elements of the infographic I have inserted the same November statistics for the 20mile radius of downtown Denver that I prefer to use.

For this month the variations are not as great as I have seen in some months.

in the past year and whether there are “grandfathered conditions or uses.”

Under “Sewer,” the form asks for the name of the sewer service provider, the date of the last sewer scope, the date of the last septic use permit, inspection, and pumping — all useful information.

In the “Water” section, the form asks for the location of the water shutoff. If there’s a well, it asks the date of the last inspection and service. It asks the gallons per minute (GPM) of the well as of a specified date, and it asks the size in gallons of any cistern. Lastly, it asks whether the seller purchased any supplemental water in the last two years — an indication of the well’s adequacy.

The form asks the seller to identify the electricity, cable TV and internet service providers.

The instructor of the class I took re-

garding these new contracts and disclosures reminded us that the sellers property disclosure is to be accurate as of the date the home goes under contract. Therefore, if the property goes under contract after Dec. 31, 2022, this new form must be completed by the seller, but it does not need to be replaced if a pending listing doesn’t close until 2023.

That led me to adopt a new “best practice” which I’ll share here with my fellow listing agents. Instead of having the seller complete and sign the sellers property disclosure when we list the home, my practice henceforth will be to have the seller complete the document at the time of listing but to review it and sign it only upon going under contract with a buyer, thereby assuring that it is accurate as of the purchase contract date, as stated on the disclosure.

Lennar Project Features 3D Printed Homes

In the Texas Hill Country outside Austin, Lennar has broken ground on a 100-home subdivision in which all the homes will be built using ICON’s 3D printing robots for the exterior and interior walls.

You can find a one-minute YouTube video clip about the project on the posting of this article on our company blog, www.GoldenREblog.com

The bottom four homes in the aerial rendering at right show the various stages of the 3D printing process. After a home’s slab is poured, an overhead gantry goes back and forth pouring 3-inch (I’m guessing) layers of concrete one on top of the other, following a computerized plan for the walls and openings. The video shows the process in action.

Lennar is the first production builder I know of which has adopted ICON’s proprietary 3D printing process to build an entire subdivision. The process eliminates most of the waste and labor associated with building the walls in homes. The windows and doors are framed con-

ventionally, and wood trusses are added to support the roof.

Developed by Hillwood Communities, the 3- and 4-bedroom homes offer eight different floorplans, with 24 unique elevations ranging from 1,500 to over 2,100 square feet.

The Georgetown, Texas, community, Wolf Ranch, will “set the standard for the future of homebuilding — technologically advanced, energy efficient and architecturally striking,” according to ICON.

The construction method is not only more sustainable but produces homes that are resistant to fires, floods, termites, and high-wind events.

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

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

TY SCRABLE, 720-281-6783

GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922

Eggnog and Cider Competition brings holiday libations to Olde Town

Arvada Tavern, Flights Wine Cafe, Hunter Bay, La Dolce Vita win top honors

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The 7th Annual Eggnog and Cider Competition brought hundreds of people to Olde Town Arvada to try samplings of holiday

drinks from 19 local businesses on Dec. 5, with Arvada Tavern, Flights Wine Cafe, Hunter Bay and La Dolce Vita winning the contest’s four major categories.

The Arvada Tavern took home “Best Eggnog” honors, while Flights Wine Café won “Best Cider.” In the non-alcoholic categories, Hunter Bay won “Best NonAlcoholic Eggnog” and La Dolce Vita’s entry was crowned “Best Non-Alcoholic Cider.”

Olde Town Arvada Business

Improvement District Marketing and Events Manager Stephanie Paul called this year’s event the best ever due to the turnout of businesses.

“We appreciate the community taking part in our 7th Annual Eggnog and Cider Competition,” Paul said. “This year we had fi erce competition with 19 different Olde Town Arvada businesses participating, making it the best year yet.”

While many businesses served

alcoholic beverages, some — including Stone Cellar Bistro and Elevated Seltzer — offered both alcoholic and non-alcoholic entries.

Attendees begin the evening by checking in at the booth in Olde Town Square, where they are given small mugs and a map that doubles as a ballot by the end of the night. Folks can then meander around Olde Town and sample the historic district’s holiday drinks before casting a vote for their favorite.

Charlie Y. Orthopedic Surgeon

Patrons try eggnog and cider o ed by Stone Cellar Bistro.

PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

Elevated Seltzer’s non-alcoholic custard.

Meiklejohn Elementary School fourth grader wins national sustainability contest

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Eloise Saddler, a fourth grader at Meiklejohn Elementary School in Arvada, came up with a simple-yetnovel idea to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and conserve water: plant more trees.

Saddler’s proposal won this year’s Propane Education and Research Council’s “Be Like Jack” sustainability contest, inspired by Jack Kendrick; a South Carolina student who petitioned his school district to purchase a propane-powered special needs school bus — the first in the state. Saddler’s proposal won first place in a field of hundreds of submissions.

For her efforts, Saddler earned $2,000 for Meiklejohn to implement her tree-planting proposal and won the school a visit from Emily Calandrelli, an engineer who graduated from MIT and worked at NASA and now hosts “Emily’s Wonder Lab,” an Emmy-nominated educational

series on Netflix.

At the all-school assembly, Calandrelli highlighted the importance of sustainability and performed a fizzy rocket experiment with Saddler.

“It’s an honor to meet Eloise and learn more about her sustainability ideas that have the power to change the world and make her community

a cleaner place to live,” Calandrelli said. “The more we inspire students at a young age to think big about our world, the brighter their future will be. It’s exciting to think what they will accomplish as champions of the environment.”

Saddler has worked with the grounds crew at Meiklejohn to select the location of the tree, which

will be planted in spring.

Meiklejohn Principal Carrie Cornejo commended Saddler on her accomplishment.

“We are incredibly proud of Eloise and her commitment to sustainability that is making an impact at our school,” said Carrie Cornejo.

PERC’s Director of Autogas Business Development Steve Whaley presented Saddler with the $2,000 check at the school assembly.

“Eloise’s passion for science, the environment, and sustainability should serve as inspiration to all of us that we can each make a difference. At PERC, we share that passion, too,” said Whaley.

Saddler and her fellow students participate in a science experiment during Emily Calendrelli’s visit to the school. COURTESY PHOTO

Eloise Saddler is presented with a check to implement her tree planting proposal.

COURTESY PHOTO

Eloise Saddler, 9, wins $2,000 for Arvada school to implement tree planting idea

‘Pure generosity’

Our mission is to lower

costs and provide the healthiest quality air possible. For anyone, business or residential, we will increase e ciency of your system by using the very latest techniques, the latest technologies and top of the line products. We will provide the highest quality of work possible. Our professional sta will assure a high level of professionalism that cannot be matched in our industry. We guarantee our products and services.

Charity vending machine returns to Denver

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Today, 10-year-old Jewell Jaussi understands that the holiday season is about giving. But that wasn’t always the case.

“When I was younger,” she said, “I thought Christmas was just about gifts.”

Something that helped her realize this is her family’s tradition of donating to the Light the World Giving Machines.

“Giving Machines are just like vending machines, but instead of getting stuff for yourself, you’re (purchasing) something for others,” Jaussi said.

Vending machines for donations

The Giving Machines are part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ annual Light the World holiday initiative. The Giving Machines provide a unique opportunity for people to give to others, said Craig McIlroy, team lead for the Denver Giving Machines’ Organizing Committee.

“There’s a lot that divides us and (the Giving Machines) bring us together in a common purpose,” McIllroy said. “I think everybody agrees we should help those in need.”

How it works is people visit the Giving Machine — this year’s Denver machine will be located at Writer Square downtown — and select an item to donate to a charity. Upon selection, the donor is given a card-like receipt of their purchase. One hundred percent of every dollar contributed goes

directly to the participating charities, and all overhead is covered through other sources, McIlroy said.

This year, donors can choose from items that range in price from $5 to $250. A few examples include children’s bandages for $8, a kit of hygiene products for $30 and sponsoring a community garden for $250. Multiple donations can be made in a single transaction.

The Giving Machines “are a great example of how anyone can give at any amount to come together and support our community” and Metro Caring’s mission, said Brandon McKinley, communications and marketing specialist for Metro Caring.

Metro Caring is a Denver-based nonprofi t that provides nutritious food to people while working to address the root causes of hunger. It is one of the local charities benefi tting from the Giving Machine this year.

A family tradition

The Jaussi family — which consists of mother Heather; father Steven; Jewell; James, 7; and Adelaide, 1 — has been donating to the Denver Giving Machine since 2019.

“I love this tradition because it brings us together as a family to go serve and help others in need,” Jewell Jaussi said.

The tradition begins each year when the family visits the Giving Machine’s website to decide which items each family member wants to purchase for their donation. Then, donning their Light the World garb, the Jaussi family commutes from their Highlands

The Jaussi family gathers for a photo in front of Denver’s Light the World Giving Machine last year.

COURTESY PHOTO

GENEROSITY

FROM

Ranch home to attend the Unwrapping event in Denver, which is the Giving Machine’s annual launch and takes place near the Thanksgiving holiday.

The drive home from the Unwrapping event is an opportunity to discuss the ways they have given back — a significant piece of the family’s tradition, Heather Jaussi said.

Envisioning the utility of their donation helps bring awareness of global issues, she added.

“It makes such a difference to talk about these things as a family,” Heather Jaussi said. “We don’t always see or know what’s going on outside our realm. For example, when James found out there are places in the world that don’t have running water, it was eye-opening for him.”

This discovery influenced James’ first donation selection in 2019. At only age 4 at the time, he chose a waterless toilet for Water for People, a nonprofit that makes high-quality drinking water and sanitation accessible to all.

Jewell’s past donations include a goat, which helped feed families internationally; and as a selfproclaimed artist, she donated an art kit through the nonprofit, A Precious Child, because she wants others to also experience the joy of art.

‘It makes such a di erence to talk about these things as a family. We don’t always see or know what’s going on outside our realm. For example, when James found out there are places in the world that don’t have running water, it was eyeopening for him.’

This year, Jewell has decided on donating diapers because “we have a 1-year-old sister and I know how hard it is to not have diapers,” she said.

The Giving Machines come to Denver

The Devinny Elementary School choir performs. The Denver O ce of Nonprofit engageCOURTESY PHOTO

James and Jewell Jaussi smile give a thumb’s up in front of Denver’s Light the World Giving Machine last year. COURTESY PHOTOS

James Jaussi, who was 4 when the photo was taken in 2019, proudly holds up the card displaying the waterless toilet he purchased from the Denver Light the World Giving Machine. COURTESY PHOTO

SEE GENEROSITY,

P23

Heather Jaussi

Colorado Dems eye gun-buy waiting periods

where it is illegal to purchase any firearm if you are younger than 21.

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

A host of changes to Colorado’s gun laws, from a ban on so-called assault weapons to tweaks to the existing red flag law, are already being considered by Democrats at the state Capitol in response to the shooting last month at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs.

“Pretty much everything is on the table,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat. “The question now is: What seems like a priority?”

Democrats will return to the Colorado Capitol in early January with expanded majorities in both the House and Senate and facing pressure to act after the state’s latest mass shooting. Five people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded in a Nov. 19 attack on Club Q allegedly carried out by a 22-yearold shooter armed with a semi-automatic, AR-15-style rifle.

Gun policy could be the first big test of Democrats’ expanded majorities at the Capitol next year.

Memories of the 2013 recalls of Democratic lawmakers over tougher gun regulations adopted in the wake of the Aurora theater shooting

certainly remain, but Colorado is a different state politically than it was a decade ago, and the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate are almost guaranteed until January 2027.

“Clearly, mental stability is a significant contributing factor,” Eileen McCarron, president of Colorado

Ceasefire Legislative Action, a group that pushes for tighter firearm regulations, said in a written statement, “but even as hard as it is to address legislatively, we must face the elephant in the room: assault weapons.”

Adam Shore, the group’s executive director, said Colorado needs “to get to the root of what is driving these individuals to kill others, while simultaneously reducing the mayhem by ensuring that these weapons of war are confined to where they truly belong — the battlefield.”

Auon’tai “Tay” Anderson, a Denver Public Schools board member, posted on Twitter that Democrats should immediately use their majority at the Capitol to pass a so-called assault weapons ban.

“If folks refuse to act, vote them out,” Anderson tweeted.

Fenberg, who said gun control conversations were underway even before the Club Q shootings, said a ban on so-called assault weapons is certainly a possibility. The challenge is figuring out how to write the complicated policy, including how to define what an assault weapon is, what should happen to such weapons that are already in the possession of Colorado residents and how to address people traveling to neighboring states to purchase weapons that would be prohibited in Colorado.

“I’ve always said that I support an assault weapons ban,” he said. “I don’t think in this day and age it makes sense that people can purchase weapons of war. It’s something (where) we have to make sure the policy is right. I think there’s still ongoing conversations about what the policy would be.”

It’s more likely that Democrats pursue other changes to Colorado’s gun laws first, such as raising the minimum age to purchase a rifle or shotgun to 21 from 18. The minimum age to purchase handguns in Colorado is already 21.

Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, California, Rhode Island and New York are among the states

Rep. Tom Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat who won election to a state Senate seat in November, is working on changing the minimum age to purchase a gun. He initially wanted to raise the age only for socalled assault weapons, but thinks a broader change would be easier.

“That kind of will save us having to come up with a definition of what assault weapons are,” said Sullivan, whose son, Alex, was murdered in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting.

“And that seems to be the consensus that we’re hearing from the rest of the caucus.”

Sullivan feels the legislature should have raised the minimum age to purchase rifles and shotguns last year.

“We had the votes, we had it put together but our leadership and the governor wouldn’t allow that to happen last year,” Sullivan said.

There are already discussions happening as well about enacting a waiting period between when someone purchases a weapon and can access it, mirroring policies in states including California and Hawaii, which have 10- and 14-day waiting periods, respectively. Illinois has a 72-hour waiting period between when someone can purchase a firearm and then access it.

There have been reports that the Club Q shooter may have used “ghost guns,” or homemade firearms that don’t have serial numbers, in the attack. Sullivan said he wants to pursue legislation to regulate those, too.

Colorado already requires universal background checks on all gun purchases and has laws limiting gun magazines to 15 rounds and requiring the safe storage of firearms. People whose guns are lost or stolen must make a report with law enforcement, as well, and there is a statute temporarily barring people convicted of certain violent misdemeanors from purchasing firearms.

Colorado counties and municipalities are also now allowed to enact gun regulations that are more stringent than the state’s policies after the legislature in 2021 repealed a preemption law.

When it comes to the red flag law, a 2019 policy that lets judges order the temporary seizure of firearms from people deemed a significant risk to themselves or others, the changes being discussed have to do with expanding who can request a seizure. Right now, law enforcement and family members are effectively the only groups allowed to petition a judge to order a seizure.

Gov. Jared Polis has expressed support for adding district attorneys to the list, while others have suggested the attorney general’s office and teachers should be allowed to request seizures as well.

“We’re certainly going to take a hard look at why the red flag law wasn’t used in this case, in the case of the King Soopers shooter,” Polis told Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Polis, a Democrat, has been more

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Ban on assault weapons, changes in red flag law are being discussed

Wishing you and your loved ones the gifts of peace, love & joy this holiday season.

May your new year be happy and healthy.

VOICES

The rich history of chocolate

Chocolate, the most beguiling, seductive natural substance, a ubiquitous aphrodisiac. Dark, white or milk? How do you like yours? Pure and simple, perhaps wrapped in foil in the form of a waterdrop? Or encasing an almond, cashew, cherry, cream or mixture of them?

The etymology of the word seems to have come from the Nahuatl, natives of southern Mexico and Central America: chikol tl. For millennia, cacao was food for and from the gods, a sacred ambrosia in Olmec, Maya, and Aztec spiritual rituals. Finding it unappealing to their delicate taste buds, the invading Europeans sweetened it with honey. It quickly found its way into the regal courts of Europe, where it remained in the domain of the nobility who jealously guarded it as their divine right. Legend has it that it became a favorite for Casanova, understandably so given its purported aphrodisiac power.

What was once sequestered in the realm of the gods and their mortal legates over time became available to the masses. Humanize the gods, dethrone their majesties and enjoy what they did. That is the power of secularism and democracy. And economics. Worldwide annual chocolate sales, now in the tens of billions of dollars, are projected to grow at increasingly higher rates. In 1828, a Dutch chemist figured a

JERRY FABYANIC

way to reduce the cacao bean to powder, hence Dutch cocoa. Nineteen years later, Englishman Thomas Fry reversed the process and created the first chocolate bar by folding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa. It did not take long before John Cadbury marketed the creamy morsels. By 1868, he was packaging them in a heart-shaped tin, and the rest, as ´tis said, is history.

Pre-Lent to post-Lent, it is interesting to see how chocolate has become entwined with Valentine’s Day in the shape of hearts and at Easter in the form of bunnies and eggs. At Halloween, demand again spikes. And then it is pell-mell during the winter holidays as it makes the most splendid of gifts and welcoming treats for guests. I still recall my elder sister, Boots, bringing home a large box of assorted chocolates each Christmas from a local confectioner.

“One!” she’d pointedly say as she held the box. Her second rule was that if you touched it, you ate it. So I had to be judicious making my selection. One and done. Hmm…which has the cherry or coconut encased within the confines of the sweet

milk chocolate?

Of course, temptation lurks during the months between because candy bars and other delectable treats fill display racks along supermarket checkout lines. And for me, dark chocolate has become my preference, although whenever a Snickers falls within my line of sight, I become melted chocolate.

What is it, though, about chocolate that makes it such a magical food? Do its inherent chemical compounds bond with welcoming, agreeable host cells in the bloodstream, creating a potion that can transform the most unlikeable character into a charming friend, awaken and sustain passions of the heart, and even bring a moribund, morally uptight community held under the oppressive hand of over-wrought morality back to life?

Those are themes of the novel and film Chocolat. Vianne, the heroine, shows up in a French village right before Lent to open a chocolate shop. There she creates concoctions of mixed forbidden fruits conjured from the bitter-tasting cacao bean. She plants the seed of vitality in a lifeless wasteland, and soon the power of her products — chocolates in various forms from bars to drinks — work their magic.

Medical science is now providing evidence for chocolate’s health benefits, especially dark chocolate. It is being shown to reduce anxi-

ety and clinical depression. The reason seems to be that chocolate enhances serotonin, which helps calm troubled minds. In addition, because of the high amount of flavonoids, it helps reduce cardiovascular disease risks, reduce cell damage and lower blood pressure. What’s not to love?

“Chocolat” is one of my favorite films to watch again and again. It is not only a fun tale, but it also serves to remind us to let go of our uptightness and enjoy life.

Chocolate has a rich history to back up its power. As we know, a cup of hot chocolate on a wintry day can warm any heart. So let me suggest a way out of our quagmire. Mimic Vianne. During the holiday season,host a serotonin-enhancing chocolate party at which every dish and cocktail is chocolate based. Invite every morally, socially, or politically priggish stiff and bahhumbugging Christmas-stealing grinch you know and a few others to sweeten the mix.

You have nothing to lose and much to gain. You might develop lifelong friendships, and your sweet tooth will be pleased. And since chocolate is far better for your health than eggnog, your heart will thank you.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for Thought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

New Je co air quality monitors a vital step for our health

It’s another day with poor air quality, and my heart sinks as I see an influx of children having asthma attacks enter my clinic. I am completing my clinical rotation in pediatrics, a part of my Nurse Practitioner program, in an underserved community in Jefferson County. As a nurse, I worry for my patients’ health, and as an asthmatic, I know all too well how terrifying it is to struggle to breathe.

I’ve practiced as a nurse for nearly ten years now in many states across the country, and I am alarmed at how terrible Colorado’s air quality can be and how it impacts the health of my patients and fellow community members. After five years of being in Colorado, I know to expect patients experiencing respiratory agitation, cardio-

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vascular events and even complications with pregnancy, all related to high ground-level ozone on summer days or poor air quality days throughout the year. We’re barely into cold and flu season, and we are treating children with chronic lung conditions who are at much higher risk of serious complications from common viral illnesses. We have seen a lot of kids sick lately with COVID-19 and RSV, and coupled with poor air quality these children sometimes end up on oxygen or admitted to the hospital.

season, and we are

have been named among the worst areas for air quality and pollution by the American Lung Association, and we as a state need to ensure we are doing everything in our power to reduce pollution and improve air quality. An important factor in understanding how we can mitigate our air quality and health impacts is investing in technology and systems to allow more accurate and ongoing monitoring.

Multiple Colorado municipalities

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MICHAEL

KRISTEN

RYLEE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded Colorado local governments and organizations $2.9 million to conduct seven air quality monitoring projects. These grants are among 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states that will receive $53.4 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and American Rescue Plan, with the goal of un-

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derstanding and tackling pollution in communities that are underserved, historically marginalized, and overburdened by climate impacts and pollution exposure. I am particularly hopeful about the grant going to Jefferson County’s Love My Air (JCLMA) program. Mirroring the effective program established in Denver, Jefferson County will partner with local organizations to invest in monitoring technology and a public-facing dashboard so that people can see air quality in real-time and regulators can more effectively do their jobs. As a nurse practicing in underserved communities, I am encouraged that our local government recognizes the need to address air quality information

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Columnist

Red Flag laws work, but they have to be used

hen Colorado passed its Red Flag law, called “Extreme Risk Protection Orders,” in 2019, El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder announced his opposition: “I am exploring all legal options and am vigorously challenging the constitutionality of this law.”

He wasn’t alone. Many county sheriffs in Colorado said they believed the law didn’t allow enough due process or was unconstitutional.

But since then, some 20 of these so-called “sanctuary” counties have seen the light, implementing this sensible law so that weapons have been taken away from violent people. But it was not used in El Paso County’s Colorado Springs, where a man recently killed fi ve people and wounded many others at Club Q, an LGBTQ bar.

The shooter, who survived, never had to go to court to defend himself against the Red Flag law — even after law enforcement was called in a year ago to stop him from threatening his family with a bomb.

If anyone needed to be parted from weapons, it was the Club Q shooter. But sadly, in the wake of massacres like this, we frequently learn that no action was taken earlier by either law enforcement or family.

AIR QUALITY

FROM PAGE 12

gaps in these communities as part of the effort to solve environmental and health disparities from pollution.

The impact of this work will drive additional changes to the way we are able to deal with the unfolding public health crisis caused by the immediate effects of pollution and the worsening impacts of climate change. We have all seen the serious air quality issues our increasingly ferocious and frequent wildfire seasons have caused. We’ve all also noticed an uptick in the number of “stay indoors” notices we see each summer during high ozone days. But what we might be less aware of unless we are directly impacted or work in the healthcare profession are the increasing rates of asthma

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The El Paso County Sheriff’s offi ce, in a statement to the Colorado Sun, admitted that it has never initiated an extreme risk protection order, the fi rst step in removing a fi rearm from someone under Colorado law.

The Red Flag law builds in due process, as only a judge can begin the process of removing someone’s guns. A second court appearance is necessary to extend a temporary protection order beyond two weeks. While a Red Flag law is now used in 19 other states, the Associated Press found that Colorado residents invoke the law less often than residents of other states.

Why not? A major reason is the anti-democratic ideology of county sheriffs who choose what laws to enforce. Sheriffs have bought into the peculiar notion that a county has ultimate legal authority to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

One result of this old “Posse Comitatus” approach is that local sheriffs feel free to ignore state laws they don’t like. All they have to do is label them “unconstitutional.”

This attitude was on full display in several states when they issued emergency orders to curb the spread of Covid 19. Rural sheriffs in Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and California resisted. They defi ed the orders of their state government and refused to enforce public health measures.

The backbone of this county approach is best represented by the Constitutional Sheriff and

and chronic respiratory illness, higher incidences of cardiovascular events like heart attacks, not to mention additional climate impacts like heat-induced difficulties in regulating diabetes and the increasing rates of non-deadly heart attacks. Add to this the increased likelihood of premature births and low-birthweight babies, and the health implications could not be clearer.

While air monitoring isn’t the whole solution, it is a critical step we must take if we are to build better solutions together. Investing in this technology and the ability of communities to employ it is critical. Knowledge isn’t just power, it’s better health for all of us.

Mackenzie Kemp is a registered nurse earning her Master’s in Nursing. She resides in Golden, Colorado. She is an advocate for Healthy Air & Water Colorado.

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Peace Offi cer Association, a group based in Arizona and founded by Richard Mack, described by the Anti-Defamation League as an “anti-government extremist.” Mack is also credited as a founding member of the Oath Keepers, infamous for their involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

In my home state of Oregon, this rhetoric has made inroads. Though a contentious ballot measure restricting magazine capacity and implementing a new fi rearm permitting system recently passed, several county sheriffs have joined lawsuits to prevent the reforms from going into effect. Many more of Oregon’s 36 county sheriffs have stated they will not enforce all or parts of the law.

While not all of these sheriffs may view themselves as members of the Constitutional Sheriff and Peace Offi cer Association, the infl uence of its ideology is undeniable.

You would think it goes without saying, but the job of a county sheriff has never been to interpret laws as they see fi t. Sheriffs are elected offi cials entrusted by

their community to apply laws fairly.Allowing sheriffs to act as supreme legal arbiters is wrongheaded and dangerous. If the El Paso County sheriff or the shooter’s family had implemented the Red Flag law, a massacre might have been prevented.

So called “Constitutional Sheriffs” couch their rhetoric and ideology as a fi ght to preserve liberty and justice. It is almost as if they were living in a fi ctionalized version of the Wild West, where a lone sheriff with a gun upholds civilization.

That is not the world we live in. Guns are not sacrosanct possessions, unstable and dangerous people should not be allowed to stockpile weapons, and activating the Red Flag law can save lives.

If our sheriffs won’t uphold the laws, maybe it’s time to vote for someone who will.

Brian Sexton is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofi t dedicated to spurring conversation about Western issues. He writes about wildlife and hunting in Oregon.

OBITUARIES

Daniel Christopher Daly was born June 2, 1983, and passed away November 30, 2022.

He is survived by wife, Melissa, children, Veronica and Andrew James (AJ), father, Christopher, mother, Karen, sister, Michelle, step-mother, Kathy, step-brother, Kyle,

brother-in-law, Brian, and many other family members and exceptional friends. For more information regarding his service, please go to https://www.horancares.com/obituary/ Daniel-Daly.

In Loving Memory

CURRAN

Daniel Christopher Daly June 2, 1983 - November 30, 2022

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Hundreds of the nation’s most elite athletes in indoor rock climbing just had their version of the Super Bowl in Denver.

As the Olympic sport expands across the U.S. and Colorado, USA Climbing’s national championship last month was a sort of homecoming. The governing body in 2018 moved from its longtime home in Boulder to new headquarters in Salt Lake City.

“We definitely wanted to have a presence back in Colorado. That’s where USA Climbing got its feet off the ground,” said Ben Lowe with USA Climbing.

Sold-out crowds at The Spot climbing gym in Denver and G1 Climbing in Broomfield cheered as climbers — a mix of past and potential Olympians — tested themselves in three disciplines: 50-foot sport-climbing routes, a speed competition and short, powerful boulder problems.

Athletes made it as far as they could on routes designed to test their strength, agility and coordination.

In the sport climbing finals, only one athlete, Sean Bailey, completed a route without falling. He reached the top to raucous applause after battling a series of angled, plastic blocks screwed into the wall. The route required him to lunge toward small plastic rock holds with the tips of his fingers, hook his heels to pull his body up and swing across the wall while hanging on by only a few fingers.

The competition marked the end of the indoorclimbing season, but also provided an opportunity for new and returning climbers to begin scoring points to qualify for next year’s national team.

Once on the national team, athletes travel the world, competing in the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s World Cups. They also get the chance to try out for the team going to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

A surge in popularity

Indoor climbing started as a way for climbers to train during the offseason. Now, it’s blossomed into one of the fastest-growing Olympic sports. One that Coloradans are eating up.

In 2000, there were about 150 climbing gyms in the nation. Now, there are nearly 600, according to the Climbing Business Journal.

“It’s been a pretty massive surge in popularity, not just over the past two or three years though, it’s been seeing massive growth over the past 10 years,” said Lowe, the communications director for USA Climbing.

The indoor climbing industry is firmly anchored in Colorado with dozens of gyms across the state and a host of indoor equipment manufacturers thriving along the Front Range.

“Definitely explosive (growth) here in Colorado,” said Dan Howley, founder of The Spot gyms in Boulder and Denver. The Spot has hosted several past national climbing competitions and was home to bouldering nationals at their Denver location this year.

While USA Climbing is working to grow the sport around its new Salt Lake City base, Colorado athletes and fans continue

to be a big part of the sport.

“There’s always been a lot of really great athletes, especially young athletes, that have come out of Colorado. It’s got a long history in competitive rock climbing,” Lowe said. “Whenever somebody starts climbing the ranks and we hear they’re from Colorado, that’s definitely no surprise.”

That’s in part because of Boulder’s enduring ties to the sport.

“In the last 20 years, the Boulder area is sort of the Hollywood of rock climbing,” said Jason Haas, founder of G1 Climbing, “and if you’ve wanted to make a name for yourself in rock climbing you’ve had to live here.”

Two athletes from Colorado, Brooke Raboutou, 21, of Boulder, and Colin Duffy, 18, of Broomfield, already qualified for the national team trials in March. Both participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but the next Olympic trials have not yet been scheduled.

SEE CLIMBING, P15

CLIMBING

Members and staff from both G1 and The Spot also competed in nationals, with at least one making finals.

While it may be a few years before USA Climbing comes back to Colorado for nationals, both gyms say they hope to continue hosting other regional and local competitions. The Spot hosts four bouldering competitions every year and G1 hosts another. There are also USA Climbing youth, high school and collegiate competitions across the state.

Indoor versus outdoor climbing

The burgeoning sport is still at a point where fans can easily interact with the top athletes. During finals the weekend of Nov. 12, climbers battled the problems and routes set for them while spectators casually rubbed elbows with Olympians and other legends of the sport.

Nathaniel Coleman, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, was among the crowd along with Raboutou and Duffy. Kyra Condie, another Olympian, at nationals won the bronze medal in lead climbing and was fifth in bouldering.

“It’s like going to the World Series but the local community doesn’t get to meet the star athletes in the NBA playoffs or the Super Bowl,” Haas said. “They don’t get to shake

hands with Peyton Manning and have a conversation with him. But in climbing we’re still at that level where you can.”

Kyra Condie completes the first boulder during nationals at The Spot in Denver. Condie, 26, won the bronze medal in lead climbing and was fifth in bouldering. (Elliott Wenzler/The Colorado Sun)

While the sport began with a strong connection with outdoor climbing, most agree the two have started to diverge.

“A lot of the routes that are set for these pros are now incorporating gymnastic, parkour-type movements,” Howley said, “physical movement that you’re not going to find you’re able to do safely outside.”

Indoor climbing also offers a new, unique option for people interested in overall fitness, Lowe said.

“There’s a lot of people out there who have a hard time going into a typical gym to run on the treadmill or lift weights for a few hours,” Lowe said. “They want something they can actually actively engage with and challenge themselves not only physically but also mentally.”

Howley calls himself a “hardcore evangelist” for the sport.

“Indoor climbing has made this sport accessible and visible and popular to a larger community that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to it, and to me that’s nothing but good,” he said. “Climbing makes people better as humans,

it does so much for you. … It’s really good for the individual, it’s good for your soul and it’s food for building communities that care about each other and support each other.”

Now, USA Climbing and gym owners are working to make the sport more accessible to everyone.

Haas said it’s a pivotal time to make sure the sport grows and doesn’t turn into a fad that comes and goes. He said that growth lies in accessibility to the non-rock climber.

He hopes for a day when people understand climbing like they do basketball or football.

“I should be able to turn on the television and go: who’s winning?” he said. “We have this great opportunity to show the whole world this sport and they can share it whether they physically do it as well or just spectate.”

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.

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Sean Bailey, 26, heel hooks while clipping his rope into a metal safety clasp during USA Climbing National Championships in November. Bailey won gold in the sport climbing discipline at G1 Climbing + Fitness in Broomfield. PHOTOS COURTESY OF USA CLIMBING

Ross Fulkerson attempts to climb a problem at the Spot Climbing Gym in Denver during finals of boulder portion of the National Championship Nov. 10.

Vail Film Festival brings the world into viewers’ homes COMING ATTRACTIONS

For those who have never attended a film festival, the prospect of navigating all the screenings and events can be a little daunting. Plus, there’s the added challenges of finding time to eat between movies and getting from one theater to another. It can all be a bit much.

So, while one does miss out on some of the camaraderie that is part of the in-person experience, it’s difficult to argue with the flexibility and convenience that virtual festivals provide.

The 19th annual Vail Film Festival, which ran from Thursday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 4, provided virtual viewers the same thoughtfully curated films (all of which highlight the work of female filmmakers) as ever and allowed them to peruse the more than 20 offerings from the comfort of their couch.

“The challenge and focus this year was curating the film program. Since it is online, we wanted to make sure we selected a variety of films that would complement each other and hopefully be entertaining and inspiring for the audience,” explained Scott Cross, co-executive director of the festival, in an email interview. “Film is such an immersive art form, and can be transformative as well as entertaining. We hope audiences come away feeling entertained and maybe having discovered a new filmmaker or filmmakers whose work has moved them in some way.”

During this year’s festival I saw 10

films over four days and have selected four favorites — stories that moved me, made me laugh and rethink how I see the world.

‘The Cave of Adullam’ Release date: Available now on ESPN+

The work Jason Wilson does in the documentary “The Cave of Adullam” is truly god’s work. His passion and impact brims over in every frame of the film.

In the heart of Detroit, Wilson’s dojo — the titular cave — specifically focuses on giving young Black boys the best chance possible at living the lives they want and deserve. While he does teach martial arts, he focuses just as much time and energy on emotional stability and discipline, mental health and achieving goals. And the work is immensely difficult, but totally doable. Seeing the young boys taking the first steps towards becoming the men they want to be is some of the most powerful storytelling you’ll see all year.

“The Cave of Adullam,” just like Wilson, means to challenge and inspire. Both succeed on all fronts.

‘Dear Thirteen’ Release date: TBA

Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea how kids today do it. Growing up has never been easy, but with the technology and social media options young people have access to nowadays, there are challenges that I never considered when I was young.

Alexis Neophytides’ eye-opening documentary, “Dear Thirteen,” takes viewers all over the world to show the vast variety of what it means to be 13 years old in modern societies. The children in the film are wise beyond their years and yet achingly youthful. This is the kind of movie that sends you back into your own past to look at how you have grown and changed over the years, and yet it’s never preachy or condescending.

We put an awful lot on kids these days and the film explores what they actually want from the word and their lives. It’s the best kind of documentary — both enlightening and entertaining.

‘My Sister Liv’

Release date: TBA

“My Sister Liv” is the kind of film that absolutely knocks you flat. And it should — that’s the point.

The Alan Hicks documentary, which takes place in Colorado, follows sisters Tessa and Liv as they navigate the challenges of growing up with social media, depression and anxiety. While there have been great steps forward made in the areas of mental health and suicide awareness,

there are still all kinds of stigmas and shame that teens and youths must deal with. You get to hear firsthand from those struggling with these very issues and that just reaches in and grabs your heart. It is so powerful to see how it impacts daily life for so many.

This film is a heartbreaking call to arms — one that everybody should watch.

‘We

Burn Like This’

Release date: Available now on streaming platforms

Delicate business is being conducted in “We Burn Like This,” Alana Waksman’s devastating exploration of contemporary antisemitism in rural America.

The film follows Rae (an arresting Madeleine Coghlan), a young woman living in Billings, Montana, as she navigates a life full of challenges and prejudices. She has her best friend Chrissy B. (the reliably great Devery Jacobs), but not much else.

The audience is treated to a searing portrait of strength and weakness as Rae tries to find steady footing in unsteady times. Whether or not you’ve faced similar challenges as Rae, there’s no denying the film’s power and dedication to its message. This one leaves a mark.

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

Colorado’s soil moisture is better

Center.

BY CHRIS OUTCALT THE COLORADO SUN

Fall soil conditions across the Upper Colorado River Basin are not as dry as in the past few years, but the amount of moisture packed into the dirt heading into winter is still below long-term averages, according to new modeling from the Colorado Basin River Forecast

“Across many of the major contributing areas, the higher elevation areas that generate the most runoff, our model soil moisture conditions are near to below normal,” said Cody Moser, a senior hydrologist at the forecast center.

Soil moisture this time of year is an important factor for water managers who study weather conditions for a sense of how much runoff to expect in the spring. After a particularly wet 2019, the past

two years have been hotter and drier across the West; those conditions dried out the soil, which then sucked up valuable snow melt before it ever made its way into a river or stream.

“The past couple seasons have seen some pretty significant impacts from soil moisture conditions leading into the runoff efficiency that you can see for the following season,” Moser said.

This year’s fall soil moisture map published by the forecast center shows an improvement in soil conditions in southwest Colorado, which is still dry but generally better overall when compared to last year. Those gains are owed in part to a steady pattern of monsoonal rains this summer.

Large parts of the Western Slope around Grand Junction and Gunnison and near the headwaters of the Colorado River have between 70% and 100% of the moisture packed into the soil when compared to an average from 1981 to 2010, according to the forecast center. Parts of southwestern Wyoming and around the Green River in Utah are not as well off, according to the models, registering between 30% and 70% of the average moisture in the soil.

For every 1% change in average soil conditions, the forecast center estimates a 0.5% change in runoff. A forecast center analysis explained it this way: “For a watershed that produces approximately

a million acre-feet of water under completely average conditions, soil moisture conditions that are 1% wetter than average could yield an additional 5,000 acre-feet of water.” (An acre-foot is about 325,000 gallons or enough to supply two or three households annually.)

The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center fall 2022 Upper Basin soil moisture conditions map. The forecast center models soil moisture conditions across the Colorado River Basin in mid-November each year.

Dave Kanzer, director of science and interstate matters at the Colorado River District, said the current soil conditions are not quite as good as some were hoping for given the fairly consistent rain around the Western Slope this summer.

“It’s a little bit of an eye-opener,” Kanzer said.

Rain in July and August helped soak western Colorado soils, Kanzer said, but that progress stalled during a drier September and October.

“Because of those two drier months, some of those gains — they weren’t erased but they weren’t magnified either,” Kanzer said. “Things are maybe better than they have been in a few years, but not stellar except in a few isolated spots.”

There are other factors, too, that

Clarke Reader

Thu 12/22

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New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden

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Jubilingo Live at the Woodcellar @ 8pm

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Christmas Jingle Run 5K/10K/13.1 VR Denver @ 5am / $6-$40 Dec 25th - Jan 1st Anywhere USA, Denver

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Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets @ 8:30pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

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$353 million awarded to family of Gwen Inglis in DUI killing

BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Jefferson County jury awarded $353 million in damages to the estate and husband of Colorado champion cyclist Gwen Inglis in the case of her death by a driver under the influence.

The driver was Ryan Scott Montoya, 31, who struck and killed Inglis in May of last year on Alameda Pkwy in Lakewood and had marijuana, meth and Xanax in his system at the time of the crash, according to court records.

Montoya pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter - driving under the influence in April, and was sentenced in June to eight years with eligibility for parole in 2025.

The day of Gwen’s death

“She was a champion gal like nobody’s business,” said Mike Inglis, Gwen’s husband. “She was just the epitome of what a good kid could ever be.”

The day of the accident was cool, overcast Sunday morning, Mike explained. He and Gwen had just finished a 45 minute ride around the Green Mountain park in Lakewood — a warm-up for Mike’s race later in the afternoon.

“That bike path around Green Mountain is just beautiful, and that’s where we live,” Mike said. “And we can just see all the mountain bikers on the mountain, it’s just truly a blessing to be there.”

Gwen had injured her ankle the previous weekend and wasn’t competing, instead riding for another hour after Mike.

“She said, ‘Alright, I’ll see you back at home,’ and, ‘I’ll see you in an hour,’ and I said, ‘I love you,’ and she turned back and said, ‘I love you too.’ Then she stood up and started going up the hill,” heading back down to Bear Creek, according to Mike.

He described Montoya’s tires barely not crossing the bike lane’s line when he almost hit him. Mike turned to another cyclist who was passing by: “I say to that guy, ‘That dude is going to kill somebody,’ and the dude goes ‘No doubt.’ And then three seconds later [Montoya] crossed directly over that white line for a foot and a half and just plowed Gwen.”

“I would have been home in six minutes,” Mike said.

The $353 million verdict

“We feel that far too often drivers are not punished for hitting cyclists,” said the family’s lawyer, Megan Hottman, a fellow cycling

professional and teammate of Gwen. “We see all the time that people don’t even get jail time, they get a light slap on the wrist.”

The Inglis family had filed a civil lawsuit against Montoya only a week after the accident, the verdict of which was released Dec. 6 awarding the family $353 million. According to Hottman, the goal of the lawsuit was to “deter others from this conduct and to hopefully save other cyclists’ lives.”

Hottman elaborated that a specific amount for damages was not asked for in the lawsuit, wanting the jury alone to decide how serious to take the case. “So, the jury sent a very strong message that this is not behavior that they tolerate,” she said. “And as members of the Jefferson county population, that sends a really strong message to the entire county.”

According to CDOT statistics, for the year leading up to the May accident causing Gwen’s death, there were at least 113 car crashes involving a bicyclist in Jefferson county — three of those were fatal, not including Gwen’s. There were ten total crashes that May alone. Since then, there’s been at least an additional 169 crashes, one of

which includes Hottman herself.

In June she was hit while cycling and badly injured, appearing at Montoya’s sentencing hearing in a wheelchair with a broken shoulder and a broken knee. “I hadn’t undergone surgery yet, that was two days after I was hit, and I spent most of my summer in a wheelchair and using a walker,” she elaborated.

She believes there needs to be both better infrastructure and tighter laws and punishments for DUIs.

“The eight years was a very dissatisfying sentence,” Hottman said. “Montoya is parole eligible in 2025. So, he’s only going to do a few years and then he’ll be back out.”

Gwen’s husband, Mike, agrees.

Mike Inglis’ hope for change

According to Mike, Montoya stated in court that he was unaware of the Colorado state law requiring drivers to stay three feet from cyclists while passing them.

“You get taught that,” Mike said, whether from driver’s education or otherwise. “But there’s no refresher in society.” He sees this lack of education as a major avenue for improvement for safety. “Maybe

that’s what we’re lacking, there’s just nobody educating the general population on things that should just be good etiquette.”

Infrastructure is another. Rumble strips to alert a driver they are drifting into the bike lane, and painting those lanes a bright color like green are cheap, easy improvements Mike believes could have prevented Gwen’s death. Commenting on painting the lanes, it allows driver’s to be more confident as they know where a cyclist’s path is, and when it may be crossing the

More so, he believes restrictions need to be tightened for driver’s

He wants to see minimum insurance increased for repeated offenders, pointing out that the insurance payout from Montoya didn’t even cover Gwen’s funeral costs. He also highlighted that Montoya had been arrested for a DUI ten days before striking and killing

According to court records, the incident happened in Gilpin County, and Montoya pleaded not

“How does he have his driver’s license? How’s that even possible? Nobody on the planet would say that is a good idea, but here we are,” continued Mike.

The $353 million verdict breaks down into three categories: economical, or lost wages from Gwen’s death; non-economical, or emotional damages; and punitive, or the punishment and deterrent for others breaking the law.

Mike highlighted the emotional damages, saying, “It’s for the pain and suffering for me having to breathe into my wife’s mouth on the side of the road as they turn blue. That’s probably not one of the best things that a military paramedic ever wants to have to do, but that’s what I ended up doing.”

The deterrent charge was the highest though, at $250 million, as Hottman pointed out, with hopes that it makes an impact as well.

“If the general public feels like they can cavalier around cyclists and they don’t have to drive safely around them because they don’t fear going to jail, we were hoping that a civil verdict in this size would be frightening and scary and sobering enough that people will think twice about how they drive around cyclists,” said Hottman. “And more generally, they will think twice before they get behind the wheel if they’re impaired.”

Gwen Er meyer Inglis, left, Megan Hottman, right FAMILY OF GWEN ERFFMEYER INGLIS / CBS NEWS COLORADO

Victim describes attack on RTD

A dozen teens beat rider

BY OLIVIA YOUNG CBS NEWS COLORADO

Oct. 14 was a typical Friday afternoon for Zachary Chopko. He hopped on the light rail to head back to work after his lunch break.

“It was just supposed to be a quick thing you know just jump on the light rail, it’s one stop,” said Chopko, of Lakewood.

When he boarded the RTD eastbound W line at the Garrison station, he noticed the only other passengers were a group of teens. Listening to music, he didn’t acknowledge them, but out of the blue, they attacked.

“I got on, I got hit in the back of the head and they just started beating me,” said Chopko.

Punching and kicking Chopko, the teens screamed profanities. The violent attack was caught on video and shared with CBS News Colorado.

“I was being pushed, I was being hit, I don’t know,” said Chopko. “It was just anarchy. A rampage. Just horrible.”

Chopko somehow stumbled out of the train and flagged down a police officer, but the kids were already gone. He rushed to the hospital, where he learned the extent of his

injuries.

“Concussions, ribs, stitches in my eyes, my face, my ears, everything was messed up,” said Chopko.

But as Chopko began his recovery, the group appeared to strike again. On Nov. 3, a 47-year-old man was assaulted by a group of teens on another light rail train. According to the district attorney’s office, the victim broke several bones and required facial reconstruction surgery.

“This is not the only incident. I mean, it happened more than once,” said Chopko, “It makes you look at the world differently.”

Now Chopko is angry, traumatized and asking why.

“This is past kids,” said Chopko. “This is adult behavior. It’s primitive behavior, it’s something adults shouldn’t be doing.”

The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office has arrested 13 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 for assault. Nine are charged in Chopko’s case and seven in that second attack weeks later. There are three teens who allegedly took part in both attacks. All involved teenagers are currently being charged as juveniles.

This story appears as part of an active newsgathering agreement between Colorado Community Media and CBS News Colorado.

A witness recorded the attack that happened to a 45-year-old-man at a Lakewood RTD station on Oct. 14. The teens have been charged with Second Degree Assault.

Recomendations for the next great book read

BY COLORADO SUN STAFF THE COLORADO SUN

Each week as part of SunLit — The Colorado Sun’s literature section — staff recommendations from book stores across Colorado are provided. This week, staff from BookBar in Denver recommend “The Last Chairlift,” “Home Is Where the Eggs Are,” “Dad’s Girlfriend and Other Anxieties” and “The Complete Brambly Hedge.”

The Last Chairlift

By John Irving Simon and Schuster $38

From the publisher: In Aspen, Colorado, in 1941, Rachel Brewster is a slalom skier at the National Downhill and Slalom Championships. Little Ray, as she is called, finishes nowhere near the podium, but she manages to get pregnant. Back home, in New England, Little Ray becomes a ski instructor. Her son, Adam, grows up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions concerning the eventful past. Years later, looking for answers, Adam will go to Aspen. In the Hotel Jerome, where he was conceived, Adam will meet some ghosts. They aren’t the first or the last ghosts he sees.

From Marilyn Robbins, Children’s Program Coordinator: There is nothing as satisfying as reading a long novel that you can really delve into and feel as though you’ve become part of the story. “The Last Chairlift” is just such a story and is truly another Irving masterpiece. It’s filled with unconventional characters that might challenge you until you come to accept the life choices each character makes. It is a story of family, of love, of acceptance. The setting of Aspen, Colorado is an added bonus.

Home Is Where the Eggs Are

By Molly Yeh HarperCollins

$32.50

From the publisher: This is a beautiful, intimate book full of food that’s best enjoyed in the comfort of sweatpants and third-day hair, by a

beloved Food Network host and new mom living on a sugar beet farm in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Molly Yeh’s cooking is built to fit into life with her baby and the nap times, diaper changes, and wiggle time that come with having a young child, making them a breeze to fit into any sort of schedule, no matter how busy. They’re low-maintenance dishes that are satisfying to make for weeknight meals to celebrate empty to-do lists after long work days, cozy Sunday soups to simmer during the first (or seventh!) snowfall of the year, and desserts that will keep happily under the cake dome for long enough that you will never feel pressure to share.

From Becky LeJeune, Event Buyer/Office Manager: I adore Molly Yeh! Her optimism and overall happy demeanor carry over into her dishes and are something I aspire to in my everyday life. And I think if I cook out of this book constantly, I might be able to make that happen! Cozy and comforting is rule of thumb in this book. And ease as well. Whether you’re making a hot dish or a halva- or tahini-tinged baked item or pasta, everything

I’ve tried so far is amazing. This is definitely another favorite and one that’ll be getting heavy use in my house!

Dad’s Girlfriend and Other Anxieties

By Kellye Crocker Albert Whitman & Company $17.99

From the publisher: Anxiety has always made Ava avoid the slightest risk, but plunging headfirst into danger might be just what she needs. Dad hasn’t even been dating his new girlfriend that long, so Ava is sure that nothing has to change in her life. That is, until the day after sixth grade ends, when Dad whisks her away on vacation to meet The Girlfriend and her daughter in terrifying Colorado, where even the squirrels can kill you! Managing her anxiety, avoiding altitude sickness, and surviving the mountains might take all of Ava’s strength, but at least this trip will only last two weeks. Right?

From Marilyn Robbins, Children’s Program Coordinator: I waited all year for my favorite middle grade novel, and this is it! “Dad’s Girlfriend and Other Anxieties” is the gem you’ve been looking for, perfect for the middle grade reader in your life (or you … it’s that good). You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll cheer, and you will definitely fall in love with Ava as she navigates her trip to Colorado to meet Dad’s new girlfriend. This book is delightful and full of heart.

The

Complete Brambly Hedge

By Jill Barklem

HarperCollins Publishers $24.99

From the publisher: The mice of Brambly Hedge made their first appearance in 1980 when the four seasonal stories were published. Ever since, readers have loved exploring the miniature world of the hedgerow and meeting the families that live there. In this collection the mice have many adventures, but they always have time for fun and relaxation, too. Whatever the season, and whether they are by the sea, in the High Hills, or simply at home by the fire, there is always someone ready to lend a helping hand.

From Moira Brownwolfe, Backlist Bookbuyer: The classic British children’s series is complete in this one volume. If you grew up with Redwall but your kids aren’t quite old enough for it, try this adorable slice of life about mice living in fully furnished tree homes. Packed with lovely illustrations, this collection is the perfect gift for a cozy holiday season. And if you like the books, also check out the delightful stop-motion television adaptations from 1996.

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.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

At Colorado Farm Bureau, we’ve worked for 103 years to protect what makes rural Colorado special. As a member you’re a part of a close knit community that protects rural Colorado and the agriculture industry. You’re part of a family.

Join the Farm Bureau Family today and help us grow a vibrant rural communities and strong local economies. You’ll have access to thousands in members-only benefits and like-minded farm and ranch families from across the state.

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In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and non-partisan journalism. It covers everything from

politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

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For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun. com.

If your current Connect for Health Colorado plan is going away and you want to continue care with Centura, we are here to help. Rocky Mountain Health plans are available and in network for Centura. To make it easy to stay covered for 2023 and avoid a gap in your coverage. Our plans come with extra benefits, such as:

Or find a plan at ShopAffordableCarePlans.com/CO

1 The Peloton offering is available to members enrolled in applicable fully insured UnitedHealthcare plans and participants enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Level Funded NavigateNOW plans who are 18+ years of age and register for an account with Peloton. Offer is valid until June 30, 2023. UnitedHealthcare members and participants that own a Peloton Bike, Bike+ or Tread can redeem a 3-month All-Access Membership. Limit one code redemption per UnitedHealthcare member or participant. All services provided by Peloton directly to consumers are governed by Peloton’s Membership Terms, located at https://www.onepeloton.com/membershipterms. Discounts available on applicable purchases until June 30, 2023. Equipment offer void in Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Washington D.C. To inquire about eligibility for a retroactive refund on applicable purchases, contact Peloton customer service. Peloton Bike, Bike+ or Tread purchase requires an All-Access Membership to access content. All prices are exclusive of applicable taxes. Offer applied at checkout. No substitutions. Peloton equipment discount is limited to a purchase of one unit of each equipment type per member or participant. Void where prohibited. Not transferable. The information provided under this program is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. UnitedHealthcare members and participants should consult with an appropriate health care professional before beginning any exercise program and/or to determine what may be right for them. The value of this offering may be taxable. Members and participants should consult with an appropriate tax professional to determine if they have any tax obligations from having access to this offering at no additional cost.

2 The benefits described may not be offered in all plans or in all states. Some plans may require copayments, deductibles and/or coinsurance for these benefits. The policy has exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits, and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage, review the plan coverage documents, or call or write your insurance agent or the company, whichever is applicable. Medical plan coverage offered by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates.

Medical plan coverage offered by Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization, Incorporated. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Members age 18 and over can earn a $100 gift card for select retail participants upon completion of four activities: 1) Member sees their primary care provider for a wellness visit; 2) Member signs up for text messages from UnitedHealthcare; 3) Member opts in to paperless communications; and 4) The subscriber of the plan signs up for auto-pay of premiums on behalf of all members enrolled on their plan. Limit one gift card per eligible member. Eligible members who are unable to participate in a qualifying activity may be permitted to earn the same reward in a different way. Contact us to learn more.

*Some plans may require copayments, deductibles and/or coinsurance for these benefits. Always review your plan documents to determine your specific coverage. Plans in metal tiers varies and are subject to plan deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Policies have exclusions, limitations, and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete coverage details, contact your insurance agent or UnitedHealthcare. The above is an independent insurance broker presenting plans underwritten by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates.

© 2022 UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. All Rights Reserved.

Weed whacking Colorado’s ozone problems

Pushing for electric lawn equipment

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Standing on a leaf-strewn lawn at Sloan’s Lake Park early on a sunny December day, Jordan Champalou says cutting ozone by switching to cleaner engines is as easy as pressing a button.

And then he presses the button. One of the battery-powered leaf blowers he employs in his lawn care business hums immediately to life. The array of lawn tools, from mowers to chain saws, spread in front of Champalou are just as powerful on batteries as any gaspowered equipment his competitors use, he says. None of the tools’ motors need any maintenance beyond recharging.

Speaking of recharging, he adds, when he’s on the road doing lawns all day, he pops the batteries into chargers that are connected to solar panels. Solar panels that he’s taped to the roof of his pickup truck.

“I still have power at the end of the day,” grins Champalou, who says people stop him every day to talk about electric lawn tools and how they stack up against dirtier gas-powered models. “It’s never run dry.”

Environmental advocates were happy to stand quietly in the Sloan Lake sunshine and let flannelbedecked Champalou make their best arguments. The clean electric lawn display is part of an environmental sprint before Dec. 13 to get the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission to reject state air pollution officials’ ozone-fighting plan and write a tougher one.

Champalou, 21, who maintains lawns around Westminster, said he first went electric at age 10 when he knocked on neighbors’ doors trying to make a buck.

“I did not want to smell like gasoline, and I did not want to be breathing those fumes,” he said. He’s adamant that much of the blue collar machine world can switch over to clean running electric tools with no compromise on performance.

Environmentalists sometimes have difficulty getting policymakers to take lawn gear and small engines seriously in the pollution fight, but the state’s own numbers point out the opportunity. Colorado’s EPA-designated ozone nonattainment areas are registering

about 84 parts per billion of ozone on bad days, CoPIRG notes from state monitors, while the federal limit is now 70 ppb.

Oil and gas production accounts for 8.6 ppb of the average, according to Regional Air Quality Council reports. On-road vehicles contribute 6.8 ppb. Background and natural emissions, including ozone from pollution blowing in from China or California, makes up 48.6 ppb.

Lawn and garden care, and the dirtier two-cycle gas engines that mix oil into the burn, makes up 2.5 ppb. California has a robust program requiring a swift transition to electric tools powered by renewable energy. If Colorado made a similar switch, the state would find 18% of the ozone reduction it needs to get under federal limits. Colorado legislators rejected a proposal in 2022 to ban the sale of gas-powered lawn equipment by 2030.

“They pack a big pollution punch,” said CoPIRG’s Kirsten Schatz, author of a new study on lawn and garden tool pollution. CoPIRG displayed the lawn gear at the lake park.

Running a commercial gas-powered lawn mower for one hour is the pollution equivalent of driving

a car 300 miles to Trinidad from Cheyenne, Schatz said. Running a commercial leaf blower for an hour produces even more pollution, the equivalent of a 1,100-mile car trip from Denver to Calgary.

It’s time for the AQCC or the legislature to “phase them out as quickly as possible,” Schatz said.

The AQCC at its December meetings is scheduled to hold hearings and a vote on passing the state implementation plan for ozone attainment written by the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division. State officials have admitted the plan will fail to meet EPA goals by 2024, but add they have a robust schedule of new rules the AQCC can vote on in 2023 that will push Colorado ahead faster.

A broad coalition of local elected officials and environmental groups are attacking that strategy they call cynical, saying the state is trying to buy time to avoid EPA sanctions by submitting a plan Colorado knows is flawed. The EPA’s review of the plan, which predicts continued nonattainment, in effect resets the clock on when the agency can require changes to Colorado rules.

“It’s critical we reduce harmful ozone pollution on the Front Range as quickly as possible,” Schatz said,

nodding to a variety of electric gear as a relatively easy contribution. “It’s time for some serious solutions.”

The coalition demanding more ozone action is asking state regulators to add new controls on oil and gas production, including a pause on activity on summer days with the worst ozone-producing conditions; increased spending on public transit and alternatives to fossil fuel vehicle trips; and adoption of a second tier of clean car requirements that California has already implemented.

State electrification and clean air officials say they are already on track for important improvements, including 2023 rulemaking for a so-called Advanced Clean Trucks policy that will require a gradual overhaul of the heavy-duty truck fleet to electric or hydrogen-powered models.

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.

Jordan Champalou demonstrates a DeWalt electric leaf blower Dec. 1 near Sloans Lake. Champalou has been mowing lawns since age 10 and now maintains 30 to 40 residential properties per week using all electric lawn tools.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

GENEROSITY

FROM

cities and raised $2.3 million for charities.

They came to Denver for the first time in 2019.

Between 30,000-40,000 people visited Denver’s machine in 2019 and again in 2021. The physical machines were not available in 2020 because of the pandemic, but people were still able to donate online.

Last year, Denverites alone purchased 17,000 donations from the Giving Machine, raising $475,786. These numbers ranked Denver at fifth out of 20 cities in donation totals.

WAITING

FROM PAGE 10

supportive since the Club Q shooting of changing the red flag law and making sure that Coloradans know about it, as well as bolstering mental health offerings, than expanding the list of gun laws the state already has.

“In Colorado, we have a magazine limit — no more than 15 bullets in a magazine — so, effectively, it reduces the ability of high-powered weapons to do harm,” Polis told NBC News when discussing the prospect of a ban on so-called assault weapons.

Polis said he’d support a national effort to require additional licensure or background checks for people

The Giving Machines continue to expand to cities across the U.S., and will be available in 28 cities this year. Because of growing demand nationally, Denver’s sole Giving Machine downtown will be the only one in Colorado for the foreseeable future.

McIlroy attributes this success to community engagement supported by local organizations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Denver Mayor’s Office.

Participating charities

For the Denver Giving Machine, each year, five charities local to Denver and three international charities are selected by a committee composed of Mayor Hancock’s Faith

trying to purchase “some of the most high-powered weapons.” President Joe Biden has called for a ban on so-called assault weapons in the wake of the Club Q shooting.

Authorities haven’t provided details about the weapons used in the Club Q shooting.

Sullivan feels it would be better for a ban on so-called assault weapons to be pursued on the federal level, since Congress has more resources. He also pointed out that assault-style weapons aren’t used in the vast majority of firearm deaths in the U.S.

“You’re talking to somebody whose son was murdered by a guy with an assault-style firearm,” he said. “I know what it can do. But what happened to us is the one-off of the dayto-day gun violence that impacts our

Council and the Giving Machines’ Organizing Committee.

This year, the five local charities are: Metro Caring; A Precious Child, which empowers children in need to achieve their full potential; Doctors Care, which improves health access for low-income individuals and families; Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, which builds strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable housing; and the Village Exchange Center, which serves immigrants and refugees through community connection. This year’s three international charities are Water for People; iDE Global, which creates livelihood opportunities for poor rural households; and Mentors International, which transforms generational poverty into sustain-

community.”

Incoming House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat who is still getting her leadership bearings, said her caucus has “talked about having a conversation.”

“I anticipate that just as after the Boulder shooting we will take the time to engage,” she said, referencing the 2021 attack on the Table Mesa King Soopers that left 10 people dead.

The legislature reconvenes on Jan. 9.

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.

able self-reliance.

The Giving Machine’s donations “make a difference in peoples’ lives,” said Bebe Kleinman, CEO of Doctors Care. “So many people are struggling in crisis, and getting services to lower-income populations is a wonderful gift ... provided by someone without expectation of acknowledgement. (It’s) pure generosity.”

The Jaussi family loves traditions, as well as serving others and giving back to the community, Heather Jaussi said.

Percy ( #263496) This gorgeous 16 year old boy is in search of a home where he can spend his golden years. From the information provided it’s possible that Percy was mostly an outdoor cat but now really just needs a warm and loving home. Here at Foothills, Percy has been described as a sweet, laid back guy who wants to relax with his people.

Ralston Valley boys hoops rounds up tournament title

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s boys basketball team dominated the annual tournament — Ralston Roundup Classic — it has hosted for years.

The Mustangs (5-1 record) grabbed double-digit victories over Douglas County, Cherry Creek and Legacy over the three-day tournament last week.

It might seem early for revenge games, but Ralston Valley atoned Dec. 6 for its season-opening loss.

Douglas County edged the Mustangs 51-50 in the opening round of the Mountain Vista/ Rock Canyon Tournament on Nov. 30. Less than a week later it was a different story with Ralston Valley rolling to an 82-64 victory.

“We were a different team last week,” Ralston Valley coach Chris Braketa said after the 18-point victory during the first night of the Ralston Roundup. “The big thing was to get our football guys healthy coming off their great season. We didn’t even allow them to play last Wednesday. They are slowly working their way in. They definitely bring a different part of the game that helps us tremendously.”

Ralston Valley — No. 8 in last week’s CHSAANow. com Class 6A rankings — didn’t have a handful of football players in the first go-around against the Huskies (3-3). The Mustangs had just finished up the football season with an overtime loss to Valor Christian in the state semifinals Nov. 26.

“I think we have a good combination of skill set and athleticism with the football guys,” Coach Braketa said. “They have a good skill set too.”

Junior Jackson Hansen was one of those football players who were back on the court and made a huge difference. Hansen poured in a dozen points in the first quarter against Douglas County to help give the Mustangs an early 24-11 lead after the first eight minutes.

“Getting the ball back in my hands its different with a circular ball,” said the 5A Jeffco League first-team receiver who had 778 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns during the season on the gridiron. “It feels better and my teammates found me open tonight.”

Hansen admitted getting his conditioning back for basketball has been the toughest, but his shot looked to be in mid-season form with

21 points, including three 3-pointers.

“He (Hansen) is such a competitor in whatever he does,” Coach Braketa said of the Mustangs’ starting point guard. “He makes us go. Without him we are a different team. He is the catalyst of our defense.”

Football players — Logan Madden, Jason Thome, George Patterson and James Wochner — combined for 18 points all off the bench for the Mustangs.

The reigning 5A Jeffco MVP is already averaging 24.5 points per game. Sophomore Tanner Braketa had a game-high 25 points against Douglas County. Tanner’s younger brother — freshman Caiden Braketa — was the third Mustang to hit doubledigit points in the victory. Caiden poured in 10 points.

“It’s always good as a pointguard to see two brothers who can knockdown shots,” Hansen said of the Braketas. “Tonight scoring 82 points showed we can shoot it. Hopefully we’ll continue to do that.”

Caiden is averaging 8.5 points, 5 rebounds and 3.3 as-

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

Dennis

Ralston Valley junior Jackson Hansen (2) drives strong to the hoop while being covered by Douglas County senior Andrew Horwith during the opening round of the Ralston Roundup on Dec. 6 at Ralston Valley High School. Hansen had 21 points in the Mustangs’ 82-64 win.

Ralston Valley sophomore Tanner Braketa pulls up for a 3-pointer in front of the Mustangs’ student section during the Ralston Roundup last week. Ralston Valley defeated Douglas County, Cherry Creek and Legacy to win the tournament title.

Arvada wrestler Cam Moore (top) works on getting Golden View Classic Academy’s Spencer Moorecraft to his back during a 144-pound match at the Frank Palmeri Invitational on Dec. 10 at Wheat Ridge High School. Moore went 4-0 to win the individual title at 144 pounds.

Arvada wrestlers erupt as teammate John Oceinik pins Bear Creek’s Deamyn Uhrig during a 150-pound match Dec. 10 at Wheat Ridge High School. Arvada captured the team title racking up 128 points.

PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Evergreen wrestler Gabe Zimmerer works on top against Golden’s Luke Henderson during the opening round of the 165-pound bracket of the Frank Palmeri Invitational on Dec. 10 at Wheat Ridge High School. Zimmerer won the individual title at 165 pounds by pinning all four of his opponents he faced. The Cougars placed third in the team standings with 95 points.

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impact spring runoff. A dry, windy spring with low relative humidity can sponge off valuable moisture that was locked into the ground in the fall, Kanzer said.

“It’s a diverse, complex situation,” he said.

Still, the impact of soil moisture on runoff is significant — so much so that the river district recently emphasized the need to better understand dry soil conditions, Kanzer said.

In October, the district approved a $60,000 grant for the nonprofit Aspen Global Change Institute to help fund continued monitoring of soil conditions at 10 AGCI stations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. The district helps pay for various local and regional water projects through its Community Funding Partnership, a program Western Colorado voters approved via a mill levy increase in 2020. The partnership so far has distributed more than $5.5 million to more than 60 projects.

The additional focus on soil moisture in recent years is expected, said John Tracy, director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University. He said other western watersheds have been dealing with this challenge for decades, but that the impacts are more noticeable in difficult drought years.

“What I think has happened is that this has been going on and it’s just that all of a sudden we’re really seeing the impacts and that’s why it’s getting so much more attention right now,” Tracy said.

It could still take multiple years to erase the soil moisture deficits that have built up across the Colorado River Basin, Tracy said.

“We need well above average snowfall to hit that average streamflow going into the future,” he said.

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.

A road in Clear Creek County.

FILE PHOTO BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE

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Free meals coming to most school districts

BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Many Colorado school districts, including Jeffco, Cherry Creek, Aurora, and Adams 12, plan to offer free school meals to all students starting in the fall of 2023 through a new state program funded with a voter-approved tax measure affecting high earners.

Of two dozen districts surveyed by Chalkbeat, 16 plan to offer universal free meals next year. But some districts remain undecided, including two of Colorado’s largest districts — Denver and Douglas County.

Brehan Riley, director of school nutrition at the Colorado Department of Education, said of school district officials, “There seems to be a lot of interest, but people are still unsure. They want to understand it a little bit better.”

Called Healthy School Meals for All, the program is meant to ensure students are getting the nutritional fuel they need to learn and eliminate the stigma that sometimes comes with the current incomebased method for doling out free

meals. The initiative comes on the heels of two school years where the federal government waived income eligibility requirements for federally subsidized meals, allowing schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. The waivers expired this fall, but lawmakers and advocates found a way to bring back the free meals for next year by asking Colorado voters to approve new

funding through Proposition FF. Voters said yes.

The measure will generate more than $100 million a year by reducing income tax deductions available to households earning $300,000 or more.

Many district officials are enthusiastic about the prospect of feeding more students as they did during the first two years of the pandemic. When school meals were

free under the waivers, Boulder Valley officials saw a 40% increase in students eating school meals, District 27J saw a 20-30% increase, and Aurora saw a 7-10% increase.

This story is from Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Used by permission. For more, and to support Chalkbeat, visit co.chalkbeat.org.

A Centennial Elementary School fifth-grader drinks water from a carton during a school lunch on Feb. 10, 2021 in Colorado Springs.

PHOTO BY MARK REIS

Denver, Douglas County undecided as others plan to start in fall of 2023