Arvada Press 032323

Arvada Center announces five theater productions for 2023-2024 season

National award comes to Sampson, RVHS grad and swimmer

BY STEVE SMITH SSMSITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado Mesa University’s Ben Sampson is this year’s College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association NCAA Division II Men’s Swimmer of the Year.

Sampson, a redshirt sophomore who graduated from Ralston Valley High School, was one of 21 Mavericks’ swimmers (12 women, nine men) who earned at least one, rstteam all-American honor, according to a statement from CMU. Sampson is the rst Mavericks swimmer to receive the honor.

Sampson led the way for the Mavericks, winning the national title in both the 200-yard individual medley and 200-backstroke. He is the rst male swimmer in CMU history to win a title after Lily Borgenheimer became the rst women’s swimmer to do so last year in the 200-breaststroke.

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Arvada Center recently announced its upcoming slate of theater productions, unveiling ve shows that will be put on by the theater company during the 2023-2024 season.

Season tickets went on sale on March 13, while individual tickets will go on sale on July 1. Tickets for three-to-four shows are also available.

Last year, the Arvada Center put on six productions, but scaled back this year in an e ort to support the stage’s sta , according to Colorado

Public Radio. e following ve shows will come to the Arvada Center stage over the next 18 months.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

When: Sept. 8 to Oct. 8

What: A jukebox musical based on the life and career of Carole King, who grew up a shy Jewish girl from Manhattan and later became one of the most renowned singer-songwriters in the world. e Tony and

He had also set the NCAA Division II record of 1:40.73 (1:39.53-altitude adjusted) in November during the TYR/CMU Invitational.

Swimming and head diving coaches from around the nation voted on the CSCAA’s major awards. Firstteam, all-American status goes to the top eight nishers in each event. Second-team picks go to the ninththrough 16th-place nishers.

Sampson was also an all-American

“The Laramie Project,” “Cinderella,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and more coming to Arvada stage

A flavor for every chocolate sweet tooth

Blue Spruce Chocolates in Kittredge creates handcrafted treats

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

While chocolate makes most people happy, it takes on a larger happiness dimension for Mark Joyce.

Joyce has opened Blue Spruce Chocolates in the Adobe Creek Center in Kittredge, and this isn’t your average chocolate shop. Joyce sells chocolate from bean to bar, which means he imports the cacao beans and works his magic to create the chocolate.

e results are handcrafted white, milk and dark chocolates, and Keto-friendly and vegan chocolates of a quality not found in an average grocery store.

It takes 84 hours from start to nish for one batch, and since Joyce opened his store, he’s been using every hour to make his bar-chocolate creations. Half of his building is the kitchen while the other half is the retail store.

Joyce, Blue Spruce Chocolates’ president and alchemist, is proud that his white caramel chocolate with roasted hazelnuts took gold in the 2023 international Craft Chocolate Challenge hosted by the Chocolat Inn and Café in Kentucky. Blue Spruce Chocolates also took the overall silver in the competition with about 30 chocolatiers who make bean-to-bar chocolate. e

medals hang in the retail store. Ironically, although his life has become all about chocolate, he doesn’t eat much of it.

“I’m not a sweets guy,” Joyce said. “I appreciate the avors, and most of my chocolate eating is tasting.”

A path to chocolate

How does someone living in Kittredge suddenly decide to make chocolate? Joyce was exposed to the

SEE CHOCOLATE, P4

Mark Joyce stands in the retail area of Blue Spruce Chocolates where samples are available to customers.

PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Mark Joyce, the president and alchemist at Blue Spruce Chocolates in Kittredge, shows the cacao beans he imports from South America to make chocolate.

Blue Spruce Chocolates won two awards in the Craft Chocolate Challenge hosted by the Chocolat Inn and Café in Kentucky.

Chocolate is created after 72 hours of grinding in a machine about the size of a crockpot.

THEATER

Grammy winning musical biopic features hits like “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Up on the Roof,” and “So Far Away.”

The Laramie Project

When: Sept. 29 to Nov. 5

What: “ e Laramie Project” explores the reaction to the murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998 by culling together interviews from over 60 real-life characters representing their reactions to the crime. e production tackles the prejudice, hatred and compassion brought to light by Shepard’s death.

Cinderella

When: Nov. 24 to Dec. 31

What: Just in time for the holidays, Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinder-

ella” will bring cheer to Arvada residents this winter. e contemporary take on the classic fairytale has won the hearts of theater lovers for decades.

Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

When: Feb. 16 to March 31, 2024

What: Nominated for 12 Tony’s when it premiered in 2012, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” tells the story of a young girl — Natasha — who arrives in Moscow longing for her ancé and Pierre, a man having an existential crisis intent on saving Natasha’s reputation.

Noises O

When: March 22 to May 5, 2024

What: A meta look at the inner workings of theater production, this playwithin-a-play is a high-energy laugh-fest that’s sure to leave theater lovers and casual fans satis ed. “Noises O ” imagines a scenario in which everything that could go wrong with a stage production does, to hilarious e ect.

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in all seven of his events, picking up six, rst-team honors after nishing third in the 400- individual medley, fourth in the 100-back, fth in the 800-freestyle relay and eighth in the 200-medley relay. He also helped the Mavs to a ninthplace nish in the 400-medley relay and is now a 14-time all-American over the last two seasons.

at total is the second highest in program history behind only Mahmoud Elgayar, who received two more all-America honors to complete his brilliant career with 15 total honors. He received at least one in each of his ve seasons.

Six other swimmers – ve

men, one woman .. earned second-team all-Americans. MSU put together 24, top-eight nishes in the two-day national meet.

e CMU men placed a program-best fth at the national meet.

Study: Geothermal Heating Can Be Made Practical & Affordable on a Community Level

When it comes to “kicking natural gas” and reducing a home’s carbon footprint, geothermal heating & cooling is the “gold standard.” But it’s extremely expensive to implement as a retrofit and still quite expensive on new construction.

My friend, Martin Voelker, a leader with the Colorado Renewable Energy Society, recently replaced his gas forced air heating system with geothermal, and the cost for drilling the 300-footdeep wells in his backyard was $18,000, which included running the pipes into his house but didn’t include the heat pump itself. Even though such a project would garner a 30% rebate under the Inflation Reduction Act, that’s still a heavy lift for an individual homeowner.

I know of another home which installed geothermal pipes horizontally in their large backyard at far less cost.

New construction is more affordable, because you can have the wells drilled within the footprint of the future home before the foundation is laid. And if it’s an entire subdivision, such as the Geos Community in Arvada, the cost is reduced because all the wells can be drilled one after the other.

In that scenario, each home still has its own geothermal well, but what if you could drill a geothermal well that was extensive enough to feed multiple heat pumps in multiple buildings?

That was the concept proposed by a group of Harvard students in Ivory Inno-

Did You Know? Potting Soil Can Be Flammable

Earlier this month, a Jefferson County home almost burned down. Thanks to a quick response by the local fire department, damage was contained and is estimated at $30-50,000.

Here’s what happened, as documented by surveillance cameras: A person tried to put out a cigarette by sticking it in the soil of an indoor potted plant. Unfortunately, the plant was in potting soil that contained nitrogen, and within a few hours the soil started smoking and quite suddenly burst into flames.

When told of this, David Dlugasch, one of our broker associates said that the exact same scenario caused his house he had sold in Gunnison to be burned to the

ground the day after he sold it. This problem was a surprise to me, so I wanted to share it with readers. Below is a picture I took of the ingredients in a commonly available potting soil. Nowhere on the package does it mention that it is flammable and could cause a house fire.

vation’s annual Hack-A-House competition, for which they won first place in the “Environmental Solutions and Construction Technology” category.

The Harvard students, under the name “Team Beckwith,” did a case study of a 49-house community in South Boston. The concept involved installing buried geothermal pipes in the homes’ combined backyard space.

Here are some excerpts from the arti-

How Does Geothermal Work?

Geothermal heating does not require there to be a thermal feature such as a hot spring. In fact, if you dig down about 10 feet anywhere at our latitude, you’ll find that the soil temperature is about 55ºF year-round. By circulating a fluid through a pipe either vertically to 300’ or horizontally if you have enough space, you can pre-heat that liquid to 55º and have a heat pump raise that temperature to 100º or so for heating purposes either by radiant floor heating, baseboards or forced air. This is more efficient than an air-source heat pump system which takes in outdoor air as cold at –10º and works much harder to achieve the desired temperature. In the summer the 55º geothermal fluid requires even less energy to be cooled further for cooling your home.

cle I read on www.Probuilder.com, which I have linked to this column on our blog, www.GoldenREblog.com:

“The novelty of geothermal energy is there,” Team Beckwith says. “The reason it’s not invested in is the capital, and the scale”….The team intends to do further research and revise their 24hour-made plan, and are already looking for connections to make their proposal a reality.

A vendor for both geothermal and air source heat pump systems that I recommend is Sensible Heating & Cooling, 720-876-7166, which I have mentioned in previous columns.

Comcast Remote Can Be Reset to Have a 30-Second Skip Button

Last week I complained that Comcast’s remote, unlike Dish Network’s & DirecTV’s, does not have a button for skipping forward 30 seconds on recorded programs. A reader sent instructions for reprogramming the 5-minute FF button to 30 seconds. Briefly, to enable 30second skip, do the following: While watching a channel, press the Exit button thrice. Press 0030 on the keypad. The page down button will skip back 15 seconds. I have posted the full instructions at www.GoldenREblog.com

Development Site Just Listed by Austin Pottorff

The helpful hardware man said he was aware of the danger and reminded me that nitrogen fertilizer can be used to create a bomb, as in the Oklahoma City bombing.

This is a great duplex at 1802-1804 Simms Street! It works for a motherin-law and family or as a 2-rental unit with great rental income. One unit, 1804 Simms, is 1600 sq. ft. and has 3 large bedrooms with double closets. The primary bedroom has a 3/4 bath. It has a large carpeted living room with a non-functional wood-burning fireplace. The kitchen is open with an eating area and a laundry closet with washer and dryer. 1802 Simms measures 950 sq. ft. Its primary bedroom has new carpeting, new paint, and a double closet. Another room is a non-conforming bedroom and can be used as an office or hobby room. The entrance has a foyer with slate flooring that leads into a very large and bright living room with hardwood floors. The eat-in kitchen can use some updating and has a newer bay window. Each unit has a well-maintained fenced yard, great for entertaining. The two-car garage is shared, and there is extra parking in the driveway. There is a basement area under 1802 Simms accessed from the back of the structure. This is a solid brick duplex home with good bones. Take a narrated video tour at www.LakewoodDuplex.info. Open house this Saturday, March 25th, 11am to 2pm

$675,000

$1,600,000

This parcel at 17205 W. 12th Ave. is a multifamily zoned parcel ready for continued rental income, or ripe for redevelopment. Directly adjacent to the city boundary, this 19,300-square-foot parcel could possibly be annexed into the City of Golden. This land offers proximity to parks, trails, grocery, dining, and public transit. Golden's King Soopers Marketplace is a couple blocks away, and the Denver West Office Park, Coors Technology Center, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Mills Shopping area, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Jefferson County Government Center, schools and downtown Golden are all within a few minutes of the site. Bell Middle School and Golden High School are a short distance away. Located within an Opportunity Zone, this parcel is a prime redevelopment option. Take a narrated aerial video tour at www. GoldenDevelopmentSite.info. Then call Austin Pottorff at 970-281-9071 for a showing.

Jim Smith

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851

Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com

1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401

Broker Associates:

JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727

CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855

DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835

TY SCRABLE, 720-281-6783

GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922

AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071

Lakewood Duplex Listed by David Dlugasch

art of chocolate making on a trip to Belize.

“It was pretty impressive,” he said. “ e chocolate tasted di erent.”

So ve years ago, Joyce decided to give chocolate-making a try as a hobby, and as it became more of a passion, he began doing it professionally three years ago.

Chocolate was a new endeavor for the retiree as he has learned what it takes to maintain health-department standards for the kitchen plus the nuances of chocolate avors. Chocolate making is both a science and an art.

“I’m not trying to compete with the grocery store chains,” he said. “I’m making a quality, handcrafted product.”

Joyce’s wife, Yuri Weydling, who is the director of avor development and community relations for the business, has taste buds attune to the di erent avors of chocolate.

“She has gained an appreciation of the subtleties of chocolate,” he explained.

He said while they like dark chocolate, the white caramel chocolate has “a wonderfully unique taste.”

One of the chocolates that Joyce produces is called “Stuart’s Smile,” named after Joyce’s neighbor and friend Stuart Collins. Collins said he’s not a big dark chocolate fan, so when Joyce created a chocolate that mixes dark and light, Collins smiled.

“His chocolates are quite avorful,” Collins said. “It started o as a very fun hobby. He’s the type of person

who always needs to be busy, and this ful lls his need to always be challenging himself.” Both Collins and Joyce envision the shop becoming a place for people to hang out with a cup of co ee or tea and a bit of chocolate. e chocolate shop is near Bear Creek, so Joyce wants to have tables outside for people to stop by in warmer weather and enjoy his creations.

“I look forward to (the shop) being another social center, where we can have a cup of co ee and a bit of chocolate,” Collins said. “It will be a good place to be with people and chit-chat. Post-pandemic, I think we need that.”

High-quality ingredients

“ e rst step is choosing the right beans,” he said.

Joyce’s cacao beans come primarily from Ecuador, with some beans from Nicaragua, Bolivia and Peru mixed in. He especially likes the beans that the indigenous peoples harvest from wild trees because they provide complex avors. e beans arrive fermented and dried.

Once in Kittredge, the beans are sorted and roasted. Joyce uses two roasters that look like toaster ovens. Once roasted, the beans are cracked, winnowed and ground. e grinding takes 72 hours and is done in something that looks like a crockpot with

granite stones that create smoothness. en the chocolate is tempered and molded.

“Chocolate is critically temperature dependent,” he noted.

Joyce is proud that his chocolate has only four ingredients – ve if he adds hazelnuts – and he uses the nest ingredients: beet sugar from the Netherlands and Madagascar vanilla. e milk powder is important because it can change the taste and the chocolate’s fat content.

“I spend about half my time looking for sources for ingredients,” he said, adding that he’d like to use a more local beet-sugar company. “It’s all about mixing and matching the ingredients.”

A new profession

He said the community has been generous and supportive as he prepared to open his shop, helping him obtain the shelving and furniture. Joyce also hopes to o er chocolatemaking classes, and he’s talking with area businesses about co eechocolate and wine-chocolate pairing events.

“I’ve always been a foodie, but I never thought I’d be making chocolate,” Joyce said. “Given this is our rst food business, I’m learning things every day. I just really love it.”

WANT TO GO?

Blue Spruce Chocolates is located at 26290 Highway 74, Unit 5, in Kittredge. It is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/BlueSpruceChocolates.

Helping break the cycle of nicotine

America’s Lowest Nicotine Cigarettes

Mark Joyce with Blue Spruce Chocolates talks about making chocolate. To the left is the roaster he uses to roast the cacao beans.

PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Blame Utah for state’s air pollution

The EPA does

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

ere’s a new strategy in Colorado’s ght against dangerous ozone air pollution:

Blame Utah.

Coal- red power plants and oil and gas drilling in northeastern Utah are responsible for ozone drifting to the east into Colorado’s nine-county nonattainment zone for the pollutant, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

e amount of ozone that Utah is pumping toward Colorado violates the federal “good neighbor” rules of the Clean Air Act, which have been used in the past to force Eastern states to clean up coal plants to help downwind states. e EPA rejected Utah’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for cutting ozone in February and told the state to prepare more cuts, including adding expensive scrubbing equipment to a handful of coal power plants in Utah and Wyoming.

Utah’s legislature agreed something needed to be done and set aside $2 million — for legal fees to sue the EPA and avoid the extra cleanup.

“Utah is not being a good neighbor,” said Robert Ukeiley, Colorado senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonpro t that

works extensively on air pollution issues and the Clean Air Act.

e neighbors, in the form of the Utah Attorney General’s o ce, declined comment, citing the lawsuit Utah led in February to block the EPA’s bad neighbor declaration. In voting to fund the lawsuit, Utah lawmakers argued the EPA ruling would force closures of vital power plants, though environmental groups say e ective control equipment can

greatly reduce the pollutants. Colorado environmental groups want the Colorado state government to intervene with the EPA in favor of the Utah restrictions. Backing up the EPA should be part of Colorado’s overall ozone ght, which they say should also include tougher restrictions at home on Front Range oil and gas drilling and transportation emissions. It’s the equivalent of free money in the di cult battle to re-

duce ozone, which had been declining but then leveled o and began rising again in recent years.

“ ere’s an opportunity for Colorado to join in a lawsuit to help reduce pollution, but the Polis administration has decided not to,” Ukeiley said.

Colorado regulators said in a statement they are monitoring the good

Cars travel on I-25.

SEE

POLLUTION

neighbor case against Utah. “We have not joined EPA good neighbor suits in the past,” according to a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment spokesperson. “We are laser focused on continuing the work to protect clean air in Colorado for all.”

It’s too bad, Ukeiley added. States on the East Coast join such lawsuits frequently in order to bolster the case against their ill-behaving neighbor states.

“But Colorado never does that,” he said.

e EPA’s proposed restrictions on Utah, which the agency says would take e ect in mid-March, are part of a sweeping e ort to declare “good neighbor” sanctions for 26 states under the Clean Air Act. e EPA reduced the ceiling on cities’ ozone allowances in 2015 to 70 parts per billion, with some scientists arguing the limits should be far lower to protect human health.

An EPA fact sheet accompanying the good neighbor proposal

says it will cut ozone-contributing nitrogen oxide by 29% from power generation across those states, saving lives, reducing asthma and preventing other respiratory illnesses. By 2026, the EPA says, the rules would eliminate up to 1,000 premature deaths, 2,400 hospital and emergency room visits and 1.3 million cases of asthma symptoms.

e EPA’s justi cation for the new good neighbor rulings, published in the Federal Register, says the agency’s well-established monitoring methods show Utah contributing more than the 1% threshold of regulated substances to other states. “Its highest-level contribution is 1.29 parts per billion to Douglas County, Colorado,” the EPA said.

at number appears small, but the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and the Regional Air Quality Council spend countless hours discussing strategies and policies to potentially shave a part or two per billion o summer ozone levels in the Front Range nonattainment area. Readings in recent summers have spiked above 80 ppb at some monitors.

Some recent policy e orts have

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS 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

focused on reducing ozone-causing emissions from small engine lawn and garden equipment, which state o cials estimate contribute about 2.5 ppb to daily summer ozone.

e Colorado oil and gas industry, seeking to head o further regulation, has pointed to the same state emissions list that attributes more than half of daily ozone to “background” sources, including naturally occurring ozone and precursors blown in from out of state, including the West Coast and Asia.

One of the EPA’s proposed solutions to ozone problems in other states has been a “cap and trade” program, where a state in violation of good neighbor policies must set an overall limit on emissions such as nitrogen oxide. Companies including power generators then decide what is the most e cient way for them to reach those limits, whether buying and installing scrubbing equipment or acquiring credits from other companies that are below their limits.

Environmental groups call the good neighbor rules some of the most e ective tools the EPA has to combat ozone, and note that the 2023 EPA proposal for cap and

trade adds in new sources to control. ose include engines used in pumping natural gas through pipelines, cement kilns, paper mills and oil and gas re neries.

“ ose rules have saved thousands or tens of thousands of lives by reducing air pollution,” Ukeiley said.

If there’s any remaining good news for Colorado out of the EPA actions, it’s that Colorado is not among the 26 states the agency has declared to be a bad neighbor to someone else. You’re welcome, Kansas.

But Coloradans shouldn’t get smug, Ukeiley said, as long as the state fails to contain its own ozone problem.

“ e EPA has not found us to be an upwind state,” he said. “We disagree with that.”

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

education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for

statewide news.

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

Jeannie Ritter is still working to break mental health stigma

BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

Jeannie Ritter jokes that she could have chosen bicycle helmets as her “ rst lady cause” while her husband, Bill, was Colorado governor. At least she could have counted the number of children who received a helmet and declared her goal achieved.

Instead, the former teacher who grew up in a family a ected by severe mental illness, chose something much messier. She spent four years traveling Colorado to talk about mental health, ditching the pantsuits early on for a jean jacket and cowboy boots, all part of her plan to seem more approachable and get people to open up about their struggles.

When the Ritters left the governor’s mansion in 2011, the former rst spouse continued her mission, becoming a mental health ambassador for WellPower, which is Denver’s community mental health center. For the next decade, she spoke to clubs and forums across the state, and co-chaired a task force that helped rewrite Colorado’s civil commitment laws. Ritter, 64, recently retired, but remains an advocate for increased access to mental health care.

In an interview with e Sun at her home in Denver’s Platt Park, Ritter praised a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis that will allow psychologists to write mental health prescriptions. She also explained how arti cial intelligence software could help overworked therapists determine which messages are the most urgent based on the stress in

a caller’s voice.

Ritter is credited with elevating the conversation, quite literally, at a time when “mental health crisis” wasn’t a universal topic. When her husband took o ce in 2007, she attended mental health policy discussions in churches and basements. Later, she said, she was pushing the elevator button to the “highest oor in the building, like oor 12” to talk to executives and policymakers.

Ritter spoke to e Sun about what’s become a lifelong goal to break stigma and build access to mental health care in Colorado. Here is part of that conversation, edited for length and clarity.

SUN : Like many others, when Ritter talked about the importance of mental health reform, she referenced one person in her family with severe illness. en she realized a year or so after becoming Colorado’s rst spouse that she was thinking about it all wrong.

Ritter’s sister had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and the family grew up navigating mental hospitals, medications and stigma. After their mother died, Ritter took over caring for her sister, and even moved her and her two Chihuahuas into the governor’s mansion to help get her stabilized.

RITTER : I have a correction to make because during that time, I often cited my sister, who had a diagnosis. We were a family that navigated that whole thing. Institutions were new again, and the meds, and just the severity of her illness and how it impacted each of us.

Jeannie Ritter, former first lady of Colorado from 2007-11, advocates for integrated care e orts and mental health literacy and services throughout Colorado. Ritter was a teacher at Denver Public Schools for 10 years.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN

Where to find food assistance programs in Denver metro area

BY ELLLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Low-income households face a tighter budget this month as the program that helps families in Colorado buy food saw its pandemic-era funding boost come to an end.

Coloradans who receive bene ts from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, had received an extra amount of bene ts every month since March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

e extra amount, or “emergency allotments,” were authorized by Congress, but they ended due to recent congressional action. A nal emergency allotment was issued in February, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services.

If you’re struggling with the drop in bene ts, it may help to turn to local programs and organizations.

Here’s a look at the local government departments or food pantries in your area and how to contact them. Make sure to ask, or check their websites, for any requirements.

Adams County

e Adams County Food Bank sits at 7111 E. 56th Ave. in Commerce City, just west of Quebec Street and a bit north of Interstate 270. It’s open 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Reach it at 720-8783563 or see adamscountyfoodbank. org.

For a list of other food banks and pantries, see the county’s website at adamscountycovid19.org/foodbanks-and-pantries — but be sure to check that the services are current.

For other assistance, contact Adams County Human Services Department at 720-523-2700 (or 303-375-2980 for the Aurora part of Adams County). Or see adcogov. org/human-services.

e human services department has locations at 11860 N. Pecos St. in Westminster, a short drive west of Interstate 25 and south of 120th Avenue, and at 3155 N. Chambers

Proclaiming Christ from the Mountains to the Plains www.StJoanArvada.org

12735 W 58th Ave · 80002 · 303-420-1232

Daily Masses: 8:30am, Mon-Sat

Confessions: 8am Tue-Fri; 7:30am & 4:00pm Sat Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am, 5:30pm

Services, a nonpro t near Englewood, provides food and other lowincome support to families across the south metro region.

IFCS has a service area of western Arapahoe and northern Douglas counties, including Englewood, Sheridan, Littleton, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Glendale, Lone Tree and Greenwood Village.

e service area has also included southwest Denver neighborhoods, south of Jewell Avenue and west of Santa Fe Drive.

IFCS sits at 3370 S. Irving St. in the Sheridan area, northwest of Federal Boulevard and Hampden Avenue.

It’s open 8 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m. Monday through Friday, reachable at 303-789-0501. Or see ifcs.org.

Farther southeast, SECORCares in Parker serves the residents of Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert

from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesday and ursday and 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. New guests should arrive one hour before closing time for the intake process. Returning guests should arrive 30 minutes before closing.

See secorcares.com or call 720842-5621. SECORCares sits at 17151 Pine Lane in Parker, just east of Jordan Road.

In Elbert County, e Food Bank of Kiowa Creek Community Church operates from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Mondays, 3–6 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m.–1 p.m. the second Friday of each month.

Call 303-243-6500 or see kiowacreek.org/who-we-are/foodbank-of-kiowa-creek-communitychurch. It’s located at 231 Cheyenne St. in Kiowa, about one block north of the intersection of state High-

Image of SNAP benefits poster.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

SNAP monthly allotments decreased starting this month.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

More in need after SNAP benefits decrease

Colorado Starbucks baristas testify in federal trial

Case largest workers’ action alleging union busting

BY MATT BLOOM COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Starbucks broke the law when it discouraged union support at four of its stores in Colorado, a federal prosecutor said during opening arguments in the co ee company’s latest labor rights trial this month.

Store managers dissuaded workers from voting in favor of unionization during all-sta meetings, and punished pro-union baristas through write-ups and wrongful terminations, said Isabel Saveland, a National Labor Relations Board attorney representing workers from Denver and Colorado Springs. e agency is hoping to win the re-hiring of three union workers, as well as secure back pay and damages for other sta ers it says the company unfairly targeted.

“Starbucks’ unlawful tactics go against unionization and our country’s laws,” said Saveland during her opening arguments in federal court in Denver.

e case is the largest legal action workers have taken against the company’s alleged union busting in the wake of a wave of organizing at Starbucks locations in the state last

year. Last month, a federal judge ruled in favor of workers at another union store in Denver.

More than 270 of the co ee giant’s locations across the United States have unionized since December 2021. e rst Colorado location, in Superior, joined Starbucks Workers United last April, followed by locations in Denver, Colorado Springs and Greeley.

from two stores from Denver: 16th Avenue and Tremont Pl. and Leetsdale Dr., as well as two stores in Colorado Springs: Academy Blvd. and Flintridge Dr. and Brookside St. and Nevada Ave., which the company has since shuttered.

Attorneys representing Starbucks called the latest set of allegations overblown and defended the com-

“What we’re looking at is a bunch of green employees who don’t like playing by the rules,” said Kevin Kraham, an attorney with Littler Mendelson, during opening remarks. “ e real world has consequences and people are held accountable.”  e case includes six unfair labor

A Starbucks cafe in downtown Denver. HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS

SEE STARBUCKS, P11

ASSISTANCE

way 86 and Pawnee Street. For more resources, see information from the following county human services departments:

• Arapahoe County Human Services — Located at 14980 E. Alameda Drive in Aurora, east of Sable Boulevard and east of Interstate 225. Call 303-636-1130 or see resources at arapahoegov.com/388/ Human-Services.

• Douglas County Human Services — Located at 4400 Castleton Court in Castle Rock, accessible via Castleton Drive south of Meadows Parkway, just west of Interstate 25. Call 303-688-4825 or see a list of many resources, including for food, at douglas.co.us/human-services/ resources/community-resources.

• Elbert County Human Services

— Located at 75 Ute Ave. in Kiowa, a short drive north of state Highway 86. Call 303-621-3149, or see elbertcounty-co.gov/501/Foodassistance-and-resources.

Jefferson County Community Table food pantry in Arvada sits at 8555 W 57th Ave., a short drive west of Wadsworth Boulevard.

It’s open noon–3:45 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday; noon–5:45 p.m. most Wednesdays; and 10 a.m.–3:45 p.m. ursday. e pantry is closed the second Wednesday of every month. Call 303-424-6685 or see cotable.org.

For other resources, see Je erson County Human Services at je co. us/human-services or 303-2711388. It’s located at 900 Je erson County Parkway in south Golden o U.S. Highway 6.

continuum.

Clear Creek County

Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry in Clear Creek County, sits at 545 Highway 103 in Idaho Springs and is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. ursday and Friday.

e food pantry in the Health and Wellness Center, located at 1969 Miner St. in Idaho Springs, is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Read more about the resources in Clear Creek via reporter Olivia Jewell Love on Colorado Community Media’s website at tinyurl.com/ ClearCreekFoodPantry.

Reach Clear Creek County Human Services at 303-679-2300 or at 405 Argentine St. in Georgetown or see co.clear-creek.co.us/113/ Human-Services.

Weld County e Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank sits at 421 Denver Ave. in

Fort Lupton, east of U.S. Highway 85 and state Highway 52. See flfcb.org and call 303-857-1096 for hours and more information.

Reach Weld County Human Services at 2950 9th St. in Fort Lupton, 303-857-4052 or weld. gov/Government/Departments/ Human-Services.

Denver and remaining parts of the metro area

In the “seven-county” metro area — including around the Denver area but also the Boulder and Broomfield communities — dial 211 for a multilingual and confidential service that can connect you to shelter, food, rent assistance, child care and more resources in your area. Or text your ZIP code to 898-211 or scroll down to “live chat” at unitedwaydenver.org/community-programs/2-1-1.

And then I heard a woman speak and her point was: It’s not just one person in your family. Then I realized she was right. Like, I was trying to talk about this topic in a more narrow fashion about an individual, when, if I stepped back, it was like, wait a minute, what about the addiction in our family? What about my own anxiety? So that was very helpful to shift from talking about those individuals to all of us are somewhere on the

SUN : Unlike counting bike helmets, success is hard to measure when it comes to improving mental health. Ritter acknowleges that she didn’t accomplish some of her big ideas, including trying to coordinate all of the state’s suicide prevention programs under one agency.

RITTER : There were things I thought I could change. I had a dreamy vision of unifying all the suicide prevention efforts in the state, which are heartbreaking, but one is named for Rachel and another is named for Jason and another is a name for this school

MEDICAIDCLIFF SURVIVINGTHE

But what I celebrate is the link to science. Let’s start with compassion and try to get an understanding. But when brain science came on board, that was just fantastic. People could understand the impacts of brain injuries and soldiers returning from (wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) with concussion injuries from explosives. We were normalizing it.

SUN : In 2007, Ritter felt like she was walking on eggshells the first few times she was invited to give speeches about mental health or attend conferences, where sometimes men were in one room and she was in another “talking to their wives.” She didn’t want to say the wrong words and offend people. She also did not feel like an expert at all, but she realized quickly that her first goal was to get people to open up.

RITTER : People were like, “She’s a first lady. Let’s put her on this” and I was totally unprepared. I would finish with smaller groups, “Are there any questions? We can make this into a conversation.” It was buttoned lips, like nobody had anything to say. And I’m like, “Hey, this is crusty stuff, like maybe you don’t recognize your husband, he’s knocking off a six pack in front of the TV every night, falling asleep. This could be depression. He’s the only one at work and everybody else has lost their job and he’s got no cronies and men are crappy at making friends.” And nobody would say anything. And then when you go in the restroom, they just pounce on you. They’re like, “Oh, I can’t believe you said that because it’s just what my husband is doing.” But there’s no way they were going to raise their hand. No one wanted to be first.

RITTER : I have firefighter friends, and they’re like, it’s the worst thing — people step over somebody who’s passed out and dial 911. Everybody has to respond, which is a huge cost. So what if you had a way to say, this young man, this young woman needs some support? I’m not

going to be the one, but is there a number I can call where somebody can come and check on them. They are bus drivers and they think she’s drunk. We’re all in this together. You get this line, “I didn’t take this job to be a counselor.” That’s not what we’re asking you to do. We just want you to know what to do next.

Somebody had a great line: We’re a small community, we don’t have a burn unit in this community. But we need people in this community, that, when we have somebody who is a serious burn victim, they know what to do with that burn victim immediately and where to get them next. What a great template for how we provide care.

SUN : In the dozen years after her husband was governor, people have gotten much more outspoken about mental health. When a young relative was going through severe depression, Ritter stepped in to help get her an appointment. Several members of the older generation wanted to keep it quiet, but the young person posted about the saga on her social media account. It was an example of how much more open the conversation has become, Ritter said.

RITTER : Name me a gathering? You can’t have a city council meeting. You can’t have a school board meeting without it. This is a topic now that lives among us, and how long do we want to use the word crisis with it? It’s valuable sometimes to use the word crisis. It’s OK to say the word crisis, as long as we are not hiding behind that word. We get to flap our hands and it’s like hands on the cheek. But using the word crisis … it’s legit as long as it keeps the conversation moving forward.

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.

practice charges in total, along with three wrongful termination complaints. An administrative law judge combined the proceedings into one trial earlier this year due to their similarities.

In the wrongful ring charges, the NLRB claims Starbucks let union workers go for minor policy violations. In one case, a worker at the company’s 16th and Tremont store accidentally left $40 in a lockbox unsecured overnight.

On his nal warning, a manager included a past tardy he had never been written up for.

“ e employee was upset and told his managers it was all about retaliation for his union support,” said Saveland. “ e store said no, it wasn’t.”

In another case, a Colorado Springs shift supervisor was red for cursing at a teenage subordinate. Another employee at the Leetsdale Starbucks was red after touching a cake pop by hand and serving it to a customer after it brie y dropped onto a sanitized counter.

Managers coached the employee on what to say in a written statement about the incident and then later used it against her during her termination, Saveland said.

Starbucks attorneys said the rings were justi ed.

“A ve-second rule doesn’t apply at Starbucks,” Kraham said. “Just because employees support unionization doesn’t mean that they get to

break the rules.”

e company’s attorneys pushed back against allegations of unfair labor practices.

Workers allege the company unfairly enforced workplace policies against union supporters, which would be a violation of federal law.

In one case, a union supporter was told to remove a Starbucks Workers United shirt they wore to work. Managers also took down a union brochure that workers posted on a break room bulletin board.

“It’s not a billboard for anybody to come in and put up what they wish,” Kraham said. “And in all of these incidents workers were not held accountable in the slightest.”

e trial is expected to last through March 17 and include testimony from workers and store managers involved in some of the incidents. On March 13, the NLRB presented its rst witness, Bradley Kurtz, a barista at the Starbucks on Academy and Flintridge in Colorado Springs.

Saveland played a 90-minute recording that Kurtz took during a captive audience meeting the store manager held ahead of the store’s union election. In it, managers are

heard discussing the changes that come along with forming a union.

Managers in the tape said electing a union would potentially have a negative impact on employee bene ts.

Shortly before the captive audience meeting, Kurtz, a union organizer, had explained to a store manager that workers would be organizing and asked if the manager wanted to take part in a press conference he was planning to announce the vote.

“I wanted this to be a bipartisan e ort,” Kurtz testi ed.

“What did he say?” Saveland asked.

“He had some phone calls he needed to make,” Kurtz said. “And then I think he gave me a hug.”  is week’s trial comes as many Starbucks Workers United stores in Colorado struggle to get their rst contracts from the company. Both the union and company have traded blame for delays.

Last year, workers went on strike to protest the stalls and shut down at least three Colorado Starbucks locations. e union has said it plans to take similar actions again if negotiations don’t move forward.

SBWU have called the delays an “unprecedented union-busting campaign” and have promised to ght the actions in future court battles.

“Starbucks is currently being prosecuted for over 1,400 violations of federal labor law and has been found guilty of violating laws across the country,” the union said in a statement about this week’s trial in Denver. “ is hearing is yet another example of workers and the National Labor Relations Board holding Starbucks accountable for their actions.”

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

‘Starbucks’ unlawful tactics go against unionization and our country’s laws.’

John Yonushewski, a National Labor Relations Board attorney representing workers from Denver and Colorado Springs

Understanding the Long Bill

Th e fiscal year for Colorado state government begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. Like any other large entity, the agencies of our state government work year round on the budget for the following year. It is important to understand some basics about the state budget before examining it in depth.

Ultimately the Governor of Colorado presents a budget to the legislature for its approval or rejection. The budget bill known as “The Long Bill” is the result of year round planning by different state agencies, the Governor and those who assist him. The Office of State Planning and Budgeting assists the Governor with planning his budget and making various spending recommendations to the legislature much like the Office of Management and Budget assists the president.

Once the legislature has debated the “Long Bill” both houses will vote on that bill and send it to the governor for his signature or veto. The Governor can sign or veto the whole bill. He can also veto various line item expenditures within the bill like the Governors from many other states. This is an ability the

President does not have with the budget of the federal government.

The legislature has a significant input into the budget through the Joint Budget Committee. The Joint Budget Committee of the Colorado General Assembly is composed of six members currently, three Senators and three Representatives. Currently, it consists of two Democrats from the State Senate and one Republican. The House of Representatives also have two Democrats and one Republican on it.

It is chaired by Jeffco’s own Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada. The vice chair is Rep. Shannon Bird from Adams County. The purpose of the Joint Budget Committee is “studying the management, operations, programs and fiscal needs” of the Colorado state government. Their role is very important. In fact, at one time, it was said that the Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee was the second most powerful person in state government with only the Governor exercising more power. The Joint Budget Committee holds hearings and discussions on the state budget throughout the year even when the legislature is out of session. The committees work is that important because of all sorts of entities and individuals ought to have some input regarding government expenditures.

A wonderful feature of the internet and

government transparency is that documents and explanations about different features of the state budget are online for perusal by the public. The narrative of the Long Bill provides an excellent example of what you can discover online. It provides year over year changes in appropriations (spending) in various subject areas. One area, Early Childhood, received an 1,841% increase in spending for FY2022. This, of course, is due to Gov. Polis’ initiative to establish universal pre-K education within the state of Colorado. That initiative is above and beyond the constitutional requirement that Colorado must provide K-12 education. Reading these documents, which can be found through any internet search, can be enlightening. The governor’s initiative re: early childhood education is but one part of the state budget even though an entire new department was created to oversee it.

My intent is to examine the budget in more detail. Future articles will include information from state agency heads about their annual budget work, interviews with current and former JBC members, as well as an analysis of what makes up the budget on both the revenue and expenditure side.

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

From the Treasurer

He llo Jefferson County, Every tax year I receive a few calls from taxpayers asking the County Treasurer to lower or waive their property taxes for various reasons. The County Treasurer’s Office does not have the legal authority to lower property taxes or waive property taxes per state law.

The Treasurer’s Office and the state of Colorado do have programs available for seniors or people with disabilities. More information is available on these programs at the following link: https://www.jeffco.us/2416/Help-for-SeniorsPeople-with-Disabilitie

If you believe your property has been incorrectly valued or classified, you may can also file an appeal with the County Assessor. For information on this process, please view this link: https://www.jeffco.us/431/Appeals

The TABOR Value of Temporary Mill Levy Adjustment report for 2023 has been posted on the JeffCo Treasurer’s web page. This easy-toread report is crystal clear on the impacts of the TABOR revenue cap on the County’s budget and the ability to provide services/projects for County residents and businesses.

For example, in 2023 the County will not legally collect $5.1 million in revenue that could be used for a variety of services and projects in Jefferson County.

See Link: https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/37784/TABOR-Value-of-Tempo-

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

rary-Mill-Levy-Adjustment-2019-2023-PDF

What is TABOR? See Link: https://www.jeffco.us/3994/What-is-TABOR

Jerry DiTullio, JeffCo Treasurer 303-271-8337

www.jeffco.us/Treasurer

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RYLEE DUNN Community Editor rdunn@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed.

JOE WEBB

Columnist

JEFFCO TREASURER

Jerry DiTullio

As housing prices and cost of rent continues to soar throughout Colorado, so does the strain on our small businesses. The consequences of the housing crisis we find ourselves in ripples throughout communities across Colorado: hurting families, businesses and our economy.

I’ve lived and worked in Jefferson County for the last 25 years as the CEO of a manufacturing small business and I’ve experienced firsthand the ramifications of the housing crisis. While Jeffco is a beautiful place to live with local shops and scenic views, its housing expenses have risen to be 62% higher than the national average and the average rent for a one bedroom apartment is $2,171 –making it hard for my employees to live in the same community where they work.

The lack of affordable options places a heavy burden on my employees. Like many Colorado

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The numbers behind electricity and gas

Take a look at your utility bill. You probably have a section for electricity and for gas. e electricity is measured in units of kilowatt hours — kWh — and the gas is measured in units of therms. Kilowatt hours and therms are both just units of energy, just like Fahrenheit and Celsius are both just units of temperature. Just as temperature units can be easily converted from C to F, conversion of therms to kilowatt hours is also easy. Roughly speaking, just multiply the number of therms by 30 (actually 29.33) and you will have the equivalent number of kilowatt hours.

If you are heating your house with gas and you do this conversion from therms to kilowatt hours, you will realize that you are consuming far more energy in the form of gas than in the form of electricity this time of year. Possibly ve to ten times more!

Now take the amount that you were charged for your electricity and divide by the number of kWh of electricity you used and you will have the cost per kilowatt hour of electricity you used. Similarly, divide the amount that you were charged for the gas by the number of kilowatt hours of gas you used (as calculated by multiplying the number of therms by 30) and you will have the cost per kilowatt hour of gas you used. You will see that the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour is three to four times more than the cost of gas per kilo-

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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

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

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

GUEST COLUMN

workers on the front range, my employees have to commute about an hour each way to get to work. Not only does that daily commute increase traffic on the highways during rush hour, it also forces my employees to absorb additional costs that hurt their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Our employees that live a distance from our headquarters and rely on child care are put in a difficult position.  A long commute is just one example among many of how the lack of affordable options hurts my small business. I’ve adapted to the needs of my employees by making their work schedules more flexible, but there’s a limit to how much my small business can bear. It’s become nearly impossible to

keep up with the cost of housing, and adjusting salaries to accommodate unreasonably high costs of living is unsustainable and unfair to small business owners.

Other businesses in the manufacturing industry based in Golden have encountered similar problems and many have explored moving out of Colorado to reduce their overhead costs. If costs of living don’t come down, this could eventually trickle down to small businesses and incentivize them to leave in order to save money, hurting Colorado’s economy.

Small businesses make up about 80% of Colorado’s economy, and losing small businesses because of high costs of living will have lasting consequences for decades to come. If we continue moving in this direction, communities will lose vital subsects of professions and families will end up decentralized.

Jefferson County has been slow

More housing options can help small businesses succeed and Colorado’s economy thrive OBITUARIES

watt hour.

It will take roughly the same amount of energy to heat your home whether you use electricity or gas. So if we convert to a gas-less, allelectric utility structure, you will pay a lot more to heat your home and water. And it will be even worse because as the demand for electricity is forced to go up, its cost will go even higher.

Tom Moriarty, Arvada

The Arvada Chamber should have a little more class

Once again the Arvada Chamber of Commerce wants citizens to nominate women for the “badass” award as they have had for the past three years. Boy, it sure would be nice if we could just honor women for their achievements without labeling them as “badass” because they are successful or may be working in a maledominated eld.

We should honor men and women for their achievements. What label do they give men who are successful? As an 80-year-old woman who went through this mindset in the ‘60s in the eld of science, I had hoped we were beyond this. What do parents of young girls tell them a “badass” woman is, and do they have to be a “badass” to be successful? I would think the Arvada Chamber would have a little more class. But I guess that’s not possible.

MaryAnn Larsen, Arvada

Dennis Lee Grosenbach went home to be with the Lord March 11, 2023. Born April 5, 1947, Dennis was husband, father, brother, son, friend. Dennis was married to Maureen (Lemieux) Grosenbach for 56 years through sickness and health, peaks and valleys, and all that lay between.

Dennis loved his country and enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduating Arvada West High School in 1965. SGT Grosenbach put his technical skills and top secret clearance to use while maintaining the camera systems on the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance jet in the late 1960s. For this assignment Dennis was stationed at Beale AFB in California and Kadena AFB in

to react to the housing crisis despite housing many manufacturing businesses like mine, and it’s time for the state to work with communities across Colorado to create more affordable housing options. This problem has become too big for counties and cities to do this alone – and we need to solve the housing crisis now.

To address these challenges, we need to create more different types of housing that will help create more options for low- and moderate-income families. Solving the housing crisis should be Colorado’s top priority to help small businesses bounce back. By working together and investing in more housing options, we can create a more vibrant and sustainable community for all Coloradans.

Liz Geisleman is the CEO of Rocky Mountain Reagents in Golden and the former Board Chair of the West Metro Chamber and JeffCo EDC.

Okinawa, Japan. Dennis was o ered the choice between continuing his assignment with the SR-71 program at Mildenhall AFB (England) or accepting an early honorable discharge. Dennis elected for early discharge as he had a young wife and son at home.

Dennis was a journeyman electrician and proud member of the International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers over 50 years. Dennis made a move late in his career and worked as an electrical inspector for the State of Washington until his retirement. Dennis is survived by his wife Maureen, son Todd, daughter Suzanne, two grandsons, extended family, and friends.

Loving Memory

newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

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

GROSENBACH

Dennis Grosenbach April 5, 1947 - March 11, 2023

Liz Geisleman

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Type in “restaurant” on Google Maps and set the lter to “open 24 hours.” You’ll be hard-pressed to nd any local restaurants serving up food to the night owls, late workers and early risers.

Unless you’re seeking around-the-clock Mexican food.

“We’re open 24 hours, and it’s something fresh, you know?” said Govanny Alvarado, a member of the family who runs Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food. Compared to other restaurants, “you can taste the di erence,” Alvarado said.

e new Englewood spot that opened in August adds to a small but mighty list of Mexican joints that o er all-day, all-night service in the Denver metro area — a type of restaurant that’s becoming more di cult to nd since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

“Most people like us, you know, we’re always looking for a late-night snack,” said Alvarado, 21, adding that his family “understands the struggle” to nd restaurants that are open late.

His family members, longtime workers in the Mexican fast-food industry, gained experience at his uncle’s restaurant in Arizona. ey later started working for Taco Star and Tacos Rapidos, two chains with 24-hour locations in the metro area, Alvarado said.

“And Taco Star, the one in ornton here, that’s where my dad worked, and that’s where I started as well when I was young,” Alvarado said of the location near 84th Avenue and Washington Street.

When his family members had the chance to start their own restaurant about six years ago, they opened Tacos Los Compas — another 24-hour eatery, near downtown Denver and the Auraria Campus.

“Most of the people that I’ve known or talked to customer-wise, they’re all from Arizona or California, and they all say they miss that taste of authentic Mexican food,” Alvarado said.

Carrying on authentic recipes is part of the job as well for Tamale Kitchen, a longstanding family business with locations around the metro area.

What makes the restaurant unique is “the green chile, the New Mexico-style red chile, the tamale avors, just the avors in general of just old grandma recipe — the beans, the rice, everything’s grandma’s recipes,” said Jose Bishop, owner of the Westminster and Northglenn locations.

e restaurant grew out of an e ort to sell tamales door to door in 1980, and the rst Tamale Kitchen opened in Lakewood in 1981, according to its website.

Its Northglenn location at 104th Avenue and Huron Street stays open around the clock on the weekends, running from 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday.

e business has expanded to eight locations, stretching from Adams County all the way to Highlands Ranch, and some are franchises run by people outside the family, Bishop said.

Familiar places see challenges

Alvarado noted that after the COVID-19 pandemic shook up the

LATE-NIGHT

economy, it’s di cult to nd 24hour restaurants.

Staples of late-night food in Denver permanently closed amid the pandemic, including the Denver Diner o Speer Boulevard and Colfax Avenue and, to the south, the Breakfast King at Santa Fe Drive and Mississippi Avenue. Both had been open 24/7.

Tom’s Diner, also on Colfax Avenue near downtown, shut down in March 2020 during the pandemic’s early days. It reopened in 2022 as a bar and lounge called Tom’s Starlight, no longer open 24/7.

Pete’s Kitchen, located on Colfax in central Denver, remains open 24 hours Friday and Satur-

LATE-NIGHT SPOTS

Looking for a late-night meal? Here are some local restaurants that o er 24-hour service on at least some days each week.

• Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food

4901 S. Broadway in Englewood, a couple blocks north of Belleview Avenue

Open 24/7 720-664-9260

• Tamale Kitchen

1030 W. 104th Ave. in Northglenn, a short drive west of Interstate 25, at Huron Street

Open 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday; 5 a.m.-10 p.m. on other days; other locations in the metro area, including in Highlands Ranch, have di erent hours

720-379-7825

• Taco Star

503 E. 84th Ave. in Thornton, a short drive east of I-25

day night, according to the diner’s webpage.

Other than that, though, 24hour options in the metro area tend to be con ned to chains that aren’t local, such as IHOP, Denny’s, McDonald’s or Wa e House.

e trend of restaurant headwinds during the pandemic applies to the entire industry, not just 24-hour restaurants, said Denise Mickelsen, a spokesperson for the Colorado Restaurant Association.

“Operations are proving increasingly di cult in the face of the ongoing labor shortage and soaring costs, causing restaurant owners and operators to make changes that include decreasing operating hours,” Mickelsen said.

‘All walks of life’

Bishop, the owner of the north-

ern Tamale Kitchen locations, has felt the challenges himself. His Westminster location used to o er some 24-hour service like the Northglenn spot, but sta ng issues led to shortened hours starting around spring 2020, he said.

ough they can be tough to operate, Bishop, 38, said 24hour restaurants serve di erent parts of a community.

“ ere’s still 11 p.m. (movie) showings, so people going home at 1 or 2. We get a lot of nightshift workers, people who are going to work at 4 in the morning, a lot of construction workers bringing burritos to their coworkers,” Bishop said. “It’s a little mixed — people of all walks of life going out for entertainment, getting o of work late. Just a variety of di erent people out and about.”

1050 W. 104th Ave. # 8 in Northglenn, near Huron Street

1760 S. Havana St. in Aurora, a short drive north of Parker Road

Open 24/7

303-288-9228 for Thornton location

• Tacos Los Compas

1385 N. Santa Fe Drive in Denver, about a block south of Colfax Avenue

Open 24/7

720-328-0299

• Tacos Rapidos

2800 W. Evans Ave. in Denver, o Federal Boulevard

Open 24/7

Other locations nearby; hours di er 303-935-0453 for Evans location

• Pete’s Kitchen

1962 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, about 1 mile east of Broadway

Open “24 hours Friday and Saturday night,” according to the restaurant’s website 303-321-3139

A sign is lit up at Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food, one of several Mexican restaurants open 24/7 in the Denver metro area.

The sign at the Tamale Kitchen location in Westminster. The Northglenn location stays open around the clock on the weekends.

PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food, seen here in January, recently opened in Englewood.

Everybody hates Hamlet at Miners Alley

To be or not to be… bored by the ramblings of a certain prince of Denmark is a question one need not face when going to see the hilarious new entry in Miners Alley Playhouse’s season, “I Hate Hamlet.”

e real question is whether you can relate to an someone struggling with feeling like a failure and searching for the brief moments when things just seem to gel. Which really could be anybody.

“What drew me to this production is how honest it is. It’s hilarious and big, but it also has so much heart,” wrote John Hauser, who plays the show’s lead, in an email interview. “So many artists deal with the same things that Andrew goes through, feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, but also those feelings of being in the moment and owning a role, even if only for a brief moment.”

“I Hate Hamlet” runs at Miners Alley, 1224 Washington Ave., from Friday, March 31 through Sunday, April 23. Performances are at 7:30 p.m., ursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

e show tells the story of Andrew Rally (Hauser), a daytime television actor whose show has recently been canceled. He is cast in a production of Shakespeare in the Park as Hamlet but isn’t sure he can pull the character o , but when he is visited by the ghost of former Hamlet performer John Barrymore, things get a little more complicated.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

“It is really a quirky, witty script that moves along nicely,” said director Rory Pierce. “In addition to how funny and smart it is, there’s a swashbuckling sword ght and just enough Shakespeare to whet your appetite, but not enough to put you asleep.”

While the show does have some inside jokes and references that fans of e Bard will no doubt enjoy, Pierce said knowledge of the playwright’s canon isn’t a prerequisite to having a good time at the show.

“If audiences go away in a better mood than they arrived in and had an evening of fun and laughter, that’s what we’re aiming for,” Pierce said. “We also hope that they’ll have a slightly better appreciation of the work that goes into performing and a greater appreciation of the theater.”

While there are laughs aplenty, as is always the case with a Miners Alley production, everyone has their sights firmly set on the humanity of the story being told.

“This show is unique in the way that it can be so wild and over the top, but also so genuine and honest at the same time,” Hauser wrote. “I hope audiences leave

with a smile on their face.”

For information and tickets, visit https://minersalley.com/i-hatehamlet/.

Immersive yourself in the power of art and jazz

The Lumonics Gallery , 800 E. 73 Ave., Unit 11, in Denver, is blending its signature approach to artistic light shows with jazz at two Immersive Jazz-Art performances , both held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The first is Friday, March 24 and the second is Friday, March 31.

The two events will feature a blend of art, film and live, improvisational jazz accompanied by the Lumonics light sculptures/video. According to provided information, Janine Santana, a jazz musician and radio personality, will be hosting the series and selecting an accompanying jazz film.

For more information, visit www. lumonics.net/jazz.

Learn about cumbia with Ciudad Reina and RedLine

Ciudad Reina and RedLine Contemporary Art Center have teamed up to present Una Historia de la Cumbia , an evening that celebrates all things cumbian - history, dance, music and more.

The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 24, at the RedLine Contemporary Art Center , 2350 Arapahoe St. in Denver. Cumbia is a kind of genre and music that was started in Colom-

bia and has spread all over the Americas.

According to provided information, attendees will get to hear from KUVO’s Super Sonido host La Molly and El Jaguar, who will provide some historical context for cumbia, followed by a dance class led by Magally Rizo Luna. The evening wraps up with a cumbia party.

Get more information at www. redlineart.org/upcoming-events/ una-historia-de-la-cumbia.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Wonder Years at Summit Music Hall

Hearing the name The Wonder Years probably makes most people think of the golden years of their youth (or a late 1980s sitcom about the golden years of youth). Pennsylvania’s band of the same name can certainly pull at the heartstrings, but the indie rock favorites accomplish this by blending aching and searching lyricism with emo-indebted rocky stylings.

In support of 2022’s “The Hum Goes on Forever,” they’ll be stopping by Summit Music Hall , 1902 Blake St. in Denver, at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28. Joining them are the wonderful alt-rock group Hot Mulligan. Get a ticket at www. livenation.com.

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

Let’s tell the truth about those big, bad wolves

The return of wolves to the West has always been contentious, and the deaths last fall of more than 40 cattle really in western Colorado alarmed ranchers. But here’s the true story: Wolves did not kill those cattle found dead near Meeker.

After months of investigation, the state agency, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, found no evidence of wolves in the area at all.

Yet when the news of the cattle deaths went public last October, the agency issued a press release stating it was “investigating a report of dead domestic cow calves on White River National Forest lands near Meeker that show damage consistent with wolf depredation.”

A month later, the agency’s Northwest regional manager testi ed before the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission that though some of the cattle had injuries that appeared to come from wolves, he added: “It’s perplexing; it’s confusing; it’s frustrating, trying to gure out exactly what occurred in this incident.” e story of wolves as the culprits, however, made national headlines.

Wolves are coming back to the state naturally and because in 2020, the public passed Prop 114, mandating restoration of wolves by the end of this year. rough a Colorado Open Records Act request, the Humane Society of the United States

Story Warren

obtained documents and photos about the livestock deaths, and shared them with Carter Niemeyer, an expert on wolf-livestock con ict. He is also a member of the state’s Technical Working Group on wolf restoration.

In his Feb. 14 report, Niemeyer found that “the evidence at Meeker is inconsistent with wolf attacks.” Niemeyer and veterinarians concluded that the cattle more likely died from “brisket disease,” which commonly a icts cattle living at high altitudes.

Misunderstandings like this one, which lasted weeks, aren’t helpful. Do wolves ever come into con ict with livestock? Yes, but it is relatively rare. In the Northern Rockies where wolves are established, they account for less than 1% of cattle losses. Disease, birthing problems, weather and theft take nine times as many cattle than all predators combined, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Washington state, which is home to at least 33 wolf packs after nearly 15 years of wolf recovery, more than 80% of the packs have no

Clarke Reader

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Sun 4/02

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Joslyn & The Sweet

Compression: Cervantes @ 7pm Cervantes' Master‐piece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

Michelle DeYoung @ 7:30pm Gates Concert Hall, Denver

Scott Fowler Music: Scott FowlerSofar Sounds @ 7:30pm Sofar Sounds, Denver

Sub Focus @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Fri 3/31

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Eli & Fur @ 8pm The Church Denver, 1720 S Alcott St, Den‐ver

Sat 4/01

Ryan Hutchens at Culinary Dropout @ 11am Culinary Dropout, 4141 E 9th Ave, Denver

Neil Z @ 12pm

SOL Mexican Cocina | Cherry Creek, 200 Columbine St #110, Denver

Melvin Seals and JGB @ 6pm So Many Roads Brewery, 918 W 1st Ave, Denver

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Aly & AJ @ 6pm

Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St, Denver

Jeffrey Dallet @ 3pm Village at Belmar, 7825 W Alameda Ave, Lakewood

René Moffatt Music: René Moffatt at The Molecule Effect @ 7pm

The Molecule Effect, 300 S Logan St Unit 101, Denver

Coastless Creatives Presents:

Jaguar Stevens and Friends @ 8pm The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Den‐ver

Part Weapon: The Lion's Lair @ 9pm Lion's Lair, 2022 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Denver Makers Market @ Lakewood Casa

Bonita Parking Lot @ 10am / Free

Denver Makers Market @ Casa Bonita, 6677 West Colfax Avenue, Denver. dmmvendors@gmail.com, 720-525-5645

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Cervantes' Master‐piece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Wel‐ton St, Denver Coco @ 8pm

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Dana @ 9pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

John Mayer @ 7:30pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver

Joy Oladokun @ 7:30pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver

Tue 4/04

Enumclaw (Band) @ 7pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 5225 W 80th Ave, Arvada

Cavern @ 8pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Wed 4/05

Emilie-Claire Barlow @ 6:30pm Nocturne, 1330 27th St, Denver

Damn Yankees @ 7:30pm Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Ar‐vada

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Bill would encourage CPR training in high schools

Critics call proposal in Colorado legislature a ‘feel-good’ measure

BY HELEN SANTORO KAISER HEALTH NEWS

A bill advancing in the Colorado legislature would encourage schools to begin teaching students lifesaving skills before graduation, but critics contend it’s little more than a “feel-good” measure devoid of vital requirements and funding.

Colorado is one of 10 states where laws don’t mandate CPR training for high school students, according to the American Heart Association.

In February, the Colorado House passed a bipartisan bill  to add training for CPR and how to use an automated external de brillator, or AED, to the Colorado Department of Education’s comprehensive health education high school curriculum.

But the proposal stops short of requiring public high schools to adopt the revised curriculum, or subsidizing the e ort. Instead, they would be strongly encouraged to implement the training on their own.

“ e bill is a noble e ort and is something that needs to be done,” said Lynn Blake, vice chair of the Eagle County Paramedic Services board. “However, it’s a feel-good law until mandates and dollars accompany it.”

In 2021, Colorado reported 3,727 cases of cardiac arrest — in which the heart abruptly stops beating — to the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, or CARES, which tracks incidents occurring outside hospitals. is number is likely an underestimate, as the data was collected from less than 80% of the population. Last summer, Colorado became the rst state to establish an o ce within its state health department dedicated to collecting data on cardiac arrest incidents and nding ways to increase survival rates.

Nearly 90% of cardiac arrests experienced outside of a hospital are fatal, according to CARES. CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival if performed immediately after the heart stops beating.

So, the more bystanders who know

how to administer CPR, the better, said Blake, who was 27 when she was stricken by cardiac arrest. A woman nearby performed CPR on her, and a few minutes later, paramedics arrived and shocked Blake three times with an AED, which saved her life. A 2022 study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that states that require CPR training in schools have higher rates of CPR being performed by bystanders, thus improving survival rates.

“We have a huge need for people to learn to act quickly in emergency situations,” said state Sen. Janice Marchman, a Democrat sponsoring the bill. “ at’s why it would be great to train high school students not just to do CPR, but also to use the AED machines.”

e bill encourages each public school to adopt a curriculum that includes “hands-on” training on performing CPR and using a debrillator. However, the proposal doesn’t allocate money to school districts to support the training, according to the bill’s scal note. A single CPR manikin and AED trainer together cost around $600, according to the American Red Cross store. School districts might be eligible to apply for a comprehensive health education grant funded by the state education department, to help pay for lessons, Marchman said.

e bill also stops short of making CPR training a graduation requirement for public high schools, leaving Colorado an outlier while 40 other states plus Washington, D.C., command it. Alabama has mandated CPR training for high school graduation since fall 1983 and Iowa has done the same since 2009.

All Colorado public schools are bound by the state’s comprehensive health academic standards, so it’s likely that most schools would abide by the change without making it a graduation requirement, Marchman said.

Colorado Senate Republicans are con dent schools will be eager to equip students and teachers with these lifesaving skills, caucus spokesperson Joshua Bly said.

e Colorado Department of Education’s role is to implement policy, not speculate on why CPR and AED training is not mandated in high schools, department spokesperson

Erica Grasmick said. is isn’t the rst time Colorado lawmakers have sought CPR training in high schools. A 2012 bill pushed by the American Heart Association tried to mandate CPR and AED training for high schoolers. But the Colorado Association of School Executives opposed the legislation, as its members argued that school districts should be able to “decide what is important at a local level” as they are “tasked with the di cult job of balancing budgets.”

Not mandating CPR and AED training in high schools is a signicant loss, said Blake. “If I was the author of the bill, I would require that all students and administrators, teachers, coaches — anyone who is

involved with any kind of education — to be trained in CPR,” she said.

Still, Blake sees this bill as a step in the right direction. “Stakeholders are eager to return to the Capitol in coming sessions with an even more robust bill, including CPR and debrillator requirements and funding,” she said.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonpro t organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Colorado is one of 10 states where laws don’t mandate CPR training for high school students, according to the American Heart Association. STOCK PHOTO

Students to take computer-based SAT next year

Many universities still ask for test scores as part of application process

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Colorado high school students will continue to take the SAT and PSAT as the state’s way of measuring school and district academic performance, but they’ll switch to the computerized version in spring 2024.

A committee of teachers and school administrators recommended the College Board’s online suite of tests to replace its paper version, according to the Colorado Department of Education. e new computerized test was piloted by the College Board in 2021, and the organization said in a news release last year that it’s “easier to give, and more relevant.”

State law requires the state education department to take competitive bids every ve years for a statewide assessment. e selection, however, was delayed a year because of the pandemic. e state must wait 10 days before the contract becomes ofcial, according to a news release. Colorado public colleges and universities no longer require a collegelevel exam like the SAT or ACT for acceptance, part of a growing “test optional” movement nationwide.

However, many colleges and universities still ask for test scores as part of their application, and even students applying to test-optional schools can submit their scores to show their quali cations.

Colorado began using the PSAT and SAT to measure students’ math and English abilities in 2017, part of a compromise to reduce the overall number of tests students take in school. At the time, Colorado was the epicenter of an opt-out movement protesting a heavy testing burden, and many parents excused their students from taking standardized tests.  e idea was to use a test high school students would want to take anyway because it would help with their college and scholarship applications. Ninth and 10th graders take the PSAT and high school juniors take the SAT in the spring.

Colorado uses the test results along with graduation rates and other factors to rate the performance of schools and districts. SAT scores also are one way students can show they meet graduation requirements for basic competency in math and language arts.

While Colorado high school students use the college readiness exams, K-8 students use the Colorado Measure of Academic Success, or CMAS, to test math, English, and science understanding.

is story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters

1-877-328-1512

Colorado high school students will no longer take the paper version of the PSAT and SAT. SHUTTERSTOCK

Colorado lawmakers want to o er scholarships to help fill workforce gaps

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

As Colorado hurts for more early childhood educators, nurses, reghters and workers across other industries, state legislators are attempting to ll critical workforce gaps with a pair of bills that would provide free training to an estimated 20,000 students and support about 15,000 graduating high school students each with $1,500 scholarships. One of the measures would cover education costs — including tuition, fees, books and supplies — for students wanting to teach elementary schoolers, preschoolers or infants and toddlers as well as students interested in nursing, construction, re ghting, law enforcement and forest management. A second bill would provide scholarships to students heading to community colleges, trades schools or universities to prepare for jobs in health care, manufacturing, construction, nance, engineering, IT, education and behavioral and mental health. Both bills, expected to be introduced later this week, have biparti-

san support as they aim to ease the heavy costs students often shoulder while learning skills they need to join the workforce. Funding for each bill would stretch for two years and come from the state’s general fund.

“With this signi cant infusion of resources, it really is a jump-start to try and get more of our traditional and nontraditional age students into

these industries that are so desperate for workers,” House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, said ahead of a Tuesday morning news conference announcing the pieces of legislation.  McCluskie is a prime sponsor on the bill that would fund training for students.

at bill proposes spending $45 million on students’ education costs from the state’s general fund, including $38.6 million to support students earning a certi cate or associate degree at a public community college, local district college or area technical college.

A separate $5 million would be directed to short-term nursing programs at community colleges with the goal of preparing more nurses to sta local hospitals. And $1.4 million would be funneled to a competitive grant program facilitated by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and available to registered apprenticeship programs in building and construction trades.

e free education initiative builds on the Care Forward Colorado

Program, which Gov. Jared Polis introduced in August as a way to help the state overcome a crippling shortage of health care workers. at program, funded by $26 million of federal COVID stimulus funding over two years, is o ering free schooling for students pursuing careers as certi ed nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomy technicians, medical assistants or dental assistants.

More than 1,400 students in training through the program have graduated from the Colorado Community College System, local district colleges and area technical colleges since last fall, according to information Gov. Jared Polis cited during the news conference. Along with lawmakers, he hopes to replicate the success of the program in other industries that have been plagued by sta shortages throughout the pandemic.

e other piece of legislation that would award scholarships to graduating high schoolers could bene t more than one-fourth of the graduating class of 2024, according to lawmakers.

e bill would help students in eligible disciplines cover expenses for books, fees and tuition and would expedite their path through higher education and training, said Rep. Matt Martinez, D-Monte Vista, who is sponsoring the bill.

“ is is the type of meaningful legislation that is really going to put dollars in the hands of our students and (make) sure that they have the skills necessary to be successful,” said Martinez, who previously worked for nine-and-a-half years at Adams State University.

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

Two bills being considered at the Capitol would o er educational help to aspiring firefighters and other fields where workers are critical. In this file photo, West Metro Fire Rescue firefighters prepare to participate in a mock water rescue at Bear Creek Lake Park.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Bills seek to pay education costs, including tuition, fees, books and supplies

Hopes for designation for colleges serving first-gen students ends

Funding formula stymies House Bill 1114

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

On the surface, the bill had a simple premise — to recognize Colorado universities and colleges that enroll a high number of students who are the first in their family to go to college and communicate to those students that they are welcome on campus.

The most symbolic bill, however, prompted a more complicated conversation about whether creating a first generation-serving designation would lead to those schools getting more state funding. In a state that funds its public colleges near the bottom of the nation, any hint at changing the distribution of money raises concerns for university leaders.

Faced with opposition from larger schools that serve fewer first-generation students, the sponsors pulled House Bill 1114 before it went to vote on the House floor.

Bill co-sponsor state Rep. Rick Taggart, a Grand Junction Republican, said he wants to talk more with university leaders and bring the bill back next year. He said it troubled him that the opposition centered on funding concerns when the bill didn’t call for any changes to the higher education funding formula. At the same time, he said he understands why money is a sensitive subject.

“I totally respect the reason that folks are really concerned about the funding formula is that higher education is way underfunded in this state, just severely underfunded,” Taggart said. “If you start messing with the formula, you’re going to rob Peter to pay Paul.”

For university leaders, the bill did place funding under the microscope.

Supporters such as Colorado

Mesa University President John Marshall said he hoped the designation would kick off a larger conversation about the money schools need to educate first-generation students who often need more support. Colorado Mesa University and Metropolitan State University of Denver supported the bill and would have almost immediately earned the first generation-serving designation.

In a statement, MSU Denver President Janine Davidson said the school was proud to stand behind the bill.

“While we’re disappointed it didn’t pass, we remain committed to making MSU Denver a vibrant home for those trailblazing students who are the first in their families to go to college,” she said.

Opponents such as Colorado

State University System Chancellor Tony Frank said during committee testimony that other schools also serve students who are the first in their family to go to college in their family. He worried that the designation would create unfair considerations later on. A CSU System spokeswoman did not return a request for comment.

The bill passed the House Education Committee unanimously last month, but Taggart and co-sponsor state Rep. Serena Gonzales-Guttierez, a Denver Democrat, pulled the bill from consideration before a full House vote last week.

Taggart said schools should get recognized for what they do for students, and students should know about their options. For example, schools whose student populations are 25% Hispanic or more

are designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions. However, that federal designation does come with extra money. Other schools or programs might get special designations for what they’ve accomplished, Taggart said.

Taggart hopes he can find more agreement when he brings the bill back next year. Educating firstgeneration students will be a big part of how Colorado gets a more educated population, he said.

“I am disappointed because this evolved into a funding discussion rather than sticking to a designation that these universities deserve,” Taggart said.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters

Some Colorado public colleges like Metropolitan State University of Denver serve large populations of first-generation students.

Pictured: Metropolitan State University’s Center for Visual Art on Santa Fe Drive in Denver. FACEBOOK IMAGE FROM 2013

Xcel Energy will cut Colorado bills again in April

Company cites declining natural gas prices

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Xcel Energy is again cutting natural gas costs passed through to consumers starting with April bills, the third price decrease announced in two months, even as a special legislative committee pursues hearings on spikes that overwhelmed Colorado consumers beginning late in 2022. e latest cut, proposed to the Public Utilities Commission for Xcel’s 1 million Colorado customers for the second quarter of 2023, will take $1.79 or 4% o the average household natural gas bill each month compared to the March bill. Because Xcel also uses natural gas to generate some of its electricity, consumers’ home electric bills will also drop an average of 56 cents over their March bill, or a drop of 2.7%.

In mid-February, Xcel made an “interim” monthly cut to natural gas pass through costs that trimmed March bills by an average of $11.60, or 11.5%. Electric costs were cut $2.08 a month or 2.34%.

Other cuts of the pass-through cost were made by Xcel on Dec. 1, 2022, and Feb. 1 this year, but those trims followed a series of sharp natural gas price increases in 2022 that were still showing up on residents’ bills this winter.

A mild winter in Europe has helped lower worldwide natural gas prices, as well as European nations’ relatively quick adjustments to losses of natural gas sources as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sabotage of a North Sea gas pipeline.  No one is yet calling o the consumer hounds. e Colorado legislature set up a special joint committee with members from both houses to question utility o cials and consumer advocates on bills that reached $600 to $800 a month for many shocked residents in December and January.

Colorado’s early winter was colder on average than the previous one, raising bills, but Xcel charges have also included a series of other cost increases not solely attributable to

commodity prices. Xcel has sought big boosts from the PUC for updating electric infrastructure, and will be seeking more for building new transmission lines to help complete the changeover from coal and gas- red power plants to renewable

energy like solar farms and wind turbines.

By the end of January, requests for help from the Colorado low-income energy assistance program that subsidizes consumer bills were running 50% higher than last year.

e commodity pass-through price can be adjusted through quarterly lings from the utilities, as Xcel did Monday, or through interim monthly adjustments.

Xcel said the commodity price of gas, which it passes on without adding a pro t, makes up about 54% of the total residential gas bill, and about 23% of residential electric bills.

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

A housing development at the corner of 29th and Zenobia, in Denver. Xcel Energy seeks to charge Colorado customers $32 million to upgrade natural gas service for 6,800 customers in the Sloan Lake area in Denver, Edgewater and Lakewood, by adding a new regulator station.

COURTESY OF THE COLORADO SUN

White hot finish in 2023 Je co HS Senior Game

Alameda senior Claude Smith took a defensive charge in the fourth quarter as the White team started to pull away.

“We did say that if anyone takes a charge they would get an extra 2 minutes on the court,” Kovar said. “Claude from Alameda did take a charge. at was awesome.” e Blue’s squad shooting was impressive in the rst half. Valor Christian’s Evan Gomez couldn’t miss pouring in 24 points in the rst half. Columbine senior Levi O’Brien was dominate on both ends of the court, but O’Brien tweaked his ankle early in the third quarter and didn’t return to the game.

Chat eld senior Shay Rumsey had 24 points and was named the Blue squad MVP. He clearly had a great time going up against good friend and rival Trevor Fuller of Dakota Ridge.

“I just came in here to have fun. I love basketball. I’ve been playing basketball my whole life,” Rumsey said. “I’ve been playing with him (Fuller) since pre-k. en he went to Dakota Ridge and I went to Chat eld. We’ve been rivals ever since. To

Family tree in play for Arvada youth swimmer

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e source of Boyd Rothman’s interest in swimming depends on who’s answering the question.

“I don’t know. I just did,” said the 8-year-old Arvada resident.

His mom, Kelly, was able to ll in a few more details.

“Well, his dad is a swim coach,” she said. “Boyd used to spend his afternoons riding his big wheel track around the Colorado School of Mines pool deck and cheer on the college kids.”

e young Rothman fell in the pool and bobbed with only the top of his helmet sticking out of the water.

“Nate (Rothman’s father) was all the way across the 25-yard pool with the swimmers,” said Kelly Rothman.

“A few of them took o –made record time – to pluck Boyd out of the water. His response was, ‘Now that

my clothes are wet, can I go swimming?’”

Boyd eventually asked the coach – Boyd was 5 at the time – if kids his age were allowed on the team. e coach said yes, asl long as they could get across the pool by themselves.

“Boyd showed up the next day in his bathing suit, and we haven’t looked back

since,” said Kelly Rothman. “And no, I wasn’t sure at the time that he could get across.”

e pool life seems to suit young Rothman well. He is the top-rated 8-and-under swimmer in the state, according to an independent ranking system used by

SEE SWIMMER, P25

Arvada West senior Jasper Padia (11) and Bear Creek senior Derrick Sandoval get up for the opening tip of the Je co HS Senior Game on March 16 at the Gold Crown Field House. The annual event has been put on the by Gold Crown Foundation since 2018.

PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Childhood friends — Chatfield senior Shay Rumsey, left, and Dakota Ridge senior Trevor Fuller — were named the MVPs for the Je co HS Senior Game on March 16 at the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood. The White team mounted a big second-half comeback to take a 136-125 victory.

BASKETBALL

play this last game against him was quite an experience.”

Fuller was named the MVP for the White squad as he went over the 20-point mark. While the scoreboard was an after thought at times, Fuller did take a look at it during halftime.

“At halftime I looked at the scoreboard and was like, ‘Crap. We are down by 17.’ We just kept playing,” Fuller said. “It wasn’t like there was any defense either way. We started playing a little defense and made some shots. It was fun.”

Je erson senior Salman Ali had 19 points and Pomona senior Zeke

SWIMMER

SwimCloud. He holds seven team records in ve events across three categories, and Rothman helped an older age group break two relay team records.

Rothman plans to be involved in track and eld this season. He’s been involved before. His youth team is starting up a triathlon team.

“He also competes in Ninja competitions,” his mom said. “When he was little, he played soccer and T-ball. But nothing quite stuck like swimming. For fun as a family, we camp a ton and stand-up paddleboard. Boyd learned to paddle his own craft several years ago.”

Any issues entering the water at rst?

Je erson senior Salman Ali, left, drives on Green Mountain senior Benson Wachter during the Je co HS Senior Game on March 16 at the Gold Crown Field House. Ali had 19 points in helping the White team to a 136-125 victory.

Jojola had a game-high six 3-pointers for the White squad. Arvada West senior Carson Nichols helped the White team close out the victory with 13 points in the second half.

“I just told them to have fun and enjoy the moment,” Kovar said. “We wanted to play with pace and any look was a good look.”

e Gold Crown Foundation has been running the Je co Senior Basketball Games for six years with First Bank sponsoring the girls and boys games that has every Je co high school and team that competes in either the 6A Je co League or 5A/4A Je co League represented.

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

“Nope. Next question,” Boyd Rothman said.

Rothman’s favorite race is a tie between the 100-yard butter y and the 200- butter y.

“I’ve never done the 200- y, but I did it once on my own, and I can’t wait to race it in a meet,” Rothman said. “ e 500 (500-yard freestyle) is my third favorite.”

“He’s a strong back stroker but doesn’t agree,” his mom said. “I think butter y makes him feel strong and powerful, which is good. AS a little man, he is often so much smaller than the big kids he swims against. Butter y ves him that feeling of being strong and capable.”

Young Rothman’s goals are pretty simple.

“I want to break world records,” he said. “I just love to swim. I wish I could swim all the time.”

ELZZ

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/ JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Social media apps o er route for illegal drug sales

State AG issues report

BY OLIVIA PRENTZEL THE COLORADO SUN

How easy is it to nd illegal drugs on social media apps? Nearly as convenient as calling an Uber or ordering a pizza, the Colorado Attorney General’s O ce said in a report released March 8.

Access to illegal drugs is “staggering” on social media apps, the report found, and has contributed to the surging number fentanyl overdoses, which has become the leading cause of preventable death for adults under 45, outpacing suicide, gun violence and car accidents.

e 182-page report outlined the ways in which drug dealers use aggressive marketing tactics to sell illegal drugs online, often targeting younger customers, and urged social media platforms and state legislators to enforce new policies to crack down on the sales.

e report, which the attorney general’s o ce is calling rst of its kind, was written under a state law passed in 2022 that requires the Colorado Department of Law to study how the internet and social media platforms are used for the sale and distribution of fentanyl and other counterfeit prescription drugs. With the rise of social media apps, their convenience and lack of regulation, platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and WhatsApp, have be-

come a major vehicle for drug sales, the report said.

“Where once a teen might have had to seek out a street dealer, hassle friends, or learn to navigate the dark web to access illicit drugs, young people can now locate drug dealers using their smartphones — with the relative ease of ordering food delivery or calling a ride-share service,” Weiser wrote in the report. O cials spoke with former drug users and sellers and families of overdose victims for the report.

In 2021, at least 1,881 Coloradans died of a drug overdose and roughly half of those people died of fentanyl, according to state data. Many of those people are taking fentanyl without realizing it, as the cheap synthetic opioid is cut into other drugs like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

As many as six in 10 counterfeit prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl, the report said.

It didn’t quantify exactly how large the online illicit drug market has become, citing limited access to the social media platforms’ data. But research suggests that drug dealers and buyers turn to the internet and social media platforms “as a primary vehicle for drug transactions.”

A search for “Denver” and “Boulder” on the Kik messaging app returned dozens of results for groups dedicated to selling and buying drugs that were open to the public, the report showed.

“Connecting with a local dealer took mere minutes,” the report said.

Dealers advertise drugs using slang, emojis, QR codes and disappearing messages that help reach customers while evading content moderation tools on the social media platforms, the report said. Often drug sellers are active on multiple social media platforms — advertising their products on Instagram, but listing their WhatApps or Snapchat handles for inquiries — which makes it harder for law enforcement to crack down on the sales.

Sellers can create new pro les as soon as one is suspended or removed, creating a frustrating “whack-a-mole” e ect for local law enforcement, the report said.

A lot of social media companies, including Meta, TikTok and Snapchat, have policies that ban advertising, buying or selling drugs and some have made e orts to work with law enforcement to address the issue.

But the report said the companies’ responses to drug activity on their platforms have been “uneven in their application and limited in effectiveness.”

Weiser urged social media companies to adopt strong, uniform practices to prevent and respond to illegal drug sales. He also called for a federal agency to oversee social media platforms and legislation that

WOLVES

conflict with livestock in an average year.

Overall, the threat of wolves to the livestock industry is negligible. For the few livestock producers who are impacted by wolves, it is, of course, economically painful and time consuming.

But options exist for ranchers to safeguard their livestock. Old-fashioned riding the range to drive off wolf packs, cleaning up carcasses so they don’t attract wolves, penning up livestock at night, installing scare devices, and using guard

SOCIAL MEDIA

FROM PAGE 30

would give the federal government more access to their data.

Hank Dempsey, the head of state public policy for Snapchat’s parent company, Snap Inc., called Weiser’s report a “must-read report” for anyone working to combat the fentanyl crisis. He said he appreciated working with the attorney general’s o ce “to contribute by sharing our insights and e orts to aggressively combat drug activity on our platform, including our policies that take a zero tolerance approach to this abuse.”

In an email, Meta spokeswoman Jeanne Moran said “content that

dogs are all deterrents that can work.

Unfortunately, data from the United States Department of Agriculture suggest that few livestock owners use these effective, nonlethal mitigation measures.

But many livestock producers across the west — in southern Alberta, the Big Wood River Drainage of Idaho, the Tom Miner Basin and Blackfoot Valley of Montana and elsewhere — do use a variety of these deterrents, which make it possible for their herds to live alongside both wolves and grizzly bears.

To its credit, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has produced a resource guide for livestock producers. To

attempts to buy, sell or trade drugs is not allowed on Facebook or Instagram, regardless of state or country law.” e company is “working hard” to keep drug sales o the platforms and users that post content that violates its policies could have their account removed.

Kayla Whaling, spokeswoman for the Tinder and Hinge parent company Match Group, said the report focused on a critical issue and that the company is “supportive of any conversation that aims to help make internet platforms safer.”

“However, we strongly disagree with how our brand is categorized here and we have been in contact with Attorney General Weiser’s o ce to refute the inaccurate claims in this report,” Whaling said. She said their platforms are “very ine cient” for

do an even better job as wolves integrate into western Colorado, the state must improve the way it investigates livestock deaths.

These investigations must be timely and transparent — as in other Western states such as Washington — and withoutscapegoating. The Colorado legislature could do its part, too, by providing funding for a trained, rapid-response team that would immediately investigate livestock injuries and deaths.

According to Niemeyer, authorities must respond as if they were investigating a crime scene — checking out dead livestock within 24 hours to prevent losing evidence from tissue decomposition

drug sales since they are designed for one-on-one interactions and that the company has made proactive e orts to ban accounts that mention drugs.

TikTok did not return requests for comment.

e report made several recommendations for Colorado lawmakers to pass new protections to help prevent such sales, including:

• Requiring platforms to create and publicly post their policy on illegal drug sales and how law enforcement can request account records;

• Enforcing platforms to submit annual reports to the Department of Law showing the amount of content on the apps that promoted the purchase or sale of illegal drugs and how many times the posts were shared and viewed. It also suggests listing

or scavengers.

Only when a cause is determined, based on evidence, should information be made public. If wolf recovery is going to be successful for both wolves and people, everyone involved — livestock producers, wolf advocates, agencies — must work together. What happened in Meeker has been a valuable lesson in what not to do.

Story Warren is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She is a program manager in wildlife protection for the Humane Society of the United States.

the number of times the platform proactively provided law enforcement with information about posts selling or advertising illegal drugs; Provide more resources to support local law enforcement e orts to investigate online narcotics cases. e Department of Law worked with representatives from Meta, Snapchat and TikTok to compile the report, as well as law enforcement, public health experts and harm reduction advocates.

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

Publication: March 23, 2023

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

Public Notice 2023

Community Development Block Grant Application

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to improve local communities by providing decent housing, improved infrastructure, public facilities, and services, and improved economic opportunities. Federal law requires that these housing and community development grant funds primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons; funds may also be used for activities that help prevent or eliminate slums or blight; or for projects that meet urgent community needs.

Under the City's 2023 CDBG program application process, eligible entities are invited to submit applications for CDBG funding to carry out community development activities by December 31, 2023.

Applications are available on the City of Arvada’s Human Services and Community Development Block Grant webpage or at the Housing Preservation and Resources office at Annex Building 8001 Ralston Rd Arvada, CO 80002.

Applications are due by April 14, 2023, email application and attachments to nashmore@arvada.org.

Legal Notice No. 415985

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: March 23, 2023

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

The City of Arvada will submit a funding application to the Colorado Division of Housing (DOH).

The purpose of this application is to request $1,079,865 to assist with development costs of Legacy Senior Residences which will provide 72 units of senior affordable housing at 5430 W. 64th Avenue, Arvada, Colorado. The request of funding from DOH is to benefit persons with low and moderate incomes by increasing the availability of affordable housing in the City of Arvada.

It is not the intent to cause displacement from any existing housing; however, if persons are displaced from their existing residences reasonable housing alternatives shall be offered.

All interested persons are encouraged to contact the City of Arvada for further information.

Written comments should be sent to:

Carrie Espinosa

Manager of Housing Preservation and Resources 8001 Ralston Rd Arvada, CO 80002

Written comments can also be emailed to caespinosa@arvada.org.

All comments received will be forwarded to DOH for consideration during the application process.

Members of the public may request a public meeting and should arrange a request with the City of Arvada. The City of Arvada shall post notice of meeting (Date, Time, and Location) to ensure other members of the public are aware of meeting. If reasonable accommodations are needed for persons attending the public meeting, please contact the Carrie Espinosa.

Legal

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF ELECTION and CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to § 1-13.5513(6), C.R.S., that, at the close of business on February 28, 2023, there were not more candidates than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates, for Mountain Shadows Metropolitan District (the District”). Therefore, the election for the District to be held on May 2, 2023 is hereby cancelled.

The following candidates for the District are declared elected by acclamation:

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGULAR ELECTION BY THE DESIGNATED ELECTION OFFICIAL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Westown Metropolitan District, Jefferson County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates; therefore, the election to be held on May 2, 2023, is hereby canceled pursuant to Section 1-13.5-513, C.R.S.

The following candidates are declared elected:

Cindy Baldwin: until the second regular election (May 4, 2027)

Vacant: until the second regular election (May 4, 2027)

Vacant: until the second regular election (May 4, 2027)

Vacant: until the next regular election (May 6, 2025)

Vacant: until the next regular election (May 6, 2025)

DATED: February 28, 2023

/s/ Lisa Jacoby

Designated Election Official for the Westown Metropolitan District c/o McGeady Becher P.C. 450 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 400 Denver, Colorado 80203-1254

Phone: 303-592-4380

Legal Notice No. 415970

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: March 23, 2023

Publisher: Golden Transcript Jeffco Transcript and the Arvada Press