Arvada Press 062223

Arvada Library helps youth celebrate pride

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A little rain didn’t stop rainbows from bursting out at the Arvada Library.

e rainbows were for the library’s Teen Pride Party. e July 16 evening event put a pride-themed twist on the library’s usual Teen After Hours program, which gives teens a space to hang out after the library closes.

“It’s important for people to know that the library is a place where all voices have a space,” said Paola Vilaxa, manager of the library and diversity, equity and inclusion. “And that’s why we provide that platform for everyone who needs it. So, in that sense, pride at the Arvada Library is no di erent than any other programs that we do for Hispanic Heritage Month or the Dia De Los Muertos, or Christmas. You know, everybody has a chance to celebrate who they are.”

For pride, this celebration looked like many colorful crafts, free pride ags and stickers, snacks and even nail painting. Teens were able to hang out and celebrate in a safe space.

“I went to the [Arvada Library] pride last year and it was really fun. I met really nice people, so I wanted to do it again,” said Hayden, one teen who was attending.

She added that it was nice because she was “ nally around people who look queer and I know are like me.”

For Amy Truter, teen librarian, the library is “really committed to wanting to be welcoming and inclusive of everybody and making sure all of our teens know that this is a safe place for them to come and hang out and express themselves in whatever way feels good to them.”

Vilaxa believed the event was

Business and education meet at Arvada State of Education

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Even though school is out for the summer, Arvada community members and educators met up bright and early to talk about some of the successes — and areas for improvement — within education this year.

e State of Education was hosted by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce at Revive Church at e Bridge on June 16. e presentation and panel covered some of the achievements and issues impacting both K-12 education and higher education in Arvada.

e event began with a presentation from Tracy Dorland, superintendent of Je co Public Schools. Dorland spoke about changes made throughout the district during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Dorland discussed recent school consolidation, saying, “ is is the most di cult work I’ve ever done. Schools are like our second homes. When we decide a school will no

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Arvada teen librarian Amy Truter helps teens make crafts on June 16, 2023.

PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

SEE EDUCATION, P3 SEE PRIDE, P2

Financial-aid push doesn’t happen

Colorado advocates plan for future action

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Colorado made no legislative progress toward getting students more support to complete the federal nancial aid application despite a recommendation last year that the state do so.

A Colorado report last year called for the state to make lling out the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, a high school graduation requirement by 2025, with a goal to get 80% of students completing the form by 2026. Filling out the form increases the likelihood that students will attend college, studies show.

Despite the inaction this session, advocates of a Colorado requirement for high school students to complete the federal nancial aid application before graduation expect to make a push for future changes after taking a wait-and-see approach this year.

Many advocates believe requiring students to ll out the FAFSA would be an e ective strategy for Colorado to increase the number of students

who go to college after high school. Studies have shown that Louisiana, the rst to enact a FAFSA graduation requirement, increased college-going among students. E orts in other states are still new.

In Colorado, legislators have hesitated to place one more burden on high school educators.

Advocate Sarah Staron said lawmakers, along with school o cials, discussed how a graduation requirement might work but didn’t introduce legislation.

So advocates of mandating FAFSA

completion focused on addressing the concerns they heard.

“I felt like we needed to step back,” said Staron, policy coordinator for Young Invincibles, which works toward giving students a voice in policy debates.

Less than 50% of Colorado high school graduates go to college. Advocates have said increasing Colorado’s ranking near the bottom of FAFSA completion would open up more opportunities for students.

e form unlocks nancial aid and scholarships for college.

e National College Attainment Network has recognized Colorado for seeking more transparency around which school districts help students complete the form. Advocates also have applauded the state for setting the 80% completion goal.

e state has reported that every year Colorado students leave about $30 million in federal nancial aid unclaimed.

Colorado has sought to boost FAFSA completion in other ways.

Last year, the state created grants for districts to increase FAFSA completion, but only a handful of districts applied, Staron said. Despite o ering more nancial literacy for students, training for teachers, and nancial aid planning for students, the state’s FAFSA completion rate remained at about 45%.

e state’s teacher union said

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important for helping mental health.

“We know that LGBTQIA+ youth have higher rates of suicide than other youth,” she said. “We really want to support them, and want to provide a safe space for them to create community. I think that for us it is really important to support the mental health of all of our teens.”

In addition to supporting teen’s mental health, Truter emphasized

there are reasons to be cautious about a push to mandate FAFSA completion.

e Colorado Education Association said it wants to discuss issues such as whetherthe requirement would burden teachers and students, raise privacy issues, and favor four-year colleges over other options, union President Amie BacaOehlert said.

In the upcoming FAFSA cycle, the federal government will launch an application that’s intended to be easier for students to ll out. e new form, however, will be released in December instead of the previous schedule of October, narrowing the window to complete the form.

Financial aid experts expect the form will have unintended consequences, especially for students whose families own farms or small businesses, but eventually will lead to a better student experience and outcome.

“With the streamlined FAFSA form, our hope is that completion rates go up because it’s easier for students and families to navigate the process. But I certainly think Colorado needs to do more,” said Jen Walmer, whose organization Democrats for Education Reform contributed to the report.

Amelia Federico, a Young Invincibles policy fellow who attends Metropolitan State University of Denver, said the FAFSA process is overly confusing and students often have little support to ll out the support despite there being some resources at schools.

Federico said a FAFSA completion requirement for high schoolers would ensure that educators focus on giving students the support they need to ll out the complicated form. e state would also need to support schools to ensure every student gets what they need, they said.

Too many of their peers don’t know about their nancial options, Federico said.

Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

the need for teens to simply have their own space.

“I think it’s really important to like, have those spaces where teens can come and just chill and be themselves,” she said. “Especially with teens, giving them a space away from their parents to talk to other teens and hang out and just feel free to be themselves in whatever form that takes.”

Several of the teens attending agreed with this sentiment.

“When you know that the space you’re in is queer and you know that it’s private, you feel safe to speak and be yourself,” said

Advocates hope to push Colorado to make filling out the FAFSA a high school requirement. Colorado ranks near the bottom of the country in students filling out federal financial aid forms that open up college opportunities. PHOTO BY EVAN SEMÓN FOR CHALKBEAT

EDUCATION

longer exist, there is a grieving process.”

She continued that the work does not end when a school closes, but will continue with support for both students and sta as they transition to new schools.

Later, Dorland also spoke to the district’s plan for “High School Reimagined.” According to her, the plan is a “vision of what knowledge, skills and experience we want our high school

graduates to have.”

After Dorland’s presentation, there was a panel discussing education in Arvada, particularly focusing on education’s relationship with business. Hosted by Sara Swanson, director of policy at Colorado Succeeds, the panel featured a wide variety of perspectives on education.

ese perspectives included: Superintendent Dorland; Josh Shellard, principal of Green Mountain High School; Kimmy Van, a student at Green Mountain High School; Matt Sweeney, dean of workforce services at Red Rocks Community College; and Kylie Parks, Director of Talent Pipeline

Development, Arvada Chamber of Commerce.

Swanson began the panel asking about what the greatest successes and challenges facing education were right now. Van said that as a student the “variety of classes and ability for students to take initiative in their own learning” was a success in education, while schools still struggled with “lack of empathy for mental health (struggles).”

Sweeney added that in higher education, schools have trouble nding and retaining talented teachers. “We have a challenge nding talent,” he said. “We don’t have the funding to nd talent.”

From a business perspective, Parks

said that one of the successes is that “everyone knows there is a need for change. It’s getting there which is the challenge.”

e panel shifted gears, talking about business’s involvement with education, particularly in making sure students are ready for their careers. Van weighed in, saying, “One internship can lead you to what you love or steer you away from what you don’t.”

Parks added that for career readiness, “business and education are a two-way street. (Businesses) have to step up and get more involved. We can’t expect education to do it all alone.”

Real Estate Industry Is Abuzz With How to Incorporate ChatGPT for Greater Success

I’ve been reading lots of real estate newsletters and blog posts about how to put AI to work, specifically by using ChatGPT. I have also played with that app, asking it to generate articles and answer questions on a variety of real estate-related topics. Like others who have reviewed ChatGPT, I am super impressed — and also a little concerned. Why? This column, written entirely by me, a former professional journalist, has set Golden Real Estate and myself apart from my colleagues and has brought my brokerage and me 90% or more of our business because of the credibility it has succeeded in building for us.

It’s a sad truism about America that the vast majority of citizens, unless they are in a writing profession, can’t or are reluctant to compose a readable, grammatically correct and compelling paragraph about anything. Don’t be surprised if you start receiving newsletters, blog posts and other written materials demonstrating greatly improved skills by your local agents!

One blog post I read about ChatGPT suggested that I ask it to rewrite a property description to be more compelling, and so I fed it the description of the listing below (reprised here from last week’s ad), and within a few seconds got the rewrite shown in the box at right. I did not change a single word, although I did eliminate a few paragraph breaks. The quality of the writing is superb, and the content was completely faithful to what I had written. It is significantly more wordy, with 317 vs. 218 words, making it more conversational.

I asked ChatGPT to write some articles to see how wise and accurate they might be and was surprised to see how well it did.

One of the topics I was going to write about myself was based on a May 8th article on Inman News with the headline, “Why buyer love letters deserve a second chance.” At right is an article written on this topic in less than 10 seconds by ChatGPT. It does not include all that I would have written on this topic, but it is not bad or incorrect, and it is indeed well written.

If I had written the article, I would have provided more guidance on avoiding fair housing violations, which is what triggered Oregon’s 2022 law banning love letters. That law was found unconstitutional on May 6th. I would have advised to exclude any photograph of the buyers. Let’s say the picture was of a white couple, and their offer was accepted over an offer from at least one gay or mixed race couple. That losing buyer might well win a lawsuit claiming that the seller and listing agent committed a fair housing violation, if they were to discover the winning love letter. Fair housing laws, both at the federal level and the stricter Colorado state level, include so many “protected classes,” that a seller is not allowed to consider even the familial status (married, single, with or without children), disability, or sexual orientation, including transgender status, along with the more familiar race, creed, national origin, etc. As you can imagine, it would be hard to construct a “love letter” without revealing any of those descriptors.

Just Listed: New Build Near Downtown Golden

The Pros and Cons of Submitting ‘Love Letters’ With Offers

The practice of including “love letters” or personal letters with home offers has been a common practice in real estate transactions. These letters are intended to convey the emotional connection and personal story of the buyer to the seller, potentially appealing to their sentiments and influencing their decision.

However, it's important to note that the acceptability and effectiveness of love letters can vary based on local regulations, cultural norms, and individual seller preferences. Additionally, there are legal considerations surrounding fair housing laws, which aim to prevent discrimination in the housing market.

In some regions, love letters are discouraged or even prohibited to avoid potential bias or discrimination in the selection process. These laws are in place to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunities for all potential buyers. If love letters are permitted in your area, here are some factors to consider:

Pros:

1. Emotional Appeal: A heartfelt letter can establish a personal connection and create empathy between the buyer and seller. It may help the seller relate to the buyer's story and motivate them to choose an offer.

2. Differentiation: In competitive mar-

kets, where multiple offers are common, a well-crafted love letter can make your offer stand out from the rest. It allows you to differentiate yourself by showing your genuine interest in the property and willingness to create a home.

Cons:

1. Fair Housing Concerns: Love letters have the potential to inadvertently disclose personal information that could trigger bias or discrimination. Sellers may unintentionally make decisions based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, or family status, which is a violation of fair housing laws.

2. Unintended Pressure: Sellers might feel pressured or uncomfortable when evaluating offers accompanied by emotional letters. They may prefer to base their decision solely on objective factors such as price, terms, and reliability of the buyer.

Given the complexity of this topic and the varying legal and cultural considerations, it is advisable to consult with a local real estate professional or attorney who can provide guidance specific to your location. They will be familiar with the local regulations and can help you navigate the decision of whether or not to include a love letter with your offer.

—Written entirely by ChatGPT

How ChatGPT Rewrote My Description of the Listing Below Left

The property at 1004 4th Street sounds truly remarkable. With its unique features and convenient location, it offers an exceptional living experience in the heart of Golden. Here's a summary of the key highlights:

This one-of-a-kind home boasts stunning views of North and South Table Mountain, visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the main level. Being within walking distance to downtown Golden allows easy access to its renowned shops and restaurants, adding to the convenience and charm of the location. The house itself is a spacious 4-bedroom, 4bathroom residence situated on a corner lot. The wide-open floor plan on the main level creates a welcoming space, ideal for entertaining or simply enjoying the breathtaking views while staying cozy near the gas fireplace.

$1,995,000

This home at 1004 4th Street is truly oneof-a-kind. There are magnificent views of North and South Table Mountain from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the main level. You are within walking distance to downtown Golden with its famous shops and restaurants. This is a 4-BR, 4-bath home on a corner lot. The wide-open main level floor plan is great for entertaining, or just appreciating the fabulous views and staying cozy near the gas fireplace. The state-of-the-art kitchen is a chef's delight. It has a 6-burner stove with an additional griddle and double oven. The refrigerator is oversized, and there is a walk-in pantry. The primary suite has a spa-like feel with a walk-in steam shower with 3 shower heads. There are 2 sinks with quartz counter, a soaking tub an extra-large walk-in closet. The upper level has two bedrooms, and a tiled 3/4 bath. Outside the bedrooms, there is a wide-open bonus area with desks, bookshelves and fantastic views. Above the 2nd floor a rooftop office/reading room that opens to a private roof-top deck. The lower level could be used as a mother-in-law living space with its extra-large bedroom with a walk-in closet, large living area with a wet bar, and its own private patio. Included is a one-year builder warranty. Take a narrated video tour at www.NorthGoldenHome.com. (Listed by David Dlugasch)

The kitchen is a chef's delight, featuring state-of-the-art appliances including a 6-burner stove with an additional griddle and double oven. The oversized refrigerator and walk-in pantry provide ample storage space for culinary enthusiasts. The primary suite offers a spalike retreat with a walk-in steam shower featuring three shower heads, two sinks with quartz counters, a soaking tub, and an extra-large walk-in closet. On the upper level, you'll find two bedrooms, a tiled 3/4 bath, and a versatile bonus area with desks, bookshelves, and fantastic views. Additionally, there's a rooftop office/reading room that opens up to a private roof-top deck, offering a tranquil space to work or relax.

The lower level presents the opportunity for a mother-in-law living space, featuring an extra-large bedroom with a walk-in closet, a spacious living area with a wet bar, and its own private patio. Included with the property is a one-year builder warranty, providing peace of mind to the new homeowner. For a detailed visual experience of the home, you can take a narrated video tour at www.NorthGoldenHome.com

With its exceptional design, breathtaking views, and convenient location near downtown Golden, this property offers a truly unique and desirable living environment.

Lawmakers’ pay influences debates and votes on bills

BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

e 100 state lawmakers in Colorado earn about $42,000 a year for their work at the Capitol, placing them in the middle of the pack compared to their counterparts across the U.S. when it comes to how much they’re paid to draft, debate and vote on bills.

at in uences who runs to be a state representative or senator, which in turn determines which legislation passes or fails.

A Colorado Sun analysis of state lawmaker salaries compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures places Colorado 19th on the salary list. Colorado legislators earn more than counterparts in any bordering state except Oklahoma. State senators whose terms began before January earn a salary of $41,449. Senators whose terms began in January, as well as all House members, make $43,977.

e salaries are set at 25% of a county judge’s salary, which through 2026 is $175,908. Salaries for state lawmakers, as well as state-level statewide elected o cials, are recalculated every four years based on changes to judicial o cers’ salaries.

Colorado lawmakers who live within 50 miles of the Capitol — a

large portion, if not the majority, of the legislature — are also eligible to receive a per diem of $45 for each of the 120 days the General Assembly is in session each year, which adds up to $5,400. ose who live more than 50 miles from the Capitol are entitled to about $237 per legislative day, which totals $28,440.  at’s in addition to mileage.

For reference, the median household income in Colorado is $80,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. e median gross annual rent in Colorado is $17,244.

State Sen. James Coleman, a Den-

ver Democrat, said it’s di cult to nd a place to live in Colorado on a $42,000 salary. “Absolutely I think it picks and chooses who can participate,” he said.

Oklahoma lawmakers make $47,500, while lawmakers in Nebraska earn $12,000. Lawmakers in Utah earn $285 per legislative day and lawmakers in Kansas earn $88.66 per legislative day of service, in addition to about $7,000 to defray interim costs. In Wyoming, lawmak-

ers earn $150 per day they work. (Lawmakers in all of those states are entitled to per diem, though in Utah the bene t can only be claimed by lawmakers who live more than 100 miles from Salt Lake City, the state capital.)

In New Mexico, lawmakers are paid no salary.

New York lawmakers make $142,000, the most of any state

DIVERSIFY RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

Representatives in the Colorado House.

FILE PHOTO BY THE COLORADO SUN

State Rep. Rod Bockenfeld speaks at the GOP state assembly on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Colorado Springs.

PHOTO BY HUGH CAREY / THE COLORADO SUN

SEE BILLS, P5

BILLS

lawmakers in the U.S., though their outside income will be capped at $35,000 starting in 2025. California lawmakers are second, at $122,694, with higher amounts for legislative leadership. Pennsylvania is third at $102,844.

New Mexico lawmakers make the least — $0 — of any state lawmaker in the U.S. Close behind is New Hampshire, where the state’s 424 lawmakers are paid a $100 salary — a rate set more than 130 years ago — and get no per diem, meaning that technically they receive even less compensation than lawmakers in New Mexico, who get a per diem of roughly $200.

U.S. senators and representatives, for reference, make $174,000 each year. Congressional leaders earn even more.

e variations in state lawmaker pay across the U.S. are in uenced by many factors, including politics and cost of living di erences from state to state.

ey are also determined by whether a state’s legislature operates year-round — like in California, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania — or is part time, like in Colorado, where each lawmaking term is limited to 120 days.

Colorado’s General Assembly was intentionally formed as a “citizen”

legislature, where representatives and senators aren’t full-time politicians. Lawmakers are expected to have jobs outside of the Capitol, though many say serving in the General Assembly is truly a full-time job.

Critics of Colorado lawmakers’ pay say it limits who can serve at the Capitol to wealthier people, who are often retired, white and without school-age kids.

“ e arrangement that we have de nitely takes some people out of the running,” said former state Sen. Mike Foote, a Boulder County Democrat who opted not to run for reelection after nding it di cult to balance his Capitol duties with a demanding work schedule as a private attorney raising a family. However, Foote said lawmakers know the nancial consequences of serving at the Capitol when they run for a legislative seat. And he points out many Coloradans work full time and make $40,000 a year.

Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, has advocated for the legislature to increase its salary. Outside of her job as a legislator, Winter works for VoteRunLead, a nonpro t that trains women to run for o ce, recruiting political candidates.

“ e rst or second question that gets asked is ‘How do I have a family and do this? How can I a ord to do this?’” she said. “When we want BIPOC folks to run and we want women to run and we want young people to run and LGBTQ folks, then

we have to make sure that we’re making it possible for them.”

BIPOC means Black, Indigenous and people of color.

Coleman, who is Black, was the youngest member of the legislature when he was rst elected to the House in 2016. At the time, he had two 6-year-old kids. Coleman said his age, lack of intergenerational wealth and young family made it very di cult to serve as a state lawmaker.

“It was virtually impossible for me to run and a ord to serve,” he said, noting that candidates for o ce aren’t paid.

While some employers may be OK with someone taking o for 120 days to work in the legislature, Coleman said, they are few and far between. Besides, he said, being a state representative or state senator really requires year-round attention for those who want to be successful and adequately represent their community.

But others argue the limited salary actually serves to ensure Colorado has a citizen legislature.

“I think Colorado is about where it needs to be,” Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, a Watkins Republican, said of state lawmakers’ salary level.

Bockenfeld, who sits on the Joint Budget Committee, said he knows the legislature’s low salary could stop some people from being able to run for o ce. He personally experienced that hurdle.

Before he could a ord to run

for the legislature, he served as an Arapahoe County commissioner for 12 years and earned a much higher salary. ( e current salary for a commissioner in Arapahoe County is $131,701.)

Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Monument Republican, worries that raising lawmakers’ pay would prompt the legislature to become a full-time, year-round job. He opposes that shift because of how it would expand government in uence.

“It simply creates a silo that is populated in various levels, various strata of political operators, who have nothing but politics as the experience of their life,” he said. “ at’s contrary to what representation of the people is supposed to be about. e salary, is it out of alignment with what professionals make? Of course. I make substantially less than my skills demand in the marketplace. But I choose as an act of service to do the work as an active service, not because I want it to be a profession or a career.”

Colorado’s next legislative session begins in January.

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.

History Colorado begins planning for Colorado’s 150 birthday

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For many people, birthday parties have birthday cake, balloons and lots of presents. But what does a birthday party look like when it’s for a state? That’s exactly what History Colorado is trying to find out.

History Colorado is currently home to the America 250-Colorado 150 commission, which will develop and plan programs for the official observance of both the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood. Both of these occur in 2026.

On June 14, at the Standley Lake Library, the commission hosted a community engagement session to get feedback on what Arvada would like to do to celebrate these “birthdays.” Within the crowd of over 20 were representatives of the city, city council, Arvada Historical Society and Arvada Sunrise Rotary.  State Senator Rachel Zenzinger also was in attendance. Zenzinger was a prime sponsor of SB22-011, the legislation that established the commission.

The session began with a brief presentation from Katie Roach, History Colorado’s program director. Roach said that the goal of the session was to “hear from community members and begin conversations about what you want to see for these celebrations.”

Roach explained that the themes for planning are to celebrate, educate, preserve and experience. Celebrate and experience are, according to Roach, an important distinction, because there are parts of Colorado’s history that need to be remembered, but not celebrat-

ed.  Zenzinger emphasized the efforts of the commission to create a diverse and inclusive celebration, including having commission members to specifically represent the Black, Latino and Indigenous communities.

Roach then opened up the floor for those attending to share their thoughts, asking, “What can the commission do to support you?”

Several attendants remembered the official observations of America 200-Colorado 100 from 1976 and

asked that the current planning be inspired by those celebrations. Many attendants also emphasized the need for youth outreach, to make sure that young people were included in as much of the celebration as possible.

Mark McGoff, who helped plan the Arvada community engagement session, thought it would be important to have a record of what celebrations people had attended. McGoff proposed a passport for the events, so people could get different stamps depending on where

they went.

Several people expressed their desire to make sure the observances don’t focus on just one part of history. Sharon Davis, a candidate for the Arvada city council at large seat, said she hoped “we don’t miss out on the opportunity to educate. This is our past, it’s not all gold mining. There are darker things.”

This community engagement session was only the second held by History Colorado. Roach said there will be many more as plans progress.

Suspect in stabbing homicide taken into custody by Arvada Police Department

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A suspect in a June 12 Arvada stabbing homicide has been taken into custody by the Arvada Police Department.

At approximately 10:06 p.m. on June 12, APD responded to reports of a person being stabbed in the area of 64th Avenue and Quail Street, according to a department press release.

A male victim was located and transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. e victim was identi ed as Jackson Fitts, 20.  Arvada Police Department identied the alleged suspect as Bennett Polhamus-Cousland, 18. e victim and suspect were known to each other, according to the press release.

An overnight investigation was conducted, through which Arvada Police discovered that Fitts met Polhamus-Cousland at the location to buy marijuana and a physical altercation ensued.

Fitts reportedly attempted to steal the marijuana from PolhamusCousland. Polhamus-Cousland then stabbed him, causing minor injuries.  Polhamus-Cousland left the area, then returned with another knife. He came back to the area of 64th Ave and Quail Street and confronted Fitts. Another physical altercation ensued and Polhamus-Cousland fatally stabbed Fitts.

APD arrested Polhamus-Cousland on allegations of rst-degree murder, pending ling with the Je erson County District Attorney’s O ce.

Arvada community members gather to hear from Katie Roach about the America 250-Colorado 150 commission.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Beer lovers rejoice! Arvada’s craft beer and barbecue festival is back.  is year’s Arvada on Tap will be June 24 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Ralston Park Addition. Planned by the Arvada Festival Commission, the fest will feature live music and unlimited beer sampling.

For any grill masters, there will also be an amateur barbecue competition. Prizes will be awarded for rst and second place in each category.

e fest also will feature community vendors, food trucks and even a homebrew demo. Many Colorado breweries will be at the fest, including New Terrain Brewing Company, Green Mountain Beer Company, Seedstock Brewery and more.

Arvada on Tap will raise funds for Arvada-Je erson Kiwanis Club, Arvada Sunrise Rotary and Arvada Vitality Alliance. Members from all three service organizations partnered with the Arvada Festival Commission to plan this year’s fest.

Tickets to the fest are available on the Arvada Festival Commission’s website.

The scene at the Ralston Park Addition for Arvada On Tap in 2022.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

Hard winter for wild herds now limits hunting

State slashed licenses, but towns that rely on hunters hurting

BY TRACY ROSS THE COLORADO SUN

When the storms bearing more snow than people had seen in years came to northwestern Colorado last winter, they were full of promise.

Of creeks and rivers bursting at their seams. Of reservoirs finally full again. Of ground so saturated, fires like the ones that had burned the previous summers might not be able to take hold.

But the slow-moving fronts that dropped snow in four-foot increments brought no help for the deer, elk, moose and pronghorn that forage near the towns of Maybell, Meeker, Rangely, Dinosaur and Craig. For them, the precipitation that fell, the winds that blew and the temperatures that hovered below zero for weeks on end meant death in numbers not seen in decades.

Rachael Gonzales, the northwest region public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, wrote as much in a post on the agency’s website dated March 28:

“It has been a tough winter for wildlife. … Since the start of the season the National Weather Service’s Maybell weather station has recorded over 80 inches of snow for the area. Prolonged snow combined with strong gusty winds have made an already hard time of year for wildlife even more difficult. Food has been extremely difficult for big game to find as much of it is covered by deep, hard-packed

snow. This has forced thousands of animals to migrate farther west than they typically do, burning much-needed fat and calories they likely won’t replenish.”

She then relayed a story of a bull elk she saw while on a ride-along with District Wildlife Manager Jeffrey Goncalves in the region:

“…we noticed a mature bull elk that was unable to get up after several attempts. After watching and evaluating the elk for several

minutes, the decision was made to euthanize the bull so it would no longer suffer from starvation.”  And she said that in addition to mortality from malnutrition, wildlife officials had seen an increase in animals injured or killed from vehicle collisions.

With normal migration routes difficult for wildlife to navigate, they had resorted to using roadways as they searched for food. Sometimes that food was located on a narrow shoulder along a windy section of road, Gonzales wrote. On Jan. 14, a semi traveling eastbound from Utah on U.S. 40 hit 35 pronghorn on the road, and on Jan. 19, another driver hit a group of 18 near Craig. Over the course of the winter, district wildlife managers in the northwest region responded to four incidents involving vehicle collisions with groups of 10 or more of the animals.

On April 5, the Rio Blanco Herald Times, a newspaper serving the northwest region, quoted now-retired CPW wildlife manager Bill deVergie as saying deer fawn survival was in the 30% range and heading toward 20%; elk calf survival was 35% to 40% of normal; and only 10% of pronghorn fawns, the hardest hit, were surviving.

CPW said it was one of the worst winters for wildlife it had ever seen, despite massive efforts to help the animals. Area managers had dropped tons of hay for them

to eat, and local ranchers had left barn doors open, welcoming them in. But in the end a catastrophic number of Colorado’s healthiest ungulate herds died.

As bad as the winter of 2023 was for wildlife in the corner of Colorado bounded by Wyoming and Utah, however, it could also be bad for thousands of people who live in the same region and rely on the big-game hunting seasons that start in mid August and run through November.

Emails from CPW started going out to hunters who put in for the draw the first week of June. Once hunters know they’ve scored a tag, many start planning their trips. But

Cody Nelson, who owns Moosehead Lodge in Rangely, 13 miles east of the Utah border, in the White River Valley, said she can “already see a dramatic decrease in bookings from previous years.”

“To be honest, there was a little bit of worry even before the reductions were announced,” she said. “I totally understand why CPW is doing what they’re doing, but I don’t know what it’ll mean for the area as a whole.”

Even over-the-counter tags, which are set by the Colorado state legislature and available in August to any hunter for a certain price after the limited draw is over, were affected. While CPW didn’t reduce

State wildlife o cials stand by a decision to cut hunting licenses, saying it’s the only way to bring back decimated herds to healthy numbers. COURTESY OF R. GONZALES / COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE

HUNTING

the number, it did shorten two seasons in which hunters could use over-the-counter tags for elk in the severe-winter zone — downsizing one season to five days from nine and another to five days from seven.

Rooms at Nelson’s lodge range from $85 to $105 per night and she says she books up during hunting season. With nine lodge rooms and seven cabins booked seven days a week at an average of $95 per night, Nelson could lose more than $100,000 between the start of the deer, elk, and pronghorn hunting seasons, in mid-August, and the end, in December.

Hunters also need to eat, buy last-minute supplies and maybe treat themselves to a few shots of whiskey after their hunts, so that’s more money they spend and more tax revenue for the town of 2,200.

Dylan LeBleu, a dispatcher for the Rangely Police Department, says that while Rangely isn’t a “hunting town,” he’s part of a community of hunters who rely on game meat to fill their freezers. “We have a market here, but not anything big, and it’s a little expensive,” he says, “and the nearest Walmart is an hour away.”

A pound of “all natural” 97% lean ground beef at Walmart currently costs around $7. This multiplied by the estimated 160 pounds of meat a hunter can typically harvest from an average-size 500-pound elk equates to $1,120. Add the cost of gas to drive 100 miles round trip to the Walmart in Vernal, Utah, and back, and subtract the $63 cost of an over-the-counter license to hunt for an elk, and no matter how you look at it, it’s more affordable for a local to hunt than it is to buy their meat from a grocery store.

Debbie Fitch and her family own several businesses associated with their Fitch Ranch in Parshall, so they likely won’t be as impacted as some due to the size and diversity of their enterprise. “But a lot of people’s livelihoods in this part of the country rely on hunting revenue and I think it’s going to be a tough year for a lot of them,” she said.

“For restaurants, outfitters, processors, taxidermists. They’ll be impacted in multiple ways. And then there’s just … the wildlife out here. It’s so sad,” she added. “It was hard to look at. We had one elk that just laid down in our yard next to our hay bales and that was it. You’ve never seen so many dead animals on the side of the road, either.”

Then there are the outfitters who guide hunters who’ve either won a tag in the lottery, purchased one in person, or paid a landowner equipped with a specialized CPW “landowner preference program”

voucher to hunt the landowner’s property.

Tyler Emrick, who owns and operates CJ Outfitters outside of Craig with his wife, Michelle, offers fully and semiguided deer, elk, moose, bear and mountain lion hunts for prices ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 per person. Like Fitch, he says the economic impacts he’ll endure this season will be limited compared with others because he has diversified his hunts geographically and now has permits to guide in Wyoming as well as Colorado.

But the Colorado towns of Craig, Meeker, Rangely, Maybell and “maybe, especially Dinosaur,” near the Utah border, “will be hurt because each of these places depend on the hunter harvest for their economy,” Emrick said. He knows an outfitter participating in CPW’s landowner program who “normally gets 12 to 14 licenses, and this year he’s getting three to five. It’s those small guys that depend on that $15,000 to $30,000 to pay for hay that are going to be hit hard. I do believe Meeker County will feel it hardest because even though it’s a rich county because of oil, there’s still all those restaurants. And a new brewery that just moved in. And I don’t know how many public hunters will come.”

Public lands hunters often purchase over-the-counter tags if they came up empty-handed in the lottery. But Emrick wonders if OTC hunters will avoid traveling to units in the severe-winter zone given the new shorter seasons.

“I don’t know if anyone will come out for five days or hit some other places out of state that weren’t hit like we were,” he says.

The Colorado Wildlife Council says hunting is a $843 million industry in Colorado. And, combined with fishing, hunters contribute $3.25 billion and 25,000 jobs to the state economy.

Those potentially 32,000 hunters who could have purchased the eliminated tags? Their absence and the revenue associated with it could impact CPW’s annual budget by as much as $8 million, the agency says.

CPW employs a “user pays” model of funding in which hunting and fishing licenses, federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment and license applications contribute millions of dollars to the agency’s budget.

“But statistics do show that nonresident hunters are gone from home for eight to nine days on average including travel time and that they hunt five days,” Emrick said. “So with those numbers, it could either be really good or really, really bad. Easier to say hindsight is 20/20, we don’t know yet. I hope everyone can make it through, but I’m sure some outfitters could go under this year.”

No matter what happens to the humans, the CPW commission

stands by its reductions, saying they are the only way to bring the decimated herds back to healthy numbers.

But at its May 3 meeting to discuss license reductions, Emrick and a handful of other hunters, ranchers and outfitters said they wished the agency would do more.

In a letter to the commission beforehand, the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project, consisting of 11 members representing tens of thousands of hunters, anglers, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts, said it was willing to take “further reductions to limited licenses and/or temporary suspensions or caps on over-the-counter licenses” to address the problem, while recognizing “fewer hunting opportunities would mean fewer trips and lost revenue for the state and rural communities on multiple fronts.”

Others who spoke during the public comment period asked the commission to add a mandatory hunter harvest survey to get a clearer picture of what’s happening with various species in the severewinter zone, adding that a penalty that revokes hunters’ privileges to apply for a license the next year if the hunter doesn’t complete the survey would round out the deal.

Emrick asked CPW to make “an immediate emergency declaration and end cow hunting in (units affected by the severe winter) along with the whole northwest,

or offer a minimum of 10 tags.” He also asked the commission to limit either-sex elk hunting in certain months because “when a hunter harvests a cow they could be killing three elk with one bullet.”

But as managers had pointed out earlier in the meeting, the average success rate among elk hunters is just 20%, which means with a limit of 10 licenses there’s a good possibility only two elk in one of the severe-winter zone units would be killed.

CPW manages its herds for the health of the population as well as for hunters. This means it keeps hunters in mind when making “sex ratio” decisions — how many antlerless deer to make available for hunting and how many antlered deer, for instance. And the agency expects the lowered number of licenses to help herd health start improving immediately. So maybe the decision to stick with the reductions rather than make further cuts will take some of the sting out of the deadliest winter for wildlife CPW can remember, at least for humans.

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.

Billionaire aids Colorado early education nonprofit

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donates

$1 million to charity

BY SARA MARTIN CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott has awarded $1 million to a small, lowpro le Colorado nonpro t, whose leaders remain a bit stunned.

“ e whole thing was very surreal,” said Heather Tritten, executive director of Parent Possible, which provides support for early childhood services. “When I look at who else has been funded in Colorado — organizations that are far bigger than Parent Possible, it feels very unreal that we were funded by MacKenzie Scott and that she wanted to invest in us.”

Parent Possible, which was founded in Colorado in 1991, works to equip parents with tools and education to prepare their children to learn. e nonpro t believes that investing in early childhood systems helps increase literacy and encourages students to graduate high school — which helps break the cycle of poverty.

It serves some of Colorado’s most

low-income residents. According to its 2022 annual report, 87% of its client households earn less than twice the federal poverty limit. at would be less than about $49,720 for a family of three this year.

Tritten said Parent Possible was contacted in December to discuss a possible donation with an anonymous organization. In March, Scott’s foundation, Yield Giving, called to say it would donate $1 million to Parent Possible.

In the 15-minute conversation, they told her, “good luck with your organization and the important work you’re doing,” she said.

Tritten said the foundation will let Parent Possible use the funds for whatever is most important.

Scott, who as of last year was the fth richest woman in the United States, has given away more than $14 billion since 2019. She has a 4% stake in Amazon as part of her divorce settlement with Amazon founder Je Bezos. She has made waves in the world of philanthropy by making large gifts, including to schools and education nonpro ts, with no strings attached. Last year, Scott gave $2.5 million to a Colorado Springs charter school.

e Parent Possibledonation was announced this week.

Parent Possible provides 4,000 families with in-home visiting services and an additional 20,000

families in Colorado with virtual programs, like early learning education software and an app with learning tools and parenting help.

e app, called Vroom, was created with funding from the Bezos Family Foundation. It messages parents with suggestions for activities to do with their children every day.

Parent Possible provides some of its programs through partnerships with schools, family resource centers, departments of human services, and nonpro ts. Its services are free of charge to Colorado families.

e home-visiting programs teach child development, how to promote the social and emotional development of young children and how to prepare 2- to 5-year-old children for preschool and kindergarten.

Parent Possible is still mapping out how to best use Scott’s donation to help the families it serves.

Tritten hopes to advance the group’s work and accomplish more than they had previously thought possible.

Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

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A coach from Parent Possible, left, visits with a young mother in Centennial. The Denver-based nonprofit Parent Possible provides support and coaching for parents of young children. It has received a $1 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. COURTESY OF PARENT POSSIBLE

Polis signs bill allowing more speed cameras

BY NATHANIEL MINOR COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Automated speed-enforcement cameras could become far more common across Colorado under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis this month.

e legislation was supported by transportation safety advocates and Democratic lawmakers who argued more speed and red light enforcement cameras would lead to lower speeds and safer roads. Tra c deaths across the state hit a 40-year high in 2022 of 745 fatalities.

e bill allows local governments to use such cameras in more places, including busy — and deadly — arterial roads like Federal Boulevard in the Denver area. It also lifts a limit that required police o cers to station speed cameras while they were in use. Denver o cials have said they support the bill.

“We need help,” city tra c engineer Emily Gloeckner said in May. “We don’t have the resources to be out there with a huge level of enforcement.”

e cameras are unpopular with some motorists. But research suggests they are indeed useful tools in improving road safety.

“Speeding vehicles are one of the most common concerns we hear in

the cycling community, and it is a major factor contributing to crashes and fatalities on Colorado’s roads,” Bicycle Colorado Executive Director Peter Piccolo wrote in an email. “We are pleased that the Governor prioritized road safety and signed this bill.”

bill to “thread the needle” of safety needs and civil liberties. For example: First-time, minor o enders of speed limits would only be issued a warning. e bill caps speeding nes at $40, though that can double for

nes, and citations would not lead to

debate in May.

e Senate sponsor, however, told CPR News in March that the low ne amounts were chosen to ght the perception that the cameras were merely money makers.

“ is isn’t about revenue, this is about safety,” said state Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster.

Story from Colorado Public Radio, which has a content-sharing agreement with Colorado Community Media.

Meet Theo!

Colorado Springs, said during a oor

Theo (275475) is an 8-yearold male cat looking for an easy going, patient home. This shy guy is relaxing in a foster home, where he treats his foster parents to purrs and biscuit-making. He is available to homes with no kids or kids over the age of 10. Theo is in foster care, so email foster@fas4pets.com

The bill allows local governments to use such cameras in more places, including busy — and deadly — arterial roads like Federal Boulevard in the Denver area. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

VOICES

Colorado natives: flowers and function in the home landscape

As a gardener in the urban Front Range, each season brings new challenges, or the same challenges just in a di erent order. Rabbits, salt, cold temperatures, hot temperatures, drought, foot tra c — sometimes the list seems never-ending. However, an almost foolproof way to ensure the success in the home garden is to look to our native plants for inspiration.

I spoke with some of my colleagues at Denver Botanic Gardens and we came up with three of our favorites to tackle tough conditions while delivering on ower power. ese plants are all native to Colorado and provide signi cant ecological bene t to our pollinators. ey are all adaptable to our urban soils and should only require supplemental water during the rst year of establishment.

GUEST COLUMN

Laura Swain

Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata) is extra coldhardy member of the daisy family is a garden powerhouse. e bright yellow owers oat atop gray-green mounding foliage, and last from early spring to frost. e golden pinwheels surround dark red centers that are full of nectar — attracting both butter ies and occasional hummingbirds. As an added bonus, the foliage is said to have the aroma of chocolate. As things wind down in the fall, leave the last crop of ower stalks to enjoy the intricate cup-shaped seed heads, which are both beautiful and a functional food source for birds.

Ten-petal blazing star (Mentzelia decapetala)

A native, night-blooming, fragrant,

drought-tolerant, pollinator magnet? Say no more! Ten-petal blazing star is a sta favorite around here — and for good reason. Although it is a biennial or short-lived perennial, once this plant is established in the garden, it will persist from seed for years to come. Sow seed directly into the garden and keep moist. It also germinates readily in pots, but transplant it into the garden early as it does develop a taproot. Mentzelia will quickly become a favorite as the striking white owers open each night, smelling sweetly of honey, only to close again before morning.

Kannah Creek Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum)

We love this little groundcover. Best suited for well-drained sites with little to no irrigation, sulphur ower buckwheat is incredibly durable,

long-lived and great for weed suppression. In early spring, the lush mat of green foliage is topped with chartreuse pom poms that mature to deep orange. Flower stalks can be sheared after flower for a tidier appearance, or left through winter and sheared in March. In fall, the foliage ages to a deep burgundy and persists through the winter season.

Not sure how to add these to the landscape? Try pairing them with some of our native grasses like blue gramma (Bouteloua gracilis) and little bluestem (Schizachryum scoparium). Using groundcovers and grasses reduces the need for maintenance like weeding and mulching each season.

Mountains in wilderness don’t need hardware

We humans want the most out of life, so why shouldn’t we push to get more of what we want?

at’s what some rock climbers must be thinking. ey want to enter designated Wilderness in order to drill permanent anchors into wilderness rock faces, turning these wild places into sport-climbing walls.

When the Wilderness Act became law in 1964, it put wildlife and wild lands rst, decreeing that these special places should be left alone as much as possible. is unusual approach codi ed humility, arguing that some wild places, rich in wildlife and natural beauty, needed as much protection as possible.

So far, the Act protects less than 3% of what Congress called “untrammeled” public land in the Lower 48. ese are unique places free of roads and vehicles and most manmade intrusions that a ict the rest of America.

e Wilderness Act also prohibits “installations,” but to get around this, a group called the Access Fund has

persuaded friends in Congress to introduce a bill that would, in e ect, amend the Wilderness Act.

Introduced by Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from the anti-environmental delegation of Utah, and co-sponsored by Democrat Joe Neguse from Colorado, the “Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” (PARC Act) has been promoted as bi-partisan. Yet over 40 conservation groups, from small grassroots greens to large national organizations, have written Congress to oppose the bill. Wilderness is not about human convenience, they say, it’s about safeguarding the tiny pockets of wild landscape we’ve allowed to remain.

e PARC Act directs federal agencies to recognize the legal use of xed anchors in Wilderness, a backdoor

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approach to statutory amendment that even the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior oppose.

In a hearing on the bill, the Forest Service stated that “creating new denitions for allowable uses in wilderness areas, as (the PARC Act) would do, has the practical e ect of amending the Wilderness Act. (It) could have serious and harmful consequences for the management of wilderness areas across the nation.”

Beyond the permanent visual evidence of human development, xed anchors would attract more climbers looking for bolted routes and concentrate use in sensitive habitats. at impact is harmful enough, but the bill also sends a loud message: Recreation interests are more important than preserving the small bit of Wilderness we have left.

What’s coming next is clear. Some mountain bikers, led by the Sustainable Trails Coalition, have introduced legislation to exempt mountain bikes from the prohibition on mechanized travel in Wilderness.

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en there are the trail runners who want exemptions from the ban on commercial trail racing. Drone pilots and hang-gliders also want their forms of aircraft exempted.

What’s confounding is that climbing is already allowed in Wilderness. is bill is simply about using xed bolts to climb as opposed to using removable protection. at’s apparently confusing to some people.

An article in the Salt Lake Tribune went so far as to wrongly state that, “a ban on anchors would be tantamount to a ban on climbing in wilderness areas.”

But now, even some climbers are pushing back. e Montana writer George Ochenski, known for his decades of rst ascents in Wilderness, calls the Tribune’s position “Total bullsh*t.” In an e-mail, he said bolting routes “bring ‘sport climbing’ into the wilderness when it belongs in the gym or on non-wilderness rocks.”

For decades, many climbers have

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Laura Swain is a horticulturist with the Denver Botanic Gardens.

There’s a certain cliché about big things coming in small packages, but over the years that has become increasingly true with regards to tiny houses and the culture around them. e COVID-19 pandemic and a ordable housing crisis have both contributed to more people investigating the myriad uses of tiny homes, and all signs point to that number rising.

For those who are already fans of tiny homes or are eager to learn more, the Colorado Tiny House Festival is back for the sixth year to provide all the information and exploration anyone could want.

“We’ll have more than 30 structures available to check out this year and a bunch of new builders coming in,” said Art Laubach, organizer of the festival. “We have a lot of variety and new stu for people to see, especially with how much our industry has grown since COVID.”

e Colorado Tiny House Festival will be held at Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton, on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. e festival is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

According to provided information, the festival is the largest tiny house and alternative living event in the region and allows attendees to explore some of the di erent tiny home options, chat with experts in the elds of homebuilding, sustainable living and long-time tiny home residents, and sample the wares of vendors and local eateries.

While tiny homes are designed to be used as more permanent residences, there are plenty of options on the recreational side of things for travelers to explore.

“Tiny homes are built more like foundation homes and are built as four-season structures with typical home materials,” Laubach said. “But there is the camper van side, which is something we’re seeing more people interested in, especially with the workfrom-home options that followed COVID-19.”

Young people are particularly getting interested in recreational vehicles

JOHNSON

FROM PAGE 12

advocated for a marriage of climbing and wilderness ethics. In Chouinard Equipment’s rst catalog, Patagonia founder and legendary climber Yvon Chouinard called for an ethic of “clean climbing” that comes from “the exercise of moral restraint and individual responsibility.”

We don’t like to think of recreation as consumptive, but it consumes the diminishing resource of space. And protected space is in short supply as stressors on the natural world increase. With every “user group”

Tiny homes, big potential

COMING ATTRACTIONS

like teardrop campers and camper vans, as well as converting old vans or school buses into something they can take out on the road.

to explore their connection to nature for as long as we’ve made art. Our relationship to the natural world is constantly evolving and as we’ve seen over the last few years, it’s a fragile relationship we need to do everything we can to protect.

Clarke Reader

“With camper vans, it’s much easier to be o the grid and there are so many opportunities for travel,” Laubach said. ese small structures are great because they allow people to do many of the same things they’d do at home without investing in another vehicle.”

Regardless of if you’re looking to invest in a tiny home or camper van or just want to see what kind of vehicles people have built for themselves, there’s plenty to enlighten at the festival.

“We want people to see how livable these structures are and see them as viable living solutions,” Laubach said. “People are also encouraged to think outside the box in terms of recreation — there are more options than huge RVs.”

Tickets and information can be found at https://coloradotinyhousefestival.com/.

Pop culture HQ arrives in Denver

Fan Expo Denver provides hardcore nerds, pop culture obsessives and casual fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in all things fandom. Over years, the event has grown in scope and reputation to the point where massive celebrities like Hayden Christensen, Danny Trejo and Neve Campbell will be on hand, as will artists, cosplayers and vendors of all kinds. It’s one of the most fun weekends of the entire year and it’s back at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. in Denver, from Friday, June 30 through Sunday, July 2.

Find all the details at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodenver/.

Walker Fine Art reforges connection with nature

Humans have found creative ways

demand, the refuge for wild animals grows smaller. Meanwhile, a startling number of our animal counterparts have faded into extinction.

As someone who loves trail running, I understand the allure of wedding a love of wild places with the love of adventure and sport. But I’ve also come to see that the ip side of freedom is restraint, and Wilderness needs our restraint more than ever.

Dana Johnson is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She is a sta attorney and policy director for Wilderness Watch, a national wilderness nonpro t.

In Coalescing Connections, the latest exhibition at Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, seven artists —Julie Anderson, Mark Penner Howell, Sara Sanderson, Brian Comber, Cara Enteles, Sharon Strasburg and Norman Epp— have the opportunity to explore their connection with nature.

Get all the details about the show at www.walker neart.com/coalescingconnections.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Zach Bryan at Red Rocks ere are few things a musician

VOLZ

can do that is as powerful as taking the stage at Rocks and commanding the stage. As you can hear on last year’s excellent live recording, “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster,”Zach Bryan is just that kind of musician. e Oklahoma-based country star has made a huge name for himself in short order and he’s truly one of the most exciting artists working in the genre.

Bryan and his band will be returning to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in, Morrison, for two nights — 8 p.m. on Monday, June 26 and Tuesday, June 27. He’ll be joined by opener Jonathan Peyton.   Find ticket at www.axs.com.

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

Barbara Ann (Schaub) Volz

October 7, 1936 - June 12, 2023

In Loving Memory of Barbara Ann (Schaub) Volz who was born on October 7, 1936 and entered into eternal life on June 12,2023. Barbara’s life began in Mitchell South Dakota where she graduated from Mitchell High School in 1955. She married Ron Volz (deceased) and made a loving home in Arvada Colorado where they raised their four kids and attended/involved in many school events. With her strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, she supported her kids through St. Annes church/school and Holy Family High, and was always on the sideline cheering at all the games. She loved the outdoors with many camping trips, sledding/skiing outings, and made Christmases with her kids a special event. e family built a beautiful mountain home in Winter Park Colorado where she was the chief helper and welcomed all to enjoy.

As Barbara raised her four kids with the loving grace of God, she continued to enjoy her many crafts with her friends, always a commitment to community services, helping

out wherever needed with always expressing her love to strangers, friends, and family. Later in life, she moved to Fruita Colorado where she continued to be active with family and friends. Barbara is preceded by her parents Katherine (Herman Titze) and George Schaub, and sister Sharon Flesher. She leaves behind a beautiful family with her sons Mike (Cheryl) and Tim (Julie), and daughters Cathy (Peter) Golesh and Connie Volz, and 10 grandchildren; Jessica, Travis, Justin, Gregory, Marissa, Carly, and Matt, Jennifer, Jonathan, and Chelsea, along with 10 great grandchildren.

En lieu of owers, the family has requested donations be made in Barbara’s honor to Charles Stanley’s In Touch Ministries, which was a favorite ministry of hers (donation link below). A private family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

www.intouch.org/about-us/ways-to-give

Therapists

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When people think of horses, they might associate them with ranch living, horse racing or recreational riding, but horses can be therapeutic, too.  erapy takes many forms, from physical to mental. Some people travel to a ranch to work with horses as part of the therapeutic process.

Equine-assisted therapy was something Arvada native Kelsey Petitt discovered while studying occupational therapy at Pima Medical Institute in Denver. Having grown up riding horses, it immediately caught her attention.

“I just, kind of, was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever. I can combine my true passion of horses and really being able to help and assist participants and patients with doing therapy and reaching their functional goals while also having fun with horses and having that relationship,’” Petitt said.

Although she knew immediately that equine-assisted therapy was something she wanted to pursue, she did not do so immediately. Following her schooling and clinical internships, she quickly began working and then had her daughter.

However, in 2021 Petitt, who now lives in Brighton, decided to establish the Brighton-based Prestige erapeutic Equestrian Center, o ering an occupational therapy program that brings the four-legged companions into the practice.

“Now, I’m going on 11 years of being a therapist and so it’s taken me a little bit of time to get back to, really, what I wanted to do,” said Petitt, who also works as an occupational therapy assistant for a company called erapeutic and Rehabilitative Associates.

Her purpose, like many other therapists incorporating horses into their practice, is clear: “Transforming lives through the therapeutic power of horses.”

Bringing horses into occupational therapy

Occupational therapists help people develop skills so that they can perform day-to-day tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating, as well as techniques to aid in memory and concentration, according to the American Occupational erapy Association.

For example, occupational therapists may work on a person’s ne motor skills, such as being able to button a jacket or holding a fork, Petitt said.

ey also work on sensory integration, which she said usually comes up when working with someone who is on the autism spectrum.

Another example of work they do is helping someone with their feeding skills, such as for patients with Parkinson’s disease who experience a lot of tremors. Improving core strength may also be a focus for patients, such as for someone who struggles to put their shirt on due to a lack of strength.

“ ere’s an array of di erent settings that you can get into in the occupational therapy eld, but I think for me, the equine-assisted movement is just something that I’ve always loved,” she said. “Horses are just so therapeutic in general, for anybody.”

e term “hippotherapy” refers to how occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology professionals use equine movement as a therapy tool, according to the American Hippotherapy Association.

To use hippotherapy in treatment, a person must be a licensed therapist who has completed continuing education in the inclusion of horses and equine movement, per the association. Petitt has gotten her rst level of training with the association, and she plans to continue with her training this fall.

However, Petitt explained that she does not refer to herself as a hippotherapist because hippotherapy is not its own therapy.

“We’re not hippotherapists,” she said. “Hippotherapy is utilizing the horse. All of our treatments are either occupational therapy, speech therapy or physical therapy, and we’re just using the horse as a treatment tool, basically.”

With her clients, she said she is working on all of the same therapy interventions that she would be in a therapy gym or in an outpatient program, but instead she’s now doing it by having her clients get onto a horse and incorporating the horse’s movement into the treatment.

“We work o the horse’s pelvis, so their pelvis is very similar to ours,” she said.  ere are di erent planes for the horse in the way that their pelvis moves — the sagittal plane, frontal plane and transverse plane, she said.

“We’re working on that constantly, so when we have our riders on the horse, they’re also working on that. And it’s one of the most multi-dimensional movement(s) that’s rhythmic and repetitive,” she said.

For someone experiencing conditions such as limited mobility, limited core strength, cognitive delays, or sensory processing disorders, “it can really just kind of help bene t and improve all of those elements,” she said of equine-assisted therapy.

According to a study published in the international journal, Physiotherapy eory and Practice, there are “signicant positive e ects” of equine-assisted therapy on exercise tolerance, mobility, interpersonal interactions and quality of life of people with disabilities.

Another study focused on the ef-

fects of equine-assisted activities and therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum and concluded that these programs “substantially improve” the social and behavioral functions of people who are on the autism spectrum.

“Communication is pretty key, too … because horses mirror us, so a lot of our participants can learn a lot more speech and communication successfully with the horses, which is really great,” she said.

Petitt has three horses she works with. e horse a client is paired with is dependent on their individual needs, she explained.

“Part of what’s so cool is because we can kind of tailor it to that participant, that patient, and kind of really work on what we need to work on with them,” she said. “ eir postural control, sensory systems, motor planning.”

In a typical therapy gym for occupational therapy, Petitt said there are tools such as a swing, a ball and a mat to use for the session. However, these do not provide the same level of sensory input and rhythmic, consistent movement that equine-assisted therapy can, which she said is great at building overall strength, control and balance.

“We can work in the therapy gym all day but the bene ts and the outcomes that we’re seeing while doing therapy

A young girl works on her skills at the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

describe how they incorporate horses into their practice

Sage is one of the horses at the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRESTIGE THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

on the horses are just so much more transformative and more meaningful than we can get in the gym,” she said.

Looking ahead, Petitt said she hopes to soon expand her team to include a physical therapist.

“And then I’m really hoping to hire a speech therapist as well, because riding the horses … there’s so much to do with our respiration rate when we’re riding them,” she said. “What that can do for speech language pathologists is really help with that physiological system of how we talk.”

At the Prestige erapeutic Equestrian Center, Petitt also o ers “therapeutic horseback riding,” which she explained is not a professional therapy service but is rather like a recreational sport where individuals learn riding skills. is experience can, in turn, lead to other bene ts such as helping deal with anxiety.

However, when it comes to getting professional therapy treatment for mental health conditions like coping with trauma, grief, abuse, or other challenging experiences, community members have an equinebased option — the therapists with Rocky Mountain Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, LLC.

Horses and psychotherapy

Carina Kellenberger and Dana Schultz, both licensed clinical social workers who grew up loving horses, established Rocky Mountain Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in 2013.

Schultz, who lives near Superior, and Kellenberger, who lives in Longmont, primarily practice at the Happy Dog Ranch in the Littleton area and at Medicine Horse in Boulder.

“We are licensed clinical social workers that have a trauma-specialty focus in … equine therapy,” Schultz said, explaining they do formal intakes and development clinical-based treatment plans.

ere is a di erence between equine-assisted therapy and equine-facilitated therapy, Kellenberger noted.

“When we rst started our business back in 2013, the word ‘equine-facilitated learning and psychotherapy’ did not exist, but that is the work we are doing,” Kellenberger said. “Equine-facilitated psychotherapy and learning means that the horse — the relationship with the horse is the vehicle for change.”

Under the practice of equine-facilitated psychotherapy, it is the client’s relationship and connection with the animal that is moving the sessions forward, she said.

“ e di erence between the learning and the psychotherapy are, like, a lot of the group work is mainly more learning because we’re not really diving into personal issues and we’re keeping it a little more surface level,” Kellenberger said. “But (in) the psychotherapy … we go as deep just like any o ce therapist would.”

Equine-assisted therapy is di erent because while horses are incorporated into the practice, the client’s relationship with them is not the driving force, she said. Rather, the horses are more of a tool component of the therapy.

“ ey might be being used more as a metaphor or as a way to help move through an activity, but they’re not — the relationship with the animal isn’t the central piece,” she added. “In the facilitated work that we do with our clients, it’s the relationship as the primary drive and the connection with the horse.”

Kellenberger and Schultz may use an equinefacilitated or an equine-assisted therapy approach when treating a client, as it depends on what the client is seeking, Schultz said. Kellenberger added that equine-assisted therapy is bene cial as an assessment tool.

Both Schultz and Kellenberger received certi cation in animal-assisted social work from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, as

well as completed training through the organization Natural Lifemanship in trauma-focused equineassisted psychotherapy.

“A lot of our clients, they’re coming to us because they’ve experienced trauma, and so we’re making sure that everything that we’re doing is through that lens as well,” Kellenberger said.

Schultz noted their approach is always using a clinical, evidence-based lens and horses are a part of the team. She works with clients to identify their primary goals and the horse becomes their partner in that journey.

“We know that therapy is hard and incredibly personal, and it’s a di cult journey for people to admit, like, ‘Hey, I need help.’ And so one of the things that we always do is provide our potential clients with a free meet-and-greet,” Schultz said, explaining the person can visit the ranch to meet her and hear the elevator pitch.

“Part of that elevator pitch is recognizing how difcult the therapeutic process and journey can be for some, and that the relationship that you have with the therapist is as important as the relationship that you are going to form with your horse,” she added.

Most of the work during therapy sessions is unmounted, Kellenberger said, explaining the clients may do things like grooming the horse, leading the horse or doing other things that help them feel connected to the horse.

Once sessions begin, Schultz said herself and Kellenberger are skilled at identifying patterns in people’s behaviors.

“We basically say, ‘I’m noticing this pattern. Is it helpful or not?’” Schultz said, explaining they use the identi cation of patterns to build rapport and trust with clients before then delving deeper into working through their trauma.

e trauma a lot of their clients experience is a ecting the way they show up in their human relationships, Kellenberger said.

“Working with the horses — who are prey animals and are highly sensitive and attuned to our intentions, our emotions — they make excellent partners in this work, because they are able to kind of mirror or … show the patterns that people have in the same way that a human would,” Kellenberger said.

Schultz noted that the work being done during these therapy sessions happens in the moment, providing an opportunity for real-time change.

“Our horses … they are not magical unicorn creatures. ey are going to ignore our clients. ey are going to resist,” Schultz said. “And the client is going to, you know, respond or react.

“And that’s kind of what we’re observing and saying, ‘Hey, is this pattern helpful for you? Because it’s happening right here, right now. So, right now, in this moment, you’re feeling frustrated, you’re feeling abandoned, you’re feeling unheard, (or) you’re feeling whatever. What can we do right now in this moment to help shift the way that you’re feeling to a more balanced thought?’” she continued.

ese therapy sessions provide a way for clients to, in a safe space, start

to make changes to those patterns and feel more comfortable not only in their relationship to the horse but in their relationships with people, explained Kellenberger.

“ e actual brain starts to change while they’re working with the animal,” Kellenberger said. “And horses are really great at this, also, because they are prey animals. ey are looking for vulnerability and congruence from us because that’s how they keep themselves safe in the wild.”

“If a client is really holding back an emotion, they’re being incongruent, you’ll see the reaction from the horse in that way,” she continued. “As soon as … our clients are able to start to be more congruent in their own bodies, that feels very safe for the horse and that’s where the connections really start to form.”

It is through this real-time therapy work with the horse that the clients can begin to learn how to transfer the shifts in their approach into their everyday lives, Schultz explained.

“Having done this for 10 years, I can tell you, we have seen so many clients who come in and they’re like, ‘I’ve tried everything else. Nothing else works,’” Schultz said. “We see clients, I think, for a shorter period of time, I think, on average, than maybe what a traditional talk therapist in an o ce setting would see because it isn’t so retroactive or future-oriented.”  Kellenberger added, “It’s kind of just eye-opening, and it can unlock patterns that people didn’t know that they had that they’ve been working on for years in the o ce. So I would say that the horses are amazing partners because they are so sensitive and they can show us a lot about ourselves pretty quickly.”

Spreading the word

All three therapists expressed a desire to raise awareness of the existence of their practices and how it can help people.

“It’s as good as … any other therapy,

Kelsey Petitt established the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center in 2021.

COURTESY OF PRESTIGE THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

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HEALING

and you don’t need horse experience to do it,” Schultz said. “It’s not just for any speci c type of person.”

Schultz said when she and Kellenberger entered into the industry, it was small and many people did not really understand it.

“ ere were so many people, especially when we were rst getting started, that were just kind of doing backyard therapy that were not therapists,” Kellenberger said, explaining that she and Schultz wanted to put their mental health degrees at the forefront of their work and help the eld gain notoriety.

“Because we were seeing the really great work that can be done when you’re doing it correctly,” she added,

advising people to do their research and look for licensed therapists.

Schultz highlighted that this type of therapy is for everyone, saying they have clients ranging from the ages of 7 to 78.

“It’s inspiring. I’m inspired by my clients to, you know, for me to keep my training up, to be the best I can be because they’re showing up to do the hard work,” Schultz said.

In her work in occupational therapy, Petitt shared how powerful it is to see clients transform throughout equineassisted therapy sessions.

“It’s just so cool to see them being able to accomplish the things that they weren’t able to accomplish before,” she said. “Raising awareness of what we do is so important and amazing to help our riders grow.”

“It’s just amazing what horses do for us,” Petitt said. “ ey’re so inspiring.”

Carina Kellenberger, left, and Dana Schultz, right, established Rocky Mountain Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in 2013. COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY

FROM PAGE 15

A young child tosses a basketball while on a horse at the Prestige Therapeutic Equestrian Center. COURTESY OF PRESTIGE THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

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‘Women in Trades’

Emily Gri th Technical College celebrates women entering fields traditionally held by men

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

A woman’s place is in the kitchen – xing the pipes, of course. Or maybe doing plumbing repairs in the bathroom, or perhaps, xing a client’s HVAC unit.

Emily Gri th Technical College in downtown Denver has been educating people for more than 100 years. Recently, it created a special focus to attract female students to study careers in the trades.

ese female students were in the spotlight on May 9, when the Emily Gri th Foundation hosted an inaugural event at ReelWorks Denver called A Celebration of Women in Trades. It was a sellout with 256 attendees, and proved that more women are entering the elds that men have historically dominated.

“It was incredible,” said Robin Chalecki, president of the Emily Gri th Foundation. “We have not done a fundraiser lunch for a couple of years, since COVID. I wanted to host an event that really highlighted our students in the best way.”

Chalecki credits Emily Gri th students for their initiative and willingness to invest in themselves and their futures.

“Our students are so incredible, so entrepreneurial in spirit, investing in themselves to make their lives better,” she said. “It’s students that know the path they are taking.”

Emily Gri th has an 82% completion rate for its students, an 85% placement rate and a 99% success rate when it comes to students earning their licenses. More than 400 employers have hired Emily

earned a bachelor’s degree but decided against going into teaching because of a lack of jobs.

Her father was a second-generation plumber.

“I thought I’d go back to what I knew, which is plumbing,” Flores said. “Trades will always be a highdemand, steady job. I could get hired just about anywhere. ere’s a high demand for my skill set, particularly since I have both a plumb-

ing and HVAC background.”

In the long view, Flores would like to get a managerial job or go into engineering.

Catrina Peralta is studying CADBIM, which stands for computer aided drafting and building information modeling, at Emily Gri th and will nish her studies in April next year.

As the fourth child in a family of nine kids, she’s been working since she was 12 and has honed good work habits.

“I had to work really young to help out the family,” said Peralta, who is 36.

She describes computer programming as “all these di erent tools to build a building — anything from ground up, designing windows, doors, xtures, where electricity is run.”

Peralta has a job, and is taking courses 10 hours a week in person and the rest online.

“ at’s pretty much why I chose Emily Gri th. ey’re exible,”

Peralta said.

She’s also looking into internships through Emily Gri th. Peralta hopes to be in a management position by age 40 “and to learn the eld the best I can.”

e May 9 event included a panel of three women who work in trades — one from the automotive repair program, another from the welding program and the third is an apprenticeship instructor at Emily Gri th. ey discussed why they entered these mostly-male elds.

“Our panelists were just fabulous,” Chalecki said. “ ey spoke about their journeys, why they came into nontraditional trades, why women should come into these elds — and the audience reacted positively to this.”

e event also included demo stations where attendees could learn more about industries that Emily Gri th students are studying, and students showed o what

Students participate in a Welding class at Emily Gri th Technical College’s Branch Campus in Denver. COURTESY OF EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE

TRADES

they learned from their classes.  Demo stations included water quality management, welding, and health sciences programs. One woman demonstrated how HVAC works. Auto repair students had an auto body repair simulator, and

also demonstrated how to paint cars.

“We (still) have a ways to go get more women” in these elds, Chalecki said, adding that getting the message out that they have support is important.

But “more people in general are understanding the value of a trades education,” Chalecki said. “ at will mean that more women will arrive as well.”

A student in the Automotive Service program at Emily Gri th Technical College reconstructs the inside of a car door during class.

Coloradan reflects on touring with Christopher Cross, tennis coaching and Uber driving

BY JULIO SANDOVAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Inventor, musician, tennis player, coach, and most recently Uber driver are the various professions that have sustained Gene Morris’ life over the last several decades, including what he considers a robust spiritual path.

“I just love God’s creation, and I love to get out in it and explore and experiment with life. A lot of things I don’t understand, but I don’t have to understand them to enjoy them. So that’s kind of where I am in life,” he explained, while sitting outside next to his violin, which was leaning up against a park bench.

Morris says even though he is 71 years old, in his mind, he feels more like 17.

“I’ve been around for a while. I guess you could say I’m old enough to be a sage and that’s kind of dangerous because it means I have a trace of wisdom in there, and I know just enough to be dangerous, but the love of life keeps me like a teenager,” he explained with a laugh.

Morris told Rocky Mountain PBS that he plays the trumpet, piano, harmonica, violin and viola, which, according to his Facebook page made it easy for ve-time Grammy winning singer/songwriter Christopher Cross to ask Morris to be a performer in his band.

“I played with Christopher Cross, and I think that’s where I learned a lot about the industry,” he added, explaining how that was the highlight of his career. “It was more than just the music; we would socialize and eat out. I got to know him.”

Morris’ Facebook page also talks about his 30-to-40-year career as

a tennis coach; he claims to have worked with a few of the greats like Andy Roddick and Martina Navratilova.

He said his transition to tennis was an easy decision after his wife decided that going on a rock and roll tour with Christopher Cross wasn’t going to happen since they had a young son at home.

“My son was one at the time — my rst-born, Nathan — and I was talking about going on the road for a year and my wife was like, ‘drugs, sex,

“If I’d gone on tour, I’d probably not be alive today, so I picked up tennis as my income over the next 40 or so years and was able to raise my kids and a ord a family,” he said. ese days Morris is an Uber driver which he says pays for patent attorney’s fees for his development of a contraption called the “wave,” that helps violins sound better during studio recordings.

“One of the things I discovered while playing violin in the studio [is that] you have this wonderful hollow wood bodied instrument right next

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to your ear, and when I went into the studio and played, I wasn’t hearing that. It sounded like a rubber band; very thin, it didn’t have this rich wood sounds,” Morris explained. Overall, Morris feels his life has been a lucky one. “I’m blessed because I get to hop in a car and meet people and I always carry my ddle on the dash,” he said. “You know, with the road rage, I can look at my ddle and just chill out and realize this too shall pass.”

Story from Rocky Mountain PBS, which has a content-sharing agreement with Colorado Community Media.

candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

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Gene Morris toured with Christopher Cross and was a tennis coach.

PHOTO BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Secret survey might explain lack of fire camera bill

success,” he said. “If it gets held up or delayed, there’s always more risk.”

Some lawmakers have downplayed the in uence of the secret survey, saying it doesn’t determine what legislation lives or dies.

BY SCOTT FRANZ KUNC

It’s a four-year-old mystery at the state Capitol.

Why does a bill that would deploy high-tech cameras to scan for potentially deadly wild res fail yearafter-year despite universal praise from lawmakers from both sides of the aisle?

Equipped with arti cial intelligence and heat sensors, the cameras are steadily replacing an older warning system used in wild re areas that relied on humans scanning the horizon from watch towers.

State Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, said the new technology can give re ghters a key advantage.

“It can detect just a wisp of smoke, and it’s that type of situation in remote areas that could save forests and homes and properties and lives,” she said at the bill’s rst hearing this year.

Colorado lawmakers have tried and failed three times in the last four years to pass a bill to purchase the cameras. ey’ve also struggled to explain why such a bill has not passed.

Democrats blamed Republican libuster attempts of other bills at the very end of last year’s session for its death, but that didn’t explain why Democrats didn’t schedule it for a key vote after it passed its rst test unanimously two months earlier.

is year’s revived version of the

camera bill unanimously passed the Senate in April. But just like last year, the bill never got scheduled for that key vote in the House appropriations committee.

Republican Rep. Mike Lynch sponsored the bill and said he wasn’t told why it was being killed before a public vote.

“If there’s backroom stu that went on with it, I wasn’t privy to it,” he said last week.

KUNC discovered there was some “backroom stu ” that Lynch and the public weren’t aware of at the time. And it might help explain what happened.

In late March, Democrats who

control the legislature privately ranked the legislation in a secret ballot process they call quadratic voting.

Democrats in the Senate, which passed the bill unanimously, ranked the bill as their no. 2 priority on a list of 25 bills requiring one time payments. On that same list, the House ranked the bill 15th of 25.

e results are anonymous though, so it isn’t clear which House members didn’t vote to prioritize the camera bill, and why.

Lynch said Republicans don’t participate in the survey and aren’t given the results. Only Democrats received links to this year’s survey.

e results of the survey weren’t released to the public until almost a month after it was taken in response to an open records request .

Lynch says if he had known earlier that the cameras ranked at the bottom half of the House Democrats list of priorities, he would have fought harder to pass it.

“I think that that’s a pretty scary way of legislating,” he said of the anonymous bill ranking process. “You know, when you start putting something into a calculation, you now have taken some of the human aspects…or the subjectivity out of there.”

Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, introduced the secret bill ranking survey to the Capitol in 2019 as a way to help Democrats decide how to spend a limited budget. He told KUNC last year that bills that rank higher tend to get scheduled for votes earlier in the session.

“And the earlier something gets moved, the better chance it has of

A KUNC analysis of the outcome of the bills included in the secret survey shows a pattern.

Bills with higher price tags that ranked at the bottom of the survey typically had funding removed, were voted down or left to die without a public vote more often than the bills that ranked at the top of the survey.

Rep. Lynch says the Democrats’ survey process raises questions and could help explain why his push to buy wild re cameras suddenly died this year without a public vote.

“Especially a bill that (passed) unanimous out of the Senate,” he said. “ at kind of raises an eyebrow going, ‘wait a minute, where was the pushback on this?’”

Lawmakers did pass several other wild re-related bills this year, including a new military-grade re ghting helicopter and investments in ame-resistant building materials.

Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, co-sponsored the failed camera bill with Lynch.

She said it was unique because it was one of the only policies focused on preventing res from getting out of control.

“We know, for instance, the Marshall Fire actually spread pretty quickly,” she said. “Imagine if we had more of (the cameras)...Could we have gotten gotten to it quick, much (more) quickly.”

Joseph says she’s committed to sponsoring the wild re camera bill again next year.

“I’m disappointed that community members do not have that extra tool or, you know, in their toolbox to help them when it comes to mitigating a wild re,” she said last week.

e wild re detection camera program would have cost $2 million, while the new re ghting helicopter lawmakers ordered will cost $26 million.

Some wild- re prone places aren’t waiting for the legislature to pay for the cameras. O cials in San Miguel County in southwestern Colorado announced they are installing four of them this year to scan for res.

e state forester’s o ce estimated in 2019 that 2.9 million Coloradans, or more than half the state’s population, lived in areas that are prone to wild re.

is KUNC story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

Elk graze in a forest burned by the East Troublesome Fire near Grand Lake.

PHOTO BY SCOTT FRANZ/KUNC

Colorado lawmakers have repeatedly failed to pass measure

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School spirit, according to Arapahoe High School national award winner

For Alicia Peterson, it’s all about the kids

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

School spirit for Alicia Peterson means providing a consistent environment of optimism and belonging for her students, much like what she was looking for when she was in high school. And the impact she’s making is getting noticed nationwide.

Peterson, the activities administrative assistant for Arapahoe High School, is the recipient of a national Varsity Brands school spirit award. Speci cally, Peterson received the 2023 Sta Member Award. Awards weren’t even on her radar until Abby Kuhlmann, the activities director and assistant principal at Arapahoe, broke the news to her recently.

“She was like, ‘Do you want to hear something awesome?’” Peterson said. “‘I nominated you for the Varsity Brands award. Do you want to hear something really cool? You’re a nalist.’ And I’m like, I’ve never even heard of the spirit awards before.”

On June 8, during the Varsity Brands virtual awards ceremony, Peterson was announced as the winner.

Kuhlmann wrote an obviously persuasive essay on Peterson’s behalf, placing Peterson among roughly a dozen winners from all over the country. All are being celebrated for their exceptional, dedicated school spirit and making a real di erence.

A total of $70,000 was awarded across 15 spirit categories, including a $25,000 grand prize for “America’s Most Spirited High School,” which was awarded to Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, California. Peterson, who has been with Araphoe for ve years, said she’s not quite sure what her exact prize will be, but that’s not why she does what she does.

Before Peterson moved to Colorado, she got involved by helping out with her daughter’s rst-grade class in activities, PTA work, and other responsibilities. Her daughter is now 28, but her passion in working with children continued, and she never left academics.

Now, in her role with the activities o ce, Peterson wears many hats: helping put on school dances, working games for athletics, managing school clubs, student council meetings, assemblies and more. She has no doubt she’s in the right place.

“ is is like, the biggest honor, other than being a mom and a grandma, than I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Peterson said.

High school wasn’t always easy for Peterson. She admitted to having a di cult home life, but nding refuge in the kindness of one teacher, Brenda Park, who ran the drama department at her high school in West Valley City, Utah.

Peterson had friends that encouraged her to join their drama class, but every time Peterson would get in front of the class, she would break down and cry out of stagefright. But Mrs. Park didn’t let her give up. Despite her nerves, she

encouraged Peterson to look for other ways to contribute, making posters, selling tickets, and supporting the program.

For Peterson, she had finally found her place in school, and that was everything.

“I’ve been out of high school for 35 years actually, this year. And I still remember Mrs. Park, pulling me aside and making a place for me,” Peterson said. “It’s so important for me that kids have a place. It could be a club, it could be a team, it could be just a teacher that loves them. She’s the one I remember.”

Peterson said even today, she gets nervous talking in front of adults, but can talk to kids all day long. It’s important they have someone in their corner to keep them going, she said. The

world is hard.

“I just want to have a connection with kids that make them feel like they have somebody. The more relationships that people have, it makes them able to succeed and to keep going every day. It’s hard to be a kid today, but if they have somebody who takes an interest in them and makes them feel like they belong, then they are gonna want to keep going,” Peterson said.

For a full list of the 2023 Varsity Brands School Spirit Award winners, visit the brand’s website.

“I’ll never be a professional speaker or anything like that. I also joke that I can’t sing, I can’t dance, but I can mom anybody. That’s just what I do,” Peterson said.

if

Alicia Peterson has been with Arapahoe High School for five years, serving as an administrative assistant in the activities department. She’s the national 2023 Varsity Brands Sta Member Award winner for school spirit.

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cated in they win hopeful amazing!” estimated to bask title making.  nals said following June and MVP found podium, want dressed want best. you.” ers Head cheerleaders showered from procession kids to thrilled “Champion Avalanche win

CELEBRATING THE CHAMPIONS

Fans who braved crowds for Nuggets victory parade not disappointed

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Hatch family from Northglenn never misses a Denver Nuggets game, if they can help it. ey’ve been dedicated fans since moving to Colorado in 2011 and when the team won its rst NBA championship this week, they knew they’d be at the parade on ursday.

“We never really expected to actually win the championship, but we were hopeful for one,” Ariel Hatch said. “It’s amazing!”

e family of ve were among the estimated 700,000 to one million fans to descend on downtown on June 15 to bask in the glory of the a Nuggets NBA title that was more than 50 years in the making.

ere, they had the chance to see Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who famously said he wanted to go home to Serbia following the title-clinching victory on June 12.

Instead, he was in a white Denver re truck with No. 15 in gold letters and his name, the missing Finals MVP trophy nearby. When he nally found his way through the crowd to a podium, the crowd erupted.

“You know that I told you I didn’t want to stay for parade,” Jokic addressed the crowd. “But I [expletive] want to stay for parade. is is the best. We love you, Denver. is is for you.”

He was one of many Nuggets players at the parade. Also there was Head Coach Mike Malone, sta ers, cheerleaders and Rocky the mascot –showered with love, beer, and cheers from the masses as they passed on a procession of re trucks.

David Zuckerman brought his two kids down from the Boulder area to see the spectacle. He said he is thrilled Denver can o cially be called “Champion City” after seeing both the Avalanche hockey team and Nuggets win titles in back-to-back years.

He said the Nuggets are more than

Nuggets player Bruce Brown shows some love to the crowd at the beginning of the parade.

PHOTOS BY JOHN RENFROW

Nearly one million fans converged downtown for the Denver Nuggets’ championship parade.

SEE CHAMPIONS, P26

CHAMPIONS

a Denver team. ey’re a Colorado team.

“It’s exciting for everyone to be moving in the same direction for something positive, especially considering the Avalanche won last year (also),” Zuckerman said.

Taylor Wright has lived in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood for eight years after moving from Kentucky.  ough he’s watched lots of great basketball from the Nuggets, and has become a self-proclaimed diehard fan, he wasn’t sure if they could really win a championship until recently.

“After the performance in the NBA bubble in 2020, it seemed more realistic,” he said. “It’s unreal to witness a franchise winning its rst championship, though.”

Ashley Guss of Adams County said her family has been strong Nuggets fans since the J.R. Smith days, and to see a championship come to fruition is surreal.

“I knew as soon as we went up in the nals series that we were coming out here for the parade to celebrate,” Guss said. “It’s been a long time coming for this team, and you can see that in the amount of people who came out

today.”

Stan Jacobsen from Evergreen agrees.

“Watching these guys this whole season really shows how much they deserve to win it. It’s great to see them get what they’ve worked so hard for. e fans here have really embraced the entire team,” Jacobsen said.  Festivities kicked o with a pre-rally at Civic Center Park at 9 a.m., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. that traveled from Union Station to Civic Center Park.

During the parade, players and coaches signed merchandise. ey even hopped o the oats to interact with the crowd. Several players and coaches addressed the massive congregation at Civic Center Park.

“Life’s about moments,” Coach Malone said. “We have people that have been supporting this team for 47 years … We’re some greedy [expletive], baby. We’re getting another one. It’s hitting me right now. For me, to share it with our fans, that means the world to me. is is an amazing experience. Something that I believed in. I had no doubt that we’d get to this point.”

Fans from all the corners of Colorado came. ey hailed from Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south to Grand Junction in the west. ey might as well rename the team the Colorado Nuggets.

FROM PAGE 25

From left to right: Reece, Ariel, Callie, Lillie and Crystal Hatch pose for a photo after the Denver Nuggets championship parade. The family made the trip from Northglenn. JOHN RENFROW

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