Arvada Press 072023

Arvada celebrates its newest park

Arvada City Council votes to allow pocket neighborhoods

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arvada City Council has voted to add a zoning designation to the Arvada Land Development Code that will allow for pocket neighborhoods in Arvada.

e change, which was voted on at the July 10 City Council meeting, creates a new kind of zoning, called Commercial, Neighborhood or CN. is does not immediately rezone any areas of Arvada. Instead, developers can submit proposals for businesses within residential areas, which will be evaluated on a caseby-case basis.

e proposal to allow for this zoning designation was passed 6-0, with Mayor Marc Williams absent from the meeting.

e creation of CN zoning allows for a wide variety of businesses, such as restaurants, bars, o ces, retail and more to move into established residential areas.

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arvada’s newest park was lled with music on July 13. e source of that music was a drum circle, part of the naming celebration for Little Raven Park.

e park, located to the north of Van Bibber Creek Trail and southeast of the intersection of Ward Road and 58th Avenue, is the rst in town to honor the area’s indigenous

heritage.

e name for the park was proposed by Jennifer Dampf, who wanted to honor Arvada’s history in a more inclusive way. It honors Chief Little Raven, a Southern Arapaho Chief who was known as a peacemaker between local tribes and white settlers.

“When it came time to name this park, we heard loud and clear from the community and from our city council that it was important

to choose a name that honors the native and indigenous peoples of this region,” said Arvada’s Director of Vibrant Communities and Neighborhood Enessa Janes.

During the naming celebration, multiple community leaders from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes spoke about the park’s name.

“We were always peaceful people. We always want it to be one with the

However, there are some restrictions set for businesses that try to move in. Lot sizes are restricted to a range between 10,000 square feet and one acre, with a maximum height of 28 feet.

Hours for businesses are also restricted. Bars are only allowed to operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. while restaurants may be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Before this change, there was no zoning allowance for this kind of

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Descendants of Chief Little Raven cut the ribbon for Arvada’s new park.

PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

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Taste of Arvada showcases local restaurants

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The sound of music and the smell of food surrounded Arvada’s Apex Center on July 13 as Taste of Arvada returned for 2023.

Taste of Arvada is an annual food-tasting event planned by Arvada Chamber of Commerce featuring over 50 local restaurants, craft breweries and non-food

vendors. Attendees sampled a wide variety of foods, including Korean barbeque, ice cream and pastries, as well as drinks ranging from beer to coffee.

There also was a stage outside the Apex Center, with live musicians playing as attendees sampled various food and drinks.

Vendors competed for a variety of prizes in their categories, voted on by those attending the event.

Drinks were also served by a wide variety of vendors, including Marmalade Lounge.

Families danced to live music during Taste of Arvada celebrations. PHOTOS BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

Best on the Block Salsa o ered chips and salsa, showcasing their food.

Footers Catering serves up food to attendees.

COUNCIL

development. However, there were several similar developments, like GB’s Fish and Chips and the State Farm o ce on Ralston Road, that were allowed through major modi cations.

“Our action today is not to rezone anything,” said City Council member Randy Moorman. “It’s just another tool in the toolbox.”

When businesses do move into residential areas, residents may bene t from an

increase in walkability and a decrease in tra c. Instead of having to drive to businesses, they’ll be able to walk there instead.

City Council also emphasized that rezoning will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“We don’t want people fearing the worst, there won’t be loud biker bars moving in,” said City Council member Lauren Simpson. “ is is more about community placemaking, (creating) places we can walk to.”

City Council member Bob Fifer said that this change was about “creating a sense of place” in Arvada.

“I think this is a great thing for our community to have these options,” Fifer added.

Unlike Most Professionals, Real Estate Agents Work for Free Most of the Time

Most professionals I know get paid for the work they perform. Some even charge for estimates, and others charge even when they fail at what they were hired to do.

Real estate is different. Most of the time we are giving our services away to customers with only a vague hope of a payday down the road. Sometimes we invest a great deal of money marketing properties that never sell, only to have the seller re-list the home at a lower price with another agent who then enjoys a pay day.

I had about 30 closings last year, and I drove 15,000 miles. Do you think I drove 500 miles for each successful closing? No, I drove most of those miles for buyers and sellers who received my services for free without any compensation for my time and travel.

This is okay with me. I love real estate. When it produces a payday, I know that it makes up for the uncompensated efforts I

expended on behalf of other clients.

Occasionally I have a buyer who has me show him or her the exact house he or she wants to buy, and I handle the transaction — one showing, few miles of driving around, one contract written, one inspection handled, one closing attended — earning myself a 5-figure payday. The buyer, seeing how easy it was, might reasonably expect a rebate. But what about those times I showed a buyer 100 different homes, wrote one or two unsuccessful contracts, only to have that buyer rent instead of buy — or the buyer goes to an open house and buys without me earning any commission?

A few years ago, I was considering listing 5 acres 30 miles up a canyon for $125,000, but the seller was so uncooperative that I ultimately declined the listing — but not before I had made three trips to the property and on one of those trips did

Just Listed: Mountain Muffler Site on Ford St.

$1,000 damage to my car’s underbody on his jagged culvert!

Such is the life of a real estate agent. We may seem overpaid when we are paid 5-figure commissions on a given transaction, and you may think that’s unfair, but if we didn’t have those closings to make up for all the times we work for free or spend without reimbursement, it might be hard to justify going into this business.

As it is, the average member of the National Association of Realtors earns less than $50,000 in gross commission income per year — before accounting for car, phone, MLS fees, Realtor dues, computer hardware & software, errors & omissions insurance, and other expenses

A Quit Claim Deed Is Cheap & Convenient, But It Can Void Title Policy

Quit claim deeds are a convenient way to transfer property among related parties. You might use it, for example, to add a new spouse to the title, or to transfer it to an entity which you control.

But be sure to check with the company which insured your title when the home was last purchased, because you’ll need to have the title policy amended, possibly at little or no cost, so it conforms to the new ownership of your property.

If you can’t find your closing documents, any Realtor can run a Realist Report which names the title company.

The Styrofoam Corral Needs to Find a New Home

$1,950,000

If you’ve driven Ford Street in Golden, you are familiar with the tall Mountain Muffler sign at the corner of 22nd Street (barely visible in this picture), and you may have had them install a steel cage around your car’s catalytic converter after it was stolen and replaced. (We hired them to do that for our moving truck.) Well, the owners of the business and the property have decided it’s time to join the other property owners in the area and make their 14,000-square-foot parcel available for multi-family redevelopment. Broker associate Austin Pottorff has listed it and has produced a drone video of the parcel and its downtown surroundings, which you can view, along with his South Golden listing at www.GoldenDevelopmentSite.info. For more information, you can contact Austin at 970-281-9071, or email Austin@GoldenRealEstate.com.

Just Listed: Home on Large Lot in Wide Acres

Perhaps you’re one of the thousands of Jefferson County residents who’ve brought Styrofoam to the Styrofoam Corral behind Golden Real Estate’s former office at 17695 S. Golden Road. In the 15 years of its operation, it has kept an estimated 36,000 cubic yards of the material out of landfills. The 10’x20’ chain-link enclosure is filled two to three times per month, and every time it’s filled we load our box truck with the bags of Styrofoam and take them to a factory near I-25 & I-70 where it is compressed and recycled into new products.

But all good things must come to an end. That property is under contract, and the Styrofoam Corral must close unless we can find it a new home. If you or someone you know has a suitable property for relocating this popular Jeffco service, let me know. I will personally set up the Corral in its new location and provide training and advice on its smooth operation. And I’ll continue to provide our truck for transporting the Styrofoam to the factory for reprocessing. Call me at 303-525-1851.

Price Reduced on 3-BR 1904 Capitol Hill Home

$950,000

$975,000

Wide Acres is that quiet neighborhood located south of Colfax to the east of Colorado Mills. With 3,493 sq. ft. of finished space, this 3-bedroom home at 1125 Zinnia St. is set back about 100 feet from the street on its 0.57-acre lot, making it even more quiet and secluded. It is being sold by the family that had it built in 1974. The indoor and outdoor living space is exceptional, as you’ll see when you view the narrated video tour I posted at www.WideAcresHome.info. Then come to my open house this Saturday, July 22nd, from 11 am. to 1 p.m. Or call me at 303-525-1851 to arrange a private showing.

You’ll love the updates to this 3-BR home at 1240 N. Downing St., a short walk from Cheesman Park in Denver’s historic Capitol Hill — from the dream kitchen with white quartz countertops, farm sink, stainless appliances and rolling island to the primary suite in the basement! My narrated video tour will give you a taste of it and inspire you to request a showing. You can view more pictures plus that video tour (including drone footage) at www.DenverHome.info. Call me at 303-525-1851 to schedule a private showing.

Jim Smith Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851

Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com

1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates:

JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727

CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855

DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835

GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922

AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071

KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428

Arvada City Council voted to create a new kind of zoning.

PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

Inside Arvada’s animal management team

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI LFUGLEI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On June 20, Arvada Police’s Animal Management Team and police o cers served a search warrant at a home on the 7700 block of Carr Drive for suspected illegal dog breeding. Police arrested the 31-yearold suspect, Cesar Miguel Camarena, on outstanding warrants. He will also face multiple new charges.

However, after police ofcers had done their work taking care of the criminal side of things, there was still something that needed attention: the dogs. at’s where animal management comes in.

Arvada’s Animal Management Team is responsible for enforcing section 14 of the city code, which covers all of the city’s animal laws. is involves a wide variety of cases related to animal welfare, such as animal neglect or wildlife in places it shouldn’t be.

“A lot of what (animal management) does is

problem-solving,” said Alan Stephens, who supervises Animal Management

O cers. “So a problem is brought to their attention.” For cases like Camarena’s,

after Animal Management removes animals from their previous situation, they’re

passed over to local shelters the department partners with, such as Foothills Animal Shelter.

“We’re not equipped to hold the animals,” Stephens said. “Foothills (Animal Shelter) intakes the animals, conducts quality of life (exams) right away, they’re looking for injury and illness, they want to make sure the animals are healthy.”

Depending on the animal, some are then fostered out while they wait for a decision from the judge on their

For animals that stay at Foothills, there are volunteers to take them on frequent walks and take care of them. Stephens added that Foothills was “about as good as a shelter can possibly be

“(Arvada’s Animal Management) does stu , I think better than anybody else around us,” Stephens said. “ ey do things that other people won’t do. ey take all of their cases as professionals. ey work them through to the end just like a detective does.”

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One of the animals taken by Animal Management on June 2.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARVADA POLICE DEPARTMENT

land, with nature with ourselves,” said Reggie Wassana, Governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. “We do appreciate all the city leaders, city managers, the council people for opening up their minds and saying you know what, there were people here before

those gold rush people were here and what happened to those people and it’s a shameful past.”

e drum circle played several songs, including the Eagle Song and a song named after Chief Little Raven.

After several speeches, gifts were exchanged between Arvada’s city representatives and tribal representatives and a ribbon was cut in front of the park’s sign. e ribbon was cut by several descendants of Chief Little Raven.

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A drum circle performed several songs, including the Eagle Song.

Jennifer and Chris Dampf, who proposed the name for the park, receive a blanket from tribal leaders. PHOTOS BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

Deputy’s best friend

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

roughout the spring, Deputy Zachary Oliver felt like something — or rather, someone — was missing from his work and home life.

On Feb. 13, he lost his K-9 partner Gra t, who was killed in the line of duty while trying to apprehend a suspect.

Oliver missed his partner and friend in the long weeks that followed, describing how going to work at the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce wasn’t the same without Gra t.

But, thanks to tremendous community support, Oliver now has a new partner in K-9 Ragnar.

e Je co Sheri ’s O ce purchased two new K-9s, Ragnar and Rico, earlier this summer and introduced them during a special July 11 media event on the Federal Center campus.

e K-9s, who have been training with their deputy partners for six weeks, will be in training for 10

more weeks. Once done, they’ll be certi ed for narcotics detection, tracking individuals and apprehending suspects.

K-9 Rico is working with Deputy Ryan Wagner, a new handler for Jef-

fco. Wagner has been with JCSO for four years, including six months as a decoy for the K-9 unit.

Deputy Jim Valbert, the K-9 unit’s trainer, said his unit is now fully sta ed again with seven dog-

handler pairs and one decoy. Six dogs — including Ragnar and Rico — are dual-purpose for narcotics detection and patrol. e seventh is a bomb-sni ng dog for the courthouse, he said.

e K-9 unit responds to an incredibly large call volume, including helping local agencies that don’t have their own K-9 units.

“We stay busy,” Valbert continued. “ … (Being fully sta ed) keeps us at 24-7 coverage.”

Valbert, Oliver and Wagner all emphasized how this wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous community support JCSO received after Gra t’s death.

Companies and individuals from Je co and beyond donated money, dog treats, and more in Gra t’s honor. e monetary donations enabled the o ce to buy the two new K-9s — each of which was $20,000 including training and travel — along with ballistic vests and other crucial equipment.

Oliver thanked everyone for their support and donations, saying, “I felt like I wasn’t alone, that the community cared about (Gra t) too.”

While Oliver stressed that no one could replace Gra t, he said it was great to have a K-9 partner once

Deputy Zachary Oliver trains K-9 Ragnar July 11 on the Federal Center campus. Oliver’s previous partner, K-9 Gra t, was killed while apprehending a suspect Feb. 13. Thanks to generous donations from the community, the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce was able to purchase K-9 Ragnar, along with a second K-9 for a new handler.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

Je co Sheri ’s O ce welcomes two K-9s thanks to community support

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BEST FRIEND

more. He and his family members feel better now that he has someone going to work with him again.

Ragnar, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, is adjusting to home life well. He has “a good on-o switch,” Oliver described, saying he’s always excited to go to work.

Oliver was among the JCSO personnel who went to California to scope out new K-9s. ey were looking for dogs that were at least a year old and that would be good ts for the sheri ’s o ce and their respective handlers.

Oliver liked how methodical Ragnar was, saying, “He’s focused, calm and clear-headed.”

For Rico and Wagner, the last six weeks of training have been a fun, new journey together.

“He’s a puppy still,” Wagner said of the 14-month-old Belgian Malinois. “He’s always wanting to play and work.”

To help Rico di erentiate between home and work, Wagner said he has separate collars. So, when Rico gets his work collar on and jumps in the patrol vehicle, Wagner said he knows he’s going to work.

Rico’s been solid in training, Wagner said, describing how he’s been especially quick on the narcotics detection side thus far. e pair should be fully trained by late September, he anticipated.

“He’s willing and quick to learn,” Wagner said of his new K-9 partner.

For K-9 Gra t

In the early hours on Feb. 13, Oliver and Gra t responded to a call near the Colorado School of Mines campus in Golden.

A suspected drunken driver had evaded police, reportedly pointing a gun at a Golden Police o cer during the incident, and was last seen running toward the Mines campus. According to court documents, Oliver and Gra t tracked the suspect to a wooded area, with Oliver releasing Gra t with commands to apprehend. e suspect, later identi ed as 29-year-old Eduardo Romero, then reportedly shot Graft, killing him.

Gra t, a 10-year-old German shepherd, had been with the Je co Sheri ’s O ce since 2015. He was honored with a procession from the site, temporary memorial sites at JCSO headquarters and the Mines campus, and a Feb. 27 memorial service.

Romero was later arrested without

incident and charged with several counts, including aggravated cruelty to animals, class-6 felony. is is the lowest-level felony, and carries a sentence of up 18 months in jail and a ne of up to $100,000.

Romero’s scheduled to enter a plea at 1 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Je erson County Courthouse.

In the wake of Gra t’s death, Oliver and JCSO partnered with state lawmakers to increase the penalties and nes in aggravated animal cruelty cases.

House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, sponsored House Bill 1286, which was signed June 2.

According to the nal language, anyone convicted of aggravated animal cruelty toward service animals, police dogs or police horses must pay a mandatory minimum ne of $2,000 and complete an anger management treatment program.

ey must also make restitution to the owner or agency, including veterinary expenses and/or replacement costs.

In April, Armagost told Colorado Politics how many states have enacted harsher penalties for killing a K-9. Armagost also detailed how replacing a K-9 isn’t about just the dog itself, but the breadth and intensity

of training the dog has completed.

Oliver described how he testi ed in favor of House Bill 1286, saying he wanted to see harsher penalties for anyone who hurts or kills a service animal or working police animal.

He again thanked community members for all their support, saying he and Wagner are excited to serve Je erson County with their new K-9 partners.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us,” Oliver continued.

School board approves pay increase for Je co educators

BY JANE REUTER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Eligible Je erson County educators will get a 5.25% pay increase and more money for medical bene ts in the upcoming school year — two of several bene ts included in a recently approved agreement between the Je erson County Education Association (JCEA) and the Je erson County School Board.

Most educators will receive an additional salary bump based on the amount of time they’ve worked in the district.

Despite those increases, JCEA President Brooke Williams said Jefferson County teacher salaries are low compared to many surrounding districts.

“Our goal is always to ensure we can keep the best educators in Je co to serve our students,” said Williams, who is also an art teacher in the district. “ ough we were hopeful to secure a deal that would keep our district more competitive among others in the Denver metro area, we are not done ghting for the competitive compensation loyal educators deserve. We made it clear to our district that they need to reward our educators with the most experience, and we desperately need Je co to commit to invest new funding into

its employees.”

Radio, Westminster, Cherry Creek and Adams 12 Five Star districts all o er higher starting salaries than Je erson County. e starting salary

Conserving Colorado's Water

in Je co for the upcoming academic

caused in large part by a falling birth ber 2022 decision to close 16 elementary schools and a more recent board vote to consolidate a middle and high school.

School funding is tied to enrollment, so the declines have putnancial pressure on the district — at a time in which educators say higher pay is critical.

With those factors at play, board member Susan Miller said she feels the district is attempting to strike a di cult balance.

“At the end of the day, from the taxpayers’ and parents’ point of view, the fact remains that over the past two years, district spending on teachers’ total compensation has increased by 18%, while achievement results have continued to decline, and learning losses have not been recovered,” she said. “We have limited nancial resources and they are getting more shallow. I am concerned we are spiraling with our nancial investment.

“We’re going to have to gure out how to talk to our community about that investment and the return on that investment,” she continued.

Board member Paula Reed praised those who negotiated the agreement but agreed the funding formula makes the process tough.

“ e JCEA and Je co have had over ve decades of negotiating together, and I think it’s a history we can be really proud of,” she said. “I think we remain in this sort of tense place between what we are able to o er and what our educators deserve for the work they do and being

competitive in the metro area.

“I think we are going to have to do some work as a district to gure out the revenue side so we can ease that tension a little bit and have more room for the compensation piece of negotiation,” she continued. “But I think we’re all trying to pull in the same direction, which feels really good.”

Je Co teachers said the issues of both compensation and academic performance are multi-layered and linked.

“A real concern of JCEA educators is the increasing cost of living in the Denver area, especially in Je erson County,” said JCEA Vice President Dale Munholland, who’s also a Pomona High School social studies teacher. “Furthermore, over the next decade, there is going to be an exodus of teachers from the classroom due to retirement as well as teachers leaving the profession early because of the increasing demands and stress. Compounding this problem is that fewer and fewer young people are going into education due to low pay and increasing workload.”

Munholland added that if Je co wants to increase achievement, it cannot be done with overcrowded classrooms led by overworked teachers.

“It can only be done by keeping and attracting educators with a compensation package that keeps up with surrounding districts,” Munholland said.

JCEA Treasurer and Golden High School English teacher Andrew Gitner thanked the school board for the added compensation.

“When I started working in Je co in 2014, I was paid just over $29K per year,” he said. “ e only place I could a ord to live was not legally allowed to be called a bedroom. I’m grateful that the majority of Je co parents and the community have voted for School Board Directors who care enough to invest in educators and students. Valuing educators less than every comparable metro district is not a solution to any problem.”

Highlights of the agreement include:

• A 5.25% cost of living increase

• An added $20 per month toward the medical plan of the employee’s choosing

• An increase from 1% to 2% to the stipend for educators who work in Title I schools

• A class size relief fund for classes that exceed contractual guidelines. is will allow the district to provide paraeducator support or hire another teacher when students are in large classes.

• e expansion of non-contact days for planning time to include middle school educators.

• Additional stipends for Career and Technical Education and Elementary Art Music and PE teachers.

Despite a recent salary increase for Je co educators, JCEA President Brooke Williams said Je erson County teacher salaries are low compared to many surrounding districts. PEXELS

Bandimere Speedway near Morrison is working on plans for a new location

phone keys wallet bag

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Bandimere family is providing more details about its plans to relocate Bandimere Speedway, which is set to close in October, as it hoste the Dodge Power Brokers Mile High NHRA Nationals last weekend.

e speedway along C-470 near Morrison has been operating in that location for 65 years, and company President John Bandimere Jr. said in April that it’s time to nd a better location.

e family has been looking for a new location for about a year, Bandimere Jr. has said, and it will take a year o from the racing business and hopes to relocate to more acreage in the metro Denver area. A large tract of land near Denver International Airport is a possibility.

“I want to make one thing clear,” Bandimere Jr. said at a news conference on July 12. “Some people think we are being pushed out by housing.

ere is no question they’re building a lot of houses here, but not one person has given us a bad time.

“I feel very comfortable with why we are leaving,” he said. “We just need more space.”

He said the current speedway doesn’t have running water, so he would like to see bathrooms in the new location along with better seating and more parking.

e current Bandimere Speedway can accommodate 28,500 spectators as it hosts more than 130 events a year. It has nearly 30,000 competitors each season, and it hosts one of the largest youth programs in the country, according to the Bandimere website.

According to Bandimere Jr., John Bandimere Sr. and his wife Frances originally opened the racetrack in Arvada in 1956 as an expansion of their automotive machining and auto parts business and to provide “a place for people, especially for young people, to enjoy the speed and performance of the automobile and to get o the streets.”

In 1958, because of noise and other concerns in Arvada, the Bandimeres moved to what at that time was a remote area west of Denver against the hogback. Fast forward to 2023, and the venue is looking for a new home to allow drag-race enthusiasts to continue to enjoy the sport.

“As we close this chapter, our family is taking the time to re ect on the hundreds, maybe thousands, of memories on under Mountain, and they are great memories,” Bandimere Jr. said in April. “Our relationships with employees, racers, sponsors, sanctioning bodies, guests and service providers will remind us daily of what a privilege it’s been for my family to continue the legacy started by my parents.”

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The owners of Bandimere Speedway plan to take a year o after it closes the venue in October while it searches for a new location. COURTESY PHOTO

Floyd Hill work will mean delays, some closures of I-70 with a vision for a safer ride by 2028

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As you make your way down Floyd Hill on westbound Interstate 70, there is a tree you should take a look at.

e tree marks the location of the future highway to be completed in 2028.

It’s here, at this tree, where westbound I-70 will launch 60 feet above the mountains on a twisting path leading back to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. Supported by steel and concrete caissons, this elevated section of road is designed to address several existing problems with what experts say has been a hazardous design for decades. e planned forgiving and wider turns will improve sight and stopping distance.

Kurt Kionka with the Colorado Department of Transportation says the current curves are rated for 45 mph. Many drivers, said Kionka, CDOT Floyd Hill Project director, “clearly exceed that safety limit.”

Kionka and Austin Knapp, the construction manager and general contractor with Kraemer North America, will lead this historic project.

It represents the next ve years of interstate construction in Clear Creek County. Eastbound work is already underway. Expect concrete

barriers to be in place soon on the south side to protect tra c and workers as they carve 40 feet from the mountain to allow for additional lanes.

Approximately $700 million in state and federal dollars will be spent. is includes the largest single grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to Colorado: $100 million.

It is a massive engineering and construction project that will be split into three phases. Work has started on the east section of the project, a four-mile stretch that spans from County Road 65 to the bottom of Floyd Hill.

Over the summer, crews will focus on building the work zone, excavation, wall construction, drainage work, and rock scaling and blasting to create room for roadway improvements.

During rock scaling and blasting, motorists should expect daytime tra c holds in both directions of I-70 starting in late-July or early August on some days of the week. Crews will perform rock blasting and scaling for 20 minutes and then reopen the roadway. In all, motorists can anticipate up to 45 minutes of delays.

Blasting is anticipated to occur two times per week through early 2024. Motorists can stay in the know on when blasting activities are planned by signing up for text alerts by texting oydhill to 21000.

Several crude wooden markers are already in place. is simple stick along the walking and biking trail adjacent to Clear Creek on the south side will be replaced in the near future. It marks the spot where

westbound I-70 will eventually cross over the creek and rejoin existing I-70 west. Today, it’s a stick. In 2028 it will be an elevated overpass on one of the most critical interstates in the United States.

Also note, the walking and biking path will be replaced as part of the overall project. e old pavement will be removed and new concrete laid in its place. e grade of the path will also be brought to Americans with Disabilities requirements, according to Kionka.

According to CDOT, the ultimate goal of the project is multilateral and multifold.

e I-70 Floyd Hill Project will:

• Add a third westbound I-70 travel lane in this two-lane bottleneck. is new lane will be a full-time, tolled express lane from just west of Homestead Road (Exit 247) through the Veterans Memorial Tunnels to Colorado Blvd./Idaho Springs (Exit 241);

• Rebuild bridges damaged due to use, wear and tear, and heavy usage;

• Construct a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between U.S. 6 and the Hidden Valley/Central City Parkway interchanges, which will improve emergency response;

• Build an extended on-ramp from U.S. 6 onto eastbound I-70 for slowmoving vehicles to have more room to merge;

• Improve tra c ow and access at interchanges and intersections;

• Improve sight distance and safety by straightening roadway curves;

• Improve the Clear Creek Greenway trail; and

• Implement environmental mitigation to enhance wildlife connectivity, air and water quality, stream conditions and recreation.

Check the Clear Creek Courant for the latest news on this project.

Kurt Kionka, CDOT Floyd Hill project director (left) and Austin Knapp, project engineer at Kraemer North America (right).

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL

The tree marker on I-70 west at Floyd Hill.

Law ties punishment to car theft behavior

Repeat o enders face harsher penalties

BY MEGAN VERLEE COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Colorado is changing how it punishes people for car theft, and will focus on the behavior of the o ender instead of the value of the vehicle.

A new state law that took e ect July 1 will bring harsher penalties for people who repeatedly steal cars, or use them to commit other crimes.

For repeat o enders — those who have been convicted of car theft at least twice before — prosecutors can now charge them with a Class 3 felony, punishable by between four and 12 years in prison. People who steal a car and damage it, take it out of state or use it to commit another crime, will face between two to six years in prison.

e law does allow for a lower penalty for joyriders, people who steal cars brie y and commit no other crimes with them.

“We heard a lot of concerns of: What if it’s less than 24 hours? What if it’s

returned undamaged?” said GOP state Rep. Matt Soper, explaining why they kept the ability for prosecutors to treat some car thefts as a misdemeanor.

e bipartisan law was a response to criticism that Colorado’s previous approach to car theft was ine ectual and unfair.

Under the prior law, the severity of the crime was based on the value of the vehicle. Stealing a car worth less than $2,000 was generally only a misdemeanor. Democratic state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger said it was clear that approach ignored the actual impact on victims.

“A crime is a crime,” said Zenzinger. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a moderate income person, a low income person — if your car has been stolen, it’s going to impact your life, and sometimes pretty dramatically.”

Colorado has earned a place of infamy for car thefts in recent years. e business-oriented think tank Common Sense Institute found that Colorado led the nation in car thefts in 2021 and averaged around 4,000 thefts a month for the rst half of 2022. Car thefts have declined since then, according to Colorado State Patrol, which trumpeted the

new law as a help to future enforcement.

Zenzinger and other lawmakers said they got involved in the issue after hearing from numerous constituents across the state about their own experiences with auto thefts and asking for stricter penalties.

“I was receiving emails about this almost daily,” she said. “Even my own vehicle, while it was not stolen, it was broken into. And I think when you become a victim of a crime like that, it really sends it home. When you realize, ‘it can happen to anybody. And it is happening!’”

e bill was supported unanimously in the state Senate but opposed by a handful of House Democrats, concerned that strengthening penalties could lead to more people with felonies on their criminal records without meaningfully reducing car thefts. ey argued addressing the root causes of crime would have more impact.

“It’s a false set of options to suggest folks are asking for more criminalization, when we’re not giving them other options,” said Rep. Elisabeth Epps during a committee hearing on the bill.

“ is is a step in the wrong direction,

and it’s a step that we’re going to be paying for for years to come.”

e new law was developed by the state’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice Coalition and supported by a number of local governments and law enforcement organizations. It was opposed by the ACLU and criminal defense lawyers.

is Colorado Public Radio story via a content sharing agreement with Colorado Community Media.

Police lights on a Denver Police Department vehicle. PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG / CPR NEWS

As I’ve aged, I’ve wryly commented on, as you might have about your own, my diminishing physical capabilities, plaintively decrying I can’t do such and such — running, skiing, climbing —l ike I used to. And like you might’ve, I’ve occasionally spouted George Bernard Shaw’s lament that youth is wasted on the young.

Our bodies usually peak in our mid to late twenties. By our early thirties, muscle starts to weaken, and the hard work of staying t becomes increasingly challenging. And from then on, it’s an exercise to exercise, an inexorable decline with the going getting tougher as our capabilities ebb.

Like every living being, we humans have a shelf life. ough I can’t speak for other sentient beings, I believe that as we mature, like them, we grow wiser. In conjunction with that, our perspective and attitude about our abilities and interests usually grow. For those relishing and thriving on physical activity, dedication to keeping t and maintaining strength deepens. But paradoxically, that mature attitude sets in shortly after our physical growth spurt ends and our bodies begin to decline. en, as we approach forty — the dreaded marker for middle age — fear sets in because we know we’re at the point when unpleasant stu — e.g., bifocals — seriously

VOICES

Like I used to

JERRY FABYANIC

Columnist

kicks in, and we have become keenly aware that people eventually die. e coup de grâce is that we know too there is nothing we can do about either. ere are no exceptions. In the not-too-distant future, we know the bell will toll not for thee but for me.

It’s kind of depressing to think about, but as it is with much in life, it’s a matter of perspective. If one looks at having been born — given life —not as a right but as a privilege, that gloomy perspective can ip.

One of the wisest insights I gained is that life is a journey. Like any journey, it can be a blasé one — a prepackaged, sanitized, structured cruise — in which the traveler follows the herd and dutifully does what is expected of them, or it can be an extraordinary one in which they follow their own path. When they do that, they lick their chops not at nding the anticipated but at chancing upon or discovering the unanticipated. If one chooses the latter path and separates from their this-is-what-is-expected-of-you world, crosses the threshold, and ventures into the unknown, psychic energy

transforms them. ey become attuned, even addicted, to that life. In time they realize there’s no quitting, no going back to the safety net of their launch point and birth tribe and that their adventure will end with their last breath. And they’re good with that.

When they reach their elderly years however, they face a conundrum. It slowly dawns on them they are slowing down and can’t do stu like they used to. eir problem is they know no other way. Despite their declining physical abilities, the siren of the journey still calls to their soul. It beckons them forth. Whether it’s the old man and the sea or the old man of the mountain, their place — the sea, the mountain, the desert, or wherever the place might be — has been etched into and become an indelible aspect of their being.

One of my favorite stories is “Jeremiah Johnson,”the Robert Redford lm about being a mountain man. Each time I watch it, I am awestruck not only at the magni cence of the setting and the superb performances rendered by Redford, Will Gear (Bear Claw), and the other actors but also by the story itself, its tale and structure.

e story line follows the hero’s path from beginning to end. e last character he encounters is Paints His Shirt Red, the Crow chief he encountered after he initially made his way into the

mountains.

Watching it now through the lens of an old man of the mountain, I am struck by the ending: ough it doesn’t end ambiguously, it wraps only sort of conclusively. Yes, he’s been accepted and forgiven for his sacrilegious trespassing, but then what? Can he return to trapping and live out his days doing that? Where does he go? He can never return to civilization, nor does he want to. And he’s alone. All those he met and accompanied him on his journey are gone. So how does he spend his remaining years? It’s intriguing to consider, but the answer is really quite simple: He goes on and continues to do everything like he used to. Maybe more slowly and not as well, but with the same spirit — elan— he approached life when young, strong and full of moxie. As it is with me.

So I can’t do it — ski, run, move rocks in my garden, and so on — like I used to, but I can go on like I used to and do many of the many activities I used to. Slower, but with the same excitement, thrill and enthusiasm I had when I started my journey. Just because my body is slowing and falling apart doesn’t mean I have to.

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

Tips to stay safe in Colorado’s hot summer months

Yes, Colorado has had an unusually long stretch of damp, cloudy weather in a state that typically enjoys soaring temperatures and plenty of sunshine. But the sunshine is back and temps are rising which, as always, means more time relaxing, exercising and playing in Colorado’s great outdoors.

On the heels of Denver’s third hottest summer in recorded history in 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting 2023 could likely be one of the Top 10 warmest years on record in much of the U.S., and could possibly approach the Top 5, according to scientists.

For people of all ages — and especially older adults — the risks associated with high temperatures and

GUEST COLUMN

increased UV rays are very real, from small bouts of dehydration to a full-blown, lifethreatening medical emergency. A combination of factors make the preparation for higher temps and more time in the sun that much more important.

According to the National Institute on Aging, people age 65 years and older are more prone to heat-related problems, as our bodies do not adjust as well to sudden changes in temperature like they did when we were younger. In addition, older adults are

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more likely to have chronic medical conditions and/or more likely to be taking prescription medications that can a ect the body’s ability to control its temperature or sweat.

Being overheated for too long or exposed to the sun without protection can cause many health problems including:

• Heat syncope: sudden dizziness that can occur when active in hot weather.

• Heat cramps: painful tightening or spasms of muscles in the stomach, arms or legs.

• Heat edema: swelling in ankles and feet when you get hot.

• Heat rash: skin irritation from heavy sweating that causes red clusters of small blisters that look similar

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to pimples on the skin.

• Heat exhaustion: a warning that your body can no longer keep itself cool. You might feel thirsty, dizzy, weak, uncoordinated and nauseated. You may sweat a lot. Your body temperature may stay normal, but your skin may feel cold and clammy. Some people with heat exhaustion have a rapid pulse. Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. If you or someone you are with begin to show any signs of heat exhaustion, move to a cooler environment as quickly as possible — preferably a well air-conditioned room. Loosen clothing, sponge o or bathe with cool water, lie down and rest.

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Stacey Johnson

Mudapalooza splashes back at Northglenn

Has anyone ever really not had fun playing in the mud? It’s not something most of us get to do very often, which makes the opportunity to splash around pretty rare. at could be part of the reason why Northglenn’s annual Mudapalooza volleyball event has become such big hit in the area.

“Nobody else really puts this kind of event on,” said Roman A. Ortega, recreation sports coordinator with Northglenn. “We started out with just eight to 12 teams and now we have so many return teams that love participating. I think the most teams we’ve had in one tournament is 63.”

e 15thannual Mudapalooza tournament will be held at Northwest Open Space, East 112th Avenue and Ranch Drive, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 22.

Participating co-ed teams are made up of eight to 12 adults who will play at least three games of mud volleyball each. At the end of the day, the winning team will receive a trophy, some cool prizes and the glory of claiming victory.

“While the tournament is for adults only, as it winds down you see kids playing around in the pits that have emptied out,” Ortega said. “It’s such a fun event, especially when you see everyone out there playing. at’s what the day is about — having fun with a unique game that’s not played every day.”

e all-day event isn’t just a eld day for those in the pits — there will be a food truck, drinks and other vendors on hand to make the watching more delicious. All beer sales will bene tA Precious Child.

In all, the aim is to create an exciting summer’s day out.

“We love giving back and high-

JOHNSON

FROM PAGE 12

• Heat stroke: a medical emergency in which the body’s temperature rises above 104°F. Signs of heat stroke are fainting; confusion or acting strangely; not sweating even when it’s hot; dry, ushed skin; strong, rapid pulse; or a slow, weak pulse. When a person has any of these symptoms, they should seek medical help right away and immediately move to a cooler place, such as under shade or indoors. ey should also take action to lower their body temperature with cool clothes, a cool bath or shower, and fans. But the added risks don’t mean you have to stop doing the things you love. It just means taking the time to prepare for your outdoor fun. Some of the most e ective preventive measures include:

• Wear sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher).

• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose tting, cotton clothing, including long sleeves and a breathable hat.

• Take frequent rest periods.

• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

lighting the sports community,” Ortega said. “When we play, it’s an opportunity to have a brief getaway from life. It’s a chance to get away from our daily routines and even do something a bit out of our comfort zone.”

2023 — it’s the release day for Greta Gerwig’s“Barbie”and Christopher Nolan’s“Oppenheimer”. It’s been built up as a kind of clash of the titans or cinephile’s Christmas, depending on who you ask, but either way, we’re getting two of the year’s most anticipated lms on the same day.

of great music, but you’ve been able to witness frontman Je Tweedy’s journey from enigmatic songwriter to beloved cultural gure. He’s made his own music, written three books and even acted a few times. No matter what he’s doing, I always nd his work rewarding and worth the time.

Clarke Reader

Find all the details at www.northglenn. org/mudapalooza.

MCA Denver explores Indigenous Absurdities ere are few better ways to connect with someone than to make them laugh. Even if that laugh stings a bit.

Anna Tsouhlarakis’ exhibition, Indigenous Absurdities, captures that humorous and incisive approach beautifully. On display at MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. in Denver, through Sunday, Sept. 10, the show is focused on Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of teaching. Using a range of mediums, including video, performance, sculpture, photography and installation, the work “challenges and expands the boundaries of aesthetic and conceptual expectations for Native artmaking to reclaim and rewrite their de nitions,” according to provided information.

Visit https://mcadenver.org/exhibitions/anna-tsouhlarakis for all you need to know.

Pick your fighter — ‘Barbie’ or ‘Oppenheimer’

If you’re not keeping up with the lm community, you may not be aware that the weekend of July 21 is the biggest weekend of the year in

• Drink plenty of liquids. Try a measured water bottle to track your progress — some water bottles are connected to an app on your smart phone to remind you to drink. Water, fruit or vegetable juices, or drinks that include electrolytes are best. Avoid alcohol and ca einated drinks.

• Get outside earlier in the day and try to avoid outdoor activities during the heat of the day, which is typically mid to late afternoon.

• Don’t rely on perspiration to cool you down, some people just don’t sweat as much as they age.

Getting outdoors and enjoying the sun and warmer temps should stay on everyone’s to-do list. However, a few basic precautions and awareness of what to look for and when to shut things down will help deliver a fun, safe summer for Coloradans of all ages.

Stacey Johnson, RN, NHA, is the Area Director of Clinical Services for Ascent Living Communities, which includes Carillon at Belleview Station in Greenwood Village, Hilltop Reserve in Denver, the Village at Belmar in Lakewood and Roaring Fork Senior Living in Glenwood Springs.

So, which will you see? And if you do a double feature, what is the proper order? Do you start your experience with the neon-pink fun and satire of “Barbie,” or the mind-blowing visuals of “Oppenheimer”? ere’s no right answer, but I hope to see plenty of discussion about both options and the lms. So, head over to your local theater and I’ll see you at the movies.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Je Tweedy at the Boulder Theater

If you’ve followed the great Chicago band Wilco over the years, then not only have you been treated to a lot

All this makes it incredibly thrilling to have one of indie rock’s leading gures out and about on his own, and Tweedy will be performing at the Boulder eater, 2032 14th St. in Boulder, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 21. is tour is being billed as intimate performances and with opener Le Ren on hand, this is bound to be a special evening.   Secure tickets at www.ticketmaster. com.

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

January 21, 1960 - June 27, 2023

John Edward Pierce of Arvada, Colorado passed away Tuesday, June 27th, 2023, at the age of 63.

John was a devoted, loving, and fun husband, father, and friend. His guidance, love and presence will be greatly missed. He always had a twinkle in his eyes and a happy smile. John was a positive man and those who knew him loved his big laugh and bear hugs. John’s intelligence and guidance will be greatly missed. His favorite bit of advice to his children as they left home was to “slow down and stay in your lane”. Given with laughter, love and of course a big bear hug.

John was proud of his 43-year career with Public Service Company of Colorado and Xcel Energy. He started working at Public Service when he was 20 years old as a draftsman. Working full-time and going to school at the University of Colorado at Denver part-time to earn his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. At the time of his passing, he was a Principal Engineer

overseeing the Cabin Creek pump storage hydro plant upgrade project above Georgetown. roughout John’s career he was able to work on many interesting projects in Colorado and had a positive impact on the state and his community.

John is survived by his wife of 38 years, Mary Anne and their four children, John Eugene Pierce and his ancé Katie Smith, Jason Edward Pierce and his wife Brianna, Linda Jean Pierce and her partner Tom Galbraith, and Jared Ethan Pierce. He was also blessed with three grandchildren, Jackson, James, and Kimber Pierce. John is survived by his three sisters and brother: eresa Swayne and her husband Lance, Barbara Sahlin, and her life partner Russ Wilsey, Janet Stevens and Joe Pierce, and his wife Kathy. Plus, many beautiful nieces and nephews.

Please visit everloved.com to add your memories and photos.

PIERCE

John Edward Pierce

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

They proudly call themselves the B.O.B. from the 303, bringing the Big Easy up to high altitudes with their soul-gripping blend of music stylings with New Orleans jazz.

Known for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings is the French Quarter. e French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans, and jazz is its heartbeat.

Breathing life into Bourbon Street are the sounds of brass instruments and drums continuously owing out of numerous jazz clubs. With just a trumpet, clarinet, berry sax, alto sax, trombone, snare, bass drum and tuba, the Brothers of Brass are bringing that one and only soulful heartbeat to Colorado.

“It’s a cultural tradition that most of the country doesn’t have,” said Armando Lopez, a member of the Brothers of Brass.

e group’s repertoire is a simmering mix of slow and angsty tunes and fast-paced tempos with a kick of familiar melodies. e Brothers of Brass blend of other genres like R&B, hip hop and psychedelic jam rock into each set.

A day after a tornado hit Highlands Ranch in late June, the Brothers of Brass dished out a much-needed evening of fun for the community. Soon, everyone went from clapping

to full-out dancing, allowing concertgoers a chance to relax.

“It was nice to see so many kids, like, actually getting up out of their seats and the older people getting up and dancing and enjoying the music,” said Khalil Simon, who is originally from New Orleans. “It’s not so often that we get to play like New Orleans brass music for a crowd like this and appreciate it, that’s pretty unique.”

Not only did the band members interact with one another on stage throughout the night, they got the crowd involved by singing along and repeating after them. Although it was an outdoor concert, there was no excuse for the crowd not being loud enough.

Among some crowd favorites were “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr., and “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. And of course, they couldn’t call themselves a brass band without playing the beloved spiritual hymn “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

In true New Orleans fashion, each band member was called out to do a solo, each one emoting a di erent feeling.

As the music continued and the sun began to set, the crowd let the good times roll as more children and adults came to the front of the stage, dancing as if it were Mardi Gras.

Just when the sun went behind the buildings, the Brothers of Brass were kind enough to strap on their instruments for an encore, playing “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.

e strong, powerful notes of brass instruments and the beautiful harmo-

The Brothers of Brass playing at Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

BRASS

nizing of the members’ voices encapsulated the feeling of the Crescent City.

“ ey say a lot with very little,” said Lopez. “When you play the horn, there’s a lot of emotional information in your tone quality — you can literally play one note and instantly captivate somebody and that is not always taught.”

When two street performers collide

Just like their voices, the members of the Brother of Brass is a blended group.

On the streets of Atlanta, Georgia in 2014, Simon and a couple of his friends were busking — playing music on a public street for voluntary donations.

When the groups of friends rst started playing, they were sharing horns until they had saved up enough money to get horns for each member. ey called themselves the Brothers of Brass.

e group quickly learned that busking at event egresses was a better way of making money, so they began playing with baseball egresses but expanded to playing outside of concerts and events that drew large crowds.

When baseball season came to a close, the group decided to travel across the country in search of other venues to perform.

Lopez continued to share his love for music after moving to Denver from Los Angeles. Having received a music education in jazz, Lopez brought that in uence into street music.

Once in Denver, Lopez played the saxophone on 16th Street Mall and, in 2013, Jake Herman joined in on drums and a small funk and jazz band ensemble was formed called Nimbus.

e group busked on 16th Street Mall, Boulder’s Pearl St. Mall and at e Denver Arts District’s rst Friday Art Walk, often including a rotating lineup of local musicians to play with them.

On a random day in April 2015, Lopez heard the deep bass of a tuba while playing on 16th Street Mall. He followed the sound to nd Simon playing the tuba. e two groups ended up playing together at the nearby Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

“ ey showed us a new way of playing,” said Lopez.

Until Simon moved to Denver in 2016, the two groups continued to collaborate whenever the Brothers of Brass were in Denver, eventually transforming into a full sized

brass-band and bringing the New Orleans culture to Colorado.

“You don’t really see a lot of actual brassbands outside of only there (New Orleans),” said Simon. “So I gured I’d bring it here and to see people receiving it so well, it feels so good.”

Social justice through music

With aspirations to become a nonpro t organization, the Brothers of Brass began the Black Brass Initiative a few years ago, calling it a “de facto” cultural exchange program between the deep south and the Denver metro area.

e inspiration of the initiative goes back to when Simon began to travel while busking the streets. e initiative is responsible for the housing, transportation and food of black musicians from Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana.

“It’s nice to spread that culture here in Colorado, it’s kind of why I moved here, cause eventually places like New Orleans are not gonna exist anymore due to climate change and that’s where all this stu [music] came from and it’s mostly only there right now,” said Simon.

e band has been using the wealth generated by performing to reinvest in the black

communities in the south, where these musical traditions originated.

As stated on their website: “ e hope is that bringing gems of this culture to e Colorado Front Range will create a pipeline for cultural and educational enrichment for both the people of Colorado and the lineage of these musicians.”

Looking toward the future

From performing at a Mardi Gras party at Meow Wolf to playing the Red Rocks Amphitheater, the Brothers of Brass have no intention of slowing down.

For the rest of the summer, the Brothers of Brass will be playing at various locations throughout the metro area, including Cly ord Still Museum’s Lawn Concert, History Colorado Museum and the Bluebird eater.  ey can also be heard on the streets of Denver as they liven up the crowds.

e band will be releasing an upcoming album and can be followed on social media.

“By making this music, I’ve gotten farther and seen more of the world and people than doing anything else,” Simon said.

Armando Lopez, in the middle, playing two instruments.

The B.O.B. from the 303 bucket to collect voluntary donations. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

Khalil Simon playing the tuba in the middle while other members sing.

Suncor’s ‘forever chemicals’ pouring into metro Denver rivers spike again

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Discharges of water tainted with PFAS “forever chemicals” from the Suncor re nery spiked again in May, an environmental watchdog group said, following high readings in November and January.

Suncor, which has used re ghting foam containing PFAS chemicals for years on the sprawling Commerce City property, reported May discharges into Sand Creek at 218 parts per trillion of variants of the chemicals known as PFOS, PFOA and PFNA, according to Earthjustice attorneys. e group monitors Suncor’s required reporting to state water quality regulators.

Immediately after leaving Suncor, the discharged water is carried by Sand Creek into the South Platte River as it ows through Adams County. e May discharge peaks were more than three times the PFAS limits proposed in a 2022 draft renewal permit written by state regulators to cover Suncor’s water discharges.

e report shows Suncor’s “continuing inability to reliably treat their PFAS to meet even the division’s proposed 70 parts per trillion limit, and that limit is still way too high and based on outdated information,” Earthjustice attorney Caitlin Miller said. “Suncor’s continued failure negatively impacts Sand Creek and the South Platte River.”  Neither Suncor nor state regulators responded to new questions about the high discharge readings from May.

e thousands of variations of PFAS chemicals are used in countless consumer and industrial products for water and stain resistance, among other functions. ey were used for decades in everything from carpet to re ghting products to clothing and fast-food

packaging, though manufacturers are trying to phase them out of many products and states like Colorado are banning them. States’ attorney general o ces, including Colorado, are suing manufacturers like 3M and DuPont to recover water ltration and ground cleanup costs.

PFAS chemicals do not easily break down in the environment, thus the “forever” moniker, and have been found in sh, wildlife and in the bloodstream of most humans tested.

Until March, the EPA’s drinking water guideline — not a mandate to water agencies, but health guidance — had been limiting PFAS to 70 parts per trillion. en the EPA issued sharply lower levels that are now drinking water mandates that cities must achieve, setting them as low as 0.02 parts per trillion for the variant PFOS, and 0.004 ppt for PFOA.

Earthjustice had previously agged Suncor re nery releases of PFAS. One

out ow measured at Suncor found November readings at 1,100 parts per trillion of PFOS in discharges, or 55,000 times the downward-revised EPA requirements. Discharges of 54 parts per trillion of PFOA that month were 13,500 times the new EPA limits on that chemical, Earthjustice said.  e high discharges remained in January, though not as elevated. e February report showed lower levels.

e elevated discharges came as state clean water o cials worked to complete revisions to Suncor’s water out ow pollution permits that were rst opened to public comments nearly 18 months ago. Colorado o cials noted at the time they had included PFAS limits for the rst time in a draft of the revised permit.

Suncor had major December res that prompted air pollution notices and a long shutdown of re ning operations, and environmental groups monitoring pollution there speculate

the re ghting foam commonly used in industrial res could have contributed to more PFAS runo . e re nery recently announced $100 million in repairs to reduce its air emissions.  e state’s proposed draft permit revision for Suncor rst revealed in 2022 set PFAS discharge limits at the same 70 parts per trillion that had been the EPA drinking water guideline until this year. In response to the high Suncor discharges in 2022 and early 2023, and the EPA’s March 2023 revisions, state regulators said they were reconsidering the draft permit. ey have not o ered a timetable on when those revisions will be put out for another public comment period.

After Earthjustice called out their November and January PFAS releases, Suncor said the company’s testing away from the re nery out ow did not show any higher than normal contamination downstream on Sand Creek or in the South Platte River nearby.

Suncor’s statement said a sampling study by an independent rm in May 2022 said “Suncor’s PFAS contributions are not impacting the South Platte River in any meaningful way.”  Earthjustice disputes that conclusion, saying a report from Westwater Hydrology at the “Outfall 20” in question “accounted for between 16-47% of total PFAS found in Sand Creek, and 3-18% of PFAS found in the South Platte River downstream of the facility.”

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.

The Suncor refinery in Commerce City is pictured on Sand Creek from along the Sand Creek Regional Greenway on May 26, 2021.

PHOTO BY ANDY COLWELL / SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN

Thu 7/27

DJ Williams @ 8pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Sun 7/30

Rachael Levine: Shibori Dyeing Workshop @ 9:30am

McNichols Civic Center Building, 144 W Colfax Ave, Denver

Khuu @ 10pm Larimer Beer Hall, 2012 Larimer St, Den‐ver

Fri 7/28

Deva Yoder: Underground Music Showcase @ 7pm

Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Erin Stereo with Reubot Bar Standard @ 9pm Bar Standard, 1037 Broadway, Denver

Sat 7/29

Spill Tab: The Underground Music Showcase 2023 @ 12pm

The Underground Mu‐sic Showcase, Denver

The Wayfaring Band: Everybody In Workshop @ 1pm

McNichols Civic Center Building, 144 W Colfax Ave, Denver

The Matt Flaherty Band @ 3pm BurnDown Denver, 476 S Broadway, Den‐ver

LilFreshSam: From Passion to Pro�t, a Guide for Designers @ 3:30pm

McNichols Civic Center Building, 144 W Colfax Ave, Denver

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Recent school year saw little academic recovery, new study finds

BY MATT BARNUM CHALKBEAT

ere’s been little, if any, progress making up large learning gaps that have emerged since the onset of the pandemic, according to a new analysis of data from the testing group NWEA.

In the 2022-23 school year, students learned at a similar or slower rate compared to a typical prepandemic school year, the analysis found. is left intact the substantial learning losses, which have barely budged since the spring of 2021.

NWEA o ers only one data point based on a subset of American students, and more data from other exams will be needed to produce a clearer picture of academic progress during this last school year. Still, NWEA’s analysis is a concerning indication that the steep learning losses seen since the pandemic have proven di cult to ameliorate and could have lasting consequences for students and the country.

e results are “somber and sobering,” said NWEA researcher Karyn Lewis. “Whatever we’re doing, it’s not enough,” she said. “ e magnitude of the crisis is out of alignment with the scope and scale of the response and we need to do more.”

Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, NWEA, which develops and sells tests to schools, has been measuring students’ progress on math and reading exams in grades three through eight. By the spring of 2021 — according to NWEA and a string of other tests — the typical student was far behind where they would normally be. Test score gaps by race and family income, already yawning, had grown in many cases. is coincided with dramatic disruptions outside and inside

schools, including extended virtual instruction. Students were learning during that time — but much more slowly than usual.

By the end of the 2021-22 school year, NWEA o ered some reason for optimism. Gaps were still there, but students in many grades had started to slowly make up ground. Learning during the school year was back to normal, perhaps even a bit better than normal. State tests also indicated that students were starting to catch up.

But NWEA’s results from the most recent school year are more pessimistic. For reasons that aren’t clear, progress stalled out, even reversed. In most grades and subjects, students actually learned at a slightly slower rate than usual. Growth in middle school reading was particu-

larly sluggish.

In no grade or subject was there evidence of substantial catch-up this year. Instead, the learning gap this spring was not much di erent than in the spring of 2021, according to NWEA. Students of all types remain behind, but NWEA shows that Black and Hispanic students have been hurt somewhat more than white and Asian American students.

“ is is not what we were hoping to see and it’s not the message we want to be sharing at this time,” said Lewis. “But the data are what they are.”

Frustratingly, though, the data does not come with a clear explanation.

Schools were beset with challenges this past year: Chronic absenteeism remained at an alarmingly high level in many places. More teachers left the classroom than usual. Educators reported di culties managing students’ behavior and supporting their mental health.

But it’s not clear why there was

more progress in the 2021-22 school year, which was also an unusually taxing year in many ways, according to teachers. Lewis said this was puzzling, but speculated that an initial burst of motivation upon returning to school buildings had zzled.

Learning loss recovery e orts have also run into hurdles. Tutoring has reached only a small subset of students. Few districts have extended the school day or year to guarantee all students more learning time.

But NWEA researchers cautioned that their data cannot speak directly to the e ectiveness or particular recovery e orts or to the federal COVID relief money more generally. “We have no access to the counterfactual of what life would be like right now absent those funds — I think it would be much more dire,” said Lewis.

It’s also possible that some combination of out-of-school factors may be driving trends in student learning. Researchers have long noted that a complex array of variables outside of schools’ control matters a great deal for student learning.

What the NWEA study does suggest is that students are not on track to catch up to where they would have been if not for the pandemic. Lewis says the takeaway is that policymakers and schools simply aren’t doing enough. “If you give someone half a Tylenol for a migraine and expect them to feel better, that’s just not reality,” she said.

NWEA’s analysis is based on data from millions of students in thousands of public schools. Outcomes may not be representative of all students or schools, though, since the exam’s administration is voluntary.

NWEA researchers say other data would be helpful to con rm the results. at could come soon: State test results from this year are beginning to emerge and other testing companies will be releasing their own data.

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

Students in NYC’s Summer Rising program at a school in the West Bronx. Many schools have attempted to use summer programs to make up for learning loss, but new data suggests that students are still behind. CHRISTINA VEIGA

In high country, spring showers mean summer flowers

the Fourth of July weekend, when nightly temperatures tend to hover around 50 degrees. In order to avoid devastating summer frosts, wildowers wait until temperatures are safe before reproducing, or owering, and dispersing seeds.

BY ROBERT TANN SUMMIT DAILY NEWS

While Colorado’s Front Range is seeing the peak of wild ower bloom, the High Country is patiently waiting for its own.

A cold, wet winter and spring de ned by above-average snow and rainfall is likely to delay peak bloom by as much as two weeks. But it also means this summer will see even more color than last.

“It’s de nitely going to be, it already is, a very, very good wildower year,” said Tyler Johnson, a U.S. Forest Service botanist for the Rocky Mountain region.

While expeditions in the High Country are likely to reveal earlyseason blooms, including lupines and yarrows, plants such as columbines, the iconic state ower, as well as paintbrushes and goldenrods are still dormant.

e region usually sees its wildower season begin to peak around

A slew of environmental factors can have sway over when and where owers can be seen, but nighttime temperature is “one of the strongest controls on where plants grow and how happy they are,” Johnson said.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Bernie Meier, nightly temperatures in the central mountain region, which includes Summit and Eagle counties, have been as low as 30 degrees recently.

Over the next week, those temperatures are expected to be in the 40s, but Meier added, “We’re not seeing that warmth any time soon, at least not in the next seven to 10 days.” Monsoon season, which generally brings consistent rainfall beginning in mid-July, appears to be delayed this year, Meier said. Trends in Arizona suggest heavy precipitation will arrive before the month’s end, but without the added moisture, temperatures are likely to remain cooler.

Colorado’s wildflower is expected to be great but will also come later than usual because of the cooler, wet weather in the High Country.

PHOTO BY ROBERT TANN/SUMMIT DAILY NEWS

Colorado’s wildflower season should be one of the best ever, but it might come later than usual

SEE FLOWERS, P23

Osi Sladek shares his humble recollection of the horror of the Holocaust

BY CARINA JUILIG AURORA SENTINEL

As a young boy, Osi Sladek lived a relatively carefree life with his Jewish family in present-day Slovakia. But after the Nazis came to power and occupied his country, his world fell apart.

Now 87, Sladek spoke recently in Aurora about his and his parents’ experience surviving the Holocaust, which included being smuggled back and forth across the Hungarian border and eeing into the mountains with the Partisans.

Along with telling his story, Sladek spoke passionately about the importance of standing up for democracy and emphasized that it’s not something that can be taken for granted.

A longtime musician and performer, Sladek moved to Israel with his family after the war before coming to the U.S. in the 1950s, which he described as “the rst time I felt like I really felt free.”

“ ere’s no better place than the United States of America, no one can convince me,” he said to applause.

Sladek has been speaking about his experience for many years, and last year he also published a memoir, titled Escape to the Tatras: A Boy, A War and a Life Interrupted. Before the event he donated a copy to the Aurora Public Library, which will be available to readers.

e event was a partnership between the City of Aurora’s O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Mizel Museum in Denver. More

than 100 people attended the event in person at Aurora’s city council chamber, with more watching on a livestream.

Aurora Mayor Mike Co man and Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky introduced Sladek. Co man described the Holocaust as “among

the most horri c events in human history” and said it’s important to remember those who were lost.

“Programs like these serve as a stark reminder of the importance of standing up to hatred and injustice,” Co man said, which he said is especially important for a city as

diverse as Aurora.

Jurinsky, who is Jewish, said that Sladek’s story speaks to the importance of standing up to antisemitism and reminded her of the value of living “in a free nation.”

Holocaust survivor Osi Sladek, left, speaks with attendees during a reception in the lobby of the Aurora Municipal Center. Sladek presented a copy of his memoir to the Aurora Public Library June 27 during a Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony at the AMC.

PHOTO BY PHILIP B. POSTON / SENTINEL COLORADO SEE

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Budget cuts could push more Coloradans into homelessness, housing advocates say

BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE

Colorado’s minimum wage workers would have to work 94 hours per week to a ord a modest twobedroom apartment, according to a new report.

Even after a deal was struck to avoid a default on the nation’s bills, Congress is still moving to cut roughly 22% from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s budget.

Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy o cer at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said cuts to a ordable housing and rental assistance programs would be devastating for the nation’s most vulnerable popula-

RECOLLECTION

“One day we will have no survivors left and we must continue to teach the horrors of the Holocaust to the younger generation,” she said.

e event began with the viewing of a prerecorded talk from Sladek where he discussed his family’s life before and during WWII in the city of Prešov. Prior to the rise of Hitler Sladek said that Czechoslovakia was a good place for Jews to live, but that antisemitic propaganda turned people against his community and persisted after the war.

“It’s not so easy to get rid of brainwashing,” he said.

After the Nazi occupation of

tions.

“If that happens, almost a million households that are currently receiving rental assistance could lose that rental assistance, at a time when housing costs are increasing,” Alderman pointed out. “It’s likely that those households would fall into homelessness.”

e GOP controlled House of Representatives passed legislation in April calling for across the board cuts to non-military spending, which the Biden administration estimates would result in lost rental assistance for 10,000 Colorado families, including older adults, people with disabilities, and families with children.

Families of color have long faced discriminatory housing policies, dat-

Czechoslovakia, Jewish people in his town began to be rounded up and deported to concentration camps. A Christian judge who was a friend of the family helped warn them of when raids were coming, but Sladek’s family decided to smuggle him across the border to Hungary to live with a relative. His mother told him that he had to pretend to be an orphan if he wanted to survive.

Sladek lived in Hungary for a year, but it was then also occupied by the Nazis, and his parents decided to bring him back. He was smuggled back across the border inside a hay wagon, and said at one point at a checkpoint Nazi soldiers stabbed their bayonets into the hay barrels, almost catching him.

His family ultimately escaped into the Tatra mountains with a group of

ing to soldiers returning from World War II being denied down payments under the GI Bill, and being denied mortgages in certain neighborhoods.

Alderman pointed out such families would also take the biggest hit if Congress succeeds in cutting housing assistance now.

“ ose households are going to be at much greater risk of falling into housing insecurity,” Alderman emphasized. “And particularly homelessness, at a time when the Black and Native American populations are already disproportionately represented in the households experiencing homelessness.”

e National Low Income Housing Coalition report ranked Colorado the eighth least-a ordable state in the

other civilians following the Partisan ghters, who’s bravery and courage Sladek said he remembers with fondness. at’s where they were when the war ended in 1945.

Despite everything he went through, including losing all of his cousins and many other family members in the Holocaust, Sladek said he rejected bitterness and still chose to trust in other people.

“I don’t know how to hate,” he said. “I went through all those things, all those di cult times, but I guess God didn’t give me that special ability to hate. I love people.”

After the video, Sladek answered questions from the audience. His natural humor and charm shone through despite the dark subject matter, and he drew laughs on a number of occasions. One man said that Sladek had been his teacher at a Denver synagogue 57 years ago.

“I probably did the right thing by you, right? If I was a nasty teacher you wouldn’t be here today,” he joked.

Sladek said watching his country slide into fascism as a child made him passionate about the importance of safeguarding democracy, something he always emphasizes when speaking to groups of young

nation for housing. Alderman argued the best and most e cient use of tax dollars from HUD, Proposition 123 funding and other recent a ordable housing policies is to invest in solutions for the lowest income households with the greatest need.

“If we don’t stabilize those individuals, they will fall into the cycle of homelessness,” Alderman contended. “ ey will draw down more resources, because it is much more expensive to be in the cycle of homelessness than it is to stay stably housed.”

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

people.

“Even though we live in a democracy, there’s no guarantee that next week we are still going to be in a democracy,” he said.

He said he’s also concerned by a rise in antisemitism, which is something he said he never expected to have to be worried about in the U.S. However, he said he feels very safe in this country in part because unlike Slovakia, where Jews were one of the only minority groups, the U.S. is a diverse nation.

“If society decides to persecute a certain segment, we are all a victim of that,” he said.

e fact that a room full of people from various backgrounds were all sitting together and listening to him share his story is an example of the way things should be, he said. He encouraged the audience to stand up to displays of bigotry.

“We are people who love other people and we believe in a society that is made up of all kinds of people,” he said. “ at’s what I believe in.”

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

FLOWERS

That’s not to say the state isn’t experiencing warmth. On the Western Slope where elevations are lower, nighttime temperatures in Grand Junction have reached 60 degrees. Still, that’s slightly below normal for this time of year, Meier said.

“As the summer progresses, the south face and lower-elevation slopes will bloom first, in general,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he expects the High Country’s peak bloom to begin in one to two weeks. And while the snow and rain of the past months will help make a more vibrant scene, it’s the negative factors that can affect a wildflower season’s outcome more than the positives.

Drought, for example, can be a huge determinant of how well a bloom will perform. One dry summer can blunt a flower’s reproductive momentum for years, Johnson said, while consistent wet winters will ensure growth is steady.

According to June 29 data from the U.S. Drought Monitor nearly all of Colorado, including the entirety of the High Country, is

considered drought-free.

“If we keep this (precipitation) pattern where we have a really wet summer … you might expect next year’s flowers to really benefit from this winter and spring, there’s sort of a temporal delay there,” he said.

Unlike the annual flowers seen in California, Nevada and Utah, Colorado’s wildflowers are mostly perennials.

The key difference, according to Johnson, is that annuals only grow for one season before producing a large amount of seeds while perennials regrow every spring. Because of this, annuals are more affected by precipitation which can supercharge growth and lead to super blooms like those seen this spring and summer in California and other southwestern areas.

“In those deserts, it really is as simple as when it rains all winter, the flowers are crazy,” Johnson said.

Perennials, on the other hand, typically have a shorter bloom season and are more impacted by several years of weather rather than a single season.

“There’s sort of legacy effect from previous winters and previous summers,” Johnson said. “Just speaking for this winter, if all of those plants were fat and

happy last summer, then they’ve got more resources to bloom again this spring. So it’s a multiyear legacy.”

As peak bloom approaches, Johnson said there are endless ways wildflowers can be used to enhance the exploration of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain region. Much of that can be found in the sheer diversity of growth across the High Country.

“Even on the same hill or the same mountain … it can be a completely different plant community,” Johnson said.

“I actually really enjoy trying to figure out why certain plants grow in certain places. So it’s much more of an ecology view for me,” Johnson said. “Why is that plant really short on those goofy rocks, whereas there are tall ones just 20 feet away? Why are those plants so different?”

For an introductory book for identifying wildflowers during an excursion, Johnson recommended “Plants of the Rocky Mountains,” by Linda Kershaw. For something more technical, Johnson advised the book “Flora of Colorado,” by Jennifer Ackerfield.

He also said several apps, such as Leafsnap, are “remarkably accurate.”

Searching for wildflowers,

Johnson said, “does give you maybe a more complete experience to look at the land around you rather than having a goal.

“Stop and look at a flower. Ask, ‘what do you see?’ What color are the flowers? Are the leaves scratchy or are they smooth? Is it tall or is it short?” Johnson said. “You can really reinforce some basic observation skills into something that is tangible and real.”

And finding wildflowers doesn’t have to be a strenuous activity. Johnson said ski resorts, many of which grant access to mountain peaks via gondolas, are great for wildflower viewing thanks to constant snow activity that moistens the terrain.

“A lot of the more developed ski areas, Winter Park, Aspen, Vail, have a ton of summer activities and they’ve got a really well developed summer trail system,” Johnson said. “It’s a really easily accessible way to get a normal person to 9,000 feet, 10,000 feet, to see wildflowers.”

Summit Daily News editor Andrew Maciejewski contributed to this article.

This Summit Daily News article via The Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

Charles Barkley visits Arvada golf course for commercial shoot

Sta manager

lives out childhood dream as Barkley’s guide,

caddie

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Golfers might see the occasional pro at the West Woods Golf Club in Arvada, but they’re not usually of the basketball variety. But addeus Wodark, a sta manager at the club, recently got a chance to meet one, and it happened to be his favorite athlete ever.

“I actually developed a friendship with my childhood idol,” Wodark said. “It’s still surreal to even talk about.”

at idol was, and is, former NBA star Charles Barkley, who on the course exchanged phone numbers with Wodark and, weeks later, even texted him congratulations when he got married. Barkley is simply “Chuck” to many of his fans, but Wodark can really claim a rst-name basis now.

“Chuck was in his prime when I was young, and he was my favorite basketball player,” Wodark said. “So much so, to the e ect that I had a guinea pig named Barkley. I mean, he was everything to me.”

It all happened last month when Barkley was in town to shoot a commercial for Microsoft Bing. Afterwards, Barkley took to the Cottonwood and Sleeping Indian courses at the club for 18 holes, with Wodark as a sort of course chau eur.

e 1993 MVP and television personality also took time to meet with fans, signing autographs and stopping for photos throughout the day.

Wodark, 38, wasn’t just with Barkley. Also in the group was former NBA player Grant Hill and former football player and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad for the round at West Woods. Growing up idolizing Barkley for

years, Wodark said he was as authentic as he appears on television.

“He couldn’t have been any better of a person. He couldn’t have been more real or more gracious. He was thanking me for my admiration towards him,” Wodark said. “It was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. It’s like I hit the lottery.”

e commercial shows Barkley in his usual selfdeprecating and humorous way tapping into arti cial intelligence for help with his golf game. To view the full commercial, search “Charles Barkley Uses AI-Powered Search to Improve Golf Game” on Youtube.

Wodark and I sat down for a deeper Q&A about his experience that day.

Q. You said Charles was your favorite player growing up?

When he got traded to the Phoenix Suns, my parents bought me all the decor for my whole room. I had one of those fake, plastic, Phoenix Suns lockers in the corner of my room, and it had Bark-

ley’s name on it.

Q. Was meeting him everything you hoped it would be?

To get to meet him and share the better part of a day with him, was honestly one of the top three experiences of my life. I can’t even

can kind of get lost on our course. It’s not very self-explanatory getting to the next hole, if you will. So I was there as kind of a liaison just to make sure they were getting around and getting their golf in and having a good time. ey were pretty much using me as a caddie, and it just couldn’t have been any better.

Q. How was Charles with the crowd and the community?

People were ocking out of their backyards and yelling, ‘Chuck! Charles! Hey!’ And he would say, ‘Okay, hang on a second.’ He did his shot, and then he would take his golf cart over to them, greet them, take a picture, or whatever, and then carry on his way. He did not deny a single person interaction. It’s just him. It’s unapologetic. He is who he is. He’s gracious for his spotlight and his fame and his fans. He gets it.

Q. As a basketball fan, having Grant Hill there too, what a bonus!

It was just such an added bonus. Grant couldn’t have been any better either. When I was in elementary school, I’m not joking you, I wore an NBA basketball player’s jersey to school every day. I had Grant Hill’s Detroit Pistons jersey that was reversible, back when they had the teal green with the Piston on it. I told him about it, and he was like, ‘ at’s awesome.’ Halfway through the round, Grant was like, ‘I have tickets to Game 2 (of the NBA Finals). I’m going to give them to you. Get my number, send me your info.’ It was the morning of Game 2 and I got a text from his assistant. I had the tickets within ve minutes. e seats I got were going for about two grand a piece.

explain to you how profound it was. It was an experience for me that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Q. What was your role in the event that day?

I essentially kind of chauffeured them around our 18-hole course because you

Q. How was Ahmad Rashad?

Ahmad was so cool. I grew up watching Ahmad Rashad on NBA Inside Stu . I know you did, too. He was talking about Michael Jordan’s course. I mean, he lives on

Barkley sizes up a shot at the West Woods Golf Club in Arvada last month.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ARVADA

Former NBA Star and television personality Charles Barkley visited the West Woods Golf Club in Arvada last month to shoot a commercial and 18 holes of golf.

BARKLEY

the Grove, Michael Jordan’s course. Ahmad Rashad is like, best friends with Michael Jordan. It was just nuts to listen to them talk and just be immersed in their lives for a few hours.

Q. What happened on the 11th hole that day?

We’re sitting on the fairway. He’s sitting in his cart, I’m sitting in mine. We’re waiting on the others, and he looks over at me and he’s like ‘Where’s your phone? Get your phone. Put my number in it. Send me a text.’ So I sent him a text, just

thinking he’s being nice or whatever. But a day or two later, he sends me this thank you, just thanking us for showing him such a good time. And he thanked me again for my admiration for him.

Q. What a memory. You were about to get married later that month also, right?

Yes. I got married on the 23rd of June. So, I was only a couple weeks out from getting married. A few days after the event, he wished me the best for my wedding. To go even a step further, the next morning (after my wedding), I had a text from Chuck to congratulate me and my bride.

From left to right: Grant Hill, Thaddeus Wodark, Charles Barkley, and head golf professional Bobby Quarantino pose for a photo at the West Woods Golf Club.

COURTESY OF THADDEUS WODARK

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Denver Iconics professional pickleball in full swing

Nation’s fastestgrowing sport makes local debut

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

You may have heard the pat-pat-patting of a pickleball court in your neighborhood or local park. You may even play regularly yourself, or complain about the noise. However you feel, pickleball is being taken to the next level across the Front Range.

Enter the Denver Iconics. ey are the metro area’s new professional pickleball team, one of just six teams in the National Pickleball League (NPL). Just like any other pro team, the Iconics’ lineup is made up of imports: 18 players from several di erent states.

Nine are men and nine are women. Other teams in the NPL include the Boca Raton Picklers from Florida, the Oklahoma City Punishers, and the Indy Drivers from Indianapolis.

e league’s inaugural season is currently in full swing. Steamboat Springs residents Chris and Amanda Montgomery and Mario and Jen Boschi share a passion for the sport of pickleball, which led to their purchase of the team in March.

“Pickleball is growing rapidly, and this is a chance to be in on the ground oor in bringing team pickleball to the Champions Pro (ages 50 and older) scene,” said Chris Montgomery, who has

played the sport recreationally and in tournaments since 2014. “I’ve always dreamed of owning or being part of a sports team, and this is our opportunity. It is also important to me that we have a team in Colorado.”

Not only is pickleball growing rapidly, it’s the fastest-growing sport in the country. As reported by CNN, the number of people playing pickleball grew by more than 150% in three years to 8.9 million in 2022, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

Mario Boschi said it’s almost like “ e Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” e sport has grown out of interest from older audiences, and that interest has trickled down to younger players in recent years.

“I’ll go back 10 years,” Boschi said. “ e (average) age group was maybe 62. You go back ve years, it goes down to about 42. Now, the age group from a year or two years ago, you could be looking at anywhere between 28 to 35. Give it another couple years, you’re going to see this thing go down to anywhere between ages 20 to 25.”

Montgomery recalled the rst time he played. He was an avid basketball and racquetball player and missed being able to compete like he used to. A year after moving to Colorado from Austin in 2013, he said he just assumed racquetball would still be around like it was in the 70s and 80s.

“I saw an ad in the paper

for, ‘Hey, come out and play pickleball at the tennis center,’” Montgomery said. “I wasn’t a tennis player, so I just jumped out there and said, ‘I don’t know what this goofy sport is but I’ll give it a shot.’ I just got hooked right away.”

e youngest guy there, other than Montgomery, was 65.

“I jumped in with them anyway and they were like, ‘Oh, you’re the young guy!’ And I’m like, I’m 47,” he said. “Now, we go out there every day and there’s another group of people in their 20s and 30s trying it for the rst time.”

After that match, the rest was history. He began playing tournaments in 2014, and when the opportunity came up to play professionally, representing the place he found his new passion, it was a no-brainer.

Boschi said the reason it’s becoming so popular so quickly is because it is easy to learn, is accessible and inexpensive like disc golf, and it’s simply fun. He holds a Level II IPTPA (International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association) certi cation and teaches pickleball in Steamboat Springs and Denver.

Boschi’s only been playing for about two years, after trying out the sport on a whim when invited by his friends.

Now, he’s hooked, and playing at a high level. But in the Champions Pro scene, that’s the only option, he said.

“ e level of competition, I have to say, is way bet-

ter,” Boschi said. “I mean, it is 10 times better than the competition I played when I used to play in tournaments. Now you’re playing against the best of the best in the nation.”

e season runs through September, and will culminate in October with a championship weekend at the Chicken N Pickle indoor complex in Glendale, Arizona, with $100,000 in prize money on the line.

Pickleball is often played outside recreationally or casually. But the NPL holds indoor events to avoid the elements and ensure a proper schedule, considering the teams’ heavy travel load.

As for the Iconics, they are struggling so far this season. ey are currently sitting in last place with a 2-6 record, but with three di erent competitions left before the championship weekend, there is time to turn it around.

Pickleball combines elements of sports like tennis, ping pong, and badminton.

e game can be played in solos, but the NPL teams, like the Iconics, play in doubles. e ball is volleyed back and forth until a point is scored or a fault is made.

Like the sports listed above, there are certain ways to hit the ball, certain amounts of bouncing allowed before and after hits, and out-of-bounds zones. e court is badminton sized: 44 feet long and 20 feet wide. Pickleball is generally played to 11 points, and you must win by two points.

For a better breakdown of

the speci c rules, visit www. usapickleball.org.

e team is working on gelling together, tweaking rotations and tier levels internally. Results have been slow at rst but promising.

“ e di erence is that it’s a team sport,” Boschi said. “Anyone that has played team sports will understand the concept. We are supporting everyone, and they are supporting us and coaching us and supporting us at the same time. Everyone is supporting everyone whether they’re on the court or o the court.”

Simply having a team representing Colorado is a big deal, Montgomery said, and will have a big impact on the community.

“Long term, we want to build a team that people can rally around and have fun supporting,” Montgomery said. “People who come out to watch the Champions Pro play will be able to identify with the players and the game, while being impressed with the level or skill and quality of play.”

e next regular season competition will be held July 29-30 in the DallasGrand Prairie area. ere were no events in Colorado this season, but the Iconics owners are hopeful and excited about potentially bringing events to Denver next season.

For more on the Denver Iconics, view their roster and pro le at www.denvericonics.com. To learn about the National Pickleball League and its teams and events, visit www.nplpickleball.com.