Arvada Press 083123

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Je erson County Public Health wants the public to join the department in observing International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. e agency is working with the Points West Syringe Services Program to o er a host of information and resources and more for families. e day is also a time to remember those lost to drug overdose.

“International Overdose Awareness Day is an annual observance focused on raising awareness and reducing stigma around overdose,” the announcement reads. e day is also about “remembering those who have died or suffered permanent injury because of drug overdose and stimulating

Arvada Days brings family-friendly fun

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

As summer draws to a close, Arvada isn’t missing out on any opportunities to have fun in the sun. Clear Creek Valley Park was lled with family-friendly festivities on Aug. 19 during the Arvada Days festival.

Arvada Days is meant to be a festival dedicated to families, featuring food trucks, in atables, craft vendors, live music, train rides, and games, among other activities. e festival also featured a beer garden, with proceeds from the garden bene tting Ralston House.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” McKenna Horst said. Horst’s business — GruntNGoose Crafts — was one of several local businesses with booths at the festival.

“(I love) getting to see so many people and see the way that people interact with my products,” Horst added. “It just makes me so happy.”

“Arvada Days was marvelous,” said Adelle Burton, a city liaison to the Festivals Commission. “It was a hot day but we kept the hydration going with the free water re ll truck and cold treats from the food trucks. Free activities went on all day long, giving everyone something to do.”

“Freddie Mercury rocked the stage with Fat Bottom Boys after Ninety Percent 90s warmed the crowd up with some killer ‘90s covers,” Burton said. She added a “huge shoutout to the awesome volunteers on the Arvada Festivals Commission. Without them, these events would not be possible.”

The booth for Personal Achievement

Martial Arts let kids try out martial arts for themselves by breaking boards.

PHOTOS BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

Local vendors such as GruntNGoose Crafts brought their businesses to Clear Creek Valley Park during Arvada Days.

Is Losing Your Gas Fireplace Keeping You From Making Your Home All-Electric?

There’s a growing movement (and some good reasons) to eliminate natural gas from our homes. Think carbon monoxide poisoning. Or the ill effects of inhaling methane. Or home explosions from gas leaks. Or how the use of natural gas (which is methane) contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

While it’s easy and financially incentivized by state, federal and utility rebates to replace your gas furnace with a ducted or ductless heat pump system and your gasfired water heater with a heat-pump water heater, many homeowners — myself included when I owned a singlefamily home — find it hard to accept giving up their gas fireplaces and gas grills.

Rita and I had to give up our gas grill when we moved into an apartment, but we found that the George Foreman electric grill is a great replacement — and costs less to buy and operate. (You can also use it indoors!) But I didn’t know until recently that there are some fine alternatives if you are willing to give up your gas fireplace.

As an active Realtor, I have seen and listed many homes with electric fireplaces. One of my recently sold listings, which you can still view online at www.GreenMountainHome.info, has an electric fireplace sitting on the hearth of the wood-burning fireplace in the basement. Fast forward to 3:45 in the listing’s video tour to see it. The seller’s reason: they couldn’t keep the woodburning fireplace from overheating the basement, but the electric fireplace can be controlled with a thermostat.

Temperature control is just one of the challenges with wood-burning and most gas fireplaces. I mentioned others in the first paragraph. But cost of operation is another one. Many people just want the ambiance of a burning fireplace, which you can get for pennies per hour from an electric fireplace, but most electric fireplaces also having heating modes, and if you want heat from it, the electric cost is still less than the cost of gas for an equivalent amount of heat generation.

Much of the heat generated by a gas (or wood) fireplace goes up the chimney, whereas electric fireplaces are unvented and therefore 100% efficient in that respect. No chimney also means no rodents or birds taking up residence in them.

At www.ElephantEnergy.com you’ll find a web page devoted to electric fireplaces, from which I downloaded the two pictures above. On that page they

describe seven different types of electric fireplaces, two of which — an insert and wall-mounted — are shown at right. That web page addresses the following considerations:

1. Lower costs

2. Reduced carbon emissions

3. Increased energy efficiency

4. Improved safety

5. Ambiance options; and

6, Model types

In terms of costs, the web page claims a 30% savings over the cost of a gas fireplace. The electric fireplace generates less heat at lower cost, but when it’s used to supplement, not replace, your central heating or for ambiance, that should be fine.

Topics 2, 3 and 4 I have already mentioned. The model types which offer ambiance and/or heating options are broken down as follows:

Pre-fab fireplaces can be either freestanding or wall-mounted and are the kind that you plug into any 120V outlet. They range from $400 to $4,000 depending on the features you want.

Custom fireplaces require unique installation and can range in price from $2,000 to $10,000.

Wall-mounted fireplaces resemble flat-screen televisions and can cost as little as $300.

Electric fireplace inserts allow you to make attractive use of your existing fireplace hearth and firebox. According to the website, they range in price from $400 to $3,000.

Recessed electric fireplaces are nice if you’re willing to build out a wall to accommodate the unit’s depth, and can be quite attractive. The design options are limited only by your imagination. Cost can range from $400 to $7,000 or more.

Built-in electric fireplaces are just a variation on the above, but typically include a hearth, mantel and surround. Intended for heating, not just ambiance, they can range from $3,000 to over $10,000.

Water vapor electric fireplaces are my favorite. No one will mistake them for a gas or wood-burning fireplace, but they “spark” elegance and style. That’s the other example included above. They create 3-dimensional “flames” through the use of water vapor and LED lights. They do not have heating as an option.

Remember, because electric fireplaces don’t require venting, they can be installed on any wall of any room.

Elephant Energy does not sell fireplaces (or other systems), but they have a link to www.ModernBlaze.com, which

sells a wide variety of all the types of fireplaces listed above. They offer free shipping and returns and a 10% discount if you sign up for text messages.

If You Want an Actual Flame, Ethanol Is a ‘Green’ Option

Last week I shot a narrated video tour of an all-electric home that will be in October 7’s Metro Denver Green Homes Tour. It’s Michele Merritt’s Lakewood home, and she has two fireplaces that burn liquid ethanol.

An ethanol fireplace is the easiest kind to install because it requires no venting, construction or electrical outlet. You can build it into a wall, like a regular fireplace, but you can also have one as an indoor (or outdoor) firepit, since there are no fumes. You pour the liquid ethanal (basically just alcohol) into the reservoir and light it. A one-liter bottle of ethanol will burn for

several hours. ModernBlaze.com sells 6 bottles for $87 including shipping. They sell a 24-inch ethanol burner for $1,895. I have a link to their blog about ethanol fireplaces at www.GoldenREblog.com

Here’s a picture from their blog of an ethanol burner set in a coffee table:

Becoming a ‘Realtor’ Is Optional, So Why Do It?

Golden Real Estate is a Realtor brokerage, meaning that all our agents belong to a local Realtor association and thereby are members of the Colorado Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

“Realtor” is a trademark, and only members of a Realtor association can call themselves Realtors. That’s also why Realtor, like Kleenex, should always be capitalized.

It’s estimated that only half of all licensed real estate agents are Realtors, but you have to be a Realtor if you want to work for us or any other Realtor brokerage. All the major franchises are Realtor brokerages, but there are lots of non-Realtor brokerages that an agent can join if he or she wants to avoid the $500+ annual dues to be a Realtor.

So what’s in it for an agent to be a Realtor, paying over $5,000 per decade

for the privilege?

First of all, non-Realtors can’t work for a Realtor brokerage such as ours. They’d have to be independent or join a non-Realtor brokerage. Some brokerages, such as HomeSmart, Your Castle, and Resident Realty, have created both Realtor and non-Realtor brokerages with near-identical or identical logos and near identical names so that the average client or prospective client would have no idea that the agent they are interviewing might not be a Realtor.

I feel that’s deceptive advertising, which violates the Realtor Code of Ethics, but non-Realtors aren’t bound by that code. There are benefits to being a NAR member that wouldn’t mean much to consumers. More than that, however, I believe in “paying one’s dues.” All agents benefit from NAR’s lobbying on our behalf, but only Realtors pay for it.

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 “I

Outgoing mayor reflects on 24 years of public service

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Following over 24 years of public service in Arvada, Mayor Marc Williams is set to retire following the November municipal election due to being term-limited.

Williams was rst elected to council in 1999 as a council member at-large. He was re-elected twice to that seat before running for mayor in 2011. Williams was then re-elected in 2015 and again in 2019.

roughout his time on council and as mayor, Williams guided Arvada through growth, expansion and urban renewal. In recent years as mayor, Williams led the city through di cult moments, such as the pandemic and the murders of Arvada Police O cers Gordon Beesley and Dillon Vako .

In light of his retirement, the Arvada Press sat down with Williams to discuss his time in Arvada, issues facing the city and what he envisions for Arvada’s next mayor.

Editor’s Note: is conversation has been edited for clarity.  Arvada Press: What inspired you to get involved in public service?

Marc Williams: With both my law career and career in the Chamber of Commerce, I would come to City Council fairly regularly and sort of see what was going on there.

In 1999, there was an open city council seat for the at-large seat. ere were two of us that ran, I was fortunate enough to win that race. I think nal numbers came in at like 2 a.m. – tight, tight race. To have the opportunity too, to have (already) watched city council … I thought I had a pretty good leg up. And it’s been a great learning experience.

AP: How does Arvada today differ from the Arvada you walked into 24 years ago?

MW: We’ve grown dramatically. I think we’ve handled that growth smartly. e transformation of Old Town is probably one of the biggest impacts I’ve seen over the time, from when I rst came to

our banner to where we are now. And 24 years ago, Old Town was very sleepy. So you didn’t see the vibrancy that certainly is there now and I think we have done a tremendous job of transforming that.

AP: What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time on council and as mayor?

MW:I think the partnership is one that comes to mind, our work with the re district, with the school district and with the Apex Park and Recreation District. ere have been some terri c partnerships in terms of what we’ve been able to do working together on behalf of the citizens.

AP: How do you think that those accomplishments that you mentioned have shaped the city into what we know it as today?

MW: I think that what we’ve done is continued to make and continue to make improvements so that Arvada is a wonderful, wonderful place to live, work and play. It’s a city that o ers tremendous amenities, in terms of our parks or golf

courses or trails. at’s truly familyoriented, that, families can really enjoy their time here.

I rst came to Arvada in ‘79 as a law clerk, and I remember areas of Arvada that just did not look good…What urban renewal has done to revitalize and create opportunities for residential and retail, other business opportunities has been incredible.

AP: What are the biggest challenges facing Arvada right now?

MW: Homelessness is is a major concern, obviously, not just for Arvada, but for the entire region, and nationally. You’ve got to have regional cooperation and partnerships to address that.

Crime is certainly a concern. It’s growing everywhere. I think that the anti-police dialogue on a national level, fortunately, has not ltered down to the local level. When I go to National Night Out or talk to citizens, our citizens truly like our police, and we’re proud of

our police.

But to be able to get fully hired with our police departments is going to take a lot of work. We’re down over 30 o cers in terms of our sta ng. at a ects response time, it a ects the morale of our o cers, it requires a lot of overtime and we don’t want that to interfere with good police work.

AP: What do you think the city can do to address some of those challenges?

MW: We’re working in conjunction with other cities in the county, on a navigation center. So that for those homeless individuals who are willing to accept help to get them o the streets and get wraparound services for them. at’s certainly the desire there.

With regard to the police, we’re blessed in Arvada, that we have a city council that recognizes the importance of our police department and respects our police o cers. is is not a community that’s going to defund the police. We’re going to continue to support them

with technology with equipment, and, and resources.

AP:You led the city through a lot of uncertainty and loss in 2020 and 2021. How did you guide the city through those di cult moments?

MW: To lose two o cers in the course of 15 months was unthinkable. First with Gordon Beesley it was such a shock to all of us and many tears were shed, I’m darn lucky that I have a support system around me, both with my family and my friends who helped me. In public statements and videos, we recorded things of that nature, to reassure our citizens that, you know how horrible it was, but how we would rebound…To see the outpouring of support from the community gave me a lot of strength, and gave me a lot of reassurance that we will get through it. But those were, those were tough. ose were tough times.

AP: You’ve been mayor for 12 years. 12 years from now, what would you like to see Arvada look like?

MW: I hope to see that we continue to grow in a responsible

Arvada Mayor Marc Willliams will retire after the November municipal election.

PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

discussion about overdose prevention and harm reduction.”

Drug-related overdoses and deaths are on the rise and have been since the COVID lockdowns. According to Je co Public Health, between 2021 and 2022, there were 2,122 hospital admissions for drug-related overdoses in Jefferson County. e year between February 2021 and February 2022 saw 1,823 overdose deaths in the county.

Remembrance and education are meant to raise awareness in hopes of reducing overdose and death rates. According to Michael Ford, HIV Prevention and Harm Reduction Team Lead, changing the perception of drug overdose is one way toward lower numbers.

“We really encourage people in our community to think di erently about drug overdose,” Ford

said. “It isn’t an isolated phenomenon among small pockets of our community — many of those

we’ve lost to overdose didn’t use drugs regularly or were unprepared for overdose because they’d taken something they thought was safe.”

Ford and JCPH want the public to know that the face of a drug overdose is not what was projected in the 80s and 90s. e increasing rates require education along with that new perception.

“Unfortunately, data show overdose is increasingly a ecting communities across Colorado, including Je erson County. Between the potency of fentanyl and an increasingly unpredictable drug supply, it’s now more important than ever to make sure you, your loved ones and your neighbors know how to recognize and respond to an overdose.”

For more information on International Overdose Awareness Day, check out the Je erson County Public Health Civic Alert.

REFLECTING

fashion. And I think we will, I think we’ve got a comprehensive plan that still respects the avor of our baton and will continue to foster that. I hope to see more missing middle residential opportunities so that anybody who wants to live in Arvada can nd housing that they can a ord that meets their needs.

I hope and pray that our police ofcers stay safe. at we continue to have excellent personnel at the city of Arvada at all levels, that we continue to have what I think is one of the best workforces in the region. And that people still are proud to call Arvada home.

AP: What are your plans for retirement?

MW: We are blessed to have four children in the metro area, and eight grandchildren. And so we love our time with them. I am most blessed to have a wife Luanne, who shares such similar desires that I have. We’re a true

partnership. We love riding our tandem bike. We thoroughly enjoy playing golf and going on hikes. And we have some trips planned.

What I do pledge to do, though, is not be overly involved in city politics.

ere’s a point where you need to step aside and let the next people run freely without having to look over their shoulder or be questioned by me or other former council members. I’ll be watching. I’ll be watching from the sidelines, and I’ll be cheering on the city, but I will not be a critic.

AP: What do you think that the mayoral role entails?

MW: It’s important that the mayor is out there. e mayor is, certainly to a lot of people, the face of the city. It’s viewed as the leader of the community. So you’ve got to lead by example.

In city council meetings, the mayor’s obligation is to make sure that every city council member gets heard, and is respected in what they have to say, and that any citizen that comes before us is heard and feels like they were heard and that they were treated fairly.

AP: What qualities would you like to

see in your successor as mayor?

MW: I hope they take my approach, that even when there are disagreements, we disagree agreeably, that we keep partisan politics out of municipal government, that they bring their own ideas. Certainly, I’m not looking for a clone of Marc Williams.

I hope that they take their experiences here in Arvada, and continue to grow on our successes, learning from our past successes and failures and don’t make mistakes that could harm the city. I do hope that whoever is Mayor maintains a very high level of engagement here in the city.

AP: Who are you endorsing in the 2023 mayoral race?

MW: I endorsed John Marriott early on. I had 12 years of experience on city council before I ran for mayor. John’s got 10. John has been part of this community since birth. I mean, he grew up in Arvada, he’s got more history in Arvada than I have. I respect both candidates and I’m con dent that either of them will be an excellent mayor, but those are deciding factors as to why I endorsed John.

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Several inflatables were part of the fun at Arvada Days, giving kids the chance to bounce and race through obstacle courses. PHOTOS BY LILLIAN FUGLEI

Ralston House’s beer garden raised money for the organization during the festival.

FROM

PAGE

Organization helps with auto care for single moms

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Hands of the Carpenter is a nonpro t organization in Golden that assists single mothers with their transportation needs. It speci cally aids in vehicle maintenance, repair and purchase. e organization has a liated shops across the county and is expanding into the metro area.

According to Daniel Mondragon, the organization’s resource development director, Hands of the Carpenter’s mission is to “o er hope to single women with dependent children, while providing automobile services, partnering in their e orts to be employed and pursue economic self-su ciency.”

“ e organization was formed after founder Dan Georgopulos and others established an e ort to assist single women in their church community by working on practical needs around their homes,” Mondragon said. “ e volunteers soon learned there were many single women across the Denver metro area who were faced with obstacles preventing self-su ciency.”

Georgopulos became CEO, a role he still serves today, 20 years later. e organization operates two primary repair facilities in Golden

and Aurora.

Hands has two primary programs for single mothers it serves, the TLC program and the Lift UP Program.

“ e TLC Program is the entry point for all new clients to access a vehicle assessment and an initial automotive service that addresses an immediate transportation need,” Mondragon explained. “Women who come with a car not worth xing may be eligible to obtain a car that was donated to Hands and prepared by Hands professional technicians.”

e Lift Up program goes a bit further for the mothers who need it.

“Single moms may then be invited into the Lift UP Program to receive ongoing repairs, maintenance and car care education for up to three years to support their efforts to maintain employment and achieve economic self-su ciency,” Mondragon said. “Most clients come in an average of two to three times per year. e aim is to teach the women the importance of consistent care of their cars, establish care habits, and help them understand and prepare to a ord quality car care.”

Mondragon also mentioned a current program that Hands is running. “Hands is currently o ering a complimentary oil change and vehicle assessment to single mothers,” he said. “ e aim is to provide information to the vehicle owners before an emergency issue arises.

e team is also able to determine if the woman and her car can be invited to formally apply to receive Hands’ ongoing services.”

e Hands team o ers mothers the expertise of professional mechanics. According to Mondragon, the organization has:

• ree experienced and certi ed professional technicians

• Two service advisors who keep the women informed and provide education.

• One professional who drives Hands’ tow truck to pick up clients and donated cars and helps handle the sale of donated cars unusable in Hands programs.

ey also have Automotive Services Director Crystal Scott, who helps make the process so much easier for women. according to Hands client Anjelina Trujillo, a Lakewood mother of four kids.

Trujillo said that the Hands programs helped her twice, rst with a car from the Lift Up program. It was later totaled in an accident. Trujillo bought another car from a private seller recommended by a friend. Hands o ered inspection services that Trujillo said revealed some devastating news.

“ ey told me that there were so many repairs that it was way more expensive to x it than to actually just get a new car,” she said.

Trujillo took their advice and kept the car, which she said died on the road a few weeks later.

“I hadn’t even had a chance to talk to them about what a new car would look like or anything,” Trujillo said. “And so that kind of kicks things into high gear.”

She started working with Hands and soon the organization had a car for Trujillo at 75%, meaning the organization covered 75% of the car’s cost.

Hands of the Carpenter mechanics are seasoned professionals with experience and expertise in auto repair, maintenance and inspection. PHOTOS COURTESY HANDS OF THE CARPENTER

CARPENTERS

An Aurora single mom of three who asked for her name not to be used in this article also shared how Hands helped her family.

“I think it was about March 2023,” she said. “I was looking for an honest mechanic because the person who used to x my car moved to California.”

She received word about the program through her employer’s work/ life balance program, which led to a referral to Hands.

“As soon as I walked in, everyone was so friendly,” she said. “You could tell that they cared and wanted to help with whatever was wrong with my car. ey checked my whole car out and let me know

what was wrong. I was able to get the majority of it xed at a reduced cost which was amazing because I am taking care of three kids and my funds are limited.”

ere are a few ways that mothers can apply, according to Margarita Pineda, client services director for Hands of the Carpenter. ey can go to HandsOf eCarpenter.org and use the “Contact Us” page on the website. ey can also click “Contact Client Services” to send an email directly to Pineda and her team. She said mothers can also call the organization directly at 303-551-0307. Pineda also o ered the direct email care@ehands.org.

e website also has an application that mothers can ll out and submit. “Client Services contacts the applicant after they have submitted their application within 24 hours of receiving it,” Pineda said.

For now, the organization is located in Je erson and Arapahoe counties, with hopes of spreading to the entire Denver Metro area. Trujillo and the Aurora single mom both recommend the service to single moms in need of help.

“If you have a problem you can call get in quickly and they’ll x it for you. If you have to leave your car overnight. ey provide a loaner car that way you can continue to take care of whatever business you have to take care of while your car is being repaired. e prices are reasonable and I didn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get my car in working order. is is by far the best program and auto body shop I have ever been to. I will never go anywhere else.”

You can nd more information on Hands of the Carpenter and an application for services on HandsOfTheCarpenter.org.

Hands of the Carpenter also o ers a program to single moms that includes a new (used) car at a discounted rate, a maintenance schedule and a repair history on the car.

OF THE CARPENTER

Superior residents speak out in Je co commissioners meeting

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Je erson County commissioners heard public comments on the Pilatus Business Aircraft land lease with the county during a recent meeting. e resolution would allow an amendment to the lease so that Pilatus can expand its services.

However, the conversation during public comment was not focused on the aircraft company.

e rst speaker at the Aug. 22 meeting in Golden was Kevin Ryan. He spoke about the issues that people in his neighborhood have had with the Je co Commissioners and the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport at 11755 Airport Way in

Broom eld. Ryan referenced past conversations with speci c commissioners where he said the Superior residents were dismissed.

He said the commissioners failed to inform the community about matters concerning the airport as well. Ryan also felt that the commissioners had a “we told you not to build there” attitude toward him and others when they voiced concerns about the airport.

Colorado Community Media reported on a February meeting between the Superior residents, the Je co commissioners and others a liated with the airport.

is includes a representative of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the Je erson County Public Health Department.

e meeting was set to discuss the Superior residents’ claims of lead poisoning. ey said the leaded fuel used in the aircraft ying into and out of the airport was the source of the lead. Other complaints explored included of noise pollution and reports of harassment.

e parties are still resolving the issues. Ryan accused the county commissioners of not doing their duty to help the Superior residents with their grievances against the airport. Ryan did say that he had no issue with the Pilatus lease changes.

In fact, Ryan praised the company and said they were a good company. Another Superior resident, Brad Walker, spoke on the same topic. He acknowledged the tense relationship between his community and the county commissioners. According to Walker, the interactions between the two parties were fraught with “emotional rhetoric” that makes reaching any agreements di cult. Walker commended the commissioners on their handling of the situation.

e commissioners did approve the Pilatus lease amendment. e amendment allows the company an additional 81, 859 square feet of space to expand its business. Pilatus plans to place a seat shop next to the paint shop it already has on the property. e county will realize an additional $29,000 in revenue each year as a result of this lease amendment.

e rest of the resolutions were approved under the consent agenda, which allows the commissioners to vote on a group of resolutions with one vote. ese resolutions were read, discussed and heard in previous meetings as far back as May 2023.

For more information on the Je co Commissioners meeting, visit pubje co.escribemeetings.com.

COURTESY HANDS

Boulder mass shooting suspect found competent to stand trial

Alleged perpetrator of the King Soopers shooting to appear for status hearing Aug. 29

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The alleged perpetrator of the King Soopers shooting that claimed the lives of 10 people in 2021 has been found competent to stand trial, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Aug. 23.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa — a 24-year-old from Arvada — has

been in custody since the date of the shooting; March 22, 2021. His trail has had numerous delays as he has been found incompetent to stand multiple times, with his defense team claiming Alissa has schizophrenia.

The statement released by the Boulder County DA’s office said Alissa has been “restored to competency,” and is due in Boulder District Court on Aug. 29 for a

status hearing.

Since March, Alissa has been receiving involuntary mental health treatment at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo.

The victims of the shooting are Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; Eric Talley, 51; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.

Alissa is facing 10 first-degree murder charges, 47 attempted murder charges and over 13 other charges.

Buddy (282087) is a 6-year-old male cat. He can be a bit shy but loves treats and petting once comfortable. Buddy may be adopted with his friend Pumpkin (282086) for a shared adoption fee. Both cats are available to dog-free homes with no kids

303.278.7575

Hurray, you’ve moved to the rural West from a crowded subdivision or city where the tra c has become an out-ofpatience game, and now you want to t in.

You want to learn how irrigation ditches work, build a hen house, and grow fruit trees, wine grapes and a garden. You also want to take a hike at a moment’s notice, or at least look like you’re ready to do 10 miles.

How do newcomers manage this transition? Western writer Zane Grey never wrote a Code of the West, but it was clear from his novels that subtle rules operated in the 19th century. Key tenets were fair play, respect for the land and hospitality.

Today’s code, if one was written, would include those values, but there are some modern quirks you might not anticipate.

First, if you meet an old-timer and they’re willing to talk about “the way it used to be” in your town, try to restrain the urge to chime in with stories of your own, as that will shut o the ow. Good stories take time.

As you settle in, agree to buy your youngsters 4-H market lambs for the county fair, but only if they know these animals have a de nite

Tips for a new Westerner

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

destiny: Lambs the kids work hard to muscle up will be slaughtered and sold, and by fair time the lambs are sure to have pet names like Fuzzy or Mopsy. Parting will be painful; prepare for tears.

Weather can change minute by minute, and it’s no good complaining about it, as the old saw goes. But everyone is willing to talk about it. “Hot enough for you?” will do as a hello at the post o ce in the summer. You could also tell about a photo from Wyoming that shows a metal chain standing out horizontally, the caption reading: “Sti wind yesterday.”

And even if it rains for more than a week, get ready to tell someone you meet on the sidewalk: “We need the moisture.”

Appreciate that neighbor in the West is a verb, and “out-neighboring” someone is a highly developed skill. It can be thoroughly enjoyable (though sometimes competitive) and always helpful, but you need to

keep track of who’s on tap to neighbor next.

You may live in a rural area, but if your dog poops in someone’s front yard it helps to have a plastic bag handy to pick it up. On a hiking trail, you also need to bag up a dog’s leavings and carry it out with you, though sometimes kicking poop into deep grass works. at is not recommended, however.

See if you agree that there’s a pecking order of hunters, with bowhunters the elite as they’ve got to be extra stealthy and up close to kill their prey. ey also get to look cool in their camo and face paint. However, they may reek from the skunk juice they slather on. Muzzleloaders also get respect as they’re shooting ancient guns for some reason.

Never ask a mushroom hunter where they found their boletes, chanterelles and pu balls. Mushroom patches are sacrosanct. If queried yourself, wave vaguely and maybe say, “Not too far from here.”

Anytime there’s a football or basketball game in your area, try to show up. Same goes for a county fair or rodeo, where you might see excellent bull riding along with a sport called mutton busting. at’s

a tradition involving little kids who wear helmets while riding a sheep that shakes them o within a few seconds. Try not to audibly gasp. Most kids bounce.

ough no one likes inhaling smoke from wild res, realize that the only way to prevent forest res is to prevent forests. ey’re built to burn. Get some advice about what “defensible space” means and protect your house.

If you’re hardcore and want to dunk in an irrigation ditch, do not swallow the water. And never let your dog join you if a culvert is nearby, which one usually is. Culverts and siphons are dangerous and can be lethal to both of you.

Finally, avoid talking politics with your neighbors as you could guess wrong in thinking they share your opinions. You might nd out they have a whole host of peculiar ideas and predilections. Of course, they’ll think you’re odd, too.

Betsy Marston is the editor of Writers on the Range, writersontherange. org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She lives in Paonia, Colorado.

Making ’Beautiful’ music at the Arvada Center

For those who are unfamiliar, a jukebox musical is a show that features tunes most audiences are familiar with. And that kind of show is practically made for “Beautiful,” the story of singer, songwriter and allaround legend Carole King.  “What separates this from other jukebox musicals is it has an actual story that is meaty, dramatic and interesting,” said Emily Van Fleet, who is taking on the role of King for the Arvada Center’s new production. “ e way the music is woven into the story enhances it in such a lovely way. Audiences go on a real journey.”

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Musical”runs at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., from Friday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Oct. 15. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. on Wednesday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  According to provided information, the show tells the true story of King, “a shy, Jewish girl from Manhattan who became one of the

biggest songwriters in the world.” It details how she collaborated with Gerry Go n (Seth Dhonau) and competed against Cynthia Weil (Adriane Leigh Robinson) and Barry Mann (EJ Dohring) to write songs that listeners the world over would recognize.

e results were classics like “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Up on the Roof,” and “So Far Away” — many of which were made famous by singers other than King herself, like e Drifters and e Shirelles.

“It’s great that Carole is connected to so many artists, like James Taylor,” said Dhonau. “ is provides a wider scope of what the

musical landscape at the time was.”

While the music is certainly the heartbeat of the show, “Beautiful” also o ers a humane and insightful look at the creative process and how co-creators can get enmeshed in each other’s lives.

“Whenever two people collaborate, there will be times when they don’t see eye to eye. It’s fascinating to see how their separate work get formed into one song,” Dhonau said. “ ere’s always a bit of dramatic tension in determining what the lyrical content and harmonic content is of a song and how it makes the listener feel.”

“Beautiful — e Carole King

15.

READER

e music King and her peers wrote during the period covered in the show has proven to be some of the most in uential and lasting ever recorded and that’s part of the thrill of the production.

“I hope people come away appreciating the impact on popular culture of this music and maybe even surprised by some of the songs King wrote,” Van Fleet said. “I knew I liked this music before we did it and now I love it more and more every time.”

Information and tickets can be found at https://arvadacenter.org/ events/beautiful-the-carole-kingmusical.

Dance to the Songs of Brazil and Music of the Bronx Horns in Northglenn

When done properly, musical fusion is a great way to explore di erent genres combined in a way that is both enlightening and entertaining. e Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra is one of the best at this blending, and you can hear that in person at Northglenn’s Parson eatre, 1 E. Memorial Parkway, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8.

e Songs of Brazil and the Music of the Bronx Horns will feature vocalist Marion Powers and nds the group exploring the music of e Bronx Horns, who are wellknown for their contributions to Latin Jazz and Salsa in the 1990s.

Information and tickets can be found at https://bit.ly/NGARTSCJRO-Brazil-BronxHorns.

Immerse yourself in the annual Friendship Powwow

Come to the Denver Art Museum Sie Welcome Center, 100

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W. 14thAvenue Parkway in Denver, for one of the longest running and most culturally important events of the year – the 34thAnnual Friendship Powwow.

e event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 and is developed annually with members of the regional Indigenous community and, according to provided information, features Native American dance competitions, hands-on activities like beadwork artmaking activities with local Native artists Katherine Flecking and Chelsea Kaiah, prize drawings and food and vendor booths.

Find more information at www. denverartmuseum.org.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Janelle Monáe at Red Rocks

R&B sorcereress Janelle Monáe doesn’t just make albums — she makes full-blown, cohesive artistic statements that explore themes and further narratives. is can be most clearly be seen on albums like “ e ArchAndroid” and “Dirty Computer.” While her latest album, “ e Age of Pleasure,” doesn’t explore the world of Afrofuturism or anything boundary pushing, it’s still a thoroughly ensnaring and beguiling release. It sounds the best on a hot summer day, so there’s still time to hear it in the proper format.

In support of the album, Monáe will be bringing her live show to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 8 p.m. on ursday, Sept. 7. Even a cursory Youtube dive of Monáe’s live performances demonstrates that she’s a master, so get tickets for the show at www.ticketmaster.com.

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

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Alice Lapp

January 26, 1929 – August 12, 2023

Alice (Enzi) Lapp of Arvada, passed away at home on Aug. 12th, 2023. She was 94.

Alice was born on January 26,1929 in Eureka, South Dakota, daughter of Gottfried and Lydia (Heer) Enzi. She grew up in Eureka and married her High School sweetheart Al Lapp on December 18, 1949. ey were happily married for 65 years.

After working at Northwest G.F. Mutual, the Post O ce, and Lapp’s Clothing Store, they moved to Grand Junction, CO in 1960 with their son Mitch and daughter Mary. ere, she worked at Bob’s Auto Parts, and lived close to her sister Elsie Page & family. In 1968 they moved to Arvada, CO where they continued to enjoy bowling, swimming, tennis and playing bridge with friends. ey

joined King of Glory Lutheran Church and were members until her passing.

Alice worked at Tasty Foods in Denver and LSI Sweetners as secretary/ recordkeeper up to retiring in 1991.

Alice had a great laugh and loved family gatherings and eating out.

She is survived by her son Mitch (Kathy) Lapp, daughter Mary Douglass, granddaughter Christy Lapp and greatgranddaughters Amber & Jade Lapp.

Preceded in death by her husband Al Lapp and son-in-law Robby Douglass. ere was cremation.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the King of Glory Lutheran Church, 10001 W. 58th Ave., Arvada, CO 80002. See also malesichandshirey.com.

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e story Our Mindful Kingdom Teen Summit begins with a Black teacher in the Denver Public Schools system.

“I taught for ve years in over 50 schools in the Denver Metro area,” said Warren Stokes, co-coordinator of the summit.

Over his time as a substitute teacher, Stokes said that he became vocal about something that he heard regularly in every school.

“ e kids were saying the n-word,” he said.

According to Stokes, those students were corrected on the use of a word that is a slur if used outside of the Black community.

Stokes said that the majority of the speakers were not Black students. In fact, in Denver Public Schools alone, only 13.5% of students are Black.

Stokes actually took to the news about the problem in 2021, to no avail.

“I ended up blackballed from teaching in DPS because I went to the news,” Stokes said.  en, toward the end of the 2023 school year, Stokes’ son, Brandon, came home hurt because a white student had called him the n-word.

“I was ready to ght,” Warren said. “But I had to do something else.”

at’s where the summit comes in.

Warren partnered with Tosha Anders, founder of Our Mindful Kingdom, a nonpro t group dedicated to programming that helps Black teens and families with mental health topics.

Anders and Warren came together with the help of a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation to create a space for Black teens in the Denver Metro area to have their voices heard. e 2023 African American Teen Summit was Aug. 11 at Denver’s Central Park.

Warren said that he hopes to make it an annual event, as Black students need somewhere to let out the thoughts and feelings that have been pent up.

He said that this realization came from seeing the emotions Brandon went through after being called the n-word by a White student, who had a history of bullying Brandon. Warren said that his son was angry, sad and then frustrated about the incident.

At the Our Mindful Kingdom Teen Summit, Brandon spoke about the incident and how he felt. He was not alone. e one-day event included Anders’ children and others who came to speak about their experiences at various Denver Metro area schools.

And they had a lot to say.

During a breakout session, the teens discussed their frustrations with school. In many cases, the students were one of a handful or

VOICE

the only Black student in their classes.

Warren’s son Markus Stokes also shared that his appearance made his non-Black peers in school react negatively before they got to know him.

“You always have to prove yourself,” Markus said.

Other teens explained how they felt invisible in school, only seen when they are feared, belittled or reprimanded.

According to summit participant Jayden Anders, the situation is compounded for him, because he is also a disabled student.

Anders added that the teachers were unprepared to meet his needs as a Black student.

“If the school doesn’t teach us, we have to nd someone else to do it or learn on our own,” Anders said.

e summit was more than just a space to talk about those experiences.

Warren not only guided the students through exercises to help them get in touch with their feelings and experiences, but he also helped them channel that into actionable community-building steps.

is was the second half of the summit, which came after a break for dancing, pizza and communing amongst the teens present. Warren said that he intended for the summit to be fun.

e community building portion began with the students discussing their fears, recognizing threats (mental health and peer-related, not just the violence) and turning those into positive moves. ey also spoke about their strengths and weaknesses.

Warren explained that these exercises were designed to help the students get to know themselves.

“You are doing things today that grown people, adults, cannot do,” he said and congratulated the teens on facing some deep parts of themselves.

Malya Anders was another

student who shared that her con dence was something that she needed to work on. However, she revealed that speaking at the summit was actually helping her with con dence already.

Her brother Jaylen said they need to talk more about “purpose and how to be a positive change.”

“We can’t just talk about it,” Lashayla Sloan said. She urged the group to consider action to go with their words.

Warren added that words are not a reason to react negatively.

“All of you have been called names and disrespected. But unless they put hands on you, it doesn’t matter,” he said. Instead, he urged the students

to use some of the tools they learned that day.

Warren ended the summit with a re ection on not just the space they occupied, but the state they all live in.

“Denver is a special place, a unique place,” he said.

He described the natural activities, open spaces and winter sports. He added that Denver was a progressive place.

“But there’s still racism,” he said.

He told the students that they could no longer sit and su er in silence. ey needed to form a community and use that collective voice to speak their truth to adults at school, at home and to the government.

Warren Stokes guided the discussions and breakout sessions at the Teen Summit, while allowing students to voice their concerns. COURTESY OF MARKUS STOKES

Brandon Stokes was one of the catalysts for the summit concept. He was called a racial slur by a White student at his school. COURTESY OF MARKUS STOKES

The teen participants worked in groups to diagram their thoughts into a series of questions and issues presented by summit host and co-founder Warren Stokes.

PHOTO BY JO DAVIS

CRUEL HOPE:

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

George Vonesh drives an hour round trip each day to visit his grandson, Justin.

Justin is a kind, caring, nonjudgmental young man, says his grandfather. He keeps up on the news and likes to discuss current events. In his free time, Justin enjoys music, concerts and paranormal television shows.

He also lives with intellectual disabilities, which have impacted him since childhood. Yet, at 32 years old, Justin lives on his own in an apartment in Lafayette.

As Justin’s primary companion and caregiver, Vonesh has spent much of his life memorizing the ins and outs of programs and services that many adults with disabilities rely on — from Medicaid to food assistance programs, to housing choice vouchers and more.

“It’s taken me years to learn all this stu ,” Vonesh said.

At age 79, he is starting to worry about how he can sustainably support his grandson. e distance from Arvada — where Vonesh lives — to Lafayette is feeling more and

EVEN WITH A HOUSING VOUCHER, METRO MAN FACES

ENDLESS BARRIERS TO FIND DISABLED GRANDSON A HOME

a decade — before being selected for the program that’s part of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. e program, sometimes known as Section 8, aims “to help very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled a ord decent, safe and sanitary housing,” according to HUD.

Justin is both low-income and disabled in the eyes of the government. His income was about $800 per month — less than 7% of the area median income in his county — when he applied for a voucher. is money came from a monthly stipend for people with disabilities, called Supplemental Security Income.

Since then, however, Vonesh has learned that a voucher is not a guaranteed ticket to housing.

more challenging to travel as the years go by.

He wants to move Justin closer, but for months he’s faced hurdle after hurdle. Despite all his research, paperwork, phone calls, meetings and more paperwork, Vonesh hasn’t been able to nd an apartment that will work.

e problem comes down to what’s commonly called a housing choice voucher.

Justin received a voucher in 2018, about a year and a half after applying for the rent subsidization program. He was luckier than many, as some people wait on lists for years — sometimes more than

“It’s not easy,” he said, gesturing at a pile of paperwork full of handwritten notes and math problems. “Even now, with all this homework that I have, I still am never quite sure about all the exact steps.” rough his deep dive into the program and its many intricacies, Vonesh has uncovered a system

George Vonesh sits with his dog, Jasper, outside of his home in Arvada. PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

SEE VOUCHERS, P26

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Thu 9/07

Loumuzik @ 7pm

Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Heated Bones @ 9pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Sat 9/09

Porlolo @ 8pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Mon 9/11

Ramesh @ 7pm Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Den‐ver

Tue 9/12

Keith Hicks @ 4pm

Renaissance Downtown City Center, Den‐ver

Buckstein @ 7pm

Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Den‐ver

Journey Girls Live at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse @ 3pm

Dirty Dogs Roadhouse, 17999 W Colfax Ave, Golden

Ron Gallo @ 8pm

Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Den‐ver

Karyn Ann Music: Sofar Sounds Denver @ 7pm Sofar Denver, Denver

A Little Night Music @ 7pm Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1245 Champa St, Denver

Ryan Hutchens at Bar AC @ 7pm Bar AC, 750 15th St, Denver

Dead by Wednesday @ 8pm Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver

Jidenna @ 8pm

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

Gallium @ 8pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver

Fri 9/08

Keith Hicks @ 6pm

Mangiami, 5614 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada

ARTIX @ 8pm / $25

Marquis, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Mr. Majestyk's 8-Track Revival @ 8pm

The Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver

Sun 9/10

TopHouse @ 4pm Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver

Industry @ 9pm

Goosetown Tavern, 3242 East Colfax Avenue, Denver

Wed 9/13

A Little Night Music @ 7pm Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1245 Champa St, Denver

Conway the Machine @ 8pm Cervantes Other Side, 2637 Welton Street, Denver

Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ers. All events are subject to change or cancella‐tion. This publication is not responsible for the ac‐curacy of the information contained in this calendar.

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The dirty details on Colorado’s strange mushroom season this year

BY SHELBY REARDON SUMMIT DAILY NEWS

Fungi are already perplexing. ey’re not animal, nor plant, but provide crucial support to both, while serving as one of the planet’s main decomposers.

But the fruiting bodies of fungi, widely known as mushrooms, are acting especially strange this year in Colorado.

A wet spring was expected to create a moist haven for mushrooms across the state this summer, but the organisms are just starting to appear.

“It’s a very strange season because we’re late,” said Jon Sommer, the president of the Colorado Mycological Society. “We’re … late, behind on everything. We had all that rain earlier, we were expecting lots of mushrooms, but they didn’t grow because it was cool.”

Despite a heat wave hitting much of the state in July, soil temperatures remained cool from excess moisture acquired through the spring. So, the summer mushrooms, which typically make themselves known when the soil reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit, remained hidden.

But, they are starting to appear now.

“We’re de nitely expecting abundance,” Sommer said. “We haven’t seen it yet, but we’re expecting it.”

Typically, mushroom season begins toward the end of June and can last through September, usually cutting o when conditions get too dry or too cold.

e last two years have been especially good for mushrooms despite varying amounts of moisture, so it’s hard to forecast how a mushroom season will turn out.

“2021 was probably one of the best years in 30 or 40 years,” Sommer said.

Mushrooms have been increasing in abundance and so have those searching for them.

e popularity in mycology and foraging in general has bloomed over recent years, which has been re ected in the membership of the Denver-based Colorado Mycological Society.

“We went from 200 members to 2,000 members in ve years,” Sommer said. “And during the pandemic it just exploded. It just mushroomed.”

Fungi are literally everywhere across the planet, on every continent. Still, when it comes to nding mushrooms, you have to know where to look. In Colorado, any forest is a great starting point.

Like wild owers, mushrooms appear at lower elevations rst and the “peak bloom” shifts up the mountains later in the year.

But there are some important things to know before you start turning over logs.

“You must be skilled enough to identify mushrooms to species to eat it. You never want to do this by just looking on the internet or in a book. You must have hands-on experience with somebody who at least knows that particular species that you’re hunting. at’s the critical thing.”

Some of the most populous mushrooms in Colorado are Porcinis, including the Boletus rubriceps and Boletus edulis, also known as the king bolete.

“ ey’re relatively easy to identify. ey’re big. You can get them 12 inches across,” Sommer said. “ ey’re delicious edibles when you get them fresh.”

Chanterelles are found on the western side of the state more than anywhere else in Colorado, and are frequently sought out by foragers.

Matsutake mushrooms are prized in Japan, according to Sommer, and can be found under lodgepole pines.

A porcini mushroom grows large under a tree in Routt National Forest. Porcinis are populous and delicious.

PHOTO BY SHELBY REARDON / SUMMIT DAILY NEWS

A special supplement from

Go whole grain for heart health

(Family Features) Eating healthy is a priority for many Americans but knowing where to start and with what foods may be a little trickier. One way to level up the nutritional value of your meals is to better understand whole grains and why they are important for a heart-healthy diet.

As a key feature of heart-healthy diets, whole grains like sorghum, oatmeal and brown rice are rich sources of dietary ber, may improve blood cholesterol levels and provide nutrients that help the body form new cells, regulate the thyroid and maintain a healthy immune system.

However, according to a survey by e Harris Poll on behalf of the American Heart Association, U.S. adults are least knowledgeable about re ned vs. whole grains compared to other foods like fruits, vegetables and proteins. Also, when asked to identify whole grains and re ned grains, most adults incorrectly believe multi-grain bread is a whole grain and only 17% believe sorghum is an example of a whole grain when it is, in fact, a nutritious whole-grain option.

If you’re looking to try more whole grains, sorghum is a primary ingredient in these heart-healthy Pancakes with Blueberry Vanilla Sauce. is avorful dish can be part of an overall healthy diet as recommended by the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good initiative, supported by the Sorghum Checko . Find more heart-healthy meal ideas at Heart.org/ healthyforgood.

PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY VANILLA SAUCE

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association and Sorghum Checkoff

Servings: 4 (2 pancakes, 1/4 cup sauce and 2 tablespoons yogurt per serving)

Sauce:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

1 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pancakes:

1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup whole grain sorghum flour

1 1/2 tablespoons firmly packed

light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

1 tablespoon canola or corn oil

Topping: 1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt

To make sauce: Put cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add water, stirring to dissolve. Stir in blueberries and sugar. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil 1-2 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cover to keep warm. Set aside.

To make pancakes: In medium bowl, stir oats, sorghum flour,

brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.

In small bowl, whisk milk, applesauce, egg and oil. Stir into flour mixture until batter is just moistened and no flour is visible without overmixing.

Heat nonstick griddle over medium heat. Test temperature by sprinkling drops of water on griddle. Griddle is ready when water evaporates quickly. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake on griddle. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until tiny bubbles appear on surface and bottoms are golden brown. Flip pancakes. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown on bottoms. The USDA recommends cooking egg dishes to 160 F. Transfer pancakes to plates. Spoon sauce over pancakes. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt.

AGING GRACEFULLY AT HOME 3 stylish safety and mobility products

(Family Features) While aging is inevitable, it doesn’t mean you can’t do so with grace and style. For many seniors hoping to look and feel their best, there are plenty of options, from the clothing they wear to products they use every day. Choosing more ‘stylish’ safety accessories is one way to go.

To improve quality of life and inspire confidence, Medline, a leading provider of consumer medical products, teamed up

AROUND THE HOME

e right mobility aid can help you navigate your home. One option, the Adjustable Rolling Walker, combines a chic, sporty checked pattern with renowned functional features to help you easily stand and walk safely and independently. Its smooth-rolling, all-terrain wheels make it easy to get around in or outside of your home while push-down, locking brakes are ready for a rest stop at any time. Plus, it easily folds for travel and storage, and features under-seat storage and adjustable easy-grip handles for a custom t and fashionable function.

with Martha Stewart to introduce the Martha Stewart Home Comfort Care Collection. The line of design-inspired safety and mobility products combines sophisticated design and dependability to help those who use them look and feel their best.

“We are excited to enter into this unique partnership,” said Dawn Freitag, Medline senior marketing manager. “Martha Stewart’s signature style has always set the standard

FOR THE BATHROOM

e most essential purpose of bathroom safety aids is to prevent falls on wet, slippery surfaces. Beyond securely-attached bath mats and grab bars, the Martha Stewart Euro-Style Shower Chair allows you to sit while showering for extra peace of mind. With built-in handgrips and a backrest for comfort, the rust-resistant chair also features adjustable, push-button height settings to improve stability and built-in Microban protection to resist mold and mildew.

for better, more enjoyable living and this line of mobility and bath safety products is no exception. We believe these fashionable, modern designs along with our top-rated quality and value pricing will help seniors live their happiest, healthiest lives with exceptional safety, security and style.”

Consider these supportive care products to maximize style and safety, and find the full collection by visiting athome.medline.com.

IN THE BEDROOM

ere are numerous products designed to maximize rest, relaxation and safety in and around your bed. To help you get in and out of bed, an Adjustable Bed Assist Bar slides around the side of the mattress – without oor legs that may pose a tripping hazard – to o er support. With a stylish faux woodgrain bag design and neutral color, the bar seamlessly blends in with bedding and linens to provide both function and air.

(Family Features) e same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also impact the rising global prevalence of brain disease, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

e global death rate from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is increasing even more than the rate of heart disease death, according to the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022 Update.

Globally, more than 54 million people had Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in 2020, a 37% increase since 2010 and 144% increase over the past 30 years (1990-2020). Additionally, more than 1.89 million deaths were attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide in 2020, compared to nearly 9 million deaths from heart disease.

Manage heart health for stronger brain health

risk factors can make a real di erence in helping people live longer, healthier lives, free of heart disease and brain disease.”

cognitive function.

Optimal brain health includes the ability to perform tasks like movement, perception, learning and memory, communication, problem solving, judgment, decision making and emotion. Cognitive decline and dementia are often seen following stroke or cerebrovascular disease and indicate a decline in brain health. Consider these steps to live a healthier lifestyle and protect your heart and brain health:

Don’t smoke; avoid secondhand smoke. Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Be mindful of your eating habits; eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars.

“ e global rate of brain disease is quickly outpacing heart disease,” said Mitchell S.V. Elkind, M.D. M.S., FAHA, the past president of the American Heart Association (2020-21), a professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and attending neurologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “We are learning more about how some types of dementia are related to aging, and how some types are due to poor vascular health. It’s becoming more evident that reducing vascular disease

According to the statistics update, people with midlife hypertension were ve times more likely to experience impairment on global cognition and about twice as likely to experience reduced executive function, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

e risk for dementia associated with heart failure was nearly two-fold.

Experts recommend maintaining a healthy weight, managing your blood pressure and following other heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors that can also support good brain health while studies show maintaining good vascular health is associated with healthy aging and retained

Be physically active. Start slowly and build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) each week. As an alternative, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of the two, to improve overall cardiovascular health.

Get your blood pressure checked regularly and work with your health care team to manage it if it’s high.

Have regular medical checkups and take your medicine as directed.

Decrease your stress level and seek emotional support when needed.

Learn more about the relationship between heart health and brain health at heart.org.

Adams and Broom eld Counties

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With her husband and ve children, the family would adventure on many road trips across the country and up to Canada.

With beautiful clear blue water, Gunther said the South Paci c was her favorite destination. She and her husband went there on their 50th anniversary.

To celebrate her 101st birthday, many of her closest friends came together at Northridge Park in Highlands Ranch.

“She means a lot to us,” said close friend Sue Jude. “She always has the sweetest, warmest greeting.” ere was a lot of food to go around at the celebration as Gunther had a large birthday cake and guests brought other treats for a large potluck.

Wearing a purple happy birthday tiara, Gunther was joined by two of her daughters, Barbara and Susan, and her friends from her aerobics class.

Gunther goes to aerobics class three times a week where the other participants say they have to keep up with her.

“She’s very energetic,” said Barbara.

Since she can remember, Gunther has always been physically active.  While attending an all girls board-

ing school in Vancouver, Canada as a child, Gunther said there was not much to do, so she and some friends decided to stay active. In addition to walking and running around the school, she also played soccer.

One of her fondest childhood memories is the First of July events in Vancouver where there were fun activities all day long. Some of her favorites were running in races and swimming.

“I’ve always been athletic,” said Gunther. “Since I’m older now, I still try to keep some of it.”

To stay active, Gunther plays with her grandkids when they come to visit and takes her dog, Toby, on a walk everyday.

Gunther also cherished Christmas at her grandmother’s house. And now, Gunther gets to continue to experience that love every holiday and birthday with her own growing family.

“I loved every minute of it,” said Susan, Gunther’s eldest child.

Gunther met her husband Carlwho was a Navy O cer - on a blind date

“I would tell him I fell in love with his white uniform,” said Gunther.

Having lived in Seattle, Washington, the two had traveled to Colorado where he proposed to her in the mountains, followed by 59 years of marriage before Carl passed.

When they rst moved to Highlands Ranch, there were only a few houses on their street with an open view to watch the sunset every night.

Every year, the couple would go on an international trip, going all around the globe to places like Japan to see Mount Fujiyama as well as Portugal and England.

Gunther said the only places she hasn’t gone are Russia, India and South America.

While in China, she fell in love with the art of traditional Chinese ribbon and fan dancing.

“ at’s where I saw this Chinese dancing,” said Gunther. “I saw those fans and those beautiful ribbons.”

Gunther knew she had to learn that style of dance.

She performed the style of dance for the talent portion of beauty pageants - where she tied for for Ms. Senior Colorado one year- and performed at her 100th birthday party.

Gunther’s life so far has been lled with loving people and amazing memories from around the world and she does not want to stop.

No matter what it is, Gunther encourages others to never stop moving.

“I o er everybody the choice to do something all the time,” said Gunther. “Don’t just sit around, look at TV, you want to live life.”

ome say she’s amazing, others say she’s a wonder woman, but one thing for certain is Yvette Gunther is an energetic and caring mother, grandmother and friend.

Highlands Ranch resident Yvette Gunther celebrates her 101st birthday with friends and family at Northridge Park. Always full of energy, Gunther wears her purple happy birthday tiara as she enjoys the potluck.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms can be found under trees and alongside rotting logs, but each species has its own preferences, so nding a guide or going with a friend who knows their stu is a best practice when it comes to mushroom foraging.

e biggest reason to go with someone with expertise is to avoid getting sick. Edible mushrooms can be tricky to identify and often have lookalikes that are less friendly.

“Luckily, we don’t have the deadly, toxic mushrooms in Colorado,” Sommer said. “But there are plenty around that will make you sick.”

In western Colorado, there is ample forest space to explore to nd mushrooms. White River

National Forest and Routt National Forest require a permit to collect mushrooms for personal use. e permits are free.

e White River National Forest gives out about 125 permits a year, according to Dillon District Ranger Adam Bianchi. ere is no limit on how many permits the forest gives out a year.

Personal use permits are also free in the Routt National Forest, while commercial permits are $20.

e forest in northwest Colorado also o ers speci c collection zones.

Mushrooms can be gathered from most Forest Service land, except for wilderness areas, research natural areas, or special interest areas.

Other Forest Service rules prevent harvesting within 100 feet of a forest road or developed area, like campgrounds and picnic areas. Raking is prohibited and mat-

sutake mushrooms must be cut in half at harvest time and cannot be sold.

It’s common practice to not take all the mushrooms from a certain area. Leaving some behind allows a stash to return year after year.

ankfully, nding people who love mushrooms is far easier than tracking down a morel. Finding a mycological society or club is the best place to start and safely forage while learning from others.

ere is the Colorado Mycological Society, Pikes Peak Mycological society, and the new Roaring Fork group forming out of Carbondale, said Sommer.

e nonpro t groups teach classes, have monthly forays and host lectures to educate those fascinated by fungi.

e Colorado Mycological Society is working on publishing a book about foraging mushrooms that will include information on

about 70 edible species of mushrooms in the state.

U.S. Forest Service o ces also provide pamphlets and books for people seeking mushrooms.

“We de nitely always encourage people to bring mushroom guides with them in case they are not super con dent about the mushrooms they’re taking,” said Marissa Herzog with the Dillon Ranger District. anks to social media and the surge in foraging interest, there’s never been more resources to learn about mushrooms and other foraging.

Eagle’s mushroom festival, which was canceled in 2023, is normally a great educational event as well. Aspen Ideas Festival hosted is Summit Daily News story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

VOUCHERS

with pitfalls at every turn. Sometimes, these challenges come from administrative complexities of the program. Other times, they are rooted in discrimination.

As Vonesh has worked tirelessly to nd a home for his grandson, housing advocates have taken steps to strengthen laws meant to protect people like Justin.

A new law on this front, which goes into e ect this month, has resulted in resistance from Colorado landlords. While they concede that people with housing vouchers can struggle to nd a place, they say the problem should be addressed by making the program more economically attractive — not mandating how landlords interact with it.

Moving Justin closer Vonesh has been living in the

same Arvada home for over 50 years. Since his wife passed away a few years ago, he divides his time between taking care of his dog, Jasper, and his grandson.

“Jasper in the morning, Justin in the afternoon,” he said.

Justin’s disabilities, which impact his social interactions, have made it challenging for him to make friends over the years. Vonesh said that causes Justin to be sad sometimes, making the daily visits even more important.

“If I don’t go up there, he’s just by himself,” he said.

As Vonesh gets older, the long drive is becoming more challenging.

“It’s hard on me,” he said. “I’m getting old and that tra c is dangerous … so I’d like to get him closer. Otherwise, I’m telling him, we’re just gonna have to gure out some days a week that I take o .”

But Vonesh has had little luck since he began searching for a closer apartment eight months ago. Because Justin has a voucher, moving is a complicated process that involves a staggering number of considerations.

First, prospective apartments need to qualify under a payment standard set by HUD. at means the unit, plus utilities, has to be at or under a speci c price.

Once Vonesh nds an apartment at the correct rate in a desired area, there has to be a vacancy that lines up with the end of Justin’s current lease. He also has to add time for a federally mandated

inspection of the unit.

If the new apartment is in a different county, Vonesh would need to transfer Justin’s rental subsidy across housing authority lines.

e process is possible, but it adds extra steps that take time. In a fast-paced rental market where landlords want tenants con rmed as quickly as possible, the timeline of these extra steps can complicate options.

Add those requirements to the personal desires any person may have for an apartment — like inunit laundry or a place to sit outside — and Vonesh has a puzzle on his hands.

It is a puzzle that gets more challenging when some landlords, Vonesh says, won’t even take a glance at Justin’s application.

“I have lost count of the apartment managers who told (me) that they don’t accept (vouchers)” since Justin got a voucher in 2018, Vonesh said. “ ey don’t want to deal with the bureaucracy and perceived problems with lowincome renters.”

Discrimination over source of income e apartment managers who told Vonesh they wouldn’t accept housing choice vouchers — if they said so after January 2021 — could have been breaking the law. at’s when House Bill 20-1332 took e ect, outlawing housing discrimination based on a person’s source of income. e state law added this category to other protected classes including disability, race, color, creed, familial status and more.

In practice, this law means landlords in Colorado with more than three rental units must accept housing choice vouchers. ey cannot use Justin’s federal aid as a reason to turn him away.

Despite facing this issue, Vonesh never led a complaint with state o cials. e process seemed cumbersome and time-consuming, and it was more important to him to put his time and energy toward nding Justin a home, he said.

Vonesh isn’t the only one concerned that landlords discriminate in this way. Housing advocates across the metro area say they’ve seen evidence of housing discrimination based on source of income.

George Vonesh shows handwritten math problems calculating payment standards, income levels and his grandson’s voucher subsidy — complex calculations required to find his grandson a home. PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

VOUCHERS

“Complaints about housing vouchers — and landlords refusing to accept them or refusing to count the value of the voucher — is the number three source of complaint that we received (in the past 18 months),” said John Paul Marosy, outreach and education coordinator at the Denver Metro Fair Housing Center.

e center is a private nonpro t organization that works to investigate matters related to housing discrimination across the metro region.

Although there may be some bad actors, Marosy noted that most discrimination against voucher holders comes from landlords who are unaware of the law.

“From our experience, the vast majority of landlords don’t intentionally discriminate in this way,” he said. “But it is incumbent on them to educate themselves.”

In a few cases, discrimination against voucher holders is outright. But more commonly, landlords

create barriers for voucher holders without doing anything that appears to break the law, advocates say.

One of these barriers is the minimum income requirement. is is when a landlord requires a potential tenant to prove they make a certain ratio of income to rent.

Vonesh ran into this problem recently when he was checking out an apartment in Arvada for Justin. Right as he started to think it might work out, the apartment manager shattered his plan.

“ ey said, ‘Oh, you know, we can take a voucher, sure — but you still have to prove three times (the rent in) income,’” Vonesh said.

With Justin’s income — all from federal aid — this requirement was impossible to meet.

The income barrier

Aubrey Wilde, advocacy program director at Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said income requirements are one of the biggest barriers for people with vouchers.

“We have folks with vouchers who technically should be able to use those vouchers, in most cases, being asked to prove that they earn three, four, ve — even eight — times the

rent amount in income,” Wilde said, recounting numbers from her and other advocates’ work with people searching for housing.

Jack Regenbogen, deputy executive director at the Colorado Poverty Law Project, said he and other advocates consider this behavior to be a form of discrimination.

“ ey’re not saying anymore, ‘We won’t accept Section 8,’ but they are discriminating based on the amount of income,” Regenbogen said.

Although many voucher holders can’t meet income requirements, Marosy from the Denver Metro Fair Housing Center said the voucher itself is a dependable sign that the tenant will be able to pay their rent each month.

“If you look at it from the landlord’s point of view, this is a guaranteed source of income,” he said. “ ey know for a fact that this individual has this voucher and that money will be there for months and months to come.”

But House Bill 20-1332 sets no limit to the income level a landlord can require. And for people with vouchers, there’s no clarity about whether a minimum income re-

quirement applies to the whole rent, or just the portion of rent a voucher holder is paying out of pocket. is legal blurriness has created a situation where landlords can reject a voucher holder for not making three or more times the full rent amount in income.

A new law rough months of lobbying and testifying, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and the Colorado Poverty Law Project worked with legislators on a new law this year, Senate Bill 23-184, that addresses income requirement barrier for voucher holders. It will go into e ect in August.

“It caps the minimum income requirement at two times the cost of rent,” Wilde said.

e Colorado Apartment Association, a leading state group for landlords, was a vocal opponent of the bill. Spokesperson Drew Hamrick said the income requirement cap — which will allow people to spend 50% of their income on rent — will set tenants up for failure.

“Anyone signing a contract that

NEW LOOK, SAME COMMITMENT

Arvada West softball’s hot start continues

Wildcats shut out Douglas County to improve to 5-0 on the season

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — Arvada West became the rst Class 5A softball team in the Colorado to reach ve victories

Tuesday. e Wildcats (5-0 record) managed a 4-0 shutout victory at home over Douglas County — last year’s 5A state runner-up. Senior Mac Ferguson pitched a

one-hit, complete game gem that included 10 strikeouts.

“ roughout the season

I’ve felt pretty con dent so far,” said Ferguson, who has only allowed one earned run in 16-and-a-third innings. “I would just give a lot of credit to the defense I’ve got behind me. I have so much trust in them.”

Douglas County sophomore Juliza Ramirez had the lone hit o Ferguson with a double in the second inning. However, A-West turned a 6-3-5 double-play to end the scoring threat.

“Errors are going to happen. Hits are going to happen,” said Ferguson, who has given up only seven hits in her three

games pitched. “When you have that awesome defense behind you it gives you a lot of momentum.”

Ferguson, a Colorado State University-commit, eventually faced just one batter over the minimum with freshman Shelby Ford reaching on an error in the

Arvada West senior Mac Ferguson pitched a complete-game, one-hit, shutout victory against Douglas County on Aug. 22. Ferguson — Colorado State University-commit — also had 10 strikeouts in the 4-0 win.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Arvada West junior Jailynn Ausman celebrates after the Wildcats turned a 6-4-5 double-play in the second inning against Douglas County on Aug. 22. The Wildcats won 4-0 to improve their record to 5-0 on the season.

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In Colorado, where discrimination based on source of income is illegal, some landlords are opposed to the mandate that they have to accept housing choice vouchers.

Drew Hamrick, a spokesperson for the Colorado Apartment Association, a leading state group of rental housing providers, said he thinks the vast majority of landlords follow the state law.

But across the nation, he said, many landlords resist participating in the voucher program. In some states, it is legal to reject a prospective tenant because they have a voucher.

Their resistance is rooted in administrative costs.

“There’s so much red tape involved,” Hamrick said.

Although landlords do not care what the source of a person’s money is, Hamrick said, they care that they get paid. The voucher program is problematic because it adds the risk of additional expenses that landlords might not be compensated for, he said.

These potential expenses in-

clude rent that can be lost while officials inspect a unit to see if it meets federal standards. He also said there are other risks, like the chance that a tenant might not be able to afford to pay for repairs needed for potential property damage.

Due to these concerns, Hamrick said the State of Colorado was unfair to mandate that landlords accept vouchers by approving House Bill 20-1332 in 2020.

“It was a bad legislative decision because, really, what you do when you (have) a problem like that is you fix the program so that it’s more attractive to participate in, rather than saying, ‘Hey, we get the program doesn’t work that well, but you’ve got to play,’” he said.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, acknowledged that there are areas of the voucher program that can use improvement, but highlighted that many of the rules landlords oppose are necessary. For example, he said inspections are crucial to ensure units for voucher holders meet basic health, safety and quality standards.

“All of these kinds of rules to ensure that the funds are used effectively, I mean, it comes with red tape — and to some extent, there’s no way around that,” the spokesperson said.

The HUD spokesperson said the program cares about landlord concerns and has made changes in response to what they have heard. One of these changes is offering virtual options to streamline the inspection process.

HUD also recently gave public housing authorities the right to use some of their administrative funding to cover potential financial losses for landlords to incentivize them to accept vouchers, the spokesperson said.

But with public housing authority budgets varying across the country, some have the ability to provide incentives like this, while others’ budgets are already stretched too thin.

How much source-of-income discrimination is reported?

Nonprofit groups that work directly with people impacted by source-of-income discrimination tend to see more instances of it than are officially reported.

According to the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which processes housing discrimination complaints, fewer than 10 complaints have been filed on the basis of source of income since House Bill 20-1332 went into effect in 2021.

But the division’s data does not accurately reflect how much discrimination is truly happening, said Katie O’Donnell, a spokesperson for the division.

“It’s absolutely happening all over Colorado,” she said. “We hear about a very small portion of it.”

Many instances of housing discrimination go unreported due to fear of retaliation and a lack of understanding about the process of filing, she said.

George Vonesh, for example, is a grandfather seeking a home for his disabled grandson who is on a voucher. Despite several incidents that could be considered discriminatory, Vonesh has never filed a complaint with state officials.

The process seemed cumbersome and time-consuming, he said, and it was more important to him to put his time and energy toward finding his grandson a home.

HOT START

fth inning before being stranded at rst base.

“Mac threw a great game and our defense was ready to go whenever the ball was put in play,” AWest coach Brenna Millikan said.

O ensively, senior Zoey Langerak led the way going 3-for-3 from the plate with a trio of RBIs. Langerak’s 2-run single with two outs in the rst inning pushed the Wildcats’ lead to 3-0.

“I was just thinking about getting on base,” Langerak said of her approach at the plate. “Obviously we needed those runs. I wanted to keep it going for everyone.”

Langerak stayed perfect at the plate with an RBI single in the sixth inning. She nished with half of the Wildcats’ six hits as Douglas County senior pitcher Caitlin Osoba did a good job keeping the rest of the A-West bats fairly quiet.

“Early in the season we are still trying to work out all the kinks,” Millikan said of the Wildcats’ offensive not being as explosive as it was Aug. 19 with it posted 39 runs in dominating victories against Legacy and Denver North. “We’ll keep focusing on adjustments we need to make.”

Millikan has a wealth of pitching

with Ferguson, along with fellow seniors So a Finney and Brooklyn Burgess and sophomore Morgan Farr in the mix. All have already logged innings this season.

“All of them are so unique in their own way. We are really lucky in that aspect,’ Millikan said when talking about how she will go about handling the pitching sta . “Whoever we feel is going to be best suited against each opponent.”

A-West keeps its busy early schedule playing four games coming up on Friday and Saturday at the Broom eld Tournament. e Wildcats will actually have 11 games under their belt before Labor Day.

“It will prep us for that big surge coming up in Je co (League),” Millikan said.

e Wildcats actually open up conference play against the defending 5A state champion and 5A Je co League champions — Columbine. A-West hosts the Rebels on Sept. 13.

“Columbine has always been a challenge for us,” Langerak said. “But I think this year we have the right people to step up to the plate against teams like Columbine.”

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

FROM PAGE 30

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VOUCHERS

they’re promising to pay that much of their income in rent is going to default under it,” he said. “No one can a ord to do that.”

Hamrick said landlords do not care about the source of a tenant’s money — but they care that they get paid.

In landlords’ eyes, he said, the housing voucher program adds the risk of additional expenses they might not be compensated for. ese potential expenses include rent lost while o cials inspect a unit to see if it meets federal standards. He added there are other risks, like the chance that a tenant might not be able to pay for repairing property damage.

Instead of mandating that landlords accept vouchers, Hamrick said, legislators should work to make the program more nancially attractive for landlords.

He said the new cap is not a sustainable decision for rental housing providers, who will have to accept tenants more likely to default on rent. He added that more defaults would likely make rents rise across the market over time.

“ e Colorado legislature has substituted their own business judgment for the judgment of the entire market and made a bad business decision here,” he said.

Regenbogen, however, said he thinks people paying half their income on rent will still be able to make ends meet. Low-income people, he said, have always had to be resourceful — and housing is a necessity they deserve the opportunity to have.

“(Paying half of one’s income on rent is) not ideal, but what’s worse was the previous status quo where if people weren’t earning an arbitrary multiplier of what rent is, then they could very possibly nd themselves either in the homeless shelter or on the street,” he said. He added that the new number re ects a reality in Colorado — where more than half of households are rent-burdened, meaning they are paying more than the recommended 30% of their income on rent, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data.

For people with vouchers, the new law also clari es that minimum income requirements must only apply to the portion of rent the tenant pays out of their own pocket.

In addition, it prohibits landlords from considering the credit score of

an applicant who is on a voucher. Wilde said credit, like the minimum income requirement, has historically been a barrier for voucher holders in nding housing.

Hope for Justin

Vonesh said the new law is good for people at low income levels like Justin.

Since voucher holders generally pay 30% to 40% of their income on rent, the vast majority will now always qualify in terms of income.

“I think (the law) will have a fairly signi cant positive impact,” Vonesh said, re ecting on the times Justin has been turned down on the grounds of income. “ at new provision, I think, takes that o the table.”

Vonesh said the more he knows and understands the laws, the more he is feeling prepared and empowered going into conversations with apartment managers.

“I was just waiting for them to say ‘We don’t accept vouchers,’” he said, describing one recent meeting. “I was ready to pull out my printed-out copies of the statutes that are all highlighted.”

But people who don’t know their rights don’t have that opportunity to stick up for themselves, he said.

To help educate more tenants

and landlords on the rights and rules related to housing discrimination, the Denver Metro Fair Housing Center launched a campaign in April about source-of-income discrimination.

“Most prejudice is rooted in the lack of knowledge,” Marosy said. “We’re optimistic that as we get more knowledge out about the voucher program, we’ll see a decrease in the discrimination that we’ve been seeing against voucher holders.”

As months have gone by, laws have been passed and Vonesh has gotten help, he has maintained hope for Justin — but it hasn’t been easy.

With the number of apartments that have not worked out for his grandson, Vonesh was hesitant to say one law would x the whole process.

“I think some of these folks can be pretty creative if they really don’t want to accept vouchers,” he said. But the new law is a step forward, he said.

Armed with his stack of papers and knowledge of his rights, Vonesh is dedicated to continue trying — for the sake of himself, for the sake of Justin and for the sake of other Coloradans who have struggled to put a roof over their heads.

from Fade It Golf and Social Club, Inc., d/b/a Fade It Golf and Social Club, located at 14701 West 65th Way, Suites 11-12, Arvada, CO, whose controlling officer is: Coe Justin Kunz; 14701 West 65th Way, Suites 11-12, Arvada, CO, United States

The license would allow sales of malt, vinous and spirituous liquor by the drink for consumption on the premises at 14701 West 65th Way, Suites 11-12, Arvada, CO 80004.

Said application will be heard and considered by the City of Arvada Liquor Licensing Authority at a meeting to be held in the Arvada Municipal Complex Council Chambers, 8101 Ralston Road at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 14. The application was submitted on July 17, 2023.

For further information call Sarah Walters, Deputy City Clerk, at 720-898-7544.

Dated this 31st day of August, 2023

/s/ Sarah Walters

Deputy City Clerk

CITY OF ARVADA, COLORADO

Legal Notice No. 416833

First Publication: August 31, 2023

Last Publication: August 31, 2023

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT at the meeting of the Arvada City Council to be held on MONDAY, September 11, 2023, at 6:15 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada CO, City Council will hold a public hearing on the following proposed ordinances and thereafter will

consider them for final passage and adoption. For the full text version in electronic form go to www. arvada.org/legal-notices, and click on Current and recent Legal Notices to access legal notices. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions.

CB 23-020 An Ordinance Repealing and Reenacting Sec. 1-5, General Penalty; Continuing Violations, of Chapter 1, General Provisions, of the Arvada City Code.

Legal Notice No. 416835

First Publication: August 31, 2023

Last Publication: August 31, 2023

Publisher: Jeffco Transcript ### Arvada

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