Arvada Press 090723

City Council hears updates on homelessness in Arvada

e Aug. 28 meeting focused on the city’s methods for collecting data on homelessness so o cials could have a better understanding of homelessness within Arvada.

Missing Arvada teen’s family seeks community’s help

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Ayla Reyes has been missing since Aug. 6. e yers emblazoned with her likeness all say that she is endangered and missing.  According to Reyes’s aunt, Julie Mitchell, the missing teen may be in the company of a much older man. e Arvada Police are investigating the case as a missing persons case. Everyone wants to bring Ayla home.

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Arvada City Council took a look at homelessness within Arvada and what the city was doing to address it during a recent workshop session.

is session came a little over six months after a Jan. 9 session when council evaluated homelessness in the city and identi ed the next steps the city would take. At that session, council resolved to take a managerial role dealing with homelessness

According to Mitchell, Reyes was last seen on Aug. 6. She described Reyes as a sweet and friendly girl who is also neurodivergent.  She is a Filipina and Caucasian girl of 17 who has brown hair, brown eyes, and a septum piercing. Reyes is 5 feet 4 inches, and was last seen wearing black cargo pants or black shorts, a black crop top and/or a gray hoodie along with black Converse sneakers or Crocs.

Mitchell said that the family believes Reyes is in the presence of a 29-year-old man from Honduras with whom she has

Arvada City Council met on Aug. 28 to discuss progress made in the city’s e orts to combat homelessness since Jan. 9.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ARVADA

Council evaluates data collected since Jan. 9 meeting

in Arvada — meaning the city would not provide services but rather work with the county and other organizations to facilitate services.

During the Aug. 28 session, team members presented updated data on homelessness in Arvada. e city has begun using a Homeless Management Information System — or HMIS for short — to collect data. According to HMIS data from Jan. 1 to July 31, 553 people were served by organizations that used HMIS.

e presentation also discussed data from community organizations. Mission Arvada — an emergency day shelter in Arvada — reported serving 696 individuals since January 2023, and 412 of those people were registered in HMIS with the city.

Erin Atencio, the city’s homeless project manager, said that having this number of people who were counted in data by both Mission Arvada and HMIS helped the city estimate how many homeless people were living in Arvada.

However, she added that HMIS usage needed to be expanded. Accord-

ing to Atencio, HMIS is currently only used by three organizations within Arvada — Mission Arvada, Family Tree and e City of Arvada. Community Table — a food pantry in Arvada — reported serving 12,139 individuals. According to Atencio, Community Table recently began collecting data on homeless people the food pantry served, with an estimate of around 300 people. Atencio added that the city believed many of the homeless people using services from Community Table were also served by Mission Arvada.

Arvada Police Chief Ed Brady talked

about the impacts of homelessness on Arvada’s police. Brady noted that in 2022, the cost of APD’s response to homeless — including calls for service, CORE o cers, co-responders and camp clean ups was nearly $1 million. He also noted that between Jan. 31 and May 31 there were 72 camp clean-ups — the average cost of which was $1,094.

Brady also said that APD has trained other city departments — including parks, public works and utilities — to identify and post unoccupied camps for APD to clean up.

“I feel like that has been working,” Brady said. “It was encouraging to hear our parks directors say that she has received less complaints (about encampments) this year in the parks than she has in the past.”

Arvada Municipal Judge Kathryn Kurtz then updated council on the One Small Step Program — a program designed to rehabilitate criminal defendants experiencing homelessness. Kurtz said that there were currently 52 defendants active in the program, with three expected to graduate in the next month. She added that since 2021 there had been 10 graduates from the program, with a 0% recidivism rate.

“I think (the recidivism rate) just speaks volumes about the success of our program,” Kurtz said. “Recidivism is very common amongst our defendants, so to have 0% recidivism, it’s shocking to me and awesome.”

Kurtz also said there were 58 defendants on warrant status, meaning that they had failed to appear for court.

e One Small Step Program has recently undergone several changes, including changing the time court meets to Tuesday afternoons — which Kurtz said had increased attendance. e program has also implemented a phase structure, with participants moving through four

distinct phases in order to graduate. e program has also recently received a grant from the 1st Judicial Bar Association, which will be used to purchase gift cards as rewards for participants as they move through phases of the program.

e team provided updates on actions set at the Jan. 9 meeting. Several of the immediate actions had already been completed, such as establishing an outreach team in coordination with the city’s homeless navigators, contracting with providers for camp, encampment and debris clean up, hiring a second homeless navigator, getting the city and service providers use HMIS and joining the Adams County regional homelessness e ort.  Council also heard an update on the nancial side of the city’s e orts to address homelessness. e city’s housing team has recently been awarded a Transformational Homelessness Grant of just over $1.9 million dollars over the next three years. e money will be used for street outreach, bridge housing and emergency sheltering.

City council’s discussion after the presentation was brief, consisting mainly of small comments from council rather than a discussion. Several council members noted the importance of the city not becoming a service provider, but rather facilitating access to services that combat homelessness.

“I was really happy to see the overall philosophy that this city is really a facilitator in these e orts,” council member John Marriott said during the meeting. “( e city)isn’t the service provider in these necessary services that people need, but we do play a role obviously in facilitating. So I’m happy to see that and I would like to just make sure that that remains reinforced as we go forward.” e meeting also focused on the importance of partnerships, both within Arvada and outside of Arvada.

“One of the challenges are gaps that we’ve identi ed as a lack of coordination regionally,” council member Randy Moorman said. “So I really appreciate us as a city, saying that we’re going to try to help lead in that e ort. We can’t do it alone. But we’re going to try to lead and try to move that forward.”

“Many of the people who nd themselves homeless in Arvada are Arvadans,” Moorman added. “ ey are our neighbors, so it’s not an us versus them kind of issue. It’s all of us in this that need to solve this together.”

‘Many of the people who find themselves homeless in Arvada are Arvadans. They are our neighbors, so it’s not an us versus them kind of issue. It’s all of us in this that need to solve this together’

Randy Moorman, Councilmember for district 1

Geothermal Energy, the Big Sister of Geothermal Heating & Cooling, Is Coming

I have written often about geothermal heating and cooling. To remind you, by drilling either horizontally or vertically beneath your house or yard, you can use the 50-degree warmth of the earth, combined with a heat pump, to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer with minimal electrical energy to run a heat pump compressor.

The most common geothermal system involves several 300-footdeep wells through which water or glycol is circulated to bring that 50-degree liquid to a heat pump where it is heated to, say, 100 degrees in the winter or cooled to, say, 30 degree in the summer. Alternatively, you can install a horizontal loop 10 feet below the surface over a wide area and still get that 50-degree liquid for your heat pump to work with.

That’s called a “ground-source” heat pump system. More common (because of drilling costs) is an “air-source” heat pump system, which warms or cools the outside air, extracting heat from outside air that is as cold as zero degree Fahrenheit. In the summer, the heat pump reverses its function and extracts heat from your indoor air, thereby cooling your home. The heating cycle requires more electrical energy for the air-source heat pump, especially when it’s really cold outside.

So geothermal is definitely the “gold standard” of household heating, but I’ve only seen it in a few homes because of its cost. I know of a home in South Golden, a home in Applewood and the single-family homes of the Geos Community in Arvada that have geothermal heat pump systems.

Until I heard about ground-source heat pumps, the word “geothermal” brought to mind places like Iceland where volcanic rock is so close to the surface that you could heat your home without the additional input of a heat pump. (Cooling is another matter, of course.)

In Iceland, geothermal is used to create electricity from the steam created by that underground heat. I had assumed that running a power plant without such near-surface molten rock was impractical.

An August 28th article in The New York Times, however, made me aware of progress being made using geothermal resources six miles or deeper underground to run power plants. The map at right shows the temperature at 4 miles depth in Centigrade, where 100º is the boiling point of water. According to the article (a link for which I posted at

GoldenREblog.com), there is enough heat that deep to provide five times the total energy needs of our country — if it can be tapped. (That’s reminiscent of the claim that one hour of mid-day summer sun produces as much energy as the country’s entire electrical demand — if it can be tapped.) Ironically, the technological breakthroughs of the oil and gas industry, especially fracking, are making it more practical to tap that geothermal energy. As Brad Plumer of the Times writes in his article, “by using advanced drilling techniques developed by the oil and gas industry, some experts think it’s possible to tap that larger store of heat and create geothermal energy almost anywhere.”

The U.S. Department of Energy, under which Jeffco’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) operates, has created a Geothermal Technologies Office to advance what it has trademarked as the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™. (I also have a link about that effort on our blog. It has a really effective minute-and-a-half video explaining “Enhanced Geothermal Systems.”)

Plumer writes, “Dozens of geothermal companies have emerged with ideas. Fervo is using fracking techniques — similar to those used for oil and gas — to crack open dry, hot rock and inject water into the fractures, creating artificial geothermal reservoirs. Eavor, a Canadian start-up, is building large underground radiators with drilling methods pioneered in Alberta’s oil sands… The growing interest in geothermal is driven by the fact that the United States has gotten extraordinarily good at drilling since the 2000s. Innovations like horizontal drilling and magnetic sensing have pushed oil and gas production to record highs, much to the dismay of environmentalists. But these innovations can be adapted for geothermal, where drilling can make up half the cost of projects.”

What’s politically exciting about this effort is that it utilizes the same drilling and fracking methodologies, such as horizontal drilling deep underground, to

reach the hot rocks. Therefore, it’s a far more attractive evolution for the oil and gas workforce, compared to training the workers to service wind turbines or install solar panels. Sixty percent of Fervo’s employees, according to Plumer’s article, came from oil and gas, and oil companies and drilling-service companies are investing in the startups which are pioneering geothermal energy drilling in Utah and elsewhere. “Devon Energy invested $10 million into Fervo, while BP and Chevron are backing Eavor. Nabors, a drilling-service provider, has invested in GA Drilling, Quaise and Sage. In Oklahoma, a consortium of oil and gas firms led by Baker Hughes recently launched an effort to explore converting abandoned wells into geothermal plants.”

The “roadmap” created by the Energy Departments Geothermal Technologies Office mentioned above breaks down as follows:

> Predicting the Subsurface with Greater Precision

> Seeing the Subsurface with Greater Precision: New Sensing Technologies for Stress, Strain, & Fracture Mapping

> Accessing the Subsurface: Improving Drilling Efficiency and Drilling in Extreme Environs

> Designing and Building Wells

> Manipulating and Creating Durable Reservoirs: Controlling Fluid Flow and Developing Innovative Stimulation Methods

I included that list to reinforce what I wrote above, namely that this is the kind of work that’s a natural fit for the oil and gas industry. Instead of drilling for oil, they’re drilling for heat.

I learned on that website that there are already 11 geothermal power plants operating along California’s Salton Sea.

What Do You Save By Ending Natural Gas Service at Home?

Last week I wrote about electric fireplaces in the context of making your home all-electric. A reader asked me what they’d save by ending natural gas service from Xcel Energy.

I remember having the gas meter removed from Golden Real Estate’s prior office on South Golden Road. We were spending about $50/month just to have gas available before burning any gas. That computes to $600 per year on top of any gas we consumed.

The savings for residential customers is smaller, $11 per month or $132 per year. That would pay for over 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Just Listed: 2-BR Townhome in Downtown Golden!

This private, secluded townhome at 1120 10th Street in downtown Golden was just listed by Jim Swanson. The Tenth Street Row Home community has no HOA dues and minimal covenants. Walk one block to Clear Creek, Lions Park, tennis courts and the baseball fields. The Golden public library is just a block further, and Washington Avenue, with its shops, restaurants and more, is just four blocks away! The Golden Rec Center is just three blocks in the other direction! The seller-owned solar system fully meets this townhome’s electrical demand and is included with the sale. This home has updated bathrooms, a large living room/dining room area, and bigger than average bedrooms. The primary suite has a private covered deck (visible in this picture). The home has hot water baseboard heat and is cooled with a newer evaporative cooler. Partly visible above is the fenced 20’ x 20’ porch and garden area. This is a rare opportunity to live close to everything that makes Golden a great place to live. Take a narrated video tour (with drone video footage) at www.GoldenTownhome.info. The seller requested no open houses, so call Jim Swanson at 303-929-2727 to see it in person.

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 cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.” —Jana Stanfield

Arvada to redesign Gold Strike Park

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Sitting at the con uence of Clear Creek and Ralston Creek is Gold Strike Park. ough the park is currently made up of a gravel parking lot and green space, Arvada has plans for what the park could become.

e City of Arvada is currently working on creating a design to remodel Gold Strike Park. Earlier this year, the city kicked o the redesign with a survey, seeking input from the community about what aspects of the park community members wanted to see improved.

Gold Strike Park is a site of histori-

Meet Foxtrot!

cal signi cance in Arvada, as it is listed on the State Registrar of Historical Places as the site where gold was rst documented in Colorado, sparking the Gold Rush.

Programming priorities for the park had previously been identi ed during the 2019 Clear Creek Corridor Plan, which showed that additional parking, a community lawn and nature play were some priorities for redesign, among others.  However, these recent redesign e orts were not the rst for the park. In 2000, the 2000 Gold Strike Master Plan was created to redesign the park, identifying a focus on enhancing the natural environment.

According to Maki Boyle, project manager for the current redesign, past e orts to change the park had been put on hold due to economic constraints.

“( is is) really the rst chance that the city had the capacity to be able to pick it up and start running with it again,” Boyle added.

e city looked for input from the community through a survey on two potential designs for the park. While both designs have features in common, such as parking, nature play, restrooms and an event lawn, they each have a unique focus.

e rst design — called “Wandering Creek” — includes a wetland boardwalk and overlook, natural splash pad and pebbled gold panning play.

e second design — called “Adventure Destination” — includes a

hammock garden, sandy creek play and a bouldering feature.

“What we’ve tried to do is activate that site through adding a lot of di erent programming elements which you see in the two design concepts now,” Boyle said.  e survey on the two design choices closed Sept. 4, and the results are now being analyzed to create a nal design for the park. According to Boyle, the nal design will likely be shared toward the end of 2023.

“I’m really eager, eager to hear what the community likes or

dislikes and what they want to see here,” Boyle said. “It’s been a really, really fun process. We’ve talked with over 300 members of the community.”

While the redesign is an opportunity to celebrate the history of the park, it’s also an opportunity to showcase the nature found there.

“ e goal of this project is really to create a place that does the site justice,” Boyle added. “Not just to activate the space and bring people to it. But to celebrate what this space means. Not just historically, but also in the natural environment.”

had ell involved. that the missing. have and sidering tion given of they case runaway.” ing

not theories fact, are Reyes’s home. the are

had a dark history.  Mitchell said that drugs may be involved. e family fears that Reyes was groomed in the months before she went missing.

Arvada Police say they have investigated this lead and are taking in and considering all of the information that the family has given them.

Detective Duane Eaton of the Arvada Police said they are “investigating this case as a missing persons/ runaway.”

e distinction, according to Public Information

O cer Dave Snelling, does not mean that the family’s theories are discounted. In fact, Snelling said the police are working closely with Reyes’s family to bring her home.

“We are empathic towards the family and what they are going through right

now. We know it’s di cult when children go missing,” Snelling said. He added although there are no updates on the case at the moment, it is active and two detectives, including Eaton, are working on the case. Snelling said the o cers in the missing persons have kids of their own, so cases like Ayla’s are taken very seriously.

Reyes’ family suspects tra cking and has recruited the help of investigators from the Antipredator Project to nd her. Detective Eaton has been in contact with them as well, according to Snelling.

Mitchell is concerned that Reyes has been o her prescribed medications for weeks, as well.

“We just need to bring her home,” she said.

If you have any information, tips, or sightings, call 911 or Arvada Police at 720-898-6900, or call, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 800843-5678 (800 THE-LOST).

Ayla Reyes’s family and the Arvada police are asking anyone with any information about the case or sightings to contact them. Please call 911, the Arvada Police, or the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

PHOTO COURTESY JULIE MITCHELL

Noodles & Co celebrates opening with Community Table

Business opens in Arvada Marketplace

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

is month, Arvada Marketplace welcomed a new location of Noodles & Company, and to celebrate its opening, the business hosted a trade up.

e trade up — which ran from Aug. 25 through Aug. 27 — allowed customers to receive a free bowl of Wisconsin Mac & Cheese in exchange for a donated box of store-bought mac and cheese. All donations were given to Community Table.

“Noodles & Company is

committed to serving our community and giving back to it as well,” said Rachel Patrick, general manager of the store. “Our Wisconsin Mac & Cheese has always been our No. 1 best-selling item and has been beloved by our guests for more than 28 years.”

She added that the store wanted to o er our guests a fun way to try the dish while giving back to the community.

“We look forward to delivering the boxed mac & cheese we receive from guests over the weekend to the local food bank, Community Table,” she said.

roughout the event, 36 pounds — or 75 boxes — of mac and cheese were col-

lected for Community Table. “We are extremely appreciative for this event and our supporters in the community,” said Rocky Baldassare, chief operations o cer at Community Table. “Our families will love the Mac and Cheese.”

e store — located at 7450 W 52nd Ave Suite C2, Arvada, CO 80002 — opened on Aug. 23. It is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

“Colorado is our home state, and we get particularly excited when we open new restaurants here,” Patrick said. “We are proud to further serve the community with our Arvada Marketplace restaurant and look forward to welcoming friends and neighbors both new and old.”

A new Noodles & Co opened in Arvada Marketplace in August. COURTESY OF JOY PUDER

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ArvadaPress.com

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

Seven things to remember as voting season nears

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e rst ballots go out to voters in the military and those living overseas in less than a month. It’s voting season and there are a few things residents of Je erson County should remember. So, take notes, mark your calendars and open your bookmarks for some valuable information. Also check your voter registration to ensure it’s up to date.

1. Mark these dates in your calendar. e key dates for voters are the rst day ballots go out, when ballots are due and election day. In Je co, the rst ballots for military and overseas voters get mailed out on Sept. 23. Everyone else’s ballot is mailed on Oct. 16. e ballot boxes also open on Oct. 16. Oct. 30 is the last day to mail ballots if you want them counted.

e in-person vote centers open on this day as well. Election Day is Nov. 7.

2. No late ballots. Ballots postmarked Nov. 7 will not be accepted. e state

of Colorado and Je erson County must have the physical ballot by the close of Election Day, Nov. 7. e Je co Clerk and Recorder’s O ce recommends mailing the ballot 8 days before Election Day, which is Oct. 30.

3. Voter registration is accepted until 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at voting centers. e Clerk’s o ce recommends checking your voter registration now. ey need the up-to-date information in order to send your ballot on Oct. 16. If you can’t get it done in time, you can update your information or submit a new voter registration at any Je co vote center right up until 7 p.m. on election night. e state DMV o ces, the Je co Clerk and Recorder’s o ce and authorized voter drives are also places where new voters can register and current voters can make updates.

4. Don’t forget about the ballot boxes. ere are ballot boxes located throughout Je erson County.

ese are designed to give 24-hour, 7-day-a-week ac-

cess to voters for returning ballots. After Oct. 16, drop your ballots into any Je co ballot box until the close of Election Day.

5. Go to vote centers for in-person voting, registration and ballot mishaps. Vote centers are known for accessible, in-person voting. ese are also places to register to vote if needed before voting. ese centers are also the place to go if your pet eats your ballot, something spills on it or if you lose the ballot altogether. Walk into a Je co vote center and the election workers will help you cast your vote.

6. Sign up now for BallotTrax to stay connected to your ballot when you part with it. Sign up for BallotTrax now. It’s a Colorado state system that will send you updates on your ballot as it is mailed out to you, processed, sorted, certi ed, and counted. Sign up on the Colorado BallotTrax webpage.

7. Find locations, dates, contact info and more on VoteJe co.com. If you have any questions about any

“I’m excited to have some Je co-specific flair in this year’s sticker and to feature both English and Spanish text, which is more inclusive — just like Je co aims to be,” said Amanda Gonzalez, Je co Clerk and Recorder about the new sticker.

part of the process, go to VoteJe co.com for the answers. e Je erson County Clerk and Recorder’s o ce updates the site regularly to keep voters informed throughout voting season. Find the location of a ballot box near you, the hours for a vote center and more on the site. When election night is over, the results will be posted on the page as well.

LINDA SHAPLEY

Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA

Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RYLEE DUNN Community Editor rdunn@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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

Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.

Arvada press

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Je erson County, Colorado, the Arvada Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 27972 Meadow Dr. Suite 320, Evergreen CO, 80439.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Arvada Press, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

The webpage VoteJe co.com has the locations of ballot boxes, including this one, located in front of the Wulf Recreation Center in Evergreen. The box was moved from the Evergreen Library because repairs prevent access for everyone to the box at that location. The new location o ers full access.

PHOTO COURTESY JEFFCO CLERK AND RECORDER

COURTESY JEFFCO CLERK AND RECORDER

Je co’s bilingual election judges add accessibility to voting process

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Je erson County is gearing up for election season, and the County Clerk and Recorder seeks to hire about 380 total election judges, with 95 strictly for the vote centers. A small number of those judges will be multilingual.

Je co hires bilingual election judges for greater accessibility for residents. According to the U.S. census data, about 10.2% of county residents speak a language other than English at home. Hiring bilingual election workers also follows the federal and state laws on voting accessibility.

According to the Je co Clerk and Recorder’s O ce, past judges represented Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and other languages. Spanish is the largest language spoken second to English in Je co. e clerk’s o ce says about 5.8% of the county population speak Spanish at home, according to the U.S. census.

National and state laws mandate multilingual services to make the voting process accessible to those who do not speak English as a primary language. In 1992, the U.S. Congress added Section 203 to the Voting Rights Act.

“ rough the use of various practices and procedures, citizens of language minorities have been e ectively excluded from participation in the electoral process,” the Act states. To remedy the situation, Section 203 was added to the Voting Rights Act 27 years after the act became law. “ e Congress declares that, in order to enforce the guarantees of the fourteenth and fteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, it is necessary to eliminate such discrimination by prohibiting these practices.”

Je erson County Election Judge Fernanda Dalcanale explained that the human connection is what counts.

Dalcanale noted that each vote center has a telephone designated for non-English speakers. e voter can access an interpreter in their primary language and several are available. However, Dalcanale said that the human

connection of having a person standing in front of the voter who understands them is most important.

“ ere’s nothing like being able to look someone in their eyes and make them feel understood,” Dalcanale added.

County Clerk and Recorder Amanda Gonzalez said that these services are necessary to make the voting process open to everyone in the county.

“If you’re somebody who would be more comfortable that ballot in Spanish if that’s your native language, you can go to your Voter Service and Polling Center and get a ballot in your language,” Gonzalez said. “We also have a hotline that you can call if that ballot isn’t available in the language that you’re most comfortable in.”

e act covered voting materials such as ballots, advertising and written materials. It also includes providing assistance in the form of bilingual election workers such as election judges.

In 2021, Gonzalez authored HB21-1101 Multilingual Ballot Access for Voters. e legislation requires county clerks to sample ballots and the Secretary of State to provide multilingual ballot hotlines sta ed with interpreters for certain language minorities. ese are required if the language is spoken by at least 2,000 adults who meet the following requirements:

• At least 2,000 citizens age 18+ who speak English less than “very well” and speak their language at home.

• At least 2,000 OR 2.5% of citizens age 18+ who speak English less than “very well” and speak their language at home.

Only two languages meet these criteria in the state, Spanish and Ute. In Je erson County, Spanish is the only language to meet the criteria for ballot access requirements, according to the clerk and recorder’s o ce.

“As our communities diversify, ensuring the right to vote for voters who speak languages other than English is increasingly important,” Gonzalez said. “One of the best ways we can do that is ensuring our voting centers are sta ed with bilingual workers.”

Bilingual election judges answer a mandate by national and Colorado state law to make elections accessible to people who do not speak English as a primary language. In Colorado, Ute and Spanish language communities are large enough to require special accommodations like ballots in those languages. PHOTO COURTESY JEFFCO CLERK AND RECORDER

Thu 9/14

La Rumba Cumbia Weekender

@ 7pm / $15-$115

La Rumba, 99 W 9th Ave, Denver

Level 1 Freeski Film Fest - Both Nights @ 7pm / $35 Summit, 1902 Blake St, Denver

Stil Runnin, Radio Fluke, Liquid Chicken

@ 8pm / $20

The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues, 1624 Market St, Denver

Featured

Ikon

@ 7:30pm

Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St, Den‐ver

Los Mocochetes

@ 8pm Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Den‐ver

Fri 9/15

Featured Featured

Featured

Sun 9/17

Beautiful: the Carole King Musical (Touring) @ 2pm

Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Ar‐vada

Featured

The Milk Blossoms @ 8pm The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Denver

Sat 9/16

Featured

Eligh @ 6pm

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

Rainbow Cult Presents: Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion @ 6pm / $25

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Denver

Mon 9/18

Neon Trees @ 7pm

Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver

Blair Borax @ 7pm

Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Featured

Tierro with Bridget Law: WanderFest

@ 6pm

New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden

Dylan Miles Experience: Dylan Miles

@ 12pm

New Image Brewing CompanyWheat Ridge, 9505 W 44th Ave, Wheat Ridge

Lauren Frihauf @ 6pm Orchid Denver, 1448 Market St, Denver

Fever Dog @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Tue 9/19

Antonio Lopez: Skylark Lounge @ 7pm

Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

KenTheMan @ 8pm

Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave, Denver

EMICIDA @ 8pm

Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St, Boulder

Wed 9/20

A Little Night Music @ 7pm

Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1245 Champa St, Denver

Wil Blades @ 9pm

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Almost bilked

Iadmit it. I got scammed, and it nearly cost me my life savings.

When I look back at it, I’m aghast I fell for it. Yet I don’t feel stupid or ashamed. Rather, I feel intense anger at cretinous creatures that nefariously engage in bilking people out of their honestly earned life savings. I’ve dubbed and henceforth shall refer to them as Malwarians.

It began when researching information for a piece I was composing. Just as I clicked on what I had thought was a safe site, a red screen took over my monitor. It read something to the effect that my computer had been infected and was locked. I couldn’t manipulate the cursor with my mouse. I was at a loss about what to do and began to panic. But the message also read to call a certain toll-free number for Microsoft.

The Malwarian that took the call sounded professional and empathetic. It said Microsoft was seeing a rash of hacking and that it would call me back on a “secure line.” I got a call from a number with an area code that indicated it was close to MS corporate headquarters. (I learned later that scammers can use bogus numbers to conceal their real location. Seriously, phone companies?) The Malwarian convinced me that they were a MS representative. I allowed them to access my computer to trace the source of the infection and with that, I descended into tech hell.

The next morning, the Malwarian called and said they had detected something disconcerting. They said they had tracked three sales transactions from Russia charged to one of my accounts. My panic heightened, but the Malwarian assured me that they would get me in contact with a fraud specialist from the institution, and with that I entered a deeper cavern of tech hell.

I’ll skip over the murky details from that point forward, but it suffices to say the Malwarians really got into my head. I cannot overstate how malevolently adept they are at their dastardly machi-

JERRY FABYANIC Columnist

nations. They’re well trained in human psychology, and quite effective at playing good cop, bad cop. I trusted them similar to how in the Stockholm Syndrome a victim trusts the person who took them prisoner. But still, it took the right set of circumstances for their tactics to work, and their ploy coincided with a time when I was emotionally depleted.

I’m sure many can identify with the year-from-hell description for a grueling stretch in their lives. The first six and a half months of 2023 was mine. By mid-July, I’d morphed into an emotional zombie. I became fatalistic, convinced another painful event was around the corner. “What’s next?” became my mantra. Rationally, I was functional, but my natural guards had atrophied.

In the end, two interventions saved me: my bank and a friend to whom I finally opened up. My bank intervened not once but twice when I attempted to wire large amounts of money to a fraudulent account. The first time, their fraud specialists canceled the transaction outright, and the second time they put it on hold. When I spoke with them, they made it clear: Once the funds were sent, they couldn’t be recouped. That second intervention gave me a reprieve. Slowly I began coming to my senses.

My friend’s immediate response after hearing and seeing what was happening was “shut it down,” meaning my computer. I called LifeLock, and from another computer I logged onto the three credit agencies and froze my accounts. I then changed passwords and set up two-step verification wherever I could. The next morning, I drove to my financial institutions, closed my accounts, and opened new ones. Finally, I took my computer to the Geek Squad

to have it scrubbed. They found a virus despite the anti-virus protection I paid for.

On the heels of my travails was a news report of multiple seniors in Douglas County who were similarly accosted. Two differences between their experiences and mine were that theirs were local and in person — Malwarians actually went to their houses — and sadly they lost huge amounts of money.

I’m no expert on fraud prevention, but I am about knowing what it’s like to be a victim. It’s a most unpleasant feeling, but it was one from which I learned a few hard lessons. Given that, allow me to suggest a baker’s dozen of to-do’s and not-to-do’s.

Preventive:

If you haven’t yet, freeze your credit reports with all three agencies.

If not a member of LifeLock, seriously consider becoming one.

Have a discussion with your banker and other financial institutions about their fraud protocols.

If you haven’t had your computer scanned recently for viruses and other forms of malware, get it done.

Activate two-step verification for all of your accounts including email logins.

Become more educated about the ever-evolving and increasingly sophisticated tactics of Malwarians.

In the event of an attack:

Skip the usual shutdown process and immediately power your computer down.

Contact your computer pro and your financial institutions ASAP.

File a report with the FBI on their Internet Crime Complaint Center site: https://www.ic3.gov/

Never: Call a number provided to you, even if in the guise of an 800type.

Click on a link unless you’re absolutely sure it’s safe.

Download a document that

you’re not absolutely sure about. Allow any unknown party access to your computer.

Further, if you’ve been or become a victim, don’t feel ashamed. Talk about it. Speak out as I am. As friends and family can attest to, I’m a hard-nosed skeptic when interacting with unknowns. Yet I bit. But I’ve discovered that others far more tech-savvy than me have likewise fallen victim. We’re far from alone.

Sadly, a brutal reality of this super-tech age is that scammers are not necessarily hustling you upfront. They’re lurking in the cesspools of the Dark Web waiting to slither into and infect your tech body. And they’re spawning. Consider all the personal stuff you store on and use your computer for. With that in mind, think of it as an extension of yourself, your personal AI—artificial intelligence—space, and then take every precaution to protect it as you do yourself. Remain vigilant, not only during your forays into cyber space but also of yourself: your moods, temperaments, and states of mind, especially when you become worn down. Just because you might be functionally rational doesn’t mean you’re impervious to falling prey.

I’ve been not only acutely reminded about the risks of online research, I’m also keeping more attuned to my mental and emotional states. But I won’t let this interfere with what I love to do: writing.

Although this experience was most challenging, I continue to keep in the forefront of my mind the numerous caring and supportive professionals who helped me navigate the cleanup process. They’re a constant reminder that countering vile, viral cretins are many more wonderful human beings available to help and guide us when needed. For that and them, I’m grateful.

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

A Seussical musical at Lakewood Culture Center

It may not be a “proper” word, but when someone describes something as Seussian, you basically know what it means. Dr. Seuss is famous the world over for the fantastical and surreal worlds he created and populated with characters like e Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and e Lorax.

And now that world and many of its most beloved inhabitants are coming to the Lakewood Cultural Center, courtesy of Performance Now eatre Company.

“ is is a show that anyone can enjoy,” said co-director and choreographer Kelly Van Oosbree, who is leading the production with Victoria Holloway. “It’s not only a children’s show — it’s smart enough that the adults in the room will also get a lot out of it.”

Performance Now’s production of “Seussical”™ runs at the cultural center, 470 S. Allison Parkway in Lakewood, from Sept. 8 through 24. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

e musical is an amalgamation of several Seuss stories and follows JoJo (Sarah Atkinson), whose

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Censorship in books and media

On this issue of censorship in our books and media: we all need to get a better understanding of all that is happening with censorship of information on all media in the U.S.A.

Jerry Fabyanic’s recent editorial was mainly xated on left-wing politics and their issues. Our government and major media censorship are over the top with presently pushed social engineering programming like in this editorial. e San Diego story related in Jerry’s editorial did work itself out quite nicely and to the advantage of the community once the issues were made known through media to the community.

Also, there is a large di erence in Community Public Libraries and Public Schools Libraries. Children’s school libraries are there

COMING ATTRACTIONS

propensity for storytelling and a big imagination get the action going.

e cast includes Christopher Boeckx as Cat in the Hat, Josh Harris as Horton, Nancy Evans Begley as Kangaroo and many more.

THOMPSON

Linda Jean (Sellers) Thompson

August 20, 1955 - August 14, 2023

We are sad to announce the passing of our beloved Linda Jean ompson. She passed away in her home with the loving presence of her family on August 14, 2023, after a long battle with cancer.

John ai and grandchildren Sierra, Carter, Tanner, Maddison, Dyson and Harper, sisters Gayle (Tracy) Ellis & Pamela (Paul) Moore. Linda will be forever loved and missed.

Clarke Reader

“I’m delighted by this show, which is so funny and very sweet,” said Van Oosbree. “It’s been so much fun working on the choreographer for the production’s music as well.”

e production doesn’t try to bring Seuss’ characters to live via recreation (to see how wrong that can go, look no further than the 2003 “Cat in the Hat” lm), but instead uses animal-like elements, so the characters are recognizable, but with their own bent. And while the music may not have yielded any new standards, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its charms. Van Oosbree described it as a fun

Linda was born August 20, 1955, in Arvada, Colorado. She spent her childhood growing up in the Denver Metro area. She entered the mortgage industry in the early 80’s where she met many of her lifelong friends where she retired from HUD in 2021. Linda settled in Westminster in 1989 with her Loving family. She left behind her husband, Larry ompson, son, Scott Ruettgers, daughter & son in-law, Misty &

Memorial service Friday, September 8, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Olinger Crown Hill Chapel of Peace, 7777 W. 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. A Celebration of Life will be held at Hyland Hills Golf Course, 9650 Sheridan Blvd., Westminster, CO 80031 from 2-4 p.m. in the Cottonwood Lodge’s Spruce Room. Appetizers and refreshments will be served. Alcohol will be available for purchase at the bar.

to support the de ned education curriculum and to support public education’s main goal of readiness for workplaces and further studies. Anyway, all information should be accessible on the Internet.

Also, Parents who speak out or openly ask for book bans are red from unrelated jobs or considered terrorists by our government. Jeco Parents are being told now they can’t visit their child’s classrooms. No cell phones or recording devices are allowed. With parents not welcomed into Je co schools, it’s no wonder student numbers in Je co schools have dropped so dramatically.

So please Jerry and Colorado Community Media, take a little more time in thinking of or writing editorials for the paper.

Gary Sco eld, Arvada

SEE READER, P14

Why we need friends

In an increasingly lonely society, friends are important for our health

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

At the Littleton branch of Meals on Wheels, delivering food is only one part of the mission.

e organization’s job is to deliver meals to seniors who need them. Volunteers help pack up the food made by the chef and then drive them to various homes in the South Metro area.

While addressing food insecurity, volunteers are also helping seniors feel less isolat-

ed. Gayle Melges, their director of operations, said drivers are encouraged to stay a while to talk with the client.

“ at makes a huge di erence,” she said.  Volunteers not only spend time chatting, but also remember birthdays. e organization will send seniors a birthday cake for the holiday, and for some, it’s the only thing they receive, Melges said.

“ at little bit of being remembered and being a part of the community I think is huge,” Melges said.  Melges has seen isolation increase due to

the pandemic. She noted a loss of community after guidance to stay indoors to not spread the virus. Some of that sense of community is still being rebuilt.

“COVID-19 created a lot of need, especially as everybody was encouraged to not go anywhere and do anything,” Melges said.

Isolation among adults has been a prevalent issue. e Surgeon General released an advisory earlier this year calling attention to the issue. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,

SEE

MAIN PHOTO CREDIT: STOCK IMAGE

FRIENDS

over half of U.S. adults reported experiencing some sense of loneliness, with the pandemic only making that worse.

Loneliness comes with health e ects, too. According to the Surgeon General, poor or insu cient connection results in a 29% increased risk of heart disease, 32% increased risk of stroke and 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults.

ere’s plenty of evidence pointing to how bene cial friendship is, as well as the adverse outcomes of loneliness and social isolation, according to Randi Smith, a professor of psychological sciences at Metropolitan State University.

“We know that people who are lonely and feel socially disconnected have a lot harder time with stress,” Smith said. “ ey’re more

inclined to depressive symptoms, anxiety, more likely to have suicidal ideation or be at greater risk of suicide.”

She provided the example of having a stressful situation to navigate. Having a friend to work through the problem helps, as opposed to being alone.

“We humans are better at being kind and supportive to other people often than we are to ourselves,” she said.

Friendship also increases emotional intimacy.

Smith explained that some of the need comes from evolution. As a social species, humans couldn’t survive without a group. As an example, she pointed to babies developing re exes like grasping to nd an adult.

“Relatedness is a hardwired need that human beings have,” she said.

Physical touch also comes into play. Not just sexual contact, but simple things like a hand on the shoulder or a hug can activate positive physiological responses, Smith said. With people isolating during the pandemic, physical touch sometimes fell by the wayside.

What is a friend?

To each person, a friend means something di erent. And there isn’t a universal standard.

“A friend is best de ned as a self-perception, not as some objective measure,” Smith said.

It’s not the number of friends someone has, but rather one’s own perceived social support. Someone may need one person who is always there for them, or six. It also comes down to reciprocity.

“It’s not just being on the receiving end of social support that we need. It’s also being on the giving end of it,” she said.

Humans feel like helping others because it helps develop a sense of belonging.

Making friends

As people age, it becomes increasingly difcult to make friends.

At di erent life stages, like when children are in school or young adults are in college, it groups many people in the same place going through similar circumstances.  ose settings aren’t as common as people age, but it’s still possible.

Smith said people can use a new app called Bumble BFF, or join in on community events.

MAIN PHOTO CREDIT: STOCK IMAGE

READER

blending of blues, gospel and some jazz, resulting in tunes that are very “hummable and hooky.”

“ is show is a great one to bring a child to, but as an adult you’ll enjoy and appreciate the very theatrical world,” she added. “It’s a very universal show about believing in the power of imagination and our ability to go forward with our own storytelling. It’s a big, Broadway musical in the best sense.”

Tickets are available at www. performancenow.org.

Honor Vietnam veterans with Wings

Over the Rockies

Wings Over the Rockies will work in partnership with the United States Air Force Historical Foundation to celebrate Vietnam veterans at the  Wings of Valor: Honoring Vietnam Air War Veterans  event, held from 6 to 9:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18 at  Wings Exploration of Flight , 13005 Wings Way in Englewood.

According to provided informa-

tion, the event serves as a tribute to the aviators who ew during the con ict. Visitors will get to see an aerial demonstration, hear live music and sample cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Special guests include the Vietnam Veterans, National Air Museums’ Airpower and Space History scholars and Gen. Ron R. Fogleman, USAF (Ret).  Details can be found at https:// wingsmuseum.org/events/wingsof-valor/.

Denver Jazz Festival celebrates music’s early years

Jazz in it’s earliest forms are the reason many fell in love with the music. at’s what makes the  CMDance 2023 Denver Jazz Festival  more than just a fun event. It focuses on vintage jazz and blues from the 1920s through 40s, when the world was rst getting exposed to the genre.  e festival runs from Friday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Sept. 17 at  e Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House , 980 14th St. in Denver. e festival features NeoDance Stories Immersive Show.

According to provided information, attendees will be able to learn

more about the music through “workshops, classes and lectures available from internationally renowned instructors during the daytime hours through the sister events Lindy on the Rocks and Hot Night Fusion Weekend.”

Find all the information at www. cmdance.org.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Drake at Ball Arena

Emotional boys of the world unite!  Drake , our lord and savior from the Canadian north, is deigning to stop by our humble city and perform his record-breaking odes to loves won and lost, the challenges of the humble and the humbling of the challengers. Ever since Drake released “Take Care,” his momentous second album, back in 2011 he’s become a titanic gure in the music and pop culture world, and released two excellent albums back in 2022. Word is he has another lined up — he truly never stops.

It’s been a minute since the heartbreak king himself performed in Denver, so his concert at Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, is a really big deal. Drake will be

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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

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

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

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

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

joined by frequent collaborator 21 Savage, making the night extra special.

Get tickets at www.ticketmaster. com.

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

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalistowned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.

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

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

from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news. For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun.com.

(BPT) - Did you know you can start protecting your baby against u while you are still pregnant? For pregnant people, getting a u shot is the rst and most important action you can take to protect both yourself and your baby from u and its potentially serious complications.

You may have heard that pregnant people are at higher risk of getting very sick and being hospitalized with u. is may be because of changes in the immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy. Flu also may be harmful to a pregnant person’s developing baby. A common u symptom, fever, has been associated in some studies with adverse outcomes for a developing baby. Additionally, babies younger than 6 months are at higher risk of getting very sick from u, but they are too young to be vaccinated themselves.

FLU SHOT BENEFITS FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY

But there is some great news about u shots for pregnant people and their babies. Studies show a u shot during pregnancy protects pregnant people from u during and after pregnancy. Vaccination during pregnancy also protects the infant during the rst few months after birth when they are too young to get vaccinated themselves. One study showed fewer cases of infants with in uenza in mothers who received the vaccine compared to those mothers who were not vaccinated, displaying a high degree of vaccine e ectiveness. is is because, as a pregnant parent, you pass your antibodies on to your developing baby during your pregnancy.

WHEN TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR BABY

A u shot can be given during any trimester of pregnancy. For most pregnant people, September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated. For pregnant people in their third trimester, however, vaccination during July or August can be considered to provide optimal protection against u for the baby after birth, when they are too young to get vaccinated. is information is outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance for the prevention of u through vaccination for the 2023-2024 season, which was adopted by CDC’s director as CDC policy on June 28, 2023.

GET YOUR FLU SHOT TODAY!

ere are many di erent options for you to get a u shot, including at a health care provider’s o ce, at work, a pharmacy, some stores or even supermarkets. Speak to your health care provider today to learn more about how a u shot can protect you and your baby, and to access information about the importance of all maternal vaccinations including Tdap, COVID-19 and HepB vaccines. You can learn more about u and pregnancy at cdc.gov/ u/ highrisk/pregnant.htm.

Are you pregnant?

Here’s how to protect yourself and your baby against flu

Winter months bring the trifecta of illness Will 2023 have high numbers of flu, RSV, and COVID?

By elma Grimes

With colder months just around the corner, that means it’s time to start thinking about and preparing for the trifecta of illnesses that comes with winter. In 2022, the trifecta was a word used to describe the unseasonably high number of cases of COVID, in uenza and, on the rise in recent years, RSV, also known as a respiratory syncytial virus.

Not only has the increased number of RSV cases caused worries for health o cials across the Front Range, but the early onset of when they start seeing patients ll hospital rooms is a concern.

In 2021, from Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree to Children’s Hospital Colorado campuses across the metro area, doctors said they were seeing RSV cases in August and September, which is uncommon for a respiratory virus that is more common during what is considered u season.

Flu season generally runs between October and February, with the height of cases popping up between December and February.

RSV, usually a respiratory issue that a ects children, is also being seen in more adults over the last few years.

Dr. Ben Usatch, UCHealth emergency-room director at Highlands Ranch Hospital, said there is an RSV vaccine available this year. While noting it is not new, Usatch said attention to the vaccine has increased as more adults, especially senior citizens, are coming down with RSV.

Symptoms of RSV include runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. More severe cases require hospitalization, especially for infants and toddlers.

According to the Colorado Department of Health and Wellness, since October 2022 there have been 2,597 RSV hospital admissions in

Douglas, Je erson, Arapahoe and Adams counties.

ere have been 4,174 COVID hospital admissions in the four-county stretch along the Front Range. In u cases, the state health department has tracked 1,502 admissions.

Usatch said that while he does not have any real studies to back it up, he believes when schools and society shut down during the pandemic, immune systems were weakened

Usatch said once the masks came o , immune systems were put back to work, and that could be the reason for more cases of u, COVID-19 and RSV in 2021 and 2022.

Agreeing with Usatch, Dr. Matt Mendenhall, chief medical o cer at AdventHealth Littleton, said unmasking invited cold seasons to return. During the stretch of the

pandemic when nearly everyone wore masks, colds, RSV and the u were almost nonexistent.

“Last year was a bit overwhelming since it all returned and caught like wild re,” Mendenhall said. “I have never seen an RSV season like last year. e worry this year is if RSV will overwhelm our healthcare systems again.”

Still, Mendenhall said he is optimistic about RSV in 2023, given there have been approved vaccinations for older adults, while the FDA approved Beyfortus for infants.

Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody, is approved for infants and toddlers 24 months and younger, who are the most vulnerable to RSV.

In the upcoming season, Usatch said he believes things could be better than the last two years because disease resistance has increased as

people have returned to ordinary living.

Usatch said the increase in tracking cases is also because doctors learned a lot more during the pandemic, meaning they are more vigilant in checking for everything. Doctors now check for COVID, u and RSV.

“Our box has become much bigger for what we are looking for,” he said.

Usatch said while the general public has seemingly moved on from COVID, cases exist and the virus still spreads quicker than other illnesses.

“With COVID continually mutating, we have to watch out,” he said.

“We have to see what other health issues come with it. Is the (new mu-

tation) more spreadable? Is it more contagious?”

COVID continues to create issues for health o cials worldwide, as the omicron variant was more prevalent in 2022.

In March, the World Health Organization, or WHO, said the omicron viruses account for over 98% of COVID cases since February 2022. ere are now two new COVID variants worrying health o cials, with the EG.5 variant being the most dominant strain in the U.S. In August, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that the EG.5 strain makes up about 20.6% of all new COVID infections.

On Aug. 9, WHO reported that the EG.5 variant poses a low public health risk, saying it is similar to past variants.

However, EG.5 is just as contagious as past variants. Globally, WHO reported that there have been over 1 million new COVID-19 cases and more than 3,100 deaths reported since July.

Since 2020, WHO reported that there have been 768 million conrmed COVID cases and 6.9 million deaths.

When it comes to u season, Mendenhall said he is less optimistic. Each year, U.S. health o cials try to gauge u season during the summer months when it’s wintertime in Australia.

In July, Australian health o cials said this year’s u season is worse than pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 and one of the worst on record.

Mendenhall said like the U.S., Australian vaccination numbers have decreased since the pandemic, with fewer residents getting the u shot.

e controversy surrounding COVID has hurt vaccinations in other areas, Mendenhall said, stressing that politics in healthcare has created some hardships since 2020.

Usatch said the u vaccination is vital to decreasing hospital admissions during winter months. While the vaccine is not 100% e ective, it does decrease a person’s chances of catching u or risking complications from it.

“It’s not about being a good or bad vaccine,” Usatch said. “( ose making the vaccine) consider recent

strains and work to make the best guess for the new vaccine and hope that it covers a lot of strains. Vaccines are just great tools for people to take advantage of.”

Mendenhall said it’s important for residents to listen to their physicians and follow the science when it comes to preparing for the upcoming season.

“ e science is clear — vaccines protect from illness,” he said.

Both COVID and u vaccinations are expected in September this year.

Mendenhall said for COVID vaccinations this year, it’s important to remember that the government is no longer paying for shots. is year, residents will have to rely on insurance or themselves to pay for them.

Usatch said vaccinations are the best option to decrease cases in the upcoming season.

“You really got to start vaxing up in September and October,” Usatch said. “ ere is a new COVID vaccination this year, there is more access to RSV vaccinations, and for those who qualify, there is a pneumococcal vaccine.”

e pneumococcal vaccine is usually available to vulnerable citizens aged 65 and older. e vaccine prevents pneumococcal pneumonia. According to the American Lung Association website, pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia, with the risk increasing with a person’s age and certain chronic conditions.

Pneumococcal pneumonia can develop after a person has been infected with a viral cold or u.

Besides getting vaccinated, Usatch said the best way to combat the trifecta of viruses that can spread in and beyond the metro area is to be vigilant.

“Pay attention to your environment,” he said. “Pay attention to yourself. If you are sick, you need to respect your coworkers and stay home. We have tools and tests to do surveillance and understand what’s out there, but most importantly, you need to keep yourself protected. Keep yourself healthy.”

Mendenhall also advised parents to be cautious with children going to school. School-aged children showing symptoms of RSV, u, COVID or a cold should be kept home.

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CDC Shares Community Drug Overdose Prevention Successes in New Resources

(BPT) - Drug overdoses are preventable, yet more than one million people died from a drug overdose between 1999 and 2021. Every day, almost 300 people lose their lives due to drug overdose. Public health professionals, policymakers and communities all play a role in preventing overdose deaths. Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) is a CDC-funded program that helps state and local health departments, and the communities they serve, to get high-quality, timelier data on nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses and use those data to inform prevention and response e orts. CDC supports OD2A-funded communities in their ability to address drug overdoses by providing access to subject matter experts and tailored technical assistance, and overdose prevention resources. “ e impact of this crisis is far-reaching, touching the lives of our families, friends and neighbors in deeply personal and profound ways. By prioritizing successful prevention and response e orts and providing tailored tools and resources, we can help ensure everyone has access to the care and support they need to live healthy, ful lling lives - building stronger, more resilient communities,” says Christopher M. Jones, PharmD, DrPH, MPH (CAPT U.S. Public Health Service), Director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

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Sharing state and local overdose prevention and response strategies

CDC developed the OD2A Case Studies to capture in-depth information from funded jurisdictions about current and emerging practices related to overdose prevention and response. Designed for public health practitioners, these case studies share examples that can be adapted at the state and local levels. Partners on the ground asked for more relevant and applicable strategies, so CDC identi ed six key topic areas for interviews, analysis and write-ups in these case studies.

• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are preventable, potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years).

• Harm reduction is a public health approach that focuses on reducing the harmful consequences of drug use.

• Linkage to care is the process of connecting people at risk of overdose to evidence-based treatment, services and support.

• Public safety-led post-overdose outreach can help identify people at higher risk of overdose by linking them to care and other overdose prevention and harm reduction e orts.

• State and local health departments are uniquely positioned to respond to the drug over-

dose crisis, with the authority to enact policies, deploy resources and coordinate various partners.

• Reducing stigma at multiple levels and creating a culture of change is important to helping people at risk of overdose.

Helping communities put effective practices to work

When people’s lives are on the line, integrated data and e ective programs help communities take action to protect people from drug overdose and related harms. e overdose crisis requires prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction e orts that are tailored to promote optimal health for all.

Communities are demonstrating innovation in reducing overdose and are sharing compelling examples of collaboration and teamwork. CDC is showcasing these so that communities can learn from each other. Beyond promoting the critical work that continues nationwide, tools and resources like the OD2A Case Studies encourage applying solutions that work to help communities that need it most.

For additional OD2A resources or to learn more about how CDC is working to prevent overdoses and substance use-related harms visit: https:// www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/od2a/index.html/.

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Members of the Westernaires are all business when it comes to horses

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Modern times meet the Wild West thanks to the Westernaires.

Youth from around the metro area drive to Fort Westernaire next to the Je erson County Fairgrounds to learn, ride, look after and perform on horses. eir performances tell stories spanning from the old West to Disney characters.

e nonpro t organization is all about horses and performing, and while that’s what the public sees, for the 850 participants between 9 and 19 years old and the 500 adult volunteers, it’s so much more.

What makes Westernaires special, according to Rhoda Schleicher, a longtime volunteer from Evergreen, is it provides participants with a sense of community, an alternative to regular sports and school activities, and for many families, it’s a generational tradition with parents and grandparents now having younger family members in the organization.

Westernaires was formed in 1949, and participants train year-round at Fort Westernaire, which maintains three outdoor and three indoor arenas, as well as stables for the horses it owns and rents to participants.

Fort Westernaire also houses classrooms, a club store, museum and caretakers’ quarters.

A July 16 show at the Evergreen rodeo grounds was an exercise in controlled chaos as teams moved from performance to performance and costume to costume. While per-

formers joked and chatted between performances, they were all business as they maneuvered their horses into the arena.

“High speed, precision horsemanship in a dazzling array of costumes,” the Westernaires website said. “Rope tricks. Flaming batons. Historical battle reenactments. Astonishing trick riding. All performed by young people who have chosen the road less traveled. While others take up more common sports and activities, the youth of Westernaires work year-round at honing skills that represent the best traditions of the American West.”

Westernaires encourages self-respect, responsibility and leadership through horsemanship and family participation.

“Westernaires gives kids something to do, and it teaches them to be good citizens and gives them responsibilities,” Schleicher said. “ ey are trained in caring for horses, and they work hard to be accepted onto teams and perform. ( is organization) is very old school.”

Schleicher estimated that there were 10 girls for every boy in Westernaires.

e Cook family in Evergreen is heavily involved in Westernaires. Isabella, 10, said she was afraid of horses as a youngster but that fear is long gone. She likes the opportunity to travel for performances and to be with her friends.

Members of the Westernaires ride into the Evergreen rodeo grounds in July during a show.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

SEE WESTERNAIRES, P20

WANT TO GO?

The Westernaires’ Horsecapades annual fundraising show will be Oct. 28-29 at the National Western Stock Show Event Center, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver. Shows are at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Oct. 28 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 29. Tickets are $12 and available at www. westernaires.org.

WESTERNAIRES

FROM PAGE 19

Isabella’s older brother, James Cook, said he’s made lifelong friends through Westernaires. In fact, half of his wedding party consisted of people he met through the organization.

Brother Lucas Cook said the best thing about Westernaires was being able to ride horses and connect with them. Lucas would like to be a bronc rider when he is older.

Josie Sandifer of Evergreen, who has been a member for 10 years, said Westernaires was a part of daily life for her and her family because it takes a lot of practice to perform routines correctly.

“It takes a lot of time and e ort to be in Westernaires,” she added.

Jordan Slotterback of Fort Lupton does a lot of driving to get to Fort Westernaire, but it’s worth it, espe-

cially after making it to the Varsity Red Team — the top group in the organization.

Participants go through di erent levels, starting as Tenderfeet in the blue division, and as their skills progress, they move to the white division and then to the red division.

“My mom was in Westernaires,” Slotterback said. “We used to go to (Fort Westernaire) as kids.”

Logan Dunbar of Aurora will graduate from Westernaires at the stock show in January. He is planning to go into aerospace engineering, and while getting to spend time with the horses is the best part of Westernaires, he also has learned skills to help in college and beyond.

Grace McCormick, 19, who is in her last year of Westernaires, said the group is like a second family.

“When you have a hard day, it’s nice to come to the arena and be with the horses,” she said. “Horses are family, too.”

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Grace Fleming, left, and Haley Payne prepare to perform during a show in Evergreen.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

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Arvada basketball players compete in Slovenia, Italy

Macron Select shines in international exhibitions

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When a team from Arvada is selected to compete in Slovenia and Italy as part of an International Basketball Academy showcase, that’s amore.

Macron Select, a 14-andunder group of mostly Arvada-based players from B&B Basketball Academy, took to Europe to put on a show. George Grkinich, who lives in Arvada, is a national sales director for Macron — an Italian sports apparel company — and also the coach of the Macron Select team, which includes his daughter, Ella.

“We’re making a big push into youth sports here in the United States,” Grkinich said. “ e Macron team came to fruition when some of my colleagues in Italy had suggested we put a team together and have them play in these tournaments, and possibly arrange for the team to travel to Italy and play some competitions over there.”

e team was handpicked for 2023 based on not just basketball ability, but academic excellence and exemplary behavior in school and their communities, Grkinich said.

Two-and-a-half years in the making, the team wasnalized, and the trip was on the books for August 2023.

e team recently returned from their eight-day tour, which included a stop in Slovenia before traveling to Italy for some friendly competition (and no shortage of sightseeing).

In Slovenia, the team was hosted by the mayor of Sezana, and an exhibition was organized against the 17-and-under Slovenian national team. ough the younger Macron fell 62-38, getting to play overseas was a dream come true, and one that came early.

“I’d dreamed of playing overseas in the future, but it came sooner than I expected,” Ella Grkinich said. “It was like, ‘Wow this is kind of crazy.’ And, I’d never played anyone that good, which was a challenge. But it for sure helped me grow as a basketball player, and it was a really good experience. I’m very glad I got to be a part of it.”

e team continued to right outside Venice, Italy, where they participated in a camp hosted by the International Basketball Academy of Italy and director Teoman Alibegovic. Basketball fans might recognize the two-

time All-Pac 10 Slovenian player from his Oregon State University days in the 1980s.

e camp brought skillbuilding drills, conditioning exercises, and another exhibition game for Macron Select. e Arvadans took on players from the Italian 14-and-under team, snagging a 67-64 victory.

e entire experience brought con dence and helped polish Macron’s players and their skills, according to player Aubry Grieve. It’s tough to take on international teams, especially if they’re older than your team, like Slovenia was.

“We de nitely knew going into the game that they were going to be like nobody we’ve ever played,” Grieve said. “It was an amazing experience to play this level of basketball. You just can’t play a national 17U team here in America. ere were a bunch of girls doing euro

our team bond that much more,” Schillie said. “We were really excited and while we were there, we played really well as a team. Everyone chipped in to play great.”

It wasn’t all about basketball either. e team got to explore Venice and Trieste, trying delectable foods and seeing beauties both historical and natural through the Italian streets.

Grkinich said it was inspiring to watch the players represent their country and team in such a respectful and admirable way, both on and o the court. A tear came to his eye as he spoke on his “daughters extended.”

(steps) … behind-the-back passes, which is amazing to watch them do in a game.”

But Grieve was pleased with how her team played. ey impressed themselves, she said, and it will be huge for their development going forward.

“Honestly, we did pretty good against them,” she added. “For them being years older than us, I think we just did great. And they were de nitely amazing.”

To share this experience with each other was surreal, player Grace Schillie said.

While some of the players have been teammates for years, others didn’t know each other very well. But being able to represent their country together, it was a bonding experience they aren’t soon to forget. For many of the players, it was their rst time out of the country.

“When we found out we were going to Italy, it was

“I’m super proud of every single girl,” he said. “I almost look at these 13 girls as daughters extended. We really all got close during the preparation time and months planning for this and practicing together. And I couldn’t have been prouder of the way they represented themselves … to the hotel sta , the bus drivers, the people in the gyms. It was really, really neat to see that and be a part of that.”

A return overseas next summer is already in the works; this time, to Split, Croatia. Grkinich said the plan is to participate in a weekend tournament following another week of travel, which would include a Croatian team, a Bosnian team, a Slovenian team, and America’s team: Macron Select.

While many of the players from this year will return next summer, Grkinich said there will be opportunities to come for new faces as well, and he expects several on next year’s team.

To learn more about the B&B Basketball Academy, visit www.bandbbasketballacademy.org.

Members of the Macron Select team stop in Venice, Italy during their recent trip overseas. Other than sightseeing, the team played members of Italy’s 14U team during the visit and won 67-64.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MACRON SELECT BASKETBALL

team. play baskethistoriplayers and spoke extended.”

Ralston Valley has clean sheet in win versus Golden

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s boys soccer team is ahead of schedule.

The Mustangs (3-0-1 record) remained undefeated on the season Tuesday night with a 2-0 shutout victory over rival Golden at the North Area Athletic Complex. Ralston Valley had a bit of a rough beginning last season with a 1-3 start before winning 11 of 13 to finish its 2022 campaign in the Class 5A state semifinals.

“It was a big point coming into this season,” Ralston Valley junior Cooper Hineline said of getting off to a good start. “We knew what happened last year and we were going to try to fix it. We are doing a great job so far.”

Ralston Valley had a historic playoff run last Fall. The Mustangs had their deepest boys soccer postseason run in the school’s 20plus year history. Ralston Valley advanced to the 5A state semifinals that included the Mustangs knocking off top-seed Legacy in the state quarterfinals.

The run ended in a shootout loss to Fairview in the semifinals.

“It’s a great squad,” Ralston Valley senior goalie Evan Bierman said of this season’s team. “We’ve got returning players and some new players that didn’t play last year like Keegan Ulvedal. There is something special about this year.”

Much of the key pieces from last year’s squad did return, but there was a big change with last year’s head coach Jamie Scarcliff gone. Scarcliff moved over to take over Golden’s boys soccer program.

“There was a lot of emotions because I care about those (Ralston Valley) kids, but this is my new group, my new family,” Scarcliff said of her Demons (2-2). “I’m excited for what I saw out of my crew. I think they will have a lot of success.”

The Mustangs had the success Tuesday night with the shutout victory against their former coach. Ralston Valley junior Hunter Byrne provided the lone goal of the opening half. Byrne rocketed a shot in transition past Golden junior goalie Garett Kula in the 13th minute. Byrne had ripped a shot

off the post earlier in the game.

Hineline gave Ralston Valley an insurance goal in the 69th minute with a brilliant move atop the Demons’ goalie box before firing a shot past Kula for a 2-0 lead.

“I was just cutting inside and trying to put it on frame,” Hineline said of his team-leading third goal of the season.

The junior forward admitted the energy was ramped up face Golden, who actually handed Ralston Valley one of those early-season losses a year ago.

“It was a combination of playing against some of my friends and it’s a rivalry,” Hineline said. “No matter if Scarcliff was on the other sideline, I wanted to win. It gave us a little more extra motivation.”

John Doody is now at the helm coaching the Mustangs was proud of the way his team handled the game that did get a little chippy in the final 10 minutes.

“When coach Will Lind and I came into the program our goal was to create a level of professionalism and play real proper futbol,” Doody said. “To overcome these kind of emotional situations. I think that last 10 minutes I was a little worried because I thought the entire match might be that way, but the fact is was a very well-played match.”

Ralston Valley faces a pair of 5A teams who were both ranked in the top-10 in the CHSAANow.com boys soccer preseason poll in the next few days.

“We need to keep the momentum going,” Bierman said of the strong start. “This is new territory for us.”

The Mustangs are on the road against Heritage on Thursday, Aug. 31, before facing defending 5A state champion Denver East next week on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

“I think we have tons of potential,” Doody said. “We are building toward something special. We still have to put in the work and keep growing.”

Golden’s next opponent is also tough. The Demons host perennial 4A powerhouse Air Academy on Friday, Sept. 1, back at the NAAC. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.

Golden graduated 22 seniors last year team that finished second in

the 4A Jeffco League, but lost in the opening round of the 4A state tournament.

“I think they have come in and made strides,” Scarcliff said of the Demons having little varsity experience and with a new coaching staff. “We have had four tough games. Every game we keep on getting better and better.”

The Demons already have wins over Silver Creek and Columbine.

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

Ralston Valley junior Cooper Hineline, left, battle for control of the ball with Golden senior Nic Friedman during the non-league game Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the North Area Athletic Complex.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the Diomede Islands located?

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Answers

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2. e Bering Strait, between Alaska and Siberia

3. Navy

4. “To Kill a Mockingbird”

5. A bear

6. Alabama in 2000

7. A shiver

8. Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars

9. Octagon

10. A fear of chickens

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