Recruiting visit from Norse alum

Richardson, U.S. Southern Command leader, returns to Northglenn High

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

General Laura Richardson visited Northglenn High School on April 27 to pitch students that the army is a good path forward.

Richardson, a familiar face as a former Norsemen, is the Army’s highest-ranking female, a fourstar general and leader of the U.S. Southern Command. Many of the skills and lessons learned at Northglenn stick with her today.

“To think of my teachers and my swimming coach and the athletic director that helped shape and mold me when I was in high school, and kept me going in the right direction was huge,” she said.

She touts the many opportunities and perks the military has given to her and said students can take advantage of them, too. Some of those are the 178 di erent jobs to choose from, traveling the world, being part of something bigger than oneself and serving the country.

While at Northglenn High School, she didn’t get exposed to any programs that led to the military, such as JROTC. She became involved after her father introduced her to ROTC while in college.

Introductions are key and sometimes that exposure comes from spreading the word, at a time when the army needs more soldiers.

“We absolutely need more sol- diers and more people to serve,” Richardson said. Stars and Stripes, a media outlet, reported that Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said recruiting is a top priority of hers and that the army missed their recruiting target by 15,000 people in 2022.

As to why, Richardson looks to the job market. Historically, when there’s a good job market, recruiting goes lower. She also said it’s the lifecycle of service — there are a certain number of retirees that need to be replaced.

She hopes that coming home to Northglenn will help get more Coloradoans enlisted, and hopes teachers and other sta paid attention since the military is always evolving.

“We do ask property owners to take a good look at the notices they receive,” said Denver Assessor Keith Er meyer, urging homeowners to let their local assessor’s o ces know if they dispute the value they receive.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, home values — as calculated for property tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. Since then, residential properties in the Denver metro area typically saw value increases between 35% and 45%, a group of assessors from across the Front Range announced April 26. For owners selling their homes these days, the bump in home prices has been good news. But it also means owners are on the hook for higher property tax bills, Er meyer noted.

Public o cials are openly hoping homeowners will get relief from the state legislature, where lawmakers are expected to take action to lower property tax bills this year.

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