e Douglas County Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution to pursue a home rule county charter which will be brought to voters as a ballot initiative.
Colorado statute determines the form and function of county government. A home rule charter would allow Douglas County government to be more exible in addressing certain local challenges.
“We will no longer sit back while the state government dictates policies that undermine our values, jeopardize our safety and make it harder for hardworking families to a ord to live and thrive here,” said County Commissioner Abe Laydon.
Douglas County would not be the rst in the state to have a home rule charter. Broom eld, Denver, Pitkin and Weld counties operate under home rule charters. Additionally, multiple municipalities, including some in Douglas County such as Castle Rock and Parker, are governed under home rule charters.
According to the state statute, home rule status would allow Douglas County to have statutory authority and statutory exemptions over entities such as public health and safety, structure of government, opting out of state property tax reductions, local fees and licensing and more.
Some examples include allowing the county to set its own criminal charges and bonding for crimes committed in the county, appoint
First responders bleed for community
Police take top spot in Battle of the Badges blood drive
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY
Whether they’re used for a surgery, severe injury, medical treatments or long-term health conditions, blood donations are vital for millions of people each and every day.
“ e truth of the matter is, despite all efforts that have gone into it, there really is no substitute for blood,” said Dr. Ben Usatch, emergency department medical director at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital.
at’s why Vitalant, a nonpro t blood service provider, partnered with the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, Castle Rock Fire
and Rescue, South Metro Fire Rescue and the Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Parker police departments to see if law enforcement or re rescue could bring in the most units of blood for patients in need. It may have been team re against team law at the Douglas County Fairgrounds and the Parker Field House on March 26 and 27, but those two days also drew over 100 community members to come together for a live-saving cause.
For Sgt. Mark Mithuen, who has been with the sheri ’s o ce since 2011 and oversees the school resource o cers, giving blood is another way to help save a life.
“(Blood) is used to save lives and that’s what we do,” Mithuen said. ere are three components to blood. Red cells carry oxygen throughout the body, platelets form clots to help stop bleeding and plasma helps the clot become more stable and provides antibodies for immunity.
“All these things are incredibly important to the body’s ability to function,” Usatch said, adding that blood is broken down into these three components so doctors “are able to give patients what they need.”
Douglas County Community Resource Deputy Je Pelle su ered life-threatening injuries while in the line of duty in 2017 and received a massive blood transfusion in the hospital. When the sheri ’s o ce partnered with Vitalant, he knew he had to give back.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Castle Rock expands school resource o cer program
New agreement was made possible by voter-backed public safety sales tax measure
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Castle Rock is expanding its school resource o cer program thanks to a newlyapproved agreement between the town and the Douglas County School District. Town council voted unanimously in March to amend its intergovernmental agreement with the district, paving the way for more o cers in schools starting in the upcoming school year.
e move follows voter approval of a public safety sales tax in 2024, which funds two existing SRO positions. e school district fully funded those roles for the current school year, but will now enter a 50-50 cost share with the town.
e tax increase allows for the addition of two more SROs and one SRO sergeant. With the amendment, the Castle Rock Police Department will provide nine fulltime SROs and two SRO sergeants to serve Castle Rock schools.
ose o cers will cover Castle View High School, Castle Rock Middle School, Mesa Middle School and 14 elementary,
charter and alternative schools. e allocation averages about 2.8 schools per ofcer.
Police Chief Jack Cauley credited the town council and the community for their support at the ballot box.
“I wouldn’t be here tonight asking for approval if the council and town manager hadn’t supported putting the measure on the ballot last November,” Cauley said during a town council meeting on March 18.
“And kudos to our community — without their support and the approval of 2A, none of this would be possible.”
Cauley also provided historical context, noting the town rst entered into an agreement with the school district in 2006 to place SROs at the high schools and middle schools.
After the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, Castle Rock and other law enforcement agencies partnered with the district to launch the School Marshal Program, which brought rotating o cers to elementary schools.
Since then, the program has grown, with two charter schools — Aspen View Academy and World Compass Academy —
opting to fund their own dedicated SROs. ose positions are not part of the amended agreement.
Cauley emphasized that the additional o cers through the agreement will increase time spent in schools, improve safety and strengthen student relationships.
e chief stressed that SROs wear many hats, from informal counselors to crisis responders.
“Probably one of the most important things they do is build a really positive relationship with the kids,” he said. “It’s not just about the school year — those relationships often continue for years beyond school.”
Ryan Hollingshead, a council member and former high school principal, echoed Cauley’s support of SROs.
“I’ve had numerous interactions with SROs, worked side-by-side with them over the years, and it’s an invaluable relationship,” Hollingshead said. “When a regular patrol o cer shows up, it’s just not the same. ey don’t know the kids. ey don’t know the really high-needs kids.”
According to the agreement, the school district will contribute $1.156 million toward the program, including $172,000 for startup costs such as equipment and vehicles. e town will match that amount.
“I think it’s a win-win solution for everybody,” Cauley said. “We have a wonderful relationship with the school district, and it’s something we value very much.”
School district gets stay in library case
Elizabeth superintendent says books were discarded after removal last summer
BY SCOTT GILBERT SGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Nineteen books at the center of a legal dispute between the Elizabeth School District and ACLU of Colorado were not returned to library shelves by the March 25 deadline originally set by a federal judge, after the judge granted a request for a stay from the district.
Denver-based U.S. District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney on March 19 had ordered the return of books the school board removed last summer, but the district quickly responded with a request and a motion for a stay of the order pending appeal, which was granted as the judge
considers whether to grant the district’s request for a hearing.
“ e district court agreed to postpone the implementation of her order while she continues to consider our motion for stay and appeal,” Elizabeth School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger wrote to the Elbert County News on March 26. “ e plainti s [the parties represented by ACLU who are seeking the return of the books to school libraries] have until Friday [March 28] to respond to our motion. We did appeal to the 10th Circuit who paused action after the district court agreed to consider the request.”
Regarding the physical books at issue, Snowberger continued: “ e original books were discarded after the board’s decision in September not to return them to the shelf long before any notice on the lawsuit. e district was provided paperback copies of the books by a donor with strict direction to only provide to the planti s in the case until the case is re-
solved and requiring they be returned at the end of the case, as the donor has no desire for other children to have access to this material.”
e ACLU ling deadline occurred after the Elbert County News press deadline.
Library books on display in Saddle Ranch Elementary School in Highlands Ranch. In the Elizabeth School District, the board voted last year to remove 19 books from libraries across the district.
Updates will be posted at elbertcountynews.net.
e request and motion for a stay can be found at tinyurl.com/esd- lings, and the ACLU legal lings can be found at tinyurl.com/aclu-esd.
3 Highlands Ranch elementaries could close
Proposal would consolidate Saddle Ranch, Heritage and Acres Green starting in 2026–27
Douglas County School District Superintendent Erin Kane announced Monday the district’s recommendation to close Saddle Ranch, Heritage and Acres Green
elementary schools, consolidating them into nearby campuses beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Kane told families in an email that the recommendation comes after nearly two years of analysis and community engagement aimed at addressing declining enrollment and ensuring all students have access to fully sta ed schools and a broad range of programs.
Under the proposal, Saddle Ranch Elementary would consolidate into Eldorado Elementary, Heritage Elementary into Summit View Elementary and Acres Green Elementary into Fox Creek Elementary.
e Douglas County school board is scheduled to vote on the recommendation at its April 22 meeting.
“ ese decisions are incredibly difcult,” Kane wrote. “But our priority remains ensuring that every child has access to an exceptional education and a very bright future.”
According to the district, consolidating under-enrolled schools will allow it to preserve sta ng, expand o erings such as STEM and music, and ensure access to student support services such as mental health care and academic intervention. All three closing buildings will remain open for community use and may house
additional school district programming beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Saddle Ranch to Eldorado
According to the district’s analysis, Saddle Ranch and Eldorado are 2.5 miles apart by car, or about a 20-minute walk through open space. e district said no tra c mitigation is needed, though one new bus route will be added to serve Saddle Ranch students living south and east of the school.
Eldorado currently houses a K-3 A ective Needs program and will integrate a
Outside the Douglas County School District building in Castle Rock in July 2024. The Town of Castle Rock has reached an agreement with the district for school resource o cers. PHOTO BY ARIA MARIZZA
PHOTO BY ERICA BREUNLIN / THE COLORADO SUN
NAHB’s International Builders’ Show 2025 in Las Vegas Provided a Glimpse of New & Inspiring Products
Regular readers of this column know that I’m a sucker for new and innovative products. Many of them are on display each year at the National Association of Home Builders’ annual International Builders’ Show (IBS), which was held in Las Vegas the last week of February.
For me, as a real estate professional, IBS is comparable in interest to what the Consumer Electronics Show (now CES) is to geeks. This is where we learn about new concepts in manufacturing, both of home building materials and of houses themselves.
There were many “smart home” products promoted at IBS, including an app called OliverIQ, which claims to tie together all of one’s smart home devices into “smart home as a service” (SHaaS). At right is a screenshot of this app shown on an iPhone.
Literally hundreds of companies purchased exhibit space at February’s IBS show in Las Vegas, and I wish I could have attended, but here are some of the new or improved products which I learned about from press reports.
Lighting is an important part of any home, and one of the innovations that caught my attention was Alloy LED’s SurfaFlex 1 Tape Light. It is demonstrated in the picture below, providing a nice alternative to indirect lighting, which was also on display in various forms by other vendors.
When I visited a Scottsdale hotel several years ago, I was captivated by the folding garage door on its restaurant. Well, that concept is now going mainstream, albeit at a cost many home builders or homeowners might not feel they could justify.
Instead of the garage door traveling overhead on rails, rendering that part of the ceiling inaccessible and unusable, this garage door folds itself at the top of the opening. Clopay’s VertiStack garage door, shown below, won “Best of Show” at this year’s IBS.
Another product concept that caught my attention was under-counter refrigerator and freezer drawers, great for a wet bar, shown here between a couple beverage coolers.
Attention Wood Workers & Hobbyists!
I’m listing a home next month (or sooner) that has a fully equipped woodworking shop in the basement with lots of expensive woodworking equipment, most of which are Delta branded — table saw, planer, drill press, band saw, miter saw, and sawdust vacuum, plus hand power tools. Help me help the seller liquidate these tools before we put his home on the market. Call me at 303-525-1851
speaker system to the heated seat with hands-free opening and closing.” It is priced at $9,796.01 on Kohler.com. I’ll pass, thank you. Walls of glass are nothing new, of course. I saw my first example of a wall of sliding glass panels that opened onto a patio (with outdoor kitchen, of course) in a house in Lakewood’s Solterra subdivision that I helped a client purchase several years ago. I haven’t seen others quite as large and dramatic since, but maybe they’ll catch on following the display of a “multi-slide door” at IBS. They are also sold as pocket doors, but more typically stack into the width of one panel.
maintenance-free way to bring nature and tranquility indoors.
In the posting of this article on our blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I’ll include links for each of these products
Over 90% of Listing Agents Insert Faulty Legal Descriptions in MLS
I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating. As a finicky editor, it has always bothered me that my fellow agents don’t know what is and isn’t the proper legal description.
I analyzed 100 listing on REcolorado, our local MLS, and only 8 of them had a clean legal description. Let me explain.
Most non-rural listings are in a subdivision, and are legally described by the name of the subdivision plus the block and lot numbers. But almost every listing agent inserts the “legal description” provided by the Realist report obtained via the MLS. That description also contains a Section, Township, and Range as well as the size of the parcel in addition to the subdivision, block and lot, like this from a recent listing of mine:
SECTION 34 TOWNSHIP 02 RANGE 69 QTR NE SUBDIVISIONCD 138000 SUBDIVISIONNAME CLUB CREST FLG #2 BLOCK 003 LOT 0011 SIZE: 11001 TRACT VALUE: .253
Heading the list of truly weird products was a “smart toilet” from Kohler, the Numi 2.0, shown below. It “combines unmatched design and technology to bring you the finest in personal comfort and cleansing. Kohler's most advanced toilet now offers personalized settings that let you fine-tune every option to your exact preferences, from ambient colored lighting and built-in audio
Client Praises One of Our Agents
Hi, Jim. This is Rita Levine. I just wanted to give you feedback, and I'm sure you already know this, but I closed on a home recently, and my broker was Chuck Brown. I just wanted to let you know he was the best real estate agent I have ever had, and this is my ninth house in three states. So, he was just so accommodating, so helpful, and so patient because we've been looking for four and a half years trying to find somebody that would do a contingency and find something I could afford.
And so, I just wanted to let you know how much I greatly appreciate his assistance and what a wonderful person he is.
I'm just really happy I had the opportunity to get to know him, and I'm so happy when I met with you that you brought him along and recommended that he would be the best person for me to work with because he absolutely was the best person to work with.
So, just giving you feedback, and I'm sure that's much better than any complaint because many times people only call to complain about things, and I just like to always let people know when somebody went way beyond what was expected of them, and he certainly did that. So, thanks again, and let him know that I let you know. Okay, have a great day. Bye-bye.
Lastly for this article, have you heard of “green walls”? RIVA Moss, sustainably harvested from European forests, allows for the creation of captivating living walls, framed art, and other custom installations, offering a
Here is the actual legal description, which the title company inserted in the warranty deed transferring the property to the buyer: Lot 11, Block 3, Club Crest Filing No. 2, County of Jefferson
Defying Critics, NAR Retains Its Policy Against ‘Pocket Listings’
Last week, I wrote about the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR’s) Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP), which some major brokerages would like to see abolished, claiming that it is anti-competitive.
However, NAR, bolstered by an unsolicited determination by the U.S. Department of Justice that the CCP by itself was not anti-competitive, announced last week that it was retaining the policy, while throwing some crumbs to objectors in the form of a new MLS policy called “Multiple Listing Options for Sellers.”
That new policy was effective immediately (March 25, 2025), but gave MLSs until September 30th to implement it. The irony is that our MLS and possibly many others already offer these “new listing options” specified in NAR’s new policy. Those options are spelled out as follows:
1) A consumer will have the option to market their home as a “delayed marketing exempt listing.” This means a seller can instruct their listing agent to delay the marketing of their listing by other agents outside the listing firm through IDX or syndication for a period of time. REcolorado already has this feature, a “Coming Soon” status that is limited to 7 days, during which no showings may occur, including by the listing agent.
2) During the delayed marketing period, the home seller and the listing agent can market the listing in a manner consistent with the seller’s needs and interests. At the same time, the delayed marketing exempt listing will still be available to other MLS Participants through the MLS platform so they can inform their consumers about the property. That’s how “Coming Soon” status works.
3) Each MLS will have discretion to determine a delayed marketing period that is most
suitable for their local marketplace. REcolorado set that period as 7 days.
4) Listing agents representing sellers who choose to delay the public marketing of their listing must secure from their seller a signed disclosure documenting the seller’s informed consent to waive the benefits of immediate public marketing through IDX and syndication. Seller disclosure is required for both delayed marketing exempt listings and office exclusive exempt listings. The Colorado Real Estate Commission dictates that sellers be advised that restricting the exposure of their listing may not be in the public interest, but I don’t believe that such disclosures are being made to sellers by agents who convince sellers to keep their listing visible only to fellow agents within the same brokerage.
As I noted in last week’s column, listing agents can simply check a box during data entry to keep a listing off other broker websites, including realtor.com, redfin.com, and Zillow.com.
In summary, REcolorado has nothing to do to comply with this new “rule.”
My only wish is that NAR would disallow the “office exclusive” policy, which is itself anticompetitive, in that it disadvantages independent brokers and small brokerages, which, like small businesses, are the real workhorses of the real estate industry.
Does State Law Trump NAR Dictates?
Alabama has enacted a law that buyers do not need to sign an agreement with a broker in order to be shown a home for sale, directly overriding a key part of last year’s NAR settlement. The local Realtor Association lobbied for the bill, saying it put undue duress on buyers and was not in the best interest of consumers.
Boebert talks policies, proposals in ‘teletownhall’
Politician cites ‘waste’ when backing cuts in popular programs
BY FRANK DEANGELI
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert on March 26 held a remote “teletownhall” for her constituents in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. With more than 8,000 in virtual attendance, Boebert elded questions from voters on a variety of topics and provided updates on her e orts in Congress since the beginning of the current congressional session.
In her opening comments, Boebert cited decreased border crossings and passage of the Laken Riley Act as evidence of federal Republican leadership “winning big for America.” e Laken Riley Act mandates that certain non-U.S. nationals arrested for burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting be detained by the federal Department of Homeland Security.
Boebert also rea rmed her intentions to delist gray wolves from the endangered species list, defund the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and create a Space National Guard.
In response to constituent anxiety about U.S. agency access given to Elon Musk and his newly established Department of Government E ciency (DOGE), Boebert assured her remote crowd that Musk and his team have been “careful and responsible when it comes to any data they have access to.”
and “junk food and sugary drinks” being purchased with SNAP bene ts. Her responses were similar when asked about the United States Agency for International Development, the U.S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Postal Service and Social Security, stating after each question that she recognizes each entity’s value, but justies budgetary cuts based on their ineciencies.
Boebert held rm on questions probing her stance on illegal immigration. When asked for an explanation of her support for the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador without due process, Boebert said: “If someone is in our country illegally, I don’t believe that there is much due process that is a orded to them. ey do not have American citizen rights and they broke our nation’s laws being here illegally.” She accused Denver Mayor Mike Johnston of “coddling lawlessness” with sanctuary policies, and expressed her support for withdrawing federal funds from cities like Denver “if they won’t follow federal law.”
“After all, Elon Musk — the richest man in the world, and someone who started PayPal — he’s had access to so much information over the years. And he’s not trying to tap into that,” Boebert said.
A common theme throughout the evening was voter concern about cuts to federal agencies and bene t programs, and Boebert’s insistence that her interest lies
exclusively in improving government efciency and reducing “waste.”
When questioned about potential reductions in Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) bene ts built into the House’s recently passed budget blueprint, Boebert called to attention “fraudulent and improper payments” doled out through Medicaid
Boebert outlined other ways in which her policies and proposals have helped — and will continue to help — residents of Colorado’s 4th District. She spoke of excitement among Colorado farmers about the “even playing eld” they hope to see from Trump’s tari proposals, and mentioned her support for bringing the Small Business Administration o ce to Douglas County, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture o ce to Weld County. She also touted her o ce’s e orts to establish individual zip codes for small towns, like Severance, so they can more easily collect revenue from sales tax.
Wild Horse and Burro Adoption
Wild Horse and Burro Adoption
USWNT to face Republic of Ireland at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
June 26 event brings international soccer to Commerce City
BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
port the USWNT over the years, and we’re proud of the impact that Coloradans have on the squad. I am personally excited to welcome my home team of Eire and to another incredible showcase for women’s soccer in our state.”
Wild Horse and Burro Adoption
VIEWING: Friday, April 11, 2025
VIEWING: Friday, April 11, 2025
VIEWING:
9 am to 4 pm
Friday, April 11, 2025 • 9 am to 4 pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025
9 am to 4 pm
8 am to 10 am
Local fans of professional women’s soccer have enjoyed 2025 so far in the Denver area. Just two months after the city was awarded the newest National Women’s Soccer League expansion team, a blockbuster matchup has been announced for this summer in Commerce City.
Colorado is the home state of several current USWNT players, including team captain Lindsey Heaps (Golden) and forwards Sophia Wilson (Windsor) and Mallory Swanson (Highlands Ranch). Heaps is a Golden High School graduate and played for the Colorado Rush Soccer Club.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Saturday, April 12, 2025 • 8 am to 10 am
BIDDING: April 12 at 10:30 am
8 am to 10 am
BIDDING: April 12 at 10:30 am
BIDDING: April 12 at 10:30 am
Douglas Co Fairgrounds
On June 26, soccer enthusiasts can catch the U.S Women’s National Team square up against the Republic of Ireland at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. e star-studded match will be the rst of two meetings between the two teams, with the second coming on June 29 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Douglas Co Fairgrounds 500 Fairgrounds Rd Castle Rock, Colorado
Douglas Co Fairgrounds 500 Fairgrounds Rd Castle Rock, Colorado
500 Fairgrounds Rd., Castle Rock, Colorado
www.PiceanceMustangs.org
www.PiceanceMustangs.org
e games will be the rst meetings with Ireland since April of 2023, when the USA swept a pair of games in Austin, Texas, and St. Louis, Missouri, ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, according to a release.
“We’re thrilled to have the U.S. Women’s National Team return to Colorado and DICK’S Sporting Goods Park,” said Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith.
“We’ve been honored to host and sup-
She made history as the rst American female player to sign a professional contract straight out of high school, traveling to Europe to play for Paris Saint-Germain in France in 2012 upon graduation. Heaps’s long list of accolades includes: 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist 2021 Olympic Bronze Medalist 2021 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year 2013 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Swanson attended Mountain Vista High School and famously scored the goal to lift the USWNT to Olympic gold in a 1-0 match over Brazil in 2024.
Like Heaps, Swanson is also a 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion. She’s also a 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist and the 2015 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert speaks at a previous event in Douglas County. She hosted a remote “teletownhall” on March 26 for her constituents in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
BLOOD DRIVE
As energetic music played in the background at the blood drive on March 26, people sat at the 10 chairs provided — four dedicated to “double red machines.” ese machines cycle the donor’s blood a few times, collecting the red blood cells and giving the donor back their platelets and plasma.
Sitting in one of those chairs was Douglas County Community Resource Deputy Je Pelle.
Pelle didn’t fully realize the importance of donating blood until Dec. 31, 2017, when he was in need of a blood transfusion himself.
While many were getting ready to ring in the new year, Pelle was among four deputies and one o cer responding to a domestic disturbance call in Highlands Ranch. As shots rang out from within the residence, the responding deputies, ofcer and two civilians were injured, and Deputy Zackari Parrish was killed. Pelle su ered life-threatening injuries including shattered ribs, a collapsed lung and a lacerated liver.
“With that, I lost a lot of blood, so when I got to the hospital, I received a massive blood transfusion, which ultimately saved my life,” Pelle said.
So when the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce partnered with Vitalant last year for a blood drive, Pelle knew he had to give back. Now coming up on 10 years with the sheri ’s o ce, he was excited to encourage others to join him in giving blood.
“You need blood for trauma, but it’s so much more than that,” said Usatch. “We’re talking about an incredible number of medical problems that really re-
quire a regular or strong availability of blood.”
Blood donations are constantly being used. Approximately 15 million units — a unit is one pint — of blood are transfused annually in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health.
For example, people with health conditions like sickle cell disease or those who have a bleeding disorder — meaning their blood does not clot properly and can lead to excessive bleeding — often rely on blood transfusions. Patients who have gastrointestinal, stomach or colon bleeding may require blood transfusions to bring them back to a level
At UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital, Usatch said blood donations are used every day in its oncology department, as cancer patients tend to lack one or all of the components in the blood and need the support.
erefore, all types of blood are needed to help di erent patients.
“It’s important to note that diversity in the blood supply is incredibly important,” said Usatch.
He added that there are universal donors and universal recipients, but that the AB blood type is rather rare.
Type O blood is one of the greatest needs according to Vitalant because it
is the most compatible when a patient’s blood type isn’t immediately known.
Hundreds of pints of blood were donated during the county’s rst Battle of the Badges. Team law won with 125 presenting donors, while team re had 89 presenting donors. is event is not the only opportunity people have to give blood, as blood drives pop up around the community year round.
“ ey are always a lot of fun and they help raise awareness about the need for blood for patients, as well as rst responders who are injured in the line of duty,” said Brooke Way, communications manager for Vitalant.
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Hundreds of pints of blood were donated by Douglas County residents and first responders during the county’s first two-day Battle of the Badges blood drive.
PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
Equine group to hold clinic on emergency preparedness
Focus is on evacuation and readiness to keep horses safe and healthy
BY NICKY QUINBY
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
During the 2002 Hayman Fire, which burned nearly 138,000 acres, hundreds of horses needed to be evacuated. e horse communities of Douglas and Elbert counties responded to the need for volunteers and supplies to assist in the massive e ort of transporting, caring and feeding for the displaced animals.
Since then, the Douglas-Elbert County Horse Council has organized Emergency Preparedness Clinics to help the equine community prepare for similar disasters. e next clinic will be held on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Douglas County Fairgrounds Multi-Purpose Barn. e clinic typically alternates locations between Douglas and Elbert counties.
After the Hayman Fire, DECHC thought it would be bene cial to give the community tools and information before an evacuation ever occurred. “We have put on an Evacuation Clinic every year since then with the help of the Douglas County O ce of Emergency Management, the
Elbert County O ce of Emergency Management, the re department and the brand inspector,” said DECHC Vice President Cindy Adams. In the past, organizations like the Red Cross and the Humane Society have also come to speak at clinics.
“In our Emergency Preparedness Clinic we talk about evacuation centers in both Douglas and Elbert County, how the evacuation works for large and small animals,” said Adams. “What you should have ready to go in case of an evacuation order, how to help mitigate the re danger around your home, what you need to get your large animals back from the evacuation centers. Also how you can help at the evacuation center.”
DECHC includes some emergency information on their website, such as having equine records easily accessible and in one spot, making sure there are enough lead ropes and halters for every horse and making sure escape routes aren’t blocked. During an emergency evacuation, if a horse has to be turned out they also suggest writing owner information on the horse’s halter (preferably leather, since nylon can melt).
e organization still runs the large animal evacuation sites for both Douglas and Elbert counties. ey work with Colorado Horse Council on many projects and host clinics on trailer loading and trail safety. Adams said they have also adopted the horse obstacle course at Douglas Coun-
ty’s Greenland Open Space and perform maintenance on it several times a year.
DECHC is an organization of various horse clubs and horse owners that assists in disaster rescue and works closely with county governments to make sure the needs of the horse community are
heard and addressed. Learn more about the DECHC and other upcoming events at dechc.org.
To nd out more about the upcoming Emergency Preparedness Clinic, email nccadams3@gmail.com or majestictrail@aol.com.
Attendees take part in a past Douglas-Elbert County Horse Council Emergency Preparedness Clinic.
PRESENTS PRESENTS
YOU COMEDY
Families may finally see statewide dyslexia screening
Years of parental advocacy and desperate pleas for help culminate in bipartisan bill
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Driven by years of pressure from parents and advocates, Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would require all schools to screen early elementary students for signs of dyslexia, an e ort supporters say is critical to catching reading struggles before they deepen.
Last fall, desperate parents pleaded with the state’s Board of Education to implement screening without delay, sharing stories of children who slipped through the cracks because no one recognized the signs.
e bill doesn’t come with a scal note, meaning no money is available for districts to purchase screening materials, so districts will be allowed to use a separate dyslexia screener if their current interim assessment doesn’t meet the new standards.
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Senate Bill 25-200, sponsored by Sen. Chris Kolker, D-Littleton, and co-sponsored by Sen. Kyle Mullica, D- ornton, Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, and Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, would require school districts to implement a universal dyslexia screener or create their own process for identifying students with signs of dyslexia by the 2026-27 school year.
Kolker, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, described the bill as a foundational shift in how Colorado addresses reading struggles.
“If we have the ability to identify dyslexia in every child, then we have a responsibility to do it,” he said in an interview.
Alternatives such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, referred to as DIBELS, or Acadience Reading, both of which are designed to detect early signs of dyslexia, are free to download and administer manually.
Schools seeking additional support, such as training, digital scoring and progress monitoring, can access these tools at no cost through the state’s Early Literacy Assessment Tool grant, which Kolker said could cover nearly every district in Colorado.
Under the bill, dyslexia screening would begin in kindergarten and continue through third grade.
e bill outlines speci c skills that any dyslexia screener must assess, including phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, word decoding and oral reading uency, which are skills that are commonly associated with early signs of dyslexia.
“No one who has applied for ELAT has been turned away,” Drakos said. “It covers DIBELS, which already includes all the required subtests, and it comes with training and progress monitoring. Most of the state already uses it.”
While the ELAT grant helps bridge current gaps, Kolker noted that broader investments will likely have to wait.
By adding these criteria to state law, the bill requires the Colorado Department of Education to ensure that any interim literacy assessments it approves for use under the READ Act include tools or subtests that can reliably identify students at risk for dyslexia.
Interim assessments are periodic evaluations used by schools throughout the year to monitor students’ reading progress and identify those who may need additional support.
“ is gets those skills, like rapid naming and alphabetic knowledge, into statute, which means CDE has to include them in its next assessment review,” said Lindsay Drakos, co-chair of COKID, a parent dyslexia advocacy organization. “So even if screening won’t be perfect at rst, districts will at least have to start, and they’ll be more prepared once the assessment list changes.”
e next interim assessment review process will take place in 2026.
“We’re forecasting budget de cits, so we’re trying to do what we can while we wait,” he said. “ is is not an unfunded mandate. is is building the foundation.” e bill also makes school readiness assessments for kindergartners optional. Kolker said the current kindergarten readiness assessments are poorly understood and inconsistently used.
“Districts say they don’t even know what happens to the data,” he said. “Let’s focus on where the de ciencies are with literacy, especially now that we have universal preschool and expect kids to be more ready.”
Some opposition to the bill may come from the Governor’s o ce, which has expressed concern over eliminating the readiness assessments, but Kolker said he’s still waiting for a clear explanation of how that data is used.
He emphasized that the dyslexia screening provision has bipartisan support and backing from education groups such as the Colorado Association of School Executives and the Colorado Association of School Boards.
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Cost concerns and mitigations
Kolker said some reading assessments that districts currently use to determine how well students are reading, such as Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Diagnostic, don’t adequately screen for dyslexia — a common learning disability that affects word recognition, spelling and decoding skills despite typical intelligence and classroom instruction.
e bill represents a hard-won milestone for Drakos, who has advocated on this issue since 2019.
“We’ve been ghting for this since 2019, when barely any states required screening,” Drakos said. “Now 43 do, and we’re still waiting. We’re so close. is has to be the year.”
e bill is scheduled for public testimony before the Senate Education Committee at 1 p.m. on March 31.
BK SHARAD
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Under the bill, dyslexia screening would begin in kindergarten and continue through third grade. SHUTTERSTOCK
Sometimes it’s not about swinging for the fences
In the summer of 1927, at a high point in America’s love a air with baseball, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were embroiled in a widely publicized home run-hitting battle. Both were having career years hitting the long ball and in a 155-game season, Ruth would ultimately hit 60 home runs, with Gehrig hitting 47. Although the end tally does not seem to re ect it, throughout much of the season, these teammates were in close competition for the most home runs.
e combination of their home run race and the remarkable strength of the Yankees that year — who nished with a 110-45 regular season record and swept the World Series 4-0 against Pittsburgh, trailing for just one-and-a-half innings throughout the entire series — made the Yankees the team that captured everyone’s attention.
During this epic home run battle, Lou Gehrig wrote a syndicated article with
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
There’s something about skiing that transforms us, no matter our age, back into kids again. It’s enough to make even those of us who have seen a few more seasons behave with a youthful exuberance that feels as fresh as the mountain air itself. On a bluebird day, after a night of fresh powder, we can’t help but smile with delight as we carve our way down the mountain, feeling an unmatched sense of freedom and exhilaration. ere are plenty of other sports that get our competitive juices owing. Whether we’re measuring ourselves against personal bests, friendly rivals, or family members, the thrill of competition is alive in us and in so many different ways. Pickleball is all the rage these days, and I completely understand why; it’s fast and fun and brings people together with a mix of strategy and humor. Watching pickleball videos and memes only adds to the enjoyment. Tennis is another fantastic sport with players of all ages stepping onto the courts, proving that a good rally never goes out of style. And then there’s golf, one of my personal favorites. It’s a game of patience, skill, and, let’s be honest, occasional frustration. Golf is one of those four-letter words that can bring both joy and agony in the same round. Yet, occasionally, we hit that perfect shot or drain that unexpected long putt, and suddenly, we’re hooked all over again. But let’s get back to skiing because skiing is something di erent altogether. ere’s an incredible magic to it, a mix of adrenaline and serenity that few other sports capture. Watching little kids trailing behind their ski instructor, giggling and squealing with delight, is enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face. With boundless excitement, these same kids will later tell their parents about the “massive air” they caught on the tiniest of jumps, their enthusiasm unshaken by reality. It’s infectious, that joy, and it reminds us why we keep returning to the mountain year after year. en there’s the chairlift, that unexpected place where conversations with strangers become part of the adventure. We meet people from all over, sharing stories of our favorite runs, the best powder stashes, and what brought us to the slopes in the rst place.
this insightful passage, “And now a word about home run hitting. If the ball goes in the bleachers, well and good. If it goes for a single that scores a run, better still. I am proud of my record for driving in runs. I think I have a right to be. And if I live to be ninety and play baseball every day of that time, I will still get a thrill when I pound out a hit that sends a run over the plate.” is article, republished by historian Alan Ga , gives us such insight into Gehrig’s mindset. Gehrig certainly knew a ton about hits. In fact, he had 218 in 1927, almost 1.5 hits per game, an awesome number.
Gehrig’s words and self-proclaimed celebration of “run-scoring hits” got me
Skiing is more than just a day on the hill
thinking about how we spend time, in our individual struggles, trying to hit the home run, looking to end the hardship quickly with one heroic action.
I nd, in Gehrig’s comments, a challenge to focus less on the home run and more on “run-scoring hits.” What does “run-scoring hits” mean in our struggles? For me, it means doing my morning exercises with delity and skipping that extra cookie that I think I need. For others, it means small improvements, little changes, maybe an afternoon walk, or time spent practicing a new skill, or even a chance to read a book. It will most certainly mean something different to each of us.
I would challenge all of us to think about what it means to get “run-scoring hits.” I cannot de ne it for you, but I do know this — hitting “run-scoring hits” entails making a small di erence for yourself or someone else; it is de nitely more than simply breathing that day.
I hope that you nd time to de ne your
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Library board questions
ere’s an unspoken camaraderie among skiers and snowboarders alike, whether we’re carving wide, sweeping turns, chasing the thrill of speed, or tackling moguls with a mix of determination and grace. Even if we’re admiring others from the lift as they attack the bumps or oat e ortlessly through fresh powder, we’re all in it together, bound by the love of the mountain.
And then there’s Après Ski. at glorious time of day when we unbuckle our boots, nd a warm spot by the re, and raise a glass to the adventures we’ve just had. e live music plays, laughter lls the air, and everyone, whether they spent the day conquering double blacks or simply cruising the greens, shares in the collective joy of a day well spent. Kids revel in the simple pleasure of a hot chocolate and a gooey chocolate chip cookie while the adults sip on a well-earned drink, recounting the day’s best runs and near-misses.
Skiing is more than just a sport; it’s a celebration of family, friendship, and the joy of being alive. It’s about those moments we spend with loved ones, the community we create with strangers who, for a day, feel like old friends. It’s about the pure, un ltered happiness of gliding down the mountain, feeling the crisp air on our faces, and knowing that, no matter how many years we’ve been at it, the joy of skiing never fades.
So, here’s to winter, fresh snow, blue skies, and the timeless magic of skiing. I hope to see you on the slopes and would love to hear about your ski adventures at gotonorton@ gmail.com. And remember that when we can nd something like skiing that puts us all in that child-like state, it really will be a betterthan-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
hits and then will take more time to celebrate the miraculous number of “runscoring hits” you have.
You are amazing. Keep your eyes wide open to all you have and all you will accomplish. You have got this.
I hope my words encourage you, and that you will share them with those who need support. ank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far; I truly appreciate hearing about your run-scoring hits and celebrations.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife, Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one-two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.
First o , I want to thank you for your newspaper and keeping the community informed of what is transpiring in our city. I look forward to its arrival each week.
I read with interest your article on hand-picking new library board members without the due diligence of the Partnership of Douglas County Governments and a local library o cial nominating people for the positions. is process which has been in place for years has been usurped by our county commissioners. Why, might I ask, did the entirety of the old board members need replacing? I have spoken with several of the library sta who were quite content with the way the library was managed previously.
If this is about four books that the commissioners don’t want youth to have access to, then why not put them behind the desk and set a minimum age for check out? It’s a simple solution that takes away whatever the deeper motive is for takeover with personal agendas. I have not read the books, but I assume Mr. Teal and Mr. Laydon have, due to the judgments they are rendering. If the books give information to persons struggling to nd out more about these subjects, then why must they be banned?
decisions, vendettas, and questionable ethics we all have seen over the past few years.
Barbara App, Castle Rock Pause Heritage closure
On Monday, March 24th at exactly 4:30 p.m., our community was blindsided by an email from Douglas County School District Superintendent Erin Kane, that my children’s school, Heritage Elementary, was being recommended for consolidation with Summit View Elementary. e news came as quite a shock because what school district in their right mind would consider closing their best academic performing elementary school?
I would like to know why Mr. Laydon and Mr. Teal feel compelled to defend one of their choices for the board as “a man of faith” and we met at “the National Prayer Breakfast.” What exactly does this have to do with a library board appointment? I am a deeply spiritual woman but assuredly don’t feel the need to broadcast it. My character speaks for itself. e population of Douglas County has increased dramatically over the last few years. I suggest that with the increase it might be time to have ve, rather than three county commissioners. Hopefully, ve commissioners would represent the interests of the various districts that make up Douglas County. It would also prevent the personal agendas,
In the email, we received a matrix on what factors the superintendent was basing her recommendation, and it was abundantly clear that the decision was based on building size and not the cost to our children’s education. e district is choosing to place square footage over academics, quality, and number of children impacted. Heritage Elementary is more than just a building — it is a vital, trusted part of our community where our children are loved, supported, and thriving.
ere is a why reason Heritage is a Colorado John Irwin Schools of Excellence Award and Colorado Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award winning school for multiple years in a row. Other districts and teachers come to Heritage to observe and learn about our innovative ooding model where specialists and educational assistants work in collaboration with our classroom teachers to provide personalized, small group instructional support in reading and math. And because of the quality of our school, our attendance number aren’t declining, they are growing.
On behalf of all the families and students impacted by the superintendent’s recommendation, I urge our school board to press pause.
Jim Roome
WINNING
Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
SOCCER
FROM PAGE 4
is will be the 16th meeting between the U.S. and Ireland squads. e U.S. has won every matchup so far. is will be the USWNT’s ninth match alltime at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. e USA
LETTERS
Give us time, clarity, and collaboration — not a rushed process that hurts families. Please tour our school and see the human impact your decision will make. I guarantee you will nd Mrs. Z in front of the building every morning welcoming each child by name to school; you will nd our reading interventions use the Science of Reading to help our children with dyslexia read at grade level; you will see the stability o ered to our low-income and working families; and you will see our students with disabilities being included alongside their peers where in other schools they are too often forgotten. And most importantly, you will see why this is the wrong decision for our community.
Brooke Chandler, Highlands Ranch
Focus on real issues
As an independent voter in Douglas County, I would like to see the current crop of Republican elected o cials spend less time on ideological point-scoring and more time on solving real problems for people in Douglas County, like keeping the economy working for everyone and addressing the a ordability of housing, healthcare, and food.
Lauren Boebert’s vocal support for moving the Small Business Administration from Denver to Douglas County is a
Players from the U.S. Women’s National Team practice soccer at CU Boulder’s field before a friendly match against South Korea on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
COURTESY OF JIMMIE SEARFOSS
is 7-0-1 at the venue, with the most recent game being Head Coach Emma Hayes’ debut last summer.
e game kicks o at 7 p.m., and tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 28, at 10 a.m. MT at www.ussoccer.com.
Fans can also catch the action on TBS, truTV and Max, Universo and Peacock in Spanish and on the radio on Westwood One Sports.
prime example of a politics of distraction. It’s conceived to “punish” sanctuary cities and doesn’t take into account the money wasted in moving it or where the SBA’s services can reach the most small businesses in the state of Colorado.
I urge Representative Boebert and others to focus less on scoring ideological points and to work on real issues that can improve the lives of people in Douglas County. at includes making sure the economy works for everyone, keeping the federal government from interfering in state and local matters like education, and protecting Social Security.
Martin Remy, Highlands Ranch
Disappointed with letter
Regarding letter to the editor “Trump is a disaster”: I get that your periodical has been left leaning and many of your editorials and writers are in step with your agenda but the fact that you are turning into a hatred sharing rag is deeply disappointing. Opinions are expected but name calling and disparagement that you have allowed to be printed are despicable. I have previously convinced myself to see past the majority of your one sided, left leaning articles but this one takes the cake. Are you turning into a social media copycat. is person’s article spews nothing but hatred and you should be ashamed for allowing this type of derogatory diatribe to be printed. Again, Shame on you.
John Schuldt, Highlands Ranch
USA’s Lauren Cheney (12) gets tripped up by Australia’s Clare Polkinghorne during the first half of an international friendly match Sept. 19, 2023, at Dick’s
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HOME RULE
judges and take its own approach to tax noti cations, Laydon said.
Douglas County has taken a stand against illegal immigration and supports immigration reform as reported previously by the Douglas County News Press. Je Garcia, the county attorney, said transitioning to a charter would open up opportunities to contract with any federal law enforcement agency, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Many of the elected o cials and local leaders who came to support the resolution on March 25 agree that there is a disconnect between the priorities at the State Capitol versus Douglas County.
“Government should be a partner in prosperity, not an obstacle,” Laydon said.
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly said that having more control over the county is not a political issue; rather, a safety issue and is in the best interest for all county residents.
Citing homelessness, property taxes and how immigration policies have put strains on schools, hospitals and law enforcement, Laydon said that much of criminal justice reform prioritizes criminals over victims.
“For too long, we have watched as reckless state policies have made Colorado less safe, less a ordable and less free,” Laydon said.
With issues like public safety and property taxes that are of local interest but controlled by the state, County Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle believes that a home rule charter can be a pivotal opportunity for residents to gain more control over their local governance.
“We must decisively step away from Denver’s misguided leftist policies, which prioritize ideology over practically, erode individual freedoms and burden our communities with unsustainable costs,” said Van Winkle. “It’s time to chart a course rooted in common sense and the values that build this state.”
Douglas County’s nine-step process to become a home rule county
With the approval of the resolution, the county initiated a nine-step process to develop its own home rule charter, which involves dividing the county into three districts as determined by the existing commissioner districts, and forming a proposed commission which will hold meetings to determine what will be drafted in the charter. ese meetings will be open to the public, and will be in addition
to three public meetings that will focus on public comment.
On June 24, Douglas County voters will be asked whether the county should form a charter commission, which would consist of 21 members, according to information provided by the county.
After the commission accepts the nal draft of the proposed charter, voters will be asked whether they approve of the home rule charter in the November election.
“With this resolution to bring a ballot initiative to our voters, we have a remarkable opportunity to empower our citizens with the ability to shape their own futures, make decisions that matter and tailor their county government to t their unique needs,” Laydon said.
To be noti ed of meetings or to sign up for email noti cations, visit tinyurl.com/ DougCo-County-Charter.
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
Some of Douglas County’s elected o cials host a press conference on March 25 to speak on the proposed move to become a home rule county. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
A sports medicine strategy for her
First-of-its-kind program launches at Children’s Hospital Colorado
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
ree years ago, Nevaeh Zamora was running cross country as a high school freshman at Pinnacle Charter School in ornton when her body gave out. Malnourished and overtrained, she tore her hip exor, an injury that sidelined her and forced her to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about fueling her body.
“I went to eating only one meal a day because I thought, ‘Oh, the smaller runners are the ttest and the fastest, and that’s going to get me to that next point.’ And it ended up just running me to injury,” Zamora said.
at injury ultimately led her to the Female Athlete Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she worked with sports medicine specialists, a nutritionist and a physical therapist to heal physically and mentally.
“Without the Female Athlete Clinic, I would not be where I am today,” Zamora said. “ ey de nitely took the naarrative that food was bad and shifted that completely. Without them, I don’t think I’d be graduating this year.”
Now, the Sports Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital Colorado is home to a rst-of-its-kind resource for young female athletes. Launched last fall, the Female Athlete Program takes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to athlete
health, one that goes beyond injury treatment to address nutrition, menstrual health, and long-term wellness.
Aubrey Armento, a pediatric sports medicine doctor, marathon runner and advocate for young female athletes, leads the program.
Armento said she battled with underfueling and missed periods during high school and college, giving her rsthand insight into how these challenges a ect performance and long-term health. As a result, she created a specialized program that not only treats female athletes but also helps prevent these issues before they start.
“We bring together a sports dietitian and an adolescent gynecologist, which many programs don’t have because we know female athlete health isn’t just about one issue,” Armento said.
According to her, one of the most signi cant risks for female athletes is low energy availability, which refers to a mismatch between how much energy an athlete burns and how much she consumes.
“If an athlete doesn’t have enough energy to support normal body functioning, it can lead to what’s called the female athlete triad, “ Armento said. “So in response to that, we can see an athlete lose their period, have infrequent periods or delayed starts of their period.”
Armento emphasized the long-term risks of these issues, particularly for bone health.
“So we know that if somebody is not optimizing their bone health during adolescence in particular, which is when a large proportion of the bone mass that we have
SEE SPORTS, P23
in municipal court KIDS ON THEIR OWN
Children as young as 10 can face charges with no court-appointed representation
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
“Yes, your honor,” a teenager answers, her voice barely audible in the quiet courtroom in March. Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Corin Flannigan has just asked her if she understands the charge against her — ghting in public — and the possible penalties she faces.
“I know you’ve spoken to the city attorney about your options,” Flannigan continues. “ ey are recommending a term of diversion if you choose to plead guilty.”
e girl’s grandmother, standing beside her, hesitates before speaking.
“What happens if she pleads not guilty? She was protecting her property,” she says.
“If you wish to plead not guilty today, you absolutely can, and I will set your case for trial,” Flannigan replies. “Please know that, unlike state court, juvenile cases aren’t eligible for the public defender because no detention or out-ofhome placement is possible. So if you plead not guilty, you would either have to represent yourself or hire your own attorney.”
e girl glances at her grandmother. ey exchange a brief, uncertain look, and Flannigan asks if she wants to plead guilty after all.
e girl nods.
is scenario isn’t an anomaly. It’s routine in municipal courts across Colorado, where children can be prosecuted for minor o enses without court-appointed legal representation unless they face jail time.
Amanda Savage, a visiting assistant
professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, said the disparity in these cases is profound.
“ ere is such a power imbalance any time an individual is in a courtroom, even if they are represented,” Savage said. “You have the power of the city or the state on one side against a single person, even if they have an attorney. And that’s so much more dramatic when it’s a child or a young person, especially when they are standing there by themselves.”
The harsh reality of youth in municipal court ousands of Colorado youth receive municipal citations every year, often for school-related incidents such as ghting, disorderly conduct or petty theft.
According to a 2025 National Center for Youth Law report, Lakewood Municipal Court alone handled over 8,000 youth cases between 2016 and 2022, many of which originated from school-based incidents. e report found that only 1.5% of these cases involved a defense attorney, meaning nearly all children were left to defend themselves.
Not only do the vast majority not have an attorney, but the report highlighted just how young many of the defendants are. In Lakewood, 36 cases involved 10 year olds, 98 involved 11 year olds and 278 involved 12 year olds, most of whom faced court involvement for minor, child-like misbehavior.
Hannah Seigel Pro , a defense attorney representing youth in municipal and state courts across Colorado, said that this pattern of prosecution unnecessar-
ily entangles young children in the legal system and imposes excessive supervision for behaviors that could be handled within families and schools.
Pro believes this over-supervision of youth who don’t have signi cant risks or needs is problematic.
Savage agreed, describing the lasting impact this can have on children’s futures.
“It can certainly set people on a path that involves increasing levels of involvement in the system,” she said. “If they don’t do well while they’re on that diversion or that probation, it can get longer, additional problems can crop up from it, and it can become a big part of that person’s life and future identity.”
A courtroom stacked against kids
Pro emphasized that the system places an undue burden on children and their families.
“You have a system that is designed for adults being applied to children with no modi cations,” she said. “You’re putting children in front of a judge and a prosecutor, without counsel, and expecting them to understand their rights, their legal options and the long-term impact of their decisions.”
Pro noted that many of these children have no way to obtain legal representation.
“In municipal court, they give you a piece of paper with a list of low-cost lawyers, but most of those lawyers don’t take these cases or won’t return calls. So in reality, these kids have no representation at all,” she said. “Without legal rep-
resentation, families do not understand their rights. Prosecutors downplay the severity of the municipal court system, but these cases are often the rst stop on the school-to-prison pipeline.”
e report also highlights another stark disparity — youth in municipal court must pay for discovery, which is the process of obtaining evidence against them. In contrast, evidence is freely available to juveniles in state court. is nancial barrier means many children never see the evidence being used against them before making critical legal decisions.
e report also argues that prosecutors often encourage youth to plead guilty and enter a diversion program, regardless of whether they fully comprehend the long-term consequences. In Colorado’s juvenile justice system, diversion is an alternative to formal prosecution. It aims to prevent further legal involvement by requiring youth to complete certain obligations, such as community service, restitution payments or educational classes, in exchange for dismissed charges.
While intended to keep youth out of the court system, diversion still carries signi cant nancial and time commitments that disproportionately burden low-income families.
Pro said she’d seen the push for families to accept diversion programs — without the families fully understanding the consequences — play out many times.
ON THEIR OWN
“What has become clear to me is that the majority of juvenile municipal dockets are kangaroo courts,” Pro said. “Most children are unrepresented, and prosecutors push them to accept diversion sentences before carefully reviewing the facts of the case.”
A guilty plea can also have negative consequences concerning immigration status.
A YouTube video advising Lakewood juveniles of their rights states: “a plea of guilty or nding of conviction or possibly just the charges themselves could a ect your immigration rights. You could be deported, you could lose your ability to become a naturalized citizen and it could a ect your ability to return to the United States if you were to leave the United States.”
Punishment beyond the courtroom e consequences of municipal court involvement extend far beyond a single court appearance. Youth can face nes and fees as high as $2,650, which the National Center for Youth Law report notes are amounts they often cannot pay.
Parents, too, are drawn into the process, sometimes held nancially responsible for their child’s penalties or are required to accompany them to community service, court dates or probation meetings, according to the report.
Savage also noted that the burden doesn’t just fall on the child.
“ ere’s such a huge impact on the whole family when the kid has a municipal court case,” she said. “Because not only does the young person have to be there, but the parent does, too. at means the parent is missing work. e fact is, the parents also have to disrupt their lives and spend time doing this, instead of spending time at work or with their other kids or doing productive things.”
Who benefits from this broken system?
e National Center for Youth Law argues that Colorado’s municipal court system disproportionately impacts lowincome families and youth of color, indicating that schools in lower-income neighborhoods are more likely to call law enforcement for behavior that could be addressed through school disciplinary measures.
e report found that at least 22% of youth cases in Lakewood stemmed from school-based o enses, highlighting a school-to-municipal court pipeline that disproportionately a ects students of color.
e data also showed that the three schools referring the most students to Lakewood’s municipal court have some of the highest percentages of Black and Latino students in the Je erson County school district, reinforcing concerns about racial disparities in school discipline.
Pro said this disproportionate referral pattern raises concerns about how disciplinary decisions are made and whether schools rely too heavily on law enforcement for matters that could be handled through alternative interventions.
She pointed to Littleton’s restorative justice program as an example of an approach that, when implemented thoughtfully, can provide a more meaningful alternative to punitive measures. Pro was particularly impressed by the program’s restorative justice circles, which o er youth the opportunity to engage in community-based resolution rather than facing legal consequences that may not t their situation.
However, she also noted that restorative justice should not be applied as a onesize- ts-all solution and that careful consideration is needed in determining which cases are appropriate for such programs.
The fight for reform
In December 2023, Denver City Council unanimously approved a bill to provide free legal representation to minors between the ages of 10 and 18 who are facing municipal violations. is initiative, which took e ect on July 1, 2024, ensures that youth accused of o enses such as alcohol possession, trespassing, theft and minor assault receive appropriate legal counsel.
However, Denver is currently the only county in Colorado o ering public defenders to minors in municipal court settings.
e National Center for Youth Law is now pushing for similar reforms statewide, calling for automatic legal representation for juveniles facing charges in municipal courts.
e center recommends that policymakers enact legislation to eliminate youth nes and fees, raise the minimum age for prosecution, mandate legal repre-
sentation for minors in municipal court and require comprehensive data collection on ticketing and court outcomes. e center also urges police departments to limit or discontinue issuing tickets for school-related o enses and shift discipline away from the legal system. For school districts, it’s calling for revising disciplinary codes to reduce student ticketing for minor infractions and adopting restorative justice practices to address con icts that promote accountability and resolution without legal consequences. Pro believes that the question of whether children should be expected to navigate the complexities of the legal system without an attorney is one of fundamental fairness.
e presence of a lawyer can signicantly change how a young person experiences the legal process, Pro said, helping to demystify the system and ensure that youth feel heard and understand what’s happening.
“Even if the result is the same, even if a kid decides to still take a diversion at the end of things, just having a lawyer there and feeling like it was a fair process has value,” she said. “It makes it less scary. It helps people understand what’s going on.”
She added that many people are unaware that children can be prosecuted without legal counsel — a reality that often comes as a shock.
“ e fact that a child can face prosecution without legal counsel is something that shocks most people when they hear about it,” Pro continued. “It just feels really backwards.”
Good Times CEO talks about battle vs. big burger
BY RYAN WARNER CPR NEWS
Ryan M. Zink loves onions. As CEO of a small burger chain, he has the power to put them on the menu. So he and his culinary director, who’s also amorous of alliums, dreamed up the West Slope Burger.
“ is burger that he and I enjoy has a full cross-section of onion on it,” Zink said. “I guess we like to cry. It’s a strong avor.”
Zink leads Good Times, Colorado’s homegrown hamburger brand, and its sitdown sister Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. Ironically, given the aforementioned creation, there are no locations of either brand on Colorado’s Western Slope. e rst Good Times opened in Boulder in 1987. Today, the company is headquartered in Golden. Zink lunched with Colorado Matters Senior Host Ryan Warner at the Good Times in Highlands Ranch, formerly a Burger King, to discuss what it is like to be a bambino among burger behemoths like McDonald’s and, yes, Burger King.
Here are four takeaways, edited for length and clarity.
On extreme discounting by Good Times’ competitors
We use an all-natural product. at product costs more than conventional beef. For us to deliver something at that [$5] price point is just not possible. So we compete based on the quality and the value of our product, not just on the price. But at the end of the day, it’s a burger in a fast food drive-through. So there’s the price reality no matter what. And as the economy has softened a bit, we know people are watching their pocketbooks.
We’ve seen some trade down, as we haven’t been able to reduce our prices or o er discounts as much as the big guys.
On why there are no Good Times locations beyond the northern Front Range I would say whether it’s the High Country or even as you go to the Western Slope, the availability of workers becomes a
challenge. Sta ng restaurants has become incredibly di cult, even in the Denver metro, but in much higher cost of living areas, such as the High Country, or out in less-populated areas, that becomes even more of a challenge. I think Colorado Springs is an interesting market. We used to be there — this was years ago — and I think the sites we
selected may not have been the best. I wasn’t here, so I can’t really speak to what happened. Colorado Springs is an interesting market as we look to the future, but I think probably within Colorado, we definitely remain a Front Range brand – up through Fort Collins.
On why most Good Times are drive-up, not dine-in
Of the 30 Good Times, 22 are drivethrough-only with patios. is is one of eight with a formal dining room, if you will. Not so formal, but a purposeful dining room. ere was a time we believed we needed dining rooms to be successful. Ultimately, I think what we found is that the drive-through model was more successful. Certainly, as the pandemic hit, that clearly was a bene t for our concept. But even now, throughout the industry, you see other concepts adding drive-through windows, even ones that traditionally did not do that before. at’s where we see our future, is primarily in the drive-through and walk-up space.
On Hatch versus Pueblo chile
Somehow I knew this question was coming. I think that’s a very polarizing question with, probably, a very polarizing answer. One is supply, but two is just a general taste alignment with the product. We think that people, unfortunately, know Hatch Valley. And while they certainly know Pueblo Green chiles as well, that’s merely the selection we’ve made for our breakfast burritos.
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
Ryan Zink, CEO of Good Times, at the company’s restaurant in Highlands Ranch.
PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG / CPR NEWS
Thu 4/10
Chris Koza
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Harry's at Magnolia Hotel Denver, 818 17th St, Denver
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1. TELEVISION: In the sitcom “Modern Family,” Gloria is from which country?
2. LITERATURE: Which author wrote “ e Kite ief” and “A ousand Splendid Suns”?
3. GEOGRAPHY: What is the deepest lake in the world?
4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which rst lady’s nickname was Lady Bird?
5. ASTRONOMY: How many stars make up the Big Dipper?
6. MOVIES: Which famous Hollywood couple played lead roles in the lm version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”?
7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of skunks called?
8. GEOMETRY: How many sides does a decagon have?
9. ART: Which American artist focused on women and children in her paintings?
TrIVIa
10. ANATOMY: What substance gives skin its color?
Answers
1. Colombia.
2. Khaled Hosseini.
3. Lake Baikal, Russia.
4. Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Johnson.
5. Seven.
6. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
7. A surfeit.
8. 10.
9. Mary Cassatt.
10. Melanin.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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Signi cant Support Needs program for students from both schools. e website states special education, English Language Development and gifted programming will expand. Preschool o erings will increase from one to two classrooms, and beforeand after-school care will remain available. Nine students living in homes north of Kendrick Castillo Way will be reassigned from Eldorado to Northridge Elementary. However, the website states that families in that area may choose to stay at Eldorado.
Acres Green to Fox Creek
Fox Creek and Acres Green are 2.4 miles apart. e district website states it will add
three new bus routes to serve about 120 Acres Green students who currently walk to school but fall outside bus eligibility under the new plan.
According to the district, Fox Creek will expand its Signi cant Support Needs program to serve students from both communities. Special education, ELD and gifted programming will increase, and preschool classrooms will grow from one to two. BASE and Specials such as instrumental music and STEM will continue, and the school community will decide whether to retain the Expeditionary Learning model.
Fourteen students from Millstone will move from Fox Creek to Wildcat Mountain, and nine students from Carriage Club will shift from Acres Green to Eagle Ridge, according to the district. Families will have the option to stay at their current school or move to the new one.
nutrition consultation with a registered sports dietician and individualized nutrition goals.
Shifting the narrative around female athlete health
Heritage to Summit View
Heritage and Summit View are just 0.8 miles apart, with no major roads to cross, according to the district. e district stated it expects only minor transportation changes, including adding one new bus route while eliminating an existing route due to boundary shifts.
Summit View is an Expeditionary Learning school, and the district says families will help decide whether to continue with that model. Academic supports, mental health services and Specials such as STEM and music will be maintained and expanded, according to the site. Preschool programming will double, and before- and after-school care will continue.
About 102 students who live south of East Wildcat Parkway will be reassigned from Heritage to Copper Mesa Elemen-
promote healthy relationships with food and di erent body types and exercise,” she said.
tary, though families can choose to attend either school.
Additional changes for Highlands Ranch
In addition to the school consolidations, the district is recommending two other region-speci c changes starting in 2026-27. Sixth grade will shift to middle school in the Cresthill, Mountain Ridge and Ranch View feeder areas.
e district says it will eventually move all sixth-graders districtwide to middle school and will share a timeline as plans develop.
e district also plans several minor boundary adjustments to balance enrollment among elementary schools in Highlands Ranch.More information about the proposed consolidations and boundary maps is available on the district’s Growth and Decline website.
not alone in this.
into our adult life is gained, we’re basically setting these athletes up for increased risk for osteoporosis,” she said.
She explained that warning signs can range from frequent injuries and slow recovery times to more subtle cues like avoiding team meals or engaging in restrictive eating patterns.
One challenge Armento sees regularly is the impact of social media on young athletes’ eating habits.
“Unfortunately, we see a lot of young people who may start to engage in bad diets that they see on TikTok, for example.”
Restrictive eating habits can worsen energy imbalances, leading to more injuries and long-term health consequences, which is why the program includes a
Beyond patient care, Armento said the Female Athlete Program aims to raise awareness about the risks associated with the female athlete triad.
“Our big goal is to be a resource in the Colorado area,” Armento said. “So for these young female athletes who may be struggling with body image, proper fueling or slow recovery, they know they can come to the Female Athlete Program at Children’s and get high quality, comprehensive care.”
Armento has found encouragement in the increased visibility of elite athletes discussing these issues.
“I’ve been really happy to see highpro le athletes that have a platform use their platform in a positive way to try to
Zamora is now using her experience to help other athletes. For her senior capstone project, she created a workshop for freshmen at her school about food positivity and the impact of diet culture on young athletes.
“I told them, ‘If you ever need an excuse to eat ice cream, I’m your excuse. Eat the ice cream because life’s too short,’” Zamora said. “It’s not that I run so I get to eat. I eat so I get to run.”
Armento urged athletes to reach out early if they are struggling.
“My biggest piece of advice is not to be scared to speak up and let somebody know that you’re having a hard time because there (are) many resources in place to help provide support. And I think the sooner the better,” she said. She also reminds athletes that they are
“ ere are sports dietitians that work virtually and can see patients all over the country,” she said.
Zamora, now preparing for college, said the program helped her build a healthy relationship with food that will serve her for years to come.
“I can say with full con dence that I trust that I’m going to eat, and my mom trusts that I’m going to eat,” she said. “Without that program, I wouldn’t be able to move in this direction.”
Armento hopes the program will become a key resource for young female athletes across the region.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help athletes build healthy relationships with food, their body and exercise that will carry them into their adult lives, so they can continue to be active and participate in the sports they love for many, many years,” she said.
