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Aurora right to rally Oct. 18 against American wannabe king and tyrant
On Oct. 18, millions of Americans from Aurora, across Colorado and across the nation will gather under a pointed banner: No Kings.
An estimated 2,500 protest locations are planned nationwide so far, according to “No Kings” protest organizers, likely drawing millions of protesters, just as they did in June.
Despite the sneering from allies of President Donald Trump, the “No Kings” message is far from partisan. It is profoundly patriotic.
DAVE PERRY Editor
The movement isn’t about left or right. It’s about remembering what it means to be American, and ensuring our political leaders adhere to the rule of law, and especially the U.S. Constitution.
The protests are about standing up, peacefully and visibly, for the simple principle that the presidency is a unique public trust, not a throne. In a nation founded on the rejection of monarchy, this weekend’s marches remind us that every generation must reclaim that spirit of independence when it’s most at risk. That would be now, apparently.
In many nations, dissent is treated as disloyalty. In America, dissent is democracy. The First Amendment guarantees the right “peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” It doesn’t just permit protest, it enshrines it as sacred.
President Trump and his sycophant co-conspirators are bending and breaking the law, effusing an arsenal and propaganda, exaggerations, misstatements and outright lies in an attempt to undermine the will of Americans and the mechanism of American government that gives them voice and power.
When millions of ordinary citizens fill the streets with urgent signs and hopeful voices, they are participating in one of the oldest, most powerful rituals of the American republic. From the Boston Tea Party to Selma, from anti-war marches to the Women’s March, the pulse of American progress, and trouble, has always been felt first in the streets.
The “No Kings” protests belong squarely in that lineage.
Nine months into his second presidency, Donald Trump has governed less like a steward of a democratic republic and more like a ruler above it. He has openly demanded loyalty to himself, not the Constitution and the principles it protects. His rhetoric has turned disagreement into grievance.
Protesters will be marching with a clear understanding of why they’re marching. Across the nation, citizens have coalesced around a consistent list of grievances. It’s a list that reads less like political talking points and more like a diagnosis of democratic decay.
Among the most critical demands of the protests:
• Trump and his followers must end the growing cult of personality and Trump’s loyalty tests. Whether you lead a three-person company, a high school or a nation, valid leaders solicit feedback and dissent. Trump’s demand for personal allegiance over public duty is the essence of the autocracy defining his presidency. American democracy depends on loyalty to the law, not to one person.
• Among the most immediately dangerous exploits the “No Kings” protests shine a light on are Trump’s deceits and disinformation in an effort to delegitimize U.S. elections. Despite his whining and insistence, no evidence has ever been presented to any court to back any of his claims of election fraud in 2020 or 2024. None.
• Trump and nearly every member of his administration regularly provide the media and the public with disinformation that is often not even loosely based on the truth or reality. Regular fact checks by nearly every credible news media source increasingly explain to the public not just what’s misleading, but critical details that are dead wrong. Among his recent fabrications? Portland, Oregon, is not a city under siege. It actually does have sewers, and windows are not boarded up. Also, despite administration claims to the contrary, the Trump administration has provided no proof to Congress or the nation that fishing boats targeted and bombed by the U.S. military near Venezuela were carrying illegal drugs and drug traffickers. And one of the biggest, recent outright lies by Trump and his sycophants is that Democrats moved to “shut down” the government because “they want to have ille-
gal aliens come into our country and get massive health care at the cost to everybody else.” This lie has been repeatedly debunked, yet he and other members of his administration continue to promote it. Republican and Democratic political scholars have long agreed, the deliberate distortion of the truth is the fuel of authoritarianism.
• Trump regularly rebukes the rule of law, delegitimizing the American system of government and justice, ensuring political favoritism does not interfere with the workings of all levels of government. He immediately undermined the justice system by washing away sentences against hundreds of criminals who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 as violent, insurrectionist thugs trying to undermine the presidential election for the benefit of Trump. He has made a mockery of the U.S. justice system and his own administration by touting on social media posts how he has and will weaponize his administration to harass and persecute people he perceives as his political enemies. Kings and dictators are expected to behave like that. U.S. presidents are prohibited from carrying out such atrocities.
Any of these blunders warrants grave concern. Together, they form a portrait of creeping authoritarianism that all Americans, from the right, the left, the center and disinterested, cannot permit or overlook.
Colorado has long stood for both rugged individualism and civic conscience. In Aurora, thousands are expected to gather near South Havana Street and Parker Road to make clear this city will not tolerate the dissolution of the United States into a fiefdom for wannabe kings.
This is no accident. Aurora has long been a symbol of the new American protest culture: diverse, determined, and disciplined. Organizers have been careful to emphasize peace, order, and inclusion next week. There will be appreciation of and a demand for the rule of law, for the very idea of America that allowed us to break from ideologies linked to kings, dictators and tyrants. Join them, or honk and wave when you drive by.
Follow@EditorDavePerryonBlueSky, Threads,Mastodon,TwitterandFacebookor reachhimat303-750-7555ordperry@SentinelColorado.com
Activists carry signs during a protest against President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of policing of the District of Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Aurora Central students gain guaranteed conditional admission to CU Denver
“A PARTNERSHIP LIKE THIS JUST SHOWS THEM COLLEGE IS FOR THEM, AND WE’RE HERE TO HELP THEM, SUPPORT THEM AND OPEN DOORS FOR THEM.”
BY JASON GONZALES, Chalkbeat Colorado
Surrounded by a half-circle of 20 students from Aurora Central High School, Becky Palacios Romero fielded questions on Thursday afternoon about her time at the University of Colorado Denver.
The sophomore, an international business major, focused on her experience rather than convincing the students at her former high school that they should apply during the week’s final statewide free application day. That’s because every Aurora Public Schools student is now guaranteed acceptance and application fees waived if they meet certain GPA requirements.
Palacios Romero, knowing the group has the option to attend if they want, touched on a few of the more important campus issues: “The food in the dining hall is so good. Last semester, they even had sushi.”
The stress of the college application and financial aid process can dash college dreams, but CU Denver school leaders said they want the agreement signed on Thursday to show Aurora students the university has a place for them — and university officials are willing to help them get to campus. Only about half of Colorado high school graduates go to college and many question the overall cost and whether college is right for them.
This pact highlights a growing Colorado trend in recent months and in the last few years to simplify the four-year university application process. University leaders hope easier ad-
missions policies will help students see themselves on campus and focus conversations on financial aid.
CU Denver announced a similar agreement in September with Denver Public Schools to take the guesswork out of whether students get accepted. Colorado State University Pueblo expanded its direct admissions program on Oct. 3 to include Denver. DPS students will get a letter notifying them they’re accepted before they apply.
Schools such as Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Colorado School of Mines established similar admissions guarantees as CU Denver in recent years. School leaders at Adams State University started the first direct admissions program in 2024. They also send acceptance letters to San Luis Valley students before they apply.
Senior Kimberly Villalobos, 17, didn’t initially have CU Denver in her list of top schools. The guaranteed admissions announcement, coupled with Palacios Romero’s visit, helped her see CU Denver as a campus that might be for her.
Villalobos was one of the first to raise her hand to ask Palacios Romero a question. She wanted to know whether the school would help her even if she’s unsure of her major.
Palacios Romero told her it’s OK to explore her options and try different classes.
“You can mix it up a bit,” Palacios Romero said. “Those credits will help lead on to the major you choose.”
Palacios Romero said after she talked to students that she wished the admission guarantee existed when she attended Aurora Central. She recalled opening her first admission letter and for a moment believed her dreams would be crushed.
The guarantee ensures college dreams stay alive, she said, and might even create a similar dream in others.
“I feel so much joy for them,” Palacios Romero said.
Easier admissions don’t just benefit the students. The agreements help districts create opportunities for students.
Aurora Public Schools’ Zach Rahn said the district has tried to make the college application season simpler by using a system that tracks college, financial aid, and scholarship applications.
About 900 district seniors this year meet the CU Denver guaranteed admissions criteria of having a weighted or unweighted GPA of 3.0, Rahn said.
District officials want students to have a greater understanding and voice in the college-going process, said Rahn, who is the district’s executive director of curriculum and instruction. School leaders also want to reduce student stress.
“And at least in this one circumstance, that barrier has been taken down,” Rahn said. “Students know, ‘There’s a place that I can go to continue my education.’ ”
Easier admissions policies also benefit uni-
versities, which compete for students. High school student populations are expected to decline, meaning a smaller student population from which to recruit.
Crysta Diaz, director of undergraduate recruitment and admissions systems operations at CU Denver, hopes the guaranteed admissions agreement can help even more Aurora students see themselves on campus. About 500 Aurora schools alumni attend CU Denver, said school officials.
She’s excited to focus more on the financial aid aspect of admissions — an issue that often creates stress for students. Aurora students will also be eligible for merit-based scholarships and financial aid advising, she said.
“A partnership like this just shows them college is for them, and we’re here to help them, support them and open doors for them,” Diaz said. “It’s a huge access win for both us and the students.”
The afternoon gave Villalobos a lot to think about. She said she’s felt anxious about applying to schools, the financial aid process, and not knowing her major yet.
She liked what she heard from Romero Palacios. She now sees CU Denver as a community that understands her culturally, has attentive professors, and will help her figure out the financial aid process.
Plus, she knows she will get in if she wants to go.
“It makes me feel more at home,” she said.
Becky Palacios Romero speaks to Aurora Central High School students about her experience at the University of Colorado Denver on Oct. 09, 2025 in Aurora, Colorado.
Jason Gonzales / Chalkbeat
AROUND AURORA
Aurora parents face $250 fine for allowing kids to ride dirt bikes on streets
Aurora parents now face fines of $250 or more if they let their kids drive so-called dirt bikes on city streets and property.
“It’s literally every day where your constituents are being hit by these (motorized bikes), there’s accidents occurring, and it’s become quite the problem that I’ve never seen before,” Steve Spanos, patrol officer, said during a meeting Sept. 8.
The measure was approved unanimously on second reading by the Aurora City Council Monday night.
The ordinance change adds a section to city laws making it illegal for parents or guardians to “knowingly permit anyone under 18 to operate or ride an off-highway vehicle in violation of existing city restrictions.”
“Dirt bikes” are the small, motorized cycles intended for off-road recreation. Most do not meet minimum street regulations, but minors are prohibited from driving any motorized vehicles on city streets and public roads without a valid driver’s license.
Actually, dirt bikes are illegal throughout the city and cannot even be driven in the parks.
“We have already done a lot of education outreach on social media, but we’ll be expanding that educational campaign so that parents are aware of what constitutes one of these off-highway vehicles,” Françoise Bergan said during the Sept. 8 meeting.
Some electric bicycles are allowed on the street and on the sidewalks, but
if they are “pedal-less” or go more than 28 miles per hour under motor power, then they’re considered off-highway vehicles, Bergan said.
“One caveat I’ll mention is that some of the bikes that have the pedals may have been modified, and that, of course, would be illegal to modify your bike so that it goes 40 or 50 miles an hour,” Bergan said.
Parents who plead or are found guilty of the proposed measure would face a minimum fine of $250, according to the bill language. The new measure would levy penalties separate from those imposed for infractions by the minor dirt-bike driver.
City officials said in legislation details that the proposed change was prompted by a rise in accidents and injuries tied to dirt-bike riding by minors in Aurora and the surrounding region. Many of the complaints have surfaced in southeast Aurora, according to city officials.
Despite current prohibitions on off-highway vehicle use in city streets, sidewalks, open spaces and business areas, officials said minors continue to ride with little resistance.
“Just an attempt to keep our streets safe and keep everyone safe,” Bergan said.
— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
Community College of Aurora honored nationally for entrepreneurial excellence
Community College of Aurora was
granted the Institutional Award for Entrepreneuring Excellence by Higher Education Innovation this fall.
“It is difficult, particularly these days, to take risks, step out of comfort zones, and attempt bold transformation,” HEI President Mary Landon Darden said in a statement. “These great institutions and leaders have the courage and know-how to do just that.”
The national honor recognizes higher education institutions that provide student assistance and that contribute to a prosperous future for higher education, the statement said.
The Student Success Division’s Hunger-Free Campus designation and the work of the Dr. Linda Speier Bowman Teaching and Learning Transformation Hub were two initiatives that led the Community College of Aurora to be granted the award.
The transformation hub helps students develop intentional degree pathways and addresses retention barriers, such as implementing zero-textbook-cost offerings, according to the statement.
“This recognition affirms what we know to be true — that through intentionality and integrity, we lead with innovation, courage and care,” Mordecai Brownlee, CCA president, said in a statement.
Higher Education Innovation considers the role of forward-looking college faculty and leaders when selecting award recipients. Faculty members that HEI named from CCA include Tanya Cook, a nationally recognized expert on fandom activism, and Tom Dillon, who organizes participation in the Colorado Space Grant Consortium.
The award also recognized Brownlee for committing to forward-thinking
innovations, such as the new Center for Applied Science and Technology and the Centennial Campus for Healthcare and First Responders. The statement said these initiatives led to a student enrollment increase for fall 2025.
“Every advancement reflects our commitment to expanding upward economic mobility and transforming lives,” Brownlee said. “I could not be prouder of our faculty, staff, instructors and students who together embody the entrepreneurial spirit that positions CCA as a force shaping the future of higher education.”
— Sentinel Staff
COPS AND COURTS
Multiple arrests made in Aurora gun threat case, 1 suspect still at large
Aurora Police announced several arrests this week in connection with an investigation into a June complaint about a group of people brandishing firearms at a north Aurora apartment.
At about 12:30 a.m. June 9, Aurora police patrol officers responded to a weapons call at an apartment complex at the 500 block of Potomac Street.
“The victim told Aurora911 call takers that he heard a loud bang on his door and observed several people outside armed with firearms,” an Aurora police statement said.
After investigators responded to the apartment, they obtained doorbell camera video of the incident and determined there were five suspects involved in the incident.
As of Oct. 13, four of five suspects were identified, arrested and charged
in Arapahoe District Court. According to the police statement, the suspects include:
Jordan Green, 22, from Aurora, was arrested in June on two charges of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon and one charge of misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon.
Larry Galbreath, 24, from Aurora, was arrested in June and convicted in August of one charge of menacing with a real or simulated weapon. He was sentenced to two years of probation, according to the statement.
Edgardo Alexander Torres-Vargas, 21, from Venezuela, was arrested in September and faces two charges of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon and one misdemeanor charge of possessing a large-capacity magazine.
Johnadel David Mendoza-Queralez, 20, from Venezuela, was arrested in September and faces two charges of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon.
A fifth suspect, unidentified, remains at large, according to the statement.
The investigation was led by the Fugitive Apprehension and Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the Gang Intervention Unit, the Direct Action Response Team and Police Area Representatives, according to the statement. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of as much as $2,000.
— Sentinel Staff
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METRO
Aurora man charged with vehicular homicide after
fatal crash
A 25-year-old Aurora man faces felony charges of vehicular homicide and eluding police, who said the man sped away from an officer Oct. 9 and caused a crash that killed another driver.
Aurora police said Don Mai Phan was arrested and jailed yesterday after a brief car chase at about 2 p.m. on I-225 that turned fatal at East Iliff Avenue and South Blackhawk Street.
Phan also faces misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and speeding.
Police said a motorcycle officer conducting speed enforcement on northbound Interstate 225 near East Yale Avenue flagged a white BMW sedan traveling about 84 mph in a 65mph zone, Aurora Police spokesperson Joe Moylan said in a statement.
The officer tried to catch up to the car, which exited the interstate at East Iliff Avenue and continued east at high speed, police said. Investigators said Phan ran a red light at South Blackhawk Street and struck a Honda sedan that was turning left onto eastbound Iliff.
The unidentified driver of the Honda, a 25-year-old man, died at the scene, according to police. His name will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.
The motorcycle officer arrived about 30 seconds after the collision and detained Phan and an unidentified 26-year-old male passenger, police said.
Both were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Debris from the crash hit two other vehicles stopped at the intersection, but no additional injuries were reported.
Police said anyone with information can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000, police said.
— Sentinel Staff
Violent Aurora kidnapping suspect captured in Chicago, now in local jail
The final suspect sought in what police say was a violent kidnapping that terrorized two Venezuelan immigrants at a troubled northwest Aurora apartment complex has been returned to Colorado to face charges, police said Thursday.
Aurora police said Jorman Jose Cuba-Zabala, 26, of Venezuela, was arrested April 28 by officers in Chicago after allegedly stealing two pairs of sunglasses valued at more than $800 from a department store. Chicago police later learned he was wanted on an Aurora warrant tied to a December 2024 kidnapping and assault at The Edge at Lowry Apartments, according to an Aurora police statement.
The apartment complex has for more than a year been a flashpoint in the city’s debate over crime, immigration and housing conditions.
Cuba-Zabala was extradited to Colorado and booked Oct. 4 into the Arapahoe County Jail, where he remains in lieu of a $250,000 bond. He faces four counts of second-degree kidnapping, four counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of menacing with a deadly weapon and two counts of extortion, all felonies, Aurora Police spokesperson
Joy Moylan said in a statement.
The arrest marks what police say is the twelfth and final suspect charged in the case. All 12 are now in police custody as the investigation continues.
Police originally identified as many as 19 people they sought as potential suspects in the case.
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain described the Dec. 17, 2024, crime as one of the most violent cases the department has seen in recent years.
According to investigators, a man and woman, both Venezuelan immigrants, were confronted in their apartment by a group of armed assailants at about 9 p.m. They were kidnapped, taken to a vacant unit in the same building, and “tortured” for hours before being released around 2 a.m., Chamberlain told the media at a December press conference.
“They were pistol-whipped. They were beaten. One of the victims was actually stabbed,” Chamberlain said. “Does that fall in the category of torture? For me, yeah, it does.”
The couple, who survived with non-life-threatening injuries, were hospitalized and placed under police protection. Chamberlain said the pair showed “an incredible amount of courage” by coming forward despite fears of deportation or retaliation.
Police later said the attack was prompted from a parking-lot cellphone video that became part of a larger dispute.”
The attack took place at The Edge at Lowry Apartments, near East 12th Avenue and Dallas Street. The complex has been the scene of repeated crimes, including a fatal shooting caught on a viral video earlier in 2024 that brought national attention and political controversy to Aurora.
Residents and activists say the property’s conditions have deteriorated for years under its owner, CBZ Management, which the city has accused of neglecting maintenance and allowing dangerous living conditions to persist.
Aurora officials have taken civil and criminal action against the company, saying it has ignored repeated orders to improve the property.
Earlier this year, the city shut down the complex, citing unlivable conditions.
Police said anyone with information can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000, police said.
— Sentinel Staff
>>>>>>>Aurora school resource officer supervisor sergeant faces child exploitation charges
An Aurora police sergeant who supervised school resource officers in both Aurora school districts was arrested by federal agents on charges related to the online sexual exploitation of a child, Aurora police said Wednesday.
Sgt. Aaron Bunch, 47, was arrested by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and faces state charges involving the electronic exchange of child exploitation material, Aurora police spokesperson Agent Matthew Wells-Longshore said in a statement.
Bunch, who has been with APD since 2005, has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. The FBI is leading the criminal investigation. Aurora police officials said they have launched a separate internal investigation to address any policy or conduct violations.
Aurora police said potential charges against Bunch will be heard in a Denver district court. He is currently being held at Denver’s downtown city jail. No bond
information was provided by Denver officials.
“There is no evidence at this stage that any students or children within Aurora Public Schools, the Cherry Creek School District or the Aurora community were impacted or victimized,” Longshore-Wells said.
Both school district superintendents have been notified and are working with police to ensure transparency and student safety, he said.
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said the allegations were “disturbing and completely contrary to the values and mission of this department.”
“This is a sad and angering day for the Aurora Police Department and the community we serve,” Chamberlain
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Families, pets, death and grief
LOSING A FAMILY PET GIVES PARENTS A CHANCE TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT DEATH AND GRIEVING
BY CHEYANNE MUMPHREY, Associated Press
Losing a pet is the first time many children encounter death. The experience can become an opportunity for profound emotional learning and influence how young people understand and process grief when they are adults, according to psychologists and pet bereavement specialists.
Parents and guardians therefore have important roles to play when a family pet dies. Along with helping children accept the painful permanence of death, caregivers can guide kids through a healthy and healing mourning process that provides a foundation for coping with an inevitable part of life.
“People are so adverse to talking about death and grief, but it is the one thing that is guaranteed: We are all going to die. We need to be open to talking about that,” said Deirdra Flavin, CEO of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief.
Here are some things to consider when talking with children about death and supporting them through pet loss.
Children respond to death in different ways
Depending on how old they are and their individual circumstances, children vary in their ability to comprehend the concept of death. The way they process grief, how long they mourn and the impact of the loss is also unique to each child, just as it is for adults. Experts say sadness, anger and other overwhelming emotions associated with grief may be more difficult for younger children to navigate, so having support is crucial.
Psychologists and bereavement counselors say some people feel the heartbreak from a pet’s death as intensely as the loss of any other loved one, reflecting the potential depths of human-animal bonds. In the case of children, their relationship with a pet, and whether the death was sudden or not, are other factors that may shape individual responses.
Colleen Rolland, president of the Asso-
ciation for Pet Loss and Bereavement, says parents usually know how intellectually and emotionally capable their children are of processing death.
Children as young as 4 years old might have been exposed to death through fairy tales and other stories but may struggle to understand its finality, Rolland said. Older children, who will know their loss is forever, may need more emotional support from friends and family, she said.
Elizabeth Perez said she learned quickly how differently her three children processed the death of their dog, Zoe, who was hit by a car nearly a year-and-a-half ago in front of their second daughter. The other two children were inside the family’s home in Pullman, Washington.
“Carmen would talk about how the images kept replaying in her head, she was having nightmares and couldn’t sleep,” Perez said, adding that her daughter hasn’t worn the dress she had on that day since.
Perez recalls she and her husband spending a lot of time with Carmen, now 11, and asking her questions about her feelings. Even their youngest child, who did not see the car hit Zoe and had spent the least amount of time with the dog, still tears up thinking about the April 2024 accident.
“It was really hard for the whole family. Everybody was feeling it differently and at different times,” Perez said. “We, as parents, did not feel prepared.”
Using clear language and avoiding euphemisms
Experts say it’s important to be honest and use clear language when discussing death with children. Adults often are inclined to protect children with euphemisms, such as a pet went to sleep, got lost or was put down.
“That can be alarming for children and cause a lot of confusion and fear. So, saying ‘The fish went to sleep’ might create concerns for the child when they are going to sleep,”
Flavin said. “Particularly with younger kids because they are so literal in terms of the way that things are expressed to them.”
When Leah Motz’s daughter was 2 years old, she told her their 15-year-old dog, Izzy, had a “good life but his body is broken and it won’t be able to fix itself.” Motz recalled that before taking him to be euthanized near their home in Renton, Washington, she further explained they were going to “help Izzy die.”
Support children through deep feelings
Sometimes adults have a hard time recognizing the impact that losing a pet instead of a person might have on children. Rolland says child grief tends to be trivialized in general, and that people who are very devoted to their pets can produce as much stigma as sympathy.
“But pet loss is a very real form of grief,” she said.
Raquel Halfond, a licensed clinical psychologist with the American Psychological Association, says children’s behavior often indicates how they are feeling even if they are not expressing it verbally.
“Maybe you notice your child is having more tantrums. Suddenly there’s stuff that they used to love doing, they no longer want to do. Maybe they start to refuse to go to school. It’s really normal to have these for a while,” Halfond said.
Other signs to look for include uncharacteristic sadness, tears, anger and even silence, she said. A child’s emotional response is often independent of their willingness to talk about death, but she said it might be time to seek professional help if their emotions or behavior affect their ability to function.
It’s OK for adults to grieve with children
Much like they do in other situations or developmental stages, children often learn how to handle grief by watching their caregivers.
The way adults respond to loss is likely to set an example for their children.
“Parents, or caregivers, must be confident in how they deal with pet loss,” Rolland said, adding that parents who are unfamiliar with grief or display unhealthy behaviors might teach children to act in the same manner.
Two of Meaghan Marr’s dogs died in a suburb north of Atlanta, when her two children were young. The first to go, Sadie, had ongoing health issues, so Marr was able to have continuous conversations and prepare her then-7year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
“My son definitely understood what was going on. While my daughter was sad, it didn’t quite reach her as deeply,” Marr said. She said it seemed like a lot of the children’s’ emotions were in response to her own grieving for a pet she refers to as her “soulmate dog.”
Halfond advises parents not to hide their feelings from their children.
“If you’re feeling sad, it’s OK for the child to see you feeling sad. In fact, it could be confusing if something sad happened and they don’t see that emotion reflected in their parents,” she said.
Leave room for closure and lifelong memories
One way to help children come to terms with the death of a pet is by memorializing the lives of the late companions through activities such as raising money for animals in need, drawing pictures, holding funerals or doing the things their pets loved to do.
Before their dog Sadie died, Marr said many of the conversations with her kids centered around how dogs don’t live forever and would one day go to heaven. The difficult part for her was explaining that was true of every pet.
“We talked about if they still wanted animals even though they are not going to last as long as we do,” she said. “It hurts to lose them, but they make your life so much better while they are here.”
Meaghan Marr holds the ashes her previous dog, Jewels, on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Cartersville, Ga.
AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
— blending classic big-band arrangements with new twists.
scene & herd
Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra offers fall Latin flair
The Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra is turning up the heat this weekend with Rhythm and Brass: A Latin Jazz Fiesta, a high-energy celebration of salsa and Latin jazz at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities.
The powerhouse CJRO Big Band, led by Artistic Director Drew Zaremba, will headline the concert alongside acclaimed vocalist Marion Powers. The performance promises a bold mix of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazz harmonies and the fiery brass sound that has become the ensemble’s signature.
Organizers say audiences can expect “blazing horns, driving percussion and irresistible grooves” in a show that pays tribute to one of the world’s most danceable and dynamic musical styles. The program will highlight the rhythmic pulse of Latin jazz — from traditional salsa beats to modern interpretations
Founded more than a decade ago by Executive Director Art Bouton, the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra has built a reputation as one of the state’s premier jazz ensembles. The group performs both large- and smallband concerts across Colorado, featuring some of the region’s top musicians and guest artists. Zaremba, known nationally for his work as a composer, arranger and saxophonist, has helped shape the CJRO’s innovative sound by merging traditional jazz foundations with fresh influences from soul and Latin genres.
The orchestra’s performances are known not only for their musical precision but also for their infectious energy and connection with audiences. With its blend of rhythm, melody and improvisation, “Rhythm and Brass” is expected to be one of the ensemble’s most vibrant concerts of the season.
IF YOU GO
What: Rhythm an Brass: A Latin Jazz Fiesta, featuring vocalist Marion Powers
When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
Tickets: $28–$47
Details: coloradojazz.org or 720-898-7200
First Date’ musical comedy at the Vintage Theatre
A fast-paced romantic comedy with a musical twist is set to open on the Berg-Young Cabaret Stage at the Vintage Theatre.
First Date, with book by Austin Winsberg and music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, follows blind date newbie Aaron and serial-dater Casey as their casual drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a highstakes evening.
As the date unfolds in real time, the couple’s inner voices come to life through the people around them. Other restaurant patrons morph into best friends, exes and parents, singing and dancing them through awkward ice-breakers, appetizers and conversational traps.
IF YOU GO
Date: Through Oct. 23, 2025
Place: Berg-Young Cabaret Stage at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.
Tickets: $24
Details: www.vintagetheatre.org
Wagon tours explore life on the prairie at Plains Conservation Center
A ride through the shortgrass prairie is slated for select Saturdays in October and November at the Plains Conservation Center in Aurora. Participants will travel by wagon across open plains, keeping an eye out for prairie dogs, pronghorn antelope and birds of prey beneath the wide Colorado sky. Along the way, naturalists will share insights into the prairie ecosystem.
The two-hour experience includes stops at “soddie” homes and a Cheyenne camp, giving visitors a glimpse of life for both homesteaders and Cheyenne people on the prairie during the 1800s. Tours are open to all ages but this fall’s sessions are geared toward adults. Organizers note that tours are
weather dependent, with cancellations communicated directly to registrants.
IF YOU GO
Dates: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Oct. 18 and Nov. 8
Place: Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E. Hampden Ave.(entrance is at East Hampden Avenue and South Picadilly Road)
Tickets: $15. Registration required at botanicgardens.org
Aurora Fox brings ‘Schoolhouse Rock Live!’ to the stage on Colfax
The Aurora Fox Arts Center will bring Saturday morning memories to life with “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” running on the Fox Mainstage Theater. Directed by Kelly Van Oosbree, the high-energy musical is based on the animated series that taught generations grammar, math and history through catchy songs.
The show follows Tom, a nervous young teacher whose TV characters leap off the screen to show him how to inspire his students through music and imagination. Audience members can expect classic favorites like “Conjunction Junction,” “I’m Just a Bill” and “Three Is a Magic Number.”
“This production is pure joy,” said Rich Cowden, executive producer of the Aurora Fox. “It’s educational, it’s fun, and it connects generations through music and storytelling.”
In addition to evening and weekend shows, nine daytime student matinees are scheduled, making the production a back-to-school field trip opportunity for young audiences.
IF YOU GO
Dates: Through Oct. 18 Curtains vary greatly for day and night performances.
Venue: Aurora Fox Mainstage Theater, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
Tickets: $17–$42
Details: aurorafoxartscenter.org
‘Merrily We Roll Along’ opens Sept. 12 at Vintage
Theatre
The Tony Award-winning musical Merrily We Roll Along is set to open Sept. 12 at Vintage Theatre, bringing Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s acclaimed story of friendship, compromise and the cost of success to Aurora audiences. Directed by Bernie Cardell, the show plays through Oct. 19 in the Nickelson Auditorium.
Told in reverse, the musical traces the lives of three friends from adulthood back to their youthful idealism, blending the excitement of a backstage show with a poignant examination of staying true to one’s dreams. The production won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Revival.
IF YOU GO
Dates: Through Oct. 19
Venue: Nickelson Auditorium at Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Tickets: $39 general admission, $33 seniors, $20 students/children (12 or younger)
Details: 303-856-7830 or VintageTheatre.org
Quit lying about healthcare and the government shut down. Fix it now.
The people in Aurora, across Colorado and all over the United States aren’t fooled. They know what’s really behind this government shutdown, and they know what’s really at stake: the health and financial security of millions of working families.
Despite a flood of rhetoric pouring out of Washington, the facts are clear. This government shutdown didn’t happen because Democrats want to hand out “free health care to illegal immigrants.” That claim, repeated by President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and other top Republicans, is a flat-out lie.
As the Associated Press and other news agencies have reported, immigrants in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for Medicaid nor insurance through the Affordable Care Act. The Democrats’ position is simple and entirely focused on Americans. They’re demanding that Congress extend the tax credits and Medicaid funding that keep health insurance affordable for millions of working citizens and small-business families. Republicans in Congress must stop hiding behind falsehoods and come to the bargaining table. It’s time to restore funding, extend the ACA subsidies and end this manufactured crisis.
The enhanced premium tax credits created under the American Rescue Plan Act and extended through the Inflation Reduction Act have been one of the most successful health care policies in modern times. They reduced premiums for millions of Americans, helping marketplace enrollment more than double to 24.3 million people in 2025. That’s 24 million people, who are not “welfare recipients” and not “illegals”. They are mostly low- and middle-income workers, families, small-business owners and the self-employed.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which provides news and research linked to healthcare, 92% of marketplace enrollees receive some level of premium tax credit. If these credits expire at the end of next year, premiums will skyrocket by more than 75% on average. On top of that, insurers are already planning an 18% increase in gross premiums, anticipating the chaos that would follow if Republicans continue this blockade.
And with Aurora’s average household income about $10,000 less than that of other metro communities, even more residents here will be hard hit by a GOP holdout on health care subsidies.
Republican leaders like House Speaker Mike Johnson claim Democrats are “holding the government hostage” over a single issue. In truth, it’s the GOP that’s holding millions of families hostage. These are families who depend on affordable health insurance to survive.
This isn’t just another partisan squabble. Democrats have drawn a line in the sand because the irrefutable evidence makes it clear the GOP plan would set off a national health care debacle that would critically affect almost every American.
The numbers tell the devastating story. Nearly half of adults who buy insurance on the individual market work for a small business or are self-employed. For them, these tax credits are the difference between staying insured or joining the ranks of the uninsured. Small businesses rarely offer employee coverage, meaning these workers rely on the ACA marketplace as their only realistic source of comprehensive health insurance.
If the enhanced subsidies disappear, many Americans will face a dangerous choice: pay hundreds more each month for coverage, or go without insurance altogether. A KFF poll found that 70% of ACA enrollees said they could not afford to keep their plans if premiums nearly doubled. Four in 10 said they’d drop coverage completely. That’s not just bad for them, it’s bad for everyone.
When millions of paying participants are driven out of the insurance pool, costs go up for those who remain. Hospitals and providers will see more uncompensated care. Premiums and health care costs for all Americans will rise.
The Republican plan doesn’t save money. It just shifts the burden onto already middle-class families, small businesses and the insured public.
The ultimate cruel irony here is that the pain will be felt hardest by Republican voters. The states that stand to lose the most are the ones that voted overwhelmingly for Trump, such as Florida, Texas, the South and Utah. These are states where the ACA’s marketplace has been a lifeline for farmers, gig workers and rural families who can’t get coverage through an employer.
Republicans made a miscalculation here, a big one. Polls show that three-quarters of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, support extending the ACA tax credits. Even among Trump’s loyal base, 57% favor keeping them. Americans don’t want their government shut down over partisan games. They want stability. They want affordable health care. They want Congress to do its job.
Instead of listening to their own voters, GOP leaders have chosen to peddle conspiracy theories about “Cadillac Medicare for illegal immigrants.” It’s cynical, dishonest and dangerous. Every day this shutdown drags on, hospitals face uncertainty, small-business owners lose confidence and working families fear the next premium bill. Republicans can fix this today. All it takes is a willingness to face facts and act in good faith. Restore government funding. Extend the ACA tax credits. Reverse the reckless Medicaid cuts hidden in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
This isn’t a fight about ideology. It’s about doing the math and embracing common sense.
The American people are watching. And they know the truth.
ARI ARMSTRONG, GUEST COLUMNIST
Colorado ‘free’ school lunch measures are the wrong solution for problem
Let the policy fit the problem. If we could just follow that seemingly simple principle, we could solve most of the failures with government. This is as valid as the insight, let the punishment fit the crime. Colorado ballot measures LL and MM flagrantly violate this basic principle. They do not fit the problem. The problem is some kids don’t have enough food to eat. Around 17% of kids face food insecurity, says the Colorado Children’s Campaign. A policy that fit the problem would ensure that those kids get food. But LL and MM raise net taxes to backfill an existing program to provide food subsidies to all school children, even the children of well-off and wealthy people. That doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t fit the problem.
Ah, but what about the “stigma” of giving food only to poor kids, ask proponents of the measures. Again, let the policy fit the problem. Are there good ways to curb any such stigma, short of subsidizing everyone? Yes, obviously. For example, schools can give all the kids meal cards such that the finances are separate from the food distribution.
Compare: We do not ask government to deliver “free” groceries to every household in America just because a fraction of households suffer food insecurity. Instead, we target food subsidies to the people who need the food. And we don’t use bogus arguments about “stigma” as a pretext to blow up the program into a bloated universal welfare scheme.
Unsurprisingly, because general food subsidies do not fit the problem, they are a budget-buster. In a recent report, the Common Sense Institute summarizes, “Proposition MM and Proposition LL . . . would effectively raise taxes for the Healthy School Meals for All program. Previous Common Sense Institute research and the state’s own analysis found that the Healthy School Meals program spends more than projected and, as a result, has run over budget.”
I’ll allow CSI to explain the basics of the measures: “If Proposition LL passes, taxpayers will not be refunded $12.4 million in FY26. If Proposition MM passes, Coloradans who earn $300,000 or more will incur average tax increases of $377 for single filers and $560 for
joint filers. In total, Proposition MM would raise $95 million per year for the Healthy Meals program. . . . Proposition MM was revised during the 2025 special legislative session to allow some of that potential surplus to fund SNAP (food stamps).”
The problem with ‘screw the rich’ Obviously a lot of Coloradans are swayed by the thought, “Screw those rich bastards; let them pay for kids’ food.” That’s why we have the program to begin with. But I want to argue that’s a bad idea.
Sure, the estimated $12.4 million under LL for the first fiscal year is not much money considering the size of Colorado and the state budget. But it is precisely such straws on the camel’s back that have, collectively, added up to a budget-busting total. We need to stop adding unnecessary straws and start removing existing ones. Again, we should ensure that the policy fits the problem and that government spends only what is necessary.
Okay, sure, someone making $300K will barely miss $377. But the principle matters. Do we really want to send the message to financially well-off people that Colorado voters have an “eat the rich” mentality? As I’ve pointed out before, states including Texas, Florida, and Wyoming don’t tax income at all. If I were in this wage category looking for a move, I would take a “yes” vote on these measures as a signal that wealthier people are not welcome in Colorado and should seek to relocate to states that don’t punish people for producing a lot of wealth.
What’s more, measure MM and the program it supports stupidly create a “cliff” such that earning a single extra dollar to reach the $300K threshold could result in hundreds of dollars of additional taxes. At the margins, this will encourage people to earn less or to arbitrarily shift earnings or expenses. Any such incentive-distorting measure automatically deserves to fail.
Let the policy fit the problem. Voters who take that insight seriously will vote against LL and MM.
Ari Armstrong writes regularly for Complete Colorado and is the author of books about Ayn Rand, Harry Potter, and classical liberalism. He can be reached at ari at ariarmstrong dot com.
With its biggest test ahead, the connection of the Eaglecrest football team’s defense has never been better.
The Raptors have a Centennial League showdown coming with undefeated Class 5A No. 1 and defending state champion Cherry Creek coming up Oct. 16 and have played the kind of defense that should give them a chance.
71 points in seven games, but the Raptors have given up just seven more points.
Leading the way for Eaglecrest is one of the state’s top all-around talents in Bell, a catalyst at safety as well as on special teams.
Blessed with the athleticism and speed that made him a top podium finisher at last season’s state track meet in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles — in which he placed second and third, respectively — along with a third-place finish in the long jump.
Raptors rising
With yet another outstanding defensive performance, coach Jesse German’s team picked up its Aurora-best sixth win of the season with a 27-14 defeat of Cherokee Trail Oct. 10 at Legacy Stadium.
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
“It feels great right now, we’re just so connected,” senior safety Cameron Bell said. “It’s our discipline, pursuit and getting to the ball together. It’s the details and the communication is good.
“Anything is possible for this team, we just have to take it day by day.”
That has connection has been on point for Eaglecrest through five weeks of non-league play as well as two Centennial League contests. The Raptors posted back-to-back shutouts against Chatfield and Denver East and allowed single digits to Rangeview and Smoky Hill, while Cherry Creek is currently the standard by which everybody in the state measures itself and the margin — at least defensively — between it and Eaglecrest is small thus far. The Bruins have yielded just
Bell’s got five touchdowns to his credit this season, which includes three via punt return and another on a kickoff. He also caught a touchdown pass.
Bell is not alone, however, in scoring on defense. Senior Zane Jackson took back an interception for a touchdown against Cherokee Trail to join a group that includes senior Noah Fulgham and junior Brayden Turner, while senior Sam Johnson has taken back a fumble to the end zone.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Jackson, who picked off a pass thrown by Cherokee Trail’s Bryson Peterson near midfield and took it back to the end zone for his score.
“Last year, we were an OK unit, but this year’s we’ve gotten so much better. It’s nice to be able to perform together on the field and we wanted to exceed expectations. I think we’ve done that so far.”
Even if they don’t score, when the Raptors force a punt, it allows Bell to get his hands on the ball and he makes something happen more often than not.
“I feel like my teammates are blocking every-
body they see and setting me up for success,” said Bell, who didn’t have any goal coming into the season on how many touchdowns he hoped to contribute.
“I just want to do it for my team,” he added.
The special teams and defensive play has helped Eaglecrest’s offense as well, as sophomore William Brinkman has transitioned well into the starting spot at quarterback. The Raptors graduated tremendous experience at the position in two-year starter Joe Steiner, but Brinkman has more than risen to the occasion when he’s had his chance as he’s rushed for 10 touchdowns and also thrown five touchdown passes.
Sophomore Clyde Surrell IV has returned to the lineup in the backfield, which already has strong junior Josiah Assibey and senior Sterling Dufour plus an offensive line that has very much come together. Junior JayAnthony Green has found a way to contribute in multiple ways as well.
Regardless of what happens in the matchup with Cherry Creek, Eaglecrest seems to have positioned itself well for the postseason as the No. 9 seed in CHSAA’s Seeding Index.
ABOVE: Senior safety Cameron Bell (6) has been a major tone setter for the Eaglecrest football team during its 6-1 start to the 2025 football season. Bell has returned three punts and one interception for touchdowns and helped the Raptors allow an average of just over 10 points per game to opponents going into a Centennial League showdown with unbeaten Cherry Creek Oct. 16.
BELOW: Eaglecrest senior Zane Jackson (7) celebrates with teammates after he took back an interception for a touchdown during the Raptors’ 27-14 win at Cherokee Trail Oct. 10. Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel
FOOTBALL
Week 7 sees combined 4-7 mark for area teams
With two contests down, conference pictures have started to become clearer for prep football teams around Aurora.
Week 7 proved to be twice as a good as the week before for area programs, who finished a combined 4-7 after a 2-9 debut week in league competition.
Aurora Central, Eaglecrest, Grandview and Rangeview all picked up victories that could provide needed momentum at the appropriate time of the season.
Eaglecrest remains alone atop the win column for Aurora area teams as its total swelled to six (against just one loss) with a 27-14 win over Cherokee Trail Oct. 10 at Legacy Stadium in a game in which it excelled in all phases. Coach Jesse German’s Raptors (one of only two teams that stand 2-0 in Centennial League play) picked up their sixth win of the season in seven contests with help from a punt return touchdown from Cameron Bell as well as an interception return score from Zane Jackson. That complimented a lunging touchdown run by Josiah Assibey, while Julian Trujillo added a pair of field goals. Both touchdowns for coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cherokee Trail team (25, 0-2) came via the connection of quarterback Bryson Peterson and Rayshon Stanley, while Logan Posey rushed for 121 yards for the Cougars.
Next in the win column among Aurora area programs Aurora Central and Rangeview, who both have five to their credit.
On Oct. 11 at APS Stadium, Rangeview took a lead into halftime against Horizon on a 40-yard Caleb Granger field goal and expanded on it with two more scores in the fourth quarter of a 24-7 win Oct. 11 at APS Stadium. Tyson Tuck accounted for 213 yards of total offense (145 rushing, 68 passing) and had two rushing touchdowns and Kemariahe Brown had 47-yard touchdown run for coach Chris Lopez’s team, which is now 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the Front Range South League.
Aurora Central won for the fourth time in its past five games and improved to 5-2 on the season (1-1 in the 4A Denver Metro League) with a 17-8 defeat of George Washington Oct. 9 at APS Stadium. Markell Perkins and Julian Harris each rushed for touchdowns in the opening quarter to give coach Chris Kelly’s Trojans some breathing room, which they extended in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard field goal by Anthony Cecena.
Grandview got a huge first-quarter performance from running back Chris Blanks and went on to a 40-6 Centennial League win over Smoky Hill Oct. 9 at Legacy Stadium. Blanks scored three touchdowns in the opening quarter and added another in the second quarter in a contest in which he had 115 yards rushing for coach Tom Doherty’s Wolves (4-3 overall, 1-1 in Centennial League). Blitz McCarty had a touchdown pass to Jaxson Flores to round out the scoring for Grandview, which converted 2-point conversions after all five of its touchdowns. Jayden Hopkins got into the end zone in the third quarter for the lone touchdown for coach Brandon Alconcel’s Smoky Hill team, which is 2-5 overall and 0-2 in league play. Regis Jesuit had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 24-17 road loss at Fountain-Fort Carson Oct. 9. Coach Danny Filleman’s Raiders (3-4 overall, 1-1 in 5A Southern League) saw an early double-digit lead get away in a game that was tied at halftime and saw the host
Trojans get the lone score of the second half. Luke Rubley threw a touchdown pass to Logan Singer, Colt Jones took back an interception for a touchdown and Jack Manthey knocked through a 43-yard field goal for Regis Jesuit. Vista PEAK Prep had its passing offense going on all cylinders in an Oct. 9 visit to Erie, but couldn’t slow the Tigers on defense in a 61-34 Front Range South League loss. Canaan Barthlow threw five touchdowns passes — three of more than 60 yards — during a 360-yard outing, while four of those scores went to Isaiah Watson, who had 197 yards receiving. Joshua Gallien caught a 66-yard score as well for coach Kyle Reese’s Bison, who fell to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in league play.
Gateway dropped a 4A I-25 League contest to Centaurus, which took its Oct. 10 visit to APS Stadium by a 51-0 score.
Coach Rashad Mason’s Olys have a 2-5 overall record and are 0-2 in league play. Overland (0-7, 0-2 in 5A Metro North) and Hinkley (0-6, 0-1 in 3A Metro) remain looking for their first victories of the season with losses to Westminster and Kennedy, respectively.
Elijah Hargrove ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run (and had 144 yards for the game) for coach Tony Lindsay Sr.’s Trailblazers’ lone score in a 56-6 loss to the Wolves Oct. 10 at Stutler Bowl, while coach Shawn Barnett’s Thunder were held scoreless in a 70-0 defeat to Kennedy Oct. 11 at APS Stadium.
SOFTBALL
Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest host 5A regional tourneys
The Cherokee Trail and Eaglecrest softball teams met to decide the Cen-
ABOVE: Gateway’s
a
in the
LEFT: Cherokee Trail starting pitcher Sydney Cobb struck out 15 hitters to help the Cougars to a 1-0 win over Eaglecrest Oct. 9 in the Centennial League Challenge championship game. The Cougars and Raptors both will play host to Class 5A softball regional tournaments Oct. 17 at the Aurora Sports Park. ABOVE: Aurora Central quarterback Markell Perkins (8) tries to evade George Washington’s Jai’Dan Richardson during the Trojans’ Week 7 win Oct. 9 at APS Stadium. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
tennial League championship and both squads will also be home for Class 5A regional postseason tournaments.
The Cougars prevailed over the Raptors 1-0 Oct. 9 to win a third consecutive league championship, as Sydney Cobb threw a complete game with 15 strikeouts. The pitching duel between Cobb and Eaglecrest’s Haisley Elliott was decided in the fifth inning when Peyton Contes tripled and pinch runner Abby Anderson scored on a mishandled grounder.
Cherokee Trail (18-4) capped the regular season the next day with a 12-2 win over ThunderRidge and moved into the No. 2 spot in the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Seeding Index.
The Cougars will play host to the 5A Region 2 tournament Oct. 17 at the Aurora Sports Park and will share Complex A with the Raptors, who finished 18-5 and as
the No. 5 overall seed. Cherokee Trail’s regional includes No. 15 Horizon (16-7), No. 18 Arvada West (14-8) and No. 31 Liberty (11-12), while Eaglecrest’s group has No. 12 Fort Collins (16-6-1), No. 21 Mountain Vista (12-11) & Denver North (18-4). Both tournaments begin at 10 a.m. Aurora’s other regional qualifier is No. 16 Grandview (14-9), which is one of the four teams in the Region 1 tournament scheduled for Oct. 18 at Broomfield High School. The Wolves have a 10 a.m. contest against No. 17 Chatfield (11-12) with the winner moving on to face either host and No. 1 Broomfield (20-2) or No. 32 Grand Junction Central (8-13). Two teams from each of the eight four-team regionals make the 5A state tournament Oct. 24-25.
LEFT: Grandview’s Chris Blanks, right, breaks free on his way to one of his four touchdowns in the Wolves’ Week 7 football win over Smoky Hill Oct. 10. TOP: Westminster’s Adrian Moreno (5) pulls in a touchdown pass in front of Overland’s Josiah West in the Trailblazers’ Week 7 loss to the Wolves Oct. 10 at Stutler Bowl.
D’Juan Wilbert (45) returns
kickoff
Olys’ Week 7 football loss to Centaurus Oct. 10 at APS Stadium. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
BOYS TENNIS
Cougars, Wolves, Raiders make 5A individual state
The Class 5A boys tennis individual state tournament is set for Oct. 16-18 at the Denver Tennis Park (with first round Nos. 3 and 4 doubles matches at adjacent Denver South High School) with eight Aurora area singles players and 10 doubles teams in the field.
Following regional play at various sites last week, Regis Jesuit has all seven lines qualified in singles players Alec Rodriguez-Fields (No. 1), Clay Dickey (No. 2) and Adam Rydel (No. 3), along with the doubles teams of Will Larkin and Koops Lord (No. 1), Edward Samuelson and Reis Cherveny (No. 2), Beckett Martorella and Finn Carolan (No. 3) and and Connor and Daniel Hickey (No. 4). Rodriguez-Fields is the defending No. 1 singles state champion, while Rydel and Samuelson were placers in doubles last season.
After the individual tournament is over, Regis Jesuit has a few days to prepare to play in the 5A team state championship match against Cherry Creek.
The top-seeded Raiders and No. 2 Bruins — set to meet in the final for the third consecutive season — play at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 at the Denver Tennis Park Grandview earned four championships at its home Region 7 tournament that included all three singles players in Justin Son (No. 1), Kaahan Wani (No. 2) and Krish Wani (No. 3) plus the No. 1 doubles team of Carter Benton and Steve Li. The Wolves also got the No. 2 doubles team of Corbin Thompson and Nathan McIsaac and the No. 4 duo of Andres Salazar and Sam Hyman through. Both Wanis placed third place in their respective singles slots last season, while Son was the No. 1 singles runner-up in 2023.
Cherokee Trail played in Region 5 at the APEX Tennis Center and had bracket champions at Nos. 2 and 3 singles in Swagat Behera and Clark Deleeuw, respectively. The Cougars’ individual state contingent includes three doubles teams in Aditya Fernandez and Cristiano Di Franco (No. 1), JP Hasler and Logan Goss (No. 3) and Taejoo Kim and Ethan Yohanes (No. 4). Visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps for complete 5A individual state tournament brackets and pairings.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
Grandview seeded No. 8 in 5A state playoffs
The Grandview girls flag football team’s extended winning streak — which sits at 11 games — didn’t it as high as it wanted in the Class 5A state tournament seeding, but it was plenty to yield a second straight postseason trip.
Coach Mark Fisher’s Wolves rebounded from a 1-3 start and won the Centennial League championship as part of a streak that stretches back to Sept. 6 and earned them the No. 8 seed in the 20-team bracket released by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
The only Aurora area postseason qualifier, Grandview will not have to play in the opening round as it did last season and will advance to a second-round matchup with No. 9 Douglas County (12-3) in a 2:15 p.m. Oct. 18 contest at Trailblazer Stadium. The winner moves on to play the winner of undefeated and top-seeded Mountain Vista and a yet-to-be-determined opponent in a 6:15 p.m. quarterfinal.
For full Class 5A girls flag football state tournament bracket and schedule, visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps.
WEEK PAST
The week past in Aurora prep sports
MONDAY, OCT. 13: There were no contests for Aurora area teams due to the Indigenous People holiday. ...SATURDAY, OCT. 11: Luis Hoyos recordded a hat trick, Bilal Tchagodomou had a goal and an assist and Brandon Marcelo picked up two assists for the Overland boys soccer team in a 4-1 Centennial League win over Eaglecrest. ...The Cherokee Trail boys soccer team dropped a 4-1 contest with Cherry Creek. ...FRIDAY, OCT. 10: The Regis Jesuit girls volleyball team finished 2-1 at the Dakota Ridge Tournament with victories over Rocky Mountain and Evergreen plus a close defeat to Monarch, while Rangeview defeated Denver North and lost to Bear Creek and Grand Junction. ...Alex Kedzierski scored both goals (each assisted by Kason Ottinger) for the Grandview boys soccer team in a 2-1 Centennial League road win at Arapahoe. Camden Kuhn stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced in the nets. ...The Cherokee Trail softball team got two home runs and six RBI from Emma Rice in a 12-2 home win over ThunderRidge in the regualr season finale. Rice struck out 10 and scattered three hits to earn the pitching win s as well, while Paige March added two RBI. Yeabshira Hagos of the Gateway girls cross country team won the Colorado League Championship girls race at the Aurora Sports Park, while Karolina Diaz (third) and Lizzett Mireles (sixth) helped Aurora Central to third in the team standings. The Aurora Central boys finished as the runner-up in the team chase with top performances from Abdoulaye Ibrahim (second) and Damien Ocampo (seventh), while Gateway’s Baker Walubsimbi took third. ...THURSDAY, OCT. 9: Led by 21 kills from Olivia Laughlin, the Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team outlasted Mullen 18-25, 25-19, 25-21, 2527, 15-11 in Centennial League play. Ella Notheisen added 15 kills, Alize Flores had 20 digs and Avery Krause 49 assists for the Cougars. ...The Eaglecrest girls volleyball team downed Arapahoe 25-16, 25-21, 17-25, 25-16 in Centennial League play as Anayah Rucker piled up 18 kills
and Cailyn Baldermann had 17 and Natalie Jarzebeczyk dished out 44 assists. ...The Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team downed Denver North 25-15, 25-10, 25-19. ...In a Centennial League clash, the Smoky Hill girls volleyball team topped Overland 25-19, 25-16, 25-22. ...Seamus Gallagher scored two goals to lead the Lotus School For Excellence boys soccer team to a 3-1 win over Denver Academy. ...Stephanie Gomez homered and allowed just one hit in three innings as the Aurora Central softball team downed Skyline 15-0. Kaylah Leach had 5 RBI for the Trojans. ...Jaya Gray had five hits, four RBI and scored six times as the VIsta PEAK Prep softball team topped Rangeview 25-13. Laila Lucio drove in
six runs and Kaydence Maes plated five for the Bison, while Diana Esquivel and Evelyn Chavez-Loya had 3 RBI apiece for the Raiders. ...A 5-RBI day for Maddie Donaldson helped the Grandview softball team to a 12-5 win at Cherry Creek in a Centennial League Challenge contest. Sasha Kennedy had three stolen bases and scored three times for the Wolves, while Christi Birx got the win. ...The Cherokee Trail boys cross country team won the Centennial League Championship race at the Aurora Sports Park as Dylan Smith, Josh Chadeayne and Jaxon Weber finished 2-3-4 individually. Madison Lange of Cherokee Trail was the girls runner-up and the Cougars were second as a team as well. ...WEDNESDAY, OCT.
LEFT: The No. 1 doubles team of Carter Benton,
and Steve Li is part of the Grandview boys tennis team’s contingent to make the Class 5A individual state tournament. BELOW LEFT: Cherokee Trail’s Madison Lange (3588) nears the finish line on her way to second place in the Centennial League Championship girls race Oct. 9.
its last 11
and is the
the
championship
8: The Vista PEAK Prep boys soccer team downed Aurora Central 4-0. ...The Overland softball team downed Lincoln 15-3 as Michaela Halton homered twice and drove in four runs. Emma Davis also had a home run and drove in five runs. ...Naomi Emecheta rushed for both touchdowns for the Eaglecrest girls flag football team in a 12-7 win over Arapahoe. ...The Smoky Hill girls flag football team edged Overland 21-20. ...TUESDAY, OCT. 7: The Grandview girls volleyball team picked up a 27-25, 25-17, 25-15 win over Smoky Hill Brooke Sullivan threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another and Abby Kirkpatrick scored twice as the Grandview girls flag football team beat Cherry Creek 33-7.
TOP
left,
LEFT: The Grandview girls flag football team won
games of the regular season
No. 8 seed in the Class 5A state playoffs. TOP RIGHT: The Cherokee Trail boys cross country team claimed
team
trophy at the Centennial League Championship race Oct. 9 at the Aurora Sports Park. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
statements prior to such final settlement will relieve said school district from all and any liability for such claimant’s claim.
JOINT DISTRICT NO. 28J OF THE COUNTIES OF ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE STATE OF COLORADO
First Publication: October 9, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
SKY DANCE METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NOS. 1 AND 2
NOTICE CONCERNING 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND PROPOSED 2026 BUDGETS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the necessity may arise to amend the 2025 Budgets of Sky Dance Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2, and that proposed 2026 Budgets have been submitted to the Boards of Directors of the Sky Dance Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2. Copies of the proposed Amended 2025 Budgets, if necessary, and 2026 Budgets have been filed at the Districts’ offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado 80228, where the same are available for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2025 Budgets and Adopting the 2026 Budgets will be considered at a public hearing of the Boards of Directors of the Districts to be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. This District Board meeting will be held via Zoom without any individuals (neither Board Representatives nor the general public) attending in person.
Zoom information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5469119353?pwd=SmtlcHJETFhCQUZEcVBBOGZVU3Fqdz09
Meeting ID: 546 911 9353 Passcode: 912873 Dial In: 1-719-359-4580
Any interested elector of the Districts may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2025 Amended Budgets or the 2026 Budgets, inspect the 2025 Amended Budgets or 2026 Budgets and file or register any objections thereto.
SKY DANCE METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NOS. 1 AND 2 By /s/ David Solin Secretary
Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.
Case No. 2024PR207
Estate of Wima Lucille Tallon aka Wilma L. Tallon, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Adams, Colorado, on or before February 2, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Roger T. Tallon
Personal Representative PO Box 17291 Denver, CO 80217
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30539
Estate of Robyn Simon aka Gary Simon, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 16, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Samantha Metsger 899 Logan St., Ste. 210 Denver, CO 80203
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30636
Estate of Walter Elias Taylor aka Walter E. Taylor, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before February 2, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Walter H. Taylor c/o Werth Law, LLC
P.O. Box 808 Brighton, CO 80601
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30862
Estate of Marjorie D. Rosen aka Marjorie Rosen, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 9, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.
Rickie B. Rosen
Personal Representative 1455 S. Cherry St. Denver, CO 80222
First Publication: October 9, 2025
Final Publication: October 23, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30881
Estate of Sarah Helen Skeen, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 16, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Matthew David Skeen, Jr.
Personal Representative P.O. Box 218 Georgetown, CO 80444
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30924
Estate of Edward A. Robinson aka Edward Robinson, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 9, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Steven M. Kaufmann c/o Patricia L. Clowdus 3200 Cherry Creek South Drive, Ste. 340 Denver, CO 80209
First Publication: October 9, 2025
Final Publication: October 23, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.
Case No. 2025PR30988
Estate of Barbara Sharp, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 9, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Mary Sue Babb 290 Westdale Drive Santa Cruz, CA 95060-9443
Attorney for Personal Representative David A. Imbler
Atty Reg #: 52038 Spaeth & Doyle, LLP
501 S. Cherry St., Ste. 700 Glendale, CO 80246
Phone: 843-452-8946
First Publication: October 9, 2025
Final Publication: October 23, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR337
Estate of Susan Gail Laurie aka Susan G. Laurie aka Sue Laurie, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 2, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Kristian J. Koehler
Personal Representative 2405 Terry Lake Road Fort Collins, CO 80524
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR453
Estate of Fred Ivan Becker, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before November 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred. Bonita J. Becker
Personal Representative 3755 Tennyson St., Apt. 312 Denver, CO 80212
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.
Case Number 2025PR462
Estate of Rozalia Horvath, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 17, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.
James John Horvath
Personal Representative c/o Scott Grosscup
Balcomb & Green, PC PO Drawer 790
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
First Publication: October 16, 2025
Final Publication: October 30, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.
Case No. 2025PR30879
Estate of Rebecca Garrett Walter aka Rebecca Jo Garrett Walter, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Arapahoe County District Court on or before February 16, 2026 or the claims may be forever barred.
Christiane Duale
Personal Representative c/o CHAYET & DANZO, LLC
Marco D. Chayet, #29815
Jennifer E. Shaler, #37936
650 S. Cherry St., #710 Denver, CO 80246
Phone: 303-355-8500
First Publication: October 16, 2025
Final Publication: October 30, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30942
Estate of Margaret Anne Ganister, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 9, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative Krista Beauchamp, Atty Reg #47615
Law Office of Alexandra White, P.C.
12625 E. Euclid Drive
Centennial, CO 80111
First Publication: October 9, 2025
Final Publication: October 23, 2025
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No.: 2025PR30943
Estate of Larry C. Laurienti, Deceased
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 19, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.
Sandra L. Laurienti
Personal Representative 12147 Hadley St. Parker, CO 80134
Attorney for Personal Representative Christopher C. Felton, P.C. 2616 West Alamo Ave Littleton, CO 80120 303-295-8988
First Publication: October 16, 2025
Last Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel
PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2025CV289
PUBLIC NOTICE is given on Sep- tember 19, 2025, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Arapahoe County Court.
The Petition entered that the name of Cordell Christopher Soderquist be changed to Cordell Christopher Jensen.
/s/ Judge
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025
Sentinel
PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ADAMS COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2025C1092
PUBLIC NOTICE is given on Sep- tember 17, 2025, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.
The Petition entered that the name of Austin Thomas Vanwey Baltzer be changed to Zebulon Thomas Vanwey Baltzer.
/s/ Judge
First Publication: October 2, 2025
Final Publication: October 16, 2025
Sentinel
DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO CONSOLIDATED NOTICE OF PUBLICATION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT IN THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS FILED IN THIS COURT UNDER THE “UNIFORM DISSOLUTION
OF MARRIAGE” AND “UNIFORM CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION” ACTS, due diligence has been used to obtain personal service within the State of Colorado and further efforts would be to no avail; therefore, publication has been ordered:
CASE NUMBER NAME TYPE OF ACTION
2025DR000808
2025DR031576
2025DR000914
2025DR000751
2025DR031366
Shelli Lynn Sorenson v Karysa Ann Sorenson & Pratt Reynolds Custody
Ana Ramos Canaca v Henry Adalid Hernandez Raudales Custody
Waldemar Vidro Rodriguez v Salma Patricia Rosales Resendez Dissolution
Dominique Nichelle Rodman v Ashanti Shantia McMillian Dissolution
Ashley Nabyla Espinoza Rojas v Ryan James Overton Custody
A copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained
respond to this
non-appearing party.
SHANA KLOEK CLERK OF THE COURT
by
7325 S. POTOMAC ST. CENTENNIAL, CO 80112
Publication: October 16, 2025 Sentinel
said in a statement. “This person has brought shame and disgrace to the badge and to an honorable profession. Such behavior undermines the trust and legitimacy that our officers work hard to earn every single day.”
Chamberlain said the department “will fully cooperate with federal authorities” and that Bunch “will be held accountable through both the criminal justice system and our internal processes.”
No other details were released.
— Sentinel Staff
BEYOND AURORA
ACLU, 2 law firms sue ICE over indiscriminate arrests in Colorado
‘The American Civil Liberties Union and two Colorado law firms sued federal immigration officials last week in an effort to stop what the legal groups call the agency’s “indiscriminate stops and arrests” across the state.
The lawsuit brought in federal court in Colorado alleges that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are arresting and detaining people because of their skin color, accent or perceived nationality to fulfill arrest quotas set by the Trump administration without determining probable cause and flight risk.
The firms are bringing the lawsuit on behalf of four people, including Caroline Dias Goncalves, a 19-year-old University of Utah student who was brought to the U.S. as a child. ICE arrested Dias Goncalves in June after a Mesa County Sheriff deputy pulled her over in Fruita and asked about her accent and immigration status. She spent 15 days in ICE’s Aurora detention center.
“Our state’s 169,000 undocumented immigrants, and hundreds of thousands more Latine Coloradans, now live in fear and at daily risk because of federal immigration agents’ indiscriminate practices,” the lawsuit said. “ICE’s arrest scheme is tearing families apart and terrorizing communities.”
The lawsuit, brought by the ACLU of Colorado, Meyer Law Office and Olson Grimsley Kawanabe Hinchcliff & Murray, LLC, names three defendants: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons and Director of ICE’s Denver Field Office Robert Guadian.
ICE’s Denver Field Office referred questions to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ICE agents must have probable cause to believe the person they are arresting is living in the U.S. in violation of immigration laws and is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs in the case say they were arrested indiscriminately. All reported experiencing physical injuries, pain and hunger during their arrests or while in detention, according to the lawsuit.
Refugio Ramirez Ovando is a 43-year-old father and lawful permanent resident who has lived in Colorado for 20 years and is the father of four
U.S. citizen children. ICE agents in unmarked cars pulled him over in May when he was on his way to work in Grand Junction at the construction concrete company where he has worked for 18 years. ICE held him at the detention center in Aurora for more than 90 days, according to the lawsuit.
A 36-year-old asylum seeker identified in the lawsuit as J.S.T. has lived in Colorado for 15 years. On Feb. 5, ICE agents raided the Whispering Pines Apartments complex, where he had lived for seven years. At the time, J.S.T. was leaving the apartment parking lot to drive to his job at a restaurant and grocery store when ICE agents arrested him. He spent four weeks at the Aurora detention center and lost his home as a result, according to the lawsuit.
That same day ICE agents conducted raids in at least seven apartment complexes and communities across Denver, Aurora, and Thornton, the lawsuit said. At some apartments, ICE agents knocked on every door, the lawsuit alleges, asking tenants to provide identification without a warrant.
A 32-year-old father and construction business owner identified in the lawsuit as G.R.R. has lived in the U.S. for 11 years. In April, ICE agents raided a nightclub in Colorado Springs, where the lawsuit said G.R.R. was waiting as a designated driver for a friend. G.R.R. spent seven weeks at the Aurora detention center, according to the lawsuit.
“Plaintiffs and their families were devastated by the unlawful captures and now live every day in a heightened state of fear of again being separated,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to consider the plaintiffs as representatives of a class of all people in Colorado who have been arrested since Jan. 20, 2025, or will be arrested without a warrant and without “a pre-arrest, individualized assessment of probable cause that the person poses a flight risk.”
The lawsuit describes the similar experience of many other people whom ICE has arrested since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
Trump vowed during his presidential campaign to deport “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals,” but also promised to execute “the largest deportation program in American history.” The resulting roundups of immigrants working in fields, attending court hearings or walking in their neighborhoods have included those with work permits, permanent residency cards and even U.S. citizenship.
In May, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said, “we are looking to set a goal of a minimum of 3,000 arrests for ICE every day” after reports from other news outlets that Miller and Noem had set the daily arrest quota. The administration later disavowed the quota after running into questions from federal judges about its constitutionality.
Immigration arrests quadrupled in Colorado between Jan. 20 and June 26 of this year compared with the same period last year, according to a Colorado Sun review of ICE data obtained and published by the Deportation Data Project, with a significant shift in who is being targeted. Most people arrested by ICE agents in Colorado between Jan. 20 and June 26 of this year had no criminal convictions, according to data obtained from the agency.
— Taylor Dolven, The Colorado Sun
/S/Melissa Mansfield
›› METRO, from A5
Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $36.00 per month and business services are $58.50 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.
CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.
A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs.
If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www.centurylink. com/aboutus/community/community-development/lifeline.html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.
Thursday, Nov. 13 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hyatt Regency Aurora, 13200 E. 14th Place
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