THE HEART OF THE ISSUE
Aurora gears up for a specialty ‘HEART’ court and police ‘HART’ unit to try and move homless campers into housing
City lawmakers snubbing free market system in Aurora is bad business for all
Pinch me.
OK, not that hard.
I must have dozed off during Monday’s Aurora City Council meeting and dreamed that the hard-hitting Republicans on the council were arguing about imposing restrictions on types of businesses in poor neighborhoods so they could engineer nicer, cleaner spaces for the community.
“Oversaturation of high-risk retail in underserved areas is a form of exploitation,” said Republican Councilmember Stephanie Hancock. “As a policy-making body, it’s our duty as policymakers to prevent predatory clustering that harms communities.”
Sorry, not sorry, but I’ve been around long enough to remember rightwing types like Hancock lambasting Democratic-Socialist members of the city council for saying just about the exact same thing, only in easy-to-understand words.
DAVE PERRY Editor
“High-risk retail?”
Would that be things like off-track betting parlors or gun stores, or dietically dubious doughnut shops? Maybe pubs and bars?
No, bars are cool. Two city lawmakers own and operate pubs. No limits there, for sure.
The proponents of this idea want to limit things like vape shops, gas stations, check-cashing stores and pawn shops in northwest Aurora. The theory here is that fewer of these “unsavory” types of businesses in a poor area like East Colfax Avenue at Elmira Street will sprout the next Cherry Creek, or something like that.
I guess they think that because of the weird furniture rental stores and funky little markets, Original Aurora can’t have a place to get a decent wagyu filet mignon.
“It’s hard to get some oxygen in there for revitalization or redevelopment, when every other store is a liquor store or it’s a motel that’s engaged in prostitution and in drugs,” Aurora Mike Coffman told fellow lawmakers Monday. “This says, respectfully, let’s not have that concentration that feeds that kind of behavior.”
“That kind of behavior.”
Let me be the bearer of bad news here to let his honor and others in on the reality that prostitution and drug use are not limited to Colfax, and, as many in the police department would advise, is not the corridor’s most pressing problem.
It really begs a bigger question: Do some of these lawmakers even know any poor people? Are they so far removed from a world where rising rents on a dilapidated house or apartment eat the bulk of your retail-job paycheck that there’s literally nothing left to spend the hard-earned dollars on except some gas for the car and maybe a six-pack of beer on Friday, or a breakfast burrito for a Saturday treat?
There are a lot of people in Aurora, and across the metro area, who can’t get gas for their car to get to work unless they can pawn the tools they don’t need on the job that day. Changing out the corner Fill-m-Fast for a yoga studio is not going to turn the Alton-Beeler ‘hood into Park Hill.
No doubt this is a well-intentioned idea wrapped in bad economics and worse logic, but if Aurora adopts this “Socioeconomic Impact Sales and Services Permit,” it will be making a grave mistake. The truth is simple. Businesses don’t create blight. Blight creates busi-
ness conditions. A payday loan store or a vape shop doesn’t move into a thriving area and bring it down. These shops go where there’s demand. They’re a symptom, not a cause, of the larger social and economic problems.
Blaming them for urban decay is like blaming an umbrella for the rain.
Removing vape shops from a strip mall won’t stop anyone from buying vape products. It will just make them drive farther or pay more.
I woke up when I heard other City Council Republicans argue against this bad idea.
Councilmember Steve Sundberg said the ordinance “rubs the cat the wrong way” for anyone who believes in the free market.
“Are we in the business of determining what types of businesses can and cannot go where?” Sundberg said. “We’re treading into territory that is anti-business. This is just me speaking from a business point of view. I think we’re crossing over into an area that we haven’t before. And so I’m really hesitant with this one.”
No doubt.
“If there’s only one convenience store allowed in an area, the consumer loses,” Sundberg said. “We’re edging out competition and taking away the benefit of the free market.”
That means higher prices, fewer choices, and one more way in which poorer residents end up paying more for the same things. That’s not economic justice. That’s economic punishment.
If Aurora’s goal is revitalization, then the strategy should be attraction, not restriction. Instead of pushing out existing businesses, the city should be offering incentives for new, desired ones. Seek things like cafés, cultural venues, small arts spaces, co-working hubs, and family-friendly entertainment. These are the kinds of enterprises that draw people with realistically disposable incomes and inject energy and diversity into a neighborhood’s economy. You can’t bully a blighted area into vibrancy. You have to build it up, not shut it down.
Aurora has tried nearly every trick in the book in the last three decades I’ve been watching all this, except offering businesses real, meaningful incentives to open up on or near Colfax.
And if rundown properties are the problem, Aurora already has the tools to fix that, as Councilmember Francoise Bergan pointed out this week. Use the city’s existing code enforcement teams and system. Penalize neglectful landlords, and ensure that property owners, not small business tenants, are held accountable for the conditions of their lots and buildings.
The idea that Aurora can legislate its way to prosperity by labeling some businesses “predatory” is not just misguided, it’s condescending. It assumes that low-income residents can’t make their own spending choices responsibly. It replaces economic empowerment with paternalism. And it distracts from the harder, more necessary work of tackling crime, education, and opportunity.
Aurora needs real police to be visible all over the Colfax corridor and the rest of the city. It doesn’t need a “helpful” squad telling people they should be shopping for an engagement ring at Zales instead of Pasternack’s Pawn Shop.
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com
An Aurora woman shops in a convenience mart on East Colfax Avenue in Aurora on March 29, 2024. AP File
Photo/Thomas Peipert
Aurora police chief said boy, 17, shot by police was transgender, ‘tragic’
‘HE WAS GOING THROUGH SEXUAL CONFUSION. HE WAS TRANSITIONING. THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF DYNAMICS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY TROUBLING’
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain last week disclosed new details about the 17-year-old boy shot by an Aurora police officer last month, saying the boy was transgender whose “whole life was tragic.”
The chief was speaking publicly during a Oct. 22 town hall held by Councilmember Steve Sundberg.
In a previous press conference, Chamberlain said Blaze Aleczander Balle-Mason called 911, claiming he planned to “shoot up” a Conoco gas station at 290 S. Havana St. and open fire on responding officers.
Chamberlain also said that Balle-Mason was living in a halfway house at the time of the shooting.
“That 17-year-old boy, which is, again, it’s tragic,” Chamberlain said during the town hall held at the Aurora Central Recreation Center. “I think his whole life was tragic, to be honest with you. He was not in his home. He was living in a facility. He was actually taken out of his home. He was going through sexual confusion. He was transitioning. There were all kinds of dynamics that are incredibly troubling.”
Chamberlain did not offer details on assertions that Balle-Mason was transgender or how that was linked to the fatal shooting. Recent trends on social media have linked transgender people to acts of violence. Advocates for transgender people point out that there is no
evidence for those statements, and that claims are false and misleading.
Recently adding to a trend of linking transgender people to acts of violence was the shooter who killed Charlie Kirk, who was connected to a trans person. This week, a transgender high school student in Indiana was accused of plotting a “Valentine’s Day mass shooting,” pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder.
According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), there were 5,748 mass shootings between Jan. 1, 2013, and Sept. 15, 2025, in the U.S. Of that number, there have been five confirmed transgender shooters.
None of the details about Balle-Mason was previously released to the public or the press, and it is unclear why Chamberlain chose to disclose it at the local town hall. As of Nov. 3, police did not respond to questions about the statements.
Steven Haden, a psychiatric social worker and founder of Envision: You, a statewide mental health initiative supporting LGBTQ Coloradans, told the Sentinel that outing someone for their gender identity or their sexual orientation is a “violation of privacy, and it creates a very serious safety threat for those who are encountering police.”
“It is incredibly dehumanizing,” Haden said. “It continues to erode trust between LGBTQ individuals and law enforcement, which is not good for anyone, and the speculation around
a person’s identity who’s now dead was immaterial to the situation itself.”
If the person were alive, it could lead to job or housing loss, and it could be the first time the person’s family learns the information, Haden said. In this situation, when the person is dead, it seems irrelevant to the public’s need to know.
“It sounds like the system failed this person,” said Addison Herron-Wheeler, co-publisher and editor-in-chief at OUT FRONT, based in Denver.
Whether Chamberlain was implying that Balle-Mason was taken from their home because they were violent, or whether the Balle-Mason was removed from their home because of family members mistreating them, was not clarified by Chamberlain. Herron-Wheeler said, either way, the system failed Balle-Mason. The boy needed some kind of intervention and support, she said, but there was no intervention to prevent him from deciding to go to the gas station that night, and the police failed Balle-Mason in how they handled the call.
Referring to Balle-Mason’s life as “tragic” while only giving limited information without context to what that meant was also misleading, Herron-Wheeler said. People who are transitioning are not tragic, and saying that without more information is harmful.
Also, Herron-Wheeler, Haden, and Barbara Simon, the senior director of news and campaigns for GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advo-
cacy organization, all said that transitioning is not scientifically or medically considered “sexual confusion,” but rather gender identity. It was unclear why Chamberlain offered those details, or why he even mentioned the “sexual frustration” at all.
Chamberlain made the comments while answering a resident’s question about how and when the city’s Crisis Response Team, referred to as a CRT, is deployed to 911 calls. He said CRT was en route to the call involving Balle-Mason, but the situation escalated before they arrived.
“It’s more of a social issue, or a social behavior or a mental health issue, that’s when they respond, they can co-respond,” Chamberlains said.
He said that Balle-Mason did not give the police department enough time for the CRT to get there. If Balle-Mason said, “I want to talk,” the police would have worked with him, Chamberlain said. Instead, Balle-Mason ran toward the officers with his hands in his pockets, giving them little time to respond, and forced them to take measures to protect themselves and the public around the gas station, Chamberlain said.
Aurora police employees contacted the Sentinel and agreed to speak anonymously because they were unauthorized to publicly discuss the topic. They said the incident was likely a “suicide by cop” incident. The term refers to
Blaze Aleczander Balle-Mason, left in dark clothes and no shoes, stands outside an Aurora gas station Sept. 18, 2025, just before police arrived.
SENTINEL SCREEN GRAB
a well-researched law-enforcement phenomenon where a person intentionally provokes officers into using lethal force. Subjects typically call police to announce their intentions, threaten to kill officers and often are found without weapons.
Aurora police said Balle-Mason was found to be unarmed after the shooting.
When Aurora police arrived at the gas station scene, officers first used a 40-millimeter less-lethal launcher, which fires “rubber” or “foam” projectiles,” in an effort to defuse the encounter. Officers are trained to recognize and respond appropriately, Chamberlain said during a previous press conference, but he added that this incident was unique and must be evaluated based on the facts known at the time, not in hindsight.
He also said in the previous press conference that Aurora’s crisis response units and clinicians are designed to respond to non-violent situations, such as when someone is despondent, suicidal or refusing to eat or sleep.
During the town hall, Chamberlain said that all active shooter situations involve suicidal ideation.
“Almost all of those individuals who are involved in active shooters or schoolyard violence,” Chamberlain said. “It is a process of suicide ideation, where they say that they are going to be killed at the end of an event. They have no plans of surrender. If you look at the ones that have occurred recently, most of them have been killed either by self-infliction or they’ve been killed by police.”
There is no perfect solution, and officers may have no choice but to use lethal force for public safety, he said.
The FBI recommends distinct training for suicide by cop and in active shooter situations, even though the shooter is usually also suicidal. The FBI said that clues of when someone is a suicide by cop suspect include having no demands, presenting no terms, advancing on police and reaching for or raising a weapon or imitation weapon. Tactics to defuse the situation include overtly showing compassion and offering help.
“If a weapon had been drawn,” Haden said, “law enforcement needs to address that threat immediately and take whatever actions necessary to protect themselves and the safety of people in the area. That’s just a very different approach, and this was not an active shooter. This is not a person who has shown a weapon to anyone. And so it’s just very different.”
The security camera footage of Balle-Mason showed the boy wearing socks but no shoes, sitting at the gas station and appearing to be waiting for officers to arrive, as dispatchers mentioned to the officer in the body camera footage when the officers arrived at the scene.
Researchers agree that it is rare for an active shooter to call the police in advance and to threaten to kill
officers. At the same time, one of the possible red flags cited by the Police Executive Research Forum for a suspected suicide by cop incident is a subject calling the police to threaten them.
In a “Suicide by Cop: Protocol and Training Guide” created by Police Executive Research Forum in 2019, researchers state that there are two kinds of “suicide by cop,” spontaneous and planned. The training said that a suicidal person might point a firearm at or even run at officers. It also says that a way to recognize whether a person is suicidal includes the subject behaving aggressively toward the police for no apparent reason.
“In the Los Angeles study of 419 Suicide by Cop incidents, 4% of the subjects had a firearm. Another 4% had a replica or fake weapon, and 5% had their hands in their pockets or otherwise appeared to possibly have a weapon. 16% of the subjects were armed with a knife,” the PERF study said.
The training also said the defining characteristics of “suicide by cop” incidents are that the subject will threaten the life of the officer or another person, or they will attempt to make the officer believe they pose such a threat, to give the officer no choice but to use lethal force to stop the threat.
“ Each year from 2015 to 2018, there were approximately 900 to 1,000 fatal officer-involved shootings in the United States,” PERF Suicide by Cop training said. “By various estimates, approximately 10% to 29% or more of officer-involved shootings involve Suicide by Cop incidents. Thus, it is reasonable to believe that there may be 100 or more fatal SbC incidents each year.”
PERF researchers recommend against “bark orders” because they can “heighten anxiety” and reduce compliance. Instead, PERF recommends making small, pointed requests to build trust and reduce panic. The officers in the incident demanded that Balle-Mason come to them with his arms up, rather than addressing him calmly.
Chamberlain said that Balle-Mason refused to comply with police during the intervention, which “has to be in conjunction with the suspect willing to have that intervention component.”
“All this individual would have had to do to stop was listen to the officers for one second and show his hands,” Chamberlain said. “If they had been able to have anything longer than 15 seconds, I guarantee you that dialogue would have changed.”
PERF recommends that officers say they are “here to help” and that pointing firearms gives a nonverbal message that dominates the interaction. They recommend maintaining distance, using cover, and keeping guns lowered unless a confirmed weapon is visible, which allows for calmer communication, according to
2019 data and research from a variety of sources cited.
“None of these officers want to get involved in those situations, but that’s what they do,” Chamberlain said during the press conference. “That’s what their role is. That’s what they’re here for. They’re here to serve, and they are using every tool, every opportunity, everything that they are trained to do, to do the best job that they possibly can in some incredibly, incredibly complex situations.”
The 18th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, known as CIRT, is investigating the shooting. Aurora police are conducting a parallel internal review.
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ARAPAHOE COUNTY
Veterans Day
All County offices will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 11 in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.
Help make Thanksgiving special for Human Services clients
More than 500 vulnerable children, their families, and individuals served by Arapahoe County Human Services need community support this Thanksgiving. Every year, staff brings complete Thanksgiving meals to hundreds of clients who would otherwise go without on the holiday. You can help by donating food (through Nov. 7) money, or your time. Learn how at arapahoeco.gov/ThanksgivingFoodDrive
This coming Veterans Day, the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs to join Operation Green Light and show support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from Nov. 4–11 By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported. Learn more at naco.org.
AROUND AURORA
Political dispute among Aurora Dems sparks racial bias, harassment claims
A political dispute among Aurora Democrats has erupted into allegations of racial bias, online harassment, name calling and political interference involving two state lawmakers.
The week’s long political melee began when an inflammatory text conversation between Aurora Public Schools Board candidate Anne Keke and fellow APS board candidate Kristin Westerberg was leaked to the media, the public and even posted on social media.
In the back-and-forth text, Keke comments on longtime Aurora Community activist, political candidate and now legislative aide Hashim Coates, a Democrat, not including her campaign in a social media general election endorsement post.
During the text conversation, Keke said that Westerberg was “controlling” Coates’ political opinions and actions.
At one point in the terse exchange, Westerberg calls Keke a “condescending bitch,” according to the texts and references made to them.
Coates said the dustup became public on Facebook and led to Aurora Democratic state Rep. Michael Carter attempting to pressure his employer, Colorado Springs Democratic Rep. Regina English, to rein in Coates’ political speech following an online endorsement post he made in October.
Coates called the outreach an effort to “leverage” his supervisor to suppress his First Amendment rights.
“English, what are your thoughts on Kristin Westerberg calling Dr. Keke a “condescending bitch” and your aide defending the white woman?” said Colorado Rep. Michael Carter in a Black Caucus chat with a mention of @Representative Dr. Regina English.
Carter denies that he in any way was trying to threaten Coates’ position by reaching out to English.
According to Coates and other Democrats, the controversy be-
gan Oct. 14, when he posted a “voter guide” on Facebook endorsing several candidates in Aurora’s upcoming municipal and school board elections.
In Aurora Public Schools, seven candidates are running for four atlarge seats. Five of the candidates are Democrats or supported by Democrats, including APS Board President Anne Keke.
Many of the Democratic candidates for school board and Aurora City Council have supported blocks of candidates, but the candidates have not run as a bloc. Republican candidates for city council and school board have run in a bloc, appearing together in regional advertisements, including ads in the Sentinel.
Coates, in his “Voter Guide,” endorsed APS school board candidates Tramaine Duncan and Kristin Westerberg. Duncan is an incumbent. Westerberg was the former chairperson of the Arapahoe County Democratic Party.
Coates has been a visible Aurora Democrat for several years, having run unsuccessfully in the past for offices, including Aurora City Council, state representative and most recently, Arapahoe County commissioner.
Coates, a progressive, has been involved with or at the center of disagreements with other local Democrats on and off for years.
He said last week that shortly after he posted his Voter Guide, he received critical texts from Keke Oct. 18, who was upset that Coates did not include her in his endorsement.
“This is Great!” Keke said in a text to Coates. “You are trying your absolute best to pick a fight with me. Won’t work, my friend.”
The texts were sent to Coates after Keke had a text conversation with Westerberg and accused Westerberg of “controlling” Coates, as he alludes to in his text messages to Keke.
Coates sent back caustic messages calling Keke self-centered and “narcissistic.”
The Sentinel has examined the texts, or screen shots of the texts.
The text from Coates was extensive, mostly expressing anger at Keke for saying Westerberg controls him.
The exchange referenced Westerberg saying she doesn’t know why Coates made a social media voter guide, and that she is only sharing the one with all four Democrat candidates.
“That’s between you and him,” Westerberg wrote to Keke. “I don’t know why he did that. Honestly. Everything I share has all four of us. Punch him,” adding a comic emoji.
Keke responded, saying, “That’s not between me and him.” She added that she has nothing against him, and he can provoke people, but it won’t work on her. Westerberg said, “fair enough,” and “he is who he is,” and does what he wants.
“And you all are using him,” Keke said in response.
Westerberg questions the statement, saying that Coates is her friend and neighbor and that she doesn’t control him.
Keke responded to Westerberg’s comments about not controlling Coates by saying, “Right.” She also said, “I’m sure he is your friend, sis,” and “Oh, okay,” in response to Westerberg saying she and Coates are friends.
The way the screenshots were cut, it was unclear whether much else was said before Westerberg responded with the comment that outraged multiple people over the next few days.
“You’re being a condescending bitch,” Westerberg said. “Don’t insult my intelligence.”
Keke asked if Westerberg had just insulted her.
APS school board candidates Anne Keke, center in red, and Kristin Mallory Westerberg, center in purple, on Oct. 28 at a political event. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“I will take a lot of shit from people and will let you guys treat me a certain way, but don’t come after my character,” Westerberg said with ellipses that were taken out for clarity in this Sentinel report.
Keke declined to comment on the controversy for this report.
That discourse leaked out, and on Oct. 26, local activist Maisha Fields, who operates the Dayton Street Opportunity Center in northwest Aurora, reposted comments about the text on
the Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission Facebook page, which Fields and Sean Moore manage.
“It has come to our attention that Kristen Westerberg made an inappropriate, disrespectful comment referring to the president of the Aurora Public School Board, Dr. Anne Keke, as a dumb bitch,” the post reads, mistakenly using the incorrect word before “bitch.” “Such a language is not only unprofessional, but it undermines the dignity of our school leadership and sets a poor example for students and community members who look to these individuals for guidance.”
At some point, the post was removed, but screenshots have since been circulated, showing the comments.
“We believe that disrespectful conduct, especially in public or professional settings, should not be tolerated.”
The post prompted Republican City Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky to “like it” and speak in support of Keke and Fields, saying she has been able to find common ground with both, along with friendship, despite political differences.
“Some of us are trying to build bridges while others want to keep the division and hatred fueled,” Jurinsky said in the post.
Jurinsky then pleaded for Aurora to keep Westerberg out of Aurora Public Schools.
The news then spread to Jeff Fard, known as Brother Jeff, who invited Maisha and Danielle Jurinsky onto his popular live-streamed Facebook show. The two discussed the situation, and Maisha said she supports Jurinsky and that they have been good friends despite their political differences. Maisha said that Jurinsky has never called a Black woman a “bitch.”
Fard’s show with Fields and Jurinsky currently has 3,900 views, according to the Facebook post.
Much of the criticism toward Westerberg implied that she was inherently racist for calling a Black woman a bitch.
Coates said he was upset about the growing reaction to his endorsements and subsequent fallout, but he was especially upset about allegations that he was controlled by someone, and the message exchange between Carter and his boss, English.
Coates said he considered Keke’s allegation and Carter’s remark about Westerberg, referring to “a white woman” as racially offensive.
Keke “crossed a moral line, claiming my decisions were not my own and that a white woman, Kristin Westerberg, was controlling me,” Coates said. “I was raised to believe that no one owns my body or my mind. To hear another Black person make that kind of statement was deeply insulting.”
Coates said the statements “echoed the racist mythology once used to justify violence against Black men and white women.”
Coates told the Sentinel he did not support Keke because she has deep ties to charter schools, while he was publicly educated, and that he thinks charter schools drain resources from public schools. He said Keke is also tied to One Main Street, a group identified earlier this month by the Colorado Sun as a so-called dark money group, a political nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its donors.
Coates said English, whom he works for, texted him to say that Carter messaged her about Coates having supported Westerberg.
She forwarded text screenshots from a Colorado Black Caucus chat between her and Carter, questioning why her aide was “defending the white woman.” English told Coates that she had messaged Carter, saying she declined to intervene.
“She told me she supports my right to free speech and that Rep. Carter should speak to me directly,” Coates said.
English declined to respond to requests from the Sentinel for comment.
“I’m not interested in your story, thanks,” English said in a text. “I do not do drama.”
Carter said he doesn’t see a problem with what he said and that he never threatened Coate’s job and does not consider his comments about Westerberg’s race as racist.
Another text message was sent to English from Carter via text, stating that Coates is continuously attacking him. The message was attached to a link post by Coates in a private Arapahoe Dems group, criticizing One Main Street, which Carter is a part of, and in the post, Coates said he would not be surprised if “someone” challenged Democratic state Rep. Jamie Jackson’s seat in the state house.
The Sentinel was unable to find any other public instances of “continuous attacks” by Coates.
Andrew Short, executive director of the One Main Street Colorado, liked the Facebook post involving Westerberg on the Colorado Black Civic Engagement Commission page before it was deleted.
Carter defended his support for Keke and for having asked questions about the controversy.
“As I have done throughout my career, I will continue to stand in solidarity with Black women,” Carter said in a statement. “This situation is not about me, nor is it about anyone attempting to portray themselves as a victim. It is about an individual referring to the president of my school board as a ‘condescending bitch.’
Any discussion that fails to focus on the seriousness of a prospective school board member using such language toward my board president is not a discussion worth my time.”
At the same time, many people, including Westerberg, have said that Keke and Westerberg have since made up. The two were seen getting along and laughing at each other’s jokes Oct. 30, at a school board and city council candidate panel at the Lotus for Excellence charter school in Aurora.
“A social media post mischaracterizing a private conversation between Dr. Anne Keke and me has been taken down, but some continue to spread rumors,” Westerberg told the Sentinel. “After that angry exchange, I met with Dr. Keke and apologized for my response and for using an inappropriate word. We’ve moved forward with mutual respect. My focus remains on Aurora’s students, families, and schools — and on leading with accountability and grace.”
She said that she rejects the false claim that she is racist or anti-Black, and that the attacks are deliberate distractions meant to divide and discredit.
“My record speaks for itself — I’ve spent the last decade uplifting working-class families in Aurora, regardless of race, religion, or economic status,” she said in a text. “Again, this was a private disagreement that was made unnecessarily public. Dr. Anne Keke and I have made amends and
moved on.”
Westerberg said she and Keke would be knocking on doors while campaigning together on Monday.
The series of confrontations has highlighted tensions within local Democratic circles, where disagreements over ideology and race have occasionally spilled into public view.
“It’s a very important election taking place in Aurora,” said Melissa Garland, chairperson of the Arapahoe County Democrats. “It’s two days away. Tensions are really high. Democrats are very passionate people and say things that they might regret. Things will be better on Tuesday when we start getting some election results.”
Coates said accusations that white political figures control Black activists have been used to discredit him before.
“Any time I don’t align with certain factions, they say I’m being manipulated,” he said. “It’s a way to delegitimize independent Black voices.”
Coates said he knew that bringing the statement to life would bring him backlash, but he was compelled to persist.
“All I wanted was to speak my truth and serve my community,” Coates said. “I was attacked, but I’ll keep standing. Our ancestors faced worse and still stood tall. That same strength runs through me. I won’t break. I’ll keep standing, speaking and serving, because my purpose is bigger than fear.”
— CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
COPS AND COURTS
Man, 19, faces vehicular homicide charges in fatal Aurora streetracing crash
A 19-year-old Denver man has faces vehicular homicide charges linked to a fatal street-racing crash early Nov. 1 in Aurora that left one man dead and two others injured, police said.
Aurora police were called to a single-vehicle rollover crash just west of East Alameda Parkway and South Chambers Road. at about 12:45 a.m., police said in a statement.
Investigators said a BMW sedan was racing east on Alameda from Sable Boulevard when the driver failed to make a curve in the road, hit a grocery store sign and rolled the car.
An adult male passenger died at the scene, police said. His name will be released later by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.
The driver, Edwin Rosales-Sandoval, 19, and a 17-year-old female passenger were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said Rosales-Sandoval was driving under the influence of alcohol and on a revoked license from a prior DUI conviction.
He was booked into the Aurora Municipal Detention Center and faces charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, driving under the influence and driving while his license was revoked.
— Sentinel Staff
Arrest warrant issued for suspect in fatal northwest Aurora shooting
Aurora police are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect wanted in connection with a fatal shooting last week in northwest Aurora.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Marcus Marcelles Harper McCray, 40, of Aurora, accused of first-degree murder, police said in a statement. The shooting occurred at about 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, in an apartment parking lot in the1500 block of Macon Street. Officers responded to reports of gunfire and found a 34-year-old unidentified Aurora man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
The victim, whose name will be released by the Adams County Coroner’s Office, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Police said investigators believe the suspect and victim knew each other. The original report described the incident as a shooting between acquaintances.
McCray is considered armed and dangerous, and police are urging anyone who sees him not to approach but to call 911.
— Sentinel Staff
Aurora police seek public’s help in finding suspect in July apartment shooting
Police are asking for the public’s help in tracking down a man accused
in a July shooting in northwest Aurora that left a man injured.
Investigators are looking for Douglas Andrew Read, 39, Aurora, who police say is linked to the shooting of an unidentified 39-year-old man at a northwest Aurora apartment.
Police were called to investigate reports of a shooting at about 1:15 a.m. July 31 at an apartment on the 3100 block of Peoria Street, police spokesperson Joe Moylan said in a statement.
Police said a man there had sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound during the shooting.
Aurora police Gun Violence Suppression Team investigators identified two suspects in the case.
After weeks of investigation, Anthony James Neal, 48, of Aurora, was arrested Oct. 2 by the Aurora Police Department Fugitive Apprehension and Narcotics Unit. Neal faces one count of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and is currently being held in an Adams County jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
Read remains at large despite investigators trying to track him down, police said.
He “remains outstanding and all leads generated to date have been exhausted,” Moylan said.
Detectives are asking anyone who has information about Read to contact Aurora police through Metro Denver Crime Stoppers or by calling 911.
“Read is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached by members of the community,” Moylan said.
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
Police seek public’s help in locating suspect in fatal Aurora shooting
Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a man suspected in a fatal shooting in the front yard of a Del Mar Park home Oct. 24, police said.
Investigators are searching for Diego Jimenez, 26, who they say shot and killed an unidentified man in front of a house near East Sixth Avenue and Del Mar Circle.
“Officers were dispatched to the area… just after 1 p.m. where they located an adult male lying in a front yard suffering from a single gunshot wound,” Aurora Police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement. “He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.”
Investigators said Jimenez and the shooting victim were embroiled in some kind of altercation when Jimenez shot the man.
Police said 41-year-old Sheena Fuentes faces accessory charges linked to her actions after the shooting. Police did not provide details on what those actions entailed.
Jimenez now faces charges of second-degree murder in the case, and police are asking that anyone without information about his whereabouts 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
Regular season wins weren’t as abundant has hoped for some Aurora area football programs, but the mettle forged even in defeat could pay off in the upcoming postseason.
The four local qualifiers for the Class 5A playoffs — Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview and Regis Jesuit — have a combined record of 19-21 that in many ways belies their ability.
The Cougars, Raptors and Wolves all took turns beating each other in Centennial League play to skew the mark, while the Raiders played a grueling non-league slate in addition to Southern League play.
FOOTBALL
Eaglecrest features the best record of the Aurora area qualifiers at 6-4, which includes three straight losses to playoff teams to end the regular season.
Coach Jesse German’s 14th-seeded Raptors, who will play host to No. 19 Legacy (6-4) in a game to be played at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at Stutler Bowl due to a logjam at Legacy Stadium, faced seven playoff qualifiers in 10 contests and were just a few plays away from winning two more games.
“We’ve been saying for weeks that every single game we’re going be in the playoffs is going to be a four-round fight that we have to be ready for,” German said. “Our schedule has been good, because we’ve been going against teams that are wellcoached, physical and consistently in the top 10. It does nothing but prepare you for the playoffs.”
Playoffs afoot
Cherokee Trail finished under .500 at 4-6, but on a schedule that saw nine of its 10 opponents qualify for the postseason — including both No. 1 seeds in Cherry Creek (5A) and Dakota Ridge (4A) — there will be no surprises.
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
“We’re definitely battle-tested,” said Cougars coach Justin Jajczyk, whose team is seeded No. 16 in the 24-team field. “We took some losses, but it’s a testament to our mental toughness and togetherness that we are where we are.”
After Cherokee Trail completed a non-league slate that included the 5A seeds 3 (Mountain Vista), 7 (Pine Creek), 20 (ThunderRidge) and 23 (Rocky Mountain) plus Dakota Ridge, Cherokee Trail went 2-3 in the rugged Centennial League (which got five of its six teams into the postseason).
A group of 12 sophomore starters — including quarterback Bryson Peterson — grew up exponentially in the gauntlet and combined with seniors such as Logan Posey, Evan Smith and others to create a team capable of winning its 4 p.m. Nov. 7 contest vs. No. 17 Fountain-Fort Carson (7-3) and more.
Eaglecrest has thrived on an outstanding defense and explosive special teams unit, while sophomore William Brinkman continues to grow since earning the starting quarterback job.
Grandview has qualified for the postseason for the 20th time in the past 21 seasons and enters it with a 5-5 record. Coach Tom Doherty’s team also had a loaded schedule, which helped it earn the No. 11 overall seed despite the .500 record. The Wolves played No. 2 Ralston Valley, No. 4 Legend and No. 19 Legacy in the non-league ahead of Centennial League play.
“When you play the schedule we played, you want to experience those tight games and see those physical opponents to develop hard bark on the outside of the tree,” said Doherty, whose team has a 7:30 p.m. game Nov. 7 at Legacy Stadium vs. No. 22 Chatfield (4-6).
Regis Jesuit faced No. 1 Cherry Creek and No. 5 Valor Christian plus Arizona power Brophy Prep in the non-league, while No. 4 Legend and No. 7 Pine Creek were only part of the Southern League slate. Coach Danny
have had
Filleman’s Raiders — who
the lead in many games, even losses — are the lone area team with a first round road game, as the No. 21 seed plays at No. 12 Erie (6-4) at 6:30 p.m.
Below left: Sophomore running back Clyde Surrell IV has been a solid contributor in the run game for Eaglecrest, the No. 14 seed in the Class 5A playoffs.
Middle left: Junior offensive lineman Daniel Buckeye (75) and 11th-seeded Grandview have been tested all season in preparation for the 5A playoffs.
Left: Sophomore quarterback Bryson Peterson (7) has developed well during a rugged regular season, which could pay off for 16th-seeded Cherokee Trail in the 5A playoffs.
Above: Sophomore quarterback Luke Rubley (12) and 21st-seeded Regis Jesuit have had the lead in many games during the course of a 4-6 regular season.
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/ AURORA SENTINEL
McKenna Groen took an unexpected dip near the end of the Class 5A girls state cross country race Nov. 1, but it didn’t keep her off the medal podium.
In fact, the Regis Jesuit freshman’s stumble at the water crossing on the way into the closing stretch at the Norris Penrose Event Center improved her standing among the top 10.
Groen recovered from her spill and surged to the finish line for an Aurora-area ninth-place finish in her state meet debut.
Knowledge of the course from running the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede back on Aug. 23 (at which she finished third) helped her know how much race was left in front of her after the mishap.
Groen was able to edge Fossil Ridge’s Avery Breitigam by 0.04 of a second to place ninth, which gave the Regis Jesuit girls program its highest finish at the state meet since Isalina Colsman took seventh in 2017.
Final finish line
“This race was definitely way harder than I thought and I fell in the water, so I thought ‘I’m not going to get top 10,’ but I made my kick and got it,” said Groen, who finished the challenging 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 8 seconds, to secure one of the coveted all-state positions.
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
Groen had a very strong debut season and earned her way through regionals as an individual to get a chance to run in the state meet for the first time.
After a week in which she said she had to make an urgent care visit because of lymph node soreness, Groen suffered a bit of a case of nerves prior to toeing the start line.
“If anyone saw me before this, I was panicking and thinking I might not get 15, so I was just processing what was going to happen,” she said.
Once the race actually started, Groen adhered to a conservative race plan — fighting the urge to try to stay with Niwot star Addison Ritzenhein, who cruised to her third straight individual state championship — and bided her time alongside a former club teammate (Arapahoe’s Maeve Vancik) for two-thirds of the race.
Then came the creek crossing.
“I’m just not great at water crossings and its not even big, but I just like fell in the mud,” Groen said. “But after that I actually made up a place.”
Next among Aurora area qualifiers in the girls race came fellow freshman Madison Lange, who finished 21st in her debut for Cherokee Trail, which finished 17th as a team. Juniors Jade McDaniel and Clara Kapfer took 78th and 81st, respectively, to help the Cougars, which got its other two scores from Ellie Van Fossen (132) and Elizabeth Skibitskii (142nd). Eaglecrest junior Jenna Winn took 40th in her second state trip.
The 5A boys state race took place is crisp conditions to open the day and it was a difficult day for Aurora area competitors in a stacked field of national caliber teams and individuals.
In the first season under new head coach Jason Dalby, Cherokee Trail finished in 12th place behind the top area result from senior Dylan Smith, who was 38th individually in a time of 16 minutes, 11.9 seconds. Junior Jaxon Weber wasn’t far behind in 58th, while senior Josh Chadeayne (84th) and junior Kenneth English (96th) finished in the top 100 as the Cougars accrued a team score of 338 points.
Brandon Pearcy gave Vista PEAK Prep its first-ever boys state individual qualifier and the emerging junior was the third Aurora area competitor to cross the finish line as his 16:26.7 put him in 63rd place. The Regis Jesuit duo of senior Liam Martin and freshman Luis Duarte finished 90th and 159th, respectively.
Lotus School For Excellence had a track record of individual success in the 2A boys state race in recent years — with a state champion in Kidus Begashaw in 2020 and a runner-up in Biruk Begashaw last season — and had another qualifier this season in junior Kamal Khalif. In his state debut, Khalif ran 18:06.6 to finish in 40th place.
Top: Regis Jesuit freshman and ninth-place finisher McKenna Groen, far right, stands with the other top 10 finishers on the medal podium after the Class 5A girls cross country state race Nov. 1 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
Above: Cherokee Trail senior Dylan Smith (38) gets off to a strong start on his way to 38th in the 5A boys cross country state race. Left: Cherokee Trail freshman Madison Lange (199) passes the mile mark on her way to 21st place in the 5A girls race.
Below: Eaglecrest junior Jenna Winn nears the finish line as she finished 40th in the 5A girls race. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
FOOTBALL
Aurora teams go 1-10 in week 10 of regular season
The final week of the regular season was lean on wins for Aurora area prep football teams, as only Cherokee Trail ended victorious.
The Cougars — one of four Aurora area teams to qualify for the Class 5A state playoffs — defeated Smoky Hill 35-7 in a Centennial League finale at Legacy Stadium Oct. 30 to complete a 4-6 regular season.
Cherokee Trail got two passing touchdowns from Bryson Peterson — one apiece to Rayshon Stanley and Jordan Mitchell — while Owen Newell piled up 130 yards rushing and crossed the goal line twice. Cherokee Trail added a defensive score when linebacker Nico Mavromat returned a fumble for a touchdown. The Buffaloes — who finished the regular season 2-8 — got on the scoreboard in the third quarter on a nice drive that culminated in a touchdown pass from Jayden Hopkins to Eduardo Rodarte.
Set to join Cherokee Trail in the postseason is Grandview, which dropped a 52-15 Centennial League finale to Cherry Creek Oct. 31 at Legacy Stadium in a game in which the Wolves were missing some key pieces. Blitz McCarty and backup Lander Wise each threw touchdown passes for Grandview, while Noah Galvez knocked through a field goal to round out the scoring.
Eaglecrest’s regular season came to a close with a 28-23 loss to Arapahoe Oct. 31 at Littleton Public Schools Stadium. Quarterback William Brinkman rushed for a touchdown and twice found Quincy Clayton with scoring passes for the Raptors.
Regis Jesuit tried to end the regular season with a bang, as it took a double-digit lead at halftime over Legend Oct. 31 at EchoPark Stadium. That advantage disappeared in the final two quarters, however, as the Titans scored 28 unanswered points to deal the Raiders a 42-28 defeat. Luke Rubley accounted for all four touchdowns for Regis Jesuit (5-5) with two touchdowns passes apiece to Colt Jones and Cade Filleman.
Rangeview piled up 30 points on the scored at Mullen Oct. 31, but couldn’t keep pace with Mullen in a 5230 defeat. The Raiders did the majority of their scoring on the ground, as quarterback Tyson Tuck rushed for a pair of scores, while Kylen Mack and Kemariahe Brown also reached paydirt in addition to a field goal from Caleb Granger.
Vista PEAK Prep lost a shootout with Legacy Oct. 30 at APS Stadium that saw Canaan Barthlow throw five touchdown passes for the Bison. Barthlow connected with Isaiah Watson and Joshua Gallien for two scores apiece, while Caiden Mallard hauled in the other scoring strike for Vista PEAK Prep, which finished 4-6.
Aurora Central’s season came to an end with a 19-14 road loss against Denver North. The Trojans finished at 5-5 and with their most wins since an eight-win 2021 season. Gateway’s 3-7 season came to a conclusion with a 416 loss at Cheyenne Mountain Oct. 30, Overland finished the campaign without a victory, as Northglenn picked up a 53-0 win over the Trailblazers Oct. 30 at Stutler Bowl.
Hinkley is the only team with a
game remaining in the regular season (a Nov. 6 home game against Littleton), but remains looking for its first win after a 62-0 defeat of league-leading Holy Family.
FIELD HOCKEY
Cherry Creek knocks out Regis Jesuit in heartbreaking semifinal
The Regis Jesuit field hockey team dug itself out of a two-goal hole in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 3 state championship semifinal against Cherry Creek, but couldn’t complete the comeback in a heartbreaking defeat.
The fifth-seeded Raiders played the top-seeded and defending state champion Bruins to a 2-2 deadlock through four quarters and two 10-minute overtime periods at frigid All-City Stadium, only to get outscored 2-0 on penalty strokes as Cherry Creek advanced to the Nov. 5 state championship game to play third-seeded Kent Denver.
Coach Spencer Wagner’s Regis Jesuit team advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2022 and finished the season 10-8 overall.
Junior Sam Beatty and sophomore Phoebe Lane had the goals for the Raiders, who saw Lane, juniors
Katie Rasure and Natalie Chilton and senior Jane Zilvitis denied in the penalty stroke shootout. Senior goalie Izzy Golding stopped two of the four shots she faced in the penalty stroke round for Regis Jesuit.
BOYS SOCCER
Cherokee Trail, Regis Jesuit make it through 1st round of 5A state playoffs
Half of the Aurora area presence in the Class 5A boys soccer state playoffs has disappeared, but half remains ahead of the second round Nov. 4.
Both of the local teams that played at home in the opening round Oct. 29 — No. 6 Regis Jesuit and No. 12 Cherokee Trail — prevailed, while the two road teams (No. 19 Smoky Hill and No. 29 Vista PEAK Prep) went down to defeat.
Newburn. Regis Jesuit returns to its home turf for a second round contests against 11th-seeded Denver North, which topped No. 22 Arapahoe 1-0 in the first round.
For full playo coverage, visit sentinelcolorado. com/preps
On the other side of the state bracket, Cherokee Trail defeated No. 21 Columbine 3-0 at Legacy Stadium to advance. Caleb Burgess accounted for two of the Cougars’ goals (with assists to Cale Bruce and Mason Rebledo), while he assisted on Isaac Wells’ goal as well. Cherokee Trail’s second round contest sent it to No. 5 Denver East, a 4-0 winner over No. 28 Rocky Mountain in the opening round. Second round winners advance to the Nov. 8 quarterfinals.
At Lou Kellogg Stadium, Regis Jesuit tallied in each half and defeated No. 27 Lakewood 2-0 in the opening round. Rory Schmeider put the Raiders in front in the opening half on a pass from Bachus, while Hugh Brophy doubled the lead in the second half when he tallied off long pass from Broderick
Smoky Hill made its first state tournament appearance since 2019 and the Buffaloes battled with host and No. 14 Denver South before falling 1-0 on a second-half goal.
Smoky Hill finished 10-5-1 and cracked double digits in the win column for the first time since 2014.
Vista PEAK Prep made a third straight postseason trip, but remains in search of the program’s first playoff win after a 4-0 loss to No. 4 Legacy.
The Bison surrendered all four goals to the unbeaten Lightning in the second half and finished the season 8-7-1.
BOYS SOCCER
Meteors begin play in 2nd round of 2A tourney
The Lotus School For Excellence boys soccer team got a bye in the opening round of the Class 2A state playoffs as the No. 8 overall seed. The Meteors (12-2-1) had a Nov. 5 home game against No. 9 SkyView Academy (12-4), which posted a victory in the opening round. The 2A quarterfinals are Nov. 8.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Cougars, Raptors, Bison earn way into 5A regionals
Three Aurora area girls volleyball teams extended their seasons by qualifying for the Class 5A regional postseason when the 36-team field was revealed by the Colorado High School Activities Association Nov. 3. Cherokee Trail — the Aurora area’s lone 5A state tournament qualifier — ended up highest as the No. 19 team, which sends it on the road as part of
›› See PREPS, 11
TOP: Regis Jesuit’s Phoebe Lane, right, vies with Cherry Creek goalie Leonah Mendelsberg during a penalty stroke attempt at the end of a state championship semifinal field hockey game Nov. 3 at All-City Stadium. The Bruins prevailed in the shootout. ABOVE: Smoky HIll’s Eduardo Rodarte secures a touchdown pass during the Buffaloes’ 35-7 Centennial League football loss to Cherokee Trail Oct. 30 at Legacy Stadium. RIGHT: Vista PEAK Prep’s Canaan Barthlow (5) fires a ball downfield as Isaiah Watson breaks open in the Bison’s loss to Legacy Oct. 30. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
the Nov. 7 Region 6 tournament hosted by sixth-seeded Ralston Valley. The Cougars (14-8) join the host Mustangs (19-4) and No. 31 Golden (13-10) in the battle to claim the regional’s spot in the Nov. 14-15 state tournament.
Also headed on the road is Eaglecrest, the No. 27 overall seed, which is part of the Region 10 tournament slated for Nov. 8 at Pine Creek High School. The Raptors (14-9) play host and 10th-seeded Pine Creek (17-6) and No. 15 Monarch (18-5) back-to-back starting at 10 a.m. to begin the tournament.
Vista PEAK Prep qualified as the No. 32 seed and will also travel south, as the Bison (16-7) pay a visit to Rampart High School for the Region 5 tournament. Host Rampart (21-2) is the No. 5 overall seed, while No. 20 Northfield (17-6) — Vista PEAK Prep’s fellow City League program — also will be onhand.
The winner of each 12-team regional advances to the state tournament.
GYMNASTICS
Overland takes 2nd in Region 1, qualifies as team for 5A state meet
The Overland co-op gymnastics team will return to the Class 5A state meet yet again after posting a runner-up finish in the Region 1 meet on home mats Oct. 30.
Coach Lisa Sparrow’s Trailblazers earned a team score of 174.400 points, which was just a little bit behind regional champion Chatfield at 174.525. Both teams moved into the field of the 5A state meet, which is scheduled for Nov. 6-8 at Thornton High School. Overland’s highest regional score came on the balance beam with a 44.350.
Junior Abby Mess won a close race for the regional all-around title with a score of 35.500, while freshman Josie Arlt grabbed fifth place with a 34.500. Sophomore Stephanie Fernandes also had a strong performance with the second-best score on the balance beam (9.250) and third-best result on the floor (9.175).
The 5A team state competition is set to begin at 1:10 p.m. Nov. 6, while the top 15 scorers in each event will move on to the individual event finals, which as are scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Nov. 8.
WEEK PAST
The week past in Aurora prep sports
MONDAY, NOV. 3: The only competition came for the Regis Jesuit field hockey team, which lost to Cherry Creek on penalty strokes in a state championship semifinal. ...
SATURDAY, NOV. 1:The Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team closed out the regular season with a 3-1 performance at the Rangeview Raider Classic, which also saw host Rangeview finish 1-3. The Bison downed the Raiders (25-22, 25-21) as well as Brighton (25-12, 25-20) and Thomas Jefferson (25-19, 25-21), while they suffered a lone defeat against Centaurus (25-18, 25-21), while Rangeview edged Basalt 25-17, 23-25, 15-8 and the lost to Vista PEAK Prep, Silver Creek (26-24, 26-24) and Centaurus (25-12, 25-11). ... The Grandview girls volleyball team posted a pair of wins in the Sports Corp bracket of the Cheyenne Mountain tournament with a four-set defeat of Platte Valley (17-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-20) and a three-set victory over Longmont (29-27, 25-16, 25-15). That gave the Wolves a final season record of 11-12. ...FRIDAY, OCT. 31: The Grand-
Junior Abby
routine as she
gymnastics team to second place at the Class 5A Region 1 gymnastics meet Oct. 30 at Overland High School. Mess won the all-around competition. TOP RIGHT: Smoky Hill’s Kevin Torres, right, defends Denver South’s Augustus Whitlock near midfield during the Buffaloes’ 1-0 loss to the Ravens in a Class 5A boys soccer first round state playoff game Oct. 29. MIDDLE RIGHT: Regis Jesuits Diego Torres (16) heads a ball over Lakewood’s Owen Bock (5) during the second half of a 5A boys soccer first round state playoff game the Raiders won 2-0 Oct. 29 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. ABOVE LEFT: Vista PEAK Prep’s Sanaya Wyatt (15) and Emily Peterson (6) put up a block against a Denver East attacker in the Bison’s five-set win in the third-place match of the Gold Division of the City League girls volleyball tournament Oct. 28 at Vista PEAK Prep. ABOVE RIGHT: Members of the Eaglecrest girls volleyball team wait at the net to shake hands with Mullen players after the Mustangs’ fans swarmed the court following Mullen’s five-set win over Eaglecrest in the Centennial League Challenge championship match Oct. 28. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
view girls volleyball team dropped its opener of the Cheyenne Mountain tournament to Lewis-Palmer (25-19, 25-23, 25-18), but bounced back with a 25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12 win over Discovery Canyon at World Arena. ...The Grandview field hockey team’s season came to a close with a 3-0 loss to St. Mary’s Academy in a state consolation bracket quarterfinal contest. ...THURSDAY, OCT. 30: The Regis Jesuit field hockey team scored a goal in each half and upset Arapahoe 2-1 in a state championship
quarterfinal contest at LPS Centennial Stadium. ...The Smoky Hill field hockey team blanked visiting Dakota Ridge 5-0 in a state consolation quarterfinal contest. Riley Leeser needed just two saves to finish the shutout, while Peyton McIlroy was among the goal scorers. ...WEDNESDAY, OCT.
29: The Aurora West College Prep Academy boys soccer team dropped a 5-2 contest at KIPP Denver Collegiate in a Class 3A state tournament opening round game. The Spartans allowed four goals in the second half
after playing the White Tigers to a 1-1 tie at the break. ...TUESDAY, OCT.
28: The Eaglecrest girls volleyball team took a two-set lead in its visit to Mullen before the Mustangs rallied to win the Centennial League Challenge championship match 25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 15-10. Anayah Rucker racked up 21 kills and had seven aces for the Raptors, who also got 13 kills from Taylor Slothower plus double-digit assists from both Natalia Jarzebczyk (23) and Caitlin Lengefield (16). Third place in the tourna-
ment went to Cherokee Trail, which dealt Cherry Creek a 25-19, 25-21, 26-28, 25-20 defeat with the help of Rachel Miller’s 11 kills, Alize Flores’ 20 digs and Avery Krause’s 31 assists, while Grandview earned fifth place with a 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 2513 victory over Smoky Hill and Overland lost in three sets to Arapahoe to place eighth. ...The Rangeview and Hinkley girls volleyball teams finsihed second and fifth, respectively, in the Silver Division bracket of the City League Tournament.
TOP LEFT:
Mess performers her uneven bars
helps the Overland co-op
The Magazine
Smashing
pumpkins in Aurora creates
a
soaring lesson for Vista PEAK students
“AT FIRST, IT JUST WASN’T WORKING. THE PUMPKIN KEPT HITTING THE WEIGHT OR FALLING OFF. ONCE WE ADDED BOTH BARS, IT FINALLY CLICKED.”
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
Abright pumpkin soars across the autumn sky the day before Halloween, landing with a satisfying splotch. Around it, teams of Vista PEAK Preparatory students cheer as they measure their distance and compare designs of the machines they made to launch them.
The third annual APS Pumpkin Chunkin brings engineering and construction students together to put their skills to the test in a friendly, high-flying competition that’s as educational as it is entertaining.
“This is our third year doing this,” said engineering instructor Colin DeGroot, who coleads the event with construction teacher Jim Prager. “This is our first year kind of blowing it up and making it this big.”
Aurora Public Schools launched this year’s event into something bigger by inviting industry partners and even the district, and it proved to be a smashing success. DeGroot and Prager said they are excited to see it grow in the future years.
The event represents a collaboration between APS’s four-year engineering education pathway and its construction program, ConstrucTECH, which is now in its third year.
About half the competitors are engineering students, from freshmen to seniors, designing and simulating trebuchets from scratch.
Using software like Autodesk Fusion and Onshape, they model, test and refine their machines, applying physics principles such as applied force, friction reduction and projectile motion before ever cutting a piece of wood, DeGroot said.
“Our freshmen usually build simpler models,” said DeGroot. “By sophomore and senior year, they’ve learned tool usage and mechanics, so they get more creative, adding whippers and other features that require precision and testing.”
One group of engineering students, Christian Hamm, Hannah Friesen, and Alyssa Andrews, designed a trebuchet with a whipper, affectionately named Jessica, which launched
farther than the other engineering group by that point.
“I just thought it was ironic,” Andrews said. “Jessica sounds like such an innocent name, but she doesn’t look very innocent.”
The team’s “whipper” design was inspired by a model from last year’s competition, but with serious upgrades.
“We took a lot of inspiration from our teacher’s design,” Hamm said. “But we added better supports and added better spacing.”
Their innovations included a control bar to prevent the counterweight from striking the throwing arm and a release bar to hold the pumpkin in place for a critical half-second before launch, ensuring smoother acceleration and preventing premature dropping. Each student took turns explaining.
Jessica didn’t soar on the first try.
“We probably had five test launches total,” Hamm said. “At first, it just wasn’t working. The pumpkin kept hitting the weight or falling off. Once we added both bars, it finally clicked.”
Come competition time, the trio’s trebuchet launched a pumpkin 88.9 yards at 14.6 yards per second, earning them the top spot among engineering teams.
Their success came through careful math and modeling.
“I went through a calculation, trial and error, basically plugging in different numbers into a formula and seeing which measurements would be the best, which is actually how we came up with the length of our throwing arm,” Andrews said.
The design is not the most important part either.
“The hardest part is developing the sling mechanism, like building the construction is easy, but getting that, like timing of the release and all that, that’s where the practice comes in,” Degroot said.
Construction students, by contrast, start with blueprints provided by instructors, learning to follow plans, read scale drawings and execute accurate cuts, Prager said. In their
second year, students focus on understanding scale and specifications of technical drawings, they practice reading tape measures, building projects according to detailed specifications and work with tolerances.
They are tested on how closely their builds match the required specs. This project work helps the construction students develop accuracy and prepares them for more advanced work in construction, Prager said.
“Our design elements are slightly different, just because we emphasize more of the build than we do the math iterations, the process of that kind of prefab,” Prager said.
For the first time, local construction and engineering firms joined the Pumpkin Chunkin lineup, building their own trebuchets and mentoring students. Participants included Adolfson and Peterson Construction, JE Dunn Construction, Fransen Pittman Builders and Flintco Construction, along with Industry Builders, a local Aurora firm that has hosted students for site tours and training.
“It’s impossible to be successful without strong community and industry partners,” Prager said.
The event allowed students to talk to local industry partners and possibly network for internships or jobs after they graduate.
“Their involvement outside of this event is in our classroom,” Prager said. “Every one of these companies has been in our space, has been talking to kids and helping.”
They donate time, tools, mentorship and even tech demos, Prager said. Flintco, for example, brought in an AI design program earlier this year.
Some students who have been in the program since it began three years ago have already found jobs in the field.
Each company competed with its own “machine” design, with students and companies launching pumpkins up to 300 feet. Students used pumpkins sourced from a local farm, Trinity Acres Pumpkin Patch in Byers, selecting the ones with the ideal weight and size for optimal launch performance.
While the friendly rivalry between pathways and professionals adds excitement, the instructors said the goal goes far beyond competition.
“In engineering, we design completely from scratch,” DeGroot said. “So the students do the research, they simulate, they collect data, they develop CAD plans for their trebuchets, and then they test them and refine them for the launch.”
The event gives students a full-circle experience, DeGroot said. Students can move from design from scratch to building to launch, working through problem-solving, safety and iteration. The students also get to be competitive for multiple years, taking their mistakes this year to plan better designs next year.
“Because engineering kind of lives in iteration, they tend to get better as they go through,” Degroot said.
On the construction side, first-year construction pathway students master basic tools and safety procedures, while advanced students refine their interpretation of technical drawings and tolerances of their “machines.”
“Some of them, it’s the very first time they’ve ever held a power tool or used a power tool,” Prager said. “And so it’s repetition. It’s rinse and repeat.”
Both pathways are rapidly expanding, the teachers said.
The construction pathway program now enrolls 125 students across seven classes, offering dual-enrollment college credit through the Community College of Aurora, Prager said. Graduates can either pursue an associate degree in construction management, which is transferable to CSU or CU Denver, or head directly into trade apprenticeships.
The long-term goal is to continue growing the Pumpkin Chunkin into a larger community event that showcases student innovation and industry collaboration, both teachers said.
“It’s fun to see them be successful,” Prager said. “We have such good kids in both engineering and construction that we were expecting success. We just have such rad kids.”
Students, teachers and engineering professionals watch as a team launches a pumpkin Oct. 30, 2025 at Vista PEAK Preparatory.
PHOTO BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Sta Writer
scene & herd
Prehistoric Eras Tour at Aurora History Museum
Step millions of years into the past during the Prehistoric Eras Tour, a lecture series tied to the museum’s “Prehistoric Aurora” exhibition. Local scientists and paleontologists will guide visitors through Colorado’s evolving landscape, from the days when trilobites roamed ancient seas to the Ice Age giants that once walked the Front Range. Attendees can explore real fossils unearthed during Aurora construction projects and learn how shifting climates shaped the region. The talks are designed for families, students and anyone curious about the deep natural history beneath their feet.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 6, 7, 8 and 12. Times vary. Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway. The Event is free. Details at auroramuseum.org
Guys and Dolls Jr.
Big-city charm meets youthful enthusiasm in Guys and Dolls Jr., a lively stage adaptation of the Broadway classic performed by a youth cast. Set in 1940s New York, the show follows gambler Sky Masterson, who bets he can win the heart of missionary Sarah Brown, and small-time schemer Nathan Detroit, who just wants to keep his floating crap game alive. Expect toe-tapping songs, fast-paced dance numbers and plenty of laughs as the young performers bring Broadway flair to Aurora’s local stage. Families and theater fans alike will find this a fun introduction to musical comedy.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 6–8, 7–8:30 p.m. at the People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $24-$29.Details at thepeoplesbuilding.com.
Denver Film Festival returns for its 48th year
One of the Rocky Mountain region’s largest film events, the Denver Film Festival returns with 10 days of screenings, red carpets and filmmaker Q&As. Now in its 48th year, the festival features a lineup of international features, documentaries, shorts and local films, offering a window into stories and perspectives from across the globe. Film lovers can catch award contenders before their wide release and connect directly with the creative voices behind the camera. From glitzy premieres to late-night indie screenings, the festival remains a celebration of cinema in all its forms.
IF YOU GO: Through Nov. 9. Times and venues vary across Denver. Tickets $14–$18. denverfilm.org
First Friday Art Exhibition: The Glass Art of Brian Bowles
Aurora’s November First Friday shines a spotlight on local artist Brian Bowles, whose glassworks explore the interplay of light, color and movement. Bowles’ handcrafted pieces, ranging from delicate ornaments to sculptural forms, reveal a balance of precision
and spontaneity that makes glass such a dynamic medium. Guests can meet the artist, enjoy light refreshments and browse the gallery in a relaxed, community atmosphere. The monthly First Friday showcases are a cornerstone of Aurora’s growing arts scene, drawing collectors and casual art lovers alike. When you’re done or before you go, stroll the Colfax corridor and discover the creative energy of Aurora’s artists during other events on the First Friday Aurora Arts Walk. Enjoy live music, street performances, food vendors and open studios where artists display everything from paintings and pottery to jewelry and digital art. Visitors can shop local, meet makers and enjoy pop-up exhibits that transform the district into a vibrant, walkable gallery. It’s a night of culture, connection and community spirit that captures Aurora’s creative pulse.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 7, 5–8 p.m. The People’s Building, 9735 E. Colfax Ave. and beyond. Details and other First Friday events at acadartdistrict.com
Kids’ Vendor Event at Stanley Marketplace
Entrepreneurial spirit takes center stage at the Kids’ Vendor Event at Stanley Marketplace, where young creators turn their handmade crafts, baked goods and inventions into small businesses for a day. The event teaches kids valuable lessons in marketing, pricing and customer service while inviting the community to support their creativity. Visitors can expect a mix of crafts, jewelry, artwork, and tasty treats — all made and sold by local kids eager to share their talents. It’s equal parts marketplace and mentorship opportunity.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 7. Hours vary. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St. Free to attend. stanleymarketplace.com
SCFD Free Night at Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Families can explore towering dinosaur skeletons, Egyptian mummies and dazzling space exhibits, all for free. It’s the SCFD Free Night at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The event, funded by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, opens the museum’s doors after hours, giving visitors a chance to enjoy the exhibits without the daytime crowds. With hands-on activities, interactive displays and access to all the museum’s major halls, it’s an affordable way to experience one of Denver’s top attractions.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 8, 5–9 p.m. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. More at dmns.org
The Pond Ice Rink opening celebration
Bundle up and glide into the winter season as The Pond Ice Rink opens for another year of outdoor skating in Aurora. Families and friends can enjoy public sessions under the lights, complete with music, hot chocolate and cozy fire pits. The seasonal rink has become a favorite local hangout, offering lessons, hockey sessions and themed skate nights throughout the season. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, it’s the perfect place to celebrate winter fun.
IF YOU GO: Opens Nov. 8. 6155 S. Main St. $15 admission includes skates and rink time. Details at thepondicerink.com
Denver Veterans Day Run at City Park
Lace up for a good cause at the Denver Veterans Day Run, a patriotic 5K and 10K honoring those who’ve served. Runners, walkers and families are invited to
join this community race through scenic City Park, followed by a festive post-race celebration. Proceeds benefit local veterans’ organizations, supporting health and wellness programs for Colorado’s service members. Expect a sea of red, white and blue — and a strong sense of community pride.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 8, morning starts at 7:30 a.m. for some events. City Park in Denver. Prices start at $32.80. Registration is required at denverveteransday.com
Festival of Wreaths at Aurora History Museum
The holiday season begins early with the Festival of Wreaths, a long-running fundraiser and art showcase at the Aurora History Museum. Local businesses, artists and organizations design and donate creative wreaths that are displayed throughout the museum. Visitors can vote for their favorites and bid in an online auction, with proceeds funding the museum’s internship program. The display offers a festive blend of art, tradition and community goodwill.
IF YOU GO: Through Dec. 5, during museum hours. Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway. Admission is free. Details at auroragov.org/ wreaths
The Mynabirds live in Aurora
Known for their poetic lyrics and soulful indie pop sound, The Mynabirds bring an intimate concert to Aurora’s Cultural
Arts District. Fronted by singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn, the band’s performances blend emotional depth with rhythmic energy, moving easily from hushed ballads to soaring anthems. Fans can expect an evening of original music filled with heart, honesty and connection — a rare chance to experience a nationally touring artist in a local setting.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 11, 7–8 p.m. at Manos Sagrados, 9975 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $25. Go to undertowshows. com.
Aurora Rhythms presents CL Fondal
Soul, pop and rock collide in Aurora Rhythms Presents CL Fondal, a powerhouse concert by one of Colorado’s most dynamic vocalists. Fondal’s high-energy performance mixes smooth grooves with big-stage charisma, delivering both heartfelt ballads and dance-worthy hits. The Aurora Rhythms series continues to highlight diverse musical talent, and this concert promises to be one of its standout shows of the year.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 12, 6:30–8 p.m. at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $5. Go to aurorafoxartscenter.org
Ghostlight at Everyman Theatre
Step behind the curtain into the eerie world of Ghostlight, a chilling collection of theatrical ghost stories told from the viewpoint of those who live and breathe
the stage. From mysterious footsteps in the wings to legends of haunted playhouses, each story explores the supernatural side of performance life. Equal parts spooky and soulful, this production offers a perfect blend of mystery and theatrical magic.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 12, 7:30–9:30 p.m.. Everyman Theatre at the Vintage, 1468 Dayton St. Tickets are $27–$35. Go to everymantheatre.org
Trivia Night with Denver Trivia League
Put your knowledge to the test during Trivia Night with the Denver Trivia League, a lively evening of fun facts and friendly competition. Teams face off on topics ranging from pop culture to world history, all while enjoying food, drinks and plenty of laughs. Whether you’re a trivia veteran or just in it for fun, the event offers a perfect midweek escape and a great chance to meet new people in the community.
IF YOU GO: Nov. 12, 7 p.m.. The People’s Building, 9735 E. Colfax Ave. Free to participate. Go to denvertrivialeague.com
SCAN NOW
VIEW JOBS
HEART warming Aurora readies a new direction in dealing with homeless with a specialty court, a special unit and soon-to-open center
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
Aurora’s Regional Navigation Campus, serving people who are homeless, opens in a couple weeks, and in the meantime, officials say the city has been cracking down hard on people camping in public and expanding its diversion program for homelessness-related crimes.
Aurora’s Housing Employment Assistance and Recovery Team, also known as HEART Court, a specialty city court designed to divert defendants linked to a variety of crimes associated with homelessness from traditional prosecution, is expanding its reach as the city readies the Navigation Campus.
“It’s a true diversion program, so it’s pre-plea, pre-adjudication,” said Aurora Municipal Court Chief Judge Shawn Day, who oversees the court. “If the person agrees to participate in the program, they’re removed from the traditional criminal justice prosecution process, and they’re put into a diversion program, and if they’re successful with the program, then their case is actually dismissed.”
Essentially, if someone facing a jail sentence for a public camping infraction can avoid jail by joining the program and adhering to its requirements.
Day said the court includes only Aurora municipal cases and has no jurisdiction in other districts or cities.
The Navigation Campus, which is set to open Nov. 17, will centralize housing and recovery services, including HEART court sessions, which will move to the campus when it opens, alongside the city’s network of outreach programs addressing homelessness.
The Navigation Campus is a large converted hotel on the city’s northwest border with Denver, near I-70 and Peña Boulevard.
“We’re hoping people actually show up to court because they’re at the Navigation Campus,” Jessica Prosser, the
director of Housing and Community Services for Aurora, said, “versus having that barrier of not appearing for court.”
The idea is that the individual will be at the campus for shelter or housing services and will be more likely to attend their HEART court date inside the same building.
Some of these outreach efforts are also tied to the new Potomac Pavilion on Potomac Street near Sixth Avenue, through Aurora Mental Health and Recovery, which will provide walk-in addiction care, psychiatric care and residential treatment beds when it opens in early 2026.
“What we’re trying to do is help people so that they can get out of the cycle that a lot of people will find themselves in, being justice involved, and they really get to a point of stability, self-sustainability, and get the care that they individually need,” Day said.
The HEART Court launched in February 2025 after it was approved by city council the previous June.
It operates as a diversion program, offering voluntary participation to people cited for low-level offenses such as trespassing, camping or open-container violations. Participants are connected with “navigators,” or their specialized case managers, who will help them secure housing, employment, treatment and identification, according to Day.
“It’s a 12-month program with four steps,” Day said. “Each step has its individual requirements, and it’s really just an engagement program. As long as you stay engaged, work with our navigator or case manager, show up to court, and continue to progress through the program. Upon successful completion of the program, you never have to go back to court.”
Day explained that the Aurora Police Department’s Homelessness Abatement and Relocation Team, known as HART, will issue a specific
summons to people they deem eligible for HEART court. This summons will alert the courts that it was issued, and then the HEART court navigator will begin engagement.
“They’re doing outreach to the people the very next day, if we have contact information for them, phone, email, any way that we can get in contact with them. Otherwise, if we don’t have that information, we wait for them to come to court and we engage with them before they see the judge,” Day said. “From that point forward, if they want to participate in the program, they’re completely diverted from the criminal justice process.”
The city budgeted $301,000 for the court’s first year. So far, about 38 people have received summonses from police to be “eligible” for the program, and 13 people have signed up. The program has four tiers or phases, but Day said he could not reveal who was in which phase for privacy reasons. Since the program takes a year, there are no graduates yet.
Day said most of those who have not accepted the program have not been offered it yet because they have not shown up to their court dates.
“The number will greatly increase soon,” Coffman said during an Oct. 3 city council workshop. “We will have our Regional Navigation center operational on Nov. 17, and that will really dramatically increase the need for the HEART court. It’s almost like we’re working out the bugs right now, but it will scale up.”
Jessica Prosser, Aurora’s housing director, said the same thing. Since people are in the Navigation Campus, they should be less likely to be unable to appear in court in the same building.
HEART’s HART
HART, a seven-member police unit created alongside the court, serves as an anti-homelessness enforcement arm that also connects individuals to the program.
This is separate from the Homeless Outreach Team, known as HOT, which consists of case managers who work directly with people experiencing homelessness in the community, offering resources. Unlike HART, HOT does not write summonses or tickets. They will sometimes work with Aurora Police Area Representative, or PAR,
officers, but they ultimately focus on support and rehabilitation rather than enforcement, according to Prosser.
HART is composed of one sergeant and six officers tasked with handling encampment abatements, citations and enforcement of the city’s revised camping ordinance.
“Generally, the team works together as a whole team on abatements,” Sgt. Joshua Perrott from HART said in an email. “After abatements are complete, officers will typically split off into pairs to conduct proactive efforts.”
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said during the October city council meeting that he moved specific officers from PAR to HART to focus solely on homelessness, as it requires a particular skill set, including understanding resources and maintaining repetitive communication.
“You don’t get somebody out of homelessness on the first conversation,” Chamberlain said.
“I wanted them to be enforcers, too. So this is not a thing where we’re out there handing out unicorns and rainbows. They are arresting people. They are putting people in jail. They are signing people, and they are doing what they need to do to hopefully change the pattern of that individual’s life and also improve the quality of life in the community of Aurora.”
Since October 2024, there have been 573 people moved from their encampments, which the city calls abatements, according to Chamberlain when he presented Oct. 3 during the Fall Workshop. Of those individuals, approximately 150 summonses were issued, 109 camping bans were issued, 26 probable cause arrests were made and 119 warrant arrests were made, according to Chamberlain during the meeting.
In February 2025, the city removed the 72-hour notice requirement for camp clearings, allowing HART to accelerate abatements. Officers are instructed to use discretion in enforcement, issuing warnings when possible and summonses when individuals refuse to move or have prior violations, according to Perrott.
“HART provides enforcement and security for city personnel during scheduled abatements,” Perrott said in an email. “If no abatements, HART
will conduct proactive policing efforts related to unauthorized camping and other criminal violations.”
According to information from the October Public Safety, Courts and Civil Service policy committee, the number of abatements per month doubled and sometimes tripled from February to July compared to the same months in 2024. The numbers list only the months from January to September. In 2024, 295 people were moved or “abated,” and in 2025, 510 people were moved.
When officers are working to move people from an encampment, Perrott said that individuals are “given sufficient time to gather important or irreplaceable items and then the remainder of the property is abated by the city.” He said in the email that the time varies depending on different factors.
Perrott said that HART officers are the only police department entity authorized to write subjects into HEART court, and participation isn’t automatic. The police are also no longer required to only abate people camping near “no camping” signs.
“The signage is a non-factor at this point, as the city council has removed the grace period in the law,” Perrott said in an email. “When parties are contacted, they are identified and cleared through police databases. If a party has had no prior contact, they are typically given education on the law and given a warning. This does not include when other criminal violations are present.”
Officers can distinguish whether a person is camping or resting because they are familiar with camping areas and observe the site long enough to determine whether an individual or a group of people is camping or resting, Perrott said.
“Officers are not mandated to issue a summons and are given the responsibility of using sound judgment when taking enforcement action,” Perrott said in the email.
Perrott said that while HART is offering some resources to people, it is not providing any transportation to the Navigation Campus if people need to move and want to go there.
With HART cracking down on homeless encampments, Advance Pathways, the company
running the Navigation Campus when it opens, said it has not noticed a significant increase in people needing shelter at the Aurora Day Center Resource Center, which Advance has been using as an overnight shelter until the Navigation Campus opens.
The Day Center’s HNIS Coordinator, Khadijah Ali, said that on warm nights, the shelter has approximately 70 people, and it only reaches full capacity on cold nights. The shelter can fit up to 120 people when they’re packed in.
Other shelters close by, such as the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, have not, to their knowledge, received anyone who has been moved from their encampment in Aurora because of HART, according to Cathy Alderman, the coalition’s chief communications and public policy officer.
During the Fall Workshop budget discussions, Councilmember Alison Coombs questioned whether the new court duplicated existing programs like Wellness Court, which serves residents with substance use and mental health issues.
“This seems a little duplicative,” she said, suggesting the funds might be better pooled until the program proves it fills a distinct need.
Day and Jessica Prosser, Aurora’s housing director, said that HEART court differs in focus by targeting offenses specifically tied to homelessness and integrating housing services through the Navigation Campus.
Judge Day said Wellness Court handles highend users such as people with multiple summonses and chronic behavioral health needs. At the same time, HEART court focuses on those criminalized for survival behaviors like camping or trespassing.
The summons is specific to the HEART court, meaning that people are not going to the general court, where they’re not getting any resources at all, Prosser said.
“These things are just coming into formation,” Day said. “The only concern that I have is that it is funded, that there’s money available for the work that we do. We built the program for the specific direction that council said we needed a program.”
LEFT: A homeless man goes through his belongings next to a convenience store in northwest Aurora. ABOVE: The former Crowne Plaza Hotel in northeast Aurora, soon to become the city’s Homeless Navigation Center. SENTINEL FILE PHOTOS.
Editorials Sentinel
Polis’ Medicaid plan points to universal healthcare
The United States already has universal healthcare, just not for everyone. We offer it to seniors through Medicare. We extend it to low-income families through Medicaid. We created public insurance marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act to mimic what the rest of the modern world calls a critical right. Yet somehow, when it comes to covering all Americans, we stop short and call it “too expensive.”
That’s a moral and fiscal failure. It’s time for the United States to adopt a truly universal healthcare system, whether we call it Medicare for All, single-payer, or universal care.
Research calls it common sense because the irrefutable evidence is no longer just persuasive, it’s overwhelming.
Gov. Jared Polis, last week, in releasing his draft Colorado budget for next year, went to great lengths to point out that the cost of the state’s Medicaid program is fiscally unsustainable.
An astounding one in five Colorado residents receives some sort of Medicaid benefits.
That’s good news for the hardworking families who can pay their rent or mortgages and see a doctor with medical issues before they become an issue for the emergency room. It’s good news for all of Colorado that, in theory, pays less for health insurance because hospitals provide less healthcare without being compensated.
But it’s bad news for Colorado taxpayers because the cost of Medicaid expansions and the increasing lack of federal support for the program — as well as the current effort by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to abandon tax credits for the health-insurance exchange program — mean we will all pay more for less health care, no matter where we get it from.
Polis is right. The Medicaid system must be reeled in to protect the state’s ability to fund schools, roads and public safety.
But without a true, sustainable “public option” or real universal healthcare, the looming debt will simply move from increased state taxes to wildly increased “medical care” taxes, imposed on all of us by insurance companies and healthcare providers.
It’s completely avoidable, but not under the current political leadership in Washington.
The U.S. spends twice as much on healthcare as other wealthy nations, — $10,966 per person annually, compared with $5,697 in comparable countries, according to repeated and verified research. Yet American life expectancy lags behind, and our infant mortality is higher. Our fragmented, for-profit health insurance industry drains billions of dollars every year in administrative waste and profit margins while leaving millions uninsured and tens of millions under-insured.
And for those who scoff at systems like the ones in Canada and Germany, saying that such universal healthcare systems mean patients must wait for care, call your doctor and ask how long the wait is for an annual physical exam or any care that isn’t linked to a medical emergency.
Meanwhile, the very programs misled Republicans and Democrats deride — Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA — are proof that single-payer systems work. They’ve saved lives, controlled costs, and given millions access to care who would otherwise go without.
States like Colorado that expanded Medicaid have dramatically reduced preventable deaths and hospital bankruptcies. Yet these same states now face fiscal cliffs because they are shouldering what should be the federal government’s responsibility.
If Medicare is good enough for everyone’s parents, why isn’t it good enough for everyone’s children?
Universal healthcare is not a radical idea. It’s a moral and economic necessity, and it’s the successful norm across the developed world. Every other G7 nation guarantees it: Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and the UK. Only the United States refuses to join them. The result? Higher costs, poorer outcomes, and an economy weighed down by medical debt and job insecurity.
Our current system is not only inefficient but cruelly inequitable. Because healthcare in America is tethered to employment, losing your job often means losing your doctor.
Critics warn that universal healthcare will mean higher taxes. But those arguments miss the point, and the real numbers. Yes, single-payer systems rely on taxes, but Americans already pay for healthcare through premiums, deductibles, and surprise bills that function as an invisible, regressive tax on the sick and the poor. Under a progressive, universal system, those costs would be spread fairly. And as for wait times, Canadians and Europeans may wait longer for elective surgeries, but no one waits for emergency care, and no one goes bankrupt because they got sick.
The notion that universal coverage would stifle medical innovation is equally hollow. Most breakthrough research — including the COVID-19 vaccines — was funded not by private insurers but by the National Institutes of Health, a taxpayer-funded agency. American ingenuity won’t vanish if we stop letting insurance executives profit from denying care.
Colorado and other states that expanded Medicaid have done what Washington would not. They have proven that public coverage saves lives. But they can’t keep doing it alone without going bankrupt. It’s time for the federal government to finish the job.
Reforms needed to build faith in Colorado’s mail-in balloting
Here’s a little news story that deserves a ton more attention.
Elizabeth Ann Davis, 61, of Castle Rock was convicted of voter fraud. She illegally voted ballots for her son and dead ex-husband. She could face up to three years in the pokey.
This is a big deal because voter fraud is a very difficult thing to prove. Hats off to the 23rd Judicial District’s DA office for making this a priority. Make this woman an example — fill out someone else’s ballot, go to jail for three years.
But how widespread is this type of voter fraud? Who knows? Mail-in ballots invite this brand of mischief. When ballots are launched into mailboxes like grocery-store coupons, it’s an invitation for others to use them.
“Vote early, vote often” is not just a funny line. For some, it’s marching orders.
There are ways to greatly reduce this kind of fraud and build faith in all-mail voting.
Voter rolls are very rarely purged. Those who make a living screaming “voter intimidation!” have made it near impossible to remove the deceased or those moved to a different location (wait — is dying just a change of address?).
It’s common for Colorado towns to have far more people on the voter rolls than their actual population — new voters get added while dead ones stay.
Those of us who are skeptical of mail-in balloting understand why the system was created. It gives a huge advantage to the side that has the superior ballot harvesting infrastructure. At least in Colorado, that’s clearly the left.
ID requirements are mocked as bullying. Because as everyone knows, the poor and people of color have no IDs and can’t get any. This is why none of them drive a car, open a bank account, cash a Social Security check, board an airplane, rent a hotel room, purchase a firearm, buy a beer, or even get a library card.
Yep. I recently got a Denver library card; official photo ID was required. We take our library borrowing very seriously in this state because, damn it, democracy is at stake. Requiring ID to vote, well that’s racism.
Mail-in balloting requires an election month, not an Election Day. With today’s powerful algorithms and accurate marketing data, knowing how someone will vote, should they vote, is easy. The Secretary of State’s office publishes a daily list of who
has voted. Harvesting is simply the legal method of harassing those who haven’t voted to return their ballots
Vote harvesting infrastructure cost millions and takes years to build. Unlike Colorado’s right, Colorado’s left has both deep pockets and patience. They spent the better part of 15 years perfecting their harvesting machine. Not to be outdone, Colorado’s right spent that time throwing their poop at each other.
The left (who holds every lever of power in the state) will never allow for same-day, in-person, photo ID voting. Meaning the right will never have faith elections are honest. They will never trust when outcomes don’t go their way.
The leftist reaction? “Who cares?” Well, the left should. Election distrust was a major factor in President Donald Trump’s victory.
Yes, Colorado’s all-mail system is safer than most. But let me suggest two reforms.
The first is to ban the Secretary of State’s office from releasing the list of who has voted until after the election. This will make it much harder to game the system.
And secondly, it’s time for a biometric marker on our ballots. My phone can tell it’s me by facial recognition. My computer opens by reading my fingerprint when I hit the on button. The TSA even has facial recognition to get through the airport.
But Colorado’s security for ballots? In a matter of two to three seconds a bleary-eyed human compares how you signed your ballot envelope with some old signature they have on file.
Ask any kid who has forged his parent’s signature. A signature is not ID.
Colorado has a database of everyone’s thumbprint with an ID or driver’s license. A single-use thumbprint spot on your ballot return seems more than doable with today’s technology.
Verifying your thumbprint with the state database can be done with the same technology that unlocks your phone, and without the costly and error-prone human element.
In other words, technologies should provide an inexpensive way to send a unique identifier with every ballot.
And with the savings the state can give a free ID to all the “disenfranchised.”
Jon Caldara is president of Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.
JON CALDARA, GUEST COLUMNIST
