Sentinel Colorado 3.13.2025

AURORA TRUMPLED AGAIN?

City officials, experts warn that Trump’s continued false narrative about Aurora being ‘destroyed’ by immigrants, gangs will have economic consequences

ALL THE WRONG STUFF: Nothing but public opinion will stop Trump’s trampling on Aurora

If you’re just itching to see some serious cuts in services in Aurora, or see your favorite Aurora restaurant or store wither from the lack of customers, or maybe if you’re just hoping among hopes your house taxes skyrocket or maybe you can even pay more in sales taxes, has President Trump, a handful of local trolls and some of the Aurora city council got a deal for you.

You may already have heard from your out-oftown friends and relatives who reached out late last Tuesday after Trump told a joint session of Congress and the entire freaking planet that you, me and everyone who lives and works in Aurora are possibly dead and cowering from the tidal wave of gun-toting Venezuelan gangsta terrorists who have turned this once flourishing city into a Colorado Port-au-Prince.

In making his case last week, and endlessly over the past year, Trump blew several minutes of anti-immigrant verbal explosive diarrhea all over the U.S. House, thrilling the throngs of fellow racists and xenophobes who prefer their immigrants white and speaking English like Elon Musk or being compliant like First Lady Melania Trump.

“Entire towns like Aurora, Colorado and Springfield, Ohio, buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump said during his address to Congress. “Beautiful towns destroyed.”

What?

You mean you made it to the grocery store and back this week without being car-jacked and held for ransom in the parking lot by the roving herds of Venezuelans and El Salvadorans who now run this city?

If you live in or near Aurora, or in Colorado, or in the United States, or if you are even partially cogent and just wanted cheaper gas, affordable rent and groceries and stupidly believed Trump could make that happen, you know that Trump is full of crap. He’s a despicable, second-rate con man who has enough supporters to scare the living hell out of Republicans who dare to not smile, wave, applaud and agree with his heinous hooey.

But what social psychologists say is that, even though just about everyone knows that Aurora is both as dangerous and safe as every other city in the metro area, the lies told by Trump and others, such as Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky, have a very real effect on people, even those who know that no place in Aurora has ever been “overrun” by Venezuelan gangsters.

Political opportunists seeing the growing trepidation about immigrants last year leapt at a chance for right-wing political momentum in a town and state that is overwhelmingly populated by people who live their lives in the middle of the political spectrum and to the left.

Last summer, as Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was poised to be ousted by the opposition, thousands of excited Venezuelan immigrants flash-mobbed the Gardens on Havana shopping center in a startling, one-off event, driven by social media. They were among the 40,000 or so Venezuelan immigrants trafficked to the metro area by sadistic political leaders in Texas. Those are the throngs of “Christians” seeing so much human misery at the U.S. border as nothing more than an opportunity for a practical joke on cities populated primarily by woke heathens.

At the front of the parade to turn the freaky, annoying event into an opportunity for political spoils, Jurinsky posted on social media that it was horrific and dangerous.

“This is in the United States of America… this is in YOUR city. Please, please spread the word.

This November’s election may, in fact, be the actual most important of your lives, your children’s lives, and your grandchildren’s lives.”

The post and more to come lifted Jurinsky out of obscurity as that woman on the city council who said on the radio the police chief was “trash,” and onto regular appearances on Fox News.

It gave Jurinsky and others endless opportunities to tell the metro area, Colorado and the nation that Aurora apartments were overrun by violent Venezuelan gangsters. The narrative has been that entire areas of the city were lost to armies of Tren de Aragua prison gangsters able to outsmart Aurora police and faithful apartment landlords.

Then Trump picked up the mantle, repeatedly telling thousands of his fans that not just Aurora, “but the whole state” has been destroyed by herds of immigrants and gangsters.

And last week, Trump told the planet Aurora has now “buckled” under the catastrophe.

It isn’t like Aurora just has to shake off some bad publicity. The media bombardment of lies about Aurora may already be taking its toll on local businesses, which is a chief source of the revenue that pays to pave streets, keep cops in cars and the street lights on at night.

While Jurinsky, Trump and others just couldn’t spread enough false fear about life in Aurora, sales tax revenues have been sliding, pretty much aligned with the crap-talk about Aurora that started last summer.

Last month, city bean counters said the warning lights were going off on the city’s financial dashboard. It prompted an all-out effort by some

city lawmakers to find ways to “support” Aurora businesses, boost local sales, and, ultimately, the city’s take on sales taxes.

January year-over-year sale tax revenues were nearly 3% lower compared to last year.

“Just to make sure, it’s very clear that is a bad result, we assumed in the budget that sales tax would grow this year by 4.5%, so we are starting behind the eight ball,” Aurora Senior Revenue Analyst Bill Levine told lawmakers in a committee meeting last week. “When you don’t achieve that 4.5% instead, have minus 2.7 purchase, we’re behind.”

Experts told the Sentinel in a story last week that it can, and probably will, get worse, especially if the city doesn’t counter the misinformation about hordes of Venezuelan gangs and a city “destroyed” by immigrants.

Aurora’s been down this road before. The city was unfairly tabbed as a haven for Crips and Bloods gang violence in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sales at the Aurora Mall slid because of an exaggerated and pervasive narrative driven mostly by racism, not reality. At one point, the mall closed on weekend evenings to any minor not accompanied by an adult.

Aurora has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the mall and endless citywide publicity campaigns working to counter its unfair and false image as a gritty, crime-ridden shanty town.

After years of effort and a ton of money, it’s made progress, creating political clout and business capital.

Until recently, Aurora had gained fame as an exciting bastion of exotic foreign restaurants and shops, offering all kinds of things you don’t have to travel around the planet for.

The reality is, living and working among hundreds of thousands of immigrants so motivated for a better life that they come all the way to Aurora just for a chance at it isn’t scary or dangerous. It’s amazing.

In just a few months, however, Trump and his local lackeys have now threatened all that again.

There’s only one answer here. Make them stop. These are political creatures, driven by attention, public perception and approval. If Aurora just takes it, they’ll keep dishing it out, thinking there’s some net gain for them, even though it’s a net loss for Aurora.

But if the majority of elected community leaders and residents of Aurora tell them to quit lying and to shut the hell up about these provably false narratives, they will.

Better hurry.

Follow@EditorDavePerryonBlueSky, Threads,Mastodon,TwitterandFacebookorreach himat303-750-7555ordperry@SentinelColorado.

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

Judge allows activist to pursue wrongful arrest case against Aurora detective in Elijah McClain protests

AURORA POLICE DETECTIVE ACCUSED OF PERJURY, MISCONDUCT IN ACTIVIST’S ARREST CASE LINKED TO ELIJAH MCCLAIN PROTESTS

BY SENTINEL STAFF

Afederal judge in Denver ruled last month that an Aurora area activist who led protests linked to the death of Elijah McClain can pursue her legal claims that an Aurora police detective wrongfully arrested and accused her of kidnapping police officers.

U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews on Feb. 28 ruled against the City of Aurora and for activist Eliza Lucero. Crews said Lucero’s attorneys provided adequate evidence that an Aurora detective violated her civil rights in 2020 during an allegedly wrongful arrest based on inadequate and even falsified court testimony.

The case stems from protests surrounding the 2019 death of McClain at the hands of Aurora police and fire department medics after the young Black man was confronted by officers walking home at night after purchasing iced tea from a convenience store near his home.

McClain’s death drew international scorn for the Aurora Police Department. The death was a large driver in prompting the Colorado attorney general to impose a consent decree against the city in 2021, finding “patterns and practices” of excessive force and abuse, especially against people of color.

Lucero was an active leader in 2019 and 2020 during a variety of protests linked McClain’s death.

The Aurora Police case against her stemmed from a July 3, 2020 protest Lucero helped lead outside the police department’s District 1 police station in northwest Aurora.

The protest was one of several linked to McClain’s death across Aurora over several months, mostly during the height of the pandemic.

According to court filings, Lucero and other protest leaders created a peaceful demonstration surrounding the police station, with police officers inside. During previous court testimony, she and others told attendees not to block police station doors or create barricades.

Aurora police Detective Andrew Silberman later sought an arrest warrant in 2020 for Lucero, alleging that she had attempted to “kidnap” the 18 police officers inside the station by leading chants and obstructing entry and exit points.

Lawyers for Lucero contended in a 2023 lawsuit that the Silberman and police targeted Lucero and other activists for harassment in retribution for the unfavorable national media attention drawn on Aurora police because of the death of McClain.

An attorney argued that Silberman in particular omitted critical facts in an arrest warrant issued for Lucero, and that the detective later perjured himself, lying about testimony from a critical witness.

Attorneys argue that Silberman’s affidavit omitted the fact that officers inside the station were never imprisoned nor physically prevented from leaving the district, according to court records. Lucero and others testified that police station doors remained unlocked and unblocked throughout the protest, allowing any officer inside to exit. An investigation revealed that Aurora police officers were ordered to stay inside by the former police chief in order to avoid further confrontation.

In addition, Lucero’s legal team said previously that APD officers had access to a wide variety of both lethal and non-lethal weapons inside the police station, which could have been used if they had felt trapped or in danger. Lawyers for Lucero argue that those details, omitted by Silberman when seeking an arrest affidavit, would have undermined probable cause and that Silberman knowingly misled the court to secure her arrest.

She was jailed while waiting for a preliminary hearing on charges against her, saying that she was especially frightened because of the ongoing pandemic. Her attorneys allege that Silberman and prosecutors conspired to complicate her inevitable release from jail by choosing incarceration within the state system, not county jails.

As a 2020 preliminary hearing approached in Silberman’s case against Lucero, “he and the prosecutors sought to find a way to make their concocted charges stick,” attorneys said in court filings.

Lawyers alleged that Silberman and police attorneys conducted a “proffer interview with a person who had been at the July 3 protest, Trey Quinn.”

During the interview, hoping to glean damning evidence against Lucero, Quinn instead told police and attorneys that he never saw her do anything illegal during the protest, but he did admit he did not personally like her.

“Detective Silberman then made an unforgivable choice,” attorneys allege in court documents. “At the preliminary hearing four days later, he lied under oath, pretending that his interview with Mr. Quinn just four days earlier had not happened. Asked point blank about what interviews he had conducted, he

perjured himself.”

Court records show that Silberman, when asked under oath if he had interviewed anyone other than offered in court discovery, said “no.”

Lawyers for Lucero said that had the alleged perjury been uncovered during the preliminary hearing, it would likely have ended the city’s case there, forcing her release from jail and ending the case against her. But as time ran out, the hearing was continued for several more days, forcing Lucero to remain in jail linked to what her attorneys say were provably falsified claims and charges.

Those allegations against the city were made in court last year, but the city has made numerous motions and appeals to end her case. Crews’ ruling on Feb. 28 moves the case forward.

Aurora police and Silberman “mobilized the full power of the state to have Ms. Lucero thrown in jail under horrific conditions and threatened with decades in prison for daring to demand truth and justice,” attorneys said in court filings. They “will now be held accountable for their egregious misconduct.”

Lucero’s attorneys are asking for unspecified actual and compensatory damages, as well as guarantees that Aurora police will agree to training to prevent further alleged harassment and wrongful arrests.

State police certification records show Silberman is still employed by Aurora police.

Aurora police officials were not immediately available to comment on whether the allegations in the lawsuit have been pursued through an APD internal affairs investigation, or what the conclusion of any internal investigations were.

Protestors gathered at the Aurora Police Department District 1 Substation on Montview Boulevard and Wheeling Street July 3, 2020, protesting the death of Elijah McClain.

Sentinel Colorado File

Photo

AROUND AURORA

CROW: Trump’s budget threatens Medicaid, putting vulnerable Americans at risk

Aurora Congressperson Jason Crow’s guest for President Donald Trump’s address to Congress knows the impacts of threatened Medicaid cuts first hand. She helps Aurora area residents get healthcare who otherwise would go without.

Rosario Morales, a program enrollment manager at STRIDE Community Health Center in Aurora, who works closely with patients on Medicaid and other necessary affordable health services, joined Crow for President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night.

Both Crow and Morales call Trump’s push to cut government spending reckless and likely to hurt the poorest and most vulnerable Americans when it comes to health care.

A Republican budget resolution passed last week calls for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to identify $880 billion in cuts over the next decade. Fulfilling the resolution would likely mean significant cuts for Medicaid, according to Crow and budget watch organizations.

“I think what this administration doesn’t understand is that it would cost so much more for taxpayers and Americans on the back end because people won’t access preventive care,” Crow said. “All of this costs our system exorbitant amounts of money.”

Crow said he decided to bring Morales after he spoke with her during his visit to STRIDE in February, where she stressed how crucial Medicaid is for many of their patients. She said the cuts would be devastating and cause health care locations to close and patients on Medicaid to be less likely to get the preventative care they need.

“The truth is that any cuts to Medicaid would be terrible for all of the locations,” Morales said. “We would probably have to close down our services.”

She said it is vital that their locations receive Medicaid and that their patients receive Medicare and Medicaid.

She said one STRIDE patient is a “perfect example” of what’s at stake for Aurora residents. One woman has been waiting for an organ transplant, and depends on Medicaid for the surgery. “If Medicaid goes away, then there goes her opportunity of receiving a transplant,” Morales said in a brief video taken by Crow’s staff at the Capitol.

Without treatment provided by Medicaid, or a transplant, “she won’t be able to survive,” Morales said. “So it would basically be life or death for her.”

STRIDE is Colorado’s largest federally qualified health center and has 18 locations throughout the suburban front range. They provide affordable healthcare for underserved and uninsured people, and Medicaid cuts would be devastating, Morales said. STRIDE takes care of more than 50,000 patients each year, and Morales said that Medicaid cuts could affect thousands of those patients.

Other groups at risk would be elderly Americans who spend down their life savings before qualifying for Medicaid to help with assisted living and nursing home costs, the Associated Press reported. That widely publicized risk has gained the attention of numerous Republican lawmakers, who discovered millions of Medicaid recipients were GOP voters in both red and blue states.

One in four Coloradans get healthcare with Medicaid, which is 1.69 million people. There are 115,000 Medicaid recipients in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, according to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

Medicaid offers affordable healthcare to children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families to get

needed and preventative care without choosing between health and basic needs like food, Crow said.

It makes “no sense” why they would make cuts to a healthcare program that would eventually cost the government more because of the higher expenses of emergency care. Both Congressional and independent studies have revealed a net savings in Medicaid and other health insurance and healthcare programs by ensuring people have access to preventative care.

At Trump’s address, Crow said he would be the voice of his constituents in Washington and that he would continue to leverage the budget to fight against possible cuts to any program like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

Aurora Ward I city council race crowding fast as candidates line up for 5 council seats

It’s turning out to be a crowded field this year in the Ward I city council race while slots for other council races are beginning to fill in.

So far, five candidates have made official or announced their intention to run as representative for the city’s oldest, most diverse and often most troubled part of town.

The Aurora City Council races are non-partisan, but partisan politics have, for the last several years, played a large role in city council politics and its operation. A measure seeking to require ballots to reveal political party registration failed.

Every elected county, state and congressional office representing Aurora — but one — is held by a registered Democrat. The Aurora City Council, however, is governed by a majority of registered Republicans, former Republicans or members aligning with the Republican Party.

Election Day is Nov. 4. The election is a mail-ballot election, standard in Colorado.

Ward I in Aurora encompasses the oldest parts of the city, and is sometimes referred to as the heart of Aurora. The ward includes the Colfax corridor between Yosemite Street and Chambers Road and from East Sixth Avenue to Interstate 70.

Incumbent Councilmember Crystal Murillo, a Democrat, has not publicly announced whether she will seek a final term, but five other people have filed with the city their intentions to run.

Candidates so far include Rev. Reid Hettich, Stephen Elkins, Gianina Horton, Christopher Belila and Leandra Steed.

In Ward II, Gayla Carrier has made public her intent to run for the seat currently held by Councilmember Steve Sundberg, a Republican. Sundberg has not publicly announced whether he will seek a second term.

Former Aurora Councilmember Marsha Berzins, a Republican, has made public her intent to reclaim the Ward III council seat, currently held by Councilmember Ruben Medina, a Democrat, who has not announced whether he will seek re-election to a second term.

In the city’s two at-large council races, only incumbent Danielle Jurinsky, a Republican, has signaled she will run, seeking a second term.

Ward I, north and northwest Aurora

Rev. Reid Hettich: Hettich, an unaffiliated voter, is a well-known pastor and community leader in Aurora, and he brings more than 20 years of community and church service to Aurora, focusing on community revitalization, equity and public safety. According to Hettich’s campaign website, he plans to “focus on community-driven leadership and delivering real results.”

Hettich is executive director and founder of Mosaic Unlimited, a churchbased organization, co-owner of the

Dayton Street Opportunity Center, chairperson of Aurora’s Key Community Response Team, a member of the Community Advisory Council for Aurora’s Consent Decree and a host of other community boards and programs.

One notable point of pride for Hettich was the work he did with Aurora Public Schools to connect mentors with at-risk students to help improve their chances of graduating. The mentors he helped connect the students with lead to an 80% on-time graduation rate for participants.

Stephen Elkins: Elkins, an unaffiliated voter and a former planner for the City of Denver is a resident of the Jewell Heights neighborhood. He regularly attends city council meetings, making frequent public comments.

“I think I’m really looking more towards solutions rather than a more hard-edged ideology,” Elkins said, calling himself a centrist. “Most people in this country are toward the middle of things, and I think we need leaders who reflect that as well.”

Elkins currently works for a data center company which he says frequently collaborates with local governments on permitting and project management. He held a variety of positions as a city planner for the City of Denver for more than seven years.

He said his experience working

with municipal bureaucracy will help him effectively represent Ward I residents and improve communication between city officials and the public, he said.

“I enjoy connecting people with government, explaining complex processes, and making sure that people are heard and connected,” Elkins said. Elkins said, if elected, he would focus on public safety, economic development and government accountability.

Christopher Belila: Belila, who is an unaffiliated voter, is the founder of Beer Bodega in Denver, a partnership business model that offers small Denver metro-based breweries the opportunity to expand their business into new markets, according to Belila.

“Excited to share that I’m running for Aurora City Council, representing Ward I, known for its rich cultural diversity, making it a vibrant community in Colorado,” Belila said in a post on LinkedIn. “Despite its current reputation, Ward I is home to kind-hearted individuals deserving of a positive image.”

Belila said that Ward I faces challenges such as infrastructure investment and public safety, but solutions are within reach.

“By utilizing governmental tools and taking essential steps, we can

strengthen the Ward’s foundation and pave the way for a revitalized Ward I and Colfax corridor,” he said on Linkedin. “As a candidate, my priority is to lay the groundwork for a thriving future. I am committed to empowering city professionals with the expertise to drive meaningful change and supporting initiatives led by experienced leaders to restore and strengthen Ward I. Together, we can create a brighter, more vibrant community.”

He said he aims to champion city professionals with the expertise needed for impactful changes and support initiatives led by experienced individuals to rejuvenate Ward I.

“Together, let’s work towards a brighter tomorrow for our community,” he said in the statement.

Leandra Steed: Steed, a Democrat, is a director of Equity Matters at Great Education Colorado. She grew up in the metro Aurora area and attended Denver and Aurora Public Schools. She attended the Community College of Denver and received a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado.

Steed has served on various community organizations, including as the chairperson for the NAACP Aurora ›› See METRO, 17

O’Hey — it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day

STEP INTO IRELAND EVERY DAY, BUT ESPECIALLY ON MARCH 17

BY HALEY LENA, Colorado Community News

Rather than vibrant green landscapes and stone bridges arched over running waters, the Rocky Mountains act as the backdrop for various pieces of Irish culture throughout the Denver metro area.

Ireland’s rich history shines through in many aspects of life, reflected in clothing, cuisine, artwork, family life and much more.

However, it’s the music, dancing and pubs that play integral roles in the nation’s identity and keeps Irish culture alive across Denver.

“Denver has a strong Irish cultural scene,” said Ariel Bennett, owner of the Denver-based Heritage Irish Stepdancers dance school. “Including eight Irish dance schools, a number of Irish pubs and a bunch of home-grown Celtic bands.”

The Irish have had a strong presence in Denver since the mid-to-late 1800s.

Between 1845 and 1855, many Irish people immigrated to the United States due to the Great Famine in Ireland that decimated potato crops. A few decades later, Irish immigrants migrated to Leadville when silver was discovered. But when the Colorado Silver Boom ended in 1893, they began to make their way to Denver.

They continued to work as laborers, but as generations evolved with the turn of the century, the Irish became more involved in the development of the city - influencing religion, education and politics.

The influence of the Irish continues to be seen today through dance, music and pubs.

“Singing, playing and dancing are an essential part of social interaction, artistic expression and cultural identity,” Bennett said.

When Bennett was a child, her mom, Molly, played in an Irish band and while playing at a party, Molly met two teenagers from Ireland. The teens asked if anyone would be interested in joining an Irish dance class.

Bennett was immediately put in the class and was later joined by her sister and mom.

The family started their own school, Heritage Irish Stepdancers, in 1998. While the main studio is in Denver, located at 7808 Cherry Creek South Drive, they also have classes at the Dance Academy, 8600 Park Meadows Drive in Lone Tree, and at Flatirons Dance, 8390 W. 80th Ave. in Arvada.

Although the exact origin of Irish dance is unknown, Bennett has learned about the different types of dances and how important it is to the culture.

There are two forms of Irish social dancing. One is called set dancing, which has roots in English dancing, said Bennett, and the other is ceili dancing. This type of dance - which has become popular in competitions - involves couples dancing with other couples, similar to American square dancing.

“Sometimes people would do what was called a stepabout at these gatherings, where dancers would take turns showing off their fanciest moves,” Bennett said.

One of the more commonly-known styles is seeing the dancers with their arms by their sides. This is stepdancing, also known as solo dancing, and there are two styles within stepdancing. The soft shoe is more like ballet and the hard shoe is more like tap.

Also, women typically perform light and graceful moves while men do moves that are more powerful and rhythmic.

“Historically, stepdancing was done by common people, and they didn’t have special dance equipment,” said Bennett. “They wore ordinary clothes and shoes when they danced.”

Women and girls wore knee-length dresses with embroidered Celtic designs, said Bennett, but as competitive Irish dance became more popular, performance attire became shorter and lighter, with bright and bold designs.

For Bennett, Irish culture has always been part of her life, and over time, she has seen how dancing plays a key role in Irish identity.

“I was once told by an Irish person that the way you tell if someone has Celtic blood in them is by putting on Irish music. If they tap their feet and can’t sit still, they’re a Celt,” said Bennett. “This just shows the importance that music has in Irish culture.”

With distinctive rhythms and unique traditional instruments, Irish music has always been a way to express emotions, tell stories and share culture.

Laura Schulkind, founder and executive director of the Chamber Music Society of Greater Denver, has been traveling around the metro area this March with the chamber, celebrating Celtic culture through music.

“Celtic music can be sorrowful, reflecting a lost love,” said Schulkind. “Or joyful and full of dance.”

Similar to many cultures, music was used to resist oppression. And Celtic music has also been used to preserve history, celebrate the nation’s identity and build community. It’s the instruments that are unique to the Celtic sound that instills life into the music.

Although Schulkind is a flutist, she finds the

distinctive sound of the Irish harp soothing and uplifting, making it one of her favorite instruments.

Other instruments that make up the Celtic sound include fiddles, flutes, the mandolin, concertina, tin whistles, highland pipes, uilleann pipes, Irish Bouzouki and the bodhrán.

A bodhrán is a frame drum where one side of the drum is open and the musician places their hand against the inside of the drum to control the tone and pitch while the other hand beats the drum.

“The instruments create a rich texture that can go from a dense sound to a very light sound,” Schulkind said.

It’s often said that Irish music is a blend of storytelling and musical expression. Schulkind agrees.

A piece Schulkind is playing is called “In Ireland” by Hamilton Harty. She said the note at the beginning from the composer states: “In a Dublin street at dusk, two wandering musicians are playing.”

“The composer is compelling me to tell a story with his piece,” said Schulkind. “He wants me to paint a picture with sound through the fantasy-type writing at the beginning and the joyful music at the end.”

Celtic music is not just for formal settings.

“Many of the tunes are also drinking tunes for the pubs,” Schulkind said.

Pub time

From Sheabeen’s Irish Pub in Aurora to the Irish Rover, there are a multitude of pubs hidden throughout the Denver metro area. There may not be as many as the 6,000 plus like in Ireland, but the metro area has its fair share.

Pubs are more than just a place to grab a drink. They serve as a hub for the community, fostering a sense of belonging and contribution to the town.

“You just sit and have a good time, chat with your local friends, meet new people - and that’s exactly what we’ve tried to establish here,” said Megan Casey.

Casey has worked at Ned Kelly’s Irish Pub for 14 years and has fallen in love with getting to know the community and sharing a piece of Ireland.

The pub is a small, bright red building tucked away off Main Street in downtown Littleton. It first opened in 2009 by two men - one of whom is from Ireland - after owning Scruffy Murphy’s in downtown Denver.

Littleton “definitely had the small town charm that a lot of Irish pubs have,” Casey said,

adding that the building was remodeled in 2013 to make the pub more authentic.

While musical and stepdancing performances, as well as fundraising for local charities bring authenticity to the pub, Casey said getting to know its patrons on a personal level is what makes the pub feel genuine.

Having been to Ireland a few times, Casey said everyone in the pub is treated like family and that is what they aim for at Ned Kelly’s.

“The few Irish pubs that I was in, that’s exactly how it was,” said Casey. “Everybody just welcomed you and wanted to get to know you. Like they say, “the good-ole Irish craic.””

In Aurora, the green has long been favored at Sheabeen’s Irish Pub.

Started in 1989, by Tony and Camille McAleavey, “Sheabeen” comes from a “shebeen, an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a license,” according to current Sheabeen owner and operator Andy Schmidt says.

“The ‘a’ was added with a personal touch from Tony because Camille’s maiden name was Shea.”

After Tony and Camille retired, Schmidt kept the tradition of a small pub kitchen for snacks and food, plenty of TV sports and years and years of a wide variety of live entertainment.

The Sheabeen parking lot has long offered the “Colorado Irish Festival” on Saint Patrick’s Day, begin after the closing of historical Duffy’s in Downtown Denver.

It’s made Sheabeen Pub the oldest Irish Pub in the metro area, Schmidt says.

Irish pipe bands and more are a staple here when everyone becomes Irish in the area.

This year, the pub opens early for the holiday, 9 a.m., There will be the annual showing of “The Quiet Man” with John Wayne at 10 a.m. and then a day and night filled with festivities, including Irish step dancing, Michael Collins Pipes and Drums, assorted Irish originals and regional names and, you know it, corned beef and cabbage.

Sheabeen Irish Pub is at 2300 S. Chambers Road. See www.sheabeenirishpub.com.

Pig and web

scene & herd

The Mizel Arts and Culture Center’s Denver Children’s Theatre presents “Charlotte’s Web,” offering both in-theatre and in-school performances.

School group performances will take place at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the

Based on E.B. White’s beloved story, “Charlotte’s Web” follows the friendship between Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider, celebrating kindness and sacrifice. As Wilbur faces the fate of the farm, Charlotte weaves her magic to save him, proving that love, friendship, and sacrifice can create the most miraculous changes. The play is suitable for kids ages 4 and up.

IF YOU GO

Date: 10 a.m. March 9, March 16

Venue: Mizel Arts and Culture Center 350 S. Dahlia St.

Tickets: $13-$16

Details: 303-399-2660 and jccdenver.org

Guys and Dolls

Back from the past, some of the most memorable favorites of the stage will run through March 23 at the Vintage Theatre in Aurora.

Guys and Dolls and all the favorites, including “Adelaide’s Lament,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” “If I Were a Bell,” and “Luck Be a Lady,” and all the classic characters from the legendary Broadway musical are on tap.

IF YOU GO

Dates: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 23. Evening curtains at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20-$39

Venue: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.

Details: vintagetheatre.org and 303-856-7830

St Paddy’s Day

Celebration at the Town Center mall

The luck and pluck of the Irish is slated for the Aurora Town Center mall just a day late, but not short of fun and festivities.

The lower-level court will the stage for a variety of family-friendly shows and events, including Irish step dancers, crafts for the kids. “Whether you’re here for the dancing, the music, or just a good time with family and friends, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, said mall marketing manager Chelsea Thatcher.

IF YOU GO

When: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. March 15

Where: Town Center at Aurora mall, 14200 E. Alameda Ave.

Tickets: Free, and free beer from Helga’s Haus during for adults.

Details: towncenterataurora. com/

MAD LIBrarians Improv

Show

No beige sweaters with this bookish cast. “Whenever this team of buttoned-up librarians hears about a fantastic new book, they go wild,” Arapahoe Library District officials said in a statement. “In each show, buttons go flying as the MAD LIBrarians craft a new book title based on your suggestions and then — right before your very eyes — they act, sing and shout that book out full-blast.” Improv-bookings? “Come visit the library that can’t ever keep quiet …no matter how hard its terribly serious and wonderfully silly librarians may try, presented by Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company.” Suggested for kids of all ages, even old ones.

IF YOU GO

When: 1 p.m. March 15

Where: Smoky Hill Library, 5430 S Biscay Circle

Details: arapahoelibraries.org

Tickets: Free. Reserve your spot: arap.li/41ioB9c

The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama

The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japanese American National Museum and Ueyama’s family, whose combined efforts to preserve his work have allowed the story of this accomplished and cosmopolitan artist to be told at the Denver Art Museum for the first time.

Born in Japan, Tokio Ueyama moved to the United States in 1908 at age 18, where he made a home until his death in 1954. This exhibition tells the story of Ueyama’s life, including his early days as an art student in San Francisco, Southern California, and Philadelphia; his travels abroad in Europe and Mexico; his role as artist and community member in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles; and his unconstitutional incarceration during World War II at the Granada Relocation Center, now the Amache National Historic Site, in southeast Colorado.

IF YOU GO Through June 1

Where: Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy Tickets: Included in general admission, which is free for members and for all visitors 18 and under.

Details: www.denverartmuseum.org

St. Patrick’s Day at Sheabeen’s

The Sheabeen parking lot has long offered the “Colorado Irish Festival” on Saint Patrick’s Day, begin after the closing of historical Duffy’s in Downtown Denver.

It’s made Sheabeen Pub the oldest Irish Pub in the metro area, Schmidt says.

Irish pipe bands and more are a staple here when everyone becomes Irish in the area.

This year, the pub opens early for the holiday, 9 a.m., There will be the annual showing of “The Quiet Man” with John Wayne at 10 a.m. and then a day and night filled with festivities, including Irish step dancing, Michael Collins Pipes and Drums, assorted Irish originals and regional names and, you know it, corned beef and cabbage.

IF YOU GO

Where; Sheabeen Irish Pub, 2300 S. Chambers Road

Anthony Hartsook, a Parker Republican, said not enough districts have opted into creating financial literacy courses. Every student should learn about financial literacy, which has a set of optional standards revamped in 2021, he said.

“If you learn financial literacy, you then get on the path towards success, and you can control the destiny of your future because you’re in control of your money,” Hartsook said.

Other bill sponsors include State Sens. Jeff Bridges, a Greenwood Village Democrat, and Lisa Frizell, a Castle Rock Republican.

After amendments, the bill would require districts to teach a financial literacy course at some point in a student’s K-12 instruction, starting in September 2026.

Districts could teach it as a standalone class or fold it into another class, as long as students are learning about financial literacy. Sponsors also amended the bill to remove FAFSA as a graduation requirement. Students would need to learn how to fill out the form, but not necessarily submit it to the federal government because of concerns about the information families have to provide, according to bill sponsors.

Despite pushback from educator groups, the bill does have the backing of some teachers. Other supporters include the Colorado Bankers Association, Colorado Succeeds, Stand for Children, and the Bell Policy Center.

Teacher Elijah Huff added that studies show too few students feel confident about their future finances. The Bruce Randolph School educator said the classes have the ability to help students feel “confident, competent, and competitive with finances.”

“This gives them the competencies to utilize the resources available to manage money and the competitiveness to thrive in a capitalist society,” he said.

Yet such a mandate to teach the course created concerns that lawmakers were encroaching on the autonomy of school districts to determine what’s best for their students and communities.

In a written statement, Summit School District Board of Education member Lisa Webster said school districts are already using state standards to incorporate financial literacy into classes. The one-size-all approach from the state ignores the efforts of communities.

“I understand the positive intent of this bill, however, it overreaches into the responsibilities of our local school boards,” she wrote.

How to handle students filling out the FAFSA and Colorado Application for State Financial Aid was a sticking point for some groups. Opposition also included the Colorado School Counselors Association, with high school counselor Shayla Reynolds saying the changes would create an undue burden on educators.

The bill sponsors included more education about the FAFSA and CASFA because Colorado ranks near the bottom of the nation in getting students to complete the form. Filling out the form helps them save money on college, sponsors said.

Last year, only 37% of students completed the FAFSA and the state ranked 46th in the nation in getting students to fill out the form.

The idea to increase awareness about the FAFSA and CASFA isn’t new. A group of 20 state experts in 2022 recommended Colorado increase support for students filling out the FAFSA and require it for students to graduate. The recommendations cited the estimated $30 million in financial aid students leave on the table annually by not filling out the form.

States with FAFSA graduation requirements also have much higher rates of completing the form among graduating high school seniors. Despite that, early adopters such as Louisiana have backed off the requirement. The state did provide an opt-out form, but some felt the policy was invasive.

However, research showed the requirement helped increase financial awareness. And students who fill out the form are more likely to head to college, which opens up the possibility of higher-paying jobs.

— Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado

Honest Journalism

Details: www.sheabeenirishpub. com.

When: March 17, 9 a.m. to close.

Small cover after 3 p.m. Showing of “The Quiet Man” at 10 a.m.

Highlights: Irish step dancing, Michael Collins Pipes and Drums and lots of corned beef and cabbage

Trump’s false claims about Aurora immigrants endanger local economy, officials say

BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer

Local leaders and experts say President Donald Trump’s false claims about Aurora made during his national speech last week could have real economic repercussions.

“Entire towns like Aurora, Colorado and Springfield, Ohio, buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like nobody’s ever seen before,” President Trump said during his address to Congress on Tuesday. “Beautiful towns destroyed.”

During his speech to members of Congress, Trump made false claims he’s repeated before about Aurora being overrun and destroyed by recent migrants, and especially migrants linked to gangs.

Local elected officials have also repeatedly denied his allegations and narrative, including statements by Trump and his supporters insisting that members of criminal gangs, such as the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, have not taken over the city or parts of it.

“Aurora is not now, nor has it ever been, destroyed or buckled under the strain of TdA gang members,” Councilmember Curtis Gardner told the Sentinel this week.

The president’s comment was a frequently made anti-immigrant blanket, implying that the entire immigrant population was problematic for the city when there were only a few documented incidents of violent crime being committed by suspected Venezuelan gang members, according to Aurora police and city officials.

Mayor Mike Coffman said he was “very disappointed” that Trump named Aurora in his speech without mentioning the work of the city and Aurora Police Department in successfully pursuing the limited Venezuelan gang presence in Aurora.

Arapahoe County Commissioner Rhonda Fields, a longtime Aurora resident and former state senator, said Trump’s comments were damaging and inaccurate.

“I know this, Aurora is strong and vibrant, not dismantled,” Fields said. “We will never buckle

to a false narrative.”

In the speech, the president took credit for allegedly getting rid of violent criminal immigrants, which the Aurora Police Department spent months investigating and detaining before Trump took office. A Fox News crew embedded with federal agents during Feb. 5 immigration raids in the metro area, just after Trump became president, reported that 30 people were detained, with one being a suspected TdA member.

The Sentinel and other media have pointed out that no federal agency has provided evidence of the administration’s claims. In interviews with local activists and family members of people detained, the Sentinel quoted estimates of fewer than 10 people detained in Aurora during the raids. Border Czar Tom Homan blamed the dearth of immigrant arrests on media leaks to activists, without ever providing any proof or details.

Local officials say the repeated comments by Trump and his allies are amounting to a smear campaign that can hurt local businesses, immigrant and minority communities and real estate property values.

“Donald Trump’s continuing to traffic in false rhetoric about Aurora is harmful to our city and a disgrace to the office of the president of the United States,” Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, told the Sentinel.

Aurora has for decades been a destination for immigrants from around the globe, in part because of its welcoming attitude not just by the local government, but local school districts, willing to provide for students that speak more than 130 languages other than English in their homes.

The anti-immigrant focus on Aurora began last summer after months of Venezuelan immigrants were bused to Denver, primarily by the Texas government.

When Denver non-profit organizations began finding homes for some of the estimated 42,000 Venezuelan immigrants that came to Denver in 2023, it caught Au-

rora by surprise. City council approved a resolution stating that Aurora is not a “sanctuary city” and would not support the migrants coming into Aurora without supportive services.

One incident last year in Aurora involving Venezuelan immigrants began the growing draw of national media attention.

On July 28, thousands of people drove to the Gardens On Havana shopping center, clogging the parking lots as revelers celebrated what looked like would be the end of rule by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on that country’s election day. Police were called and managed the flash mob, they said. There were reports of trash from cars, drinking and loud music and, at one point, celebratory gunfire into the air. For weeks after, police maintained that they never lost control of the event.

Despite that, Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky made several social media posts and public appearances, calling the event a mob of dangerous immigrants and a portent of grave trouble for the city.

“To the people of Aurora, I need you to know the severity of and the flat-out truth about what is going on in Aurora. The media won’t make a big deal about it and will try to downplay it,” Jurinsky said in a Facebook post. “This is in the United States of America… this is in YOUR city. Please, please spread the word. This November’s election may, in fact, be the actual most important of your lives, your children’s lives, and your grandchildren’s lives.”

Several days later, news stories surfaced focusing on an apartment complex in northwest Aurora troubled by poor maintenance and allegations of a high rate of crime. The area of Aurora has for decades been the focus of anti-gang, anti-drug and anti-crime programs, city officials have pointed out.

Beginning in August, three apartment complexes were noted for criminal activity: the Aspen Grove Apartments, the Whispering Pines Condominiums and

“This was underserved and will cause both long-term reputational and economic harm to our city,”

Mayor Mike Coffman said

the Edge at Lowry, which are all owned by one corporation, CBZ Management. The first one that gained media attention, the Aspen Grove Apartments on Nome Street, was shuttered by the city in August 2024 for being overwhelmed with crime and filth. The city deemed the building a public nuisance and acted to close it after a significant shooting incident happened.

Then, a viral video surfaces first on the internet showing a group of young men forcing their way into an apartment unit while carrying guns. The video went viral, drawing international media attention to Aurora. It also prompted Jurinsky to begin appearing regularly on local and national right-wing media radio and TV shows, making claims that there was a “complete gang takeover in parts of the city.” Those reports made their way to Trump while he was still on the campaign trail, where he began repeating the false claims and exaggerations. Trump leveraged the allegations and media attention for a campaign rally in Aurora, where he announced his plan for mass deportation raids to address the “gang takeover” here and other places in the country. He dubbed the plan “Operation Aurora.”

Gang rhetoric linked to Aurora has been repeated continuously throughout the campaign until Trump won the presidency. By the time the deportation raids happened in February, the city had almost completely closed all three buildings. According to city officials, they continue to monitor the buildings closely.

Image and economic impacts

Trump’s callout of Aurora again Tuesday night prompted a host of local and state officials to push back against comments and narrative, pointing out that it will drive people — and their money — from the city.

“This was underserved and will cause both long-term reputational and economic harm to our city,” Coffman said in an email.

Aurora city staff and council say they have been working recently to bring more people and create more attractions in the city while trying to move away from a longstanding perception of crime in Aurora. The president’s continuous claims, and even those from leaders inside the city, could be detrimental to that work.

Recent local studies show that retail sales in Aurora have slid during the past few years and could fall further, prompting the city to look for ways to boost local businesses.

Michael Burayidi, an urban planning professor at Ball State University and the author of multiple books and studies about revitalizing urban areas, spoke with the Sentinel for a retail strategy story recently and said that even the perception of crime can be damaging for a city trying to promote retail.

“If I shop at a particular place and there’s one major crime that is reported, then my perception will be significantly impacted, and I will refrain from going to that particular shopping mall because of the perception I have of the place,” Burayidi said. “Perception is important.”

He said that one successful strategy to change that perception is to continue to remind people when that narrative is false.

“Inform people of the actual crimes and hopefully dissuade them from thinking that there’s more crime in this particular area than in other areas,” he said. “It’s not going to be short-term. It has to be continuous because people’s perceptions are difficult to change in an instant.”

This can be seen in the lingering perception many have of the Town Center at Aurora Mall. Although the mall has gone through many evolutions over the years, some people still hold a negative perception of gang activity in the mall from 30 years ago. Mayor Coffman recently posted on Facebook praising the mall for its hard work and investments recently, but the comments on the post were

peppered with criticism about past gang activity at the mall, which police reports no longer reflect.

“Stopped going there years ago, Mike Coffman,” commenter Pete Marck posted under Coffman’s post. “Too many gang bangers shooting up the place. I’ll drive to Lone Tree when needed.”

State and local officials point out that not only is Trump’s narrative false, the city has reported a drop in violent and other crimes over the past few years.

Aurora, Denver and Colorado Springs, the state’s three largest cities, regularly report the most incidents of crime, and all three municipalities have reported a steady drop in crime since spikes during the height of the pandemic in 2022.

According to the Aurora Police Department’s crime statistics, “major index crimes” decreased by 15.2% from the end of 2023 to the end of 2024, with overall index crime incidents from Jan. 1 – Dec. 22 at 17,370 in 2022 and 14,724 in 2023.

Badmouthing Aurora by Trump and Jurinsky last fall prompted Colorado’s governor and others to come to the city’s defense. His office reiterated the defense this week.

“Aurora – an incredible city that has seen two straight years of rapidly declining crime – is filled with hard-working people from many diverse backgrounds and small businesses that are driving Colorado’s economy forward,” Polis said in a statement to the Sentinel from staffers.

Both Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain and Coffman, along with many other officials and community members, have made numerous statements about how the city has been aware of the presence of gang members in small pockets and how they had the situation under control long before President Trump took office.

The city’s congressional representative said Aurora’s defense exists all the way up to a national level.

“I take public safety very seriously, and I work with local law enforcement and our community leaders to make sure that our community is always safe,” Rep. Jason Crow said in a statement. “No amount of crime is OK, but for (Trump) to attack immigrants and refugees in the way that he did and to say that there was some takeover of our community is false.”

Migrant rhetoric for political gain

Much of the migrant community that came to Colorado and landed in Aurora were asylum-seeking migrants from Venezuela. Some ended up in one of the three CBZowned apartments that were run down to the point that city officials deemed them uninhabitable.

Local and national news focused on two immigrants recently who said they were extorted and terrorized by a handful of criminal immigrants suspected of being linked to TdA, according to the Aurora police.

From multiple previous interviews with the residents living in

the three buildings, many in the United States legally as they applied for asylum were focused on obtaining federal worker permits and establishing a new life, residents and their advocates told the Sentinel.

Nancy Foner, professor of sociology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, said that migrants who come to the United States for a better life contribute positively to the economy and typically avoid committing crimes for fear of deportation.

“Venezuelans are fleeing violence, and for political reasons,” she said. “They want to have a better life for themselves and, overwhelmingly, for their children. They work hard, and they’re willing to take jobs often that native-born Americans won’t.”

Venezuelans are also typically higher educated but take lower-status jobs because they have no other option, Foner said.

“I think it is a great benefit. The United States is getting these people who are very motivated and ambitious,” Foner said. “Much of this is just pure hostility to people, and not any kind of understanding of where they’re coming from, or any of the good things about them.”

Aurora is touted as the most diverse city in the state and one of the most diverse in the nation. The city takes pride in promoting global choices in local restaurants and international connections through the arts, culture and events, according to the city website. Aurora prides itself on cultural diversity, with a population of nearly 21% immigrants from around the world and 51% of those immigrants from Latin America, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. About half of the Aurora population is not white.

“Aurorans and others in Colorado understand that newcomers to our city are a source of economic strength and cultural diversity, and we reject the hateful slurs about immigrants, who are one in five of us in Aurora, our friends, neighbors and coworkers,” Weissman said.

Many local retailers in Aurora are immigrants. The Aurora Chamber of Commerce and Visit Aurora and the city continuously showcase the diversity in food, art, culture and unique stores, and much of their work focuses on bringing people into Aurora to celebrate that diversity.

Visit Aurora alone, the city’s visitor and tourism arm, spends about $5 million a year to encourage people to come to Aurora, according to IRS filings.

Chance Horiuchi, executive director at Havana Business Improvement District, said she specifically picks out treats and goodies from local immigrant-owned businesses to hand out when the Havana BID hosts an event. She recently provided Chinese rice candies and sandwiches from Paris Baguette at a police space opening to highlight local retailers in the area.

Some city leaders say the slams on Aurora are undermining business and progress for not just immigrants but all city residents.

“The lies that our city has been “taken over” and the demonization of immigrants have to stop,” Councilmember Alison Coombs said. “There are bad actors in every group, and no group deserves to be defined by the worst among them — this holds true for the immigrant communities that make our city great. Our city has been — and should continue to be — a place where immigrants are welcome.”

With the lack of transparency from ICE and other federal agents after arrests and investigations, there are questions as to whether the alleged gang narrative is what critics are trying to make it. Many of the people targeted as TdA members by Immigration and

Customs Enforcement come from a database that activist groups say has long been faulty. There is no clear way to distinguish if someone is in TdA since there are no defining marks or tells, Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain has said on multiple past occasions.

“Gang databases have been proven to be nothing more than racial profiling,” Andrea Loya of Casa de Paz said in a statement.

“For example, a resource officer in a school or parking lot sees a teenager with a tattoo talking to three or more young men on a corner, and that’s enough to get you in a gang database that ICE has access to.”

In Trump’s address to Congress, he referred to criminal immigrants as “savages,” a word critics say he uses to dehumanize people. Foner said this language is frightening to see a president use because it encourages people to think it is all right to dehumanize other groups.

“Donald Trump’s reckless and offensive remarks about Aurora are an insult to the hardworking, diverse and resilient people who call our city home,” Sen. Iman Jodeh said. “The vile labeling of people of color as “savages” was deplorable. We will not allow a man who thrives on division and fear-mongering to define us.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

TOP: City officials confer outside one of the condemned buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry after a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

MIDDLE: President Donald Trump speaks as Vice President JD Vance, left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., listen as Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. AP Photo/Ben Curtis

BELOW: Todd Chamberlain, chief of the police department in Aurora, Colo., is shown in one of the buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry during a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Right: Senior Kenny BlackKnox III (4) and members of the Rangeview boys basketball team celebrate with the plaque they earned with a 75-69 double-overtime win over Regis Jesuit in a Class 6A Great 8 contest on March 8 at the Denver Coliseum.

Top-seeded Rangeview is headed for a March 13 matchup with No. 5 Valor Christian at the same venue.

Below: Regis Jesuit junior Eric Fiedler, left, looks for an opening to put up a shot as Rangeview freshman Marceles Duncan defends during the first half of Great 8 play March 8. Fiedler has a massive game with 37 points to help Regis Jesuit build a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, while Duncan scored 11 of his team-high 23 points in the two overtime periods to help Rangeview prevail.

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY

OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL

Basketball is alive and well in the city of Aurora and it was on full display March 8 at the Denver Coliseum.

Three of the four area boys and girls teams that played during a full day of Class 6A Great 8 contests emerged victorious and the only one eliminated — the Regis Jesuit boys — came in an all-local matchup.

Here’s a look at how the Great 8 played out as the Rangeview and Eaglecrest boys — who kept alive the possibility of an all-area final as they are on opposite sides of the bracket — and Grandview girls moved on to the March 13

Final Four:

RANGEVIEW COMES BACK FROM THE BRINK, EXTENDS UNBEATEN SEASON WITH 2OT WIN OVER REGIS JESUIT

BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor

Aidan Perez didn’t play in the game that got the Rangeview boys basketball team the chance to play at the Denver Coliseum, but he helped make sure it got at least one more game (and hopefully two) at the venerable venue.

The junior reserve — back from injury — knocked down a huge 3-pointer from the left wing in the final minute of regulation as Rangeview roared back to tie Regis Jesuit and eventually prevailed 75-69 in double overtime in an all-Aurora classic in the Great 8 round of the Class 6A playoffs.

It was the latest case of a big play coming from many different sources for top-seeded Rangeview, which extended its undefeated season and made it to the semifinals for the first time since the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season.

“We’re the No. 1 team in the state, we knew who we are, we just had to do it,” said Perez, who finished with eight points, including five in a fourth quarter in which Rangeview outscored Regis Jesuit 19-10. “We weren’t doing

what we had to do at first, but we ended up coming out with a W. It’s a teamwork game.

“It felt really good to help my team as much as possible.”

Freshman Marceles Duncan had a teamhigh 23 points, while sophomore Archie Weatherspoon V added 19 and senior LaDavian King had 14 as Rangeview (26-0) moved into the March 13 semifinals, where it will meet fifth-seeded and defending state champion Valor Christian in a 4 p.m. contest at the Denver Coliseum.

Ninth-seeded Regis Jesuit got a 37-point performance from junior Eric Fiedler and had a lead as large as 12 points in the fourth quarter, but could not hold on as it sought the program’s first return to the Final Four since the 2022-23 season. Senior Lucas Dickinson added 20 points for

coach Ken Shaw’s Regis Jesuit team, which finished the season 19-7.

Fiedler earned a whopping 20 free throw attempts and two of his 18 makes came late in the second quarter as Regis Jesuit took a 25-23 edge into halftime.

Rangeview had close games at halftime on several occasions — including twice in the postseason, leading No. 33 Cherokee Trail and No. 16 George Washington by just three points apiece in the first two rounds — but found itself down nearly double figures after three quarters for the first time.

Fiedler scored 12 points in the third quarter, including the last nine, capped by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that had Regis Jesuit ahead 44-35 and with all the momentum.

“They dictated everything until the last couple of minutes,” Palmer said. “We wanted to pressure the ball, speed them up and rebound and we were just falling short in all of those areas, that’s why we were down nine. … It didn’t turn around quick, not until the last couple of minutes, but they did a good job for a young team. “It was almost like we grew up during the game.”

Indeed, Rangeview showed incredible maturity, but fell behind even further at 12 points

(48-36) on two more free throws from Fiedler. It was all Rangeview for the remaining 5:40 of regulation, however, as it went on an 18-6 run as it upped the pressure.

Senior Kenny Black-Knox III, Rangeview’s leading scorer in the first two postseason games, hadn’t scored a point through the first three quarters, but knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:26 left to make it a four-point game.

Down six with just under two minutes left, Rangeview got a three-point play from Duncan to pull within three and then tied it up when Weatherspoon V drew the defense on a drive and kicked out to Perez, who drained a 3-pointer with just under a minute left.

“I don’t think any of us panicked down 12,” King said. “That was a big 3 (from Perez) and it put us back in the game. It hyped us to keep going and keep eating.”

Rangeview held off Regis Jesuit on the final possession and again on the last sequence of the first overtime, which featured six points apiece from Fiedler for Regis Jesuit and Weatherspoon V for Rangeview, which sent the game to a second overtime at 60-60.

Limited to playing mostly halfcourt for the entire game, Rangeview finally got a dunk that gives it energy when Duncan threw it down in transition after a Weatherspoon V steal. He would score two more baskets on a baby hook

shot and drive working on Fiedler (who was saddled with four fouls) to give Rangeview a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

On Regis Jesuit’s possession to go for a tie down two, King — battling cramps and leg issues all game and simply refusing to come out — outhustled several other players to get to the loose ball and got fouled. His two free throws made it a four-point game and the lead would remain at least that the rest of the way.

“We’re all brothers, so no matter what, we never get down on each other,” Duncan said. “We just keep pushing through as a family.”

Another challenge awaits in Valor Christian (22-4), which has a seven-game postseason winning streak dating back to the Great 8 round of the 2022-23 6A state tournament.

EAGLECREST PAYS THUNDERRIDGE BACK WITH GREAT 8 VICTORY TO MAKE RETURN TO 6A FINAL FOUR

Most Class 6A boys basketball programs would want nothing to do with traditional power ThunderRidge, which is at its best in the postseason.

Facing the Grizzlies doesn’t bother Eaglecrest, however, in fact the Raptors relished a chance to face them again after they suffered

a heartbreaking overtime Final Four defeat a year ago on the same floor.

Second-seeded Eaglecrest got that chance in the Great 8 and used a 20-point fourth quarter to finally put away No. 7 ThunderRidge in a 70-54 victory that marked the second postseason win in the past three seasons head-to-head for coach Jarris Krapcha’s team.

“We’ve played them three years in a row in the playoffs and that’s obviously one of the top programs in the state year in and year out,” Krapcha said. “To come in and beat those guys is special.”

The Raptors were paced by senior Garrett Barger with 18 points, while senior Anthony Nettles added 16 and senior Lucas Kalimba 13 as Eaglecrest advanced to a Final Four matchup March 13 against No. 6 Mountain Vista, which it defeated in the regular season.

Barger had a huge smile on his face when it was over, as it helped to take some of the sting out the 64-62 overtime defeat Eaglecrest suffered to ThunderRidge last season in the semifinals. The Raptors will play in the same round this season, despite the transfer of standout LaDavian King, who is in the Final Four on the other side of the bracket with top-seeded Rangeview.

“It feels great to get back here and especially to beat the team we lost to last year,” Barger said. “It’s surreal right now. It’s such a good feeling.”

Eaglecrest had played two close contests in the playoffs — wins over No. 34 Rocky Mountain and No. 15 Arvada West — but put some distance between itself and ThunderRidge early.

The Raptors went up by double figures at 20-10 late in the opening quarter on a layup by Barger, who had six points in the opening period. The edge got to 11 early in the second quarter on a three-point play by senior La’Quince York, but the Grizzlies whittled it back to within three.

Junior post player Drew Paine had a lot to do with ThunderRidge’s rally with 14 points. But he was held completely off the scoreboard in the second half, which hindered the Grizzlies’ comeback attempts.

Eaglecrest shut the door with a 20-point fourth quarter that included two dagger 3-pointers from Nettles from opposite wings, plus quality work in the paint and at the free throw line by Kalimba and others.

“That’s how most of our games have been, back and forth,” Barger said. “But we’re the best fourth quarter team in the state. We fight until the end and we’re so deep, we can play until the final minute. They came out and they were super tired in the fourth quarter and we were all fresh and ready. We’re resilient.”

Eaglecrest rallied to deal Mountain Vista a 6966 defeat on Jan. 14 in a game in which it rallied from a six-point deficit with 1:20 left. The Golden Eagles (21-5) defeated No. 3 Chaparral 71-57 in an all-Continental League Great 8 matchup.

GRANDVIEW

GIRLS

ROLL IN RETURN TO DENVER COLISEUM FOR 6A GREAT 8

There was happiness somewhere inside, but it wasn’t abundantly obvious when looking at the starters on the Grandview girls basketball team in the late stages of their big 6A Great 8 win.

The top-five from the top-seeded Wolves sat on the bench at the Denver Coliseum as reserves finished out a 54-34 victory over No. 8 Denver East and weren’t filled with the jubilation that many teams in their position might have.

Sweet 16, but the program earned a return to the venue (home for the Great 8 rounds and later) for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons.

All four of Grandview’s seniors — Betts, Roberson, Smith and Leaiva Holliman — were part of the team that won the 6A state championship in the 2022-23 season and three of the four were on the roster for the state title victory the previous season as well.

So it was no surprise that they were comfortable from the opening tip against a Denver East program — coached by former Regis Jesuit coach Carl Mattei — that hadn’t been there since 2009-10.

For full state hoops coverage, visit sentinelcolorado. com/preps

Grandview had four players in double figures — sophomore Ava Chang with 17 points, followed by senior Deija Roberson with 11 and seniors Sienna Betts and Maya Smith with 10 apiece — on its way to its 17th straight win, but coach Josh Ulitzky’s team remains in search of its best game.

“Honestly we felt great, but we have such high expectations for ourselves, that we don’t think we performed to the level we could have,” Roberson said. “That got us a little down and the heat of the moment, but honestly it feels so good to win and move on. We 100 percent know we can play better.”

The Wolves (23-3) missed out on a trip to the Denver Coliseum last season when they were upset by Centennial League rival Mullen in the

Roberson poured in seven early points and Betts had six in the opening period, which ended with a 13-point Grandview advantage. The Wolves limited the Angels to just two field goals in the first two quarters, while all their other points came on free throws.

“We felt pretty comfortable right off the bat,” Roberson said. “It felt so good to get right into it and get the flow of our game going. …You could tell they (Denver East) weren’t really used to the rims and the environment right away.”

The 6-foot-4 Betts — the two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American — faced a consistent double-team from Denver East posts Evelina Otto and Mairead Hearty, which limited her offensive production.

Betts finished with 10 points to match her season low, but was incredibly impactful as usual with her rebounding (14), shot blocking (3) and composure. Fortunately, the Wolves got contri-

butions from several sources, including Chang, who led all scorers in her first trip to the venue.

“Coming in, I was pretty nervous,” Chang said. “It’s a big arena, so I was just trying to set my mind right. Everybody was talking about the depth perception for shooting, so I was really trying to use my time in warmups to get that right.”

Smith knocked down two 3-pointers in the opening half, Holliman added another and seven Grandview players in all got in the scoring column in a good team game in which the Wolves added to their lead after every quarter until the end.

“To be able to get back here and find a way to win is great,” Ulitzky said. “Credit to a lot of our kids for knocking down big shots.”

Next up for Grandview is No. 5 Pine Creek, which prevented an all-Centennial League Final Four with a 38-33 Great 8 win over Cherry Creek.

SWEET 16 ROUND STOPS FOUR AURORA BOYS AND GIRLS TEAMS

Left out of Great 8 play were some outstanding Aurora area boys and girls teams, which fell in Sweet 16 play. In girls contests March 9, No. 11 Cherokee Trail lost a 54-52 overtime heartbreaker to No. 6 Highlands Ranch despite Aaliyah Broadus’ 26-point effort, while No. 10 Regsi Jesuit rallied in the second half, but lost at No. 7 Legend 47-38 in a rematch of a semifinal last season. In boys play on March 8, No. 22 Overland got 20 points apiece from Siraaj Ali and TJ Manuel and had a lead as large as eight points in the fourth quarter at No. 6 Mountain Vista before losing 8877 in double overtime while No. 25 Grandview lost 59-56 at No. 9 Regis Jesuit.

›› HOOPS, from 12

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Grandview’s Sienna Betts honored as McDonald’s All-American

Sienna Betts is focused on winning two more games and bringing home the Class 6A state championship with her Grandview girls basketball team.

She will have at least one more game to look forward to, as she has been picked for the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game, which includes the top 24 senior players from across the country.

Betts — the third all-time McDonald’s All-American from Grandview, a group that is rounded by out by her older sister, Lauren, along with Michaela Onyenwere — was presented with her jersey following the Wolves’ win over Rocky Mountain in the second round of the 6A state tournament on March 5.

Betts ranks in the top five in scoring in 6A at 23.2 points per game, while she’s the classification’s leading rebounder at 17.0 per game and also ranks in the top five in assists and blocked shots.

The McDonald’s All-American Game — which will include another Colorado player in Alexandra Eschmeyer of Peak to Peak — is scheduled for April 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

TRACK & FIELD

Cherokee Trail boys capture Aurora City Championship meet

The Cherokee Trail boys track team — the two-time defending Class 5A state champion — secured a title in the first meet of the year as it claimed the Aurora City Championship March 8 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.

The Cougars cleared runner-up Grandview by 50 points on the strength of five event wins, which included the 400 meter crown by senior star Peyton Sommers. Solomon Griffen (110 meter hurdles), Prince David Ajibade (high jump), Taylor Waters (pole vault) and Ayden Mills (shot put).

The Wolves accrued 112 points with just two event champions in Brody Flores in the 100 meter dash and the 4x100 meter relay, while fifth-place Eaglecrest had the 200 meter dash winner in Noah Brown plus triple jump winner Bryson States and the No. 1 4x200 meter relay team.

Defending 5A discus state champion Jarrius Ward of Overland claimed the Aurora meet title in the event, while Zumari Stivers (300 meter hurdles) added another win for the Trailblazers. The other event winners from Aurora programs both came from Rangeview in distance runners Kimi Bulto (800 meters) and Abdinasir Hassan (3,200 meters).

TOP: Cherokee Trail’s Solomon Griffen, right, clears the final hurdle on his way to winning the boys 110-meter hurdles at the Aurora City Championship track meet March 8 ABOVE: Rangeview senior Sebastian Heredia-Ruiz delivers a pitch during his six shutout innings of work in a 3-0 home win over Gateway March 6. RIGHT: Eaglecrest’s Zenobia Witt won the girls long jump at the Aurora City Championships March 8. (Photos by

TRACK & FIELD

Eaglecrest takes second at Aurora city meet

The Eaglecrest girls track & field team finished just 13 points out of the top spot at the Aurora City Championship meet March 8 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.

The Raptors had only one event winner — Zenobia Witt in the triple jump — but racked up a total of 124 points to come in only behind the 137 of Cherry Creek. Cherokee Trail earned 111 points to finish third as Raziah Hyslop swept the throwing events, while Kaeli Powe (long jump), Alexandria Carelock (300 meter hurdles), Jade McDaniel (3,200 meters) and the 4x200 meter relay team were all victorious. Fourth-place Grandview had a single champion in high jumper Andrea Davis.

Overland’s Lezlee Napier claimed both the 100 and 200 meter dashes, while Smoky Hill’s Kiyah Enoch won the city title in the 100 meter hurdles and Vista PEAK Prep took the 4x100 meter relay title.

WEEK PAST

The week past in Aurora prep sports

MONDAY, MARCH 10: The Grandview girls tennis team earned the

championship of the Tom Moore Invitational, which had postponed from the previous week. The Wolves won two positions, including No. 2 doubles (Emma Cary and Linhvy Nguyen). Host Eaglecrest had the No. 1 singles champion in Natali Marshall SATURDAY, MARCH 8: The Eaglecrest girls soccer team blanked Liberty 1-0 to win its season opener as a goal by Reagan Wagner provided the difference. ...Gaige Butler piled up 19 kills, while Jose Ojeda Cortez had 11 kills and 17 digs to help the Overland boys volleyball team to a 24-26, 25-17, 2225, 25-1, 15-10 victory against Hinkley Ethan Do added 33 assists. ...The Eaglecrest boys volleyball team finished 2-1 at its own invitational, which also included Regis Jesuit (which went 1-2) and Cherokee Trail, which finished 0-3. ... FRIDAY, MARCH 7:The Regis Jesuit boys lacrosse team came out hot in its season opener, as it earned a 14-2 home win over Denver South. THURSDAY, MARCH 6: Sebastian Heredia-Ruiz threw six innings of onehit baseball with 10 strikeouts and also drove in a run for the Rangeview baseball team in a 3-0 home win over Gateway Ryan Luevanos had two hits for the Raiders. ...Jason Weber went 3-for-3 with eight steals and four runs

scored to help the Overland baseball team to a 20-1 win over Denver West. Uriel Hernandez allows one hit over three innings on the mound and had two hits and an RBI. ...The Aurora Central baseball team racked up 18 runs in the bottom of the third inning in a 21-1 season-opening home win over Jefferson. ...Makayla Sellyei scored the only goal for the Cherokee Trail girls soccer team in a 1-0 win over ThunderRidge. ... Alexsandra Ortiz scored three goals and had an assist for the Hinkley girls soccer team, which doubled up Overland 4-2. ...Shut out in its first two games, the Smoky Hill girls soccer team piled up 12 goals in a 120 victory over Kennedy that saw Lena Gordon finished with three goals and an assist. Lauren Nesbitt added two goals and two assists for the Buffaloes.

...The Grandview boys swim team earned a 115-68 Centennial League dual win over Cherokee Trail that featured a relay sweep. Oliver Schimberg and Gherman Prudnikau won two events apiece, while Nicholas Myasoyedov also had a victory in addition to diver Hunter Bull, while the Cougars got two event wins from Bronson Smothers plus another from Anderson Hardin

...The Cherokee Trail boys volleyball team earned a reverse sweep of Chap-

arral with a 19-25, 16-25, 25-15, 25-17, 15-13 victory. ...Ashton Bond racked up nine kills to lead the Eaglecrest boys volleyball team to a 25-18, 29-27, 2518 sweep of Bear Creek. ...The Overland boys volleyball team took a local matchup with Rangeview by a score of 25-20, 24-26, 25-23, 25-20. ...The Regis Jesuit girls tennis team opened its dual season with a 7-0 victory at Central of Grand Junction with wins in straight sets in six matches plus a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 10-6 victory at No. 1 doubles for Helen Adams and Lily Beebe WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5: The Eaglecrest boys volleyball team swept past Chaparral 25-22, 25-21, 28-26. ...Sophia Capua of Vista PEAK Prep carded a round of 1-over-par 73 at Overland Park G.C. to win the City League’s first tournament individually. ...TUESDAY, MARCH 4: The Gateway and Hinkley girls soccer teams earned wins, as the Olys blanked Lincoln 4-0 and the Thunder topped Aurora Central 7-1. ...The Grandview boys volleyball team picked up a 2516, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16 victory over Ponderosa. ...The Hinkley boys volleyball team topped Manual 25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 25-18. ...Tristan Rowley had 18 kills and seven blocks for the Vista PEAK Prep boys volleyball team in a five-set loss.

Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

Super Sized honor: Grandview senior post player Sienna Betts received her jersey for her selection to the McDonald’s All-American Game after the Wolves’ Sweet 16 win over Rocky Mountain in the Class 6A girls basketball playoffs March 5. Betts is set to play with 23 of the country’s best seniors April 1 in Brooklyn. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

Education Committee.

Gianina Horton: Horton, a Democrat, currently serves as the state’s coordinator for reducing racial and ethnic disparities. She previously served as a co-executive director for the Denver Justice Project and a project manager for the Denver Office of the Independent Monitor.

“We need representatives who are reflective of the communities who live in the areas that have the most need and really engage with community members,” Horton said. “We should be showing up authentically to make sure that our voices and our power is constantly at the table where legislation is being built.”

Horton received a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College in political science and government and went to high school at Denver Center for International Studies.

“Education was a critical means for me, continuously breaking the cycle that my mother broke, and building off that,” she said.

Horton also served as a member of Aurora’s consent decree Community Advisory Council.

“It is about building a sense of belonging for all who call Aurora home and making sure that myself as a candidate is building trust between residents and local governance,” Horton said.

Ward II, central-east

Aurora

Gayla Charrier: Charrier, a Democrat, is running for the Ward II seat. Incumbent Councilmember Steve Sundberg, finishing his first term, has not made public whether he will seek re-election to the seat. Sundberg owns and manages Challengers Bar and Grill.

Charrier previously worked in the field of government security for United Launch Alliance, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and currently has a Certified Nurse Assistant license and serves as a caregiver for her non-verbal autistic son.

“I have advocated for him and others within his current school district,” She said. “I am a firm believer in sharing what I have learned with other parents, especially when it pertains to resources for special needs kids.”

Charrier said that during the time she lived in Aurora, she witnessed numerous changes she said she plans to address during her campaign.

Ward II is the largest ward, geographically, in Aurora, including vast tracts of land extending to and beyond Denver International Airport and east to Watkins.s.

Ward III, central-west

Aurora

Marsha Berzins: Berzins is running for city council of Aurora in Ward III. Incumbent Ruben Medina has not made public whether he will seek a second term to the seat. Berzins previously served as the Ward III representative from 2009 to 2021. After stepping down from the city council, she ran unsuccessfully for Arapahoe County treasurer. Berzins is a business owner and continues to serve on multiple community boards and commissions, according to her website.

She said that, if elected, she plans to act as a “unifier and to serve everyone in Aurora,” according to her website.

Ward III is essentially encompassed by East Sixth Avenue and East Mississippi Avenue, as well as South Airport Boulevard and East Alameda Parkway.

Two at-large city council

seats Danielle Jurinsky: Jurinsky, a Republican, has made public that she is running for a second term at-large.

Jurinsky owns and operates JJ’s Place bar and restaurant in Aurora and describes herself as a pro-business

city lawmaker. During her first term, Jurinsky garnered national media attention and that of the Trump presidential campaign, promoting the narrative that immigrant gangs had “overrun” or “taken over” parts of Aurora. Jurinksy’s critics say the false and exaggerated claims she made were for the benefit of a national election season narrative.

Jurinksy is a single mother, and she said on her campaign website that she is “fighting for a stronger, safer Aurora while bridging the gap between Aurora citizens and our local Aurora law enforcement.”

Rob Andrews: Rob Andrews, a Democrat, announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on city council. Andrews is the founder of the One Voice Coalition, a local start-up that works with underserved communities.

“With a lifelong commitment to service and a deep passion for the community, Andrews is running to bring fresh leadership, bold solutions and a collaborative approach to the city’s challenges,” a statement about Andrews said.

He said his campaign will focus on fostering economic opportunity for all residents, creating high-quality jobs and taking a unique and proven approach to building affordable housing and community-based public safety. Andrews ran for Aurora mayor in 2023, but ultimately decided to drop out in order to not “split the vote” with fellow Democrat Juan Marcano, who started campaigning earlier than Andrews.

“I love this city, and I believe in its potential,” Andrews said in the statement. “I’m running for City Council because we need affordable housing, economic opportunities that uplift our entire community and safer neighborhoods for all residents. I’ve spent years working to improve lives in Aurora, and I’m ready to take that work to city hall.”

Andrews is a Colorado native, and said he has been involved in economic initiatives in both Adams and Arapahoe Counties, the statement said. He serves on multiple steering committees on public safety reform and economic mobility in Aurora, and his experience includes leadership roles in nonprofits and public service, having served on the Colorado Workforce Development Board, Denver County Workforce Development Board and the Colorado Judicial Performance Commission. He also played professional football for a short while before suffering a career-ending injury.

“A former professional athlete, Rob’s journey has been defined by resilience, service and a deep commitment to his community,” the statement said.

Amsalu Kassaw: Kassaw, a Republican, is an Ethiopian-born at-large city councilmember who was appointed to former Councilmember Dustin Zvonek’s vacant seat last fall and said, “he wants to continue to be a voice for the city’s diverse residents,” in a statement.

“Aurora is more than a city to me; it’s a symbol of opportunity, diversity and unity,” Kassaw said in the statement. “From my early days of building a new life in America to becoming a proud citizen, this community has shaped who I am today. Over the years, I have dedicated myself to promoting civic engagement, supporting small businesses and fostering collaboration among diverse communities.”

Kassaw has worked for 20 years in the security industry and currently works as a lieutenant at the GEO Group’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Ethiopian immigrant to hold the office in the state of Colorado, according to the statement. He graduated from Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa University and has served his local community in various capacities.

“I’m honored to be not only a voice for the growing Ethiopian population, but the many immigrant and diverse communities that proudly call Aurora

home,” Kassaw said in a statement. “These families and residents deserve a safe and vibrant city that continues to create opportunities for all to succeed, which is why I am running.”

Kassaw said he is focused on creating meaningful opportunities, safer communities, improving infrastructure, and reducing barriers to economic growth.

“This journey isn’t just about me — it’s about us. Together, we can unlock Aurora’s full potential and create a future defined by inclusivity, opportunity, and resilience,” he said in the statement.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Aurora School District hires contractor to oversee $1 billion bond program

The Aurora school district is working to get projects funded through a $1 billion bond program started by this summer. One of its first steps: Hiring an outside contractor to oversee all the work.

In December, the district signed a contract with Jacobs Project Management for $17 million over the next five years, coming out of the bond. Voters approved the bond — the largest school bond in state history — in 2024.

One of the first things the Jacobs staff is working on with Aurora is the schedule of work for all the bond projects. It is nearly complete, and community members can expect to see work starting soon, said Brett Johnson, the district’s chief financial officer.

Johnson said the district made the decision to outsource the management of the work because of how many large projects will be involved.

Asking the Aurora staff already tasked with managing an assortment of projects to take on an additional billion dollars worth of projects would be a lot, Johnson said.

“Our interest and decision to engage with an owners rep for this is representative of the fact that we also just approved the largest bond package in the history of Colorado schools,” Johnson said.

Among the things the $1 billion bond program will cover is a new high school, a significant rebuild of Gateway High School, rebuilding Laredo Elementary, and construction of two new pre-K-8 buildings.

“What we’re really leaning on them for is to make sure we’re on time and on budget, and having a centralized set of eyes to monitor projects in real time,” Johnson said of the management company.

The contract for Jacobs wasn’t approved individually by the board because it was included as part of the package of bond work the board already approved. Similarly, already approved bond projects won’t need board approval for each contract. But part of Jacobs’ work will also be to review the district’s process for requesting bids and awarding contracts and to recommend any needed changes.

The Aurora school district has closed eight schools in the last five years due to declining enrollment, but always said the district faced the issue of declining student populations in the west, near Denver, while new development meant growing student counts in the east.

The district has already opened a new school in the last few years for new developments toward the northeast part of the district, but the need is expected to keep growing.

Although some of the metro area school districts continue to lose students, the Aurora school district started turning that trend around with enrollment growing for several years. This year, 39,813 students are enrolled in Aurora schools, up from a low of 37,907 in the fall of 2020.

Hiring a company to help manage bond projects isn’t unique.

For example, this year, the neighboring Adams 12 school district is also contracting with a firm, Anser Advisory, now under Accenture, for $2.5 million to help manage two of the district’s bond projects: the rebuilding of Thornton High School and the expansion of FutureForward at Bollman, the district’s career and technical education campus. Together, the two projects represent about $260 million, or 31%, of the total $830 million bond.

School districts that apply for state support for building repairs or projects through the BEST grant program are also “strongly encouraged” to hire a project management firm for new schools or major renovations, a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Education said. It’s fairly common among smaller or rural districts that might not have a lot of staff members available to work on large new projects requiring a lot of attention.

In Aurora, the plan is for the management company to work collaboratively with the district’s internal team that is dedicated to construction projects, Johnson said.

And as in other years, the district will still have oversight from the community through a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that already started meeting this year.

But having a team of people dedicated just to work on these projects means everything should be monitored more closely, Johnson said.

The school district’s director of construction, Caleb Tobin, submitted his resignation last month and will leave the district soon.

Emails obtained by Chalkbeat show the director has been asking the district to approve new staff to help with the bond since at least October.

In an email written in December and then followed up again in January, Tobin urged the district for more staff, saying there is more work to be done now. He cited non-bond projects, such as those affiliated with the Mill Levy and new facilities being added to the school district

“We have significant needs that, in my opinion, should not be filled by hiring additional expensive contract staff,” he wrote. “We can and should be building our team up for a future APS that has significantly more facilities and projects, and we should do so in a way that is financially and operationally prudent, which in my opinion means hiring long-term APS staff.”

Even if the new positions had to be hired slowly over time, Tobin wrote, it would be positive for the current staff and the whole district.

At least one project manager was approved to start mid-year. District leaders told Tobin to make any other position needs a part of the department’s budget request for the next school year.

The district is planning to set up a website with a map detailing all the bond projects and their status.

— YESENIA ROBLES

Chalkbeat Colora

Colorado K-12 financial aid literacy requirement proposal clears first hurdle

Colorado students would be required to learn about financial literacy under a proposal that state lawmakers advanced Thursday night.

House Bill 1192 would also require educators to place a greater emphasis on teaching students how to fill out state or federal financial aid forms, which open up the possibility of college grants and scholarships. However, the bill would not require high school students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in order to graduate.

House Education Committee members have amended the bill heavily, including to strip the FAFSA mandate because of concerns some students, such as those without legal documentation or who have family members not here legally, can’t or won’t want to submit the form.

A bipartisan group of bill sponsors say their proposal helps set up Colorado students with the skills to better understand and manage their finances, as well as plan for the future — whether that’s entering the workforce or going to college. But the bill also faces opposition from teachers unions, school boards, and school executives who said it would place more work on educators without giving them much more funding — the bill requires about $200,000 more in state spending annually.

“Our primary focus is to elevate the needs of our students and communities,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat who is one of several co-sponsors of the bill. “And I would like us to demonstrate to the state of Colorado that we are willing to try.”

And the bill has received strong support, especially from Denver-area students.

Northfield High School senior Parker Bazaz testified that there’s more financial terminology to navigate than ever before. Students have to learn how to use mobile banking, invest, understand cryptocurrency, and other topics.

High school students should learn from schools how to responsibly spend money and pay for college, Bazaz said.

“Being financially literate empowers young people to make smart decisions,” he said.

The bill passed in the House Education Committee with an 8 to 5 vote after four hours of testimony and debate. Several dissenters said they were torn in their vote because they see the value, but are reluctant to give teachers more responsibilities when there’s little state funding to support them.

They also argued that a few districts statewide have opted to provide financial literacy without a state mandate. That’s proof educators respond when their community wants this type of instruction, they added.

However, bill sponsor state Rep.

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Editorials Sentinel

Quit thwarting transparency in Colorado by legislating open record barriers

Government transparency doesn’t have to be as difficult — and expensive — as state and local lawmakers keep making it.

Few things are more critical in exposing, preventing, and even reversing government corruption and malfeasance than open records and meeting laws. Nothing.

The ability of the public, and the press, to inspect the trail of records and recordings revealing what every state and local agency does, courtesy of taxpayers, builds integrity and trust in the government.

Despite a citizen-initiated mandate from Colorado residents in 1972, just about every level of government works to find ways around open records or open meetings laws, often tossing them off as a cumbersome nuisance that detracts from the government’s “real work.”

Providing access to public records and meetings is “real” work, and history has repeatedly shown that “real” bad things happen when the laws are weakened or violated.

It took the Sentinel and a handful of other news media collaborating on a series of stories and investigations months to uncover weaknesses and outright loopholes in state records laws allowing police fired from one Colorado agency to get a job in another agency without the public ever knowing it.

After more than three years, the Sentinel is still embroiled in a lawsuit with the City of Aurora after reporters discovered that the City Council held a meeting in secret, illegally, in an attempt to prevent the public from hearing arguments for and against censuring Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky for allegations of interfering in police operations. Jurinsky infamously called former Police Chief Vanessa Wilson “trash” on rightwing radio shows and admittedly advised the former chief about firing a deputy chief.

Witnesses told the Sentinel that a “show of hands” vote was taken in secret among lawmakers to scuttle the censure action against Jurinsky, and a public vote afterward awarded her $16,000 in attorney fees.

Currently, the Colorado Supreme Court is hearing appeals from the city after lower courts ruled for the Sentinel — and the release of secret meeting recordings, which would allow for the public to hear for themselves whether the public’s business was conducted wrongly and illegally.

These issues and hundreds just like that across the state depend on laws that force willing and unwilling government officials to allow the press and public to see a wide range of records, data and recordings.

But winning access isn’t the only problem for the media and the public looking to reveal what the government does right and wrong.

State lawmakers continue to legislate impediments into law, primarily by making it so expensive that only the very wealthy can afford to impose transparency in government.

Last year, Democratic state lawmakers, exposed for violating the spirit and letter of open meetings laws, changed the statute to suit their needs. State lawmakers were outed for conducting virtual meetings with fellow members through group emails and texts as they caucused and lobbied state bills.

State law specifically forbids three or more elected officials from meeting away from public scrutiny when they conduct the public’s business.

The defense state lawmakers gave in changing the law is that it’s too hard to be a state lawmaker without being able to group chat, group email and keep those conversations secret from public scrutiny. Clearly, none of those voting for that measure last year would have been able to handle the job before email and mobile phone messaging became a thing.

The public’s need and right to know what government officials and bureaucrats do is diminished by such self-serving laws. It’s also hampered by state lawmakers regularly raising the fee that agencies can charge the media and public to provide access to public records that already belong to the public. After changing the law last year to provide for secretive legislative bargaining, lawmakers raised the hourly price governments can charge the public for records requests to a whopping $40 an hour.

Whether intentional or not, the hike puts revealing government actions and meetings outside the realm of affordability, at great cost to public accountability.

In addition to many state lawmakers and government officials seeing records requests as a distraction and annoyance, lawmakers look for ways to legislate real-live barricades for public requesters deemed to be nefarious and purposely bothersome in their public records requests.No responsible person wants to see scarce government resources wasted for any reason, including odious or disingenuous requests of public records. But putting all “genuine” records requests out of reach of the public is not an acceptable answer.The clear answer is not to continually find ways to discourage or prevent the media from accessing public records and information, instead, the state needs to ensure that the workings of the government are simply more accessible by anyone at any time, preventing government staff from having to fulfill records requests in the first place. In a world where so much is available on public databases, moving copies of records to public spaces would be a time and money savings for governments and members of the public diligently providing the public information and context.

That’s likely years away. In the interim, state lawmakers must lower the price — and barrier — to access public records, despite the challenge to do so.

As for ensuring public meetings are public when it comes to conducting the public’s business, for those who find it too difficult or distasteful, leaving public service for a private company job is probably a better solution for everyone.

OBEID KAIFO, GUEST COLUMNIST

Emerging from a nightmare, Syria needs world support to move forward

For a long time, I avoided writing about Syria — not because I ever doubted that one day it would be free, but because of the frustration and hopelessness that came with watching the country suffer under Bashar al-Assad’s brutal dictatorship.

More than 140,000 people have perished, including two American patriots: journalist Austin Tice and psychiatrist Dr. Majd Kamalmaz. They fought for American values deep in Syria, and President Donald Trump should posthumously award them the Medal of Freedom.

Imagine the agony of not knowing if someone is dead or trapped in the infamous Sednaya prison, a modern-day equivalent of a Nazi concentration camp.

Trump called Assad an “animal” back in 2018, and he was right — Syrians knew it, and the world should have, too.

My own family has suffered deeply. Two of my uncles were killed just days apart — one shot by a sniper, the other burned alive in his home — while the world, including the Obama administration, turned a blind eye.

The infamous “red line” moment cemented my disillusionment. Why revisit this pain now? Because history has finally shifted.

At 10 p.m. Colorado time on Dec. 8, Syria was finally free. The entire corrupt Assad infrastructure collapsed overnight. His regime, propped up by prison guards, drug dealers, and Iranian militias, was swept away. Assad and remnants fled to Moscow, as expected.

For the first time in more than 50 years, Syrians had no more fear of speaking their minds, no more oppression. In the past, even writing these words would have landed me in Sednaya for life, accused of “threatening national security.”

The first act of the new liberators? Freeing thousands of prisoners from Assad’s medieval dungeons. Some inmates had spent their entire lives in darkness, including toddlers who had never seen a bird or a tree. Yes, toddlers. I’ll let you imagine how. Women were raped and had children in prison multiple times, and these children don’t even know what a bird or a tree is. More than 630,000 are confirmed dead, but the true number is likely more than a million people. More than 140,000 people remain missing.

The world failed to intervene for 14 years — these Syrian liberators did it in just 11 days.

But real life is not a Hollywood ending. In the weeks after liberation, Syria saw moments of joy, including its first-ever official Christmas holiday, declared by the Muslim-led interim government.

Even so, some seized on a minor incident — a vandal bending a metal Christmas tree — as proof of religious tensions, falsely claiming “Muslims extremists are taking over!” when, in reality, it was just some idiot, like we would see after a crazy Christmas Eve party.

Syria is now in transition, forming a new government, appointing ministers, and launching a National Dialogue Conference. Unlike the failed attempts in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, this revolution uprooted the Assad regime entirely. The people took to the streets not just to celebrate but to literally clean them — restoring neglected mosques, churches, and even synagogues.

Yes, synagogues.

Syrians are not surprised by this; outsiders might be. Syria is home to the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities — Aleppo and Damascus.

The diverse people of Syria have lived side by side for more than 5,000 years, long before Abraham, the patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, even existed.

Civilization itself was born here. Syrians understand history, culture, and religious coexistence in a way few others do.

For the last three months, Syrians have been living in a dream world. People walk with smiles, free from fear and anxiety for the first time in generations. The economy is in ruins, infrastructure is nonexistent, yet the people remain hopeful. They know rebuilding requires patience and collective effort.

However, the biggest obstacle isn’t internal — it’s external.

Sanctions, once imposed to weaken Assad, are now strangling Syria’s opportunity to rebuild. The EU and UK have started easing restrictions, testing how the new government will handle governance and economic reforms

But the U.S. remains silent. Biden’s administration ignored Syria, but a new Trump administration could bring a clean slate. The interim government, led by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, has been lobbying for sanctions relief. Syria, now free from Iranian influence and Hezbollah, presents a rare opportunity

for American diplomacy.

For those old enough to remember, the term “Axis of Evil” once referred to Syria, Iran, and North Korea. Today, Syrians have destroyed that axis themselves. They expelled Iran, Hezbollah, Russia, and, finally, Assad. This presents Trump with an unprecedented chance to reshape the Middle East.

A partnership with Syria could stabilize the entire region, benefiting Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and even Gulf nations like Qatar and the UAE.

Yet, just as hope began to settle in, remnants of Assad’s loyalists, now little more than drug-dealing outlaws, struck back. On March 6, they ambushed and murdered 15 police officers in Syria’s coastal regions.

The people reacted with grief and outrage, rallying in support of law enforcement. But tensions are high — armed factions, expected to disarm months ago, still hold weapons. The Syrian interim government must navigate a delicate balance: protecting civilians, eliminating the outlaws, and preventing vigilante factions from taking matters into their own hands.

This is where sectarianism — the very poison Assad thrived on — threatens to resurface.

The coastal regions, heavily populated by Alawites — the ousted Assad’s sect — have become the battleground for these outlaws. Assad cultivated a false narrative that Alawites were inseparable from his regime, grooming them into believing their existence depended on his survival.

This is a lie. Most Alawites, like all Syrians, suffered under Assad’s rule. But now, as anger and emotions run high, some are wrongly equating all Alawites with the dictator’s crimes.

Adding fuel to the fire, influential figures like Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson have irresponsibly spread misinformation. Musk retweeted claims that “Christians are being slaughtered in Syria” and asked, “How many people are being killed?”

Carlson echoed the notion that Assad “protected minorities.” These narratives are not only false but dangerous. Assad killed everyone — Christians, Muslims, Alawites, Sunnis, and Kurds. These Outlaws are following in Assad’s footsteps.

His sectarianism was a tool of control, not genuine protection. The truth is, right now, Syrian police forces — composed of all backgrounds — are the ones being targeted by the Assad outlaws.

To prevent chaos, the Syrian interim president has issued a presidential decree forming an independent investigative committee, led by judges and legal experts, to examine the March 6 events. The committee has full autonomy, with mandatory cooperation from all government agencies. Unlike Assad’s kangaroo courts, this investigation will be transparent.

But the greatest challenge remains: dismantling the last remnants of Assad’s power without descending into sectarianism. Assad loyalists, unable to comprehend life without corruption and unchecked power, are fighting to maintain their criminal networks. Some Alawites, conditioned to believe they were untouchable under Assad, now struggle with the reality of equal citizenship. These outlaws incite fear and division, hoping to drag Syria back into darkness.

Unfortunately, rather than supporting Syria’s historic transformation, some Trump ally influencers seem more preoccupied with stoking sectarian fears. Ironically, Trump himself appears more level-headed on Syria than his own supporters. The so-called MAGA caucus has always championed “America First,” yet some of its loudest voices are suddenly fixated on minority dynamics in Syria — a country where communities have coexisted for thousands of years. The Muslim led Syrian government’s first action was to make Christmas an official national holiday.

Syria’s interim government revealed this week that the Assad regime had outstanding warrants for 5 million citizens. That’s approximately 20% of the entire minority population in Syria. All the warrants have been cancelled by the Syrian government. The warrants were the work of Assad, who MAGA influencers have fallen for, today.

But Syrians will not fall for sectarianism. If anyone doubts this, look at the last three months. Look at Syria’s first free Christmas holiday, where Muslims and Christians celebrated together. Look at the people who have rejected vengeance in favor of rebuilding. Misinformation is dangerous. But in the end, the truth will prevail. Syria has freed itself.

Now, the world must decide: Will it stand by this new chapter in history, or will it let the ghosts of Assad’s tyranny continue to haunt the nation?

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