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December 18, 2025 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 3

2025: The year of the diminishing bank account Merry Christmas all! I hope the year has been kind to you. My husband and I could sum up 2025 as The Year of Home Improvement Projects. Also The Year of Diminishing Bank Accounts.

For one thing, we had a sprinkler system installed so that we wouldn’t have to water our lawn anymore. Or rather, so that we wouldn’t have to feel guilty for not watering our lawn. Truly we would rather pour green concrete all over our yard than drag hoses around it. Now that we have the sprinkler system I’m glad we didn’t go that route.

We also had a new shower put in. I like it but as you know if you travel, there’s always a learning curve with showerheads you’re not used to. At least there is for me.

And our new showerhead has more settings than a blender.

They aren’t labeled like the ones on our blender are but they seem to range from “gentle mist” to “rainy afternoon” to “day at the car wash.”

There’s another downside I hadn’t anticipated. Our old shower had a full-length mirror on the door. And I’d made it a point to check it regularly ever since that time I went to work with my shirt buttoned wrong.

Our new shower wasn’t equipped with a mirror so my husband hung one in the only spot it fits in our bathroom.

Unfortunately now whenever I wash my hands, I see the back of my head reflected back at me in the mirror above our sink. It’s made me acutely aware of something I was only vaguely conscious of before: the cowlick on the back of my head.

I’m embarrassed to admit how preoccupied I’ve become with it. I comb it, tease it and douse it with hairspray.

I catch myself studying the backs of heads in church, comparing other people’s cowlicks to mine. And I frequently ask my husband how my cowlick looks at that moment. When it’s behaving, he says “fine.” When it’s not, he says, “just be glad you have hair.”

Speaking of hair, my cat has a lot of it. No cowlick though. But his hair was a contributing factor in two smaller household projects.

We finally had our ducts cleaned and by finally I mean after 30 years of owning our home. If you go online, you’ll find varying opinions of how often you should have this done. But you won’t find anyone advising you to wait as long as we did, especially if

you have a pet. And I suspect a cat might be one of the worst.

The duct cleaners had a camera for viewing the bowels of our home and our ducts looked positively fur lined.

I can’t see that happening with an iguana.

According to the refrigerator repairman we could also blame our cat for the fact that our icemaker quit working.

To be fair, I think we should probably blame us since we’ve never taught our cat to vacuum.

Apparently the coils under our fridge were warm and cozy and wearing little fur coats. That somehow affected our icemaker. We do clean

the coils more often than our ducts but neither of us had any recollection of the last time we did it. I’m guessing it was around five years ago but we had a different refrigerator then.

So now you see why I call 2025 The Year of Home Improvement Projects and The Year of Diminishing Bank Accounts. I suppose I could also call it The Year of the Cat…Hair.

That’s it for now. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. May 2026 be The Year of Something Good for Us All. Dorothy Rosby is the author of ’Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate; Holidays, Special Occasions and Other Times Our Celebrations Get Out of Hand and other books. Contact her at www.dorothyrosby. com/contact.

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C NVERSATIONS ARAPAHOE COUNTY

Volunteers Needed Help a Neighbor in Need this Winter For individuals in need of extra assistance, snowy walkways and driveways create a safety hazard and can even be life-threatening. This program is one of the County’s most requested for volunteers and your help will have a big impact on your immediate community. Volunteers are especially needed in Aurora, Greenwood Village, and Centennial.

Learn more and sign up at arapahoeco.gov/digout.

SIGN UP NOW! Happy Holidays Get the latest news on County services, programs, people and events by signing up for The County Line newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Sign up at arapahoeco.gov/newsletter or scan the QR code on your smartphone.

All County offices will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

arapahoeco.gov

Visit arapahoegov.com/osmasterplan to read the DIVE summary report.

WEEK OF DEC. 15

Opinion

PAGE 4 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

The Villager

Office: 22095 E. Chestnut Place, Aurora 80016 • (303) 773-8313 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Arapahoe County, Colorado. (USPS 431-010) Published weekly by The Villager Publishing Co., Inc. 22095 E. Chestnut Place,

The real meaning of Christmas spirit It was many years and candy. ago on a remote I rushed to the ranch in NW Colowoodpile and gathrado that this little ered an armload of story begins. I was kindling and then to around six yeas old the coal house to fill and we lived in a the coal bucket. had

BY BOB SWEENEY visions of fudge and very rural area in a small wooden frame PUBLISHER cookies running thru house heated only by one my young brain. kitchen stove that was fired As darkness descended, by wood and coal. my father came to the house Everyone on a ranch or from his evening chores that farm has daily chores to per- included milking our jersey form. All of the livestock milk cow. This wonderful must be fed in the early cow provided us abundant morning, every day. My milk and cream, kept cool by chore was to make sure that a block of ice in the wooden the wood box was full and icebox, now a valued treathe coal bucket had coal sure in antique stores. from the nearby coal house The kitchen was filled in the ranch yard. We had an with the aroma of chocolate, icehouse with blocks of ice cookies, fudge and cakes cut from the nearby Yampa cooling on the table. I could river. A barn kept the 1945 hardly contain my mirth and white Plymouth car, tack for joy for the upcoming feast of the horses and the team that these homemade delicacies. pulled the wagon to feed Sugar had been rationed the livestock. We did not during World War II and have any running water in sweets were scarce around the house and drank water our house. from the nearby river from But, instead of offering a bucket. The outhouse was me any of the treats my across the yard having no mother wrapped up the indoor plumbing. We used sweets and put them in sacks lamps for evening light. and into a cardboard box It was late in the afterwith some other packages. noon of Christmas eve when My father meantime had my mother asked me to pulled the car to the front bring in some more wood door and so I knew we were and coal for the stove. She going somewhere. I was related that she was going to furious, how could they not make some cakes, cookies share these treats with me.

This was just an outrageous act and I was full of disappointment as we donned our coats and hit the frozen dirt road.

We traveled four miles past Juniper Springs where there was a remote country store and post office and headed up a mountainous sagebrush ravine. My mother was a teacher and taught school at the Saddle Mountain school in the nearby area. Well named because she rode horseback to the school.

It was pitch black when we turned off the narrow road and went down into a gulch and back up into a yard with a small cabin and lamplight glowing out of the cabin window.

“What is this all about?”

I wondered. Several dogs came barking at the car as we gather the sacks and approached the cabin door.

From the dark entryway, I heard a man say, “Hello June, what brings you here tonight?” That was my mother’s name. As I entered the cabin, there were six children of varying ages sitting around the kitchen table. I looked on the table and there was one tin pan of cornbread for the Christmas evening meal.

Out of the box came cookies, my beloved fudge,

candies and presents. The children were thrilled and laughing. I suddenly went from being an angry little boy to being so proud of my mother. How did she know that these children had nothing for Christmas?

But, of course, she knew as my mother was their school teacher, knowing everything about this family and these children. Their joy meant everything to me and I laughed all the way back home. I was so proud of my parents.

I never got a bite of fudge, but I received a message of sweetness from my mother and father that I have never forgotten from many years ago.

Occasionally I will read about one of these family members in the local Craig newspaper as they have grown up and have families of their own. I saw an obituary on one of the girls some years back.

It was on this Christmas eve that I learned the real meaning of Christmas and that the real joy is in giving and not receiving.

I’ve written this story many times and this won’t be the last time, but I hope that it leaves a lasting memory in the minds of those who really wish to capture the true meaning of the Christmas spirit.

Happy Holidays.

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Gerri 303-773-8313 EDITORIAL COLUMNIST Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com The Villager is an award-winning, locally owned, independent newspaper. All letters to the editor must be signed. The contributor’s name, hometown and phone number must also accompany all letters to the editor for verification and we reserve the right to edit contributions for space. We attempt to verify all matters of fact but hold contributors liable for the content, accuracy and fairness of their contributions. All submissions become the property of The Villager and may be reused in any medium.

Reverend Martin Niemoller “In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak for me!”

2025 Member

QUOTE of the WEEK QUOTE of the The bestWEEK

revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.

- Marcus Aurelius

December 18, 2025 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 5

CCRW hosts Lori Gimelshteyn, advocate for parents’ rights Lori Gimelshteyn is executive director of Parents United America, executive director and co-founder of Colorado Parent Advocacy Network (CPAN), and president and co-founder of Cherry Creek Parent Advocacy Network.

She is dedicated to protecting parental rights in schools and demonstrates how to build bridges with school officials, school boards and media while representing Christian values in public education to protect children from harmful ideology. “Ideology is taught in schools, not education.

50% perform below the level they should be achieving.”

Parents United stands united in defense of parental rights, ensuring parents remain the

primary authority in their children’s lives and that educational environments are free from ideological bias. CPAN envisions a Colorado where parents are respected as the primary authority in their children’s lives. She shared personal stories from children and parents and what they experienced after going back to school after 2020. The pronouns.

The acting one way at school and another way at home and a transgender indoctrination.

The goal is to: Restore the Voice of Parents, Hold Legislators Accountable and hold School Boards Accountable.

“We can save this state. We can save this country. Just act, Get involved. Donate!”

Keynote speaker Lori Gimelshteyn holds a sign that tells the “too often” story

“You have to step in. We’re going to lose our freedom, lose America!”

– Lori Gimelshteyn

ABOVE: Kathleen Chandler represented Cherry Creek Republican Women (CCRW) at the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) Convention and was Colorado’s winner of the NFRW American Patriot Award Courtesy Photo ABOVE, RIGHT: Janak Joshi who is running for U.S. Senate and his wife Anju LEFT: CCRW 2nd VP Lynne Cottrell, Lori Gimelshteyn and 2nd VP –Elect Antonette Smith

DCRW installs officers and features Colorado GOP leader Brita Horn Longtime conservative Brita Horn brings grit, heart and common sense to the Republican Party. Her leadership was honed as a ranch wife and first responder. For more than 24 years, she has served her community as a fire fighter, volunteer chief, first responder and safety officer. Her focus is to elect more Republicans, engage voters and fundraise like crazy. Before being elected to state chair, she helped lead grassroots operations for the Trump campaign in New Mexico 2020 – building coalitions across rural and urban areas alike. Her presentation, with great enthusiasm, to DCRW included the numerous improvements to Republican infrastructure, technology, vast amounts of data on file and models of cities flipping from blue to red. She also called for action. “Make a plan! Get out the vote! 2026 will be here before we know it!” For more information: cologop.

Loni Snell, Nate Marsh - Senior Deputy DA org. and candidate for HD 43, Cherie Anttila

DCRW President Holly Kluth with keynote speaker Brita Horn Photos by Scottie Iverson

“2026 is so important! Others have figured out how to win.”

- Brita Horn

Colorado Federation of Republican Women President Judith Jergensen installed new Douglas County Republican Women (DCRW) Board: President – Sharise Plescia, 1st VP – Lynn Pender, Corresponding Secretary - Anne Weekly, Treasurer - Jane Sievers, 2nd VP - Marie Smerjac, 3rd VP - Cindy Dalton, Recording Secretary - Cindy Lepzinski with Immediate Past President - Holly Kluth

PAGE 6 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

Denver Marks the 250th Marine Corps Birthday with a Historic Celebration at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts

BY U.S. ARMY MAJOR DINO G. MANIATIS

D

enver hosted a milestone celebration on November 8, 2025, as more than 650 Marines, veterans, families, and community supporters gathered at the Seawell Ballroom for the 250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Presented in collaboration with Opera Colorado, the event honored two and a half centuries of Marine Corps history through tradition, ceremony, and artistry. It stood as one of the largest and most significant military celebrations held in Colorado in recent memory.

The annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball is always a special occasion, but the 250th, marking a full quarter-millennium since the Corps was founded in 1775, held particular weight. The evening brought together generations of Marines, distinguished speakers, civic leaders, and cultural partners in a program that blended reverence with celebration.

Honoring 250 Years of Honor, Courage, and Commitment

Founded on November 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, the Marine Corps has played a defining role in American history. From Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, and the Chosin Reservoir to Vietnam, Fallujah, and modern deployments around the world, Marines have served at the front lines of national defense.

The Corps’ motto, Semper Fidelis, “always faithful”, remains the thread that has bound generations of Marines who have carried its legacy.

Inside the Seawell Ballroom, the significance of the anniversary was unmistakable. Marines young and old filled the space in their dress uniforms, accompanied by families, Gold Star relatives, veterans, and community guests.

Displays and narration throughout the evening highlighted the Corps’ 250-year journey, reinforcing the continuity that defines Marine identity.

Dino G. Maniatis, a Major in the U.S. Army and member of the board of directors of Opera Colorado, framed the evening’s impor-

The U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard presents the national and Marine Corps colors on the Seawell Ballroom floor, marking one of the most solemn and symbolic moments of the 250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball ceremony.

tance in his opening remarks.

“Tonight, we honor the legacy of Marines, past and present, who have worn the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. We reaffirm our appreciation and respect for those who stand watch today, remember the fallen, honor the wounded, and recognize the strength of Marine families. This evening reminds us that military service and the arts are parallel expressions of human resilience. For 250 years, the Marine Corps has embodied discipline, fidelity, and excellence; opera mirrors those same qualities through courage, vulnerability, and truth. Side by side, these traditions elevate one another. It is a privilege to bring these two storied legacies together.”

A Ceremony Rooted in Tradition

Guests were treated to the full sequence of time-honored Marine Corps ceremonial traditions during the event. The evening opened with the Presentation of the Colors, the National Anthem, and the solemn presence of the Fallen Comrades Table, paying tribute to Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Five cornerstone rituals followed. The Adjutant’s Call formally opened the ceremony, leading into the reading of General John A. Lejeune’s 1921 Birthday Message, a hallmark tradition that continues to connect today’s Marines with prior generations. Guests then watched the Commandant’s Message, a narrated history of the Marine Corps, tracing pivotal battles

U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert speaks from the podium, thanking Marines and their families for their service and emphasizing patriotism, civic responsibility, and the importance of those who volunteer to defend the nation.

and defining eras in the service’s distinguished past.

The ceremony continued with the ceremonial cake procession, performed to the sound of the Marines’ Hymn, and culminated in the cutting of the birthday cake with a Marine Corps sword. In keeping with tradition, the first slices were presented to the guest of honor and to the youngest and oldest Marines present.

Largely unchanged for more than a century, these rituals represent a symbolic bridge across generations. Their enduring power was evident in a room of more than 650 guests.

Guest Speakers and Distinguished Voices

The Ball featured remarks from Colorado Congresswoman Lauren

A group of Marines gathers in front of the marquee at the entrance to the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Boebert, who addressed the audience with a message focused on service, patriotism, and the role of military families in sustaining the strength of the nation. She began by stating, “It is truly an honor to be with you tonight to celebrate the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps. You are the best of what America has produced. You are the heart of America’s strength.”

Congresswoman Boebert used scripture from Isaiah 6:8 to highlight themes of voluntary service, an unwavering commitment to a higher calling, and the prophet Isaiah’s immediate willingness to serve: “Whom shall we send?

Who will go for us? Here I am, send me.” Boebert drew a direct analogy to the Marines’ commitment, stating, “Marines, you have all answered that call when you raised your right hand and swore an oath to our nation’s constitution, and said, ‘here I am, a Marine, send me’.”

She concluded her remarks by acknowledging the sacrifices of military families and reaffirming her commitment to supporting them in Congress: “The family who is at home has made that exact same pledge, to hold the home front, to pray without ceasing and to carry on through every deployment and every sleepless night. As your representative from Colorado, I am proud to stand with you and proud to defend you in the halls of Congress and fight for every veteran. Freedom is not inherited, it is secured. May God be with each and every one of you. Happy birthday Marines!”

The evening also featured a video tribute from current and retired senior Marine Corps leaders including the Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz, retired Lt. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, and Lt. Gen. Stephan E. Liszewski. Each offered reflections on the significance of the 250th anniversary, drawing a loud chorus of “Oorahs!” and vigorous applause from the audience.

Wearing his mess dress uniform and speaking from the Pentagon, Sgt. Maj. Ruiz first turned to the youngest Marine present in the room: “There is a young Marine present, the youngest Marine in the room, to you, thank you for choosing us, thank you for deciding to be a Marine; you are going to help carry on this legacy for another 250 years.”

He then addressed all the Marines in attendance: “When you were getting your uniform ready earlier, I hope you had a moment to reflect on how far you have come since the moment that you raised your right hand and decided to be part of this tribe. From the youngest Marine to the oldest Marine and everyone in between, Happy Birthday!”

In his tribute, former Commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Nicholson reflected on his many combat tours in Iraq

Dino G. Maniatis, a Major in the United States Army and member of the board of directors of Opera Colorado, delivers opening remarks from the podium, welcoming more than 650 guests and officially kicking off the 250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the Seawell Ballroom, Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

and Afghanistan and spoke directly to those who have stepped forward to serve: “For those of you who have raised your hand and said if not me, who, and who have worn the cloth of our nation, thank you. The ability to serve with great young Americans, doing everything they can to make the mission successful; really humbling. My greatest honor is leading Marines in combat. I am thrilled to be with you tonight.”

Lt. Gen. Liszewski, Acting Director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, opened his remarks by reflecting on the Marine Corps’ founding, marking the anniversary with a reminder of the Corps’ enduring legacy. “It is truly an honor to celebrate this milestone with you tonight,” Liszewski said, adding that “our motto, ‘semper fidelis’, or ‘always faithful’, is more than just words. It is a steadfast loyalty to our fellow Marines, our families, and to our nation; this bond transcends both time and circumstance and unites us in a common purpose.” He emphasized the bond between warriors and artists: “Through shared events and creative endeavors, this partnership enriches both communities. Marines and artists alike understand the pursuit of excellence and the power of tradition. With deep gratitude and respect, I hope you have a wonderful evening.”

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis delivered a heartfelt video dedication to the Marines gathered in Denver: “Marines, there in Denver, I am with you in spirit Leathernecks, and all you spouses of Marines, friends of the Corps, families, shipmates, and Opera Colorado, gathering at the foot of the mountains. I cannot think of any more magnificent setting to celebrate the birthday of our America’s Corps of Marines than in the Mile High City. Even at a distance, I am honored to be celebrating this historic occasion with you.”

The general then reflected on the meaning of this historic milestone and the standard it sets for

December 18, 2025 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 7

A Marine reads Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune’s birthday message from the scroll, continuing a storied Marine Corps tradition.

The U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard presents the national and Marine Corps colors on the Seawell Ballroom floor, marking one of the most solemn and symbolic moments of the 250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball ceremony.

Opera Colorado’s Artists in Residence perform “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici,” considered the ‘oldest drinking song in modern history,’ from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, bringing an operatic toast to the evening and underscoring the special collaboration between Opera Colorado and the Marine Corps community.

every Marine: “This two and a half century milestone is an opportunity to honor our history, and it’s also an opportunity when we should remind ourselves of what it means to be a Marine; excellence in body, mind, and spirit. You don’t want to cross a unit so disciplined, so determined, and so unshakable in defense of our freedom.”

Looking back across the Corps’ record in battle, he underscored why Marines are so respected around the world: “Through chaos and calamity, throughout our history we have consistently demonstrated why we are the world’s most feared and most respected fighting force – no better friend to our allies, no worse enemy to our adversaries.”

Mattis closed by turning to the celebration in Denver itself, and to the families, communities, and artists who stand behind the Marines: “Your ball is something special. It brings together tonight not only the Marines, but the artists of Opera Colorado, a reminder of what we fight for, free expression, something worth preserving. Warriors and artists may serve in different venues, yet they share discipline, passion, and devotion to something greater than self. We understand others who possess a similar commitment in pursuit of excellence. This further demonstrates a quality Marines are known for – putting others first.

We thank all those who support

our Marines – families, employers; these all-American communities where you live; for it is you that makes possible the Marines’ extraordinary commitments, reminding us that…we are all custodians of this wonderful experiment that we call America. This is not just the Marine Corps’ birthday, it is the United States Marine Corps’ birthday, so happy birthday to all hands here tonight. As a fellow Westerner, I raise a glass with you.

Semper Fi, Devil Dogs.”

These messages highlighted the values that define Marine service—Honor, Courage, and Commitment—and reinforced the importance of community support

in honoring those who serve.

Opera Colorado Brings Artistry to the Anniversary

One of the defining features of Denver’s celebration was its partnership with Opera Colorado.

Continuing a collaboration established at last year’s Ball at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Opera Colorado’s 2025–26 Artists in Residence performed several musical selections during the ceremony, adding a deeper emotional and cultural dimension to the evening.

Their performances—focused on themes of resilience, fidelity, and sacrifice—were met with reverence and applause from the

Curt and Agatha Fentress, architects of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia, pose with U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert and Major Dino G. Maniatis in front of the 250th Birthday Ball banner, honoring their role in preserving Marine Corps history.

audience. The juxtaposition of military tradition with operatic artistry created moments that were both reflective and deeply moving. The partnership showcased the shared values of discipline, excellence, and service to a greater good.

Opera Colorado Board of Directors member Dino G. Maniatis introduced President Richard Koseff who highlighted the importance of partnerships. “It is a privilege to lead a board so committed to innovation and community engagement. The mission of Opera Colorado is to connect our Colorado community to the emotions and stories of the world. Through our partnership with organizations like Vet Tix and our ongoing engagement with the military community, we are bridging divides and ensuring that the transformative power of opera is accessible to all.”

In her address, Ellie Caulkins General Director & CEO Barbara Lynne Jamison underscored Opera Colorado’s collaboration with the military community, “It rests on a beautiful and simple truth: stories of courage and sacrifice are universal. Both the arts and the military work to preserve and elevate these essential human experiences. It is an honor for Opera Colorado to share our art form with those who serve our country. This partnership enriches both communities, and I am grateful for the opportunity to build on these connections.”

A Community Effort With Wide Impact

The celebration was made possible through the support of community members, organizations, and sponsors. Major event partners were Johnson Storage and Moving, Wedbush, James Vigil, and

Guest of honor and former Marine Tom Jacobs (USMC 1965-1969) holds up a box of crayons from the podium, drawing laughter from the crowd in a lighthearted nod to Marine Corps humor amid the evening’s formal traditions.

the Maniatis family. Support from numerous other sponsors ensured that many junior Marines—those newest to the Corps and often least able to afford attendance—could participate in this historic occasion alongside their peers. Guests enjoyed a full evening program that extended beyond ceremony: a cocktail reception, formal dinner, opera performances, guest speakers, and dancing. Many attendees described the event as both inspiring and uplifting, offering a rare opportunity to connect across generations of service.

The scale of the event—both in attendance and in historical importance—made it a standout civic occasion for the Denver metro area.

A Closing That Echoed Through the Ballroom

The formal program concluded with all attendees rising together to sing the Marines’ Hymn, a tradition that has closed every Marine Corps Birthday Ball for generations. The sound of over 650 voices—Marines and civilians standing shoulder to shoulder—filled the Seawell Ballroom, creating a moment of unity that captured the spirit of the anniversary. For the Marines who were present, it was a powerful reminder of their lineage and legacy. For civilians, it was an opportunity to stand with those who serve and to witness one of our nation’s most revered traditions; one that has shaped American history for 250 years.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of War, any military service, or the U.S. Government.

Marines from Buckley Space Force Base and other units gather on stage with U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert for a group photo, capturing a memorable moment of recognition and camaraderie during the evening.

PAGE 8 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

December 18, 2025 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 9

fo l l ow F R E DA

COURAGE

BY FREDA MIKLIN

I am passionate about government and giving our readers straightforward information that will help them make informed choices when they vote. I am also a licensed C.P.A. and former Greenwood Village City Council member. Dr. Jerry Miklin and I are the parents of five young adults, including two sets of twins, all of whom graduated from Cherry Creek High School and college.

I am a 9-time Colo. Press Assn. award winner. If you have any questions about local or state politics or government, or something you want to share, email me at fmiklin.villager@gmail.com.

New GV City Council Member Jay Schneiderman proudly served in the Israel Defense Forces

I

f you see a black SUV driving around Greenwood Village with the license plate, IDF WINS, that is new GV City Council Member Jay Schneiderman. That license plate tells you much about the identity and character of this proud young man who grew up in the Greenwood Hills neighborhood.

Villager Publisher Bob Sweeney and this reporter sat down with Schneiderman, who, at 36, is younger than most people who have served on city council, and comes to it with a unique background.

Jay attended his neighborhood public schools, graduating from Cherry Creek High School in 2007, then moving on to the University of British Columbia, where he earned a degree in religious studies. As he learned more about his own religion, as well as Christianity and Islam, Jay felt himself being drawn to the Jewish homeland, Israel.

Schneiderman shared that when he told his parents during his sophomore year of college he “wanted to move to Israel and join the army, the only thing they said was, finish your degree, and if you still want to go, then go.”

Once he had made the decision, Jay focused more seriously on his study of “all the monotheistic religions, learning as much as I could, hoping and thinking that it would aid in understanding different people that I would meet along the way.” All he knew for sure, he told us, was, “I wanted to go and I wanted to be in the army. That was my main plan.”

We asked why it was important to him to serve in the Israeli army. He explained, “I was still young enough. I felt strong enough. I felt that if I am moving to Israel, I have to be in the army. I have to do my part and contribute. And honestly, if I ever wanted to be fully accepted into Israeli society, it was something I had to do.”

Since Israel was formed by the United Nations in 1948, all Jewish, Druze and Circassian citizens over the age of 18 have been required to perform military service, though there are individual exceptions. Currently, men must serve at least 32 months and women, 24 months.

Muslim and Christian Arabs who are Israeli citizens are exempt, but often enlist voluntarily, as do Bedouins.

Under the rules applicable to someone like Jay, who is Jewish, and, at age 23, “makes Aliyah” (immigrates to Israel, with automatic Israeli citizen-

ship in addition to his American citizenship), he only had to serve in the military for six months, including three months of intensive training in Hebrew, but that wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wanted to perform the same military service as anyone born in Israel. He had to request and receive special permission from the government to do so.

“Did he plan to stay in Israel?” we asked. Jay told us, “I didn’t know what I was going to do after I got out of the army. I didn’t plan that far ahead.”

Arriving in Israel in March 2012, “not knowing a word of Hebrew,” Jay lived on a kibbutz (communal settlement, usually agricultural, where members share in a collective life based on socialist and egalitarian principles), where he worked in the general store and studied Hebrew for three months, while he and others wrote letters on his behalf to the army, asking them to allow him to perform his military service “like any other enlisted soldier,” for at least 32 months.

While there, “I met many oth- GV City Council Member Jay ers like me, Americans, Canadi- Schneiderman ans, who volunteered to serve,” he told us. The Washington Post people for whom a warrant had been issued. I basically stayed reported in February 2024 that there until July 2014, except that “an estimated 23,380 American citizens currently serve in Israeli in June 2014, my unit went into Gaza.” ranks.”

He went on, “That was OpSchneiderman got permiseration Protective Edge. The sion to serve a full term in the catalyst was that three Israeli IDF. Then, “I was told to report students from a village in the to the army on a date in August West Bank were kidnapped by 2012. My basic training started terrorists who had dressed up as with another Hebrew course for Jews, while hitchhiking home another three months with other on the evening of June 12, 2014. new immigrants. We learned to They were 16 and 19 years old. I shoot guns and sleep outside. was on active duty then. As soon We had classes in the history of as the teenagers were reported Israel, the history of the army, missing, my unit went from all 100% in Hebrew, “to get us house to house, in many Arab up to speed with what native villages in the West Bank, lookIsraelis already knew. We were ing for the boys or anyone who immersed in our learning,” he might know where they were. recounted.

We looked in closets, we looked Jay continued, “In Novemunder carpets for secret hatches, ber 2012, I was assigned to the hoping to find any signs of them Nachal Brigade, one of the five alive.” foot-soldier brigades, where On June 30, Jay told us, “The anyone who wanted to, could try three boys were found, murout for the Special Forces Unit. dered, near the West Bank city Around 350 soldiers began the of Hebron, by another IDF unit. four-day try-out, including me.

After that, there were many raids Of that group, about 150 comand arrests, and they started pleted it. We got very little sleep shooting rockets into Israel from and there was lots of running, Gaza, which led to the full-on often in the middle of the night.

Operation Protective Edge into Of the 150 of us who completed Gaza.” the try-out, 72 were selected In Gaza, he explained, “Our for three Special Forces teams. mission was to locate entrances I was one of 24 assigned to the or exits of underground tunnels Reconnaissance and Intelligence that had been dug from there, Team, which was considered the so that they could be destroyed, top unit of the Nachal Brigade. I because the main threat was went into active duty in the West knowing that terrorists could pop Bank, patrolling and arresting

up anywhere on the Israel side of the border.” Over the course of that mission, the Israeli army found between 40 and 50 tunnels, he shared.

After previously denying it, on August 13, 2014, Hamas terrorists admitted to kidnapping and killing the teens, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Fraenkel. Fraenkel had dual Israeli-American citizenship.

Jay completed his three years of active military duty in 2015.

He stayed on, living in Israel, active with his reserve unit, until 2022. During that time, he got a master’s degree in International Law at Hebrew University.

While attending the university, he met Noa, who was studying to become a lawyer. After they both completed their studies, Jay and Noa married and had their first daughter, Roni, in Israel.

When they decided to come to the United States, Noa applied for and received a green card while they were still in Israel.

The young family came back to live in Greenwood Village with Jay’s mother Barbara in September 2022 and joined the family insurance business.

Roni’s American citizenship in in process.

Life was quiet for the Schneiderman family in Greenwood Village until, “On October 6, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. in Denver, when it was 6:30 a.m. on October 7 in Israel,” Jay told us, “I saw on my phone that someone had posted, ‘Rockets being fired from Gaza.’ That wasn’t unusual, but a half hour later, I began to see unbelievable images on my phone. I said, ‘Noa, turn on the news right now. I can’t even believe what I’m seeing.’ It was the first videos of the Hamas terrorists in pick-up trucks, driving into Sderot (a city in the Southern District of Israel less than a mile from Gaza), flying into Israel in paragliders. I was in shock. We watched the news all night, trying to figure out what was going on. We texted people in Israel. After a few hours, we started hearing about massacres in the kibbutzes, and the death toll began to start coming in.

They talked about a massacre at the music festival. We didn’t sleep, watching the death toll as it continued to climb.”

Jay soon realized this was an all-hands-on-deck emergency, so, in the middle of the night, he asked his wife, “What am I supposed to do? Should I go back and join my unit? I can’t just sit here and watch this happen while everyone else is there.”

He continued, “I was only about a year removed from do-

ing my regular reserve duty every year since I completed my active service...I was still up to speed. She said that whatever I decide, whether I stayed home or went back to Israel, she supported me completely.”

He came to a decision. “At 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning, I went downstairs by myself and booked a flight on El Al (the Israeli national airline) for the next day, Sunday, October 8, back to Israel. After that, I went to synagogue and told my rabbi I was planning to go. I asked him to pray for me. That afternoon, I found my will, which I had recently gotten done, and got it notarized. As I boarded the plane in Denver and said goodbye to my family, my team was already assembled in Israel near the Gaza border. I joined them as soon as I landed. We stayed there for between four and six weeks, until the incursion into Gaza began in earnest.

We were on the highest alert, not knowing if terrorists who invaded on October 7 remained hidden in the area. We went from kibbutz to kibbutz, patrolling, focused on keeping the area safe. Once the incursion began, we went in and out of Gaza, settling in a town called Beit Hanun (on the northeast edge of Gaza). As the reservists, we came in behind the activeduty soldiers. Our unit didn’t suffer any losses of life, but it was traumatic because we saw lots of dead bodies of terrorists who had been left where they died. No one came to pick them up. There was plenty of sniper shooting in our direction, so we always stayed away from windows when we were in a house.”

We asked about civilians in Gaza. Jay told us, “I didn’t see any civilians.” We wondered how he knew. He explained, “Unless it’s a woman or a child,

Schneiderman in 2014 at the end of his Special Forces training.

you assume it’s a terrorist. If there’s a grown man who hasn’t evacuated the area, you (assume he’s a terrorist). Everyone was gone, there were no civilians, by the time we got there, but there were definitely terrorists. They were booby-trapping houses. When someone from my unit went into a house, a bomb exploded, causing a wall to fall on his leg and break it.

He was lucky not to be killed that day.”

The mission of Jay’s reserve unit was “to hold the line behind the active-duty guys ahead of us. We made sure that they could advance without anyone sneaking up behind them and conducting a surprise attack.”

Villager Publisher Bob Sweeney, a military veteran, wanted to know what type of weapon Jay and his unit carried. He told us it was a semiautomatic short-barreled rifle with a 30-round magazine.

“The active-duty guys ahead of us,” he explained, “had machine guns, but there weren’t enough of those for everyone.

In our unit, we had snipers, we had machine-gunners, we had shoulder-mounted RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), we had hand grenades,” he explained.

We asked about food for the troops. Jay said, “In Israel, the whole country comes together. There were donations from civilians. They organized these coalitions who donated everything for our unit, sending everything into Gaza from socks and underwear to deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, even new vests, helmets, and boots. Much of what was donated were things that we would have eventually gotten from the army, but the donations came a lot faster, including food.

Restaurants would make 150 hamburgers, or shawarma meat sandwiches on pita bread, and send them directly to our unit.

Although there were plenty of times we ate canned tuna or canned vegetables, overall, we actually ate quite well. There were also donations from outside of Israel, from the United States, from Canada; a group from Australia donated money for us to all buy new boots.

The miracle of Hanukkah Hanukkah is a celebration of the unlikely defeat of Greek-Syrian rulers by a Jewish priest, Mattathias, and his sons, known as the Maccabees.

The Maccabees revolted against their rulers to save and rededicate their holy Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC, or, as it is known in Judaism, BCE, Before the Common Era. After their unexpected victory, the Maccabees reclaimed and rededicated what became known as the Second Temple. As was and still is the custom of the Jewish people, they lit a menorah with oil

to commemorate the dedication of the Temple.

The story, as it has been told throughout history, is that there was only enough oil to keep the menorah lit for one day, but that small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days. That is why Hanukkah, which means dedication and is also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for eight days and symbolizes miracles and all their possibilities. It is also why a Hanukkah menorah has eight candle lights, plus one extra to light the others.

Schneiderman with his reserve unit in Gaza during Hanukkah 2023 after getting permission from the IDF to bring in a menorah to celebrate the holiday.

People from all over the world donated money so we could buy what we needed, and from within Israel, they would just buy boxes of supplies and send them to us, even heavy duty army equipment.”

Jay stayed with his unit for nearly three months. “Things had relatively calmed down,” he explained, continuing, “Not that the war as almost over, but we sort of knew what was going on.

We’re in Gaza. We’re going in, we’re coming out. We weren’t worried about terrorists jumping out of the bushes anymore.

It had become a rescue mission to get the hostages, and to eliminate Hamas. My unit was about a month from ending that first stint and being pulled out. I decided it was the right time to return home to my family and everyone in my unit understood, telling me to go with a clear conscience. With everyone’s blessing, I came home at the end of December 2023.” He added, with a smile, “My second daughter was born October 1, 2024. I thought that was a blessing from God.”

PAGE 10 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

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was so good and CU grad: calling CFP floor—he so fluid and sounded so knowledgeable.

“That tape blew me away. ‘a dream thing for me’ I knew he needed to be on Before I was hired as executive sports editor of the Rocky Mountain News in April 1982, editor Ralph Looney and managing editor Ben Blackburn required me to send them my ideas for making the section competitive with, if not better than, the Denver Post’s.

That’s what led me to meeting Chris Fowler—long before he became the lead voice of college football on ESPN and ABC. Every time I hear him on TV, think of this.

(He’ll call Friday night’s Alabama-Oklahoma playoff game, the featured pairing in each succeeding round, and the championship game on January 19.)

Among my proposals to Looney and Blackburn were several ways to increase and improve Broncos content (of course, in Denver), hiring a full-time sports cartoonist (who turned out to be Drew Litton), and expanding coverage of high school sports.

The latter involved publishing the linescores for all metro Denver football and basketball games (along with more game and feature stories), which meant building a small group of clerks to take phone calls as results were phoned into the News.

I asked Dave Plati, who semi-retired a couple years ago after 40 years in sports information at the University of Colorado, if he knew of any CU students who would be interested in becoming high school sports clerks for me.

Dave delivered a small contingent of hand-picked guys who loved sports. Chris Fowler was among them.

I remember Chris as quiet, unassuming.

He’d come in, find a desk with a phone, and get right to work.

There were nights when I didn’t even know he was there until I looked around the room.

Still today, Chris includes his time as a Rocky prep clerk in his Wikipedia profile online and makes it part of his talks to students and other groups.

“Paying my

dues,” he calls it.

“I tell them about all the Friday nights when I would have liked to have been in Boulder, having fun, but instead was downtown at the Rocky Mountain News, taking high school agate (box scores),” Chris told me for a magazine feature years ago.

“It was a definite part of starting my career, and I haven’t forgotten it.”

A graduate of Palmer High in Colorado Springs, Chris began his career editing videotape for weekend sportscasts for the late Les Shapiro at KCNC in Denver—almost immediately after getting his Bachelor of Science in Sports Broadcasting from CU in 1985.

“Chris was really good, and really bright, always,” Shapiro said. And when opportunity knocked, Chris jumped to answer.

“We needed a part-timer to gather sound bites for the weekend sportscasts. One day Chris dropped a videotape off on my desk and said, ‘Do me a favor. Take a look at this, would you?’ So, I popped it into the tape machine, and it was an incredible 10 minutes.

“It was Chris sitting in front of a fireplace, I believe in his apartment, and ad-libbing a sportscast— for 10 minutes, without a teleprompter—and it was incredible. My jaw hit the

the air; he was that good.”

It was Chris Fowler’s big break, but also the beginning of the end for him at Channel 4. Quickly, he landed the job with ESPN., where he has stayed for four decades.

From 1986 to now his assignments progressed from host of a national, 30-minute high school sports show called “Scholastic Sports America,” to college football sideline reporter, to host of “College Gameday” (as a studio show before taking it to college campuses), to his current starring role as the voice of the College Football Playoff for ABC/ESPN. “To have one of the biggest games every week, and then call the biggest games at the end of the year, that’s a dream thing for me,” he once told me.

“Since I was 10 years old, I wanted to do this job. And what attracted me to it then, and still does now, is documenting the excitement of a live event. To me, nothing else ever seemed better than that.

“Well, maybe rock star.

But I have no musical talent. If I can’t be Bono or The Edge or somebody . . . I fell into something I always wanted to do.” ________________

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PAGE 14 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

SPECIAL DISTRICTS INVITATION FOR BIDS Sealed Bids for construction of the GMD – Orchard Station Park Sound Wall Project, addressed to Goldsmith Metropolitan District, 8351 E. Belleview Avenue, Denver, CO 80237 will be received at the office of Goldsmith Metropolitan District, (Owner), until 1:00 pm, local time, on the 21st day of January 2026. Any Bids received after the specified time will not be considered.

Bids will then be privately opened and read.

Bids are invited for the following: Orchard Station Park Sound Wall project includes erosion control, demolition, grading, site access and a sound wall to be constructed on the existing park property bordering I-25. All earthwork, foundations, and wall structure will be included in the project scope.

Each Bid must be submitted on the prescribed Bid Form and accompanied by the other documents as prescribed in the Instructions to Bidders.

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COURTS DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE STATE OF COLORADO 7325 S. Potomac Street Centennial, Colorado 80112 (303) 645-6600 PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO Petitioner, In the Interest of: NEELIE GRACE RIENDEAUHOWELL, Child, and concerning, EILEEN FAITH HOWELL AND ROBERT DANIEL RIENDEAU, Respondents.

Sylvia B. Geiger, Reg. #49589 Assistant County Attorney 14980 E. Alameda Drive Aurora, CO 80012 sgeiger@arapahoegov.com Case No: 2025JV262 Division: 34 NOTICE OF ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND DEFAULT JUDGMENT REGARDING RESPONDENT FATHER PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that an Adjudicatory Hearing and Default Judgement regarding RESPONDENT FATHER is set for January 23, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Division 34 at the Arapahoe County District Court, 7325 South Potomac Street, Centennial, Colorado 80112. You have the right to be represented by an attorney during these proceedings; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you.

In the event you fail to appear for said hearing at the date and time indicated, the Petitioner, the People of the State of Colorado, will request that the Court enter a default judgment against you and adjudicate the child dependent and neglected in accordance with the Colorado Children’s Code.

Participants may use any computer, tablet or smart phone equipped with a camera and microphone for audiovisual participation. Parties should use the following link: • https://judicial.webex.com/ meet/D18-ARAP-Div34 • Enter your name and email address (so we know who you are). You will then be in the virtual courtroom.

• Select your audio setting.

If the audio on your computer or tablet does not work, please use the alternate audio option of calling in to the number below.

If you do not have a device that will support a video connection, you may still participate by audio only by calling 720-650-7664.

When prompted enter Access code: 2594 408 0614 then press #, # (no attendee ID is needed).

Dated December 3, 2025.

Sylvia B. Geiger, Esq. #49589 Assistant County Attorney Attorney for Petitioner 14980 E. Alameda Dr. Aurora, CO 80012 Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31109 ________________________

FOXFIELD PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Board of Trustees of the Town of Foxfield a public hearing at shall be held virtually and in person at the South Metro Fire Protection District Station #42, 7320 South Parker Road, Foxfield, Colorado regarding the 2025 budget on December 18, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Proposed Budget is available for inspection on the Town of Foxfield website at townoffoxfield. colorado.gov.

Public comment will be heard at the hearing or written communication regarding the budget may be submitted to the Town Clerk, P.O. Box 461450, Foxfield, CO 80046, or via e-mail to clerk@ townoffoxfield.com, no later than December 17, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Further information is available by calling (303) 680-1544. All interested persons may attend.

Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31116 ___________________________

Misc.

PUBLIC NOTICE

HealthSource of DTC located at 5105 DTC Pkwy, #305 in Greenwood Village has a retention period for medical records of (7) years past the last encounter date. Medical records with a last encounter date of December 31, 2018 or earlier will be destroyed February 13, 2026. Anyone wishing to request their original medical records must call (303) 290-0022 prior to the destruction date.

Published in The Villager First Publication: December 18, 2025 Last Publication: December 25, 2025 Legal # 31119 ________________________

There will be a Mandatory pre-bid meeting and site visit held on January 7, 2026 at 9:00 am. Please bring your own personal protective equipment (COVID, hardhats, etc.) as it will not be provided (meet at 8351 E. Belleview Avenue, Denver, CO 80237).

The Successful Bidder will be required to furnish the bond(s) and insurance prescribed in the Bidding Documents.

For information concerning the proposed work and bid packages, contact David Vasquez (david.vasquez@sheaproperties.com) Goldsmith Metropolitan District, telephone: (303) 486-1364.

Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informality, technicality or irregularity in any bid, to disregard all nonconforming, non-responsive, conditional or alternate bids, to negotiate contract terms with the successful bidder, to require statements or evidence of bidders’ qualifications, including financial statements, and to accept the proposal that is in the opinion of Owner in its best interest.

Owner also reserves the right to extend the bidding period if it appears in its interest to do so.

Goldsmith Metropolitan District By: Rebecca Tejada, General Manager Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31117 ___________________________ NOTICE CONCERNING PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENT OF VERMILION CREEK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOTICE is hereby given to all interested parties (i) the necessity has arisen to amend the 2025 budget of the Vermilion Creek Metropolitan District (the “District”); (ii) that a copy of such proposed Amended 2025 Budget has been filed in the office of the District’s accountant, Simmons & Wheeler, P.C., at 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 490, Englewood, Colorado 80112, where the same is open for public inspection; and (iii) that approval of a Resolution to Amend the 2025 Budget will be considered at a public hearing of the Board to be held at 10:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025. This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom teleconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84496175182 or by phone: 1-719-359-4580, Meeting ID: 449 617 5182. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final the approval of the Resolution to Amend the 2025 Budget, inspect the 2025 Amended Budget and file or register any objections thereto.

VERMILION CREEK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ John R. Fetters, Jr. President Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31118 ___________________________

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026, AT 6:30 P.M. FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC CONCERNING A SITE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR RENOVATIONS TO THE PUTTING AND CHIPPING AREA AT 4125 S. UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD (CHERRY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB).

THE APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE AT WWW. CHERRYHILLSVILLAGE.COM/ HEARINGS OR AT THE CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, 2450 E. QUINCY AVENUE, CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, CO 80113, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. OR YOU MAY CALL 303-7832729 FOR MORE INFORMATION. PROTESTS OR COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO THE CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, 2450 E. QUINCY AVENUE, CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, CO 80113 OR PWORKMAN@ CHERRYHILLSVILLAGE.COM ON OR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, OR BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31110 ________________________ CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 4, SERIES 2025 A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE REPEALING AND RE-ENACTING ARTICLES I THROUGH VIII, REPEALING AND REPLACING ARTICLES IX, X, XI, AND XIII, RELOCATING ARTICLE XII WITHIN CHAPTER 18, AND ENACTING A NEW ARTICLE XIV OF CHAPTER 18 OF THE CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING BUILDING AND FIRE REGULATIONS; ADOPTING BY REFERENCE, WITH CERTAIN AMENDMENTS, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE, THE 2020 NATIONAL GREEN BUILDING STANDARD, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE, THE 2023 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE, AND THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE; PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF; UPDATING CROSSREFERENCES THEREIN; AND REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH Copies of the Ordinances are on file at the office of the City Clerk and may be inspected during regular business hours.

Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31111 _________________________ CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 5, SERIES 2025 A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE

ADOPTING A BUDGET AND LEVYING PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, COLORADO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 Copies of the Ordinances are on file at the office of the City Clerk and may be inspected during regular business hours.

Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31112 ________________________ CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 6, SERIES 2025 A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, COLORADO AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 Copies of the Ordinances are on file at the office of the City Clerk and may be inspected during regular business hours.

Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31111 ________________________ CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE ORDINANCE 7, SERIES 2025 A BILL FOR AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE ACCEPTANCE AND PROCESSING OF NEW APPLICATIONS SEEKING THE APPROVAL OF A SUBDIVISION AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY Copies of the Ordinances are on file at the office of the City Clerk and may be inspected during regular business hours.

Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31114 ________________________ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2026, AT 5:00 P.M. FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC CONCERNING A MINOR SUBDIVISION AT 1 CHERRY HILLS PARK DRIVE. THE APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE AT WWW. CHERRYHILLSVILLAGE.COM/ HEARINGS OR AT THE CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, 2450 E. QUINCY AVENUE, CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, CO 80113, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. OR YOU MAY CALL 303-7832729 FOR MORE INFORMATION. PROTESTS OR COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO THE CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, 2450 E. QUINCY AVENUE, CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, CO 80113 OR PWORKMAN@ CHERRYHILLSVILLAGE.COM ON OR BEFORE THE DATE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, OR BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. Published in The Villager Published: December 18, 2025 Legal # 31115 _______________________

December 18, 2025 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 15

SEE & BE SEEN looking your best!

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What’s Happening is sponsored by THE EYEWEAR COLLECTION. Eye exams, chic & designer custom-fit eyeglasses and sunglasses.

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OPTIMIST CLUB OF MONACO SOUTH CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE BEGINNING OCT. 1 with a year of activities. Tom Mauro is chairman of the Golden Anniversary observance.

The club was organized between Feb. & July in 1976 with two original members, Greg Hurd & Kent Gloor, still members.

COLORADO BALLET CELEBRATES THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NUTCRACKER NOV. 29-DEC. 28. Ellie Caulkins Opera House. colorado ballet.org SOUTH METRO DENVER CHAMBER ECONOMIC FORECAST BREAKFAST FRI., JAN. 30, 7:30-10:15 a.m. at DCSD Legacy Campus. Keynote speaker: Rob Cohen, Chairman & CEO of the IMA Financial Group, Inc. and National Women’s Soccer League Controlling Owner. Keystone Speaker: Henry Sobanet, Chief Financial Officer/Senior Vice Chancellor for Administration & Government Relations, Colo. State University.

Info@bestchamber.com CLUB NEWS OPTIMIST CLUB OF MONACO SOUTH FRIDAYS from 7-8 a.m. for the pasts 49 years. American Legion Hall, Yale & I-25. Call Frank 303-759-9232 for a free breakfast. Have fun meeting new friends and an opportunity to give back to the community.

DENVER LIONS CLUB MEETINGS Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 12 noon at the American Legion Hall, I-25 & Yale. Interested in joining? Call Bob, 720-313-9741.

ENGLEWOOD LIONS CLUB MEETINGS

Meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 7:00 a.m. At Mango Tree Coffee, 3498 S. Broadway,Englewood. Info: Gail 720377-7682.

WHAT’S NEW? THE GARDEN’S BOUTIQUE GIFT SHOP Receive 20% off at the Garden’s Boutique Gift Shop thru 12/24/25 by mentioning The Villager. Located at 9542 S. University. Blvd., Highlands Ranch. Call 303-791-0338. Open 9-5 Mon.-Sat./Sun 10-5.

12TH ANNUAL THE VILLAGE TOY DRIVE Donate New Toys (Ages 0-18). Drop off at First American State Bank, 8390 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 100, Greenwood Village. Deadline for donations are Wed., Dec. 17. Volunteers of America Colorado needs 6,000 toys this Holiday Season.

“BLACK BASEBALL’S HEYDAY” Capturing an Era in Art and Words, Written by Villager author Denny Dressman and Art by Anthony High. Pre-Order Now! https://www. mcfarlandbooks.com/product/BlackBaseballs-Heyday/ COLORADO DEMOCRATS TO HOLD 2026 STATE ASSEMBLY IN PUEBLO MARCH 28, 2026 at the Memorial Hall.

RENEW YOUR VEHICLE REGISTRATION Renewal kiosks are fast, easy and issue you tags on the spot? Go to COMVExpress.com to find a location near you.

BUSINESS NEWS JOSHUA TREE EXPERTS CERTIFIED ARBORISTS Schedule a Winter Arborist Inspection to develop a tree care plan for the winter time.303-229-8777. www. joshuatreeexperts.com/denver-south-co

ROGERS & SONS INC. - ELEVATED CLIMATE CONTROL Curated Cooling & A/C Services; Radiant Heating & Snow Melt Integration; Whole-Home Humidification and more.

Private Consultations: 720-408-7411. https://rogershvac.com CARLA’S A CLASSIC DESIGN From unique gifts to festive decor.

Shop small and local at The Streets at Southglenn, 6851 S. Gaylord St., Centennial. 303-683-0372 EDIE MARKS/KENTWOOD REAL ESTATE Call Edie for for Real Estate Needs. At the top her profession since 1977.

303-905-3399.

COLORADO BUSINESS HALL OF FAME THURS., FEB. 5, 2026. Hyatt Regency Denver at Colo. Conv. Center.

Register: Coloradobusinesshalloffame. org GE TREE SERVICE Trusted & Reliable for 20 years. A Certified Arborist, Licensed & Insured, Family Owned & Operated.Free estimates. Call 303-500-2017. www. coloradotreeremoval.com THE GARDENS GARDEN CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW OWNERSHIP Locally family-owned-and operated.

9542 S. Univ. Bvld., Highlands Ranch.

Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ASPENDALE 60+ ACTIVE ADULT APARTMENT COMMUNITY IN CENTENNIAL Appointments : 303-970-9514.

COWBOY MOVING & STORAGE Commercial & Residential Moves -

Also, load & hold. Call 303-789-2200.

GRAND OPENING - MT. FUJI SUSHI-HIBACHI The Streets of Southglenn - 6850 S. Gaylord, Centennial. 303-997-0888. mtjujisushico.com THE AUDIOLOGY METHOD Schedule a hearing test. 7180 - E. Orchard Rd., Ste. 302, Centennial.

720-457-5113.

HOST YOUR EVENT AT THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT FREE ENTERPRISE CENTER In Greenwood Village. Events @ JARockyMountain.org CHERRY HILLS ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE 6325 S University. Blvd., Centennial.

Call for Tour 720-592-0252 FAMILY-OWNED & OPERATED ORGANIC NATURAL MARKET “FRESH MARKET” open at 1500 W. Littleton Blvd., Unit 106 - Woodlawn Shopping Center. Open 7 days a week. 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION + MORE 5 Star Google Reviews. Transportation Executive Services LLC. Call 720-9695386.

ST. ANDREW’S VILLAGE SENIOR LIVING Upscale dining, engaging events and activities. Call 720-684-5913. Located at 133801 E. Yale Ave., Aurora.

TONIGHT WE DINE Fine meats & seafood. Free delivery on $100 or more. Look for The Villager Combo for $100. Call 303-2150333.

SEMION BARBERSHOP

FOR ALL -MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN 5910 S. Univeristy Blvd., Greenwood Village. 720-531-3998.

THE EYEWEAR COLLECTION Owner Aaron Mozes is a CCHS graduate. Comprehensive Eye Exams, Eyeglasses, Contacts.

5910 S. University. Blvd., Unit D4, Greenwood Village.

BKC KITCHEN & BATH Free consultation & estimate. Visit showroom at 4151 S. Natches Ct., Englewood. 303-761-7477.

RISK-FREE TRIAL .5910 S. University. Blvd., Ste A-3, Greenwood Village. 720-362-3903.

FALL PARTIES/EVENTS? BOOK TODAY Rocky Mountain Valet. Visit www.

ROCKYMTNVALET.COM KIMPTON CLARET HOTEL Host your next special event at The Kimpton Claret. www.clarethotel. com OWN YOUR STORAGE OR FLEX WAREHOUSE SPACE Visit MYDREAMSTORAGECO.COM PARKSIDE VILLAGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 14501 E. Crestline Drive, Aurora.

Lunch is on us - schedule your tour today. 720-315-7778 or visit ParksideVillageRetirement.com

are heated 2026 Mazda CX-30 Has It All mirrors along with the two power front Mazda designs and assembles smart cars. They are precise, cleverly engineered, with very competitive retail pricing. This week’s test car was a 2026 Mazda CX-30 with international assembly from the expanding Japanese auto giant.

This CX-30 is assembled in Salamanda, Mexico with 65% local parts, 10% United States, and 15% from Japan. The 2.5L engine is from Mexico and the transmission from Thailand. The end result is an amazing vehicle priced at a competitive $29,850 with a few extra options available; all together warranting a perfect five-star safety rating that is unusually high and an honor to receive

from U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration -NHTSA. The SUV style is attractive with exterior paint of “Aero Gray Metallic” and the interior black with “Mélange

Gray” with white leatherette trimmed seats. The exterior is sleek with roof rails and a rear roof mounted spoiler with a power sliding glass moonroof.

The CX-30 rides on 18” black alloy wheels. The outside

seats. The vehicle has all LED lights with auto dim control.

The interior features a leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob with a sport mode selection.

The CX30/ 4-cylinder engine produces 188 horsepower and provides an overall 27 mpg rating. I found the engine to provide adequate

By H. Throttle

acceleration, and I drove most of the week with the peppy sport mode with the versatile “Skyactiv” transmission.

To earn the five-star safety rating the CX-30 is loaded with an assortment of airbags, and all the latest safety features, such as the rear cross traffic alert, driver attention alert, and lane departure warnings, and lane keep assist. There are two UBS ports, and the heating and air controls work well together from precise controls. Overall, it is amazing that the CX-30 has so many useful features in this compact all-wheel drive vehicle at this price level.

I enjoyed the drive and this is an excellent choice for hard-earned dollars with excellent all-around safety and performance.

PAGE 16 | THE VILLAGER • December 18, 2025

As featured in

Thanks to all for your donations FRIENDS OF NURSING

Your gift takes center stage—and this season, it’s doubled! Support Colorado Ballet’s world-class performances, young artist training, and making dance accessible to all.

Remember, you can donate any time of year by visiting individual nonprofit websites.

Every dollar is greatly appreciated.

For contact and donation links see Colorado Gives Day special sections in The Villager 11-20-25, 11-27-25 and 12-4-25 editions.