State and local issues settled. See stories, beginning on page 2.
Nail-biter for 8th District congressional seat
Caraveo holds slim lead over Evans as votes dribble in
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Incumbent Yadira Caraveo held a narrow 2,359-vote lead over her Republican challenger Gabe Evans for the highly coveted 8th Congressional District seat as of Nov. 7.
Carveo led Evans 49%-to48% as of Nov. 7 in Congressional District 8. Caraveo appeared to lead in Adams
County while Evans was leading in Weld and Larimer counties.
Over $20 million was spent in both super PAC money and by candidates in the race, which was seen by pundits as key in controlling the U.S. House of Representatives. Caraveo defeated her Republican opponent Barb Kirkmeyer in 2022 by just 1,600 votes, a race in which PAC’s spent $16.6 million in the general election, according to the Colorado Sun. is fall’s race was marked by sharp attacks on both sides, as Evans tried to portray Caraveo as being soft on border is-
sues and enforcing drug laws including those for Fentanyl possession
Caraveo claimed that Evans backed a national ban on abortion and was an ardent follower of Donald Trump and his policies.
At an Oct. 5 forum sponsored by Colorado Community Media and KUNC said Republicans like to “...spread lies and are saying I’m not interested in securing our southern borders.” Caraveo said the nation’s immigration policies need to be applied fairly to make sure people seeking asylum are coming to the United States for a legitimate reason.
Regulators eyeing Xcel lobbying, salary costs
Regulators put curbs on investor relations and executive salaries
BY MARK JAFFE THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado utility regulators — using the mandates in a 2023 law — are looking to carve lobbying fees, trade association dues and investor relations costs from Xcel Energy rate requests. In a current gas rate case, more than $775,000 in such costs were disallowed.
e gure in the future could be a lot higher based on the Colorado Public Utilities Commission decision in October ordering Xcel Energy to remove all investor relations costs — including a portion of executive salaries — from its calculations of costs passed on to customers. “ ere is an inherent tension between customer bene ts and investor bene ts,” said Joseph Pereira, deputy director of the Colorado O ce of the Utility Consumer Advocate, which represents residential and small commercial customers before the PUC. “Customers shouldn’t pay to boost the share price.”
Caraveo said President Joe Biden should have used his executive powers sooner to cut o the ow of asylum seekers. She also said as a freshman in Congress she has sponsored legislation to reduce the cost of renting and introduced tax credits for a ordable housing. Evans –a former Arvada police o cer – said the country’s wide-open borders are letting in gang leaders along with deadly Fentanyl. Colorado is also the third most dangerous state in the nation and is saddled with one of the country’s highest costs of living.
In the wake of soaring utility bills in the 2022-23 winter, when the average gas bill rose 52% for residential customers of Xcel Energy’s subsidiary Public Service Company of Colorado, the legislature convened a special committee to investigate rates.
e result of that inquiry was Senate Bill 291, which aims to avoid the bill shock customers experienced. It also took aim at 15 types of expenses that should not be paid by customers, such as a portion of board of directors’ compensation, travel and entertainment expenses.
e commission is still working on setting the rules to comply with Senate Bill 291. e PUC is using interim rules for the gas rate case.
Democrats lead Adams County Commission seats
BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORDAOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Adams County Democrats looked ready for another blue sweep, leading in three open seats on the County Commission as of noon Nov. 6.
Former Northglenn City Councilor Julie Duran Mullica, a Democrat, had 53% of the vote to Republican Shelly McClure 47%.
District 1 covers the area south of 120th Ave. and east to Riverdale Road and includes parts of Northglenn and ornton.
In District 2, which runs east of Riverdale Road to Buckley and Tower Roads, Democrat Kathy Henson, a current ornton City Councilor, led challenger Bernadette Tedesco 62% to Tedesco’s 38%.
In District 5, which covers the entire eastern portion of Adams County, from Brighton and Commerce to the Washington County line, incumbent Democrat Lynn Baca was leading Republican Jim Wood 54% to 46%.
It would be the fourth county election in a row to favor Adams County Democrats.
Voters in 2018 replaced the mostly Republican-held county positions – including County Clerk, Sheri , Assessor and Treasurer – with their Democrat challengers and returned Incumbent Democrat County Commissioner Steve O’Dorisio to his County Commission seat and added Democrat Emma Pinter to the Board, making the county an entirely Democrat-led body. ey kept the county blue in 2020, returning Eva Henry and Chaz Tedesco and adding Lynn Baca to the list. Adams County Democrats continued their winning ways in 2022, returning Pinter and O’Dorisio to o ce and added Sheri Gene Claps and Treasurer Adam Villagran to their list.
But this year would also be the rst time the women on the commission held a super majority –meaning that four of the ve seats on the board are held by women, Commission Chair Emma Pinter said.
STAFF REPORT
Former ornton City Councilor Jacque Phillips, a Democrat, looked ready to claim the House District 31 seat in the state legislature Nov. 5, holding a 56% to 44% lead over Republican Heidi Pitchforth as of noon Nov. 6.
Phillips defeated incumbent Democrat Julia Marvin in June to claim the Democrat nomination for the seat.
Meanwhile, incumbent Democrat Shannon Bird looked to defeat Republican Evan Sheilds Hunt, claiming 61% of the vote to Hunt’s 39% in State House District 31.
In Northglenn, Democrat Jenny Wilford was leading Republican Craig Sullivan to defend her District 34 State House Seat by a 52% to 44% margin.
In state Senate races, Republican Scott Bright looked to defeat Brighton City Councilor Matt Johnston for the State Senate District 13 seat, claming 56% of the vote to Johnston’s 44%.
Here is a rundown of other state legis-
Fort Lupton voters decide fate of public notice
City asked voters to approve posting notices to web
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
An e ort to allow the city of Fort Lupton to publish public notices on its website - rather than in a newspaper public notice section - was leading with 75% of the vote in uno cial results Nov. 6.
County Commissioner Candidate Julie Duran Mullica who is seeking the District 1 seat.
Phillips, Bright claim seats in the State Legislature
lature races in the northern part of Metro Denver based on the uno cial results from the Colorado Secretary of State’s o ce.
Colorado Senate races
State Senate District 13 (Brighton/ Fort Lupton)
Scott Bright, Republican, 56%
Matt Johnston, Democrat, 44%
State Senate District 19 (Arvada/Westminster)
Sam Bandimere, Republican, 42%
Lindsay Daugherty, Democrat, 56%
State Senate District 23 (Erie, Carbon Valley to Mead)
Barb Kirkmeyer, Republican, 100%
Colorado House races
State Representative District 19 (Erie & the Carbon Valley)
Jillaire McMillian, Democrat, 52%
Dan Woog, Republican, 48%
State Representative District 29 (Westminster)
Shannon Bird, Democrat, 61%
Evan Shields Hunt, Republican, 39%
State Representative District 31 ( ornton)
Jacqueline “Jacque” Phillips, Democrat, 56%
Heidi Pitchforth, Republican, 44%
State Representative District 32 (Commerce City)
Manny Rutinel, Democrat, 100%
State Representative District 34 (Northglenn)
Craig Sullivan, Republican, 44%
Jenny Wilford, Democrat, 52%
State Representative District 35 (South Adams)
Lorena Garcia, Democrat, 65%
Lee J. Knoll, Republican, 35%
State Representative District 48 (Brighton/ Fort Lupton)
Carlos Baron, Republican, 100%
State Representative District 56 (Lochbuie, Fountain & Burlington)
Alessandra A. Navetta, Democrat, 25%
Chris Richardson, Republican, 75% ese results will be updated.
Preliminary results show that 1,917 voters were in favor of Question 2C, while 650 voted against it. State law requires the city to publish its notices regarding bill payments and a statement concerning all contracts awarded and rebates in a legal newspaper. As a statutory city, Fort Lupton asked voters to exempt it from this law. Lawmakers and open government advocates have long required that key public information be published in newspapers, their websites and an aggregated statewide website to support transparency, accessibility, third-party oversight and achievability.
“ ese notices help citizens, courts, private businesses and many others nd out about elections, budgets, foreclosures and other crucial pieces of information,” said Colorado Press Association CEO Tim Regan-Porter.
e Fort Lupton City Council voted in July to send the matter to city voters. Councilors said they saw the change as a budget-saving move. ey ask the community to move public notices to its website instead of paying to print them in local newspapers.
e public notices, which include notices to creditors, name changes or metro district announcements as well as City Council agendas, public hearing schedules and other public communication, will be published on the City’s website if the community votes yes.
Added security, wait times at the Adams County polls
BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Adams County voters casting their ballots on Election Day contended with added security and precautions in new places — even at the ballot drop boxes in parking lots.
Teams of three county sta ers or volunteers were positioned at each of the Adams County ballot drop boxes on Election Day, answering questions for voters and sometimes taking ballots from car windows to put them in the drop boxes.
Julie Jackson, a representative for the Adams County Clerk and Recorder’s ofce, said this is the rst year the county has placed sta at all of the ballot drop boxes.
In an email, Jackson said the drop box monitors were placed “out of an abundance of caution.” ey were there to provide customer service and added security and also to make sure that people dropping o their ballots could do so without interference or electioneering.
Adams County has 30 ballot drop boxes, from Westminster east to Brighton and Aurora. e workers, many pulled from Adams County’s Motor Vehicle Department, were wrapped in blankets and huddled up in lawn chairs within feet of the drop boxes. Motor vehicle department tech Jamie Morales said she was grateful the weather Tuesday was clear, although it was windy and cool.
Je erson County o cials said they
were monitoring the drop boxes via security cameras, but didn’t have sta standing by the boxes. Sarah McAfee, chief communications o cer for the Je co Clerk and Recorder, said judges would be collecting ballots from the boxes three to ve times daily and they’d send a sta member if an issue with a ballot drop box is reported.
Adams County’s polling centers were especially busy on Tuesday.
Bruce Harrington, supervisor at the Voter Services Polling Center at Front Range Community College’s Westminster Campus said the center had a small line waiting when it opened at 7 a.m. By 9:10 a.m., they had accepted ballots from 71 voters on election day, and Harrington said the county said the 23 other loca-
tions around the county had accepted a total of 1,626 ballots at the same time. Dan Williams, the troubleshooter at the polling center in the Adams County Human Services Center 11860 Pecos St., said that center had accepted more than 200 ballots by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. e county posted a listing of polling center locations on its website, at https:// adamscountycoelections.gov/vspcs that includes estimated wait times at all of the locations. As of 12:01 p.m. on Election Day, most locations said they had no wait times and those that did averaged about 10 minutes. e Human Services Center location was the outlier, with an estimated wait time of 120 minutes. Community Editor Suzie Glassman contributed to this story.
Adams County Commissioner Candidate Lynn Baca addresses the crowd Nov. 5 at the Adams County Democrats watch party at the Pipefitters Local 208 Hall in north Denver. Baca is seeking the District 5 seat on the Adams County Commission. Behind her is
SCOTT TAYLOR
Reflections on Writing & Publishing My 1,000th ‘Real Estate Today’ Column
Because journalism was my first profession, writing a column about real estate seemed an obvious way to make myself known when I entered the real estate industry in 2003. The first column I published as a paid advertisement was on July 30, 2003, and I estimate that I have published at least 1,000 columns since then — 52 columns per year for most of the last 21 years. And every one was written by me, on a new topic each week.
have never written a column which embarrassed me due to something I wrote. (I still show each column to my wife, Rita, and to my broker associates before sending it for publication.)
From the beginning, I saw this column as “my own continuing education program,” because I had to study each topic before I could write knowledgeably about it. At first, that meant showing the first draft to my managing broker at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, to make sure I had my facts right. Even now, I will often send a first draft to another broker who has expertise I don’t in the topic I chose to write about that week.
You can see the topics of those columns going back to July 2003 at www.JimSmithColumns.com
The links on those original columns don’t all work, but you can at least see the headlines.
As a result, I can honestly say that I
I don’t know of any real estate agents anywhere in the country who have taken this approach to promoting themselves, but that may be due to the fact that the vast majority of people in any profession other than the writing professions have trouble expressing themselves in writing — and it’s a big commitment of time. If I weren’t writing this column, I’d probably have to spend hours every day or week prospecting — making cold calls or knocking on doors soliciting sellers and buyers. I might have been one of those agents who bombards you, the typi-
We Learned Firsthand About Vacant Land Scams
The Colorado Association of Realtors (CAR) issued a warning last month about scammers trying to sell vacant land that they don’t own in Douglas County, adding that it may be happening in other counties.
One of our broker associates found himself caught up in just such a scam even before that alert was issued. Here is how the scam unfolded and was discovered, so that the property owner and buyer were not victimized.
Via our website, we received an inquiry about listing a parcel of land in Coal Creek Canyon, so I referred the lead to a broker associate who lives nearby. He quickly got a signed listing for the property at $100,000, and I advertised the parcel in that week’s ad. He put a for-sale sign on the parcel and a neighbor quickly snapped it up, going under contract for it below full price.
The scammer said he was in a cancer isolation ward and didn’t have an ID with him. He needed to close quickly so he could pay his medical expenses.
The folks at First Integrity Title, which received the contract for processing, got suspicious because of no ID and sent a FedEx letter to the real owner of the property at his home in Maryland. The owner immediately called our broker associate, incensed that his property was being sold without his knowledge or involvement.
If the title company had not taken that action, it is possible that the transaction might have gone to closing based on forged IDs from the scammer, and the proceeds of the sale would have been wired according to the scammer’s directions.
The sale would ultimately have been voided, but the buyer would have lost his money. The seller would not have suffered loss.
In its October alert, CAR provided some guidance on how to recognize a vacant land scam in the making:
“In these cases, the scammer tries to list vacant land with no mortgage. He wants to sell it at below market prices for a quick sale. The scammer makes it clear there can be no in person communications, and that all communications are to be done by text or email. The scammer tells the real estate agent one of several stories about why he is out of town. He insists on a remote, no-contact closing, typically using a “local” notary of his choosing. He will not accept a local notary selected by the title company.
“The scammer has presented fraudulent driver’s licenses and fraudulent passports as identification. He uses spoofed phone numbers and untraceable email addresses.”
No such scam should be successful so long as the title company does what First Integrity Title did, which was to contact the registered owner of the land to verify the transaction.
In listing any property for sale, it’s a good practice for the listing agent to have the title company run an “ownership and encumbrance” report, which identifies the owner. Then, using an app called Forewarn, which is only available to licensed real estate agents, we can find the phone number(s) of the registered owner and call them to verify that they are indeed who is talking to us.
BTW, once the seller knew we were not scamming him and had foiled the scam attempt, he said he might list his land with us!
Golden Real Estate’s Broker Associates
cal homeowner, with letters and postcards saying, “I have a buyer for your home” — which may or may not be the truth. I much prefer to spend those hours being of service to the general public, studying every aspect of real estate that I can think of where I myself would like to know more, and then sharing it with you. When I ran for political office in 1981, I did exactly the same thing. Before announcing my candidacy I spent several months investigating every aspect of municipal government, speaking to civil servants in each agency and learning everything I could about policing, criminal justice and corrections as well as welfare, housing and economic development. When I announced my campaign, I released a 16-page tabloid spelling out my program for “saving” my city. I referred to it as “the power of the well-printed word.” It helped that I owned a typesetting business at the time, so I knew how to make what I printed look professional.
That effort wasn’t as successful, however, because I was running against seasoned politicians with political clubhouses behind them, not competing with fellow professionals, most of whom had a lot more experience than me but couldn’t demonstrate that experience or knowledge as well as a seasoned journalist like myself.
My training in journalism came from writing and editing my prep school and college newspapers but most especially from winning a summer internship in 1968 at The Washington Post I really love the practice of real estate and the reputation I have built with my readers. I love getting emails and phone calls asking my advice or reacting to something I have written. And when you call me about selling or buying a home, I love to know that the call was based on the trust and reputation I have built over two decades (or less) from my writings. Often, when I go on a listing appointment, I find that the seller has a folder containing clippings of my columns. I love to tell the story of one listing presen-
tation where the seller mentioned a particular issue of concern to them. “I wrote about that a few years ago,” I said, whereupon the seller opened a manila folder in which that old column was on the top of the pile.
My first year in this business, I attended a retreat hosted by one of the preeminent real estate coaches. Following that event, I hired that coach’s firm briefly, but the focus was on memorizing scripts and “time blocking” several hours per days for cold-calling. I couldn’t do it.
It just wasn’t my style. I have never memorized a script and never made a cold call — in fact, never prospected at all. This column is what made that approach possible. The hours I could spend prospecting are so much better spent writing and publishing this column.
At first I wrote monthly, then biweekly, and within a couple years I was able to write this column every week. At first I bought a page in a little Golden newspaper because I couldn’t afford the Golden Transcript. When the Denver Post introduced the regionalized “YourHub” section, I jumped on it, limited to the Jefferson County editions.
Then came the Golden Transcript and three other Jeffco papers. When over 20 metro area weeklies were combined under the non-profit ownership of Colorado Community Media, I expanded to include my ad in all of them. That was after I had already expanded to be in all the local editions of YourHub.
A couple months ago, I signed a contract with the Denver Gazette, a digitalonly newspaper with a large readership. And, of course, I am also online, with over 1,300 email subscribers to our blog at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
For me as a journalist, there is no greater pleasure and satisfaction than what I get from having my writings broadcast so thoroughly around this metro area that I call home. Thank you for letting me take this week off from writing about another real estate topic to share my story with you.
be misled by our name. Our agents have listed homes throughout the Denver Metro area and helped clients buy homes and other real estate all over Colorado!
It’s not often that you can buy a duplex where one side is empty and the other side is rented and contributing $1,500 per month to your mortgage costs! That’s the situation with this well-built and well-maintained brick duplex at 12613 W. 8th Ave. in that quiet neighborhood next to Welchester Tree Grant Park called Foothills View Estate. The two sides of this duplex are mirror images of each other and identical in terms of updating, including newer bath fixtures, doublepane windows, and new garage doors. (The two 1-car garages are accessed from an alley.) The vacant half is the one with a 12’x30’ wood deck, from which you can see the foothills to the west. Welchester Tree Grant Park is just a block away, with nature trails, including to the adjoining Welchester Elementary School. A narrated video tour of both sides of this duplex can be viewed at www.GoldenDuplex.online, along with interior photos of the vacant unit. The rented unit is not available to see until you’re under contract, but it is identical in condition to the vacant unit, as you’ll see on the video tour. Open Saturday, Nov. 16th, 11am to 1pm
Buy a Duplex & Have Tenant Help With the Mortgage
BY JENNY BRUNDIN CPR NEWS
Pet owners could see a new type of vet at the o ce
A ballot measure to create a new position to work in animal shelters and veterinary clinics appears to be passing, based on preliminary results Nov. 5.
Proposition 129 was winning with 52 percent supporting to 48 percent opposed in uno cial results. e position would be the rst of its kind in the nation.
Currently, veterinary practices in Colorado are sta ed by veterinarians, who have at least eight years of education, and veterinary technicians, who have a twoyear associate’s degree.
e measure would create a new midlevel position between those two called a veterinary professional associate, or VPA. e position would require a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and would be allowed to diagnose animals, perform routine surgeries, and order and perform tests and procedures under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
Under current Colorado law, only veterinarians can perform those tasks.
e measure divided veterinarians and stymied many voters when it came time to mark their ballots.
“I was thinking about the medical professions … We have physicians’ assistants,
BALLOT
we have nurse practitioners that are kind of the middle ground between physicians and nurses, so I felt like that made sense for veterinarians and vet techs too,” said a Denver voter named Angela, who declined to give her last name for privacy reasons.
Other voters said the position felt duplicative.
“ ey (veterinarians and vet techs) are already professionals. Why add another layer to the onion? To me that just didn’t make sense,” said voter Jack Stevens.
A coalition of animal welfare organizations and some veterinarians argued the measure would ease Colorado’s severe veterinary shortage and lower the cost of vet care. Opponents, including the professional associations representing veterinarians and veterinary technicians, warned VPAs would be allowed to do more than their training merited.
“ ere has been no evidence that the VPA role will decrease costs of veterinary care,” said Dr. Jennifer Bolser, a veterinarian. “Instead, pet owners will pay the same for a lesser trained individual trying to make a diaganosis and performing surgery…We do not want animals to su er with substandard care.”
Proponents argued the vet shortage has an especially large impact on animal shelters, rescues and nonpro t vet clinics. A
Colorado State University survey of veterinarians found that 70% turn away animals because of sta ng shortages. Proponents said 20% of Coloradans live in a “vet care desert.”
“Animals across the state are su ering due to a lack of veterinary resources, especially in rural and disadvantaged communities,” said Dr. Apryl Steele, CEO of the Dumb Friends League.
e issue was Colorado’s fth most expensive ballot measure this year. e measure’s backers, All Pets Deserve Vet Care, raised nearly $1.5 million, spending $1.3 million through Oct. 28, with their top donations from the Dumb Friends League and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Gov. Jared Polis contributed $2,500 to the campaign.
e coalition opposing the measure, Keep Our Pets Safe, raised and spent about $1.5 million, with the American Veterinary Medical Association as the top donor.
If the measure passes, what’s next?
e Associated Press had not o cially called Prop. 129 as of Nov. 7, but its lead looks fairly insurmountable.
e proposition would set up a new state license for this intermediate position in the veterinary eld. e state’s Board of Veterinary Medicine would pass rules
around the speci c quali cations and testing required.
Colorado State University is already in the process of setting up a master’s in veterinary clinical care program. It plans to graduate the rst class of veterinary professional associates in 2027, regardless of whether the initiative takes e ect.
e program is designed for both vet techs who want to further their education and for those who quali ed for vet school but weren’t accepted by a program, as well as for immigrants who were licensed veterinarians in their home country.
It would require ve semesters of specialized training speci cally on cats and dogs and concludes with an internship delivering routine veterinary care in a practice under the close supervision of a veterinarian. e program requires a similar number of preclinical surgical training hours as veterinarians and three times the training hours in dentistry surgical training, according to CSU.
e measure would set up a nationally recognized veterinary professional associates credentialing organization to issue certi cations once they pass a national exam. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
Evans, an Army combat veteran, said the immigration system allows those who are trying to get into the country legally are stalled for years because of “bureaucratic jail.” Asylum seekers should be allowed to stay in Mexico inde nitely until they are allowed into the United States.
states to decide abortion policy. Caraveo, a pediatrician, said abortion decisions are a private medical matter.
Caraveo and Evans both said they would not support a national abortion ban, with Evans saying it’s up to the
JOINTHE FORT LUPTON PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARYFOR
“I think women and their doctors should be making decisions about abortion, end of story,” Caraveo said.
Caraveo said during the forum that she supported capping insulin prices at
$35 a month and patients and doctors should be in the middle of decisions about insurance. Evans said red tape have driven insurance companies out of Colorado.
“Because of that red tape … millions of dollars have been siphoned away from Medicaid,” he said.
NOVEMBER 15 17, 2024
ENERGY
Xcel Energy was seeking a $172 million increase in gas rates. e PUC granted the company a $130 million increase, with a $15 million adjustment for depreciation expenses, raising the average monthly household bill 7.7% or $4.57 and small commercial bills by $17.49.
Colorado customers like people everywhere in the county are concerned about how high their energy bills have become,” said David Pomerantz, executive director of the nonpro t Energy and Policy Institute. “Underlying a lot of those concerns, is how politically powerful utilities are and how they are paying for that with money that’s not theirs.”
3 other states keep corporate costs from being charged to consumers Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine have passed laws similar to Colorado, and bills have been led in 11 other states seeking to limit lobbying and other charges, Pomerantz said.
In a recent Xcel Energy gas rate case in Minnesota, the Citizens Utility Board, a nonpro t consumer advocate, challenged the dues paid to the American Gas Association, a trade group, and the Chamber of Commerce, noting that those charges are excluded by statute in Colorado.
In a settlement agreement, Xcel Energy agreed to remove the dues from customer charges.
“Colorado is a little ahead of the game compared to other states,” Pomerantz said. “ ey and Connecticut were the rst states to take a whack at this.”
While there is a long list of costs to be excluded, in the gas rate case, the commission honed in on four: lobbying expenses, investor relations expenses, trade association dues and attorney and consultant fees in rate cases.
Xcel Energy in its lings maintained that many investor costs are required, such as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lings, the provision of disclosures to current and potential investors as required by law, and listing fees, including those required by stock exchanges.
“ ese costs for the company are unavoidable costs and are by de nition prudent since they are required by law, regulation, and/or stock exchanges that give the company access to external capital,” Xcel Energy said in a ling.
e PUC, however, said that prohibition in Senate Bill 291 is “unambiguous.”
“We therefore direct Public Service to remove from its revenue requirement calculations all investor relations expenses,” the commission said.
But what that gure is and how to calculate it have yet to be determined since it will rely on computing the time spent and salaries of all employees involved in investor relations, all the way up to top executives and the CEO.
“You know, a big part of their responsibility is investor relations,” Commissioner Tom Plant said during one meeting reviewing the rate case. “It’s maximizing shareholder value. It’s maximizing return to investors.”
“And what we know from the statute is that that is not a role that the legislature has said is attributable to ratepayers,” Plant said. “But we don’t know what that line is, we don’t know where we draw that line.”
In its decision the commission said “the company shall provide a full accounting of time spent by the company’s employees, including executives, in raising capital and any other aspects of investor relations.”
e commission did remove $142,000 in investor-related expenses from the rate case.
Xcel is the top spender on lobbying in Colorado
e decision was similar regarding lobbying. Xcel Energy has consistently been the top spender on lobbying at the Colorado statehouse. In the 12 months ending in July, it spent about $297,000 on lobbying.
ose expenditures for registered lobbyists are not included in charges to customers, but under questioning from Commissioner Megan Gilman, Xcel Energy executives said there is no accounting for the company employees who spend time in lobbying activities.
“From the executive level on down, there are individuals within the organi-
zation directing, strategizing, analyzing potential proposed or enacted legislation and trying to in uence those outcomes on behalf of the company,” Gilman said. “And so, it seems to me, we’re likely missing quite a bit of information here that would be helpful and necessary to ensure compliance with 291.”
e PUC ordered Xcel Energy to update its 2023 annual report to show the portion of total compensation for company employee lobbying and to track and report those expenses for 2024 and each year through the next rate case.
Finally, the commission told the company to track employee lobbying expenses from Jan. 1, 2024, on in a separate account to determine in the next rate case whether a refund is due to customers.
Xcel Energy also argued that in addition to lobbying and political activities the American Gas Association provides educational and professional activities and that part of its dues to the trade group should be allowed. e commission rejected the argument and the full $503,000 in dues was removed.
Xcel did not comment for this story, but provided a statement it made about the commission’s rulemaking to enact Senate Bill 291 noting that “the vast majority of expenses the law required be excluded from rates has historically been excluded from Xcel Energy Colorado customer rates.”
e cost of attorneys and consultants have long been paid for by customers in rate cases. “Such expenses are a legiti-
mate cost of providing utility service,” the commission said.
Xcel Energy sought $1.6 million in legal and consulting fees to be put into rates. e PUC sta in a ling said that was an improvement over the $2.2 million the company requested in its 2022 gas rate case, but the sta recommended a $1.3 million cap on expenses.
e company spent $260,000 on consultants and the commission split that cost between the company and customers with each responsible for half, leaving Xcel Energy able to recover $1.47 million in costs.
While these are small-dollar battles in a $171 million rate case, Pereira, the utility consumer advocate, said they are important in changing the dynamics in the legislature and at the PUC.
“Maybe Xcel decides it doesn’t want to pay for 10 people lobbying,” he said. “Maybe it changes how they approach a rate case.”
When it becomes clear how much Xcel Energy is spending stockholders may also have a say. “ ere are monetary savings for customers but also a quanti able way for shareholders to decide if they want to pay for those activities,” Pereira said.
“SB-291 has to be the most in uential customer-focused bill we’ve seen in a decade or more,” Pereira said.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
Adams County hosts Mexican Consul General
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Adams County worked to deepen its partnership with Mexico, hosting Ambassador Pavel Melendez-Cruz and his team at an Oct. 29 meet-and-greet luncheon with the Adams County Board of Commissioners.
“We’re thrilled to work alongside Ambassador Melendez-Cruz and his team to build a brighter future for our community,” said Commissioner Emma Pinter, commission chair. “Adams County is home to a vibrant, diverse population, and by working together, we can create more inclusive and supportive programs that bene t all our residents.”
Melendez-Cruz is one of the 39 foreign consuls serving as part of the Colorado Consular Corps. Nations from Australia to Mongolia to the United Kingdom all have consul o ces in Colorado.
According to o cials, the meeting focused on a partnership with Adams County and its commitment to better serve the
growing Mexican community in Colorado. e aim is to share a common goal of working together on economic, social, and cultural resources to build more of a connection with residents. e meeting’s focal point is to build more vital communications with the Consulate General of Mexico and Adams County to establish sharing resources that protect vulnerable populations and help them with educational programs to promote entrepreneurship opportunities, according to o cials.
Points of discussion
Chief among the issues the groups discussed was enhanced communication between the Consulate and Adams County. ey emphasized the importance of establishing robust and open communication channels to streamline joint e orts, share resources, and address the needs of the Mexican community in Adams County. ey also made a shared commitment to protect victims of abuse and gender-
based violence, with both parties advocating for increased legal and psychological resources to ensure comprehensive support is accessible to those in need.
Melendez-Cruz discussed the Consulate’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, which provides essential educational resources for women to establish their businesses, will o er additional support for Adams County residents through county resources.
“Ambassador MelendezCruz, who assumed his role this year to represent Mexican nationals in Colorado and parts of Wyoming and Montana, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration,” Pinter said.
“Our partnership with Adams County signi es a meaningful step toward ensuring that Mexican nationals in this region feel supported and empowered,” Melendez-Cruz said. “Together, we’re creating pathways that bring our communities closer and open doors for future generations.”
Adams County appoints new Deputy County Manager
STAFF REPORT
Adams County is proud to announce the appointment of Dionne Stroter as Deputy County Manager. A Colorado native with over 20 years of experience in public administration, Stroter brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for equity and community engagement to her new role.
Most recently, Stroter served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Local A airs (DOLA), where she helped manage over $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds for pandemic recovery and spearheaded initiatives focused on enhancing communications and digital accessibility. Her extensive experience in managing complex projects and fostering operational excellence will be key to her new role in Adams County.
“We are excited to welcome Dionne Stroter to Adams County,” said Emma Pinter, Chair of the Board of Commissioners. “Her vast experience and commitment to equity will be invaluable as we continue to meet the needs of our diverse community.”
Stroter’s dedication to public service is evident in her previous role as Executive Director of Denver’s O ce of Children’s A airs (OCA). During her tenure at OCA, she expanded Head Start services, piloted innovative youth transportation pro-
grams, and increased funding for childcare and afterschool services. Stroter has also held leadership positions in several key Denver city agencies, including Finance, Public Works, Parks and
Recreation, and General Services.
“Dionne’s hands-on leadership and commitment to creating accessible, community-focused programs make her a fantastic addition to our team,” said Interim County Manager David Fraser. “Her experience is a perfect match for our mission to provide inclusive, e ective service for everyone in Adams County.”
A erce advocate for equity, Stroter has worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for underserved communities throughout Colorado. She has been actively involved in numerous community initiatives, including serving as chair of the Aurora Cultural Affairs Commission and co-chair of the Central Park United Neighbors Equity and Diversity Committee.
Dionne Stroter
Aims marks First-generation College Student Day celebration
Half of Aims students are 1st in their family to attend college
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Roughly half of all students who attend the Aim Community College are rst-generation college students, the college said Oct. 30.
e college focuses on providing rst-generation college students with the resources, support, events, and community to help them through college, graduate, and be successful, the school said in a news release.
“It’s not just about what we can give our rst-gen students — it’s also about what we can learn from a larger network and how we can grow as an institution to serve them better,” said Bernadette Cordova, director of TRIO Student Support Services at Aims. “We take care of the whole student. It’s not just about academics; it’s about addressing their needs beyond the classroom.”
According to o cials, rst-generation college students, referred to as rst-gen, come from families, parents, or guardians who have never attended a fouryear college or university degree.
First-generation students experience challenges when entering higher education, navigating the system of cost,
nancial aid, and what classes they need for their goals, and they have lower completion rates than other students, according to o cials,
On November 7, in honor of National First-generation College Student Day, Aims Community College hosted rst-gen celebrations on the Greeley, Windsor, Fort Lupton, and Loveland campuses.
At each campus, events included snacks, giveaways, prizes and activities. e rst-gen students will also be able to sign a “Pledge to Graduate” poster, con rming their goal of graduating.
For over 20 years, Aims has o ered rst-gen students from underrepresented backgrounds, low-income and disabled students, with academic and individual development resources. It’s part of the school’s TRIO program, according to o cials.
e federally funded program provides services to 280 students annually, with 160 programs and 120 STEM elds.
“As rst-generation students may not have other family members who have attended college, TRIO helps ll some gaps,” she said. “First-gen students don’t know what they don’t know. ey come in not having the insider knowledge of college that others might have,” Cordova said. “Our role is to be that guiding hand, o ering resources and support so they don’t have to gure it all out alone.”
According to o cials, the TRIO services are o ered to help rst-generation students achieve their goals. ey include Academic Advising, Tutoring Services, Peer Mentoring, Financial Literacy and Workshops and Cultural Events. Opportunities for leadership development and cultural enrichment activities support students’ personal and professional growth are also available.
“We take care of the whole student. It’s not just about academics; it’s about addressing their needs beyond the classroom,” Cordova said. “We’re there from point A to point B, helping them reach their graduation or transfer goals with as few bumps as possible.”
According to the o cials, Aims plans to expand the TRIO peer mentoring program by increasing the number of mentors. e expansion of mentors enhances training on cultural expertise and mental health support.
e program’s motivation is to help rst-generation students develop career goals and help from Aims Career Services and a strategy for networking virtual events.
“We’re dedicated to continually evolving and enhancing the support we provide,” said Cordova. “First-gen students are amazing, and they have my heart. We’re here to celebrate their journey. ey are breaking new ground, and that’s something truly special.”
Learn about Aims’ TRIO Support Services at aims.co/TRIO.
City slates Tree lighting ceremony, parade
Brighton will split its holiday celebrations over two weekends, Dec. 7 and 14 this year. e city’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 7. e city’s annual Festival of Lights Parade is a week later, on Dec. 14. e Tree Lighting event will take place from 1-6 p.m. at Founders Plaza, 5 S. Main St.. is event will feature a Winter Market with unique artists, crafters, and artisan food vendors beginning at 1 p.m.
Vendor applications will be accepted online until Nov. 22. e fee for a vendor space is $50. Find the application for a space at the Winter Market on the city’s website, https:// www.brightonco.gov/FormCenter/Public-Information-22/Winter-Market-Vendor-Application-2024-189.
Other activities prior to the Tree Lighting include pictures with Santa, free face painting, and e Teddy Bear & Friends Tree. ese activities will take place from 1-5 p.m. Face Vocal Band, the internationally acclaimed all-vocal rock band from Boulder, will be performing on the FNBO stage from 4-5:30 p.m. on S. Main Street in front of Founders Plaza. e United Power tree lighting will take place at 5 p.m.
On Dec. 14, the City of Brighton will host the 29th Annual Festival of Lights Parade starting at 5 p.m. downtown. e nighttime light parade is a hometown tradition and will feature up to 65 parade entries.
Click here to submit a parade entry. e deadline for entries is Nov. 22.
If you have questions regarding the Tree Lighting and/or Festival of Lights Parade, please contact our Special Events team at 303-655-2126.
Overcoming life’s obstacles and objections
Success often hinges on our ability to identify and overcome obstacles and objections in life and business. e line between the two can sometimes be blurred for many of us. However, understanding the di erence is essential to overcoming barriers in selling and achieving goals. When discussing objections, we’re usually focused on external resistance: reasons someone might say “no” to a product, service, or idea. Obstacles, on the other hand, are often deeperrooted barriers that stand in the way of progress. ough they may appear di erently, addressing them usually demands similar skills, like empathy, creativity, and a relentless drive to nd solutions.
Take sales, for example. Salespeople regularly encounter both objections and obstacles. An objection might sound like, “ e price is too high,” “We’re happy with our current vendor,” or “ e timing isn’t right.” ese are the immediate, surfacelevel reasons a prospect might hesitate. ey’re often rooted in issues like cost concerns, lack of perceived urgency, or trust de cits. Objections can feel like brick walls, but they tell a salesperson where to provide more value, build trust, or reframe the conversation.
Obstacles, in contrast, are often the unseen structural challenges that prevent a decision altogether. Budget limitations, a team’s inability to reach consensus, or organizational overload can all be obstacles. A buying committee that struggles to agree on priorities, a customer overloaded with competing projects, or the realities of an uncertain economic climate are all obstacles that can stall or derail even the most compelling o er. At their core, objections and obstacles share common roots: no want, no time, no money, no need, and no trust. If prospects don’t honestly want the product or service, they’ll inevitably voice objections. If time or budget is scarce, the or-
Colorado is helping lead in the clean energy space, especially as the state ranks seventh nationally in the share of clean power percentages. It takes investment and community commitment, especially in our rural parts of Colorado, to help us reach our goals. As part of USDA Rural Development, we are deeply committed to supporting our rural partners and ensuring that communities across Colorado have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Five Colorado electrical cooperatives across the state plan to get there with the support of federal grants to make the transition to a clean energy economy with Tri-State’s $2.5 billion award recently an-
VOICES
ganization may not see a way to address the need. And overcoming objections becomes nearly impossible when trust is missing, whether in the product, the salesperson, or the company.
Consider a family discussion over a major decision, like where to go on vacation, buying a new car, or even contemplating a move. Just as in sales, these conversations often come back to the same core reasons for resistance: no want, no time, no budget, no need, and no trust. A lack of alignment or perceived need can create an obstacle, while objections around cost or timing can hold things up. It’s the same in our careers or personal lives. e obstacles we face can often be attributed to not truly wanting something enough, lacking resources, or feeling uncertain. When we encounter obstacles in our lives, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, the same approach applies. We
must ask ourselves: “What’s standing in my way?” And, more importantly, “Why am I allowing it to?” Overcoming these internal obstacles often requires the same determination that a salesperson uses to address objections. It involves identifying the root of resistance, determining what help we need, and committing to tackle these roadblocks with discipline and purpose.
Sometimes, the obstacles we face are self-imposed, born from a fear of failure, or unwilling to let go of comfort. Other times, they’re rooted in external circumstances beyond our control. In either case, overcoming them requires a willingness to act and an openness to seeking help.
Similarly, some obstacles may not be real limitations but a test of our commitment. Are we truly serious about our goals? Do we need to negotiate with our-
selves to nd the discipline and courage to overcome what holds us back?
Whether overcoming objections or obstacles, the goal remains to remove what stands in the way of success, growth, and ful llment. By cultivating resilience, seeking support, and staying dedicated to our purpose, we clear the path toward becoming the best versions of ourselves. What are the biggest obstacles holding you back? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can identify what they are and develop a solid plan to overcome them, it really will be a better than good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
Clean energy support brightens future of state
GUEST COLUMN Crestina Martinez
nounced on Oct. 25. e ve statewide Colorado coops include CORE Electric Cooperative, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, United Power and Yampa Valley Electric Association. ese historic investments in renewable energy are a testament to the commitment to our communities. By fostering clean energy solutions through the New ERA program, we are not only creating sustainable economic opportunities but also ensuring that our rural areas remain resilient and forward looking. Together with our local partners, we
are building a stronger, greener future for generations to come.
Wind and solar providing over onethird of Colorado’s electricity is helping us make signi cant strides in the clean energy sector. e state’s clean energy capacity, currently at approximately 7,000 MW, is set to grow signi cantly by 2030. Current capacity is enough to power 2.5 million homes.
Clean energy in Colorado has grown by way of nearly $14 billion of capital investment with utility-scale solar, storage and wind projects and a robust manufacturing sector. Colorado’s 12 operating clean energy manufacturing facilities have created jobs throughout the state,
helping increase the number of Coloradans working in the utility-scale sector to more than 15,750. ese utility-scale clean energy jobs span from development and operations to manufacturing and construction roles.
Let’s keep supporting this important work to build up local economies and strengthen our state as we create smart, sustainable cities. Investing in Colorado with these resources is a solid step forward as we keep leading the way.
is
was
guest column
written by Crestina M. Martinez, the Denver-based Colorado state director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
A Halloween surprise at Thornton Middle School
All new HP laptops, eSports gaming equipment delivered for students in an Amazon Rivian electric delivery van
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
An upgraded Great Pumpkin rolled into ornton Middle School on Halloween, delivering the latest in computers and gaming equipment to students who are aiming for careers in technology.
Making the stop was Amazon’s Mike Stevenson in one of Amazon’s electric vans. e sleek carrier was festooned in spooky Halloween gear and lled with 20 HP laptops and eSports gaming kits and monitors.
ornton Middle was selected to receive the rst-time donation that included two Amazon 27-inch gaming monitors, Nintendo Switch gaming kits with
joy-con grips and steering wheels for up to 20 students, said Amazon spokesperson Nissa LaPoint.
e donation from Amazon included 20 gaming headsets and a large tabletcharging device for computer science classes – a more than $6,000 value.
Members of the school’s computer science class helped unload the surprise donation from Amazon. “ is is so cool,” said seventh-grader Desmond Atencio, as he walked away with a new laptop.
ornton Middle Principal Marty McCarthy said the school’s students all receive a Chromebook and charger as part of an Adams 12 Five Star school policy, meant to keep students up to date in technology.
But the Amazon donation will help re the imagination of students who want to enhance their technology education and get into the growing sport of eSports teams, McCarthy said.
“A lot of our students don’t have the same experience with technology as other students do,” he said. “ is will help a cross-section of students who want to keep up with the latest in technology.”
e hope is that students will also be able to use the new computers at home, as some households don’t have access to that kind of software, McCarthy said.
ornton Middle School is a Title 1 school, where 75% or more of the student population is considered low-income within the Adams 12 district, according
to an Amazon news release.
“We’re really grateful for this generous donation,” he said.
Stevenson and Brandon Stout, who helped make the Halloween delivery for Amazon, are instructors in Amazon’s Last Mile Driver Academy, a one-of-akind site that trains thousands of drivers before they make deliveries in the Denver Metro area, said LaPoint.
Stevenson and Stout also o ered students a glimpse into the Amazon Rivian EDV, a van used in driver training.
Amazon looks at ways to help local students succeed, including through giveaways at ornton Middle, LaPoint said.
Brighton accepting applications for community grants
Brighton is accepting applications for its 2025 Brighton Creative Community Grants program through Dec. 29. e grants are designed to strengthen economic development, fund special events, assist cultural arts programs and promote tourism, lodging and related activities that inspire people to spend money and time in Brighton. ese grants
are funded by the City’s Lodging Tax, a tax charged on short-term lodging within the City. Organizations with projects attracting new visitors and business to the community are encouraged to apply online.
To qualify, projects must provide a bene t to the Brighton community. ey may be used for operational or capital spending but cannot be used for personnel costs and cannot be sub-awarded, sub-
granted, or otherwise passed through to another entity.
Projects must be completed by November 30, 2025. End of year reports must be given to the City by December 31, 2025. Unused funding may only be carried forward into future years with prior approval from the City.
Grant funds are contingent on the approval of the City’s annual budget and completion of all required contracts, agree-
Brighton:
ments, and follow-up reporting on the part of the applicant.
e deadline to apply is Dec. 29. To learn more about the grant quali cations and guidelines and to apply, visit www.brightonco.gov/3004/28800/Brighton-CreativeCommunity-Grants. For questions, please contact Communications & Engagement Director Kristen Chernosky at kchernosky@brightonco. gov or 303-655-2061.
National trend impacting area fire agencies, blood supply, food pantries, senior services
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Evergreen Fire/Rescue welcomed its rst six paid re ghters last month, it was hailed as progress for the district’s residents, with the anticipation of faster response times from sta ed re stations. But it was also a sharp turn away from a long-standing tradition: e all-volunteer model it had used for 76 years.
While the area’s aging population, climate change and life in a place ranked in the top 10 nationally for catastrophic wild re were factors in the hiring decision, the decline in volunteerism also played into it.
It’s a trend impacting organizations of all kinds. Volunteering in the United States is at an all-time low, according to IVolunteer International, even as the need for most of the services such agencies supply is increasing. e fallout is far from minor, ranging from such potentially critical issues as delays in re agency response times to a shortage in the national blood supply.
On a societal level, experts say it may be a symptom of, or a factor in, increasing social isolation and political division.
“Volunteers meet critical community needs, and volunteering has the power to heal our societies by creating empathy and equity,” said Jennifer Siranelo, CEO of Points of Light, an international nonpro t dedicated to volunteerism. “It’s imperative that we work together to reverse the downward trend in volunteering.”
While the pandemic exacerbated the issue, it was not the cause. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the volunteer rate in the United States has been steadily declining for more than a decade.
Charitable giving is also down in the U.S., a fact attributed to economic uncertainty, stock market volatility and an increase in smaller and single-parent families.
Volunteering has historically been led by college graduates, married people and parents. But today’s younger generations are strained not just for time but money, and are more likely to not only work several jobs but share housing to make ends meet, according to the Center for the Study of the Individual and Society. at leaves them with little discretionary time.
e issue has hit the re service hard. e number of volunteer re ghters has declined for the last three decades, hitting a record low in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association. During that same time period, the U.S. population — and demands for emergency services —grew. Among smaller re districts, the average age of a volunteer re ghter is going up, with fewer younger people throwing their hats into the volunteer ring.
Not long ago, Evergreen Fire/Rescue Chief Mike Weege said EFR turned prospective volunteers away.
“We’d get roughly 30 applying and have (volunteer re ghter) academies of 25,” he said. “Eight to 10 years ago, we start-
Volunteers meet critical community needs, and volunteering has the power to heal our societies by creating empathy and equity.”
Jennifer Siranelo, CEO of Points of Light
ed getting far fewer people who could commit the time to do it. Our academies would only be six people, and we had to combine them with Genesee, Foothills and Indian Hills ( re districts).
“Today, both parents working is the norm, and people are working longer hours,” he continued. “I think people’s lives are far too busy for the amount of time and motivation it takes to volunteer for a dangerous activity.”
Nearby Elk Creek Fire is facing the same challenges, which Chief Jacob Ware attributes in part to the foothills’ shifting population.
“ e demographics have changed a lot here,” he said. “Historically, volunteer re departments were made up a lot of blue-collar, often self-employed people — people who had the ability to break away from their jobs in the middle of the day to answer a re call.”
With the escalating cost of housing in the mountains, fewer of those people can a ord to live in Conifer. And those that do are pressed for time.
“You have to hustle to live in the mountains,” Ware said. “Between work, family and everything else, the time you have to volunteer is dwindling.”
Vitalant, which has 10 Colorado blood donation centers and is the primary blood provider for over 95% of Colorado’s hospitals, is seeing far fewer donors than in the past. Vitalant declared an emergency blood shortage in 2024, and it’s not the rst time the nonpro t blood services provider has done so.
“Overall, the number of people donating with Vitalant has dropped about 20% since before the pandemic, while patients’ needs remain strong,” said Brooke Way, Vitalant’s communications manager. “If there’s a shortage and we don’t have the available blood, that’s when hospitals and doctors have to make those impossible choices of whether to postpone a surgery that’s been scheduled, so a trauma (victim) can get that unit. at’s what we try to avoid.”
It’s left local and national organizations scrambling for solutions, and pondering creative new ideas to revitalize volunteering.
“We’ve tried everything under the sun to recruit new volunteers; we just had another meeting about it,” said Kevin Andrezejewski, executive director of BGOLDN, which runs a food pantry and other community food programs. “ ere’s been a huge shift in the demographic here. e younger population doesn’t either have the time or interest in volunteering.”
COVER PHOTO: Volunteer firefighters from Evergreen and Elk Creek fire departments climb onto the roof of a house on fire earlier this year.
OF EVERGREEN FIRE/RESCUE
LEFT: Teri Crawford, visiting from Virginia, helps her daughter Kimberly Buxton of Golden while volunteering at the BGOLDN food pantry. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
RIGHT: Centennial resident Joseph Lothringer recently donated his 70th gallon of blood at Vitalant’s Parker donation center. “It’s an act of gratitude,” he said. “Emotionally, it’s a very satisfying feeling.”
VOLUNTEERS
at’s particularly challenging because the need for BGOLDN’s programs is growing. Demand for its home delivery program, available to people who need supplies from the food pantry but don’t have transportation, has doubled in the last 18 months. But BGOLDN doesn’t have enough drivers to bring food to those homes or pick up food donations from area grocery stores.
“We have more volunteer shifts to ll,” Andrezejewski said. “We don’t want to decrease the number of families we support, and we could grow the program. But with the shortage of volunteers, we have to hold back on expanding it too much.”
A Little Help provides services to seniors throughout the metro area, northern Colorado and Grand Junction that can make the di erence between individuals moving to assisted living or staying in their homes. During the pandemic, the Denver-based nonpro t saw a surge in volunteers. But as life returned to normal, that help faded away.
“A lot of our open requests from seniors are going unful lled,” said Jake Dresden, A Little Help’s metro Denver director. “Rides to the doctor, the bank, the grocery store, tech support requests, companionship requests … we’re not at a healthy level of volunteers to meet those.
“We always feel the sweet spot for us is at least 2-to-1 volunteers to older adult members. And we are not at that number,” Dresden continued. “ e last six months, we’ve been running 2-to-1 members to volunteers. at’s not a recipe for success.”
Not only do seniors often physically need help with such chores and tasks, volunteer assistance can make a critical nancial di erence for them.
“ e big broad piece is helping them stay in their homes,” Dresden said. “A lot of our members are living on very xed incomes. e thought of paying a landscaping crew to rake leaves, or getting an Uber to go to the doctor, that’s money they don’t have budgeted.”
Because Colorado is a popular state for retirees, Dresden doesn’t see the demand for services easing.
A Little Help sends a weekly email to its volunteers and has made volunteering as exible as possible. Volunteers choose the task they want to do and when they’d like to do it. Still, the list of un lled requests hasn’t grown shorter.
“We’re trying all sorts of di erent methodologies to bring new volunteers on, but we’re having to start waiting lists for certain areas and services,” Dresden said.
Solutions
e problem is clear, but solutions are less so. Yet, people across the country are working to nd them, and with good reason.
Volunteering is good for us, on an individual and larger societal level. Research shows links between volunteering and improved physical health, cognitive function, elevated mood, increased social interactions, decreased loneliness and even increased mortality, according to the Stanford Center on Longevity. On a more global scale, volunteerism contributes to social cohesion, community well-being and the economy.
e Generosity Commission, made up of experts across the philanthropic sec-
tor, is dedicated to increasing civic participation. It’s spent the last three years studying the country’s decline in charitable giving and volunteering and mapping a plan to reverse it.
ose include getting public gures to talk about how they bene t from giving and volunteering, reaching out to younger generations and reinforcing the role of businesses in encouraging employee giving. IVolunteer International suggests o ering virtual volunteering options like tutoring, nonpro t tech support or online advocacy as a way to match volunteering opportunities with the shift to remote work and lifestyles.
Evergreen Fire/Rescue is redesigning its volunteer program, using a system of points and small-dollar rewards that allows volunteers exibility in how and when they respond.
“We need to meet people where they are, to allow people to do what they can do versus forcing them to t into our box,” Weege said. “If you want to just do wildland ( res), if you want to just do EMS, there’s a place for you here. So you don’t have to do all the training. We’ve brought in quite a few people by doing that.”
Denver-based Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, which builds trails and improves habitat statewide, said it’s changed its o erings to try to meet its volunteers’ abilities.
“We’re getting more one-o (volunteer stints) than people who’ll come out multiple times a year now,” said VOC’s marketing manager Kim Gagnon. “So we’re trying to broaden the type of work we offer folks. Some people can volunteer on a fourteener with no problem. And some people feel that reward from a threehour harvest in a garden in downtown Denver. ese are interesting trends, and
we’re just trying to problem-solve as we go.”
Vitalant has o ered donor giveaways like the chance to win $5,000 prepaid gift cards, and more recently a $5,000 Halloween jackpot. As the shift to remote work has decreased donations from business blood drives, Vitalant’s now encouraging schools to host blood drives. ose who volunteer regularly see the bene ts clearly.
Conifer resident Peyton omas, who launched the nonpro t Speakers for Africa to help Ugandan schoolchildren, said the work not only broadens his perspective about other cultures, but gives him a fresh outlook on his own life.
“When I start complaining about Wi-Fi speed or my food taking too long to get to me, I think, ‘I need to go back to Uganda and regroup,’ because they know what is real,” he said. “Life is a help-others program. I’m convinced getting outside of ourselves sand helping others is what we’re supposed to do.”
Joseph Lothringer recently donated his 70th gallon of blood at Vitalant’s Parker donation center. He’s enjoyed a lifetime of good health and said donating is a way to share some of that with those who haven’t been as lucky.
“It’s an act of gratitude,” said the 68-year-old Centennial resident. “I won the physiological lottery. I think of people that are ghting for their lives against cancer. To give them a shot of platelets, to use my health to help people that didn’t win the lottery, that’s the least I can do. Emotionally, it’s a very satisfying feeling.” It took Lothringer 40 years of regular donations to reach 70 gallons, and he’s not done yet.
“Absolutely, I’m going to keep doing it,” he said. “My goal now is 100 gallons.”
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BRIEFS
Brighton accepting 2025 Creative Community Grants proposals
Each year, the City of Brighton awards grants to support activities that strengthen economic development, fund special events, assist cultural arts programs, and promote tourism, lodging and related activities that inspire people to spend money and time in Brighton. ese grants are funded by the City’s Lodging Tax, a tax charged on shortterm lodging within the City. Organizations with projects attracting new visitors and business to the community are encouraged to apply online.
e deadline to apply is Dec. 29. Applications will be reviewed monthly by the City’s review committee. e committee will determine which applications will be awarded and the award amount.
Projects must be completed by November 30, 2025 and end-of-year reports must be given to the City by December 31, 2025. Unused funding may only be carried forward into future years with prior approval
from the City. Grant funds are contingent on the approval of the City’s annual budget and completion of all required contracts, agreements, and follow-up reporting on the part of the applicant.
For more information, visit www.brightonco.gov/3004/28800/Brighton-CreativeCommunity-Grants or contact Kristen Chernosky at kchernosky@brightonco.gov or 303-655-2061.
27J breaks ground on new Middle School School District 27J broke ground Nov. 4 on a new middle school on 25 acres at 5870 E. 152nd Ave. in ornton.
e school will be 27J’s sixth middle school.
Plans call for a 133,000-square-foot facility designed to serve over 800 students in grades 6-8.
e new school will feature a two-story classroom wing equipped with the latest educational technology, along with an administration area, gymnasium, cafeteria, media center, athletic elds, and more.
Construction is now underway, with completion anticipated for the 2026 school year.
Brighton Festival Lights parade entries sought Brighton hosts the 29th Annual Festival of Lights Parade starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 downtown. e nighttime light parade is a hometown tradition and will feature up to 65 parade entries.
People or groups that want to march or put a oat in the parade should ll out a form on the city’s website, at https://www. brightonco.gov/FormCenter/Public-Information-22/Festival-of-Lights-Parade-Application-20-188.
e deadline for entries is Nov. 22.
If you have questions regarding the Tree Lighting and/or Festival of Lights Parade, please contact our Special Events team at 303-655-2126.
40th Turkey Trot Run/Walk set for Nov. 23 e City of Brighton’s Parks and Recreation Department will host the 40th Annual Turkey Trot Run/Walk Race at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23, at the Brighton Recreation Center pavilions located at 555 N. 11th Avenue.
e 5K run/walk is a Bolder Boulder qualifying race and will award rst, second and third place winners in each age division.
Early bird entry fees are $35 for adults and $25 for youth and seniors. Race day entry fees are $40 for adults and $30 for youth and seniors. Entry fees will include a t-shirt, breakfast, awards, prizes and drawings. Please register as soon as possible to guarantee a shirt. To register, call 303-655-2200 or visit brightonco.gov/turkeytrot/.
Early packet and bib pick-up will be available from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 at the Brighton Recreation Center. ose who have not registered by Nov. 17 will have to wait to pick up their bib on the day of the race.
For more information regarding this event, please contact Jacquelyn Ramsey, Race Coordinator, at 303-655-2221.
Members of the School Distirct 27J Board of Education toss the first shovels of dirt on the site of the new Talon Ridge Middle School in Thornton. Work on the school is scheduled to wrap up in 2026. COURTESY PHOTO
Law on phone use while driving about to change
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Colorado drivers face a new law that prohibits people from using a mobile electronic device – including a cell phone – while driving unless they use a hands-free accessory. e penalties for violating the prohibition include a $75 ne and license suspension points, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
To prepare drivers for the new law, which goes into e ect Jan. 1, 2025, CDOT is launching an awareness campaign over the next several months to ensure all Coloradans know about the law and best practices. e campaign will include outreach e orts through social media, paid ads and collaboration with key stakeholders, according to a CDOT news release.
e goal with the new law is to reduce distractive driving in Colorado, as studies have shown that using a mobile device while driving increases the risk of a crash by two to six times, according to CDOT.
“ is new legislation is a crucial step toward making Colorado’s roads safer for everyone,” Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT, said in the news release.
“By encouraging drivers to focus solely on the task of driving, we can reduce the number of distracted driving incidents and pre-
vent crashes that often come with such behavior,” Lew said. “ is law aligns with best practices from across the nation and re ects our commitment to protecting all road users, whether in a vehicle, on a bike or walking.”
According to CDOT’s 2024 Driver Behavior Report, 77% of Colorado drivers admitted to using their phones while driving, with 45% saying a hands-free feature in their car would stop them from using their phone.
Distracted drivers pose a particularly high risk to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. From 2015 to 2023, deaths among pedestrians and bicyclists increased by 50% and 112.5%, respectively, while Colorado’s population grew by less than 8% during the same period, the news release states.
Colorado joins 29 other states in prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving. States with similar laws have reported decreases in distracted driving crashes. In Michigan, a 2023 law banning hand-held cellphone use led to a 12.8% decrease in distracted driving crashes within the rst year, the news release states.
Penalties for violating the new law start with a $75 ne and two license suspension points for the rst o ense. First-time violators can have the charge dismissed if
they provide proof of purchasing a hands-free accessory. Repeat offenders face higher nes and more license suspension points, according to CDOT.
“For a long time, troopers have been able to detect when someone is driving distracted by a vehicle weaving between lanes, delayed starts at stop signs and lights, not to mention seeing a phone or other device in a driver’s hand,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol in the news release. “ is legislation allows us to address risky and careless behaviors in a proactive way to increase the safety of all roadway users.”
As the January 2025 deadline approaches, CDOT urges all drivers to begin putting down their phones when driving, ensuring they are prepared when the law takes e ect, the news release states. Drivers are encouraged to acquire hands-free accessories such as dashboard mounts and car speakerphone systems to comply with the new law.
DELIVERY
e law includes exemptions for individuals reporting emergencies, utility workers, code enforcement o cers, animal protection o cers, rst responders and individuals in parked vehicles. ese exceptions ensure that critical communications are not hindered in emergency or essential service situations, the news release states.
Amazon also focuses on education donations to encourage future high school graduates to consider a career at the company, LaPoint said. “Amazon… o ers excellent pays and bene ts including healthcare on the rst day of employment, opportunity for pre-paid college tuition,
and technical skills training for career advancement and more bene ts,” according to an Amazon news release.
With the Halloween donation, Amazon will have donated more than $750,000 to more than 40 organizations, 200 of which went to education-focused and scholarship programs, Amazon states.
“ is donation,” added McCarthy, “will give our students another opportunity to succeed.”
FROM PAGE 9
Thornton Middle School students collect computers and other gear from an Amazon truck Oct. 31. PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY
Federal judges clear Colorado 21-and-older gun law
minimum age requirement is widely accepted — after all, no one is reasonably arguing that 8-year-olds should be allowed to purchase guns.”
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
A Colorado law passed last year requiring people to be at least 21 years old before they purchase a rearm — and prohibiting dealers from selling to anyone under 21 — can go into e ect, a panel of federal appellate judges has ruled.
e ruling from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dissolves a temporary hold that a federal district court judge placed on the law in August 2023. But the ruling doesn’t end the legal challenge to the law. Instead, it sends the case back to the lower court for the much more detailed arguments that will ultimately decide whether the law can stand.
e law was challenged by Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a gun-rights advocacy group, as well as two people who said the law blocked them from buying a rearm to protect themselves. One of those plainti s has since turned 21.
ey argued that the law violates their Second Amendment rights. But the appeals court panel concluded that argument isn’t clear-cut enough to be entitled to a temporary injunction against the law.
“ e best reading is that (the law) is presumptively lawful because the aged-based condition or quali cation on the conduct it proscribes falls outside the scope of the plain text of the Second Amendment,” the judges found in their opinion.
In another section, the judges added: “It seems evident that the necessity of some
e case involves a law passed in 2023,Senate Bill 169. e law changes the minimum age to purchase a rearm to 21 from 18 in Colorado. Supporters argue that the law is meant to reduce youth suicides, accidental shootings and gun violence.
Purchasers under the age of 21 as well as unlicensed rearm sellers could face a class-2 misdemeanor for violating the law. Licensed rearms dealers who break the law face a class 1 misdemeanor.
e law ultimately changes the status quo only when it comes to ri es and shotguns because federal law already bans the purchase of handguns by people under 21. e law does not ban the possession of guns by those under 21, nor does it prohibit people under 21 from acquiring rearms via gifts or inheritance. It also contains exemptions for military and law enforcement members.
Tuesday’s ruling marks a relatively minor procedural step in the long arc of the case. But it also showcases how complicated and hotly contested federal rearm jurisprudence has become in the wake of Supreme Court decisions bolstering gun rights and requiring gun laws to be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of rearms regulation.
In August 2023, when Chief U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer temporarily blocked the law in a 44-page order, he concluded “the individual plainti s have shown a likelihood of success on the merits.” Finding such a likelihood is needed for a judge to issue an injunction.
In appealing that order, attorneys for the
state led over 1,000 pages of briefs and appendices, including four expert a davits — three of them from historians and another from a neuroscientist. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia led friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the Colorado law, while eight other organizations led their own friend-of-the-court briefs arguing various positions.
e appeals court ruling, written by U.S. Circuit Judge Richard E.N. Federico, with the support of judges Carolyn Baldwin McHugh and Michael R. Murphy, stretches to 61 pages. A concurrence by McHugh — arguing that one particular issue should have been analyzed during the second step of a process laid out in a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision instead of during the rst step — is another 30 pages. An appendix laying out the history of various state gun laws tacks on another seven pages.
All three judges on the 10th Circuit panel were appointed by Democratic presidents, while Brimmer was appointed by a Re-
publican.
In the end, the appellate judges concluded that the legal issues in the case aren’t as clear as Brimmer saw them.
“Laws imposing conditions and qualications on the sale and purchase of arms do not implicate the plain text of the Second Amendment,” Federico wrote in the ruling.
In a post on X, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners said the 10th Circuit judges “recharacterized this law into a mere commercial regulation instead of a constitutional right infringement.”
“ is is a very temporary setback, and we look forward to ghting back against this outrageous ruling,” the organization wrote. “ is law very clearly violates both the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court’s precedents, and we look forward to ultimately striking it o the books.” is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
Movember mustaches bring awareness to men’s mental, physical health
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
It could be a normal mustache, a handlebar, pencil or horseshoe. Whatever the style, many men take part in growing a mustache for the month-long campaign, Movember, as a symbol representing the importance of men’s health and reducing the stigma of seeking help.
“In many ways, men represent an underserved minority in plain sight,” said Dr. Je Morrison, a physician at Highlands Ranch UCHealth Hospital. “ at’s why I’m so passionate about Movember and drawing awareness to men’s health.”
Morrison is a men’s health specialist and urologist at UCHealth. For years, he has helped men become more comfortable with seeking medical help, and has been an advocate for Movember.
Two campaigns in November raise awareness for men’s health – No Shave November and Movember — but they are di erent. No Shave November encourages participants to raise money to be donated toward a charity of their choice. Movember is an organization that focuses on funding projects that are centered around men’s health and suicide prevention.
Men can often be reluctant to seek medical care, especially preventative care, said Morrison.
“I think we all know many men in our lives who just don’t go to the doctor,” he added.
Having been guilty of it himself at times, Morrison believes there are several reasons why a lot of men don’t go to the doctor. It might be because of their busy work and family schedules or simply procrastination, he said. But it might also be that they don’t know who to go to when a problem arises.
Morrision said he sees barriers for men to get into the healthcare system. However, it is crucial for men — especially those who are age 40 and up — to stay on top of their health by having routine wellness appointments and screenings, Morrison
said.
“How can we work to kind of make it a little easier for these guys to get in, and be the catalysts that get these guys the help that they need,” said Morrison.
One way has been o ering telehealth visits. But Morrison also wants to continue to educate men about risk factors.
Knowing the risk factors
Research over the last couple of decades indicates that women live longer than men. More recently, research by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and UC San Francisco found that the di erence between how long men and women live increased in the U.S.
Movember focuses on the importance of getting screened for chronic conditions such as prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer.
“Chronic, serious health conditions — they’re very prevalent,” said Morrison.
According to the American Cancer Society, other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the U.S. While it generally grows slowly, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Additionally, it is more likely to develop in men at an average age of 67.
Another common cancer in men is colorectal cancer. It is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the U.S., and diagnosis rates have been increasing in those younger than 55.
While not as common as other cancers, testicular cancer a ects about one in every 250 males, developing in young and middle-aged men.
As a male fertility care and men’s sexual health physician, Morrison said some sexual dysfunction issues that some men experience could be big, independent factors for developing something more serious, like cardiovascular diseases.
For example, Morrision said if a man su ered from impotence, they have a 44% increased risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and about a 60% increased risk of having a heart attack.
Although common, Morrison added that men’s fertility and dysfunction issues can also have “devastating psychological rami cations for both the patient and their partner.”
“ ose are big motivators that bring men into the doctor,” said Morrison. “ at gives me a chance to meet these guys, look at their needs that brought them in and try to usher them into the healthcare system and be stewards of their health.”
UCHealth men’s health physician Dr. Je Morrison, who is passionate about opening up conversations about men’s health, said Movember is a great way to break the stigma of men seeking medical and mental health care. SHUTTERSTOCK
Movember also aims to spread awareness of how serious mental health issues are among men.
According to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, which retrieves national statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., and rates are about four times higher in men than women.
Whatever the issue may be, Morrison is passionate about opening up conversations about men’s health.
“When something unexpected happens, it’s all the more reason why it’s important to just try to make it more accessible and break down these barriers to help men get in to see a healthcare provider,” said Morrison. “And to reduce the stigma of mental health issues that so many su er from.”
Thu 11/14
CHSAA State Volleyball Day 1 @ 8am
Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt Street, Denver
November Birthday Celebration EP (11/14)
@ 1pm
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Kid Scientists: Gooey and Gross @ 4pm
Dancing Through the Decades: Senior Social @ 5pm
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals @ 7pm / $55-$999 Ball Arena, Denver
Sat 11/16
Sun 11/17
Danielle Todd Live @ The Stillery Westminster @ 12pm
The Stillery, 10633 Westminster Blvd #900, Westminster
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Fri 11/15
Breakfast Burrito Bingo (11/15) @ 9am
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Danielle Todd Live @ The Stillery Westminster
@ 5pm
The Stillery, 10633 Westminster Blvd #900, Westminster
Standley Lake Regional Park & Wildlife Refuge, 11610 West 100th Avenue, Westminster. standleylake@westmin sterco.gov, 303-425-1097
Teens: Main Event @ 11am
Fort Lupton Community / Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Avenue, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
Teen Social: Meow Wolf @ 1pm
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Full Moon Family Hike @ 4pm
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Bunny Blake Music: The Glenn Bar & Grill @ 7:30pm
The Glenn Bar & Grill, 11140 Irma Dr, Northglenn
Marie
@ 2:05pm / $90-$998 Empower Field At Mile High, Denver
lluvia @ 4pm
Legacy Event Center, 9051 N Harlan St #300, Westminster
Mon 11/18
100 Things to Do Before You're 12 @ 10am
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Female Self Defense - Nov @ 5:30pm
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Tue 11/19
Mystery Trip (11/19) @ 11am
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Spill the Tea (11/19) @ 2pm
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
John Hiatt @ 7pm
The Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver
Wed 11/20
Mines Museum of Earth Science (11/20) @ 10am
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
The Times Collaborative, 338 Main St, Longmont
Thu 11/21
Owl-About-Art Homeschool Program @ 9am / Free Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53
Friendsgiving @ 2pm
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Eric Golden @ 6pm
The Stillery, 10633 Westminster Blvd #900, Westminster
Monica
LaBonte: Mixtape: Jeff Cramer and Dylan McCarthy @ 7pm
58 deaths were more in line with pre-pandemic rate
BY ALEX MURPHY AND BEAU BAKER KUNC
New numbers show a drop in Colorado domestic violence-related deaths in 2023. at’s according to a new report from the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board which released the numbers through the state’s Attorney General’s O ce on Oct. 29.
e report says the state counted 58 individuals who lost their lives in a domestic violence incident. ose deaths accounted for 11% of all homicides in Colorado. e decrease is a drop from the previous two years and is aligned with a trend of decreasing violent crimes across the state. In the previous year, the state set a grim record of 94 deaths. e new numbers are more aligned with the count before the pandemic.
O cials are happy to see a decline, but they say there is still work to be done.
“Even as we see a decrease in domestic violence fatalities, we cannot be complacent,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Every life lost is a tragedy, and we must continue our e orts to combat domestic violence with a sense of urgency. It is imperative that we work together to create safer communities and support those affected by this violence.”
Weiser is the chair of the board, which works each year to collect this data and identify ways to prevent incidents. Colorado’s General Assembly rst estab-
Domestic violence fell in 2023
lished the board in 2017, and in 2022 it was reauthorized for another ve years.
In this year’s report, the board reviewed 47 separate cases. In those cases, a current or former intimate partner killed 30 of the victims. An additional seven people died as “collateral victims.”
Children accounted for more than half of the collateral victims.
Crossroads Safehouse, a Fort Collins based organization focused on providing emergency housing and legal advice for victims of domestic violence, says 2024 has been an unfortunately busy year.
“While I may understand that some of the deaths may be decreasing. Which, of course we we want to see that, and that’s that’s good. ese very serious domestic violence cases continue to increase,” said Crossroads Safehouse Executive Director Lori Kempter.
Kempter says they’ve seen a steep increase in lethality cases. ese are incidents that include serious bodily injury and the victims are assessed as most at risk. In the past, the organization would see about nine of these cases a year, but more recently they’ve seen about two dozen a month.
“ ere’s a lot of research that really looks at what is going on in this relationship that could indicate someone could lose their life,” said Stacie Sutter, the program director of Crossroads. “Our local fatality review board does a really good job looking at what does the research tell us, and how do we look at these cases through that, through that research rens? And we’re seeing an increase in that.”
Sutter says Crossroads is struggling to keep up with demand for their services,
sometimes having to turn people away. is comes after federal and state funding resources continue to diminish.
Kari Clark with Alternatives to Violence, a similar organization, says she’s worried about where the funding cuts will lead.
e recent state report shows rural communities continue to have higher rates of domestic violence-related fatalities. It also identi ed pregnancy, especially in adolescent girls, as a signi cant risk factor in fatal cases.
Besides sharing new numbers, it’s the job of the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board to recommend ways to help with the issue. According to the press release, the recommendations this year include:
Enhance training for court professionals: Develop comprehensive domestic violence training for Child and Family Investigators and Parental Responsibility Evaluators that addresses risk factors, coercive control, and compassion fatigue.
Expand use of risk assessment tools: Increase the use of risk assessment tools in organizations and systems that work directly with domestic violence survivors, including the increased use of the Lethality Assessment Protocol in law enforcement settings.
Implement victim noti cation system: Establish a system to notify domestic violence victims when the subject of a protection order attempts to purchase a rearm, improving their ability to assess risk and enhance safety planning. Address economic abuse and coerced debt: Provide more protection for do-
mestic violence victims of economic abuse, including coerced debt, to ensure nancial control and exploitation do not prevent survivors from escaping abusive relationships. is article is reprinted with permission via AP storyshare.
The 58 domestic violence deaths in 2023 represented 11% of all homicides in Colorado, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s o ce.
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AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, APPROVING THE FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE FUNDING PLAN, MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, PRE-ANNEXATION AGREEMENT, AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR PRAIRIE CENTER, BRIGHTON, COLORADO AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
WHEREAS, the City of Brighton (“City”) is a home rule municipality with all powers associated thereto duly organized and existing under its Home Rule Charter adopted pursuant to Article XX of the Constitution of the State of Colorado; and
WHEREAS, the City entered into a Comprehensive Funding Plan, Master Development Agreement, Pre-Annexation Agreement, and Intergovernmental Agreement for Prairie Center, Brighton Colorado (hereafter “Comprehensive Agreement”) dated December 5, 2005 with THF Prairie Center Development LLC, THF Prairie Center Retail One, LLC, Prairie Center Metropolitan District No. 1, and Prairie Center Metropolitan District No. 2, and the original Comprehensive Agreement was modified by the First, Second, and Third Amendments to the Comprehensive Agreement; and WHEREAS, Prairie Center Metropolitan District No. 1 and Prairie Center Metropolitan District No. 2 previously have assigned all of their right, title, and interest in the Comprehensive Agreement to Prairie Center Metropolitan District No. 3 and such District has assumed all such right, title, and interest in the Comprehensive Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Second Amendment to the Comprehensive Agreement recognized that a portion of the project area would be within the new urban renewal plan area and the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority (“BURA”) agreed to cooperate and share Incremental Sales Tax Revenues pursuant to a BURA Sharing Agreement and adding BURA as a party to the Comprehensive Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that water resources are limited and encouraged development of a non-potable water distribution system of which the Lutz Reservoir is a key element, and the City desires to own, use, operate, and maintain Lutz Reservoir for the City-operated non-potable water distribution system; and
WHEREAS, the parties have negotiated the Fourth Amendment to the Comprehensive Agreement to reflect the transfer of ownership of Lutz Reservoir and public trail improvements for the Lutz open space parcel and other changed conditions; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that this meets the goals of the City for open space, a non-potable water system to reduce potable water usage, and improvement health and safety of the residents of Brighton.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council hereby approves the Fourth Amendment to the Comprehensive Agreement in substantially the form presented and accepts the transfer of the Lutz Parcel to the City.
Section 2. The Mayor is authorized to take all action necessary to execute the Fourth Amendment in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance and to execute and deliver any and all necessary documents, instruments, or certificates, and the City Manager is authorized to execute any documents, deeds, or necessary documents for the land transfer.
Section 3. If any part of this Ordinance for any reason is held to be invalid, then such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose.
Section 5. As provided in City Charter Section 5.9(A), this Ordinance, either as presented or as amended, shall be published in full as it was adopted prior to taking final action. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days after its final publication, as provided in City Charter Section 5.8.
INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FIRST READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED THIS 4th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024.
CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ ALICIA CALDERÓN, City Attorney
Legal Notice No. BSB3472 First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 14, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
ORDINANCE NO. INTRODUCED BY: Padilla
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, APPROVING THE RAVENFIELD ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FROM C-O AND PUD TO R-3 FOR AN APPROXIMATELY 6.14
ACRE PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF PURCELL STREET, SOUTH OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, EAST OF SOUTH 27TH AVENUE, AND WEST OF THE BRIGHTON LATERAL DITCH, MORE PARTICULARLY LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 9, TOWNSHIP 1 SOUTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, CITY OF BRIGHTON, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO
WHEREAS, the Brighton Housing Authority (the “Owner”) is the owner of approximately 6.14 acres of real property located in the City of Brighton, more specifically described in EXHIBIT A, attached hereto and incorporated herein (the “Property”); and
WHEREAS, Owner has requested approval of the Ravenfield Zoning Map Amendment, attached hereto as EXHIBIT B (the “Zoning Map Amendment”); and
WHEREAS, City staff reviewed the application using the criteria for a Zoning Map Amendment as outlined in Section 2.03(B) of the Land Use & Development Code (the “LUDC”); and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing to review and consider the Zoning Map Amendment pursuant to the applicable provisions and criteria set forth in the Land Use & Development Code and provided a recommendation of approval to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council opened a public hearing on November 4, 2024, where it conducted its review and considered the application pursuant to the applicable provisions and criteria set forth in Section 2.03(B) of the LUDC; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the public notice requirements of the Land Use & Development Code, a notice of public hearing was mailed to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the Property, a public notice was published on the City’s website, and a sign was posted on the Property, all for no less than fifteen (15) days prior to the City Council public hearing; and
WHEREAS, at the public hearing, the City Council received and considered all relevant evidence and testimony from City staff, the Owner, and other interested parties, including the public at large.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council hereby finds and determines that the proposed Zoning Map Amendment is in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan and any other plan, policy or guidance adopted pursuant to that plan; that the proposed Zoning Map Amendment will support development in
character with existing or anticipated development in the area, including the design of streets, civic spaces and other open space; the pattern, scale and format of buildings and sites; and the integration, transitions and compatibility of other uses; that the City or other agencies have the ability to provide services or facilities that may be necessary for anticipated uses in the proposed district; that the change will serve a community need, amenity or development that is not possible under the current zoning or that was not anticipated at the time of the initial zoning of the property; and that the recommendations of any professional staff or advisory review bodies have been taken into consideration.
Section 2. The Property is hereby rezoned R-3 (Multiple Family Residential).
Section 3. The City Zoning Map shall be amended to reflect the changes set forth in this Ordinance.
Section 4. As provided in City Charter Section 5.9(A), this Ordinance either as presented or as amended, shall be published in full as it was adopted prior to taking final action. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days after its final publication, as provided in City Charter Section 5.8, except as set forth herein.
INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND ORDERED PUBLISHED, THIS 4TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024.
CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor
ATTEST:
/s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney
Legal Notice No. BSB3471
First Publication: November 14, 2024
Last Publication: November 14, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
ORDINANCE NO.
INTRODUCED BY: Green
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, APPROVING THE BROMLEY PARK PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT 33RD AMENDMENT FOR AN APPROXIMATELY 20.719 ACRE PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED TO THE NORTH OF EAST BRIDGE STREET, WEST OF MT. BIERSTADT STREET, EAST OF WOOTEN AVENUE AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF SINGLETREE LANE AND BOWIE DRIVE, SITUATED WITHIN THE BRIGHTON CROSSINGS DEVELOPMENT, MORE PARTICULARLY LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 1 SOUTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE SIXTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, CITY OF BRIGHTON, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO
WHEREAS, Brookfield Residential LLC (the “Owner”) is the owner of an approximately 20.719 acre property more specifically described in EXHIBIT A and depicted in EXHIBIT B, attached hereto (the “Property”); and
WHEREAS, the Owner has requested approval of the Bromley Park Planned Unit Development 33rd Amendment, attached hereto as EXHIBIT B and incorporated herein (the “PUD”); and
WHEREAS, the Property is subject to the Bromley Park Land Use Regulations, and, as such, the City Council finds it appropriate to use the procedures and review criteria outlined in Section 2.04(C)(2) of the Land Use & Development Code (the “LUDC”) in its consideration of this PUD; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on October 10, 2024, to review and consider the application pursuant to the applicable provisions and criteria set forth in 2.04(C)(2) of the LUDC, and provided a unanimous recommendation of approval to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council opened a public hearing on November 4, 2024, where it conducted its review and considered the application pursuant to the applicable provisions and criteria set forth in Section 2.04(C)(2) of the LUDC; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the public notice requirements of the Land Use & Development Code, a notice of public hearing was mailed to all property owners within 1000 feet of the Property, a public notice was published on the City’s website, and signs were posted on the Property, all for no less than fifteen (15) days prior to the City Council public hearing; and
WHEREAS, at the public hearing, the City Council received and considered all relevant evidence and testimony from City staff, the Owner, and other interested parties, including the public at large.
NOW
Section 1. Findings. The City Council hereby finds and determines that the proposed PUD: (a) is consistent with the single family detached designation under the Bromley Park Land Use Regulations, which is the most closely applicable base zone district; (b) does not increase development capacity or impact on adjacent infrastructure; (c) meets the standards of the Land Use and Development Code and/or aligns development standards with the existing surrounding subdivision; and (d) meets all of the review criteria for a zoning map amendment.
Section 2. The Property is hereby rezoned as more particularly set forth in EXHIBIT B.
Section 3. The City Zoning Map shall be amended to reflect the changes set forth in this ordinance.
Section 4. As provided in City Charter Section 5.9(A), this Ordinance either as presented or as amended, shall be published in full as it was adopted prior to taking final action. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days after its final publication, as provided in City Charter Section 5.8, except as set forth herein.
INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FIRST READING, AND ORDERED PUBLISHED, THIS 4TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024.
CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO /s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor
ATTEST: /s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
/s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney
Legal Notice No. BSB3470
First Publication: November 14, 2024
Last Publication: November 14, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice ORDINANCE NO. 2457 INTRODUCED BY: Padilla
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, GRANTING A PERPETUAL EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO OVER A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 1 NORTH, RANGE 66 WEST, OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID EASEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 4th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024.
CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO
/s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor
ATTEST:
/s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
/s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney
A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE CITY OF BRIGHTON WEBSITE.
Legal Notice No. BSB3474
First Publication: November 14, 2024
Last Publication: November 14, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
ORDINANCE NO. 2458
INTRODUCED BY: Worth
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO, GRANTING A PERPETUAL NON-EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO OVER A PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY GENERALLY
LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 1 NORTH, RANGE 66 WEST, OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID EASEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
INTRODUCED, PASSED ON FINAL READING AND ORDERED PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY THIS 4th DAY OF NOVEMBER 2024.
CITY OF BRIGHTON, COLORADO
/s/ GREGORY MILLS, Mayor
ATTEST:
/s/ NATALIE HOEL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ YASMINA GIBBONS, Deputy City Attorney
A COMPLETE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE
PEAKS EAST METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
NOTICE is hereby given to all interested parties (i) that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Silver Peaks East Metropolitan District (the “District”) for the ensuing year of 2025; (ii) that a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of the District at 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado 80228, where the same is open for public inspection; and (iii) that approval of a Resolution to Adopt Budget, Appropriate Funds and Set Mill Levies for 2025 will be considered at a public hearing of the Board to be held via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86267550643?pwd=V3RnRGRtWkRyUlZZc1VMWTJFZjFHdz09; Meeting ID: 862 6755 0643; Passcode: 987572, on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final approval the Resolution to Adopt Budget, Appropriate Funds and Set Mill Levies for 2025, inspect the budget and file or register any objections thereto. SILVER PEAKS EAST METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
By: /S/ Paola Corado District Manager
Legal Notice No. BSB3464
First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 14, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED BUDGET, ANNUAL CLASS D SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND GENERAL TAX RATE EXPRESSED AS ONE DOLLAR FOR EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE
Notice is hereby given that a proposed budget, annual Class D special assessment and general tax rate expressed as one dollar for every thousand dollars of assessed value have been submitted to the Well Augmentation Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District for the ensuing year of 2025. A copy of such proposed budget, annual Class D special assessment and tax rate expressed as one dollar for every thousand dollars of assessed value has been filed in the office of the Well Augmentation Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, 3209 West 28th Street, Greeley, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection. Such annual special Class D assessment and all other objections to the same will be considered and heard at a regular meeting at the Subdistrict’s office, location listed above, on November 19, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. Such proposed budget and tax rate expressed as one dollar for every thousand dollars of assessed value and all objections to the same will be considered and heard at a regular meeting at the Subdistrict’s office, location listed above, on November 19, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. The real estate affected by such budget, general tax expressed as one dollar for every thousand dollars of assessed value and annual Class D special assessment includes portions of land in townships and ranges as follows: T4N, R68W; T4N-1N, R67W; TSN-lN, R66W; TSNlN, R65W; TSN-lN, R64W; TSN-4N, R63W; T4N, R62W; T4N, R61W; T4N-3N, R60W; T4N-3N, R59W; T4N-3N, R58W; T3N, R57W; T2S-1S, R67W; T2S-1S, R66W; AND T2S-1S, R65W.
A more particular description of ea ch property assessed and the amount of assessment is available at the office of the Subdistrict. Any taxpayer within the District may at any time, prior to the final adoption of the budget, annual Class D special assessment and general tax expressed as one dollar for every thousand dollars of assessed value, file or register his objection thereto.
Well Augmentation
Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District
Randy Ray, Secretary
Legal Notice No. BSB3468
First Publication: November 14, 2024
Last Publication: November 14, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
RIDGELINE VISTA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS RE: PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT
TO 2024 BUDGET
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Ridgeline Vista Metropolitan District (the “District”), County of Adams, State of Colorado, will hold a regular meeting at 10:00 am on November 20, 2024 (the “Board Meeting”) for the purpose of conducting such business
Here’s what a Trump victory means for schools
BY ERICA MELTZER CHALKBEAT
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump pledged to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education, expand school choice, roll back new protections for LGBTQ students, and deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
Now that the former Republican president is headed to a second term, the question becomes how likely Trump is to act on those ideas and others — and what e ects students, teachers, and parents might see in the classroom.
ere is signi cant uncertainty. Trump has not laid out detailed education policy proposals, and some key ideas were oated but not enacted in his rst term.
At the same time, Trump’s decisive victory — he won the popular vote, picked up nearly every swing state, and made gains among young voters and voters of color — could create new political openings.
Chalkbeat spoke to advocates, experts, and former education department ofcials about what to expect from the next administration. ey widely agreed that President Joe Biden’s Title IX rewrite, which extended new protections for transgender students and is currently tied up in the courts, will be repealed, that
civil rights enforcement will look very different, and that future education budgets will be more austere.
But they disagreed on how likely it is that Trump would actually do away with the U.S. Department of Education and how much progress he might make toward federal support for school choice.
Many said they do not expect to see federal policy focused on improving education, even as students are still struggling to recover from the wide-ranging e ects of pandemic school closures, chronic absenteeism remains high, and many students graduate poorly prepared for college or skilled jobs.
“We are getting ourselves into a position where we are seriously under-educating large, large numbers of students,” said omas Toch, the founding director of FutureEd, a think tank based at Georgetown University. “It’s almost at a crisis point.”
But Toch doesn’t expect leadership from a Trump administration.
What does happen will depend on who controls Congress. Republicans have regained the Senate, but control of the House remains unclear and may not be known for days. A trifecta could clear the way for a broader Trump agenda. Trump’s pick for education secretary — whether he opts for an experienced administrator
PUBLIC NOTICES
Fort Lupton Press Legals
City
and
County
Public Notice
NOTICE OF PROPOSED DECISION
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety proposes to approve Permit
Revision Application No. 3, submitted by Coors Energy Company for a coal mining permit at the Keenesburg Strip Mine (Permit No. C-1981-028). This permit revision alters the mining plan to state that an option for the approved post-mining land use for the entire permit area is Industrial/Commercial. This will allow for renewable energy development at the site.
The Keenesburg Strip Mine is a/an surface operation located in Weld County, approximately 7 miles North of Keenesburg, Colorado. Coal interest is state and private, and the surface to be affected is private land. The permit area encompasses approximately 225.55 acres.
This proposed decision is based on a finding of whether the proposed operation will comply with all requirements of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, Section 34 33 101, et seq., C.R.S., and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Copies of the proposed decision, including any stipulations, are on file for public inspection at the Keenesburg Town Hall, 140 S Main, Keenesburg, CO 80643. The revision application and proposed decision documents, as well as all other permit documents, can be viewed at https://dnrweblink.state.co.us/drms/search. aspx by searching C1981028 in the “Permit No” field. A user guide is available to help first time users of the imaged document system and can be viewed at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l8OUdf_Mpjo3kxIHkP5hMH-w7MeBtxX7/view.Persons with an interest that may be adversely affected by the proposed decision may request a formal hearing before the Mined Land Reclamation Board on the proposed decision. Such request must be made within thirty (30) days of the date following initial publication of this notice, must be in writing, and must state with reasonable specificity the reasons for the request and the objections to the proposed decision.
Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety 1313 Sherman St, Rm 215 Denver CO 80203 303-866-3567 Legal Notice No. FLP1160 First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 21, 2024 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Public Notice
NOTICE OF BUDGET
NOTICE is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Fort Lupton Urban Renewal Authority for the ensuing year of 2025, a copy of such proposed budget has been filed at the City of Fort Lupton City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave., where the same is open for public inspection; such proposed budget will be considered at a regular meeting of the Fort Lupton Urban Renewal Authority to be held at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave., on November 21, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. Any interested elector of the City of Fort Lupton may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.
Legal Notice No. FLP1156 First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 14, 2024 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Public Notice
NOTICE OF BUDGET
NOTICE is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Fort Lupton City Council for the ensuing year of 2025, a copy of such proposed budget has been filed at the City of Fort Lupton City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave., where the same is open for public inspection; such proposed budget will be considered at the regular meeting of the Fort Lupton City Council to be held at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave., on November 19, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. Any interested elector of the City of Fort Lupton may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.
Legal Notice No. FLP1155
First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 14, 2024 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Metro Districts
Budget Hearings
Public Notice
MURATA FARMS COMMERCIAL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS RE: PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO 2024 BUDGET
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Murata Farms Commercial Metropolitan District (the “District”), County of Weld, State of Colorado, will hold a special meeting at 1:00 pm on November 21, 2024 (the “Board Meeting”) for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Board. Pursuant to § 32-1-903 CRS, as amended, this meeting will be conducted electronically, telephonically
or a dedicated culture warrior — will matter, too.
For now, conservative parents’ rights groups and school choice advocates hailed Trump’s victory as a win for their perspective.
“Time to put parents back in the driver’s seat when it comes to their children’s education!,” Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice, who campaigned alongside Trump, wrote on the social media platform X.
Calls to abolish the Department of Education have new momentum
Arguably this has been Trump’s most consistent promise on education policy, but also the one that seems most farfetched to some political observers. Conservatives have talked about getting rid of the department for almost as long as it’s existed, and Trump didn’t make any moves to dismantle it in his rst administration.
Fully dismantling the department would require an act of Congress. But Trump could limit its reach in other ways, such as eliminating or moving programs, removing career bureaucrats, and proposing much tighter budgets.
But Jim Blew, who served in Trump’s education department in his rst administration and went on to found the De-
fense of Freedom Institute, said Trump has been adamant that he wants to get rid of the department, and that alone gives the idea more “heft.” Blew also believes public support for a federal role in education is changing. Many people don’t think the federal investment in COVID recovery yielded much, he said. At the same time, people see initiatives such as student loan forgiveness and protections for transgender students as examples of federal overreach.
It would take months to take the department apart, Blew said, because every function mandated by Congress would need a new home. But that could be done, he said. Civil rights enforcement could move to the U.S. Department of Justice, for example, and Title I funding for high-poverty schools could become a block grant administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Trump has been clear that his priorities are economic recovery, immigration, and national defense, Blew said, but that doesn’t mean he won’t follow through on education promises.
“It doesn’t need a lot of attention,” Blew said. “It needs political capital. And he can expend that while remaining focused on other priorities.”
SEE SCHOOLS, P24
or by other virtual means.
FURTHER, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed budget has been submitted to the District for the fiscal year of 2025. A copy of the proposed budget has been filed with Community Resource Services of Colorado, 7995 E. Prentice Ave., Suite 103E, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where the same is open for public inspection. During the Board Meeting, the Board will conduct a public hearing to consider objections of the District’s electors prior to considering the adoption of such proposed budget. Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2025 budget.
FURTHER, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed amended budget has been submitted to the District for the fiscal year of 2024. A copy of the proposed amended budget has been filed in the office of Community Resource Services of Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection. During the Board Meeting, the Board will conduct a public hearing to consider objections of the District’s electors prior to considering the adoption of such proposed amended budget. Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed budget amendment and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2024 budget amendment.
Directors and members of the public that wish to participate in the meeting without visiting a physical location may do so via teleconference by dialing (720) 707 2699 and entering Conference ID: 841 0858 3043 and Passcode: 416695 or videoconference on https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84108583043?pwd=7ndGH5omYX4nUbyg1ASTkgwGbky9sM.1
This meeting is open to the public.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MURATA FARMS COMMERCIAL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
WATERS IRRIGATION METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, AND WHIISPERING WATERS
METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1-6 (the “Districts”), the meetings will be held on Friday, November 22, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. via Zoom for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Boards including a public hearing on the 2025 proposed Budgets (the “Proposed Budgets”). The necessity may also arise for an Amendment to the 2024 Budgets (the “Amended Budgets”). This meeting can be joined using the following information:
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets (if applicable) have been submitted to the Districts. A copy of the Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets are on file at the District’s office, 405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same are open for public inspection.
Any interested elector of the Districts may file any objections to the Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets at any time prior to final adoption of the Proposed Budgets or the Amended Budgets by the Boards.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District (“District”), a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, is soliciting general contractor request for proposal on the construction of the District’s Administration Building Parking Lot Addition (“Project”). Only general contractors who have been approved through this RFP process will be eligible to bid on the Project.
Beginning 8:00 a.m. (MST) on Tuesday November 5, 2024, the RFP application (“Application”) may be obtained by requesting a copy of the Application by email to Gary Cahill at the following email address: cahill@ dunakilly.com. The subject line for the email must state: “Request for Proposal – Admin Parking Lot Addition”. All Applications must be received by the
District on or before 4:00 p.m. (MST) on Friday, November, 15, 2024 (“Submission Deadline”). Applications received after the Submission Deadline will not be considered. Applications must be submitted by email to Gary Cahill at the following email address: cahill@dunakilly.com. The subject line for the email must state: “Request for Submission – Admin Parking Lot Addition”.
Contractors are solely responsible for ensuring that their emailed Applications have been received by the District. The District will not search for emailed Applications that are not delivered or are delivered to “spam” or “junk” folders. Contractors may contact Gary Cahill at 720.346.8377 to confirm that their emailed Application has been received. Contractors preparing and submitting an Application do so solely at their own expense.
Each Application must conform and be responsive to the standard application form provided by the District. Any deviation from the standard application form or failure to provide the required information may be considered nonresponsive and grounds for disqualification and rejection of the Application in the District’s sole discretion. The District has the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all Applications and to waive any irregularities in any Application received. The District also has the right to modify or terminate this selection process or the Project any time in its sole discretion. Submitted Applications become the District’s property and will be considered public records within the meaning of the Colorado Open Records Act, unless a general contractor conspicuously labels the portion(s) of its Application that it deems confidential and proprietary as “Confidential and Proprietary”, and separates such materials from the rest of the Application. The general contractor is solely responsible for all costs incurred in preparing and submitting an Application.
Legal Notice No. FLP1159
First Publication: November 14, 2024
Last Publication: November 14, 2024 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of KIERAN KELLY JAMES O’DEA, also known as KIERAN KELLY O’DEA, also known as KIERAN JAMES O’DEA, also known as KIERAN K. O’DEA, also known as KIERAN J. O’DEA, also known as KIERAN O’DEA,
or
City of Ft. Lupton
SCHOOLS
Immigration enforcement could ripple through school communities
Trump made demonization of immigrants the centerpiece of his campaign, highlighting at every turn examples of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants or asylum seekers and the impact of immigration on American communities and schools.
Trump has promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. Some experts on immigration policy have said such an e ort would be legally and logistically challenging, as well as very expensive. Nonetheless, most observers expect to see an increase in enforcement.
Previous workplace raids have had widespread impacts on students whose parents were arrested, as well as on the broader community. An estimated 4.4 million American children have at least one undocumented parent, and some former Trump immigration o cials have suggested that families be deported together.
Mike Petrilli, president of the conservative education advocacy organization e Fordham Institute, believes Trump’s education policies won’t make much di erence in American classrooms, but his immigration policy may be felt in dramatic ways.
“It’s what he’s campaigned on, it’s what he’s promised to do, and he’d have a pretty free hand to do it,” said Petrilli, who has argued that American schools have a moral obligation as well as a legal one to educate all children who live here. “ e chances that it’s a humanitarian
disaster are quite high,” Petrilli said. “Is he going to put people in camps? Will that include families? Are there going to be schools in these camps? I don’t see any reason we should believe they won’t give that a try.”
Even if enforcement is spotty, changes to federal policy have the potential to sow confusion and chaos in local communities, said Janelle Scott, a professor at University of California Berkeley. Some families may keep children home from school out of fear, she said. e messages that local law enforcement and school district o cials send to families in this situation could make a di erence.
Transgender students could lose new protections as civil rights enforcement changes
When the Biden administration issued new Title IX rules that clari ed and strengthened protections for transgender students, Republican states and conservative groups, including Blew’s Defense of Freedom Institute, quickly led lawsuits that led to the rules being blocked in a majority of states.
Conservatives argued that the new rules eroded protections for cisgender girls because they might have to share bathrooms and locker rooms with transgender classmates and a ected the free speech rights of teachers who might be forced to use pronouns and names they disagreed with. ey also argued the Biden administration overstepped by de ning discrimination on the basis of gender identity as a form of sex discrimination.
Trump is expected to rescind the Biden rules, a move that would still require a lengthy bureaucratic process. But some observers have larger fears for a Trump administration. He has repeatedly ac-
cused schools of performing gender surgeries without parental permission — a false and baseless claim — and attacked the idea of gender-a rming care for youth, as well as participation in sports by transgender athletes.
“ ere have been fantastical claims, but undergirding that is a deep hostility to queer kids as well as allegations that schools are engaging in child abuse if they protect the rights of queer kids,” said Scott, the UC Berkeley professor.
Trump’s rst administration also revoked Obama-era guidance on school discipline that aimed to reduce suspensions and expulsions for students of color and emphasized quick resolution of complaints. Some conservative groups have also used civil rights complaints to go after programs that aim to support Black student excellence or mentor teachers of color.
“Civil rights enforcement is one of those things that does change quite a bit as you move between Democratic and Republican administrations,” said Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution.
Rick Hess, a senior fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said a Trump education or justice department could make high-pro le examples of a few school districts’ diversity initiatives and bring about more widespread change, similar to how the Obama administration targeted districts over school discipline.
Valant said he expects Trump to continue to lean into culture war issues, though exactly what that would look like is unclear.
e Republican platform calls for defunding “woke” schools, something many observers said even Republicans
might balk at as stepping on local control. Nonetheless, the federal government frequently uses funding as leverage, and teachers already report self-censoring when it comes to divisive political issues.
A Trump administration might also elevate examples of what it deems patriotic education, Valant said.
School choice gets a modest momentum boost
Expanding taxpayer funding for private schools and home-schooling have topped the conservative education agenda in recent years. A proposed federal tax credit scholarship program backed by Trump’s rst education secretary, Betsy DeVos, failed to get any traction. But during Biden’s presidency, Republican-led states have expanded or started private school choice programs, some of which o er money to nearly all interested families.
On Fox News, Trump promised to sign school choice legislation that passed a House committee, and at a barbershop in the Bronx, he talked about the importance of school choice.
Blew expects Trump to push for a tax credit scholarship proposal similar to the one drafted during his rst presidency.
Petrilli isn’t convinced that Trump cares that much. “It’s a stretch to say that he’s made it a priority on the campaign trail,” he said. “He has to be reminded to talk about it.”
Petrilli is also not convinced there would be enough support even in a Republican-controlled Congress to send a bill to Trump’s desk. Some rural Republicans, whose constituents have few private school options, are skeptical. So are small government conservatives who don’t want to expand federal programs.
