THANKSGIVING
Hospitals rationing intravenous fluids
BY JACKIE FORTIÉR KFF HEALTH NEWS
Hospitals around the country are conserving critical intravenous uid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say they are changing how they think about IV uid hydration altogether.
Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September, wrecked a Baxter International facility that produces 60% of the IV uids used in the U.S., according to the American Hospital Association. e company was forced to stop production and is rationing its products. In an update posted Nov. 7, Baxter said its North Cove facility had resumed producing some IV uids. In an email to KFF Health News, the company wrote that customers will be able to order normal quantities of “certain IV solutions products” by the end of the year, but there is no timeline for when the North Cove facility will be back to prehurricane production levels.
Meanwhile, hospitals are facing seasonal strains on their already limited IV uid resources, said Sam Elgawly, chief of resource stewardship at Inova, a health system in the Washington, D.C., area.
“We’ve been very aggressive in our conservation measures,” Elgawly said, stressing that he does not believe patient care has been compromised. He told KFF Health News that across the system IV uid usage has dropped 55% since early October.
National shortage in hurricane’s wake may last for months SEE SHORTAGE, P27
A member of Eastlake’s flock of turkeys peers through a bush Nov. 19.
PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR
Cities chide DOT for suspending Highway 7 paving
Mayors
argue road work should have continued in balmy October
are scratching their heads over a decision by the Colorado Department of Transportation to suspend pavement work on a pock-marked and dangerous Colorado Highway 7 because of cold weather concerns.
letters on behalf of each city council, criticizing CDOT for suddenly stopping pavement work during one of the warmest Octobers on record and not telling the public.
not communicate their construction progress nor did they let us know why they stopped work,” said ornton Mayor Jan Kulmann via email. “When we questioned it, we were told they couldn’t pour the asphalt because temperatures were too low - during our October heat wave and as we watched work continuing across the state for other road construction work.”
“I drive this road every day on my way
work is progressing through December, Mills said.
“We are particularly concerned that work stopped during unseasonably warm weather without prior notice,” Mills said. “We would like to know why Brighton was not informed about the suspension of operations along with the timeline for these repairs.”
“What started as a promising project,”
to some “extenuating circumstances.”
Instead of delaying the project, the decision was made to hire a contractor in the hopes of nishing construction in 2024, Myklebust said.
“Unfortunately, complications occurred, including temperatures dropping below 50 degrees at night, prohibiting completion of construction within the 2024 construction season,” she said. “CDOT’s paving speci cation for top lift
asphalt doesn’t allow paving below 50 degrees, as that could jeopardize overall compaction which is crucial for maintaining quality and providing long-term durability. e project team explored other avenues to keep paving e orts moving forward, but other alternatives were problematic from either a cost or
Although paving is on hold throughout the winter, CDOT will still be performing other construction activities, and will continue to monitor pavement quality and striping conditions, Myklebust told
“As we move into a winter paving shutdown over the coming weeks, we have identi ed several critical areas along this stretch of road that will receive extensive and robust patching. Once patching operations cease, non-pavement related construction activities will continue, such as installing the new signal at Holly Street, pipe replacement at Colorado Boulevard, boring conduit for new lighting luminaires, cleaning culverts and maintaining the striping over the winter,” she said.
Repaving work along Colorado State Highway 7 between Thornton and Brighton was halted because of cold weather, despite high temps.
PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY
Happy Thanksgiving! This Is When I Like to Share What and Whom I Am Grateful for
Just being healthy is something anyone should be grateful for, especially at my age of 77. I’m doubly blessed, because my wife Rita, 76, is also healthy! Our siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives are healthy, too.
All of us are aware that not everyone is as lucky as we are, so philanthropic giving is a trait I think all of us share, and I know many readers of this column do, too. And our broker associates, who responded as one to sponsoring and providing side dishes for Dignity Tuesday, share that trait, too. Last week, as a group we donated food to Dignity Tuesday for people less fortunate than us . The event took place at Golden Pantry and Thrift, formerly the Christian Action Guild.
this long-running newspaper column. I particularly appreciate those readers who take the time to write to me, suggesting topics they want me to write about or making me aware of an issue that might have escaped my attention. Therefore, I have to say that I’m especially grateful to the publications who have made it possible for me to publish this column so widely.
er demographic that is perfect for this column. Those are my most faithful readers — although some of them object to my progressive views!
stay ahead of the competition.” I couldn’t stay as informed as I am — and keep my readers informed — without Inman in my back pocket. I mean, my inbox!
I’m grateful for Chuck Lontine, the owner of The Cloud, 96.9 FM, who organized Dignity Tuesday, which he started during the pandemic. He is a man with a big heart, and I salute him.
I’m grateful for the community we live in and for the larger metro Denver community. As most of you know, Dec. 10th is Colorado Gives Day, and I recently learned about its origins. It was started in 2010, when it was reported that Colorado was 50th on the list of states when it came to charitable giving. Thanks to the Colorado Gives Foundation, Colorado now ranks at the top of that list.
When thinking about who I’m grateful for, our clients — most of whom came to us from reading this column each week — come to mind immediately. Thank you for calling me, so I don’t have to call you! It is so nice that I don’t have to sell myself to prospective sellers and buyers. They come to me “pre-sold” thanks to
Thank you, Linda Shapley, the publisher of Colorado Community Media, for making it possible for this column to appear is all 24 of your weekly newspapers. And, I should add thanks to the National Trust for Local News and the Colorado Sun, which purchased CCM in 2021 with a commitment to saving community newspapers. If it weren’t for them and their non-profit model, some of those 24 newspapers, including this one, might not be around today.
My first big newspaper contract was with the Rocky Mountain News, when they created the YourHub section in 2005. When the Rocky ceased publishing in 2009, YourHub was the only piece of the Rocky which The Denver Post picked up and promoted. I like to think that my full-page ad 52 times per year might be a factor in justifying YourHub’s continuation. Thank you, The Denver Post, for continuing that publication so that I can continue reaching your readers all across the metro area.
Lastly, in this department, my thanks to Dan Johnson of the Denver Gazette for soliciting my account this October and making an offer I couldn’t refuse to include this full-page ad in your digital newspaper. Typical of printed newspapers, the Gazette has a mature homeown-
Moving, Even Locally, Can Cost You a Lot
At Golden Real Estate, we like to save you money wherever we can. For example, we have a handyman who can help you get your home ready to show or fix inspection issues at the client-only rate of $30/ hour.
We also have a box truck which you can use prior to, during and after closing, not just for moving to your new home, but making those dump runs or runs to Goodwill for donating all that stuff you accumulated over the years!
and packing material, including bubble wrap, so don’t buy any yourself.
We’ve been offering the use of this truck since 2004. In fact, this is our second truck. It’s hard to estimate how much money we have saved our buyers and sellers, but it must be several hundred thousands of dollars.
We also provide free moving boxes
We also make the truck available free to nonprofits and local organizations, such as Family Promise and BGoldN, which uses it to do pickups from Food Bank of the Rockies for local food banks.
The sellers bought this home at 5948 Routt Street from the builder 53 years ago, and it’s time to sell. You’ll be impressed by the exterior and interior improvements made by the seller through the years. For example, a sunroom was added over the back of the garage (visible in this picture) which is open to the kitchen and which opens to a deck with stairs down to a wood deck in the backyard. All the rooms have either hardwood or manufactured hardwood floors. The updated kitchen has an 18-inch ceramic tile floor, quartz countertop with undermount stainless steel sink and newer appliances. All the bathrooms have been updated, too. Even the driveway was updated with new concrete in an attractive pattern. You’ll love watching the sunset from the deck outside the front door next to the garage. Video tour and pictures at www.ArvadaHome.info. Open Saturday 11am to 1pm.
$650,000
I’m also grateful to my professional colleagues, especiallyfellow Realtors, who are among my most regular readers. And the Realtor association itself (the Denver Metro Association of Realtors or DMAR) does important work keeping us up to date on industry developments.
Just as important, in that regard, is the Inman News, which provides an endless stream of important email newsletters keeping me abreast of industry developments, innovations and challenges, which sometimes inspire a topic for this column. It describes itself as “the leading real estate news source for real estate agents, Realtors, brokers, real estate executives and real estate technology leaders who need the latest real estate news, insights and analysis to grow their business and
My broker associates, listed below, play an invaluable role in the day-to-day operation of Golden Real Estate. They are wonderfully diverse in their skills and backgrounds, and they help to staff our storefront office in downtown Golden seven days a week. They get wonderful reviews from the past clients, which you can read by clicking on the “Testimonials” tab at www.GoldenRealEstate.com
Here’s a Holiday Gift Giving Idea
Colorado Giving Foundation sells digital “Giving Cards.” Specify the dollar amount and who to send it to, and the recipient can then go to ColoradoGives.org where they can “spend” it as they wish. Give to clients, friends, children, et al. I’m going to make that my holiday giving!
Many Agents Are Taking a Continuing Education Class That Will Be Obsolete on January 1st
All licensed real estate professionals in Colorado are required to take the Annual Commission Update (ACU) class as part of their continuing education requirement to stay licensed.
The class can be taken at any time during the calendar year, with a new version introduced each January.
At Golden Real Estate, I incentivize our broker associates by reimbursing the $40 cost of the 4-hour class if they take it in January. It can be taken either online or in-person. That’s how important I think it is to be current on the everevolving rules that we must comply with and to learn about the latest revisions to the contract forms we must use.
Many licensees, however, don’t take this CE class until the last minute. I asked some of the major providers of the course for their enrollment figures to see how many licensees wait until the 4th quarter to take the class.
One of the biggest providers of CE classes is DMAR’s PEAK program, and Lisa Kallweit, DMAR’s director of member services, couldn’t give me this quarter’s enrollment numbers, but provided these numbers for the 4th quarter of the last three years.
2021 - 429 agents
2022 - 372 agents
2023 - 331 agents
Another big provider is Educated Minds. They have 393 agents enrolled so far this quarter and reported these numbers for the past three years:
2021 - 802 agents
2022 - 719 agents
2023 - 652 agents
It seems such a waste to take the ACU class at the end of the year, when the new ACU class is coming in January. Also, how many things did agents learn in December that they should have known 10 months earlier?
Golden Real Estate’s Broker Associates
David Dlugasch
303-908-4835
Joined us in 2014
Licensed in 2001
Jim Swanson
303-929-2727
Joined us in 2008
Licensed in 2000
Chuck Brown
303-885-7855
Joined us in 2014
Licensed in 2000
Greg Kraft
720-353-1922
Joined us in 2022
Licensed in 1982
Kathy Jonke
303-990-7428
Joined us in 2023
Licensed in 2002
Don’t 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!
Annual Colorado Gives Day takes place on Dec. 10
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Whether a nonpro t organization has participated in Colorado Gives Day for one year or for 10, is large or small, the Colorado Gives Foundation continues to support thousands of nonpro ts across the state in the hopes of connecting people and ideas.
“Colorado Gives Day is really an opportunity to be part of the statewide movement,” said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO of the Colorado Gives Foundation. “I think of it as the ultimate feel-good event.”
Colorado Gives Day launched in 2010 and has become one of the state’s largest 24-hour giving events. Taking place on the second Tuesday every December, which this year is Dec. 10, Coloradans can use the Colorado Gives Day website to nd a cause they want to support and can donate any amount.
However, early giving kicked o on the rst of November.
‘The ultimate feel-good event’
While people can donate to Colorado Gives all year long, Dunkin said donations during early giving and on Colorado Giving Day gets a boost from the foundation’s $1 Million + Incentive Fund.
When it comes to volunteering and charitable giving, national trends have
indicated that there has been a decline over the years, which can be attributed to economic distress among other factors, according to a 2024 Giving USA report. e report showed that giving by
individuals declined 2.3% in 2023.
Despite national trends, Dunkin said the Colorado Gives Foundation is seeing a di erent trend — a positive and hopeful one at that.
SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS
Here at Colorado Community Media, we take pride in being your local news source and bringing you the stories that matter most. We are participating in Colorado Gives Day this year, and we would be most thankful if you consider donating to us to help keep our newsroom thriving.
You can donate at coloradocommunitymedia.com/give-to-ccm.
Compared to 2023 numbers, Dunkin said the amount donated so far this year has increased 76%. Additionally, the number of donations increased 46%, the number of nonpro ts that have received a donation went up 22% and the number of donors making donations increased
“We’re hopeful that it means we’ll see a great response on Colorado Gives Day,” said Dunkin.
Last year, more than $53 million was raised for more than 4,000 nonpro ts. As for early giving, the cumulative total the foundation made between Nov. 1-13 in 2023 was $2.49 million, according to Dunkin. is year, the cumulative total made between Nov. 1-13 was about $3.1 million.
“We’re always amazed and grateful to Colorado donors who step up every year to support their favorite nonpro ts,” said Dunkin.
The Colorado Gives Foundation sees an uptake in the number of donations during the annual Colorado Gives Day fundraising event, which takes place on Dec. 10 this year. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Weld selects new Planning Department director
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A former Windsor Town Planner and with a background in landscape architecture and urban planning has been tapped to lead Weld County’s planning department.
e Weld County Board of Commissioners has selected David Eisenbraun as
Director of Planning Services e ective in November, according to a news release on November 6.
“With all the growth we are seeing, I believe I will bring the right skill set to this high-performing team. I am excited to be on board and appreciate the board’s time and commitment,” said Eisenbraun.
Eisenbraun has extensive experience in urban and Regional Planning and Land-
scape Architecture. He previously served as a Long-Range Planner for the Town of Windsor.
“As the director, Eisenbraun will oversee planning initiatives across Weld County, ensuring that development aligns with the community’s vision and priorities. His leadership will foster collaboration, improve processes, and promote sustainable growth,” said Kevin
Ross, Commissioner Chairman.
“I just want to say welcome. I couldn’t be more excited to have you as the new planning director,” said Eisenbraun. “I see your vision and how you have led at your former employer and beyond, and I am thrilled to bring that type of leadership to Weld County.”
For more information about Weld Count
Apprenticeship programs for Weld County workers
BY BELEN WARD
With National Apprenticeship Week passing, the Weld County Board of Commissioners took the opportunity to tout their own o erings for people looking to get started in a variety of trades, from construction to health care.
“Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of workforce development in Weld County, equipping individuals with the skills they need for ful lling careers while meeting the needs of local businesses,” Tami Grant, Deputy Director of the Weld County Department of Human Services, said in Nov. 15 press release. “We are proud to rea rm our commitment to fostering innovation, diversity and opportunity within our workforce system.” Commissioners declared the week of November 17- 23 as Weld County Apprenticeship Week, in line with the national group Apprenticeship USA. e national group established the week in
2014 to help individuals interested in apprenticeships with businesses.
Employment Services of Weld County has partnered with 14 businesses to offer training and mentorship opportunities for those interested in learning and advancing with new skills, Grant said.
Weld County businesses o er several di erent apprenticeship programs for careers in building and construction trades, physical and social sciences, personal care and services and more to help develop the skill sets of the next generation of the workforce.
“ ese programs provide hands-on experiences, essential skill development, and valuable job placement opportunities, paving a clear path for success for youth and adults alike,” Grant said.
County Commissioner Scott James noted that Weld County’s department is well-regarded across Colorado.
“ e Employment Service of Weld County team and the Workforce Devel-
opment Board have received the High Performing Board distinction from the Colorado Workforce Development Council for the seventh year in a row— the only board in the state to receive this recognition since its inception,” James said. “ e apprenticeship program is so important for our young people. College is a path for some of them, but for others, it’s not. We need those people right now who can be trained through ap-
prenticeship programs to keep this great county and nation moving forward.”
Employers interested in learning more about registered apprenticeship programs can contact Andrew Chadwick, Business Services Manager, at ahchadwick@weld.gov.
For more information about employment opportunities and resources through Employment Services of Weld County, visit eswc.org.
Lunch for 200 people? These Colorado charter school students do it every day.
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Brayden, Sabrina, and Rachel scraped the charred skins o poblano peppers, squished out the seeds, and dropped the slippery pepper esh into a stainless steel bowl.
“Guys! Why are we leaving so many seeds in there?” 16-year-old Sabrina said, half laughing, half exasperated.
“Oh my God, they just keep appearing,” said Brayden, also 16. “I clean it o and eight more show up.”
It was almost 9 a.m. on a Tuesday, and the three worked with classmates to make posole in their rst class of the day at STEAD School, a charter school in Commerce City northeast of Denver. In just over two hours, the fragrant Mexican soup of hominy, chicken, peppers, and tomatillos would be the star of their high school’s lunch line. Grapes, orange wedges, and a salad bar were the supporting actors.
e morning meal prep session happens four days a week at STEAD, an agriculture and science-focused school where you might hear a rooster crow on your way to the main entrance. Students in two “food crew” classes help prepare scratch-cooked meals for more than 200 students and teachers every day but Wednesday, which is a half day.
Under the direction of Dain Holland, the school’s farm and food manager, they make entrees like bison bolognese, sesame orange chicken, cheeseburgers, and
sandwiches, all of which adhere to federal school nutrition guidelines.
STEAD, which enrolls more than 400
students, isn’t the only school in Colorado with a student-powered lunch program. Compass Montessori, a charter school in Je erson County where some STEAD sta previously worked, has long had a similar set up.
At STEAD, the lunch initiative came about partly out of necessity. When the school opened in 2021, a neighboring district provided lunches — “kind of your standard reheat-and-serve” fare, Holland said. But after two years, the district decided to discontinue its contract with STEAD.
at’s when Holland, who previously worked as a chef at restaurants like Denver’s upscale Barolo Grill and led a food service program at a California university, decided to launch a student-run lunch operation.
“ ere’s a ton of kids here that show interest in culinary,” he said. “We have these beautiful, brand new kitchens, so it might as well be used.”
Holland said most students take an introductory culinary class before enrolling in the food crew class, though he makes exceptions if students have cooking experience at home or at a job. Food crew emphasizes food safety precautions, including keeping dishes at the proper temperature and avoiding cross-contamination.
SEE STUDENTS, P9
MUST READ. GREAT FOR BOOK CLUBS.
A womanizing US president. Gin-drinking, poker-playing, skirt-chasing Cabinet members. And a plot from the inside to usurp control of the Navy’s oil reserves. Wild and juicy stuff this. And all of it a true chapter of America’s history.
There may not be another US scandal that is so heavy with corruption and criminality that weighs so lightly on our collective consciousness as the Teapot Dome Scandal. From 1920 to 1922, power-hungry politicians and corporate tycoons boldly schemed to steal the nation’s newest energy resourcel. In so doing these crooks put a black mark on the pioneering work of those who gave birth to Wyoming’s incredible bonanza.
With a deft researcher’s hand and the heart and attention of a creative writer, Constance Bierkan has written a rst-of-its-kind ctionalized recounting of what led up to this nearly forgotten nugget from the past, the Teapot Dome Scandal. Like No Place on Earth is a spirited coming-of-age story set in Wyoming at the start of the madcap Roaring Twenties and the birth of the oil industry. As much a love story as it is a historical deep-dive, Like No Place on Earth will be irresistible to book clubs and history buffs alike.
Constance Bierkan grew up in Zürich, Switzerland and London, England. She sat her Ordinary and Advanced Level exams administered by the University of London while in high school at Francis Holland and earned a BA in English Literature with a minor in Semantics from Skidmore College and Goucher College. She also worked toward a Master’s at Fair eld University in Psychology. Bierkan’s debut novel, Alone In A Crowded Room - An Adoption Story, published in 2017, received a Kirkus Star and was named Kirkus Best Book Indie 2018. Free To Breathe is her second outing and it captures one boy’s struggle to emerge from an abusive family and nd authentic loving relationships. Her third, In Spite of It All, is a historical ction piece, wherein the history of Hitler’s propaganda art is married to a race of high jinks to rescue it from the wrong hands. Fluent in French and German, Bierkan loves to read, people watch, work puzzles, travel and off-road in her badass Jeep Wrangler. She and her best friend-husband-Naval-Aviator-veteran-airline-pilotgentlemantree-farmer, live at 8,200 feet in the Rocky Mountains.
Vietnamese bánh mì
Isyss, a senior at STEAD School in Commerce City, Colorado, blends ingredients for posole, the school’s lunch entree on November, 12, 2024.
PHOTO BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
Weld County Health o ers diabetes support in Spanish and English
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A Weld County diabetes education program will o er screenings and advice in both Spanish and English, according to health o cials.
As many as 11.4% of residents are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by a healthcare provider, according to a news release from the Weld County Health Department of Public Health and Environment. e department o ers free screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes in English and Spanish.
“Preventing diabetes is more than just a health initiative; it’s about improving quality of life and reducing the long-term nancial burden of diabetes on individuals and our healthcare system,” said Bob McDonald, director of the Health Communication, Education and Planning division. “Receiving recognition from the CDC re ects our commitment to making meaningful progress in diabetes prevention.”
For National Diabetes Month, the Weld County Department aims to continue raising awareness and highlighting its Heart of Weld Diabetes Prevention pro-
GIVES DAY
Making an impact
Lisa Mendelsberg, who founded Colorado Animal Rescue Express, also known as C.A.R.E., has participated in Colorado Gives Day for 14 years and each year, has seen the impact the fundraising event makes.
Colorado Animal Rescue Express, located in Greenwood Village, works to curb pet homelessness through transportation and veterinary care donations. e nonpro t also works to reduce petoverpopulation with sponsored programs for spay and neuter procedures. e rst year that Mendelsberg participated in the event, her nonpro t won an award for being the smallest charity to have the largest number of donors.
“(Colorado Gives Day) gives a platform to tell your story and to be in front of other people, to be in front of a donor audience,” said Mendelsberg.
She added that Colorado Gives Day has been very important to the nonpro t’s success. Ever since it was formed in 2007, about 65,400 homeless pets have been moved to safety and about $398,000 has been donated to shelters, rescue groups and other caregiver organizations, according to the website.
e animal nonpro t is just one of thousands of nonpro ts that bene t from the annual fundraising event. e Aspen E ect, based in Douglas County, began fundraising through Colorado Gives Day last year.
Acknowledging the prevalence of mental health issues among youth, Jerry Van Leuvan founded the nonpro t to help give youth a place to connect with one another, heal and thrive.
In its third year of operations, e Aspen E ect is a youth program that aims to increase the resilience of youth across the county through the therapeutic relationships they develop with farm animals and adult mentors.
gram, which received qualifying recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to o cials, this process takes more than a year to attain.
e Heart of Weld Diabetes Prevention program is one of only four local public health agencies in Colorado that provides community education, coaching, and support in English and Spanish. According to the program’s CDC accreditation, it is the only diabetes program provider in Northern Colorado that o ers classes in Spanish.
As of today, 15.9% of Hispanic residents in Weld County report having diabetes, compared to 9.7% of White, non-Hispanic residents — a health gap the program to focuses on, according to o cials.
According to o cials, the Weld County Health Department o ers free screenings to individuals to identify pre-diabetic conditions, which can help reduce the possibility of developing type 2 diabetes by 16 percentage points annually.
To learn more about the Heart of Weld Diabetes Prevention Program or community health screenings in Weld County, visit weld.gov/Go/DiabetesPrevention.
“Being a part of Colorado GIves Day has not only helped us to raise funding for e Aspen E ect, it gives us a strong connection to the bigger community of nonpro t work in Colorado,” said Van Leuvan.
How it works
People can go online to Coloradogives. org and type in a name of the nonpro t they want to support. If they are unsure, they can search by cause or location. e 12 groups of causes range from animals and civil rights to mental health and religion.
Donors can give various amounts to multiple nonpro ts at the same time by adding their donations to a cart. e donor can then check out all at once and receive one receipt.
“Just like shopping online,” said Dunkin. “If you can shop online, you can give online.”
Every donation made and processed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 10 is boosted by the $1 Million + Incentive Fund. e Colorado Gives Foundation puts in $500,000, its partner FirstBank puts in $500,000 and from there, other community sponsors help it grow. e fund boosts every donation made based on a percentage, said Dunkin.
All nonpro ts receive a percentage of the fund equal to the percentage it raised for Colorado Gives Day. For example, if a nonpro t raises 10%, it gets 10% of the Incentive Fund.
“All nonpro ts on the website are public charities, therefore, whatever dedication you can take, you’ll need to talk to your tax advisor about that,” said Dunkin.
e foundation also has nonpro ts that o er the homeless tax credit, the child care tax credit and the Enterprise Zone tax credit on the website.
She added that a lot of individuals have what are called Donor Advised Funds, and a donor can easily use their Donor Advised Funds to make contributions to nonpro ts on the site.
To learn more or to search for causes and donate, visit coloradogives.org.
Thanksgiving, gratitude, peace and contentment
With anksgiving here, many of us naturally pause to re ect on the blessings in our lives. Gratitude is woven into the fabric of this season, encouraging us to appreciate what we have and acknowledge those who have touched our lives. Yet, while giving thanks often peaks during this time, it’s worth asking: How can we make gratitude a constant presence in our lives rather than a eeting seasonal habit?
Gratitude is one of the most profound human emotions. It centers us, helps us nd perspective, and enriches our relationships. Over the years, I’ve written extensively about gratitude, and readers’ feedback has consistently a rmed its transformative power. Many have shared how focusing on gratitude has helped them navigate challenges and embrace the beauty in everyday life.
Gratitude has a ripple e ect. It reveals itself through gentleness, kindness, grace, peace, and compassion when practiced intentionally. Gratitude is not an isolated act; it touches every aspect of our lives.
is feedback underscores a truth I’ve observed: Gratitude is a gateway to peace and contentment. However, gratitude is more than an individual feeling; it is deeply interconnected with values that shape how we live and interact with the world.
aspect
ink about a time when you felt genuinely grateful, perhaps during a quiet moment with a loved one, a gesture of unexpected kindness, or a hard-won personal achievement. at gratitude likely came with a softer heart, kinder words, or more extraordinary patience. e more we cultivate gratitude, the more these qualities emerge in our behavior, deepening relationships and strengthening character.
And here’s the beauty: the more we embody gentleness, kindness, and grace, the more gratitude we tend to feel. It’s a virtuous cycle, a self-sustaining loop where gratitude fuels peace, and peace fuels gratitude. We must guard against eeting grati-
With a focused heart and mind, you can traverse your mountain
Our heart and mindset can carry us through any di culty. For me, there is an explorer who I think of when I need to be reminded of this idea.
Ernest Shackleton was an Irish born explorer who led an expedition to cross Antarctica on dog sleds. Shackleton planned extensively for the 1914 trip, studying and seeking to prepare for every contingency. Months after starting out, the ship that Shackleton enlisted, e Endurance, became trapped and eventually was crushed by sea ice near the edge of Antarctica. is disaster left the expedition without shelter or transportation, stuck alone near the bottom of the world. With this devastating turn of events, Shackleton moved his goal from crossing Antarctica to seeing that the entire crew survived the ordeal. With that change in emphasis, he and the expedition began a heroic crossing of ice and sea in unbelievably di cult conditions.
After traveling 600 nautical miles in little more than row boats, it became clear that a smaller party would need to leave the main group and attempt to reach help. To save the group, Shackleton and ve others made a very dangerous 850mile open ocean crossing and eventually reached South Georgia Island. Landing on this sparsely populated land was not enough. To save the crew, the group needed to go to the shing post on the opposite side of the island and their only option for getting there was to cross a very dangerous set of island mountains… in the dead of winter.
Once on land, the men took assessment of what they had to support their climb and three people were selected to hike the island. e trio had limited
tude. How often do we express thanks in a moment, only to let the feeling fade when life’s challenges resurface? True peace and contentment require us to anchor gratitude as a daily habit, not just a passing thought.
Cultivating mindfulness is one way to do this. Pay attention to the small blessings that surround us each day: the warmth of the sun, the sound of laughter, or the steady rhythm of our breath. ese moments ground us in appreciation.
Another powerful practice is expressing gratitude outwardly. Tell someone how much they mean to you. Write a note, send a text, or say the words faceto-face. ese acts of acknowledgment deepen gratitude and strengthen connections.
At its core, gratitude has the power to bring peace. Focusing on what we have rather than what we lack shifts us from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. is helps us let go of comparison, fear, and frustration, creating space for contentment to grow.
Contentment doesn’t mean complacency; it means nding joy in the present while still striving for goals. Gratitude an-
chors us in the here and now, reminding us that even amidst challenges, there is always something to be thankful for.
As we gather with family and friends this anksgiving, let’s embrace gratitude for a day and as a way of life. Let’s recognize the values it cultivates within us and the peace it brings to our hearts.
When we live with gratitude, it doesn’t just enrich our lives; it radiates outward, touching people and the world around us. In that shared thankfulness, we discover deeper connection, greater contentment, and lasting peace.
So, this anksgiving, let’s give thanks. But more importantly, let’s carry that gratitude forward, letting it shape who we are and how we live every day. I would love to hear your story of gratitude at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can anchor our lives in being truly thankful, 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.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
food and only carried 50 feet of rope, screws they pushed through the soles of their shoes and a carpenter’s cutting tool for the climb. With these simple items, the party made the 32-mile overland journey in 36 hours and ultimately saved the whole crew. e entire adventure is a spectacular achievement, but the nal overland journey is a thing of wonder. How could a malnourished, ill-equipped group of three cross a mountain range in the middle of winter? Two groups have since made treks covering the same route Shackleton and his two companions traversed. Both groups were rested, well nourished, equipped with the newest technology, and dumbfounded by what the Shackleton group accomplished.
People continue to try to explain how the team could make that type of hike under such conditions. I believe the explanation for their success lies in the heart and mindset of Shackleton. Ernest Shackleton had a singular focus and drive. He believed in his core that they could overcome the ordeal. It made all the di erence for the expedition.
We, like Shackleton, have an ability to do amazing things in the middle of unexpected struggles. It is very important, that as we as individuals work to overcome our struggles, we remember that we have everything we need to be successful.
Like Shackleton, with a focused heart and mind, you can traverse your mountain.
I hope that you will nd inspiration in my words and share those words of encouragement with those who need it. I would love to hear from you as you nd helpful morsels in these columns and as you nd ways to encourage those around you. I can be contacted at jim. roome@gmail.com.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.
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Jim Roome
New Weld County Sheri ’s training center opens
Training center and shooting range named in honor of Deputy killed in 2010
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Weld County Sheri ’s O ce celebrated the grand opening of the Sam Brownlee Training Center on Nov. 22, according to a news release. e training center was named in honor of Deputy Sam Brownlee, who died 14 years ago in the line of duty.
According to o cials, the training center will have an outdoor shooting range complex with six distinct rearms ranges o ering shooting distances of up to 300 yards. e indoor training center will also have several
classrooms and administrative spaces that will accommodate sta and our 320 sworn deputies.
Melissa Chesmore, the sheri ’s o ce’s public relations o cer, said the agency plans to expand the training facility so it can continue to provide excellent training to its sta and, in turn, high-quality service to the Weld County community.
e grand opening event was open to the public. SWAT, the K-9 unit, drone demonstrations, and the armored Bearcat used by law enforcement will be on-site for the public to visit. ere will also be food, dessert, tours of the range, and a special presentation by the administrative team.
e center is named in honor of Deputy Samuel Kent Brownlee who was shot and killed while struggling with a gang member following a high-speed pursuit at about 11 a.m. Nov. 23, 2010 near Evans.
and cooking tips as he circulated.
“Anything you do in a normal commercial kitchen, they’re all doing here,” he said. “It is treated almost like a job, like a shift at a restaurant. I have a big prep list every day.”
e day of the posole lunch, about a dozen students worked at stations around the kitchen, chopping vegetables for the soup or the school’s salad bar. Hunter, a senior who’s a teaching assistant for the class, charred poblano peppers on a sixburner gas stove and helped prepare raw chicken to be baked. Holland, who wore a brown apron with markers and a pen clipped to the pocket, o ered assistance
Riley, a 17-year-old senior who carefully chopped a yellow onion, said he fell in love with cooking because someone is always in the kitchen at his house, usually his dad or grandma. He’s already been admitted to the culinary arts program at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction for next year.
“ e dream is to be a personal chef,” he said.
Not every food crew student wants a career in cooking though. Some simply like the relaxed hands-on nature of the class or enjoy cooking as a pastime.
Admire, a junior who often makes soups and chicken dishes with his mother, said he’s considering a career in music or architecture. But he enjoys the food prep class because cooking for the whole school involves a di erent level of responsibility, he said.
Brayden, a junior who worked with Sabrina and Rachel de-seeding peppers, said cooking is his third-line career option, if professional pool-playing or real estate don’t work out.
Like several other students in the class, he said pizza is a favorite lunch to make. He joked about his class’s superiority on that front.
“In the other class, they make the crust really thin and like, there’s no sauce and stu , and then us, we make it really thick, cheese, sauce, everything,” he said. “So, we are the preferred class for pizza days.”
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
Weld County is hosting a grand opening of a Weld County new sheri training center.
e start of the season
A listing of holiday events in the Northern Metro area
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Sunday, Dec. 1
Irish Christmas in America: e Show: e Holidays with an Irish Twist! Irish Christmas in America brings a fascinating performance of music, song, dance and stories to Northglenn’s Parsons eater at 2 p.m. Dec. 1.
Produced by Sligo ddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, the hugely popular Irish Christmas in America show features top Irish music, song and dance in an engaging performance rich in humor and energy. is family-friendly performance features lively instrumental tunes on ddle, ute, uilleann pipes and harp, along with thrilling Irish dancing. In addition, evocative photographic images provide a backdrop to some of the rich historical traditions of Ireland. Take a memo-
Commerce City Holiday Tree Lighting: Bring the family and friends for an evening of holiday music, treats, giveaways, crafts community cheer and more from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Civic Center, 7887 E. 60th Ave.
Friday, Dec. 6
Noel Northglenn: e City of Northglenn kicks o the holiday celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Parsons entrance of the Northglenn Recreation Center at 1 E. Memorial Parkway. Many of the most popular events from past festivals will be back! Santa will be on hand and ready to take pictures with the families – whether they are free (taken with your own phone) or $5 per photo with a professional photographer. Mrs. Claus will be there too, sharing her favorite holiday songs. ere will be free crafts for the kids, carriage
Historic Westminster Home Town Christmas: e Westminster Historical Society hosts this annual event featuring carolers, roasted chestnuts and visits with Santa from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Fireman’s Park, 7290 Bradburn Blvd. Stick around for the lighting of the park’s 100 year old Christmas tree, reportedly the tallest living Christmas tree in the state.
Saturday, Dec. 7
Northglenn Holiday Bike Giveaway: Free refurbished bicycles of all sizes will be given away on a rst-come, rstserved basis beginning at 9 a.m. at the Stonehocker Farmhouse, 10950 Fox Run Parkway. Registration is not needed, just stop by before they’re all gone!
dors o ering handmade holiday crafts, homemade gifts and other treats. Admission is $5 and children 12 and younger are free.
Westminster Dodgeball Tournament: Gather a team of friends, pick out some costumes and get ready to do battle in a good-natured contest to the top all day at the Westview Rec Center, 10747 W. 108th Ave. e fee is $150 per team. Register at the city’s website, https:// shorturl.at/Wiejy. Olde Fashioned Christmas: Northglenn’s Stonehocker Farmhouse, 10950 Fox Run Parkway, will host the annual celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy holiday music as soon as you enter the door from local performers and browse a ordable baked goods, gifts and stocking stu ers in the kitchen. Santa awaits upstairs to take photos with the kids.
Victorian Christmas Open House: e Westminster Historical Society presents open house tours of the Bowles House Museum at 3924 72nd Ave. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. o ering free tours and refresh-
Cookies and cocoa with Santa: Come visit with Santa, enjoy some cookies, do some crafts and have a professional photograph taken. ere are two sessions from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1-3 p.m. at the Fort Lupton Public Library, 370 S. Rollie Ave., Fort Lupton. Families will be given a number upon their entry through the Children’s Garden Gate (side exterior entrance). Numbers will be announced through a PA system, so make sure you are listening. Numbers will be called in groupings of 5. Digital photos will be
Brighton Cultural Arts Commission e cultural arts commission opens the Brighton Armory from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a holiday bazaar featuring homemade crafts and gifts, fun stocking stu ers and holiday treats.
Brighton Tree Lighting ceremony: e city’s annual holiday season opener runs from 1-6 p.m. at Founders Plaza, 5 S. Main St. e day kicks o as Santa comes to town and features free face painting and the Teddy Bear & Friends Tree. e Winter Market returns along South Main St. (near the plaza) featuring unique artists, crafters and artisan food vendors. e tree lighting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Contact Amy Porter at 303-655-2126 for more in-
ornton Sing Joy! Winter Concert: ornton’s Community Chorus will o er two performances of their annual holiday concert “Sing Joy!”, featuring holiday favorites at 3 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. in the McAllister Park Building, 750 W. 96th Ave. in ornton. Email thorntonchorus@ gmail.com for more information.
HOLIDAY EVENTS
Gingerbread House Competition: Northglenn hosts a competition for the best holiday builders, ages 10-17, and their families from 3-6 p.m. at the Northglenn Rec Center, 1 E. Memorial Parkway. See who can build the biggest, most creative, or most unique gingerbread building. Supplies will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own. While competing, enjoy a winter-themed movie, music snacks, and hot drinks. Contest rules and guidelines are online at www.northglenn.org/teens. e cost is $5.
Westminster Holiday Lights: e city of Westminster kicks o the countdown to Christmas at 5:30 p.m. with the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony at City Hall, 4800 W. 92nd Ave. in Westminster. Come see the magical wonderland of lights, complete with holiday music, food vendors and visit from Santa Claus. ere will be a full-sized sleigh and miniature train for photos e event is free of charge and is presented by Intermountain Health in association with Amazon.
Sunday, Dec. 8
“Kantorei: Frostiana” A Choral Holiday: Northglenn Arts hosts this celebration of the season with Denver’s premier choral ensemble Kantorei performing favorite carols, old and new, at 2 p.m. at Northglenn’s Parsons eater, 1 East Memorial Parkway. Celebrate the magic of the season with a festive concert featuring beloved winter classics and contemporary holiday gems.
Featured in these performances will be Randall ompson’s beloved Frostiana, a seven-movement work setting the poetry of Robert Frost to music. ompson’s lyrical, expressive style perfectly captures the essence of Frost’s words, creating a musical landscape as vivid and evocative as New England in winter. Also included in the program is Eric Whitacre’s playful e Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus, based on the poem by Ogden Nash; Ola Gjeilo’s Wintertide, a hauntingly beautiful work that evokes the quiet wonder of a snowy landscape; and Sarah Quartel’s A Winter’s Day, featuring cello and piano.
Tickets range from $23 to $32 with discounts for seniors and the military. Visit https://northglennarts.org/ for more information or to purchase tickets.
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Grand & Me Cocoa and Crafts: Bring a grand parent to the Northglenn Rec Center, 1 E. Memorial Parkway from 2-3 p.m. for a hot cocoa and some crafts. For ages 2-6 and 55 and older. e cost is free, but registration is necessary at the rec center. Ugly Sweater Luncheon: e Fort Lupton Chamber of Commerce with combine its monthly meeting with the annual Ugly Sweater Contest.
e chamber will present its State of the Chamber Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 230 s. Harrision Ave. Lunch will be provided by Wholly Stromboli. To register, email executivedirector@fortluptonchamber.org.
Friday, Dec. 13
ornton Winterfest: the season with the city’s annual holiday celebration through Dec. 15 at the Carpenter Park Fields, 108th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. e festival opens at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday and runs until 9 p.m. nightly.
e festival features Santa’s Village, with ice skating, ice carving, food vendors, a tree decorating contest, a beer garden and visits from Santa Claus himself. A holiday drone show featuring aerial lights set to holiday music is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and a holiday reworks show is set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
ornton Sensory-friendly Santa Claus: a bit much can come to the ornton Active Adult Center, 11181 Colorado Blvd., from 5-7:30 p.m. is event is intended for families who have di culty visiting Santa due to a disability or diverse sensory, physical or behavioral needs. Space is limited. Make your reservation online at goCOT.net/AIR and select Sensory Friendly Santa Reservations. Questions? Call 720977-5702.
Saturday, Dec. 14
ornton Breakfast with Santa: the day with a hearty breakfast and visit with St. Nick from 7:30-10:30 a.m at the ornton Active Adult Center, 11181 Colorado Blvd. Bring your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy a breakfast of pancakes, ham, eggs, orange juice and co ee. Cost is $6 for ages 13-61 and $4 for ages 0-12 and 62+. Photos with Santa taken with your personal device are encouraged. Questions? Call 303-255-7850. Sponsored by the 55+ Organization.
Thursday, Dec. 12
Westminster Holiday Luncheon at the Mac: Westminster hosts a traditional holiday feast from noon to 1:45 p.m. at the MAC at 3295 W. 72nd Ave. e menu will be brisket plus three side dishes, rolls, dessert and choice of punch or co ee with a live musical performance by Robert G. Tickets are $25 per person, registration must be made by Nov. 21.
ornton WinterFest 5K and Fun Run: e city’s signature winter run returns to Carpenter Park with a chip-timed 5K or the untimed Fun Run/Walk. e Fun Run/ Walk steps o at 10:10 a.m. followed by the 5K at 10:15 a.m. Collectible nisher mug with each registration. Visit winter5k.com for event details or call 720-977-5853 for more information.
Build a Bird Wreath at Standley Lake: Create beautiful works of art for birds and humans alike to enjoy during the holiday season, while learning more about the birds that call Standley Lake home. Meets at 10 a.m. the Standley Lake Regional Park, 11610 W 100th Ave, Westminster. e cost is $5 per person. Limited to 20 participants, register online at westminsterco.gov.
Motones & Jerseys: Holiday Hi-Fi: Back by popular demand, Motones & Jerseys: Holiday Hi-Fi features a stellar lineup of nine singers, backed by an incredible band, performing your favorite holiday classics alongside some of the greatest songs of the 20th century. While paying homage to the iconic vocal groups and holiday shows of the mid-century, the groups engage in a friendly and spirited sing-o that engages each audience member with the power to vote for their favorite group each and every performance via their smartphones.
Featuring songs from beloved artists like Marvin Gaye, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, e Temptations, e Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, e Beatles, Herman’s Hermits, and many more. Join the Motones and the Jerseys for an evening of song, dance, and holiday fun!
Tickets range from $24-$32at the Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and 2 p.m. Dec. 15. Visit https://northglennarts.org/ for more information or to purchase tickets.
Tiny Tots Celebrate the Holidays, a Family Orchestra Concert: Brighton celebrates the holidays withtwo favorite
things: families and music! is program will feature singalongs, fun holiday guests and traditional favorites with an Inside the Orchestra twist.
ere are two performances, at 9:30 a.m. and at 10:45 a.m. Tiny Tots programs are 45-minute immersive, interactive concerts for kids 7 and under (and their adults). Attendees are seated on the ground and encircled by our 30+ piece orchestra. Tickets are $17.50 per person for those over 12 months old.
Milk and Cookies with Santa: Sponsored and hosted by Brighton’s Alli Event Center, 100. S. 3rd St., this free event brings Santa and some treats from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a chance to visit with Santa. Parents should be prepared to take pictures, so bring a camera.
Brighton Festival of Lights Parade: e 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. e parade steps o at 5 p.m. on Denver Street, heading south along Main Street, turns east on Bridge Street and continues to 10th Avenue
Sunday, Dec. 15
BrightonMusic Christmas Festival Concert: e BrightonMusic Orchestra has brought live music to Brighton from its home in the First Presbyterian Church of Brighton for more than two decades. is year, the group hosts its 29th annual Christmas Festival concert at the First Presbyterian Church, 510 S. 27th Ave. All shows are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Go to https://brightonmusic.org/calendar/ for more information.
Advent Radio Players: Once again, the Advent Lutheran Church in Westminster will present a live reproduction of two old time radio programs at 1 p.m in Westminster’s Advent Lutheran Church, 7979 Meade St.
is year, the players tackle the adventures of “Archie Andrews,” a radio program based on the comic book characters of Archie, Jughead and Veronica. Advent players will re-enact the episode “Christmas Shopping” that originally aired Dec. 13, 1947. at will be followed by Blondie and Dagwood’s “A Christmas Carol”, which provides a very unique take on the Scrooge story. It originally aired on Christmas Day 1939.
Original scripts are used as these are performed like a live radio show using several microphones, lighted applause and on the air signs and sounds from the original broadcasts in 1947 and 1939. Donations are appreciated. e play will also be live streamed on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/adventwestminsterco
Saturday, Dec. 21
e Second City: e Good, e Bad and the Ugly Sweater: e Second City improvisational group continues its 65year tradition of delivering innovative, fast-paced satirical comedy with a fresh take on festive fun and presents an evening stu ed with seasonal songs, sketches and a generous helping of Second City’s world-famous improv comedy. Festive family gatherings, o ce parties, classic holiday movies… nothing is o limits! Tickets range from $36-$40 at the Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and 2 p.m. Dec. 15. Visit https://northglennarts.org/ for more information or to purchase tickets.
Monday, Dec. 23
Westminster Winter Camp for Grades 1-8: Join Westminster’s City Park Recreation sta for daily trips and activities designed to stop the winter blues. e camp runs from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Dec. 23, 27, 30, 31 and Jan. 2, 3 and 6. For more information, go to www.westminsterco.gov/ WinterSpringCamp.
Santa poses for a photo behind Destinee and Kamiyah Bueno, 1, of Northglenn during the Northglenn Noel celebration in 2021. He’ll be back for this year’s celebration on Nov. 1. FILE PHOTO
Former Vice President Mike Pence visits Colorado Christian University as inaugural President’s Speaker Series lecturer
Trump’s first VP warns against populism, says his decision to certify the 2020 election results was “worth the cost”
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Former Vice President Mike Pence paid a visit to Colorado Christian University for the institution’s inaugural President’s Speaker Series, where he participated in a luncheon, presented scholarships, gave a keynote lecture and elded questions from CCU President Eric Hogue during a Q&A session.
Pence’s visit on Nov. 15 saw the former vice president — along with Hogue and Centennial Institute (a conservative think tank operated out of CCU) Director Greg Schaller — discuss a number of issues, including the relationship between Christianity and conservativism, gay marriage, abortion and Pence’s political career.
Serving as Vice President during Donald Trump’s rst term, Pence notably played a central role in the Jan. 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack by refusing to acquiesce to demands that he reject Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential Election, all while rioters erected a gallows nearby and chanted to “Hang Mike Pence.”
e former Governor of Indiana was not chosen as Trump’s running mate in this year’s election, where his place on the ballot was lled by Vice PresidentElect J.D. Vance — a move largely speculated to be due to, in part, Pence’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021.
“It’s worth the cost,” Pence said of his decision to certify the 2020 election results and the impact the events had on his political career. He added that he believes that “our calling” is “supporting,
defending and upholding the constitution.”
Nevertheless, Pence said he and his wife Karen “o ered our most sincere congratulations to President Trump” after Trump’s victory in the 2024 Presidential Election. He then warned against populism and said that he feels the Republican Party needs to stick to the “traditional conservative agenda.”
“We have a time of great opportunity… but I also believe it is a time of concern,”
Pence said. “For those of us who believe in a traditional conservative agenda, we need to heed to our roots and ensure that our majority and leadership stays on the path… e truth is there’s been an erosion.
“Even if Republicans have achieved a monumental victory this year, we’ve also faced an erosion that seems to be taking place when it comes to our deepest values and our ideals and our principles,” Pence continued.
Pence then referenced a speech he gave at St. Anthony’s College while he was running for president in 2023.
“ e truth is today, conservatives in America are struggling with an essential question,” Pence said. “I said then I think the public to come to a time to choose whether we will continue on the path of the traditional conservative agenda that has de ned our party — and in so many ways our nation throughout our history — or whether our party will follow the siren song of populism unmoored from conservative principle.”
Pence said that while traditional conservative values are rooted in Christian values, populism departs from those values in favor of other motivations.
“Populism begins from a di erent place altogether,” Pence said. “It comes ultimately from the depths of frustration and oftentimes anger toward perceived wrongs and injustices… Now I understand that frustration fuels the populace.
SEE PENCE, P13
JOINTHE FORT LUPTON PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARYFOR
Former Vice President Mike Pence addresses the crowd at CCU for the inaugural President’s Speaker Series keynote.
PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN
“In recent years, I’ve witnessed it rsthand, not only government, but many of the institutions in our society have failed us, broken trust, or evaded accountability,” Pence continued. “Populists want to x the problem, but their means are wrong.”
He then cautioned against abandoning “our greatest ally, Israel” during their “dark hour” and gave his main takeaway from his time as vice president.
“If America’s not leading the free world, then the free world isn’t being led,” Pence said.
CCU notably received a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after students and faculty held multiple displays of support for the Middle Eastern nation. e pro-Israel demonstrations di er from the climate on many college campuses across the nation, where pro-Palestine demonstrations have become commonplace.
Hogue said Pence was an ideal inaugural speaker for the President’s Speaker Series — and, incidentally, the inaugural speaker at CCU’s new Doug and Linda McDonald Performance Hall — because of his track record during his political career.
“During his work in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the White House, the vice president faithfully stood for the Constitution and, in doing so, stood for each and every American,” Hogue said.
Hogue also gave an overview of the President’s Speaker Series and what students can expect in future years.
“ e President’s Speaker Series is de-
signed to o er CCU a unique opportunity to host national and international leaders,” Hogue said. “Entrepreneurs will show up. Performing artists will show up. Now, you probably can in uence politicians and future leaders to engage our students like we experienced today.”
Hogue added that the series is part of CCU’s vision to be “the nation’s best performing, most trusted, respected, recognized, Christ-centered, biblically sound, evangelical conservative university that is unapologetic.”
Pence called the Bible “the greatest book on leadership ever written,” and praised its example of “servant leadership,” amongst other strengths. He continued to praise CCU and the Centennial Institute’s e orts in “Training up a generation of leaders in the time in the life of our nation (when) I believe it is our very essential need.”
“More than anything else, America needs leaders,” Pence said. “Men and women of conviction and of principle, who will cue to the foundations of faith, who will walk in obedience, who will claim the grace that is available in their faith and in so doing… It has been men and women of integrity that have always ensured the vitality and prosperity in this nation, and always will.”
Schaller took a sterner tone, stating that he believes it is the duty of CCU and the Centennial Institute to address “malformation(s)” in the current generation of young people.
“I think we have a real cultural crisis,” Schaller said. “I think we have a generation or two of either unformed or malformed young men and women who are greatly impacted by our culture, and because of the lack of formation, they are not prepared to face many of the chal-
lenges that our culture is throwing at them.”
Schaller cited the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell vs. Hodges, which allowed same-sex couples to marry, as an example of the aforementioned cultural crisis.
“When I see some of the changes that have happened in our culture over the last few years,” Schaller said, “and the reactions of so many young people when we have decisions like Obergefell, and then very quickly, public opinion changes of self-identi ed Christians, it’s because they never fully embraced and understood God’s plan for His creation, God’s plan for human sexuality, God’s plan for marriage.
“And when they don’t have that proper formation, as the culture begins to shift, they’re not prepared to defend and this is what we so desperately need,” Schaller continued. “So, I’m looking forward to developing lots and lots of programs, courses, di erent initiatives that we can bring to our CCU students and then to a wider audience so that we can fortify them.”
Pence also gave comments in support of traditional marriage.
“Standing up for traditional marriage between one man and one woman must be the calling of our time,” Pence said. “It all begins, to me, with faith and family. But for me as a conservative, preserving that is the most important (thing).”
Abortion was also discussed throughout the day, with Pence referring to CCU as “Pro-life U” at one point during his keynote address.
“ ere is a notion in America today is standing for most defenseless in our society must be marginalized,” Pence said. “Well, I believe that to be conservative is
to stand without apology for the sanctity of human life.”
He also heralded the Supreme Court’s decision to “sen(d) Roe vs. Wade to the ashes of history, where it belongs.”
At the luncheon, Pence was given a proclamation recognizing his visit to CCU and presented two scholarships for incoming CCU freshmen.
Next year’s CCU President’s Speaker Series edition is set to feature gospel musician Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth Chapman. e event is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2025.
Hogue presents Pence with a proclamation from CCU. PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN
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BRIEFS
“Go for a Launch” event at Colorado Air and Space Port for kids to use STEM ideas in a space mission.
e event is the weekend of Dec. 7-8. Meet astronauts and STEM experts working on hands-on projects that could y to space. Compete with friends, push your creativity, and see if your idea is the one that launches to the International Space Station!
Students in grades 8-12 are welcome and must attend both full days of the event. Financial assistance is available if needed!
Colorado Air and Space Port, 5200 Front Range Pkwy., Watkins, Colorado. To register visit Go for Launch at: https://higherorbits. org/events/go-for-launch-denver-co/
Riverdale Ridge hosts internship clearinghouse
27J School District is hosting an Internship Fair from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Jan. 13th Riverdale Ridge High School, 13380 Yosemite St. in ornton.
Juniors and Seniors from Brighton High School, Prairie View High School and Riverdale Ridge High School will have the opportunity to interview with 50 di erent companies/organizations in Adams County. For more information, email kgarcia1@ sd27j.net or call (720) 685-1861.
Legislators to discuss priorities at business breakfast
e Adams County Regional Economic Partnerships hosts its 2025 Legislative Breakfast from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Northglenn’s Parsons, eater.
is is an opportunity to hear from and connect with in uential business leaders, state lawmakers, and advocates while gaining a better understanding of the legislative landscape that will shape our business and community environment in the year ahead.
at South Elementary Snowmater – Caspen Pulliam, ird Grader at Northeast Elementary; Snowella DeVille – Natalie Silver, Kindergartener at Pennock Elementary; Ice ice baby – Zoenya Robinson, ird Grader at Padilla Elementary.
“ is is one of my favorite council jobs every year,” said Mayor Pro Tem Peter Padilla. “ e puns are so clever, it’s always hard to choose my favorite. I can’t wait to see Snowella DeVille in my neighborhood this winter.”
e winners will be recognized by City Council at the Dec. 3 City Council meeting. e winners will also be featured on a oat at the 29th Annual Festival of Lights Parade on Dec. 14.
Brighton accepting 2025 Creative Community Grants proposals
As a special e ort this year, we will be collecting unwrapped gifts for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver through the Together for Colorado Toy Drive.
For additional information, please contact Trista Borrego – Trista.Borrego@acrep.org or (720) 758-8384.
City announces winners of fourth annual Name That Snowplow Contest
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 short-term 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.
After a urry of entries, the City of Brighton is pleased to announce the eight winners of the city’s fourth annual Name at Snowplow contest. e winning submissions will name each of the eight snowplows for the 2024-2025 snow season. e winning names and students: Snow Way Jose – Coulter Pollock, First Grader at Bromley East Charter School; Oh Snow You Didn’t – Sammie Ho er, First Grader at Pennock Elementary; Han Snowlo – Lincoln White, First Grader at Discovery Magnet School; Plowtrick Surtain II – So a Garcia, ird Grader at Southeast Elementary; Scoop Dogg – Bryan Jones, Second Grader
the recipient of the Parks Section Professional of the Year award from CPRA,” said Smith. “I’m grateful to work with so many great people and have such a great leadership team here at the City of Brighton.”
Benedict Park renovations ongoing Renovations at Benedict Park at 1855 Southern St. are underway, resulting in limited public access to sections of the park through June 2025.
For more information, visit www.brightonco.gov/3004/28800/Brighton-CreativeCommunity-Grants or contact Kristen Chernosky at kchernosky@brightonco.gov or 303-655-2061.
Brighton grant manager wins parks professional honors
Ryan Smith, parks planning, development, and grant manager for the City of Brighton, has been named the 2024 Colorado Parks and Recreation Association Parks Section Professional of the Year. Smith received the award at the annual conference in Keystone in October.
Smith has spent eight years as an employee with the City of Brighton. He began his role as parks planning, development, and grant manager in early 2023.
“I am truly honored to be recognized as
CORRECTIONS
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Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
e construction project will add a variety of amenities and upgrades, including two new playgrounds, a new irrigation system, a skate park expansion, new shelters, new lighting, supplemental landscaping, and a walking trail on the east end of the park. e parking lot along Southern Street will be closed but access to drive through is permitted. Portions of the parking lot adjacent to the splash pad at the northwest corner of the park will be closed. School access will be allowed.
e path along the east side of the park will be closed in sections and the skate park, Disc golf course, playground and all shelters will be closed. Sports programming will be relocated to other parks during the work.
Museum volunteers
e Brighton City Museum needs volunteers to help with visitors, research, and collection project-based duties. Call Bill Armstrong, museum specialist, at 303-655-2288.
Internships available with Adams County Are you interested in learning more about working for local government? Adams County currently has paid internships available.
Opportunities include a cook ($16.48/ hour) and classroom aide ($15.62/hour) for Head Start, an IT intern ($17/hour) for the Sheri ’s O ce, and a Healthy Farmers Market intern ($17/hour).
ese opportunities are available through the Workforce & Business Center. ose interested should work with their Business Center case manager or call 720.523.6898 to get established with a case manager.
Museum volunteers
e Brighton City Museum needs volunteers to help with visitors, research, and collection project-based duties. Call Bill Armstrong, museum specialist, at 303-655-2288.
Water audit program
e city of Brighton and Resource Central teamed up to provide a free water audit for businesses and homeowner associations. e program aims to help residents and cities increase water use e ciencies and reach conservation goals.
Call 303-999-3824 or visit https://www. brightonco.gov/589/Water-Audit-Program
Brighton Police now o ers online reporting Brighton Police Department has launched an online reporting system at its newly updated website at www.brightonco.gov/police.
e online reporting system allows community members to submit a report directly to the police department from their smartphone or computer. It can be used to report criminal tampering, identity theft, lost property, theft, vandalism, and other matters.
All cases led using the online reporting system will be reviewed by a police sergeant. is tool can only be used when the incident is not an emergency; no one was injured, no known suspects, and no physical evidence. All incidents that do not meet this criteria should be reported by calling our non-emergency line at 303-288-1535. Emergencies should always be reported by calling 911.
Third ‘Unstudied’ poetry event set for Dec. 7
County Poet Laureate
Kerrie Joy joins local poets for program
Anythink invites the community to the third Unstudied Adams County, an inspiring poetry and arts event created and hosted by Adams County Poet Laureate Kerrie Joy, from 4–6:30 p.m.Dec. 7 at Anythink Wright Farms.
is December gathering celebrates the season’s cozy atmosphere, inviting attendees to experience live music, themed activity zones, and food from local vendors—all free of charge.
Since launching Unstudied Adams County, we’ve seen incredible engagement from the community,” says Suzanne McGowan, director of customer experience at Anythink. “Each of these unique, memorable events brings people of all backgrounds together to celebrate
creative expression and make meaningful connections.”
Attendees will explore di erent expressions of coziness with performances by Kerrie Joy (she/her), featured artist Talaya Banks (she/they), and local poets during an afternoon of poetry, music, and connection. Participants are encouraged to dress in their “fanciest” comfy clothes and are welcome to bring a blanket to enhance the cozy setting.
“For me, ‘cozy’ makes me think of hugs and warm drinks and good stories,” shares Kerrie Joy. “It is my favorite macaroni and cheese, my favorite pecan pie. I look forward to a night of poetry that sticks to our bones and rocks us gently into truth and imagination.”
Talaya Banks, a Black queer artist from Denver, brings her unique perspective as an “imagineer, anthropologist, play enthusiast, and herb intuitive” to Unstudied. Her work centers around creating spaces for Black femmes to experience joy, safety, and leisure, using play as a way to disrupt colonial expectations and foster presence in the body.
“Being the featured artist for Unstudied feels like paying homage to “ e Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” nding a seat in the classroom, being present, asking how we know love,” says Banks. “ e poems I’m sharing explore trust not as a xed structure but as a living, wild-growing garden.
Inspired by Al Green’s music, Bell Hooks’ insights on love, and Audre Lorde’s depth of feeling, my work invites us to sit in the spaces where meaning blooms beyond what we’ve been taught. e audience can expect an unfolding of memories that live in our bodies, waiting to be seen and honored.”
A limited open mic will provide an opportunity for local poets of all ages, skill levels, and abilities to perform. Sign-ups open at 4 pm, and time slots will be available on a rst-come, rst-served basis. Performances are limited to ve minutes and may be in any language. is all-ages event welcomes everyone and does not require registration. For more information, visit www.anythinklibraries.org.
Northglenn lands famous troupe for holiday show
Improv legends bring act to Northglenn’s Parsons Theatre
BY MONTE WHALEY
e legendary comedy troupe that launched the careers of John Belushi, Tina Fey and Bill Murray is working its way to Northglenn’s Parsons eatre.
Second City, seen as the world’s premier improv and sketch comedy institution, will put on its production of “ e Good, e Bad, and e Ugly Sweater” Dec. 21 at Parsons eatre. e Second City performers will o er their takes on festive family gatherings, o ce parties and classic holiday movies.
“What better way to send o 2024 that to roast it like chestnuts on an open re?”
block booking with another theatre you can decrease the costs for travel and various other aspects for the touring company, so it makes it more a ordable for the
Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a comedy cabaret and now boasts stages,
according to a Parsons eatre news release. “ e Good, e Bad, and e Ugly Sweater is a fast-paced, interactive comedy revue stu ed with seasonal songs, sketches, and of course, a generous helping of e Second City’s world-famous improv comedy.”
Michael Stricker, executive producer of Northglenn Arts, said getting Second City to come to the Parsons eatre is a result of the city growing its roster of national and international performance tours ever since the theater opened in 2021.
“…So all of this is a bit of an accumulation,” Stricker said via email.
e city was approached by Second City management earlier in the year but getting the performers to Northglenn was just outside of Northglenn’s price range, Stricker said.
“However, I went to my colleague at Lone Tree Arts Center and asked if they would like to block book with us and they graciously agreed,” Stricker said. “By
LEAP helps eligible Coloradans pay a
LEAP ayuda a los residentes elegibles de Colorado a pagar una
touring companies, and training centers across North America. Its alumni include Belushi, Fey, Murray, John Candy, Mike Meyers, Amy Poehler and Gilda Radner. For tickets and more information, go to NorthglennARTS.org or call 303-4508888. Tickets from $38.
Poet Kerry Joy FILE PHOTO
Second City’s “The Good, The Bad and the Sweater” will be at Parsons Theatre in Northglenn on Dec. 21 COURTESY PHOTO
“Some of them actually say they wanted to come speci cally to this school because they had the opportunity to play cricket.”
It’s become a family e ort for Fauls. She and her husband help drive the boys to matches. Her sons assist. Still, Fauls is always on the lookout for generous sponsors to grow the program to more schools. On Tuesdays, she sees the boys’ pride when they wear their uniforms to school. “ ey walk around with their head held up high, just like the basketball players wear their uniform on game day,” she said. Wickets, bails and stumps
At rst, cricket seems like controlled chaos to me, but the boys are super patient in explaining the game that dates back to the 13th century. ere are two teams. One side bats and the other “ elds” with someone throwing or “bowling” the ball. e batting team tries to score as many runs — running back and forth between two wickets — as they can.
Two players are up at once running between the wickets at opposite ends of the pitch. If the batter hits the ball and it hits the ground before it passes the far cone, the team gets four points. If it sails through the air and lands past the cone (like a home run), the team gets six points.
Passions run high. Team captain Modasir presses volunteer coach, Selvam Mani, who drives more than an hour to the school each week when he has a different opinion about a point. Scoring is complicated as there are lots of ways besides runs to get points through “extras.”
As they play, the boys speak and yell in Pashtu or Dari, but sometimes English slips so I get more of a sense of what’s going on.
Some rules are too complicated for my rst game. ere are a zillion ways you can be dismissed or “out,” like if the wicketkeeper knocks a bail from a stump (the two small pieces of wood or plastic at the top of the stumps or vertical posts) before the batter returns after hitting the ball.
e bowler winds up. His elbow can’t straighten more than 15 degrees (I read that after the game). He runs a few steps propelling the ball forward. e bat cracks. e boys shriek, whoop and laugh. Sheer exhilaration is the only way to describe it.
Eighth-grader Bilal explains when I ask what makes the best cricket players so good.
“It’s all about your feeling, how you feel about becoming a cricket player. Like you have a good feeling, you can be the best player.”
e boys struggle to nd the right words sometimes but after talking some more, Bilal means a high level of commitment, focus and passion for the game.
Middle school boys are middle school boys no matter where you were born
It’s 37 degrees out on a recent Tuesday practice. Many aren’t wearing jackets.
“Where is your coat?” I ask Rashid. He ashes a sheepish grin.
“It’s at home. I didn’t wear it because when I coming on the bus, it was warm.”
It’s mid-November, and it’s getting dark and hard to see the ball. But that doesn’t matter. As the light fades and his friends run around, sixth-grader Mohamed Edres, the student who described his sadness when he rst arrived as a newcomer in elementary school, tells me the club has helped shift his view of the school.
“School is like home,” he said. “Your teacher is like your mom, the principal is like your dad and the friends, they are … everybody is like your sister, brother.”
Batter Manzor Hamdard, 7th grade, concentrates before hitting a ball during a Thornton Middle School cricket team game on the playground, Nov. 12, 2024. One batsman protects the wickets from the bowler delivering the ball from the other end and also hits the ball away so that runs can be scored running up and down the pitch with another batter to score runs.
Club sponsor and teacher Fauls said that’s what makes cricket much more than a game.
“It’s just wonderful to have that community feeling here and to feel like you belong here and that you’re valued. To be
able to do that for these kids warms my heart.”
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
December 7th & 8th, 14th & 15th 10 am - 5pm
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featuring over 30 Artisans, Food and more!
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
Alpine Biergarten
Wine & Wassail Bar
Shop and Dine at over 20 Merchants on Historic 6th Street
Live Entertainment
Santa Lucia Children’s Procession
Christmas at the Hamill House on Saturday December 14th and Saturday December 21st 2024. Tickets available on our website, www.historicgeorgetown.org
Saint Nicholas
Visit Historic Museums decorated in their Holiday Best
Big Horn Book Nook
Children’s Crafts at the John Tomay Library
Christmas Afternoon Tea at the Snetzer
Building
Hot Roasted Chestnuts
Dog Friendly (If your dog is friendly)
Free Parking & Free shuttles available
Featured on the TODAY show.
HISTORIC 6TH STREET
GEORGETOWN, CO 80444
UCHealth agrees to $23 million settlement with feds
Provider denies accusation of overbilling for some emergency care
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
UCHealth, the state’s largest medical provider, has reached a $23 million settlement with federal authorities over allegations that it overbilled for emergency care at its hospitals, the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s O ce announced Nov. 12. e allegations claim that UCHealth hospitals from Nov. 1, 2017, through March 31, 2021, automatically used the most expensive billing code possible for certain emergency department claims submitted to government health coverage programs Medicare and TRICARE, which is for members of the U.S. military and retirees.
Using this billing code without having proper justi cation violates the Fair Claims Act, the feds allege.
“Improperly billing federal health care programs drains valuable government resources needed to provide medical care to millions of Americans,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a statement. “We will pursue health care providers that defraud the taxpayers by knowingly submitting in ated or unsupported claims.”
UCHealth denied wrongdoing.
“UCHealth is pleased to see the end of this lengthy and resource-intensive investigation,” UCHealth spokesman Dan Weaver said in a statement. “UCHealth denies these allegations, but we agreed to the settlement to avoid potentially lengthy and costly litigation. e settlement allows us to focus our resources on providing excellent patient care.”
The complex world of hospital billing e allegations dive deep into the complex world of hospital billing. When a hospital wants to charge for a service, it uses a billing code to identify what the service is. Sometimes, a single service could be charged under a range of billing codes, depending on the severity of the patient and the amount of hospital resources that care uses up. is is the case with so-called evaluation and management — or E&M — services in emergency departments. Basically, this is the charge for walking into the emergency room for treatment.
Emergency visits can be billed using one of ve Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT, billing codes: 99281 through 99285. e former is for the least severe cases — the ones that probably didn’t need to come into the ER to begin with. e latter is for the most severe — critical situations with immediate risk of death.
e feds allege that UCHealth automatically charged a visit using CPT 99285 if its health care providers checked a patient’s vital signs more times than the total number of hours that the patient
was present in the ER. In other words, if a patient spent three hours in the ER and had their vitals checked four times, the Department of Justice alleges that UCHealth would automatically code that as a level-5 ER visit under CPT 99285. is didn’t apply, though, to patients spending less than an hour in the ER.
e feds say that UCHealth used the highest-level code “despite the severity of the patient’s medical condition or the hospital resources used to manage the patient’s health and treatment.”
“ e United States alleged that UCHealth knew that its automatic coding rule associated with monitoring of vital signs did not satisfy the requirements for billing to Medicare and TRICARE because it did not reasonably reect the facility resources used by the UCHealth hospitals,” the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s O ce wrote in a news release.
“We will hold accountable health care companies who adopt automatic coding practices that lead to unnecessary and improper billing,” Acting Colorado U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch said in a statement.
Growing concerns about ‘upcoding’
When hospitals charge a higher-level billing code than appropriate, it is known as “upcoding.” e practice has become a major focus for researchers trying to understand why U.S. health care spending is so high.
One analysis published in 2019 found that the percentage of ER visits coded using 99285 rose to 27% in 2017 from 17% in 2008, while the use of the three
least-severe code levels dropped. An analysis of Colorado claims data by the Center for Improving Value in Health Care found that 99285 had become the most commonly billed E&M code in the state by 2016, up from third in 2009.
Another study found that 30% of the growth in Colorado’s spending on ER services was due to upcoding. e state had by far the highest amount spending per ER visit of the four states included in the analysis.
e price di erences between the codes can be signi cant. According to state-collected data posted on ColoradoHospitalPrices.com, for an ER visit at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital coded as 99281 — the least-severe level — Medicare pays $85.89, while some private health insurers pay as much as $700. For an ER visit coded as 99285, Medicare pays $621.39, and some private health insurers pay more than $6,000.
Whistleblower complaint
e allegations about UCHealth’s improper billing rst came to the feds’ attention via a whistleblower complaint led by a former UCHealth employee. e whistleblower, an Arvada man named Timothy Sanders, wrote in a complaint led in 2021 that he worked as a “revenue recovery auditor” whose job it was to resolve complaints from patients who believe they had been overcharged.
BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE
Report: Housing crisis linked to billionaire investors
Denver’s homeless population hit an all-time high in 2024 but there is actually no shortage of available housing units, according to a new report.
Omar Ocampo, researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies and the report’s co-author, said much of the housing built over the past two decades is not homes for people. ose units, many of which remain vacant, are being used by hedge funds and the wealthy as a safe and profitable place to park large sums of untaxed wealth.
“We have seen, over the past decade or so, a boom in luxury real estate,” Ocampo observed. “Basically, the only people who can a ord it are people who are ultrahigh net worth, or at the top of the income distribution.”
e report showed how corporations and wealthy investors from across the globe have amassed large tracts of single and multifamily residential units since the
SETTLEMENT
Sanders said he discovered that an automated system was falsely billing patients under 99285 and that not only did UCHealth o cials know about this but they had no intention of doing anything about it.
housing market crash in 2008. e scale of the purchases has put upward pressure on prices, causing rents to skyrocket and putting homeownership out of reach for millions.
ere are 16 million vacant homes across the U.S., which means there are 28 homes for every American experiencing homelessness.
Developers can apply for tax incentives to build a ordable housing but the pro t margins for luxury units are simply too large for all but nonpro t builders to resist. Ocampo pointed to the Homes Act, recently introduced in the U.S. House, as one way to turn things around for the vast majority of Americans who cannot a ord what the marketplace is building.
“We need public investment and to establish a housing development authority, which authorizes hundreds of billions of dollars to develop permanently a ordable housing,” Ocampo contended
Corporations have also increased their earnings by converting rental stock into short-term vacation homes. Ocampo noted
“What Sanders learned was that UCHealth would reduce an emergency services bill if a patient complained, but otherwise UCHealth would take no steps to make sure a given emergency services bill was correct,” the complaint Sanders led states.
Under federal law, whistleblowers are entitled to a share of the settlement money that the government collects. Sanders
a shareholder report by executives at Blackstone, which now owns more than 300,000 residential units across the U.S., promising pro ts as rental stock went down.
“Chronic housing shortages meant their
is due to receive $3.91 million from the proceeds of Tuesday’s settlement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s O ce.
UCHealth operates more than a dozen hospitals and hundreds of clinics across Colorado. In a given year, it treats roughly 3 million patients. UCHealth brought in more than $8 billion in revenue from treating patients during the scal year that ended in June, according to an au-
ability to raise prices and be able to extract more wealth from vulnerable workingclass tenants,” Ocampo added. is article comes from a sharing agreement with AP StoryShare.
dited nancial report led with federal regulators. It made more than $500 million in pro t on patient care.
Rolling in investment gains and other revenue sources, the health system made more than $1 billion in pro t last scal year. 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.
41ST ANNUAL PARADE AT 2P.
The Ives apartment complex in Wheat Ridge. FILE PHOTO
Polis schools budget smaller than expected
School leaders worry Polis will change course on funding promises
BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Colorado districts expect millions in cuts to what they anticipated receiving next year if changes proposed by Gov. Jared Polis make it into the 2025-26 budget. Polis, who released his budget proposal on Nov. 1, has presented austerity measures due to the state facing an over half billion dollar budget hole. His plan would increase school funding by about $115 million next year, bringing total spending to $9.8 billion. However, district leaders said that would be far less than what they are supposed to get, with school nance advocates calculating schools receiving about $190 million less next year if Polis’ changes are enacted. e powerful six-member Joint Budget Committee, which does the majority of the work crafting the budget, would need to adopt his proposals. Committee lawmakers have expressed concerns. And district leaders in the Metro area worry that Polis’ budget framework opens up the possibility for the state to nd a new way to cut their budgets after lawmakers during the 2024 legislative session eliminated a practice this year that withholds money from schools for other priorities. District leaders say the changes would also exacerbate funding disparities and lead to harmful cuts for students, especially in districts grappling
with declining enrollment.
Ultimately, the JBC and Colorado General Assembly will have the most say on how the state proceeds in terms of the budget, said Chuck Carpenter, Denver Public Schools chief nancial o cer. e district likely won’t see a major impact in funding cuts compared to other districts if the proposal goes through.
But the proposal makes budget planning di cult and, if passed, would fail to meet the promises made last year by lawmakers.
“ is is just another way where K-12 is used to balance the budget,” Carpenter said.
District leaders hoped for stability in the 2025-26 budget
During the 2024 legislative session, school o cials celebrated after lawmakers pushed to invest more in K-12 education.
Lawmakers eliminated the so-called budget stabilization factor after 15 years, which diverted constitutionally-mandated school funding for other priorities. ey also were able to approve a new school funding model that’s expected to boost state spending by $500 million. e law called for phasing the money in over six years and will better distribute state funding based on the types of students districts teach and help rural and smaller districts. e law also changed student enrollment counts from ve to four years for the purpose of the budget.
Polis’ budget proposal tries to address an about $640 million budget shortfall next scal year, partly due to rising costs in Medicaid. At the same time, the state is limited by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights
It’s Time to Experience Truly Exceptional Service!
in how much revenue the state can keep.
His budget framework would change the student counts from the planned fouryear average to a single year count. If lawmakers approve the change, this would have the biggest impact on schools with declining enrollment because averaging creates a multi-year bu er for them. e governor also wants to slow the phase-in of the new school nance formula to seven years.
Je erson County School District Superintendent Tracy Dorland said her district has made hard decisions to close schools as enrollment has declined. In Colorado, many districts have experienced enrollment declines.
Any funding change would cause even more disruptions for her students and families, she said.
“ ey need to leave things alone for a minute so that we have some clarity and some stability in our revenue models,” Dorland said.
In proposing the change, Polis has pointed to the majority of states that use one-year counts. He also said his proposal would fend o any return to using the budget stabilization factor.
Nationally, since the pandemic, some states have started to do the opposite of what Polis has proposed, according to Christopher Duncombe, Education Commission of the States principal, who is a school nance expert.
He said a few states have opted to blend enrollment across multiple years to protect districts with declining enrollment from nancial losses. For example, California allows districts to choose between a one-year count or a three-year average.
Tracie Rainey, Colorado School Finance Project executive director, added a change would also pull money away from schools during a time when the state is still awaiting a study that shows how much schools need to adequately educate students.
Her analysis shows the $191 million cuts would unevenly impact districts, with some receiving a 33% cut in what they expected while others would see zero impact.
“It’s not bringing back the budget stabilization factor, but in all essence, it’s a cut to K-12,” she said.
Polis’ proposal sparks district and lawmaker concern
On Wednesday, during a presentation from Polis, budget lawmakers shared reservations about enacting his plan. e Joint Budget Committee does the bulk of the work to craft the budget.
Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Weld County Republican, said she was nding it difcult to take Polis’ budget seriously because it doesn’t keep the promises made by the legislature in the last year.
“I’m very disappointed that it looks like we’re actually cutting funding to K-12 education,” Kirkmeyer said.
Dorland said her district would get about $23 million less under this proposal.
“And this is after, since 2009, $10 billion that has been withheld from Colorado public education,” she said. “ e JBC really needs to think about how removing averaging will impact districts across the state and the impact we’ve already had over the last decade.”
Cherry Creek School District Chief Financial and Operating O cer Scott Smith said although his district didn’t experience enrollment declines this year, the elimination of averaging would still impact his district by about $10 to $15 million.
“We’ve shortchanged a generation of kids,” Smith said. “We should be doing everything we can to not allow that to happen again.”
Meanwhile, Chris Gdowksi, Adams 12 superintendent, said three Adams County districts, including his, are some of the lowest-funded in the Metro area and his district would get about $13.8 million less than expected. Other districts in the area have a bu er because they raise more local property tax dollars for schools. Changes to the state budget are felt more acutely in the three districts because of low property tax wealth, he said. For Adams 12, Gdowksi said he might have to cut positions such as support sta , hold o on crucial raises in a district that has struggled to stay competitive with the surrounding area, and increase class sizes.
Gdowksi said funding for public education needs a long-term solution. He, like other district leaders, said he would like to see a bipartisan-backed statewide ballot measure to raise more funding for schools. And he’s hopeful lawmakers will nd a di erent way to balance the budget in the short-term.
“I am hopeful that folks can lean in and nd a di erent way,” Gdowski said. “ ere are di erent and better ways to get there.”
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
The sun sets early in the mountains. But Black Hawk lights up. With five distinct dining options. Spy the snowfall from the rooftop spa.
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The sun may set early, But here, we play bright. Experience the holidays.
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8 & 10 2024 Budgets and that proposed 2025 Budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Prairie Center Metropolitan District Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 & 10; and that copies of the proposed Amended 2024 Budgets and 2025 Budgets have been filed at the District’s offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same are open for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2024 Budgets and Adopting the 2025 Budgets will be considered at a public meeting of the Board of Directors of the District to be held on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 4:00 P.M. This District Board meeting will be held via Zoom without any individuals (neither Board Representatives nor the general public) attending in person.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86267550643?pwd=V3RnRGRtWkRyUlZZc1VMWTJFZjFHdz09
Dial In: 1-719-359-4580
Meeting ID: 862 6755 0643 Passcode: 987572
Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolutions to Amend the 2024 Budgets and adopt the 2025 Budgets, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.
PRAIRIE CENTER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 & 10
By /s/Peggy Ripko, Secretary
Legal Notice No. BSB 3128
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: November 28, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Summons and Sheriff Sale
Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO CIVIL ACTION NO. 2024CV030379, Division/Courtroom C
COMBINED NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL PROPERTY (Publication Notice)
NORFOLK PLACE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, v. SOPHIA H YESIKI; WELLS FARGO BANK, NA; and ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC TRUSTEE, Defendant(s).
TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS, Please take notice:
You and each of you are hereby notified that a Sheriff’s Sale of the referenced property is to be conducted by the Civil Division of the Sheriff’s Department of Adams County, Colorado at 9:00 O’clock A.M., on the 16th day of January 2025, at 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601, phone number 303-6553272. At which sale, the above described real property and improvements thereon will be sold to the highest bidder. Plaintiff makes no warranty relating to title, possession, or quiet enjoyment in and to said real property in connection with this sale.
BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE CASH OR CERTIFIED FUNDS SUFFICIENT TO COVER THEIR HIGHEST BID AT THE TIME OF SALE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. Judgment is in the amount of $18,959.28. First Publication: November 21, 2024 Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Published In: Brighton Standard Blade
This is to advise you that a Sheriff’s sale proceeding has been commenced through the office of the undersigned Sheriff pursuant to Court Order dated July 27, 2024 and C.R.S. 38-38-101 et seq. by Norfolk Place Owners Association the holder and current owner of a lien recorded on November 21, 2023 at Reception No. 2023000065018 in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The foreclosure is based on a default under the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Norfolk Place Owners Association recorded on 04/10/1984 at Reception Number: 496753 in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The Declaration establishes a lien for the benefit of Norfolk Place Owners Association against real property legally described as follows: Lot 58, Block 1, Norfolk Place Subdivision Filing No. 1, County of Adams, State of Colorado.;
And also known as: 16353 E. 17th Pl., #C, Aurora, CO 80011 IF
LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED.
The attorney representing the legal owner of the above described lien is: Kate M. Leason, Reg No. 41025, Altitude Community Law P.C., 555 Zang Street, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado 80228-1011, 303.432.9999
Legal Notice No. BSB3479 First Publication: November 21, 2024 Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Public Notice T&R AUTO REPAIR 710 N.7TH AVE UNIT #5 BRIGHTON , CO 80601 303-659-6747 IS SELLING
1)2015 dodge dart Vin ending in 421888
2)1997 DODGE DAKOTA VIN ENDING IN 196506
Legal Notice No. BSB3503
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: November 28, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice Abandoned Vehicle
a/k/a Crawford McWilliam, Sr., Deceased; Elizabeth McWilliam, Deceased; [Leslie Orr McWilliam’s maternal grandparents]
Lewellyn Orr, Deceased; Eliza Jane Orr, Deceased; [Leslie Orr McWilliams’s father and mother]
Crawford McWilliam, a/k/a Crawford McWilliam, Jr., Deceased; Maggie B. McWilliams, a/k/a Maggie B. McWilliam, a/k/a Margaret B. McWilliam, Deceased; [Record title owner]
Leslie Orr McWilliam, Deceased; [Leslie Orr McWilliam’s paternal aunts and uncles]
Eliza Jane McWilliam, a/k/a Lizzie McWilliam, Deceased;
Samuel McWilliam, Deceased; William Andrew McWilliam, Deceased; Mary Jane Crawford, Deceased; Thomas McWilliam, Deceased; John McWilliam, Deceased; Margaret Elizabeth Drake, Deceased; [Leslie Orr McWilliam’s maternal aunts and uncles]
Date: November 8, 2024
/S/ Adam Josephson
Signature of Party Giving Notice
Adam Josephson, Vice President of Land
Type name of Party Giving Notice
Phoenix Capital Group Holdings, LLC 4643 South Ulster Street, Suite 1510 Denver, Colorado 80237
Legal Notice No. BSB3480
First Publication: November 21, 2024
Last Publication: December 5, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Christopher Leigh Hayes, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 442
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Susan Hayes Personal Representative 5000 W. 75th Ave. Apt #310 Westminster, CO 80030
Legal Notice No. BSB3461 First Publication: November 14, 2024 Last Publication: November 28, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: November 28, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of CAROL JEAN GRIESS a/k/a CAROL J. GRIESS a/k/a CAROL GRIESS, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 30751
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Karla Duran
Personal Representative 330East 5th Street Leadville, CO 80461
John Taylor
Personal Representative 1218 Harrison Ave. Leadville, CO 80461
Legal Notice No. BSB3502 First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: December 12, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Maria Elena Neri, Deceased
Case Number: 2024 PR 206
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jose Eduardo Neri
Personal Representative 1921 Andes St Aurora,Co 80011
Legal Notice No. BSB3485
First Publication: November 21, 2024 Last Publication: December 5, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Public Notice
District Court, Adams County, State of Colorado
Court Address: Adams County Courthouse 1100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, Colorado 80601
In the Matter of the Determination of Heirs or Devisees or Both and of Interests in Property of:
[Leslie Orr McWilliam’s paternal grandparents] Crawford McWilliam,
Foster A. Orr, Deceased; Mary Elizabeth Parker, Deceased; Martha A. Orr, Deceased; Edwin Elsworth Orr, Deceased; [Leslie Orr McWilliam’s cousins, their spouses, and their heirs or devisees]
Minnie A. McWilliam, Deceased; Ruth Gerwig, Deceased; Henry E. Gerwig, Jr., Deceased; John Scott McWilliam, Deceased; Margaret Elizabeth Graham, Deceased; Virginia Graham Moeller, Deceased; and Geena Sue Northcutt, Deceased; Case Number: 2024PR030796 Division: T1
Attorney: Aaron D. Bieber – CO Bar 41983
The Law Offices of Aaron D. Bieber, PLLC 2245 Texas Dr Ste 300 Sugar Land, TX 77479 (713) 899-3893 aaron@aaronbieberlaw.com
NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION TO INTERESTED PERSONS AND OWNERS BY DESCENT OR SUCCESSION PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1303, C.R.S.
To all interested persons and owners by descent or succession:
1.Justin Pearsall Moeller
2.Bevin Elizabeth Moeller
3.Barbara Graham Terry
4.James Bryan Northcutt
A Petition has been filed alleging that the above Decedents died leaving an interest in the following property in Adams County, Colorado:
Township 1 South, Range 66 West, of the 6th P.M. Section 34: NW
Containing 160.00 acres, more or less
The hearing on the Petition will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued:
Date: January 9, 2025
Time: 8:00 A.M.
Address: 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, Colorado 80601
The hearing will take approximately one day.
Note:
• You must answer the petition on or before the hearing date and time specified above.
Within the time required for answering the petition, all objections to the petition must be in writing, filed with the court and served on the petitioner and any required filing fee must be paid.
• The hearing shall be limited to the petition, the objections timely filed and the parties answering the petition in a timely manner. If the petition is not answered and no objections are filed, the court may enter a decree without a hearing.
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Tracy Mays-Kelly Personal Representative 6312 N. Dunkirk Ct, Aurora Co 80019
Legal Notice No. BSB3486
First Publication: November 21, 2024 Last Publication: December 5, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of DELORES RUTH BAKER a/k/a Delores R. Baker a/k/a Delores Baker, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 030689
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Patricia Rankin, Esq. Atty. Reg. #27546 77 Erie Village Square Erie, CO 80516
Legal Notice No. BSB3482
First Publication: November 21, 2024
Last Publication: December 5, 2024
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Valarie J. Chapman
(a.k.a. Valarie June Chapman), Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 30758
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative Aaron Chapman Law Office of Alexandra White, P.C. Krista Beauchamp, #47615 12625
SHORTAGE
Elgawly called the shortage a crisis that he expects to have to continue managing for some time. “We are going to operate under the assumption that this is going to be the way it is through the end of 2024 and have adopted our demand/conservation measures accordingly,” he said.
At the end of the calendar year, many patients with insurance hurry to schedule surgical procedures before their deductibles reset in January. Elgawly is eyeing that typical surgical rush and the impending peak of respiratory virus season as he tries to stockpile IV uid bags. Hospitals such as Inova’s are using different ways to conserve, such as giving some medications intravenously, but without a dedicated IV uid bag, known as a push medication.
“You don’t even need a bag at all. You just give the medication without the bag,” he said. “ ere has been increasing literature over the last 10 to 20 years that indicates maybe you don’t need to use as much. And this accelerated our sort of innovation and testing of that idea.”
Monica Coleman is a nurse at a Department of Veterans A airs hospital in North Chicago. She said using push medications takes more time out of a
nurse’s already hectic schedule because then they need to monitor the patient.
“ is could increase adverse e ects within the patient, because we’re giving the medication at a faster rate,” she said.
Elgawly is also interested in retooling electronic health records to question doctor orders for more IV hydration.
“Does the patient actually need that second bag? How did they do today with
PUBLIC NOTICES
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADOIN THE INTEREST OF:
Atticus Jessup A Child, and Concerning
Billie Jessup, John Doe
Respondents:
S U M M O N S
To the parents, guardian, or other respondents named above, GREETINGS: John doe
You are hereby notified that a verified petition has been filed in the above named Court in which it is represented to the Court that said child are alleged to be dependent and neglected; for the reasons set forth more fully in said petition, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference for greater certainty.
You are further notified that the parent-child legal relationship may be terminated by this action, if prayed for in the petition.
You are further notified that the Court has set said petition for hearing on the 5th day of December, 2024 at the hour of 9:10 a.m.
You are hereby notified to be and appear, at said time, before this Court located at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601.
Witness my hand and seal of said Court this 18th day of November, 2024.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO IN THE INTEREST OF: Axel Hughes, Parker Waller, Bentley Waller A Child(ren), and Concerning
Alison Waller, Joseph Hughes, Jeffrey Domrose, Adam Williams Respondents: S U M M O N S To the parents, guardian, or other respondents named above, GREETINGS: Adam Williams
You are hereby notified that a verified petition has been filed in the above named Court in which it is represented to the Court that said child are alleged to be dependent and neglected; for the reasons set forth more fully in said petition, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference for greater certainty.
You are further notified that the parent-child legal relationship may be terminated by this action, if prayed for in the petition.
You are further notified that the Court has set said petition for hearing on the 9th day of January, 2025 at the hour of 10:10 a.m. You are hereby notified to be and appear, at said time, before this Court located at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601.
Witness my hand and seal of said Court this 14th day of November, 2024.
Alana Percy Clerk of the District Court
Legal Notice No. BSB3501
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: November 28, 2024 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade ###
eating or drinking water or juice? ey did well? ey don’t need the bag. So it’s little conservation mechanisms like that that, when you add them across, you know, the 2,000-patient system that Inova is, make a signi cant dent,” he said.
Simpler conservation measures could become common after the shortage abates, said Vince Green, chief medical o cer for Pipeline Health, a small hos-
pital system in the Los Angeles area that serves mainly people on Medicare and Medicaid.
First, Green would like to see data showing that patient outcomes aren’t a ected. But for now, some of the new strategies just make sense to him. He has directed hospital sta to use up the entire IV bag before starting another.
“If they come in with IV uids that the paramedics have started, let’s continue it. If it saves half a bag of uids, so be it, but it adds up over time,” he said.
Patients may be asked to take more accountability for their hydration, by drinking Gatorade or water rather than the default of hydrating through an IV, he said.
“From an environmental aspect, we don’t need to have this much waste and ll up our land lls. If we could reduce stu , I think it’d be wise,” he said.
But he’ll feel better when his hospitals receive a full order, which could be weeks away. Green said they are down to a two-week supply, with an expected increase in hospitalizations due to respiratory virus season.
“We’re purchasing every IV uid bag that we can get,” he said.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
NOTICE is hereby given to all interested parties (i) that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Springs Metropolitan District (the “District ”) for the ensuing year of 2025; (ii) that a copy of such proposed 2025 Budget has been filed in the office of the District, 44 Cook Street, Suite 620, Denver, Colorado, 80206, where the same is open for public inspection; and (iii) that approval of a Resolution to Adopt Budget and Appropriate Funds for 2025 will be considered at public a hearing of the Board to be held at 11:35 a.m. on December 2, 2024. This meeting will be held via Zoom: https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/81462538864; Meeting ID: 814 6253 8864. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final the approval of the Resolution to Adopt Budget for 2025, inspect the budget and file or register any objections thereto.
THE SPRINGS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
By:/s/ Blake Carlson Director
Legal Notice No. FLP1165
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: November 28, 2024
Publisher: Fort Lupton Press Public Notice
NOTICE CONCERNING HEARING ON PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET OF THE SPRINGS SOUTH 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 The Springs South Metropolitan District (the “District ”) for the ensuing year of 2025; (ii) that a copy of such proposed 2025 Budget has been filed in the office of the District, 44 Cook Street, Suite 620, Denver, Colorado, 80206, where the same is open for public inspection;
and (iii) that approval of a Resolution to Adopt Budget and Appropriate Funds for 2025 will be considered at public a hearing of the Board to be held at 11:35 a.m. on December 2,
to Creditors
Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September, wrecked a facility that produces 60% of the IV fluids used in the U.S., according to the American Hospital Association. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Why now might be the best time to buy an EV in Colorado
BY SAM BRASCH CPR NEWS
Colorado drivers considering an electric vehicle might not want to mull over the decision for too much longer. at’s because the state’s nation-leading EV tax credit is set to shrink from $5,000 to $3,500 at the end of the year. e cut will make it harder for dealers to keep o ering eye-popping leases on low-cost EV models, which have helped put thousands of new battery-powered cars on Colorado roads over the last few months and drive the state to No. 2 in the nation for EV adoption.
On top of the scheduled reduction, the transition team for President-elect Donald Trump has signaled its planning to kill a federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 as part of a planned tax reform package. If the incoming Republicanled Congress goes along with the idea, it could further limit the total incentives available to Colorado EV buyers.
“ is is the best deal you’re ever going to get,” said Matt Groves, the president and CEO of the Colorado Auto Dealers Association. “We don’t know how much money is coming o the table next year, but it’s going to be more than zero.”
A suite of generous incentives has helped make Colorado a bright spot for EV adoption nationwide. Under current policies, a resident can theoretically qualify for up to $26,500 in discounts by combining state and federal incentives with additional rebates o ered by Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest electricity provider.
It appears those steep discounts have helped convince drivers to ditch tradi-
tional vehicles. A recent report from the Colorado Auto Dealer Association found that 23 percent of new cars registered in the state during the rst three quarters of 2024 were either battery-electric or plugin hybrid models. Only California had a higher EV market share over the same period, the report shows.
One factor driving the trend is rock-bottom leases on some EV models. Boulder Nissan, for example, currently o ers an entry-level Nissan Leaf for $5 per month after a Colorado resident pays roughly $3,000 in dealer fees and sales taxes. Other local Nissan dealers o er higher monthly prices for a smaller upfront cost.
Ed Olsen, the general sales manager at Boulder Nissan, expects the eye-popping lease arrangements to slow in 2025. He said the deals only make sense due to Colorado’s EV tax credit, which o ers additional cash for a ordable models with a recommended sales price under $35,000, plus an extra incentive if auto dealers handle all the related paperwork.
Once the overall bene t shrinks, Olsen would guess the monthly lease price for a Nissan Leaf would jump to about $70 per month.
ose expectations also depend on President-elect Trump’s failure to eliminate the federal tax credit. If he moves ahead with the plan, Olsen said Nissan will likely shift the nances behind the current lease deals, forcing auto dealers to further increase prices.
But not everyone thinks Colorado’s EV momentum depends on the federal tax credit
Groves, the president of the auto dealer association, said the federal discount was always confusing since it only ap-
plied to drivers meeting speci c income quali cations and vehicles meeting domestic manufacturing requirements. If the federal tax credit disappears, he’s not convinced EV demand will dry up in Colorado.
At this point, he’s hopeful the EV market is mature enough to keep growing despite a drop in federal and state support. While incentives might decline, Colorado has built out its public charging network in the last few years and manufacturers o er far more options to potential buyers.
“As these cars become more prevalent, people are just becoming more comfortable with the concept,” Groves said. e auto dealers association also isn’t planning to lobby for a larger state EV
tax credit when the upcoming legislative session starts in January, Groves said. Gov. Jared Polis, however, doesn’t want to see Colorado buyers lose access to the federal discount. In an email to CPR News, Eric Maruyama, a spokesperson for the governor’s o ce, said Presidentelect Trump’s plans to eliminate the tax credit and impose tari s will hurt consumers and kill jobs.
“We hope the incoming administration reconsiders putting American workers, our pocketbooks and the strength of our economy rst,” Maruyama said. is story is from CPR News, a nonprofit public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr. org.
