Canyon Courier October 3, 2024

Remodeled

Elementary

Shadow Mountain Bike Park hits

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In a unanimous vote, the Je erson County Planning Commission voted Sept. 23 to recommend denial of a special use permit for Conifer’s proposed Shadow Mountain Bike Park. In casting their votes, the seven commissioners repeatedly cited concerns about wildlife on the site and the park’s incompatibility with surrounding land uses. e vote was a relief for opponents — who’ve spent four years gathering and organizing evidence against the project — and a setback for the applicants. But it’s not the end of the story.

Bergen Elementary Principal Kristen Hyde speaks during the grand opening of the school, as Je erson County Board of Education member Erin Kenworthy and State Rep. Tammy Story, both of whom also spoke, listen.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Remodeled and renamed Bergen Elementary celebrates grand opening

Former Bergen Valley now includes students from recently closed Bergen Meadow sister school

BY JANE REUTER

Teachers, students and community members celebrated the grand opening of Evergreen’s Bergen Elementary Sept. 19. e school, which previously operated as Bergen Valley Elementary, now also includes students from its closed sister school, Bergen Meadow. It closed in spring 2023, a victim of declining enrollment.

As part of the change, Je co Public Schools funded a 15,000-squarefoot, 10-classroom addition, a

discs!

remodeled library and new playground to Bergen Valley Elementary, and changed its name to Bergen Elementary. e one-story addition includes seven classrooms dedicated to preschool and kindergarten.

For many, the Sept. 19 grand opening gave them their rst peek at the changes.

“It’s a great celebration and I’m looking forward to seeing the new classrooms,” Sondra Jackson Kellogg, Bergen Meadow’s principal from 1983 to 1993 said before the short grand opening ceremony.

“I have mixed feelings, but things change. I understand with the declining enrollment why they didn’t keep the other building open.”

“ e closing was sad but it makes sense in the long run,” agreed Wendi Kerbel, who was a preschool teacher at Bergen Meadow from 2011 to 2022. “It’s nice to have everybody here in one building.”

Principal Kristen Hyde, who led both schools before the merger, thanked the community for its support.

Teachers, who welcomed visitors touring the new classrooms, said they are happy with the new space. Several of the new classrooms have bathrooms and sinks, so children don’t have to leave the room to wash their hands or use the restroom.

“It is amazing to have the school under one roof,” said Lizl DeJager.

“I think it brought the school family together, and we’re very lucky with this beautiful addition. It’s like being in a small village.”

November 8, 2024

5:30 - 7:30 PM

• Nine hole tournament

• Two discs provided

• Closest drive to the pin contest

• Prizes for 1st place team and Closest to the pin winner

Bergen Meadow was built on Hiwan Drive in 1970. It was known then as Bergen Elementary School, and housed all elementary school grades. Bergen Valley opened on nearby Sugarbush Drive in 1997 to provide more space for the thenovercrowded Bergen Elementary. e two schools were known as e Bergens.

Teacher Irene Grundin, who taught for 35 years, said the merger brings e Bergens school family full circle.

“ e Bergens are a special place,” she said. “I’m excited for them to be back in one school.”

two, toured the renovated spaces with his wife and daughters. Johnson attended Bergen Meadow as a child, and his oldest Ryleigh is now a student at Bergen Elementary.

“Bergen Meadow was wonderful; I have a lot of good memories,” he said. “We love what they’ve done at

Bergen Elementary. We’re very ex-

Ryleigh, a preschooler, said her favorite thing about her new school is not the new classrooms or playground.

“It’s my teachers; Ms. (Erin) Rissmiller and Ms. Patricia (Hamarat),” she said shyly.

Bergen Elementary kindergarten teacher Kim Silvestri talks with former Bergen Meadow teacher Irene Grundin and her husband Pete during the grand opening.

PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER

Preschool teacher Lizl DeJager welcomes visitors to her new classroom during Bergen Elementary’s Sept. 19 grand opening.

BIKE PARK

e Je erson County Commissioners will make the nal decision, likely in November. While both the planning commission and planning sta recommend denial, their opinions do not bind the county commissioners.

Denver residents Phil Bouchard and Jason Evans, mountain biking friends since childhood, proposed the day-use, lift-served bike park on a 230-acre State Land Board property along Shadow Mountain Drive. ey say their development will alleviate trail congestion and ll a need in Colorado’s fast-growing mountain biking community. Bouchard said they estimate 60,000 to 70,000 visitors per season.

Planning commissioners considered three nights and more than 16 hours of public testimony from 117 people, in addition to county sta reports and the applicants’ rebuttal. ey were united in their opposition, with each rst praising the developers for their e ort, then saying they could not support it at the Conifer site.

adhere to CPW’s recommendation. at proposal came too late for planning commissioners.

“Conceptually, I really like this idea,” Messner said. “I do think wildlife is the issue here. is is a highpriority habitat for wildlife. If not for that timing aspect, I could be in favor.”

“I hope to visit your bike park one day,” said Commissioner David Duncan. “You have a fantastic concept. But this piece of property, for this use, is not compatible.”

Commissioners were also concerned about stress on local emergency services providers, added tra c and uncertainty about a long-term water source for Shadow Mountain Bike Park.

“ e high intensity of use just boggles my imagination on that mountain,” said Commissioner Wendy Spencer. “As for wildlife, I don’t think there will be any.”

Commissioner John Messner also said the developers’ proposed seasonal closure was not enough to ease his mind about the impact to

wildlife. Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife recommended the park close annually from January to July to protect wintering and newly born animals. e developers proposed closing two months short of that — from January to April — but said late in the Sept. 23 hearing they could revise their timeline to more closely

Bouchard said he was surprised that wildlife became a central issue, noting they had agreed to the majority of recommendations about wildlife, and were willing to bend on the length of the seasonal closure.

“I do think there’s a perception that wildlife and recreators can’t get along,” he said. “But anybody who has spent any time at Evergreen Lake or the Evergreen Golf Course … I could not think of more interaction

Shadow Mountain Bike Park Ranch attorney Diana Caruso Jenkins, with applicant Jason Evans to her left, addresses concerns raised during public comments at the Sept. 23 hearing.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

GREEN HOMES TOUR

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Self-Guided Tour 9am–4pm • $15/adult $25/couple

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Electric Vehicle Roundup

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BIKE PARK

between wildlife and people. ere are elk everywhere.”

Bouchard and Evans hired a team of experts, including an attorney, a wildland re mitigation specialist and an outdoor recreation planning design rm, to testify at the hearing.

“I don’t know how to feel,” Bouchard said after the commissioners’ vote. “Jason and I are trying to do something that’s never been done in the state. And we’re rst timers. Whether we’re going to win or lose going forward I couldn’t tell you. It’s like trying to rope the wind.”

Opponents, meanwhile, were elated.

who said it would provide a healthy outlet for kids and a state mountain biking group leader who emphasized the need for more trails. e project is set for a public hearing with the county commissioners on Oct.1, but commissioners are expected then to continue it to Nov. 12. Because the planning commission’s hearings on the issue were extended, Planning Commission Chairman Tim Rogers said county sta will need the extra time to write a new report for the hearing.

For more information: support@NewEnergyColorado. com

“My heart … it’s a relief,” said Barbara Moss Murphy, co-chair of Stop the Bike Park. “Just hearing the planning commissioners speak showed they really listened. I don’t think it gets any better than that.”

In a highly organized e ort, a total of 82 people from Stop the Bike Park spoke during the planning hearings.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Conifer’s Pam Rothman. “I just really hope the county commissioners listen to what went on tonight and understand it’s just not right for this area and this neighborhood.”

Several people also spoke for the park, including Conifer parents

Despite the unanimous recommendation for denial, Bouchard said he and Evans are moving forward.

“ ere’s no other site at this time and we really do feel this is a good site for this,” he said. “I think our time is better spent trying to make that work than pivoting at this time.”

Under questioning from commissioners, Evans and Bouchard disclosed some nancial details about the park.

At full buildout, they project the park will generate an annual revenue of $11 to $12 million. Shadow Mountain Bike Park would likely sell day passes for about $70 on weekends, with a reduced weekday rate, as well as season passes. e bike park they envision would be the only one of its kind in Colorado, with a 300-car, reservation-only parking lot, 16 miles of trails and a lodge.  FROM PAGE 3

The Shadow Mountain Bike Park team, including attorney Diana Caruso Jenkins (center, in white) and applicants Jason Evans (in light blue) and Phil Bouchard (standing) requested an 11th-hour meeting just before commissioners voted Sept. 23. Jenkins then asked the board to proceed with their vote.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Visiting Other Countries This Year Gave Me New Insight on What’s Possible in Society

Tuesday evening Rita and I returned from completing our world tour. It took us from Los Angeles to Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Senegal, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, England, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. From Montreal, we drove through northern New England at peak foliage, before flying home from Boston on Tuesday. In addition to daily lectures by distinguished diplomats and professors, we went on shore excursions in each port, learning how life differs from country to country.

Crime rates, especially gun violence, is so much lower everywhere we visited, because gun ownership is so rare compared to America, where there are more guns than people.

Don’t Miss Saturday’s Green Homes Tour!

In Copenhagen, over 50 percent of workers commute by bicycle, helped by winters which are milder than in Denver. Montreal, however, is recognized as the most bicycle-friendly city in the world, with more separated bike lanes than Amsterdam.

Being a Realtor, I naturally was interested in how people were housed, and, being committed as I am to sustainable living and saving the planet from the ravages of climate change, I paid attention to how sustainable their energy grid is, and how water and waste are handled. As a longtime owner of EVs, I also noted whether the places we visited were more or less on board with the shift to EVs than here at home.

Altogether, Rita and I were away for over five months, with a 3½-month break back in Colorado this summer. I posted my observations every day at http://wherearejimandrita.substack.com

We were most impressed with the Scandinavian countries — Sweden, Denmark and Norway. As I reported on my blog, every bus and truck in those countries is equipped with an breathalyzer interlock device. The vehicle will not start without the driver proving through that device that he has zero alcohol in his bloodstream. That’s right, not below a legal limit but zero. Passenger cars don’t have such a device, but the penalties for driving with even a low alcohol level are severe. The result is a huge decline in alcohol-related accidents and deaths over the past decades.

Here in America we have photo radar units which generate speeding and red light tickets for drivers, but the tickets do not result in points against your license. In Sweden the secondary roads have photo radar units every few miles, and if you are captured on camera going more than 15 kilometers per hour over the speed limit, your driver’s license can be suspended. (Fortunately, even the rural highways have bus service.) On my blog you’ll find a video showing one of these roadside radar units. Here’s a screenshot from it:

As far as we could tell, homelessness was not a significant problem anywhere we visited, unlike in America. In Sweden and Norway, most middle-class people live in the city but have a summer cottage, so statistically there is more than one home per family overall.

Single-family homes are much rarer in these other countries. Most people either rent or own an apartment in a multi-family structure. In Montreal we were shown the six-family homes constructed following World War II to house returning soldiers. In America, the post-war pattern was set by Levittown: subdivisions of one-story homes, typically with a garage, made possible, of course, by all the empty land here.

Levittown is also famous for not selling to black soldiers, which brings up another observation. In one of the lectures we attended about why Scandinavians regularly ranked as the happiest people in the world, it was pointed out that those countries have no history of serfdom or indentured servants, as one of the reasons. There’s less ingrained fear among populations.

Regarding EVs, there was a vast disparity in the adoption rate of electric vehicles from country to country. In Norway, effective Jan. 1 of this year, every taxicab had to be an EV, and in Bergen all city buses and most tourist buses are electric. In Montreal, the EV adoption rate is similar to here, but the trucks and buses are all diesel and the street noise level is unpleasantly high.

I encourage you to check out my blog for other insights.

Now is the best time to create a more sustainable home. The benefits are huge, and the savings are tempting. But how do you start? The easy first step is to experience the annual Metro Denver Green Homes Tour, of which Golden Real Estate is a co-sponsor.

Join the self guided tour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th for just $15 per adult or $25 per couple. Follow the maps in the guide book to see some fantastic homes, all at your own pace. Explore creative older home retrofits and exciting new homes. See how your neighbors are enjoying beautiful, comfortable and healthy homes that benefit their communities and take on the changing climate, all while saving significant money over time.

Get some great ideas for your home. The tour features post-Marshall-fire homes rebuilt with unique sustainable and energy efficient designs; a Washington Park 1920s Craftsman-style green remodel; a 1950s home with a ground-source heat pump, solar power, and xeriscaping; the latest energyefficient all-electric townhomes; an updated 1979 solar home; and more.

Learn about current government and utility incentives. Learn how to harness free energy with dependable solar power and battery systems that shield you from brownouts and blackouts while dodging expensive utility timeof-use rates. Discover the latest heat pump technology; passive solar strategies; induction cooking; effective insulation; electric lawncare equipment; accessory dwelling units; and state-of-the-art construction materials. After the tour, plan to attend the free Reception & Green Expo: 4:30 to 6:30pm at Jefferson Unitarian Church (JUC), 14350 W. 32nd Ave., Golden Enjoy free appetizers, local beverages and live music. See renewable energy & sustainable living exhibits, a mobile container home unit, and electric bikes. From 3 to 5pm check out the electric cars in our annual EV roundup Bring your questions. Talk to homeowners and gain from their experiences and advice. Talk to builders and suppliers and learn about the latest techniques, technologies and money saving incentives. You can purchase a ticket at www.NewEnergyColorado.org

Jim Smith

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The changing temperatures and shorter days in the

Guanella Pass o ers spectacular fall colors

Aspen leaves turn brilliant shades as cool weather comes

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e changing temperatures and shorter days in the mountains create a once-a-year spectacular show of colors in the high country.

Colorful leaves of the mountain aspens draw thousands of people from around the world and across the country to Colorado to witness nature in its splendor, and Guanella Pass in Georgetown is its epitome, according to visitors.

“Growing up we spent a lot of time in the mountains. My grandparents lived in Evergreen so we were up here a lot, we used to sh the creek with my grandpa all the time and he passed away last year so it’s very special to be able to come up here still and have all of the memories,” Colorado na-

tive Dru Ogg said while walking with her 2-year-old son Hudson along the trails at Clear Lake o Guanella Pass. According to the U.S. Forestry Service trees at altitude, especially the aspens, begin a natural cycle in which chlorophyll production slows and eventually stops. Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives leaves their green color, so when it breaks down, the green color disappears.

e technical de nition and explanation of what takes place every fall is one thing, the technicolor results of the phenomenon are what dazzles visitors every year.

“I love seeing the aspens changing colors like the yellow and the orange. It’s pretty cool mixed in with all the evergreen trees. It’s a pretty cool sight,” Courtney Montgomery of Denver said alongside her husband Alex.  e pair shared a day o from their vocation as youth ministers at the Denver Church of Christ to visit the 10,000 foot mountains in Georgetown.

“It’s just nice and peaceful out here,” Alex Montgomery said. “Yeah,

it’s a gem.”

Visitors to the mountains of Guanella Pass witnessed the steady and constant rush of tra c heading into altitude to see the show “free of charge” provided by nature and available to all.

“No place else I’d want to be,” said Colorado native Maureen Blackford with her sister Carol Black.

“ is is a favorite playground, you can’t ask for better nature, wildlife, blue skies,” Black said. “You got such a beautiful palette of greens and yellows and oranges and reds. Not too many states have this array of colors.”

“You gotta get out and enjoy it while you can, you blink and you’ll miss it,” Blackford added.

According to Georgetown o cials, the economic impact of this yearly phenomenon is di cult to quantify but the tra c alone with license plates from California, Texas, New York, Oklahoma and overwhelming Colorado are evident of the tourist dollars owing into the town.

“I just think they’re just breathtaking every year,” Ogg said.

Dru Ogg walks with her 2-year-old son Hudson along the trails at Clear Lake o Guanella Pass in Georgetown. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Maureen Blackford and her sister Carol Black at Guanella Pass in Georgetown on Sept. 23. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

mountains create a once-ayear spectacular show of colors in Georgetown.

PHOTO BY ERIN VALLIER

Courtney Montgomery of Denver alongside her husband Alex at Clear Lake in Georgetown.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Evergreen’s Marshdale Park pickleball courts ready for play

Evergreen Park & Recreation District hosts ribbon cutting and tournament at renovated space

BY JANE REUTER

e renovated Marshdale Park pickleball courts had a moment of stillness when the Evergreen Park & Recreation District hosted a Sept. 21 ribbon cutting. en 10 teams of pickleball players took over the new surface for some tournament play.

EPRD converted what was previously a combination pickleball/tennis court into all pickleball this summer by resurfacing, repainting and adding new nets to the courts near North Turkey Creek Road and Highway 73.

“It came out fabulously and on budget,” said EPRD Executive Direc-

tor Cory Vander Veen.

Pickleball players agree.

Evergreen Pickleball Club members play on the newly dedicated Marshdale Park pickleball courts Sept. 21.

PHOTO BY

EVERGREEN PARK & RECREATION DISTRICT

done,” he said.

EPRD spent $300,000 on the renovation. It’s still nishing sound mitigation e orts at the park, including the expected spring installation of a windscreen around the courts and this fall’s completion of a dirt berm. Both are designed to shield the nearby neighborhood from the sounds pickleballs make as they strike the paddles.

“ e neighbors asked us to focus on that,” Vander Veen said. “ ey’ve been very positive in working with us to nd solutions.”

be key to our whole operation.

“It’s something a number of us have been working on and pushing for with EPRD for a couple years,” he continued. “We know the noise generated by pickleball has become an issue. e only way we can get around that is to have an indoor facility.”

e Evergreen Pickleball Club has about 320 members, with many more on its newsletter list.

Kerr understands well why pickleball continues to draw new players.

“ e new courts are beautiful; everybody loves them and they’re getting a lot of use,” said Evergreen Pickleball Club president Bob Kerr.

“We couldn’t be happier.”

Kerr said court space for the fastgrowing spot of pickleball is “pretty limited” in the Evergreen area, so the EPRD’s Marshdale Park renovation was welcome.

“ e Marshdale courts are our main base of operations, which is why it was so key that this project get

e Marshdale courts will likely close with the rst big snowfall and re-open next spring.

“ e more you plow it, the more it beats up the surface,” Vander Veen said. “We want to preserve the quality of them.”

While Pickleball Club members understand the winter closure, Kerr said it leaves players with even fewer options.

“Once we get to the winter months, we only have one place to play and that’s the Wulf Recreation Center,” he said. “Some indoor courts would

“It’s a sport for all ages,” he said. “It’s a good form of exercise, and you can play as hard or as easy as you want. ere’s also lots of camaraderie and social interaction. It’s very social.”

Pickleball was invented in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three friends. It gained momentum during the pandemic as a socially distant way for people to stay active, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

e sport has grown 223% in the last three years, according to Pickleheads.com.

Hard Hats & High Heels breaks fundraising record for Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity

Money supports ongoing construction of townhomes in Idaho Springs and planned houses in Evergreen and Conifer

BY JANE REUTER

e annual Hard Hats & High Heels fundraiser for Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity raised record-setting funds for the Evergreen housing organization.

“We broke over $91,000,” said Blue Spruce Executive Director Kathleen O’Leary. “It was a fabulous evening. We’re really appreciative of the community and their support, and it was a really fun evening.”

e Sept. 18 event at Evergreen Lake House featured not only appetizers, auctions and live music, but an appearance from local elk just outside the venue.

For the rst time in the event’s history, Evergreen artist Julieann Miller created a painting during the event, which was also auctioned.

“Each year, it seems to be getting better and more exciting,” said Janet Doyle, who serves on the organization’s board. “ is year we were ecstatic. It was our best fundraising event ever.

“We have so many pieces of land we are looking to build on in the next ve years,” she continued. “It’s really di cult to nd land up here, and just to get the funds to start more building is fantastic.”

Blue Spruce board members contributed $25,000 to the total by matching the amount contributed during the paddle raise — a live fundraising auction during which attendees pledge donations by raising their designated paddles to a specific amount or giving levels.

Money raised during the evening supports the local Habitat for Humanity’s work, which happens in west Je erson, Clear Creek and parts of Park County. Volunteers are currently hard at work in Clear Creek County.

“Right now, we are building eight townhomes in Idaho Springs,” O’Leary said. “Next year will be moving on to three single-family homes in Evergreen and Conifer.”

EXCAVATING RETIREMENT

Doyle said Hard Hats & High Heels also helps raise awareness of its programs.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come together and see what can be done to help peo-

ReStore Assistant Manager AJ Beaver and partner Zoe Locke enjoy the Sept. 18 fundraiser.

PHOTO BY SYLVIA AALUND

HABITAT GALA

ple who are living in this area, but completely unable to a ord stable housing,” she said. “ ese are all the people who make our community a wonderful place to live — school teachers, bank tellers, people in the restaurants or grocery stores — the people we see and rely on every day.

“For them not to be able to a ord to live in the community in which they work is really unfortunate,” she continued. “And I think Blue Spruce is helping enable more people live and work in the community.”

Doyle said the local Habitat for Humanity has increased the number of homes it builds annually in recent years, a fact she attributes to more funding from both grants and donations, an increase in volunteers, and the support of its board and sta .

Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity also has repairs and chores programs to help economically disadvantaged people and seniors who

are already in homes.

It also manages the Blue Spruce Habitat Restore at 1232 Bergen Parkway in Evergreen.

Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity, the local a liate of Habitat for Humanity International, was founded in 1990 by 12 local volunteers who saw the need for a ordable housing in the Evergreen area.

Evergreen artist Julianne Miller works on a painting at the Hard Hats & High Heels event that was later auctioned.

PHOTOS BY SYLVIA AALUND

Executive Director Kathleen O’Leary speaks during the Sept. 18 Hard Hats & High Heels fundraiser at Evergreen Lake House.

It was intriguing to listen to two friends jocularly engage in an exchange about being opinionated. While their back-and-forth was in context of their discussion group, I was hearing it through a philosophical sense. Like what is an opinion? Why have one? When should it be shared? And more.

Someone once asserted that opinions are like personal atulence: Everyone has them and they all stink except one’s own. Of course, that’s an opinion since the assertion hasn’t been — thankfully — empirically tested.

Essentially, an opinion is a person’s interpretation of information. It could be about food, religion, social-political issues and a host of others. Opinion is not about truth, which resides in an elevated place. Instead, opinion is common, pedestrian.

With regard to everyone having an opinion, I’ve learned that’s not necessarily the case. I’ve talked with people who won’t take a stance — express an opinion — about substantive issues, despite them o ering one about the social-political environment in their defense. Ironically, they generally consider themselves to be good citizens. Seriously?

Publicly expressing an opinion is a recent phenomenon. Prior to the Enlightenment, people almost always lived under tyrannies. Whether in state ones like emperors, kings, and caliphs or ecclesiastical ones like popes, bishops, and ayatollahs, the ruler’s word was law. Other than

As members of the Clear Creek School District Board of Education tasked with negotiating with the Clear Creek Center for Arts and Education, we would like to explain our recent decision to cease negotiations with CCCAE regarding their potential lease of the 4th oor at Carlson Elementary. is was not a decision we arrived at lightly, given our deep appreciation for the arts and our respect for CCCAE’s vision. e organization has shown incredible

VOICES

Opinionated

in the Greek citystates where democracy ourished and Rome where the republican form of government was devised, expressing an opinion could be a dangerous enterprise. It didn’t become safe until the post-Guttenberg (printing press), post-Reformation  era. Even then, expressing an opinion often resulted in unpleasantries, like being excommunicated, burned at the stake, or stretched on a rack by Torquemada, the Spanish Inquisitor. By the late seventeenth century, most notably in England and the Dutch Republic, it was becoming safer to express an opinion, albeit within certain bounds. It wouldn’t become part of the American ethos, however, until decades later, primarily because of the people we celebrate at anksgiving —the Puritans at Plymouth Rock — who were as tyrannical as the authorities they ed. Recall the Salem Witch Trials. Same story, di erent place. It’s good we’re periodically reminded about our rights delineated in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness among them. But it’s also important to be reminded that with rights comes responsibility, especially during election season. Like being informed, thoughtfully form-

ing an opinion, and expressing it in a variety of ways, from engaging in constructive debate or intelligent conversation — not a shouting match — to writing a letter to the editor.

Prior to forming and expressing an opinion, it’s good practice to research and build a credible, factbased case about why you believe such and such so you can explain your positions without embarrassing yourself. Another is to trace your past to understand how and why your point of view evolved to what it is now. e reason is an opinion is not based solely on recently acquired information. It’s an outcome of a lifetime of experiences. e foundation of democracy is an educated, informed, involved citizenry. It’s the reason omas Jefferson and crew worked to establish public schools where critical thinking skills could be taught, and the early twentieth-century reformers enacted compulsory attendance laws for children. (Plus, to keep them out of the coal mines and factories.)

You’d think that given the history of tyrannical governance, the current oppressive tyrannies in Russia, Iran, and elsewhere, and our history of courageous individuals, like omas Paine whose “Common Sense” propelled the irteen Colonies toward independence, Americans would value and protect their right to express an opinion. But that’s often not the case anymore. A new form of tyranny has taken hold over the past decade: Self-enforced

silence when it comes to a healthy exchange of ideas in the public square. Many have become fearful of speaking their minds outside their bubble. at’s frightening and dangerous.

Although freely expressing an opinion had an inauspicious beginning in America, it’s become and remains the American way. Our democracy depends on citizens having conversations not just about which team will win the Super Bowl but also about issues like immigration, reproductive and voting rights, and whether we value our democracy so much that we’re willing to put ourselves on the line by voicing our opinions publicly and forthrightly.

Try it. You might ru e a few feathers, but you might also prompt another to reconsider an untenable position. And in the process, maybe make a new friend.

My friends’ back-and-forth was, of course, in context of the standard meaning of opinionated, which means being stridently vocal about one’s point of view. But it made me wonder about which is worse: being opinionated or not speaking one’s mind at all.

When my friends’ exchange waned, I chimed in with, “You know, I wish more people were opinionated.”

But that’s just my opinion.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

Clear Creek Board of Education’s decision on CCCAE

GUEST COLUMN

Kelly Flenniken

Erica Haag

Marcie King

Kerry Ann McHugh

passion and dedication to bringing arts programming to our community, and we sincerely commend them for their efforts.

However, as a school district, we have the responsibility to carefully evaluate all partnerships to ensure they align with both our scal and operational priorities.

After thorough consideration, several key factors led us to the conclusion that the current arrangement is not a responsible t for the district at this time.

1. Financial viability

While CCCAE has ambitious and commendable goals, the organization is still in its early stages and lacks the long-term nancial security that we need to see in a partnership of this scale. Despite substantial e orts

on CCCAE’s part to secure funding, including grants and pre-authorized bond work, there remains a signicant nancial risk to the district. We must prioritize scal responsibility and protect future boards from potentially unsustainable commitments.

2. Organizational track record

We recognize that the district has previously worked with newer orga-

JERRY FABYANIC Columnist

Free and fair elections don’t just happen; they’re a community e ort

For me, every election is about community power — the power we hold when we come together. Our vote is that power. is is my fourth election now as your Je erson County Clerk, and what I’ve come to learn about our community is thatwe cherish and protect the power of our vote, not because we have to, but because it’s who we are.

Let me explain. In the last presidential election, the U.S. had a record voter turnout of 66%. Here, however, about 90% of you voted. Je co, when the ballot box is open, you show up. Around the country, election ofces are scrambling to ll their hundreds or thousands of temporary worker roles. But not here. Because when we needed to hire 900 election workers, thousands of you applied. I used to run the state’s largest nonpartisan election protection e ort, and I learned a lot about what it looks like when voters care about and are engaged in their democracy. A clear sign is whether they’re asking questions. Not just easy ones, like where and when, but harder ones, like why and how. Over the past year, you’ve sent us thousands of messages and questions, and several hundred of you have come out and toured our facilities to make sure you understand the election process.

Our elections are in good hands because they’re in your hands.

As Clerk, I’m committed to free and fair elections, ensuring that every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their vote and have it counted. And when you show up, we’ll show up for you. Here’s how we’ll protect:

Your right to vote: If you’re eligible, you can vote. If you’re 18, a Colorado resident for at least 22 days, a US citizen, and are not currently serving a felony sentence in jail or prison, you are eligible. And you can register right up to and including on Election Day.

Your ballot: From drop boxes to vote centers, every ballot is protected by layers of security, from our bipartisan teams of workers to video surveillance to chains of custody. We account for every ballot from when it’s cast through Election Day and for 25 months after each election.

Voter rolls:We conduct near-daily maintenance to update voter lists with data from o cial sources and meticulously match signatures on ballot envelopes to those we have

GUEST

Mildred

October 25, 1920 - September 9, 2024

COLUMN Amanda Gonzalez

on le. If there’s any question about whether it’s you who signed your envelope, we’ll reach out. We also work with the District Attorney to investigate, and prosecute if necessary, anything agged for review.

Your vote: Our machines are tested by party representatives before every election to ensure they’re counting accurately. ey’re never connected to the internet, kept in a restricted area, and are under constant surveillance. We audit the results after every single election to ensure accuracy.

Elections are a community e ort. ey’re powered by your neighbors, friends, the customers at your grocery store, the hikers you wave at on the trail, and the people you sit next to in church. Every ballot is handled with care by people like you who believe in fairness and transparency. It can be easy to feel anxious about elections. You may hear things that stir up doubts or fear. I believe that our democracy is built on trust and that the foundation of trust is transparency. We’re here to earn that trust by making our elections as open to your examination as we possibly can. Whether the results go the way you want them to or not, I want you to feel con dent we got them right.

We’re prepared for this election.

While we don’t expect any interference, we’ve got generators to keep operations running smoothly during a power outage, protocols for addressing mystery substances returned in ballot envelopes, election workers trained to de-escalate confrontations, law enforcement partners briefed and ready to support us, and more.

At the end of the day, our elections are about shaping our future, together. So let’s show up for each other. Let’s trust our process, our neighbors, and the collective power of our voices. Come take a tour. Send us your questions. Get engaged. is election is in your hands, and we’ll protect it with all we’ve got.

Amanda Gonzalez is the Je erson County Clerk & Recorder.

Mildred Keck Olson was born on October 25, 1920, to Anna (Steen) and Erick Keck in Doyon, North Dakota. She was the eldest of ve daughters. ey spent summers at the family farm at Keck’s Point on Lake Carlos near Alexandria, where her father and his siblings were born and raised. She graduated from Doyon High School and received her B. S. in Education from Mayville State Teacher’s College, as it was known then. She received her M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado.

through almost all of the states in America and many foreign countries. Mildred attributed her long life to her faith, family, friends, music, education, travel, and water, co ee and eggs. She is preceded in death by both husbands, son Rock, parents, in-laws, sisters Lorayne Lillehaugen, Colleen Polka, Mary Ann al, all of her aunts and uncles and several nieces and nephews.

In 1951 Mildred met Willard (Bill) Olson at a going away party for some friends in Doyon where he was teaching. ey were married on June 15th of 1952.

In 1959 the family moved to Evergreen, Colorado where Mildred taught vocal music at Evergreen Junior High from 1963 until 1983 when she retired. She started playing the piano when she was eight and was the church organist in most of the towns she lived in. In 1963 Mildred and Bill were founding members of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Evergreen and she was the organist and choir director there for 35 years. She continued as part time organist for many years and was still playing the piano at 103.

She is survived by her son Erick and daughters Marit (Henry) Lodge, Lynn (Douglas) Hill, sister Betty Karaim, grandsons Doug (Stephanie) Hill, Robert (Michaela) Hill, James (Ana) Hill, great grandchildren Kason, Kenzi, Sydney, Owen, and many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind colleagues and former students who were a great source of happiness and reward as a teacher.

Bill passed away in 1971, and in 1977 Mildred married Milton Bailey. He had two grown children, Lynn and Milton II (Rock).

Besides her love of music, Mildred also loved to travel, with family, friends, church groups, and school groups. She traveled

In celebration of Mildred’s life, a memorial service will be held on October 26, 2024, at 1:00 PM, at Church of the Cross, located at 28253 Meadow Drive, Evergreen, CO. 80439. Followed by Inurnment at Evergreen Memorial Park, 26624 N Turkey Creek Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439. Friends and family are invited to gather and share in memories, honoring the profound impact Mildred had

In lieu of owers, memorials in memory of Mildred may be made to Church of the Cross https://churchotc.com/give

Arvada Center reimagines the classic tale of ‘Dracula’

‘This is one of those Halloween, over-the-top, ridiculous bloody shows’

BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e Arvada Center is bringing a spooky story to the stage just in time for Halloween. Filled with vampires and vampire hunters, “Dracula” is mostly made up of one thing: men. However, that won’t be the case on stage.

“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” o ers a twist on the classic tale, with several characters — such as Ren eld and Van Helsing — played by women. e show reimagines Dracula’s story, with women at the center of the ght against him.

“I think that borrows a little bit of like Bu y the Vampire Slayer vibes,”

said Jessica Austgen, who plays Rein eld. “We now have these women kicking ass and beating the bad guy.”

While Ren eld and Van Helsing are now women, women from the original story — Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra — also get to step into the spotlight.

“(Women) are there to be pretty and be safe, to give the men something to love and ght for, and somebody to rescue,” said Austgen, referencing the original story. “In this show, Van Helsing, aided by Nina, now does a lot of the rescuing. I think giving those folks power to complete the mission of defeating Dracula, it’s really impactful to see that.”

“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” places women front and center in the ght against Dracula. However, it’s still the same story, and it’s lled with plenty of blood.

According to costume designer Clare Henkel, the show’s bloodiness proved to be its own challenge.

BY STAVROS KORONEOS

Aesops foibles

SOUTH JEFFCO – Chevy was beside herself. Summoning deputies to the Big Box Store parking lot, she told a harrowing tale of terror and murderous threats. As she’d been exiting eastbound C-470 just minutes before, she gasped, Tundra had bullied his way into her lane, very nearly

killing them both. Reacting like a panther, Chevy honked at Tundra, who responded like a chimpanzee, screaming at her and waving his arms. Following Chevy into the parking lot, Tundra parked behind her, approached on foot and shrieked “I’m going to kill you!” and then went inside to do a little light shopping. Chevy was just wrapping up her exciting narrative when she spied Tundra coming out of the Big Box. “ at’s

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our president, Jackie Bell who left us on September 8, 2024. As a cherished leader of EAPL for 43 years, Jackie was instrumental in animal rescue in Colorado and was known for her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of animals. The goodness of her character was evident in her compassion for animals and we will dearly miss her kindness.

Please join us on Oct 8 from 3-7pm at The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park in Marshdale: located at 26624 N Turkey Creek Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439. We invite all who knew Jackie to join us in celebrating her life and legacy. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to EAPL in Jackie’s name.

“Sometimes the blood is coming out of somebody’s mouth, so it has to be edible,” Henkel said. “Other times it’s fresh. Dried blood looks di erent than fresh blood.”

For Henkel and the rest of the creative team, blood posed a special challenge because it was used in so many di erent ways throughout the show.

“We have charts, we have graphs,” Henkel said. “We’ve tested blood on all these di erent fabrics. It’s a lot.”

Preparations for the show even included a “blood rehearsal” — a special rehearsal before the dress rehearsal where all the blood-related e ects were practiced.

“ is is one of those Halloween, over-the-top, ridiculous bloody shows,” Austgen said.

While the show makes some changes to the classic “Dracula” tale, it’s still the same story.

“You’ll get the whole ‘Dracula’ story, all of that,” Henkel said. “It’s very

bloody. It’s really scary, but it’s also very funny. So it’s, got something for everyone. It’s just really fun.”

For patrons who may be wary of the show’s title, Austgen says not to worry.

“I think some people are immediately put o when they see the word ‘feminist’ because they think it’s going to be uptight and no fun and male bashing,” Austgen said. “But our version isn’t that. If you like Bu y the Vampire Slayer or True Blood, where you can have all of these kick-ass men and women, this is the show for you. is is not a lecture. is is an adventure.”

“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” runs through Nov. 3, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday as well as 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets and more information can be found on the Arvada Center’s website.

him!” she declared, thrusting an accusing nger at the homicidal thug. Deputies moved to intercept Tundra, but they didn’t really have to. e moment Tundra caught sight of the uniforms he was beside himself, determined to tell his own tale of recklessness and deadly indi erence. “Stop that car!” he roared, pointing an accusing nger at Chevy. Tundra said Chevy had been riding his bumper like a campaign sticker

all the way down C-470, and when they entered the exit lane she’d lurched in front of him like a rampaging bull and then “slammed on her brakes.” Only his cat-like re exes had saved them both from mortal catastrophe, he said. Tundra admitted reproaching Chevy for her mad folly, but assured ofcers that she gave as good as she got, and he absolutely denied SEE SHERIFF’S CALLS, P13

SHERIFF’S CALLS

threatening Chevy’s life. Allowed three minutes for rebuttal, Chevy allowed that Tundra might not have actually said anything about killing anybody, but he was still a jerk who deserved a ticket for something. Since no impartial witnesses could be located, and since nobody was dead, deputies suggested that both parties depart in peace and emulate thereafter the owl and the dove.

Something borrowed

EVERGREEN – Arriving to her coffee and cruller emporium bright and early on Aug. 4, she was distressed to nd the business’s smok-

er missing and immediately notied JCSO of its absence. Happily, the expensive appliance was located around the back of the building, along with other items taken from her store including salt and pepper shakers, dining utensils and an essential piece of her pasta machine. As it happened, her prime suspect was at that very moment being held for questioning next door on suspicion of burglarizing the adjacent house of worship. Asked to comment on the new allegations, he told deputies he’d merely “borrowed” the smoker. Asked if he’d received permission rst, he admitted he had not. Deputies pointed out that borrowing without permission is more correctly called theft. O cers issued him a summons on those grounds, but declined to book him

into the Golden lockup for swiping the smoker since he was already headed that way for burgling the basilica.

Bro-down

KITTREDGE – Wally was pleased to walk into the house on the evening of Aug. 12 and nd Beaver bent over the stove preparing a hearty supper. He was less pleased to see the trash and clutter thickly distributed about the rest of the house and gave Beaver what-for about it. Believing his domestic e orts to be under-appreciated, Beaver grabbed a 7-inch knife o of the counter. “Come at me,” Beaver growled at Wally. “I’ll stab you.” Not feeling all that hungry anymore, Wally retired to his room, where his evening’s peace was disturb by Beaver’s screaming

Colorado workers have questions about paid

stereo. Wally demanded that Beaver turn down the tune-age. Perhaps not hearing his brother clearly over crash of drum and howl of guitar, Beaver turned it up, instead. Taking a more direct approach to the problem, Wally shut down power to the house. Beaver objected in the strongest possible terms, prompting Wally to call JCSO. Deputies couldn’t nd a crime in the commotion, and bade the battling boys to behave with brotherly love.

Sheri ’s Calls is intended as a humorous take on some of the incident call records of the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce for the mountain communities. Names and identifying details have been changed, including the writer’s name, which is a pseudonym. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

family and medical leave.

Here’s what you need to know.

Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program allows eligible Colorado workers to get up to 12 weeks of paid time off each year.

By Tracy Marshall

(DENVER) – Coloradans no longer have to choose between caring for themselves and paying the bills.

The new Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program gives Colorado workers pay replacement when they need to step away from their jobs to care for themselves or a family member.

It’s a benefit available to almost everyone who earned at least $2,500 in Colorado in roughly the last year – including self-employed and gig workers. Workers in Colorado can now get up to 12 weeks of partial pay replacement per year after certain life events, such as the birth of a child or a serious medical condition.

But many Coloradans don’t know about this new benefit and how to get it. Here’s a quick overview, so you know that when life happens, FAMLI has you covered.

Where did FAMLI come from?

Colorado voters approved FAMLI in 2020. We’re actually the first state in the country to enact paid family and medical leave through a ballot initiative.

How does it work?

Employers and employees in Colorado

have been paying into the FAMLI program since January of 2023. Premiums are set to 0.9% of the employee’s wage, with 0.45% paid by the employer and 0.45% paid by the employee.

Nearly every Colorado employer is required to comply with the FAMLI Act’s requirements – by either participating in the state program or providing a private plan of equal or greater benefit.

Only local governments have the option to vote to opt out of participating in the program. (Employees of opted-out local governments can still participate if they wish; they simply agree to pay the employee portion of the premium for three years.) Federal employers and some railroad employers are fully exempt from the program.

Family and medical leave isn’t new – the national Family and Medical Leave Act, which took effect in 1993, grants 12 weeks of job-protected leave for many. But it’s unpaid leave and excludes many part-time workers, workers at small-sized businesses and those who have worked less than 12 months.

What life events make someone eligible for paid leave?

Colorado’s FAMLI program covers workers who need to temporarily step away from work for the following reasons:

• Bonding with a new child (including adoptions and foster care/kinship care placements)

•Managing a serious health condition

• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition

• Making arrangements because of a military deployment

• Dealing with the immediate needs and impacts from domestic partner violence, sexual assault or stalking.

How much does FAMLI pay?

Employees can receive up to 90% of their wages, based on a sliding scale. So if you make $500 a week, your FAMLI benefit would be $450 a week. Benefits are capped at $1,100 per week.

This cap is proportional to the average weekly wage for Colorado and may increase over time. We have a calculator on our website (famli.colorado.gov) to help families get a rough estimate of both their paycheck deductions and potential benefit payments.

What if my

employer won’t let me go?

Colorado voters made sure that employers can’t fire people just because they need to

take FAMLI leave. The law prohibits employers from interfering with your right to take paid medical leave, and it says they have to keep your information confidential.

Even better, the law includes important job protections that kick in after you’ve worked somewhere for 180 days, or roughly six months. After that, employers are required to reinstate workers on FAMLI leave to the jobs they had before (with some exceptions, such as seasonal work that was scheduled to wind down anyway.)

We’ve got lots of resources on our website to explain exactly how FAMLI job protection works.

What are my next steps?

Supporting Colorado workers who need FAMLI leave is our passion. You can file your claim online, with lots of how-to guides and videos to help you through the process.

For personalized assistance, you can call us any weekday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. at 1-866-CO-FAMLI (1-866-263-2654).

Tracy Marshall is the Director of the new paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). Tracy has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years and holds her Bachelors in Nursing from the University of Wales.

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Jace, a four-year-old terrier mix, could barely contain his excitement inside the shop of the Dumb Friends League shelter as his new family stocked up on supplies for him.  Denver residents Eliorah Abramowitz and Azi Hanssen said they came to the shelter looking for an older, but still energetic dog that would be as happy chilling on the couch as playing fetch at the park.

After meeting with a few dogs, Abramowitz and Hanssen said they were drawn to Jace.

“It was just a perfect match,” Abramowitz said.

Similarly for Sandra Brande and her daughter Ashley, who live in Centennial, they quickly fell in love with the wiggly Husky puppy Laika. e Brande family knew they wanted to adopt because they found their Husky Daisy at the shelter two years ago and have loved her presence in the family ever since.

“ ere are so many animals who need loving homes,” Sandra said as Laike squirmed in Ashley’s arms. “It’s so nice to have the liveliness in the house that a pet brings.” at sentiment was echoed by many new pet parents and sta at the Dumb Friends League, an animal shelter with locations in Denver, Castle Rock and Alamosa.

“It’s always hard to say who rescued who,” said volunteer Michelle Schneider, of Highlands Ranch.

Jace and Laika are some of the hundreds of lucky pets to nd families through the Dumb Friends League during its month-long Clear the Shelter

campaign, which wrapped up on Sept. 10.

Alyssa Putzer, communications manager for the Dumb Friends League, said 1,161 animals were adopted during the Clear the Shelter count, surpassing the shelter’s original goal of adopting out 1,000 pets across its three locations.

Mary Sarah Fairweather, vice president of operations at the Dumb Friends League, said participating in the Clear the Shelter campaign helps the shelter not only nd homes for pets but also care for more animals.

“Clear the Shelters is an amazing opportunity to showcase the wonderful pets in our care,” she said. “With ongoing challenges like overcrowding in shelters, this event is an essential opportunity for our community to connect with animals that are ready to bring joy and companionship into their lives.”

Even with all of the adoptions in the last month, the Clear the Shelters campaign only accounts for a fraction of the adoptions that Dumb Friends League facilitates year-round. Last year, the shelters brought in over 20,500 animals and are on pace to serve a similar amount this year, Fairweather said.

Dogs, cats and small animals, like guinea pigs and bunnies, come to the shelter as surrenders or strays and 86% are rehomed.

“ ey come to us from the community, owners who can’t keep their pets, and as strays,” Fairweather said.

Most animals stay at the shelter for an average of 10-15 days, heading to new homes as soon as sta can help pair them with the right family. Fairweather said another bene t of the Clear the Shelters campaign is that it helps animals who have been at the shelter longer or require special care get adopted.

Fairweather said the adoption process is like dating with the goal being to nd the “perfect match.”

“It’s really a conversation-based process, so we want to get to know what the families are looking for and we share what each individual animal needs,” she said.

Richard Myers, of Denver, said he volunteers at the shelter because it’s like working in a “bubble of love.”

“ ere’s so much care for the patrons and for the animals,” Myers said. “One of the greatest joys of working here is having someone come in who looks sad, maybe they lost a pet a few months ago, and 45 minutes later, they’re going out the door with a pep in their step and the dog is looking like a newly caught marlin, jumping around so much.”

In order to encourage as many adoptions as possible, Fairweather said the shelter looks to reduce barriers to pet ownership like cost or lack of resources.

All of the dogs and cats that are adopted out are vaccinated and spayed or neutered. e Dumb Friends League also partners with some local veterinarians to waive the cost for the rst visit, as well as Fetch Pet Insurance to provide health care support for furry friends.

Another resource the shelter o ers is a free behavioral helpline to support pet parents through training or care adjustments.

“Our goal is to help pet owners keep their pets at home and out of the shelter,” Fairweather said. “We’re lucky to have such beautiful facilities with a team of volunteers and sta who take incredible care of (the animals), but it’s not a home.”

With the current overcrowding in shelters, Fairweather said it’s more important than ever to adopt animals instead of turning to a breeder.

“It gives pets in the shelter system a second chance,” she said. “Whether you’re looking for a little guinea pig or a giant couch potato dog, there’s somebody for everybody.”

Sandra and Ashley Brande, of Centennial, cuddle their new puppy Laika, which they adopted at the Dumb Friends League shelter. This is the second dog the Brande family has adopted from the shelter.

A mom and her son watch a litter of orange kittens up for adoption at the Dumb Friends League. The shelter served more than 20,500 animals last year. PHOTOS BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Denver residents Eliorah Abramowitz and Azi Hanssen love on Jace, their newly adopted dog. Abramowitz and Hanssen said shelter sta helped match them with the perfect pup.

SCHOOL BOARD

nizations, such as in the case of the Early Childhood Education group. However ECE’s situation was distinct in that it aligned directly with the district’s core educational mission and demonstrated immediate tangible bene ts for a broad range of students. While CCCAE’s mission is one we wholeheartedly support, their focus and scope are more specialized and the scale of the proposed project adds an additional layer of nancial and operational risk. at being said, we fully acknowledge CCCAE’s dedication to their cause and their tireless e orts to bring arts programming to our community. We are con dent that with time and continued work, CCCAE will establish the track record

needed to support such a large-scale partnership. However, at this time, that is not a risk we felt we could take as a district.

3. Student safety and facility use

Carlson Elementary is primarily a school, and the safety of our students is always our top priority. After careful review, we found that the shareduse logistics of the building during the school year and summer posed challenges that we could not overlook. e proposed access controls and security measures are not su cient to meet the district’s high standards for student safety at this time.

4. Equity across the district

One of our district’s core values is to ensure that all students have equal access to enrichment opportunities. While CCCAE’s proposed programming is exciting, we had concerns

about how it would bene t students across the entire district, rather than being overly focused on one geographic area.

5. Fulfillment of our commitments

We have engaged with CCCAE in good faith and met our obligations as outlined in the letter of intent from November 2022. CCCAE has worked diligently and collaboratively with us throughout this process, and we truly value the time and energy they have invested. However, despite their best e orts, we believe this arrangement simply does not align with the district’s long-term needs at this time.

Looking to the Future

Although we are not moving forward with the proposed lease at Carlson Elementary, we remain open to future collaborations with CCCAE and hope to continue supporting their

mission in other ways. For instance, the district’s facility rental agreement o ers the opportunity for CCCAE to utilize spaces such as the auditorium at the Middle School/High School for their programs. We will also continue exploring other viable uses for the 4th oor at Carlson, with full transparency to the community. We want to make it clear that the Clear Creek Board of Education is and always will be a strong supporter of the arts. CCCAE’s vision is a valuable addition to our community, and we look forward to seeing them ourish in the years ahead. We sincerely thank them for their dedication and wish them all the best as they continue to advance their mission.

Kelly Flenniken, Erica Haag, Marcie King, Kerry Ann McHugh Clear Creek County School Board of Education Members

Je co nonprofits receive $5.7 million in grants for housing, education and more

Colorado Gives Foundation provides extra $1.7 million after higher-than-expected requests

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Almost 200 Je erson County nonpro ts are starting autumn with a little more money in the bank.

Arvada’s Colorado Gives Foundation — formerly called the Community First Foundation — has awarded $5.7 million to nonpro ts across Je co, helping with food security, housing, workforce development and other causes.

According to a recent CGF press release, the organization initially planned to award $4 million, but grant requests totaled more than $8 million. So, the organization “found a way to do more and provide an additional $1.7 million in funding,” it stated.

CGF o cials added how they hope the grants would “support e orts that enhance quality of life for everyone in Je erson County.”

e $5.7 million was awarded across six focus areas:

• $2.5 million for health;

• $1.1 million for food security;

• $838,000 for housing;

• $623,700 for workforce development

• $345,500 for early care and education; and

• $208,000 for convenient neighborhood projects.

In total, 184 Je co nonpro ts will bene t, with some receiving grant funding across multiple focus areas.

Several recipients described how the grant funding is exactly what they needed right now to expand or maintain their work to help Je co residents.

One example is the Golden-based CAG Food Pantry, which received a $15,000 CGF grant. at money directly translates to more food on the shelves and more clients served, Executive Director Britni LeRoux said.

“With this grant, we’ll be able to … serve more families and o er a greater variety of nutritious and culturally relevant options,” LeRoux continued. “ … Beyond the immediate impact, the grant will also strengthen our outreach and engagement efforts, enabling us to o er more comprehensive and responsive support to those who rely on us.”

Meanwhile, Center for the Arts Evergreen will use its $27,000 grant in 2025 to host a free after-school program for middle- and high school students. e funds will also go toward scholarships for next summer’s mural camp.

Executive Director Lisa Nierenberg said the after-school program will be one day a week for seven or eight weeks, ending with an exhibit of the students’ work. She said the students will be able to explore whatever medium they want as part of an “open studio concept.”

Nierenberg emphasized how this after-school program is so important because it’ll bring in students from all over the mountain area, not just Evergreen.

Students from Conifer, Bailey and beyond can attend thanks to CAE’s new transit van, which Nierenberg said was purchased thanks to an anonymous donor. CAE will use the

SEE GRANTS, P31

I-70 Floyd Hill

Starting late September/early October, motorists should anticipate several hundred traffic holds for rock scaling and blasting through 2026.

Stay Informed During Construction

Text floydhill to 21000 to sign up for text alerts

Project hotline: 720-994-2368 (720-994-CDOT)

Rock Scaling Impacts:

Rock Blasting Impacts:

• Begins late September/early October and lasts two months.

• Westbound I-70 traffic held east of Hidden Valley (Exit 243), eastbound I-70 traffic held west of Veterans Memorial Tunnels.

• Expect up to six traffic holds per day, Mondays - Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., every 60 to 75 minutes.

• Plan for up to 45-minute delays.

Web: codot.gov/projects/i70floydhill

Email address: cdot_floydhillproject@state.co.us

• Begins late-2024 and lasts through 2026.

• Westbound I-70 traffic held at Homestead Road (Exit 247), eastbound I-70 traffic will be held west of Veterans Memorial Tunnels.

• Traffic held on Central City Parkway, County Road 314 and the US 6 on-ramp to westbound I-70.

• Expect traffic holds Mondays - Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon, once per day and up to three times per week.

• Plan for up to 45-minute delays.

Twitter: @ColoradoDOT

Facebook: www.facebook.com/coloradodot

Please stay on I-70 - there will not be a traffic detour in place during these operations. Signing up for Project text alerts is the best way to stay informed on traffic impacts!

Center for the Arts Evergreen hosts young performers from the Evergreen Dance Center Performance Team during the 2021 Day of the Arts. CAE recently received a $27,000 grant from the Colorado Gives Foundation for after-school programming next semester and a mural camp in the summer.

FILE PHOTO

A Dinosaur Ridge summer camper looks over an informational sign June 7 along Golden’s Triceratops Trail. The Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, which is based near Morrison, organization recently received an $80,000 Colorado Gives Foundation grant for scholarships for low-income summer campers, among other items.

FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.canyoncourier. com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the newspaper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.

UPCOMING

Seniors4Wellness home re safety class: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 9, Bergen Park Church, 31919 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen.

Monthly Evergreen Chamber mixer: 5 p.m. Oct 10, Meadow Creek Design Studio 32156 Castle Court, Evergreen. $5 members, $10 non-members. evergreenchamber.org.

Save Je co Parks (Public Forum): 6:30 p.m. Oct.10 at Evergreen Library, 5000 County Highway 73 in Evergreen. Public forum for Je erson County residents and visitors concerned with impacts of forest thinning in open space parks. coloradosmokescreen.org.

Evergreen EverCLEAN - Marshdale Park: 1 p.m. Oct. 17, 6979 S Ocelot Trail, Evergreen. evergreenrecreation.com

Je erson County Library Foundation’s fall 2024 Whale of a Used

Book Sale: Oct. 17 – 20, at the Jeffco Fairgrounds, 15200 W. 6th Ave., Golden. 6 p.m. Oct. 17 Friends only preview night. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 & 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20.

Seniors4Wellness Friday Cafe: 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18, Christ the King Church, 4291 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen.

Buchanan Park Family Movie Nights ~ Haunted Mansion: 6 p.m. Oct. 19, Buchanan Park eld, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. Free. evergreenrecreation.com

Haunted Halloween Trail, 6 p.m. Oct. 19, Buchanan Park Field, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. Candy trail, haunted house, bounce house, in atable axe throwing, more. evergreenrecreation.com

Seniors4Wellness Bingo & Games: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Bergen Park Church, 31919 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen.

Wild Aware’s Living in Harmony: Peaceful Co-existence with Wildlife: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7, Evergreen Fire/Rescue Auditorium, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. Free. wildaware.org

ONGOING

“Spirit Level,” comedy by the Evergreen Players: Weekends Oct.

18-Nov. 10. 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays,Center Stage eatre, 27608 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen. Adult $30, senior $25, student $20. evergreenplayers. org.

Conifer Chamber of Commerce member meeting: 7:15 a.m. second Friday each month, Our Lady of Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. $12 members, $18 non-members.

Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. to noon, every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Monthly topics could include native wild owers and seed bombs, dissecting owl pellets, live animal encounters, and more. evergreenaudubon.org

e American Legion Evergreen Post 2001: Meets every fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., Evergreen Church of the Trans guration, 27640 Highway 74, Evergreen. Serving all military veterans in the foothills communities. Email evergreenpost2001@gmail.com

Evergreen Camera Club: Meets every second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Fire/Rescue auditorium, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. Club is for people who share a passion for all photography, from beginners to professionals.

Attend in person or via ZOOM.

Evergreen Area Republican Club: e Evergreen Area Republican Club meets at 6 p.m. the rst Wednesday of the month at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue Administration Building, 1802 Bergen Parkway. Information at evergreenarearepublicanclub.org

Mountain Area Democrats: Mountain Area Democrats meet at 9 a.m. the fourth Saturday of the month January through April at the United Methodist Church of Evergreen, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email MountainAreaDems@gmail. com.

Evergreen Sustainability Alliance is looking for volunteers: Evergreen Sustainability Alliance’s “Let’s Embrace Zero Food Waste” program in local schools and food banks needs volunteers. Volunteers are needed for a couple hours. Call 720-536-0069 or email info@ sustainevergreen.org for more information.

Evergreen Nature Center: e Evergreen Nature Center is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays next to Church of the Trans guration. Admission is free.

HAPPENINGS

For more information, visit www.EvergreenAudubon.org

e Bear Creek Cemetery Association board of directors volunteers needed: Members needed to help with operations of the local cemetery on Highway 74, Evergreen. Contact board president, evergreenbearcreekcemetery@gmail.com

Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

EChO needs volunteers: e Evergreen Christian Outreach ReSale

Store and food pantry need volunteers. Proceeds from the EChO ReSale Store support the food pantry and programs and services provided by EChO. ere are many volunteer options from which to choose. For more information, call Mary at 720673-4369 or email mary@evergreenchristianoutreach.org.

LGBTQ+ teen book club: Resilience1220 is o ering an LGBTQ+ teen book club that meets from 4-6 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Resilience1220 o ce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.

ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available). e Re ll Station is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 1-4 p.m. in the Habitat Restore, 1232 Bergen Parkway.

Support After Suicide Loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Caregiver support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice o ers a monthly group to provide emotional support services for caregivers helping ill, disabled or elderly loved ones. An in-person support group meets Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/services/ emotional-support/.

Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.

Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Join the Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom. us/j/81389224272, meeting ID 813 8922 4272, phone 346-248-7799.

Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet the second Tuesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is a group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ+ child. For group location and to RSVP, email heather@resilience1220.org.

Evergreen boys soccer remains undefeated in 4A Je co League play

BY DENNIS PLEUSS

JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — Evergreen boys soccer is focused and motivated this season.

“We haven’t made playo s in a few years. We are taking that personally,” Evergreen senior captain Isaac Arnold said after the Cougars’ 4-1 victory over Bear Creek on Tuesday night at the North Area Athletic Complex. “We want to win league and make a showing in playo s.”

e Cougars actually haven’t made the postseason since 2018. Evergreen (6-2, 4-0 in Class 4A Je co) is well on its way to ending its playo drought.

Evergreen sits atop the 4A Jeffco standings at nearly the midway

point in conference play. e win over Bear Creek (3-4, 1-2) kept the Cougars undefeated in league play and pushed their winning streak to four games.

“It was a good one. It means a lot,”

Evergreen junior Will Rapp said of the Cougars’ fourth straight league victory. “To start o strong at 4-0 and on top of league. We just have to keep it going. Keep winning.”

Rapp scored a pair of goals in the rst half. Rapp’s goals in the 15th and 18th minutes gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes.

e Cougars entered the Sept. 24 conference game having outscored their opponents 17-0 in their rst three 4A Je co League games. Ever-

Evergreen senior Isaac Arnold, left, battles with Bear Creek junior Roy Wessell for control of the ball during the first half Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. The Cougars took a 4-1 victory over the Bears.

PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Evergreen junior Callum Mo att (11) goes up for a header during the Cougars’ 4-1 victory over Bear Creek on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. Mo att’s goal in the 56th minute helped Evergreen to its fourth straight Class 4A Je co League victory.

green already had wins against Littleton, Golden and Pomona in taking the early lead in the conference standings.

“We can de ntely score a lot,” Rapp said of the Cougars averaging nearly four goals per game. “We just need to start o strong. Once we start connecting and playing we normally put it into the back of the net.”

Bear Creek ended Evergreen’s shutout streak early in the second half. Junior Brian Royal settled the ball just inside the goal box and red a shot past Evergreen goalie Liam Kelly in the 44th minute to cut the Cougars’ lead to 2-1.

Evergreen got its 2-goal advantage back in the 52nd minute with a goal by sophomore Will Gluck. Minutes later, junior Callum Mo att’s sliding shot toward the far corner found the

back of the net to extend Evergreen’s lead to 4-1.

“We have a lot of good team chemistry so we get a lot of good goals,” Arnold said.

Evergreen has a bit of a break. e Cougars were slated to return to league play on Sept. 30, against Standley Lake at Lakewood Memorial Field. e six wins already this season has matched the win total from a year ago. Evergreen still has seven regular-season game remaining.

“Last year was our rst year with (head coach Peter Jeans),” Arnold said. “ is year we all know each other better and playing together as a team. Our summer trainings were much more structured. We have a much better environment this year.”

Jeans guided Evergreen’s girls soccer team to the 4A state championship last spring.

Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Je co Public Schools. For more Je co coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com.

24, at the North Area Athletic Complex. Glunk’s goal in the 52nd minute helped the Cougars to a 4-1 victory.

Evergreen sophomore Will Glunk, left, goes up for a header with Bear Creek senior Jack Granbery during the Class 4A Jeffco League game Tuesday, Sept.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO

SCHOOLS

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

Bergen Park Church is a group of regular people who strive to improve ourselves and our community by studying the Bible and sharing our lives with each other. On Sunday mornings you can expect contemporary live music, Children’s Ministry that seeks to love and care for your kids, teaching from the Bible, and a community of real people who are imperfect, but seek to honor God in their lives. We hope to welcome you soon to either our 9:00AM or 10:30AM Sunday service.

Search Bergen Park Church on YouTube for Livestream service at 9:00am 31919 Rocky Village Dr. 303-674-5484 info@bergenparkchurch.org / www.BergenParkChurch.org

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH SERVICES

28244 Harebell Lane

Sunday Service & Sunday School 10am Wednesday Evening 7:00pm, Zoom options available

Contact: clerk@christianscienceevergreen.com for ZOOM link Reading Room 4602 Pletner Lane, Unit 2E, Evergreen OPEN TUE-SAT 12PM - 3PM

CHURCH OF THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN (USA)

Serving the mountain community from the heart of Evergreen Worship 10:00 a.m.

Reverend Richard Aylor

O ce Hours: Tu-Thur 9:00 - 4:00; Fri 9:00 - noon Bu alo Park Road and Hwy 73 www.churchofthehills.com

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL

In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569

In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m. --June through September—

27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transfigurationevergreen.org

CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE)

Reconstructionist Synagogue

Rabbi Jamie Arnold www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Reverend Dr. Knut Heim, pastor, Sunday Worship 10 AM

Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759 deerparkumc.org

All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!

EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH

5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654

Rev. Terry Schjang

Join us for worship in person or on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch Sunday Worship held at 9am. www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC 1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287 www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday “Real Church In An UnReal World”

A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!

PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey. O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am Small group studies for all ages at 9am

Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh

Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.

ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

“Connecting all generations to Jesus”

Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668

SHEPHERD OF THE ROCKIES LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod. 106 Rosalie Road, Bailey, CO 303-838-2161 Pastor Pete Scheele Sunday Worship Service; 9 a.m., Fellowship Time; 10:15 a.m., Sunday School

MARKETPLACE CAREERS

Merchandise

Arts & Crafts

CITY OF CENTRAL

Senior Water Treatment Plant Operator.

City of Central FTE Hourly range from $25.03 - $29.41 per hour DOQ/E

Requirements: An equivalent combination of education, certi cations, and experience equivalent to graduation from High School/GED equivalent, and one year of experience in water treatment utilities operations. Must possess a valid Colorado driver’s license with safe driving record. Possession of a valid Class “C” Water Treatment License is required and a valid Class “2” Distribution License is required. Under direct supervision of the Water Department Supervisor, this position performs technical duties related to water treatment and distribution. is position is responsible for water sampling and analysis; pump station operation, maintenance scheduling, reservoir operation, and valve vault inspection; water quality monitoring and reporting and providing customer service. Such a position is also responsible for assisting the Water Department Supervisor with billing issues, water rights accounting, and operation of intake diversions. Position performs duties in a manner consistent with the stated values of the organization. e City provides a comprehensive bene t package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage. 100% of the employee’s premiums are paid by the City and approximately 98% of dependent premiums are paid by the City. Paid vacation and sick leave, 401(a) and 457b employer retirement contributions; een paid holidays annually. City paid Long Term Disability and Life Insurance.

Water Treatment Plant Operator. City of Central FTE Hourly range from $21.59 - $25.36 per hour DOQ/E Requirements: An equivalent combination of education, certi cations, and experience equivalent to graduation from High School/GED equivalent, and one year of experience in water treatment utilities operations. Must possess a valid Colorado driver’s license with safe driving record. Possession of valid Class “D” Water Operator License and a valid Class “1” Distribution License are preferred. Under direct supervision of the Water Department Supervisor, this position performs technical duties related to water treatment and distribution. is position is responsible for water sampling and analysis; pump station, reservoir, and valve vault inspection; water quality monitoring, and providing customer service. Such a position performs duties in a manner consistent with the stated values of the organization. e City provides a comprehensive bene t package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage. 100% of the employee’s premiums are paid by the City and approximately 98% of dependent premiums are paid by the City. Paid vacation and sick leave, 401(a) and 457b employer retirement contributions; een paid holidays annually. City paid Long Term Disability and Life Insurance.

Apply now: A detailed job description can be found on the City’s website https://centralcity.colorado.gov/. Quali ed applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to the Finance/Human Resources Director at arobbins@cityofcentral.co or mail to P.O. Box 249 Central City, CO 80427. e position is open until 10/13/2024. EOE.

Family in Christ Church

70+ Vendors, Little Bear Café, Cookie Walk & FREE Raffle!

Friday, October 18th

10:00am-4:00pm & Saturday, October 19th 9:00am-3:00pm 11355 N. Sheridan Blvd. Westminster (303-466-7770)

Admission: FREE

Suggested Donation: Non-perishable food items (not expired) for local food banks

Firewood

Firewood, early bird mid fall sale. Dry cut split delivered & dumped 1.5 cord $400.00. Price good through October 2024. Call Allen 303-670-8674 for more info.

Lawn & Garden

Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833606-6777

Health & Beauty

Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258

VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS!

50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00

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Medical

Attention oxygen therapy users! Discover oxygen therapy that moves with you with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. Free information kit. 1-866-4779045

Miscellaneous

Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/ mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405

Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234

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Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971

Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable pricesNo payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189

Miscellaneous

Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833399-3595

MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call 1-888489-3936

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-9486176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer.) Call 1-844-5013208

Miscellaneous

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306

to Buy

Pokemon card collections. 303-507-5015

H & L CONCRETE DBA NARANJO CIVIL CONSTRUCTORS INCTrail Improvements24,270.70

HERC RENTALS INC Equipment Rental4,717.35

HILLARY MELISSA MERRITT

KEN CARYL RANCH Water, Irrigation, METROPOLITAN DISTRICT & Sanitation Services 84.74

KEN CARYL RANCH WATER Water, Irrigation, & SANIT DIST & Sanitation Services 84.74

Lauren Hendricks Travel 124.50

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN WATER DISTRICTWater, Irrigation, & Sanitation Services 811.03

MANAGEMENT LLC

Public Notices

Legals

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

INTER-CANYON FIRE PROTECTION

DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION

INITIATING EXCLUSION PROCEEDINGS (North Fork)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested persons that the Board of Directors of the Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District (“Inter-Canyon”) has determined that it is in the best interest of the health and safety, prosperity, security and general welfare of the property owners and inhabitants of Inter-Canyon to consider excluding certain real property located within the boundaries of Inter-Canyon as described on Exhibit A attached to this Notice (the “Property”) on the condition that the Property thereafter immediately be included within North Fork Fire Protection District.

The Board of Directors of the Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District at its September 11, 2024 board meeting preliminarily adopted and will consider final adoption of a Resolution initiating exclusion of the Property from Inter-Canyon at a public hearing to be held on November 13, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., at Station 3 located at, 8445 S Highway 285, Morrison, Colorado.

All interested parties may appear at such hearing to show cause in writing why such Resolution should not be finally adopted.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE INTER-CANYON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

EXHIBIT A TO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON EXCLUSION OF PROPERTY

Description of Property to be Excluded

All real property located within the boundaries of the Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District.

Legal Notice No. CAN 1665

First Publication: October 3, 2024

Last Publication: October 3, 2024

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

Request for Proposals –EPRD Trash & Recycling Hauling

Evergreen Park & Recreation District (EPRD) invites qualified companies (“Respondents”) to submit their proposals for the trash and recycling hauling services for Evergreen Park & Recreation District. The scope of work for these services encompasses 5 different sites for trash and recycling pick-up. EPRD is also seeking costs for use of 96-gallon totes (trash & recycling), additional tips, overage charge, container delivery charge, and recycling requirements. A Pre-bid meeting will be held at the EPRD Administrative Building, on October 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

A copy of the full RFP can be found on EPRD’s website, www.evergreenrecreation.com. A minimum of three (3) copies of in electronic or hard copy form of the complete proposals shall be provided to EPRD by Monday, November 4th no

later than 10:00 am. Submittals may be sent via mail, hand delivery, or email to EPRD: Attn: Bob Schmitz, 1521 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen, CO 80439, bschmitz@eprdco.gov.

Legal Notice No. CAN 1663

First Publication: October 3, 2024

Last Publication: October 10, 2024

Publisher: Canyon Courier Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

Pursuant to C.R.S. Section 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on the 22nd day of October 2024 final settlement will be made by the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado to:

TIMBERLINE TRAILCRAFT LLC.

8110 OPPORTUNITY VIEW. COLORADO SPRINGS CO 80939

hereinafter called the “Contractor”, for and on account of the contract for the Mount Zion Trail Improvements project in Jefferson County, CO.

1. Any person, co-partnership, association, or corporation who has an unpaid claim against the said project, for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by such Contractor or any of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim.

2. All such claims shall be filed with Heather Frizzell, Director of Finance for Jefferson County Colorado, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden

CO 80419-4560.

3.Failure on the part of a creditor to file such statement prior to such final settlement will relieve the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado, from any and all liability for such claim.

County of Jefferson, State of Colorado Andy Kerr, Chairman Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CAN 1666

First Publication: October 3, 2024

Last Publication: October 10, 2024

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Summons and Sheriff Sale

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO 100 Jefferson County Pkwy, Golden, CO 80401

Plaintiff: Cindy Rogers v. Defendants: Ryan Siavelis, U.S. Bank National Association, Evergreen National Bank, and all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action. Case Number: 2024CV31030 Div.: 2

Attorney for Plaintiff: James R. Silvestro, #43982 IRELAND STAPLETON PRYOR & PASCOE, PC 1660 Lincoln Street, Suite 3000 Denver, Colorado 80264

Telephone: (303) 623-2700 Fax No.: (303) 623-2062

Jefferson County Warrants

E-mail: jsilvestro@irelandstapleton.com

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the Complaint filed with the Court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this Court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within thirty-five (35) days after service of this Summons upon you. Service of this Summons will be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the Complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the Court.

If you fail to file your answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within thirty-five (35) days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the Court for the relief demanded in the Complaint, without any further notice.

This is an action to quiet the title of the Plaintiff in and to the real property situated in Jefferson County, Colorado (the “Property”) as more particularly described on Exhibit A, attached to and made a part of this Summons by this reference.

Dated: August 22, 2024.

Respectfully submitted, IRELAND STAPLETON PRYOR & PASCOE, PC /s/James R. Silvestro James R. Silvestro Attorney for Plaintiff Cindy Rogers THIS SUMMONS IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO RULE 4(g), COLORADO RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE. THIS FORM SHOULD NOT BE USED WHERE PERSONAL SERVICE IS

GRANTS

van to transport the students to and from their schools during the eightweek program.

“ e (grant money) we can use for the actual programming, so it works perfectly together,” she said of the CGF funds and the new van. “ … We’re so excited.”

At far right, a volunteer helps at the CAG Food Pantry in downtown Golden on July 2. The nonprofit and almost 200 others across Je erson County recently received Colorado Gives Foundation grant funding, totaling $5.7 million. FILE PHOTO BY

CORINNE WESTEMAN

If any students are interested in participating, Nierenberg encouraged them to call CAE at 303-6740056 for more information.

Meanwhile, Friends of Dinosaur Ridge received an $80,000 CGF grant as part of the “convenient neighborhoods” category. e park site and museum — which is perfectly wedged between Golden, Lakewood and Morrison — welcomes thousands of visitors each year to learn about the area’s natural history and

Public Notices

DESIRED.

Exhibit A

As set forth in the Complaint, this action relates to specific real property located within Jefferson County, Colorado, and more particularly described as the “existing roadway fifteen (15) feet to each side of the center line of said roadway” (as more particularly described in the Personal Representative’s Deed recorded on May 2, 1977 at Reception No. 873909 in the real property records for the Clerk and Recorder of Jefferson County, Colorado) along and across the following real property, and the improvements thereto, situated in Jefferson County, Colorado: 3973 Creek Ridge Trail, Evergreen, Colorado 80439 a/k/a 30863 Upper Bear Creek Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439, as more particularly described by the following legal description:

THE LAND REFERRED TO HEREIN BELOW IS SITUATED IN THE CITY OF EVERGREEN, IN THE COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO, AND IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

A portion of property previously described in Book

In March 2022, a forklift driver carefully unloads boxes of shelf-stable food outside The Action Center warehouse in Lakewood. The nonprofit and almost 200 others across Je erson County recently received Colorado Gives Foundation grant funding, totaling $5.7 million.

recreate among its ora and fauna.

Je Lamontagne, executive director of Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, said the $80,000 will go toward various endeavors, including:

• Scholarships for its summer camps and other educational programs;

• Providing guided tours for school groups at no cost to the students;

• Enhancing visitor and volunteer opportunities for seniors; and

• Protecting dinosaur fossils, foot-

prints and other archeological resources.

“Colorado Gives Foundation’s investment in Friends of Dinosaur Ridge’s missions is helping one of the most iconic prehistoric sites in the world continue to be an easily accessed place for amazement and scienti c discovery in a welcoming and inclusive way,” he continued. For more information, including a full list of the grant recipients, visit ColoradoGivesFoundation.org.

2105 at Page 54 of Jefferson County, Colorado records and located in the Northeast¼ of the Southeast¼ of Section 5, Township 5 South, Range 71 West of the 6th P.M. and particularly described as follows:

Commencing at the Northwest comer of the Northeast ¼ of the Southeast¼ of said Section 5;

Thence South 5 Degrees 23 ½ Minutes West along the Westerly boundary thereof, 409.68 feet to a point on the Northerly boundary of a currently dedicated Jefferson County 60 foot wide road right of way;

Thence South 59 Degrees 05 Minutes East, 45.0 feet to the True Point of Beginning; Thence North 5 Degrees 23 ½ Minutes East, 185.35 feet;

Thence South 89 Degrees 21 Minutes East, 414.61 feet;

Thence South 60 Degrees 11 Minutes East, 92.7 feet;

Thence due South, 254.19 feet to the most Northerly comer of previously described Parcel A; Thence South 43 Degrees 65 Minutes West along the boundary thereof, 72.8 feet;

Thence South 10 Degrees 25 Minutes East, 197.24 feet to the aforementioned County Road

Northerly boundary;

Thence South 76 Degrees 16 Minutes West, 6.83 feet to a point of curvature to the right, whence the radius point thereof bears North 13 Degrees 44 Minutes West, 670.69 feet;

Thence along the arc of said curve, 134.22 feet;

Thence South 87 Degrees 44 Minutes West, 12.29 feet to a point of curvature to the right, whence the radius point thereof bears North 2 Degrees 16 Minutes West, 153.74 feet;

Thence along the arc of said curve, 174.13 feet;

Thence North 27 Degrees 22 Minutes West, 240.48 feet to a point of curvature to the left, whence the radius point thereof bears South 62 Degrees 38 Minutes West, 200.04 feet; Thence along the arc of said curve, 107.23 feet; Thence North 58 Degrees 05 Minutes West, 24.67 feet to the Point of Beginning. County of Jefferson, State of Colorado. (the “Property”).

Legal Notice No. CAN 1642

First Publication: September 5, 2024

Last Publication: October 3, 2024

Publisher: Canyon Courier

Notice to Creditors

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JOEL MARKS, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30933

All representative persons or having to claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or the District Court of Jefferson County, Colorado on or before January 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

John M. Prentiss, Jr.

Attorney to the Personal Representative P.O. Box 621731 Littleton, CO 80162

Legal Notice No. CAN 1654

First Publication: September 19, 2024

Last Publication: October 3, 2024

Publisher: Canyon Courier

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the