Red Rocks Ranch home buyers waiting for water
BY JANE REUTER
e Town of Morrison is pushing back against the demand for water taps from Red Rocks Ranch, a new development under construction at C-470 and Morrison Road. e decision has left several would-be homebuyers in limbo, unable to close on their homes because they have no water connections.
Some are living in hotels and Airbnbs while they wait for the issue to resolve, according to a Lennar Homes representative. One of them came to the town hall Oct. 1 to plead with the town board, which is pointing the nger at the project’s metropolitan district.
“I’m waiting for a home in Red Rocks Ranch,” said Tim Rawson, who’s living with his wife and two children in his mother’s nearby home while they wait to close. “I want to establish my family here. I just want to know why it’s so di cult to come to a decision to let people move into homes that will bring tax-
Russ Hermanspan of Bear Creek Stables takes the reins during a free hay ride o ered as part of Morrison’s Sept. 28 Ciderfest. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
Thousands flock to Morrison for annual Ciderfest
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
AUCTION
Morrison’s annual Ciderfest blended old-fashioned and modern fun with sunny September skies in another winning recipe Sept. 28. e day-long event on the grounds of Prestige Care Center drew a steady stream of at least 2,000 people, estimates Ciderfest board member Angela Bernhardt.
“It was packed and busy all day,” she said. “We got lots of comments that everyone had a good time. People are amazed that it’s free; there aren’t a lot of free festivals around anymore.”
Ciderfest launched 33 years ago when longtime Morrison resident Jamee Chambers lugged her cider press to the senior center grounds for a free demonstration, and it grew from there. Today, it includes a full day of live music, hay rides, in atables, an art fair, food trucks, beer tent, hard cider tastings, and the original cider press demos — still conducted primarily by Chambers.
Red Rocks Elementary fth-graders also host a pumpkin and book sale during Ciderfest. A parent said those e orts were also very successful.
Ciderfest isn’t designed to make money, but to bring in enough to keep the celebration going. While beer and hard cider is o ered for
sale, participation in the rest of the event is free.
“ e hot weather this year was good because it helped people drink more beer, and that’s how we fund it,” Bernhardt said. e pumpkin and book sales help pay for Red Rocks Elementary’s annual fth graders trip to Washington, D.C. More than 30 students worked the booths at Ciderfest.
“ is year was excellent; we did better than last year,” said parent Melissa Herron. “Ciderfest is a wonderful opportunity for them and really gets them excited about the trip. ey’re more invested in seeing the monuments and people they’re learning about this year.”
Denver’s Becky Fehlig, who came to the event before her children were born, came this year with her 3-year-old daughter Adelaide.
“I’m all about fall, so I love it,” she said. “Pre-kids it was fun, and it’s still fun. I really liked buying books for $1. e horse ride was really fun, and I love the pumpkin beer.”
Laurel railkill and Mikey Guanipa, who recently relocated from Alabama, also came from Denver.
“ e music’s great and we love the cider,” railkill said.
“It’s beautiful here; just getting out of the city is nice,” Guanipa agreed.
Tips made from beer sales support Denver’s D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School.
Ciderfest volunteer Lois Lenorovitz of Littleton helps Adelaide Fehlig, 3, of Denver, run the cider press. PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER
Jenn Glider and Morgan Silver, both of Morrisson, kick o the dancing at Ciderfest to the band That Damn Sasquatch.
Rider Mohammad, left and friend Ezra Morales, who were visiting the area from central California, have some fun at Morrison’s Sept. 28 Ciderfest.
2024 Saw the Enactment of Numerous New Housing & HOA Laws
The Colorado General Assembly passed and Gov. Polis signed many new laws regarding housing and how HOAs can operate. Here are some new laws that caught my attention:
HB24-1152: Concerning Increasing the Number of Accessory Dwelling Units — This law prohibits jurisdictions or HOAs in a metropolitan area from unreasonably restricting the construction of ADUs in single-family neighborhoods. It also prohibits the requirement that an owner occupy the ADU or the primary residence, and it prohibits requiring additional off-street parking if there is sufficient existing parking, including on-street parking. (Those are two current requirements of many jurisdictions’ ADU ordinances.) Affected jurisdictions are given until June 30, 2025, to submit a report to the state’s Department of Local Affairs demonstrating that they have complied with the law and that they have implemented one or more strategies to encourage and facilitate the construction or conversion of ADUs.
of fire-hardened building materials used for fencing within the community.
copy a designated contact on the notice.
HB24-1337: Real Property Owner
scribed size, location and wording of the sign is included in the bill.
HB24-1007: Concerning Residential Occupancy Limits —The act prohibits counties and municipalities from limiting the number of people who may live together in a single dwelling based on familial relationship, while allowing local governments to implement residential occupancy limits based only on demonstrated health and safety standards, fire code regulations, etc.; or on local, state, federal, or political subdivision affordable housing program guidelines.
HB24-1173: Concerning Streamlining the Process for Permitting Electric Motor Vehicle Charging Systems
This law requires the Colorado Energy Office to publish by March 31, 2025, a model code for the installation of EV charging systems in counties over 20,000 population or municipalities over 10,000 population. The office must also provide technical assistance to counties or municipalities for the implementation of an expedited permitting process.
Unit Association Collections — This law limits the reimbursement amount which an HOA can charge for attorney fees to $5,000 or 50% of the original money owed when its takes collection action against a unit owner. For failure to obey the bylaws or rules of the association, the reimbursement for attorney fees is limited to $5,000 or 50% of the actual costs. The law also limits the ability of the HOA to foreclose on the unit, and provides for redemption by the unit owner and others, including the tenant, within 180 days after a foreclosure sale.
SB24-005: Prohibit Landscaping Practices for Water Conservation —
HB24-1091: Concerning Prohibiting Restrictions on the Use of FireHardened Building Materials — This law generally prohibits covenants and other restrictions that disallow the installation, use, or maintenance of firehardened building materials in homes, including in HOAs. However, the law allows an HOA to develop reasonable standards regarding the design, dimensions, placement, or external appearance
Megan’s Market
By Megan Aller
First American Title
HB24-1233: Homeowners' Association Delinquency Payments Enforcement Procedures — This law amends HB22-1137, which said that notices of delinquency must be posted on the unit’s door. Under this law, the HOA must send a certified letter to the unit owner and employ two other methods (phone call/voicemail, text message, or email) and must communicate in the preferred language of the unit owner and
Snapshot:
Sept. 25-Oct. 1
To conserve water used for irrigation, this law, effective Jan. 1, 2026, prohibits local governments from allowing the installation, planting, or placement of nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, or invasive plant species on commercial, institutional, or industrial property, association property, or a street right-ofway, parking lot, median, or transportation corridor. Artificial turf for athletic fields is not banned, however.
SB24-058: Landowner Liability Recreational Use Warning Signs —
This law allows the owner of land with recreational access to protect himself or herself from liability for off-trail injury or death by posting a sign at the common entrance to the property. The pre-
SB24-134: Operation of a HomeBased Businesses — This law allows a unit owner (or tenant, with the unit owner's permission) to operate a home-based business in a unit owner’s unit. An HOA may no longer seek to enforce any covenant or restriction that would prohibit a unit owner from operating a home-based business. The operation of a home-based business must still comply with any applicable and reasonable unit owners' association rules or regulations related to architectural control, parking, landscaping, noise, nuisance, and other matters that may impact fellow HOA members. The operation of a home-based business must also comply with municipal and county noise and nuisance ordinances or resolutions.
SB24-145: Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records — Older CC&Rs (covenants) included unlawful restrictions on membership based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or other personal characteristics. These are no longer enforceable, but they remain in those documents. This law creates the ability of any association to submit an amendment to the county clerk and recorder removing those provisions without a vote of the membership
The posting of this article online at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com includes links for each of these laws.
Here are some key takeaways from the market activity during the 7-day period from Sept. 25th to Oct. 1st:
Denver metro area inventory appears to be stabilizing, with steady buyer activity, signaling a sense of balance in the market as we move from September into October.
Buyers who have been waiting for better market conditions are now finding more options available. Sellers are increasingly open to negotiating, making repairs, offering concessions, and accepting contingent offers to get deals done. This creates an excellent opportunity for buyers to take advantage of the increased negotiating power they currently hold, which may shift if rates drop and competition intensifies.
The number of active listings remained consistent compared to the prior 7-day period, though inventory is much higher than this time last year.
New listings increased both week over week and compared to the same period last year, while “coming soon” listings have dipped slightly. Pending transactions stayed fairly flat, and the market’s supply of inventory has held steady.
The odds of selling rose but remain below the historical average from prior years, reflecting ongoing market dynamics.
Showings decreased slightly from the previous 7-day period but are up compared to last year. Homes are spending more time on the market, allowing buyers more time to make informed decisions.
There was an increase in price reductions, with a larger percentage of homes lowering their prices before going under contract. The size of these price reductions has also increased.
REcolorado, the MLS serving Denver and beyond, is the data source for this article.
Currently a greenhouse operation, these parcels at 52nd Ave. & Indiana St. have two addresses. The smaller parcel is 14780 W. 52nd Ave., and the larger one is 5150 Indiana St. Together they total over 12½ acres. The land is zoned agricultural, with a single family home, several outbuildings and a commercial well. They are in unincorporated Jefferson County. Current zoning allows for several uses, or the purchaser may choose to rezone to highest and best use. Downtown Golden, Jefferson County Government, and the Colorado School of Mines are just over five miles away. Learn more at www.GRElistings.com $8,000,000
Development Site Just Listed by Austin Pottorff
payer revenue and help the community? What’s the plan ahead?”
Town leaders say the problem lies with the Mount Carbon Metropolitan District, which is charged with providing water and sewer to the unincorporated development. ose utilities come to Red Rocks Ranch via the nearby Town of Morrison’s facilities. While Mount Carbon paid to upgrade the town’s wastewater treatment plant and is funding construction of a new, nearly complete water treatment plant, the plant isn’t yet online. And a required revision of an intergovernmental agreement between Mount Carbon and Morrison is also incomplete.
Meanwhile, the district is asking for more water taps to serve homes that are under contract.
“Mount Carbon has not met their obligations,” said Town Trustee Katie Gill. “I understand his (the homeowner’s) frustration, but I don’t know where the message is coming from that this is the town’s fault.”
In an emergency meeting on Sept. 26, town trustees voted to give the
Metropolitan District is rewritten — an e ort that’s been under way for
Because of that, Rawson — and 38 other prospective homeowners —
“I believe all of us on the board sympathize with the homebuyers who cannot close on their homes
due to water taps,” Town Trustee Katie Gill said. “However, the responsibility to build the necessary infrastructure to increase Morrison’s capacity is Mount Carbon’s. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and sell water we can’t serve.” Gill said on Oct. 2 that the board will “probably schedule another special session in consideration of the 39” soon.
An attorney for Mount Carbon said he believes the new IGA will be ready in about a month, and that it will not only resolve the town’s immediate concerns but address long-term water supply for the development.
Attorney David O’Leary also said the district will reapproach the board with its plan to convert irrigation meters into residential water taps.
“I think the proposal is a reasonable one,” he said. “It addresses an immediate need so some of those houses can close. I’d love to help those homeowners.”
e development’s irrigation system has been shut down to allow for the conversion, O’Leary said. He believes a new water treatment plant in Morrison will be operational, and
at Red Rocks Ranch.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
Couple waits to close on their ‘forever home’ in Red Rocks Ranch in midst of water issues
‘Not knowing, that’s the hardest part,’ prospective home buyer Carolyn Rawson says
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Tim and Carolyn Rawson were set to close Sept. 20 on their new Red Rocks Ranch home. On Sept. 19, a Lennar Homes representative told them that wasn’t happening.
“Lennar said, ‘You’re not closing, we don’t have a water meter,’” Carolyn Rawson said. “We got less than 24-hours notice. We had movers lined up to come. We had to gure out where to store things.”
Now, the couple and their two children are living with Tim Rawson’s mother in her Morrison home, waiting for resolution. e family of four has the main oor, while Tim Rawson’s mother sleeps in the basement, a situation the couple said is not fair for her or sustainable for them.
A Lennar Homes representative, along with Rawson, pleaded with the Morrison Town Board at its Oct. 1 meeting to grant the taps it needs to let Rawson and 38 other prospective homeowners close and move into their homes.
A few days earlier at a special Sept. 26 meeting, the town board denied a request that would have allowed those taps, with trustees saying the special district charged with providing water to Red Rocks Ranch hasn’t kept up its end of the bargain.
“It is something I know you don’t have to do, but I’m asking you to do it,” said Lennar Homes division president Jason Nazarenus. “We have 39 buyers that are currently displaced. Some are in Airbnbs, some in hotels
and some in moving vans.
“I appreciate your patience and professionalism as we deal through this really tricky time at Red Rocks (Ranch),” he continued. “I will tell you we are dedicated at Lennar to helping Mount Carbon (metro district) get through what they need to.”
e Mount Carbon Metropolitan District, formed to serve the project area, is paying for construction of a new water treatment plant in Morrison to serve the development.
Rawson recently retired from the Air Force and he and his family moved from Washington to Colorado this summer. e couple grew up in the Denver area and want to live closer to family. ey toured Red Rocks Ranch in July and found a unit that seemed ideal for them and their 9- and 11-year-old children.
“It’s an amazing house,” Tim Rawson said. “To us, it is our forever house.”
While the couple said Lennar Homes has been in close contact with them, they still feel largely uninformed about the circumstances surrounding the delay.
In addition to being displaced, the issue has impacted them emotionally and nancially. Carolyn Rawson said she’s spent thousands on custom window coverings.
“ at’s not something I can ask a window covering specialist to just return,” she said.
Tim Rawson went to the Morrison Town Board meeting Oct. 1 to learn more and “put a face” to the issue.
“ is is a ecting people’s lives, in worse ways than our situation,” Tim Rawson said. “ ere needs to be some kind of resolution fast.”
“Just not knowing, that’s the hardest part,” Carolyn Rawson said. “If they could just give us a new date. We don’t know if we should back out or continue to wait. It’s worth waiting for for a while, but not forever.”
IT’S PATIO FURNITURE REPAIR SEASON
As
Carolyn and Tim Rawson stand in front of the Red Rocks Ranch home they hope to move into with their two children. The closing is on hold because water taps haven’t been granted for it and 38 other units in the development.
PHOTO COURTESY TIM RAWSON
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WATER
current water issues resolved, before irrigation is needed again in the spring.
Town Trustee Katie Gill doesn’t see the issue the same way. She pointed to a 2023 amendment of the IGA that states the town isn’t obligated to provide more taps until the document is updated.
“I think we have given Mount Carbon too many taps ahead of their building the infrastructure to support them,” Gill said. “We have said ‘yes’ to everything they’ve ever asked the town. I think it’s time to say ‘no.’”
Mayor Chris Wolfe said the town wants to keep the development on track.
“We are trying to do our best to make this a mutual agreement with Mount Carbon and to move forward,” he said. “We want to be partners.”
Townhouses and condos are rising fast at the project site, which is set to eventually have more than 1,300 single-family homes, townhomes and condos, 70 acres of trails, parks, and open space, and 40 acres of commercial. Home prices in Red Rocks Ranch, which bills itself as an “exciting” community with “incredible scenery and recreation galore,” range from $750,000 to $1.25 million. While multiple homes are under construction, a Morrison utility report shows 319 homes in Red Rocks Ranch currently have town water service.
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Red Rocks Ranch is not part of incorporated Morrison, but the small town of less than 400 residents is providing water and wastewater to what is slated to be the much larger development just outside its boundaries. Mount Carbon agreed to build the infrastructure required to meet its needs, and has already updated the wastewater treatment facilities. Construction of a new water treatment plant, for which it’s also paid, is nearly complete. e plant will double the town’s water capacity to a million gallons per day.
But that’s only part of what’s needed to serve Red Rocks Ranch at full development. e plant is fed by untreated water from Bear Creek, and while the current supply is enough for Morrison, it isn’t enough for the development. To tap into additional town water rights, a new diversion must be built on Bear Creek west of the plant.
e process to build that diversion hasn’t yet begun, and Gill believes it could take years.
“I think (builder) Lennar is not aware how long it’s going to take before
we can get to full capacity,” she said. “ ere’s a water court process we have to go through. at might be just an administrative thing they can approve in a couple months, or it might be a thing we wait on for a year. en we have to design the diversion and pump station, and build it. My non-technical option is this could take a few years.”
O’Leary agreed that issue needs to be addressed, but feels time is on the district’s side.
“We’re talking years before this thing is fully built out,” he said. “If we had 1,100 units that came online all at once, yes, we would have an issue. Yes, you’ll need to enhance it, but I think all of that will be handled in the IGA.”
O’Leary acknowledged the process to update the IGA has been long, but cited turnover in town and district sta among the reasons. O’Leary himself joined the e ort about six months ago.
“We’ve been working on it with them for about ve years, and I’ve been working on it for about six months; we’ve made some progress,” he said. “ e new agreement will hit all their concerns.”
Gill said the revised IGA needs to outline the costs each entity will be responsible for in expanding the raw water infrastructure, among other things.
“How many taps they need and what we need to build has changed a lot,” Gill said. “We’ve been negotiating the terms, timeline and capacity (of infrastructure) they’re willing to build for years.
“ e town has both the intention and the capacity to meet its obligations to the development,” she continued. “But we cannot do that until the district meets its infrastructure obligations. It would be reckless of the town to issue taps beyond our capacity.” e district was created in 1976 the Mount Carbon Water and Sanitation District, and converted to a metropolitan district in 1982.
While Red Rocks Ranch was once within the town limits, the Morrison Town Board voted in 2018 to disconnect the property from its jurisdiction into unincorporated Je erson County. Many residents supported that decision for upholding the town’s “Keep Morrison, Morrison” motto.
Morrison’s new water treatment plant, financed by the Mount Carbon Metro District, is nearing completion.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
JEFFERSON COUNTY 2024 ELECTION GUIDE
Ballots are mailed out on Oct. 11 for the Nov. 5 general election. e Canyon Courier organized this guide with important dates, ballot box and voting center location information and races. Questions were sent out to all of the candidates to help readers make an informed vote.
On the state level, voters in the foothills will elect a state representative for Colorado House District 25, which covers Conifer and Evergreen. Democrat candidate Tammy Story did not respond to our questionnaire.
On the county level, Je co voters will elect members of the Je erson County Board of Commissioners for districts 1 and 2. e Canyon Courier coverage area is in district 3, which is represented by Lesley Dahlkemper. Dahlkemper’s term ends in 2027.
— Kristen Fiore, Editor
IMPORTANT DATES
• Sept. 21: Military and overseas ballots mailed
• Oct. 11: Local ballots mailed, drop boxes open
• Oct. 21: Vote centers open
• Oct. 28: Last day to mail your ballot
• Nov. 5: Last day to vote
BALLOT BOX AND VOTING CENTER LOCATIONS
There are plenty of places to vote in Jefferson County. Visit https://www.je co. us/3907/Find-a-Voting-Site to find one close to you.
George Mumma State Representative District 25
Residence
: Littleton Profession: Chief of Police (Ret.)
About me: I was raised in Arapahoe County with my family, my father came to Colorado to work at Martin Marietta. I graduated from Heritage High School and went on to serve my community as a paramedic and then a law enforcement o cer. My wife is a retired Je co Schools principal and former teacher, I have three sons that serviced in the military and six grandchildren. I served in Littleton and then in Je erson County for over forty ve years. I was the lead on the team to create the Je erson County Juvenile Assessment Center in 1995 and completed my law enforcement career as the Chief of Police in Morrison.
For more information: Website: helpgeorgewin. com, FB: George Mumma for HD25, X: @georgemumma4HD25
What makes you the best candidate for the job?
I have a proven track record of working with anyone to problem solve and work in the best interest of my community. Today we need more common sense approaches and an ability to think out of the box when representing our constituents.
If elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?
Too often Politicians are graded on their ability to pass a higher number of Laws. I believe our lives are TOO governed and we need to scale this back. I will consider my term a success if I am able to repeal unnecessary and overburdensome laws from the Colorado Statute.
What will you do to alleviate the high costs of living?
In general terms, Regulations provide a level of Safety for the public. OVER-regulation provides no real additional safety and yet increases the cost of Products and Services. is arbitrarily increases the
cost of living for all Coloradoans. I will work to balance the Regulatory environment with the general level of commonly accepted safety to make life more a ordable for the citizens of this state.
Will you work on solutions with members of opposing parties and how?
I have a strong history of non-partisan work in the Early Childhood environment. Often times I am the only one of my persuasion in the room when Policy is debated and developed. My work with people of all backgrounds shows that I always strive for solutions that result in the best outcomes for all.
How can you guarantee that legislators will maintain transparency, not just regarding their decisions but the work, debate and considerations that go into those decisions?
I believe the Sunshine Laws in Colorado are necessary to guarantee that Legislators are working in the best interest of the public. I will fully comply with those Sunshine Laws and continue to look for ways for them to be improved.
Evergreen Lutheran to distribute funds from annual sale
SUBMITTED
BY
EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH BOARD
Evergreen Lutheran Church raised more than $19,000 during its Aug. 3 Grove Sale.
All the pro ts from the annual event support non-pro ts in mountain communities from Bailey to Idaho Springs.
Church board member Sandy Lipina called the event a big success.
“While this year’s total wasn’t a record sales year, we were still very pleased since we did not have a sale in 2022,” she said, adding volunteer turnout was particularly impressive. “We saw 40 to 50 volunteers a day over the 10-day period of preparing for and cleaning up after the sale. Some volunteers worked 10 or
more hours a day to prepare for the sale by sorting, pricing and setting out items for sale day. We also had four to ve volunteers each providing meals for other volunteers.”
Many of those volunteers were non-church members, “so we double -downed on the blessings all week,” she said.
Money from this year’s sale will be distributed to area nonpro ts in the next few weeks.
Organizations that will receive funds include Loaves & Fishes, the Evergreen Mountain Backpack Program, Mt. Evans Hospice - Camp Comfort, the Mountain Resource Center, Evergreen Christian Outreach (ECHO), Resilience 1220 and A4A Active for All Evergreen Foundation’s INSPIRE program.
Elk Creek Fire Board casts third vote in favor of unification
during the meeting, with most speaking in support.
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Joining North Fork and Inter-Canyon, the Elk Creek re board recently voted in favor of uni cation with its neighboring Conifer-area re districts. Board member Chuck Newby voted against the proposal. Several Elk Creek residents also shared their thoughts on the idea
Newby campaigned against an attempted November 2023 consolidation of the three districts that voters narrowly disapproved. His was the only dissenting vote on uni cation among the 15 directors that make up the three boards, all of which voted on the issue in September.
Chiefs of the three districts, which cover 400 square miles combined, say uni cation will maximize resources and sta and better serve all their residents.
Newby cited several reasons he feels uni cation isn’t appropriate or legal, among them that it subverts
FIRE BOARD
the will of Elk Creek’s voters — who voted by a slim margin against consolidation.
“District voters have spoken,” Newby said. “ ey do not want consolidation of the three re districts, yet this scheme unlawfully attempts to use the (state) statute to subvert the will of the voters.
“ e present consolidation scheme was developed behindthe-scenes, out of view of district residents, and without their proper input, thereby unlawfully denying them their due process rights,” he continued.
But in contrast to the 2023 consolidation measure, which called for increasing the mill levy across all three districts to 16 mills, Elk Creek and Inter-Canyon’s mill levies would decrease under uni cation.
Newby also argued that re service in Elk Creek would be “signi cantly diminished” by the merger.
“ e Elk Creek (board) has aduciary duty to use the assets of the district to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its residents,” he said. “However, under this consolidation scheme, these assets will be misspent in the vain attempt to provide an adequate level-of-service to … North Fork (and) … Inter-Canyon re protection districts, whose levelof-service is inadequate.”
Because state statute requires service levels remain the same in a unication, Newby said the proposal is “impermissible.”
North Fork Fire Chief Curt Rogers takes issue with that assertion.
e Insurance Services O ce rates re departments across the United States on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 the best rating and 10 representing the least amount of re protection. North Fork and Elk Creek have ISO ratings of 5 for properties nearest their stations, and Inter-Canyon has a rating of 4 for those same properties, according to their websites.
“All the districts have a very similar ISO rating right now,” Rogers said. “Inter-Canyon is just one step lower. ese ratings are actually not bad at all for a rural area.”
Newby also said the mill levies presented under the uni cation proposal are not accurate.
State statute requires agencies undergoing uni cation to adopt the lowest mill levy among them, which the resolution the re boards re-
Fork’s at 12 mills.
Newby said North Fork’s mill levy is not the lowest. e Colorado Department of Labor shows North Fork’s 2024 mill levy at 12.9 — not 12 — higher than Elk Creek’s 12.5. erefore, Newby said, an election would be required on uni cation.
But due to a 2018 election issue, Rogers said the uni ed district will have a mill levy of 12. Six years ago, voters approved a question that allows the district to annually adjust its mill levy to o set property tax revenue losses tied the Gallagher Amendment. at amendment limits the growth of residential property taxes, the primary source of funding for re departments, schools and other governmental bodies.
“Our base mill levy has been adjusted every year,” Rogers said. “For the 2025 budget going forward, we will be setting it at 12.”
Elk Creek resident Al Leo was among those who encouraged the Elk Creek board to vote for inclusion.
“Every member of this district takes an oath to protect and serve us through providing emergency medical and re services,” he said. “ ese folks also wear the Maltese cross, which means they’re willing to put their life down to save us. When this group says they need help to provide the types of services under the oath they’ve taken, I believe them.”
Conifer’s Jody Wagner predicted uni cation will mean more tax increases down the road, and said the board should focus on volunteer recruitment.
“You can absolutely guarantee future tax increases will be part of what we need to support this,” she said. “Our volunteerism is on the decline nationally for every organization. And this board has yet to do things to address recruitment, retention, recognition and reward of volunteers. ey are choosing to focus solely on consolidation, which
From left, InterCanyon Chief Skip Shirlaw, North Fork Chief Curt Rogers and Elk Creek Chief Jacob Ware say working as a unified fire district is the best way to protect the Conifer area.
is not sustainable unless we address our volunteers.”
Next steps
Despite votes of support from three boards, uni cation isn’t yet a done deal. e three initial Septem-
ber votes modify an existing intergovernmental agreement with the Elk Creek, Inter-Canyon and North Fork re districts, opening the door for uni cation.
In keeping with state law, InterCanyon and Elk Creek also voted to exclude their property from their current districts, and North Fork’s board is expected to vote at its October meeting to include the other districts’ property into North Fork.
Public hearings will be held on the issue at Inter-Canyon’s Nov. 13 board meeting, and Elk Creek’s on Nov. 21. Notices about the November hearings will be sent to property owners within the Elk Creek and Inter-Canyon districts.
If uni cation is approved, the three would be known as the Conifer Fire Protection District.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
Volunteers power the Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail, an iconic 567-mile high-elevation trail that crosses the Rockies, owes its existence largely to Gudy Gaskill, a charismatic, six-foot-tall woman who could make tough things seem easy.
Gaskill not only carried out the vision of a state trail, beginning slowly in the late 1970s but also gave birth to it. In 1972, she lobbied Congress, along with forester Bill Lucas, credited with the Colorado Trail idea, to change federal law so that volunteers could be allowed to build trails on public land.
Volunteerism was so potent an idea, that when, in 1984, writer Ed Quillen broke the story about Gaskill’s e orts to revive trail building that had foundered under the Colorado Mountain Trails Foundation, people were energized to join her. Soon, thanks to fundraising, she had 350 volunteers coming each summer to join trail crews she often led herself.
She made creating the Colorado Trail seem like a privilege: You camped out in beautiful backcountry, ate great food, and found stamina you never knew you possessed.
In 1985, caught up in the story, my father, Ed Marston, then publisher of High Country News, volunteered my sister, Wendy, 15, and me, 13,
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Why we’re supporting George Mumma for House District 25
WRITERS ON THE RANGE
for a week of trail building. at’s how we learned how to swing those axe-like tools called Pulaskis on the Molas Pass to Durango section.
Gaskill herself led our crew, setting out early with orange ribbon to mark the trail. She was ecient and tireless, and in just a few hours, older, urban and young volunteers became trail builders with blisters to prove it.
It was exciting to work on a trail that unfurled along the rooftop of Colorado. Typical trails in those days led up mountains or over steep passes. e Colorado trail rejected peak-bagging and o ered a moderate route of week-long, 70-mile sections, neither losing nor gaining elevation rapidly, though often charting a route above tree line.
I joined a trail crew to revisit my childhood adventure this summer, and from Aug. 7 to 11, Denver friend Je Miller and I worked to repair trail in Cha ee County’s Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
In wilderness, if there’s a tree to fell, you use a handsaw. We needed to move big rocks, so two of us yoked ourselves together in nylon
harnesses to do that. We divided labor this way: Men hauled big rocks, and women wielding rock hammers smashed the rocks into gravel.
Trail work has changed a lot in 39 years. Back then we built water bars to stop erosion from runo . Logs anchored into slopes sluiced water o trails but required annual maintenance. Now, water moves o trail through “grade reversals.”
e trail swoops below grade, eciently shunting water o the path, then swoops back up to level grade. Drains are large versions of grade reversals.
My fellow volunteers were largely thru-hikers, skilled backcountry voyageurs who spend their holidays hiking the trail from Denver to Durango in one go. Mark Stephenson, 26, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was one of the trail’s most ardent fans.
He arrived on the trail via Greyhound bus with $40 in his pocket, saying, “ is is a place where money doesn’t matter.”
inking a reported two-and-ahalf-mile hike to camp would be easy, my friend and I arrived at the trailhead loaded up with both front and back packs. I confess to having done the shopping. My friend was optimistic: “I can carry anything two and a half miles.”
will meets this expectation in spades.
In a recent Canyon Courier publication dated Sept. 12, 2024 entitled “Voter Voices,” I was quoted as saying that “I believe that strong bipartisan leadership is needed to tackle our many problems, and I hope that we come backto-the center were most American people’s beliefs are.”
is is one of the main reasons that my wife Sandy and I are supporting George Mumma candidate for Colorado House District 25 in Jefferson County. George realizes that in order to get major issues properly debated and legislation passed that a ects ALL residents of this District, one needs to be respected for their beliefs and actions. ere de nitely needs to be a change in civility for e ective governance. And, George acknowledges these critical needs and
George will bring a star studded history of law enforcement including 45 years of pubic service in law enforcement, Chief of Police in Morrison, and extended e orts with the Je erson County District Attorneys o ce. His insight in this area will go a long way in helping to alleviate and hopefully solve our ever-growing area crime problems. As a manager of people and sta , George has the added experience of sound communication skills and negotiation abilities which by example alone will make him an excellent representative of yours at the Legislature.
George, along side his wife Lisa who was a teacher in Je co before a successful career in Administration, is concerned with the future of our younger generation. And, the values he embraces as a Christian, a faith that he practic-
But our camp had moved six miles away and 2,700 feet uphill. We made it, slowly, and once at camp, we quickly became free-store proprietors. But there was another problem: I’d left my tent poles at home. Crew leader Matt Smith, an engineer from Golden, easily came up with a x: He used parachute cord to rig up the tent y, then added a tarp to ward o the rain that soaked us every afternoon and night.
I don’t recall meeting thru-hikers in the mid-1980s, but today they seem to dominate hiking culture. I could only listen as the rest of the group talked about trails known by acronyms, including the famous AT—Appalachian Trail.
“You’re doing great work!” hikers told us as they passed by. Crew leader Smith o ers this perspective today: “19,000 volunteer personhours go into trail improvement every year.”
We owe thanks to those original trail stalwarts—forester Bill Lucas, journalist Merrill Hastings and of course, Gudy Gaskill. eir vision created of one of the state’s wonders.
Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Durango, Colorado.
es but does not wear “on-his- shirtsleeves” will serve our community well when he is elected. While I will not delve into his opponent’s nonvetted history as a politician and your representative, her respect within the political community is lacking. Most recently she voted against (1 of 17 in a body of 65) a tax relief measure which was passed in a Special Session called by the Governor of her own party. e measure, which did pass both the House and the Senate and was signed by Gov. Polis, took needed and necessary action to lower taxes.
George wants to, and will when elected, listen to YOUR wants and needs. He will be a true representative of yours. So, please, when you cast your ballots in this upcoming election, consider George Mumma’s moderate political
Dave Marston
LETTERS
philosophy for a representative and balanced government in Je erson County and the State of Colorado. Norm (Ron) Sherbert, Evergreen
No surprise, the people like the entrance they already have
On Aug. 7, the owners of the historic El Rancho restaurant building and the former First Bank building next door led a pre-application to replace the existing buildings with a 5-acre QuikTrip truck stop (Canyon Courier, 9/4/2024).
On Aug. 29, the Save El Rancho Campaign launched a petition, ‘No’ to El Rancho Quik Trip #4288 (openPetition.org/!kjrwk), opposing both the removal of the El Rancho building and the proposed truck stop in its place. e grassroots Save El Rancho Campaign exists to prioritize the character and livability of this neighborhood as part of the mountain residential community of Evergreen.
Five days later, El Rancho’s owners of less than two years, Jack and Sherry Buchanan, launched a counter-petition asking for support of their proposed plan, with the idea of relocating part of the building to the north side of US Hwy 40 (tinyurl.com/4meszujz). eir petition, which seems to imitate SERC in its title, reads: “Our relocation plan hinges on gaining approval from Je erson County and CDOT, and we must demonstrate that the com-
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munity stands behind this e ort.”
In the rst 30 days as of this writing, that petition had 94 signatures and 3 comments.
In its rst 30 days, SERC’s ‘No’ to Quik Trip petition had 1,054 signatures (1,042 were submitted to QuikTrip leadership after four weeks).
e 1,067 signatures and 668 comments as of this writing, along with any collected before it closes, will be reserved for submission to Je erson County if an application advances.
e Buchanans’ petition accuses the supporters of the SERC petition of “pushing El Rancho closer toward its demise.” In fact, it is not the 1,067 people who have so far signed SERC’s petition who have imperiled this building and imposed this incongruous use on the El Rancho neighborhood. It is instead the two owners as “1948 Holdings LLC” who contracted with QuikTrip in the rst place. e time to ask the community if they would rather restore an historic edi ce or install a truck stop was before; the Buchanans’ petition is an excuse and a subterfuge after the fact.
e more than ten times greater response to the SERC petition along with the volume of comments uniformly rejecting the proposed transformation of this neighborhood at the entrance to greater Evergreen is the resounding voice of Evergreen, the foothills, neighboring metro area communities and even visitors who value the rural, historic, and scenic character of this area as it is.
Kathryn Mauz, El Rancho & Evergreen
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
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HAPPENINGS
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
Evergreen Audubon Weekday Bird Walks for Beginners: Oct. 16 & 30. Led by long-time birder Susan Harper. 9 a.m. Oct. 16, Harriman Lake Park at S. Kipling Parkway & W. Quincy Ave, Littleton; 9 a.m. Oct. 30, O’Fallon Park, 25663 Lines Lane, Kittredege). Info and registration: evergreenaudubon.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.
Senior Excursions: Georgetown Loop Railroad Fall Foliage Tour: 9 a.m. Oct. 18, departure from Buchanan Park Recreation Center. Train ride with beer samples from local breweries. Register at evergreenrecreation.com
Conifer Community Blood Drive: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 18, Elk Creek Fire Protection District, 11993 Blackfoot Road., Conifer. vitalant.org
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
Witches & Warlocks on the Water: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 20, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Rd, Evergreen. $35 with your own watercraft, $45 includes board and life jacket. evergreenrecreation.com
Seniors4Wellness Friday Cafe: 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18, Christ the King Church, 4291 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen.
Seniors4Wellness Bingo & Games: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Bergen Park Church, 31919 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen.
Kid’s Halloween Night Out: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 25, Wulf Recreation Center, 5300 S Olive Road, Evergreen. Must be potty trained. Dress in tted comfortable clothes or Halloween costume! evergreenrecreation. com
Hike Or Treat at Staunton State Park: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Staunton State Park, 12102 S Elk Creek Road, Pine. Hike, treats and fun facts about nature with refreshments. Hikes start from the Visitor Center or Ranch Hand group picnic area.
Hops Drops music and beer festival: 1-8 p.m. Oct. 26, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. hopsdropsevergreen.com
Evergreen Halloween events, all on Oct. 31: Trick Or Treat at Ber-
BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Going through the home to declutter every few months can feel good.
Sometimes, the act of decluttering is spurred on by a large life change, like a move. Other times, it’s just nice to get a fresh start.
Deciding what to keep and what to let go can certainly be challenging, but sometimes the hardest part comes once the piles have been made. What should you do with the stroller your kids have grown out of, or the pantsuit you no longer need since you switched jobs?
Luckily, several organizations in Colorado exist to ensure your loved items will nd a second life. From
mattresses to cribs, your items can be recycled or reused — and can help change people’s lives in the process.
Cribs and car seats for young families
In Aurora, an organization called WeeCycle connects families raising infants and toddlers with essential baby gear and supplies.
“We do this by collecting new and gently used items from other community members that are done with their items, but they still have a lot of usable life left in them,” said Executive Director Morgan Seibel. “All of our programming works through that lens of sustainability.”
WeeCycle accepts items including cribs, car seats, strollers, diapers and “pack ‘n plays,” which are portable play and sleeping area units. e
group also accepts baby gates, baby monitors, humidi ers, bassinets and more.
e organization hosts collection events multiple times a week at its warehouse in Aurora and has other partner locations throughout the metro area that accept new diapers, wipes and formula. Pickup services are also available in some cases.
After receiving, cleaning and organizing donations, the team works with about 60 partner organizations to connect usable items to families that need them.
“We try to have a very wide range of di erent organizations … with the common thread that they are supporting families with infants and toddlers, and those families are struggling to provide all the items that they
need,” Seibel said.
ese organizations help immigrant and refugee families, families experiencing homelessness, foster families, families in the court system and more.
Seibel said WeeCycle tries to partner with organizations that provide additional wraparound support services for families, such as housing support, job training, English language classes and more.
“We understand that giving a family a stroller doesn’t solve all the other challenges that they’re facing,” she said.
In the rst two half of this year, WeeCycle distributed over 367,000 items to families in need, totaling an
Employees at Spring Back Colorado smile in the organization’s mattress recycling warehouse. COURTESY OF SPRING BACK
that you no longer need, it can be used to help support women as they embark on their professional journeys.
Dress for Success Denver aims to empower women and all who gender-identify as women to achieve economic independence by providing professional attire, career development tools and a network of support, said Executive Director Amara Martin.
e local branch of the international nonpro t accepts women’s business casual to business professional clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, Martin said. e organization asks that all clothing donated be clean, in season and current.
“ ose clothes are going to immediately go into my clothing boutique, where women are coming down during the week when they have a job interview, as well as when they are starting work,” she said.
When a woman comes into the boutique, she gets to work with a volunteer personal stylist who helps the client identify which out ts will work best for her needs.
in their career the chance to help someone else.
“We all know that the better you look, the more con dent you feel,” she said. “ is is an excellent way to kind of spread that con dence and to help a woman on her journey toward self-de ned success.”
Martin said the organization is often in need of plus-sized clothing, which it receives less often in donations. People who want to help ll this need can donate funds to support Dress for Success Denver in purchasing clothing that matches the sizing needs of their clients.
Mattresses for a better life
One of the most notoriously challenging items to get rid of is a mattress. ey can be hard to sell. Many donation centers don’t take them and they rarely t in a dumpster. Plus, simply throwing away such a large and important item can feel like a waste.
ally largely made of foam, wood and steel, Conway said. e workers separate the materials and compress them into bales, which they then send to recycling partners.
Steel makes its way to mills where it is recycled into new steel products. Foam goes to a plant where it’s made into carpet padding, automobile insulation and more. Wood is turned into landscaping mulch or biofuel.
“Historically, we have been able to recycle anywhere from 85% to about 92% of a mattress,” Conway said. e team recycles about 6,000 to 7,000 mattresses each month, Conway said. at means they diverted about 3.4 million mattresses from land lls in 2023.
“ e worst thing for a land ll is a mattress,” he said. “If you have a nite amount of space in the in the ground, the last thing you want going in there is big, bulky items that don’t break down, that are really hard on equipment and machinery.”
DONATIONS
estimated value of over $1.6 million.
WeeCycle recycles car seats that cannot be reused. ey also try to be creative with other items that cannot be given to families, which has led to donating recalled pillows to animal shelters and donating crib pieces to the local children’s museum maker lab.
Seibel said donating items to WeeCycle can be a great way for families to help others with items that they have grown out of, or perhaps items that they never even used.
“It allows them to really support other members of their community that aren’t able to access the items that they had when raising their children,” she said.
Clothing and confidence for professionals
If you have professional clothing
“ ey, together, shop to nd the best items that are going to t the best, that are going to look the best, that are going to help her feel as condent as possible in her job search,” Martin said.
In 2023, over 1,300 women used the boutique space, Martin said. Some people are referred by partner organizations, and others refer themselves.
In addition to getting free professional clothing, women who use Dress for Success Denver’s services can receive career coaching, take job readiness classes, participate in a job retention program and more.
Martin said if a person is unsure whether their clothes are in season or in style, they should bring it to donate anyway. Anything that doesn’t meet Dress for Success Denver’s requirements will be donated to other organizations that serve women in the community, she said.
e organization accept donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month at 2594 S. Colorado Blvd. in Denver. ey ask that all donations are delivered on hangers, not in garbage bags or boxes.
e organization also accepts donations of unopened, mini-size toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and hand sanitizer.
Martin said donating clothes to Dress for Success Denver can give the clothes that helped a person
Spring Back Colorado gives people an alternative for mattress recycling, while also providing employment opportunities for people who have had challenges entering the workforce due to criminal history, addiction or other challenges.
President Peter Conway said his father started Spring Back Colorado after spending years volunteering at Denver Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter. While working there, he met a lot of people who struggled to nd and keep jobs.
“ e company was created as a way to help those folks get stable employment, get back on their feet, become tax-paying members of the community, and also to help reduce recidivism,” Conway said. “We use mattress recycling as a vehicle to do all of that.”
e company partners with drug and alcohol recovery centers to offer job opportunities to individuals in the programs. One of their main partners is the Stout Street Foundation, a recovery program based in Commerce City, where Spring Back Colorado is also located.
“As their members are going through their treatment program, they basically introduce them into di erent workforces throughout the community,” Conway said. “Once they graduate from that program, they’re able to come on in a more full-time capacity with us.”
At the mattress recycling warehouse, employees break down mattresses that have been picked up or dropped o . Mattresses are usu-
Spring Back Colorado has partnerships with land lls to bring mattresses to the recycling plant. In many cases, recycling a mattress with Spring Back Colorado — which costs a $40 recycling fee if you drop it o at the warehouse — costs less than throwing it away at a land ll, Conway said.
Spring Back Colorado also o ers mattress pickup, which costs an additional $60 to $90 transportation fee, depending on distance.
Conway said recycling mattresses is the environmentally responsible thing to do.
“Bringing them to us, you are helping create that land ll waste diversion,” he said. “Shifting the awareness and the consumer to do the right thing, I think is only going to continue to become more and more impactful on an environmental level.”
But perhaps even more importantly, Conway said, bringing mattresses to Spring Back Colorado helps make a di erence in people’s lives.
Bobby Dainko, who works as the community development director at Spring Back Colorado, is a graduate of Stout Street Foundation. When he started working at the mattress recycling facility, he was experiencing homelessness and had 11 warrants.
Five years later, he is a homeowner, is employed and says he loves his life. He credits Spring Back Colorado for the transformation.
“If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I’d be,” he said. “I might even be dead. It allowed me to get my life back … You can’t put a price on what I’ve gotten back.”
A woman smiles in her new professional outfit from the Dress for Success Denver boutique. COURTESY OF DRESS FOR SUCCESS DENVER
Je erson County seeks voter approval to retain tax revenue for public safety
e measure doesn’t increase taxes or the mill levy rate. Instead, it allows the county to keep the 24 cents per dollar it already collects for designated projects and eliminates the revenue cap set by TABOR, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If passed, the county would keep more than $30 million that currently must be refunded to taxpayers under state law.
“ e ballot language is very specific,” DiTullio said. “It must be invested in transportation and infrastructure and public safety programs like wild re and ood mitigation and response, addiction and mental health programs, crime prevention programs and strategies and other county public safety functions.”
If passed, the county would keep more than $30 million in additional revenue SEE TAXES, P19
growing population and escalating costs to maintain essential services, all while facing serious funding challenges.”
Je erson County Sherrif Reggie Marinelli echoed Dahlkemper’s concerns.
e Je erson County Board of Commissioners is asking taxpayers to approve a ballot measure in November allowing the county to retain the total revenue it collects from property taxes. e additional revenue would go toward public safety services, including re and ood mitigation, crime reduction, road repair, child nutrition programs and addiction and mental health services, according to the county.
“While the refund amount di ers yearly, the average person receives around $22,” Je erson County Treasurer Jerry DiTullio said.
“Corporations with many properties can receive large refunds, like Xcel Energy, which received around $500,000 last year.”
For anyone questioning what the county would do with the additional revenue, DiTullio stressed that accountability is built into the county’s request.
e measure also sets up a citizen’s advisory committee of volunteers to provide input on where and how to spend the additional revenue.
e county has cut its general fund budget by $24.8 million since 2020 due to economic losses incurred during the pandemic, and county leaders fear more cuts would be necessary if revenue doesn’t increase.
“Je erson County is at a crossroads,” said Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper, speaking to the Jefferson County school board about the ballot initiative. “We’re seeing a
“We’re basically working the street right now with about the same amount of deputies who were working in 2003, but the county has grown tremendously,” Marinelli said. “We can’t keep cutting.”
In August, when the Quarry re erupted within striking distance of hundreds of homes, DiTullio said he got a call from budget nance asking him to cut a $653,000 check to pay down the county’s credit cards because they were maxed out and needed to be used to cover re ghting expenses.
REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE
LIFESTYLES
The 24th Annual Alternative Gift Fair…
An Absolutely Blessed Event of Giving and Receiving
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
Evergreen’s Alternative Gi Fair celebrates its 24th year in our community. is joyous two-day “giving and receiving” event will once again be held at Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980 County Highway 73, between Evergreen and Conifer on Saturday November 9 (9:00am-4pm) and Sunday, November 10 (9:00am-3pm).
e idea behind the Alternative Gi Fair is that people can come together to shop “once,” while gi ing “twice”—once when they make a purchase for the bene t of these local faith charities and then again when they gi the item to a family member or a friend. e purpose of this “twice blessed” event is to connect
FEATURE OF THE MONTH
people in our community with folks nearby and from afar, get to know their organizations, and assist them in their endeavors to raise money for their own circle of people.
Showcasing arts and cra s vendor-booths occupied by nonpro t organizations that operate around the world, charities do not have to pay a fee to take part in the Fair. Each booth is responsible for its own intake of money and the charities receive 100% of the funds from their sales. Most charity vendors will accept credit cards but bring cash or checks for some that might not.
For over 20 years the fair has been held at Evergreen
Lutheran Church, which serves as the event’s physical host and nancial hub. e generous sponsorship and participation of local faith congregations include: United Methodist of Evergreen, Episcopal Church of the Trans guration, Congregation Beth Evergreen, Church of the Hills Presbyterian, and Christ the King Catholic Church. Volunteers from the community come together to help make it run, including Scouts who will host a Cafe, providing a bake sale and refreshments to shoppers and volunteers alike. e act of volunteering is, of itself, a “gi ” and one that can certainly have an immense positive impact on our community. Consequently, if anyone is interested in volunteering, please visit the Alternative Gi Fair’s
ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
From Page 1
website (www.Gi Twice.org) and click on the Volunteer link at the top. Your support as a volunteer is a gi that will keep on giving and it will be greatly appreciated.
“ e three key elements necessary to put on our successful Alternative Gi Fair each and every year are vendors, shoppers, and volunteers (sustaining and new)! Although money and volunteers spring from these faith communities, we are always looking for more volunteers,” said Bill Graf who has co-chaired this event for the past seven years along with chair, Riley Hanback.
e Alternative Gi Fair commenced 24 years ago, and Mary Richards has been involved from the start. She reports that it has always been a mission of faith and volunteers. In the beginning the faith communities were all noti ed about the event.
“It just happened,” said Mary. “ e word of mouth spread like a re and before long, hundreds were involved. Multiple faith congregations grabbed the commitment from the get-go.”
Beneath the endeavors rested a spirit of fun and joy, which was soon contagious. In the beginning the fair was held at the Church of the Hills. But it was not long before the location was
Please see ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR, Page 6
Come shop for fabulous handmade cra s, jewelry, textiles, and other gi items o ered by non-pro t organizations!
Come shop for fabulous handmade crafts, jewelry, textiles, and other gift items offered by over 30 non-profit organizations! ank you to our sponsoring
Saturday, November 9th | 9am-4pm Sunday, November 10th | 9am-3pm Evergreen Lutheran Church 5980 Highway 73, Evergreen, CO 80439
Saturday, November 11th | 9am-4pm Sunday, November 12th | 9am-3pm
Please bring cash or checks as some vendors cannot accept credit cards.
Evergreen Lutheran Church 5980 Highway 73, Evergreen, CO 80439
Please bring cash or checks as some vendors cannot accept credit cards. Shop once. Gift twice.
Participating non-pro ts receive 100% of the proceeds
Check Out These Recommendations for the Perfect Fall Getaway
(StatePoint) Anyone who loves fall weather should make plans to come to Kentucky. When October and November roll around in the Bluegrass State, native Kentuckians and visitors alike have their eyes on the tree line, waiting for the rst hints of autumn colors. And while the anticipation might seem almost too much to bear, the breathtaking sight of fall foliage in Kentucky is so worth the wait.
If the leaves are turning, no matter where a traveler happens to be in the Commonwealth, they are in for a veritable reworks show of vibrant fall colors. ere are so many ways to get an amazing view of the foliage, from nature trails for those who like hiking to country roads for those who enjoy nature from the inside of the car.
e Old Frankfort Pike is a National
Scenic Byway that runs through Woodford County in central Kentucky and passes by some of the most charming and beautiful landscapes in the entire country. e pike is 15 miles long, including a two-mile stretch of road that features centuries-old limestone fences, pastures, barns and a tunnel-like oak tree canopy on either side of the road. ose lucky enough to drive it during the fall experience a view that’s truly special.
Sixty miles southeast of Lexington is a nature lover’s paradise, the Daniel Boone National Forest. Driving any one of the state routes that passes through the preserve would satisfy most leaf peepers. However, for those who insist on getting out of the car and into the woods, hiking the trails in and around Slade will provide all the leaf colors desired, not to mention jaw-dropping views of Red River
Trail.
To nd colors and educational opportunities, head to the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum, located just outside Clermont. Not only does it contain 16,137 acres worth of arboretum, forest and nature preserve, but it has nature and science programming, dozens of folk art installations and playgrounds for children of all ages.
Pushing to the western part of the state, don’t miss out on the Woodlands Trace Scenic Byway. is road starts at Grand Rivers and takes travelers through
the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and into Tennessee. Along the way, sightseers will be surrounded by all the autumn splendor Kentucky has to o er.
Beyond fall foliage, Kentucky is the place to be for autumn fun -- from haunted mansions and ghost walks to u-pick o erings at farms all across the state. For more information visit, www. kentuckytourism.com.
e Bluegrass State has amazing things to do and see regardless of the time of year, but Kentucky in the fall is hard to beat.
Gorge, Natural Bridge and Chimney Top
Its A Spooktacular Season!
Be inspired by the ickering ames in your Jack-O-Lantern and get your replace ready for winter! You may only get to enjoy your carved pumpkin for a few days, but your replace will work hard for you for many years. We will help you with routine maintenance, replace repairs, and even an entirely new replace, stove, or insert! If trying to turn your replace on is like talking to the dead, it is time for a service! We o er full cleanings for your replace and can even complete an Operational Assessment which checks all of the internal components to nd the source of your replace gremlins. When your ames are ghosting out, or your blower fan sounds like a screaming black cat- the x can be as simple as a part replacement with a service call. Our Certi ed Technicians have the training and experience to get you back up and running.
You want Santa to be ready to come down your chimney, not spooks! Its prime chimney sweeping season, and we are here to help make sure you’re ready for winter. With our chimney sweeping service, we include a Level I Inspection which means we evaluate all readily accessible parts of your replace, stove, or insert for any apparent haunts. We will even get on your roof to clean the cap, look at the exterior of the chimney structure, and down your chimney for anything eerie.
Have you looked at your replace or insert or freestanding stove and questioned if it was Frankensteined together? Its time for an inspection or replacement before the cold weather comes and you need to rely on your stove as a source of heat.
Do you see a ghastly white fog on the glass of your ine cient, outdated original gas replace? We can help
you upgrade that replace to one with a larger viewing area and all-seeing crystal-clear glass! A new appliance will also be higher e ciency and can be run on a thermostat for the upmost ease of use. When your new replace kicks on because it senses your room is chilly, you may be startled at rst! Its not ghouls at work; its modern-day convenience!
Now is the best time to upgrade your hearth appliance so you can use it all winter. If you want to burn wood, you can get a new ultra-high e ciency appliance that quali es for a tax credit that you can submit for in the springtime.
You won’t need witches’ brews or crystal balls to see how a new replace, stove, or insert can be installed in your home. Our three associates in the showroom are all certi ed by the National Fireplace Institute for installation
planning, and their expertise makes it seem like magic. When you want to change your fuel type with an insert or freestanding stove, we can make sure you have the parts and pieces you need. We’ll then order everything for you and coordinate with our in-house installers so you have a seamless one-day installation. Your new replace will be ready to treat you that day!
Add Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney and Mountain Hearth & Patio to your trick-or-treating rounds! We can show you the latest and greatest hearth appliances or schedule your service call at 7001 Highway 73 in Marshdale. Visit us from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday, and 8am-4pm Saturdays. You can also see our products and portfolio of work on our website at www.MtnHP.com or reach us by phone at 303-679-1601, and email at O ce@MtnHP.com.
If your replace or chimney is acting haunted, we can help! e gremlins in your replace will be cast away by our Certi ed Technicians and Installers. Call us today to schedule your service or showroom appointment!
ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
From Page 2
changed to Evergreen Lutheran Church to accommodate the ever-growing attendance. Over time, additional faith congregations have become part of the Fair, making this event one of the most attended occasions all year.
Today, a committee meets regularly to make sure the Fair will be a continued success. Nonpro t vendor relations are again managed by Deb Ryon who tends to the groundwork for the event and takes care of vendor sign-ups. Returnees are part of the fun, and all the volunteers enjoy not only seeing many of the same vendors each and every year, but also meeting and interacting with so many caring people.
Nonpro ts participating in the 2024 Alternative Gi Fair include: Africa Bags (www.AfricaBags.org) / Handcra ed goods from Malawi; Agile International / Purses, handbags; Cards for Caring (www.cards4caring. com) / Note cards with original photographs; Chao’s Needle Works / Vietnamese handmade items; Church of the Hills (www.churcho hehills. com); Congo reads / Scarves, shawls, jewelry; Earth Links (www. earthlinks-colorado.org) / Natural and organic candles and soaps, reusable bags, upcycled products, bookmarks and greeting cards handmade by people with lived experience with homelessness); EPIC Amazon (www.EPICA.earth) / Native-made jewelry, pottery and scarves; Evergreen Audubon (www.evergreenaudubon.org) / Bird nest boxes and nature-related gi s; Evergreen Mountain Area Historical Society (www. EMAHScolorado.org) / Books of historic and local interest, handcra ed items from EMAHS volunteers; Evergreen Sustainability Alliance / Sustainable products, local made products; First Presbyterian Church, Friendship Bridge (www.friendshipbridge.org) / Textiles from Guatemala and wool items, swittens (mittens and headbands), stockings, headbands made from wool sweaters by women in Evergreen; Fraternity Without Borders US; Fundacion ‘Yo Te Amo’, CO (www.
fyta.org) / Ecuadorian handmade items…children’s, ladies Alpaca wraps/ponchos, and throws, jewelry, wood carvings (nativities); Global Mamas (www.globalmamas. org); Hands in Hands; Ice Melt; Joy International (www.joy.org) / Candles, jewelry; Kenya Kids (schartongloria@ hotmail.com) / Handmade beaded jewelry, animals, bowls, key rings…; Making A Di erence / Brazilian handwoven items; Mount Evans Heath Care & Hospice (www.mtevans.org) Seasons of the Mountains calendar, angels, hot pads; Outreach Uganda (www.outreachuganda.org) Paper beaded jewelry, ornaments, wine glass charms, lanyards, bags and purses, aprons, stu ed animals, scarves, coasters, pot holders, oven mitts, crosses; Purple Door Co ee/ Dry Bones (www.drybonesdenver.org) / Co ee items, mugs, burlap bags; R Bazaar / Arts, jewelry, cooking items from refugee and international women); Rooted Wisdom Africa; Salvation Army; Seeds to Sew/ Handmade items from Kenya; SARDUS, and Silks of Laos / Handwoven silk scarves from Laos; cotton table-runners, silk wall-hangings, carved wooden hangers, silver jewelry hand-cra ed in India. e Annual Alternative Gi Fair featuring handmade gi s and baked goods for purchase will prove to be a delightful way for you, your family, and your friends to spend your weekend as a holiday shopper and/or a volunteer. Jodye Whitesell has furnished the Alternative Gi Fair (www.Gi Twice. org) with an informative website that provides a plethora of information. e website also includes a link at the top of the home page to a sign-up genius for those people who might be interested in volunteering.
In light of so many tensions in today’s world, we must remind ourselves each and every day to count our blessings. November is truly a month of giving thanks, which is why the 24th Annual Alternative Gi is also an absolute blessing this time of year. Come out to the twice blessed 24th Annual Alternative Gi Fair at Evergreen Lutheran on Saturday and Sunday, November 9 and 10 and support this heavenly community event.
Mortgage Loan O cer Grant Brewster Can Help You With All Your Home Financing Needs
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
For over thirty years, Colorado Foothills native and Mortgage Loan O cer Grant Brewster of Edge Home Finance Corporation has been providing his customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. A mortgage broker is not an employee or a liate of a lending institution; therefore, they are not limited in the products they can o er you. Unlike a bank, a mortgage brokers represent YOU, the customer, not the lender.
Edge Home Finance seeks out the best lending package tailored to suit your particular situation, whether it’s with a national wholesale lender, second mort-
Unlike a bank, a mortgage brokers represent YOU, the customer, not the lender.
gage/HELOC lender, or private funds. With a wide assortment of loan options available to homebuyers/homeowners today, Grant is committed to helping both salaried and self-employed individuals obtain the right loan to meet their speci c needs.
Contact Mortgage O cer Grant Brewster today for all your home nancing needs (720-668-4183/grant. brewster@edgehome nance.com/www. grantbrewster.com) and nd out how he can save you time—and money.
Water Leaks Can Cost You Thousands. Here’s What to Know
(StatePoint) A leaky faucet, pipe or toilet is more than just a nuisance, it can lead to unhealthy mold growth and cause costly damage to your home. Such issues are more common than you may think. In fact, two out of ve homeowners have experienced water damage.
Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to detect a leak. Beyond the typical warning signs, such as higher than usual water bills and unexplained damp spots on walls and ceilings, new products can help you detect and address water leaks right away. e Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shuto from Moen, for example, is a game-changing smart water device that o ers 24/7 leak detection. If the system detects a leak, your smart water valve will automatically turn o your water to prevent ooding.
Water damage can have potentially devastating impacts. By being vigilant and relying on innovative solutions, you can protect your home, your health and your wallet.
HAPPENINGS
gen Village Shopping Center, 3-5 p.m.; Downtown Evergreen Trick-orTreat: 4-6 p.m.; Trick or Treat Trail at Evergreen Elks Lodge, 4-6 p.m.
e Evergreen Elks Lodge indoor Trick or Treat Trail: 4-7 p.m. Oct. 31. 27972 Iris 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
Laughs on the Lake - Comedy Night: 7 p.m. Nov. 15, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Rd, Evergreen. Tickets: evergreenrecreation.com
ONGOING
“Rocky Horror Show” presented by StageDoor eatre: Fridays 7 p.m. & Saturdays 7 & 10 p.m. through Oct. 26. Tickets: stagedoortheatre. org.
Evergreen Audubon Annual Wreath Sale: Oct. 1-28. New this year, LED light kits for your wreath. Order online and pickup at the Evergreen Nature Center in late November. Order at: evergreenaudubon. org.
“Spirit Level,” comedy by the Evergreen Players: Weekends Oct. 18Nov. 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 Nature Center monthly family program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday. Free & no registration required. Monthly topics could include native wild owers and seed bombs, dissecting owl pellets, live animal encounters, and more! Evergreen Nature Center, 27640 Hwy 74. More info: evergreenaudubon.org.
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 Repub-
lican 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, e-mail 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. 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 con-
struction 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.
Why Je co schools don’t have a district-wide cell phone policy
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN
SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After 26 years in the classroom, Pomona High School teacher Dale Munholland has seen it all, from students quietly tapping away on ip phones to today’s constant barrage of smartphone noti cations.
But what he’s noticed most is the toll cell phones have taken on his students’ focus and engagement.
“Since the development of smartphones, attention spans and the quality of work have dramatically fallen,” Munholland said. “It’s an addiction.”
While he tries to enforce his own no-phone policy, he admits it’s a losing battle without district-wide support.
“It’s really hard to teach when you’re competing with a cat video,” he said.
For Munholland, the constant battle over cell phone use is more than just a classroom disruption — it’s a growing concern for student focus and academic performance.
Lisa Garry, who teaches Geometry and Statistics at Arvada Senior High School, agrees.
“I’ll have kids on their phones while I’m teaching a lesson, and then they’ll look up at me and ask, ‘What are we doing?’” Garry said.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, about seven-in-ten (72%) high school teachers say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their
classroom, compared with 33% of middle school teachers and 6% of elementary school teachers.
As districts nationwide grapple with how to deal with rampant cell phone use in school, from requiring them to be out of sight to purchasing high-technology pouches that lock phones down, Je erson County Head of Schools Dave Weiss acknowledges that knowing exactly what to do is complicated.
“We worry about cell phone use from the standpoint of the negative social interactions that students sometimes have through social media or on their cell phones,” Weiss said. “But we also understand the value of cell phones when it comes to safety. ere’s no one-size- ts all answer.”
In Je co, schools decide
Je erson County Public Schools doesn’t have a district-wide cell phone policy, unlike other metroarea districts, like Douglas County and Cherry Creek, which restrict cell phone use during school hours. Instead, the district allows its schools to create policies that work for them.
“We have a total of 35 secondary schools, and 37% percent of those are implementing a brand new cell phone policy this year,” said Weiss. “Fifty-four percent of those schools are continuing with their previous policy, and 9% don’t have a cell phone policy.”
While Garry’s school has a writ-
ten cell phone policy requiring students to keep their phones out of sight or store them in a caddy, she said there’s inconsistent enforcement across teachers. Some strictly enforce the policy, while others are more lax about it.
Students in Munholland’s classroom are supposed to keep their phones out of sight, but he said he’s constantly telling them to put them away.
“ ey think they’re being sneaky, but it’s obvious when they’re trying to hide them,” Munholland said. “It’s really hard to have any type of cell phone policy that the kids respect if you don’t have the support of the administrators or the district.”
Garry and Munholland said that if they could wave a magic wand, the district would purchase locking pouches. Doing so would allow them to resign as the cell phone police and focus more on classroom instruction.
Yet Weiss said that even if the district created a uniform policy, it would still be up to the schools to enforce it.
While Weiss’ statement may be true, Munholland disagrees.
“I don’t think you can honestly be a serious district or a serious school and say academics and learning are important if they’re not addressing cell phones,” he said. “Everything else is just window dressing.”
Districtwide policy not o the table
Weiss said the district is taking the
year to study the impact of various cell phone policies and procedures within its schools and across the country and that a districtwide policy isn’t o the table.
“ ere are a lot of states and districts that have required cell phone policies, and we’re watching those closely,” Weiss said. “We know that a lot of research has come out recently that’s causing educators and parents alike to be concerned about how much screen time their children are getting.”
According to Weiss, they’re also studying issues like the cost and logistics of locking phones in pouches and how that could impact safety and learning in an emergency. As a parent, Weiss said he’s sensitive to the fact that parents and students may have experienced past trauma or have medical needs that require them to need immediate access to their child.
Other district priorities include gathering student feedback and input to understand their perspectives and experiences with cell phone use in school.
ey also plan to evaluate what policies and consequences would be enforceable across their large district, which has 147 schools and 4,000 classrooms.
“We don’t want to suspend students, so they’re not getting a learning experience because they failed on the cell phone policy,” Weiss said. “It’s not as black and white as people would like.”
TAXES
“ at $653,000 wasn’t budgeted,” DiTullio said. “So that’s where the money we’d receive if the measure passes would come in.”
Marinelli said since she’s taken o ce, the department’s main drive has been to be scally responsible and spend taxpayer money wisely. But without emergency reserves, when the Quarry re began, she feared she might be unable to feed the re ghters coming in from all over the county.
“I’m telling you what, there’s nothing like an Italian woman who freaks out when you cannot feed your people,” she said. “It’s my responsibility as the sheri and the re warden. I’ve got to make sure they’re fed the proper calories and the right kind of food. So when our credit cards don’t work, I’m freaking out.”
Je erson County is one of only two counties in the state that do not allow for some level of revenue retention over the limit imposed by state law.
e lack of an approved relief measure means that county departments can’t seek state grants to help cover budget shortfalls because they
A voter drops o their primary ballot June 25 at the Je erson County Government Center’s main ballot drop box.
County is helping to fund,” Marinelli said.
ose opposed to the ballot measure, including Natalie Menten, the Republican candidate for District 2 County Commissioner, are against any e ort to eliminate TABOR.
“I will work to the end to defeat this measure they want to get passed, which will eliminate our property tax caps and it is a tax increase, eliminating our TABOR refund forever,” Menten told the Je co Transcript in July.
Menten is also a member of the TABOR Foundation, a group that defends e orts to weaken or overturn TABOR.
would hit the revenue cap and be forced to refund that money.
“I really want to stress to Je erson County residents that because citizens in Douglas County, Arapahoe County and Adams County have passed measures that eliminate revenue caps, they are the ones bene tting from state grants that Je erson
DiTullio said the ballot initiative doesn’t eliminate TABOR.
“If this passes in November, the Je erson County government or any special district would still have to go to voters to approve any mill levy (property tax) increases,” he said.
“Passing this measure also wouldn’t a ect anyone’s state tax refund.”
FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Baseball lovers of all ages attended Evergreen baseball’s second annual Home Run Derby event on Sept. 28. The event honored former pro players, featured current players and allowed potential future Cougars to get a few swings in for some friendly competition. Here, a young batter lines one up with Head Coach John Krane in the background.
Evergreen baseball hosts 2nd annual Home Run Derby fundraiser
Past and present players honored in return to fall ball
BY JOHN RENFROW
For the second year in a row, Evergreen High School baseball held a Home Run Derby to honor its pro baseball alumni. e Sept. 29 event featured past and present players hosting baseball lovers of all ages in a fun, fundraising event for the program’s booster club.
Last year’s inaugural event honored two alums — Kevin Kouzmano (1999 graduate) and Brock Burke (2014) — who played Major League Baseball, but neither could
make it in 2023. is year, Kouzmano showed up and brought his whole family in tow.
“I have spent countless hours on that eld with my dad and brother, Ky, and it’s great to see that eld in tip-top shape,” Kouzmano said at the event. “(Head Coach John Krane) is very proud to have two former EHS grads play Major League Baseball and recognize them.”
In fact, Kouzmano , who played eight years in the major leagues for the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies and the Texas Rangers, plans to stick around for a while. He hit 87 home runs in his career.
“I’m planning on spending some time in Evergreen this winter to help out,” he said. “It’s nice to see John get the community together for the Home Run Derby to watch the play-
ers, moms and dads hit home runs to raise money for the EHS baseball team.”
e derby, sponsored by the Evergreen Baseball Boosters, is the second fundraiser for the boosters, which helps the high school team and sponsors two club teams.
Each batter — ranging from age 10 to adult — attempted 15 pitches from a machine or a coach. Older hitters had to hit the ball farther into the out eld for it to be declared a home run, and trophies were awarded to the players in age groups with the most home runs.
Below is a list of this year’s winners from the event.
Age 10 and younger: Tie - Huxley Leonard and Carter Huggins ( ve home runs)
11-14 years: Jack Melichar ( ve home runs)
15-18 years: Shane Benson (one home run)
19-40 years: No participants other than James Maroney who won for the alumni
40-50 years: Ky Kouzmano (three home runs)
51 and over: Sarah Sweeney (one home run)
Cougar alumni: James Maroney of class of 2012 (four home runs)
“Over 25 years, our boosters and volunteers created a spectacular baseball venue,” Krane said, who is in his second year as head coach after years of serving as an assistant coach. “ is eld represents our community’s pride in its high school and what it means to live in Evergreen. Our Home Run Derby Day is a chance to share this ballpark with
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BROOKE MORGAN
Evergreen Head Coach John Krane gives medals to some young participants in the baseball team’s second annual Home Run Derby fundraising event on Sept. 28.
Shining Stars
Evergreen senior Tyler Long watches his drive on the third hole on the canyon course at Fox Hollow Golf Course on Monday, Sept. 30. Long fired a 7-under-par, 64 to win the individual Class 3A Region 2 title. The Cougars also won the regional title heading into the slated 3A state tournament in Pueblo.
PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS/ JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Conifer junior Siena Shields, far right, approaches home plate after her 3-run home run in the top of the fifth inning Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Golden High School. Shields also had a 2-run triple in the second inning to help lead the Lobos to a big 16-5 victory over the Class 4A Je co League leading Demons.
DERBY
everyone, celebrate the baseball program and share the fun that is baseball. It takes immense support from donors and volunteers to have such a beautiful facility utilized eight months a year at 7,000 feet altitude – no easy task.”
Michele Vanags from State Farm Insurance (and the Wooden Hawk Foundation) joined the event this year. Vanags served as the platinum sponsor and threw out our opening
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
From left to right: Evergreen senior outfielder Gri n Gonsman, Evergreen alumni and former Major League Baseball player Kevin Kouzmano and Evergreen Head Coach John Krane pose in front of a sign honoring Kouzmano . Generations of Cougar baseball players celebrated the program at the team’s second annual Home Run Derby fundraiser event.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BROOKE MORGAN
pitch. Also, Steve Physioc — a friend of Krane and the baseball program — joined as the guest MC.
“I’ve only been a resident of Evergreen for 15 months, but I am incredibly inspired by the love of community and the service by fellow citizens,” Physioc said. “Coach John Krane is not only building an excellent baseball team at Evergreen High School but developing young leaders as well.”
It’s not just about honoring past players, but getting kids on the eld early in case they want to be future Evergreen Cougars as well. e kids have a chance to see what can hap-
pen if they follow in the alumni’s shoes.
at EHS with the Home Run Derby,” said senior out elder Gri n Gonsman. “ e event is a fun way to promote and raise money for our baseball program while supporting young athletes and our future baseball players.”
Kouzmano is still infatuated with Evergreen and said the event is a unique way to impact the community in a similar way he’s experienced.
“Coming to watch an Evergreen baseball game can have a huge in-
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!
To place your
call
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.
Michele Vanags from State Farm Insurance poses with Evergreen senior outfielder Gri n Gonsman after Vanags threw out the first pitch. Vanags was the platinum sponsor for the team’s second annual Home Run Derby fundraising event on Sept. 28.
uence on these players,” he said. “Turns out a spectator who brought his son to watch the game ended up being one of the most in uential friends and mentors of my entire career. Troy Slinkard, a longtime resident of Evergreen, gave me a tip after the game and ended up helping me to develop the swing that got me to the majors. His love of the game and willingness to help a young Evergreen player was invaluable to me.”
Editor’s note: A special thanks to Sarah Aller who helped provide information to make this story possible.
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 & Bible Class; 10:45 a.m. www.shepherdoftherockies.org
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN Rev. Sarah Clark • 303.674.4810 • www.evergreenumc.org 3757 Ponderosa Dr. across Hwy 74 from Safeway in Evergreen
Join us in person every Sunday at 10:00am for worship “Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds”
CAREERS
Help Wanted
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.
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Rent 6,868.96
Patrick Thompson Training & Education 276.50
PAUL MICHAEL SMITH Mileage 92.46
PAUL MICHAEL SMITH Travel 141.50
PAUL WARBINGTON Board Meetings Expense 140.00
PENDO PRODUCTS LLC Medical Supplies/Drugs1,167.00
PINAKI NAG Fairgrounds Security Deposits 505.00
PRECISION DYNAMICS CORPVolunteer Supplies 310.00
PRINT PARTNERS LLC Printing Services2,859.45
PROFORCE LAW ENFORCEMENTPolice Supplies & Equipment 6,495.00
PURCELL TIRE & RUBBER COMPANYVehicle & Equipment Parts7,959.80
PURPLE COMMUNICATIONS INC Professional & Technical Services (Other) 81.00
Q MATIC CORP Software as a Services (SaaS) 2,654.04
QUICK SET AUTO GLASS Commercial Repairs 835.00
Rachel Durkan Mileage 146.86
Rachel Mastarone Training & Education 268.02
RACHELLE ANN LAO EISENHAUERTravel 34.25
REBECCA J HASCALL Travel 124.50
RELIANT MECHANICAL SERVICES LLCFurniture & Equipment103,526.25
ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOTTLED WATERServices & Charges (Other) 47.86
ROCKY MOUNTAIN MICROFILM Records AND IMAGING dba RMMI Management Services3,700.80
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Child Care 4,004.46
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Medical Insurance16,042.88
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INC Flex Spending Account - Limited Purpose 414.59
RYAN LESTER Board Meetings Expense 140.00
SANITAS FAMILY DENTISTRYAutopsy Services 500.00
SCHWEIZER EMBLEM COMPANYPostage 50.00
Scott M Green Service of Process Fee Returns 15.00
SFA LLC Building Maintenance 300.00
SKAGGS PUBLIC SAFETY UNIFORMSPolice Supplies & Equipment 3.99
SOUTHLAND MEDICAL LLC Medical Supplies/Drugs 714.90
SPENCER, WENDY Board Meetings Expense 100.00
STACY LILES Board Meetings Expense 140.00
STAPLES ADVANTAGE Office Supplies 3,796.86
STEPH BAKER Travel 147.50
STERICYCLE INC Autopsy Services 297.65
SUMMIT TOPCO LP DBA CLASSIC COLLISION LITTLETONCommercial Repairs3,319.55
Jefferson County Warrants
LEGALSHIELD
M A MEYER CONSTRUCTION INCEquipment (Other)3,200.00
MALM ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS LLCBuilding Construction & Design 20,526.40
MARIANNE J BAKER Mileage 26.13
MARIE BAYER Mileage 100.10
MARKETABILITY Consultant Services4,050.00
MATTHEW BENDER & COMPANY INCLibrary Books & Materials-Print 634.04
MIDWEST TAPE Library Books & Materials-DVD11,439.92
MIDWEST TAPE Library Books & Materials-Audio Book2,758.39
NETEO INC Telephone Services 60.00
ORGANIC ROOTS CATERINGConferences/Trade Shows9,993.60
OVERDRIVE INC Library Books & Materials-Digital28,670.18
PAOLA ANDREA VILAXA ARAYA Mileage 87.10
PAOLA ANDREA VILAXA ARAYA Travel 256.50
PRINTING CONCEPTS LLC General Supplies (Other)4,015.00
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Child Care 409.17
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Medical Insurance3,721.03
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Transportation 100.00
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Spending Account - Limited Purpose 178.42
Sarah Ohle Leibrandt Mileage 353.22
T MOBILE Library Books & Materials-Print5,395.40
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INCDelivery Charges 1.62
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA Library Books & Materials 101.64
VANNESA K IVEY Telephone Services 156.69
WAXIE SANITARY SUPPLY Janitorial Supplies1,080.86
XCEL ENERGY Heat & Power 31,993.07
XCITE AUDIOVISUALS LLC Computer Hardware & Software 2,105.10
XCITE AUDIOVISUALS LLC Professional & Technical Services (Other)21,165.12
XCITE AUDIOVISUALS LLC Computer Equipment (CAPITAL) 73,344.00
Library Fund Total 394,003.21
BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY INCLibrary Books & Materials-Print 700.53
Library Fund TABOR Revenue Grants Total 700.53
DELTA DENTAL OF COLO Delta Dental Insurance Claims48,511.80
HEALTHBREAK INC Consultant Services20,807.99
LEGALSHIELD Employee Legal Services 7.88
RPS PLAN ADMINISTRATORS INCFlex Medical Insurance 133.33
UNITED HEALTHCARE
Public Notices
Legals
City and County
Public Notice
Notice of 2024 Clear Creek County
General Election
A General Election will be held in the State of Colorado, County of Clear Creek, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. All eligible registered voters will
receive a ballot in the mail. Ballots will be mailed the week of October 11th – 18th. If you do not receive a ballot, contact the County Clerk’s office.
***The Clerk & Recorder’s office will be closed on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th, so no in-person Motor Vehicle and Recording transactions will take place. Staff will be assisting with the election being held in the BOCC Room.***
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY
CLERK AND RECORDER
405 Argentine St., PO Box 2000, Georgetown, CO 80444
PH: (303) 679-2339
Web Site: www.clearcreekcounty.us
Ownership Statement Canyon Courier
Email Address: clerk@clearcreekcounty.us
VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTERS
• Ballot drop off, replacement ballots, voter registration, in-person voting and accessible voting equipment will be available at this location:
Clear Creek County Courthouse (BOCC Room)
405 Argentine St., Georgetown, CO 80444 Monday-Friday, (10/21/2024 – 11/04/2024)
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday, (11/02/2024) 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Tuesday, ELECTION DAY (11/05/2024) 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
BALLOT DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
These 24-hour monitored mail ballot drop boxes will be open Friday, October 11th through Tuesday, November 5th at 7:00 pm (Election Day).
• Clear Creek County Courthouse
405 Argentine St, Georgetown
• CommonSpirit Primary Care Idaho Springs
1969 Miner St, Idaho Springs
• Clear Creek High School
185 Beaver Brook Canyon Rd, Evergreen
• Any Jefferson County drop box near you
Brenda L. Corbett, Clear Creek County Clerk and Recorder
The
BY STAVROS KORONEOS
Thunder row KITTREDGE – It was the afternoon of Aug. 13, and Harley was in his garage tweaking his Hog. Finetuning the bike’s massive motor to achieve maximum machismo, he frequently “revved” the engine to gauge his progress in decibels. After 20 minutes or so, his neighbor, Ducati, stamped over and told Harley to knock it o . According to Ducati’s subsequent statement to JCSO, Harley instead got “nose to nose” with Ducati and started “cussing and yelling” on all cylinders. At some point, Ducati continued, Harley “grabbed my collar” and the two men lurched backward, falling together through a fence. For his part, Harley said the scrap was mutual and not particularly violent, shattered fence notwithstanding. Deputies told Ducati there were ample grounds to charge Harley with assault and criminal mischief. Ducati told deputies that he and Harley usually get along pretty well, and that he’d just as soon try to repair the relationship mano-
a-mano. O cers said they’d keep their citation pad handy in case he changes his mind.
Walk on by
CONIFER – Smoothly exiting southbound 285 at Conifer Road on the afternoon of Aug. 11, White Subaru was startled by Black Tesla, who zoomed around him on the right and then bullied his way into the exit lane ahead of him, forcing White Subaru to “slam on the brakes,” which caused “my tools and my co ee to spill all over the back of my car.” Ticked o , but temperate, White Subaru regained his composure, continued to a nearby business, and got out of his vehicle to see Black Tesla parked at the charging station next door. Seeing an opportunity to vent his vexation at Black Tesla’s tra c tactics, White Subaru strolled over to nd Black Tesla seated in the open driver’s seat holding a semi-automatic pistol in his lap. “You’re pulling a gun on me?” White Subaru asked, startled again. “You walked up on me,” a rmed Black Tesla.” Still mad, but not mad, White Subaru snapped pictures of the seated Black Tesla
and his license plate, then retreated to call JCSO. After reviewing White Subaru’s statement and photos, deputies determined that there was legal cause to charge Black Tesla with disorderly conduct. Feeling better after saying his piece, White Subaru declined to pursue the matter. “I think maybe me and him were just having a bad day,” he shrugged. Clearing the case, deputies cautioned White Subaru about “walking up” on strangers, telling him “it’s not worth getting shot just to give someone a piece of your mind.” White Subaru agreed.
O ense account
CONIFER – Expecting a new debit card, the longtime bank patron strode into the Conifer Road branch on the morning of Aug. 14 and gave the sta explicit instructions. e new card, he said, was by no means to be mailed to his home address. It was to be mailed to the branch bank, where he would collect it at his convenience. e branch manager told him the card could be mailed anywhere he liked with the single exception of the branch bank, which is strictly forbidden by
Public Notices
of October, 2024, ordered to be published by title only and penalty provision, if any, and to be posted in full within the Town and on the Town’s website by the Board of Trustees of the Town of Morrison, Colorado. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately.
The full text of this of this Ordinance is available in electronic form on the Town’s website, www. town.morrison.co.us; copies of this Ordinance are also available in printed form from the Office of the Town Clerk at 321 Colorado Highway 8, Morrison, Colorado 80465.
Legal Notice No. CAN 1675
First Publication: October 10, 2024
Last Publication: October 10, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier
Metropolitan Districts
Public Notice
The Mountain Water and Sanitation District has submitted the annual report for 2024 demonstrating proof of the value of the Radioactive Materials Management Financial Warranty. For further information regarding the Assurance Warranty, contact
the MWSD staff at 303-838- 1800 or through the website mtwaterandsan.com.
Legal Notice No. CAN 1674
First Publication: October 10, 2024
Last Publication: October 10, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier
Bids and Settlements
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
corporate policy. Instantly enraged, Patron launched into an o ensive rant and threatened to close his account. When a bank employee asked him to leave, he vowed to “come for you” and “throw down” the next time they met. Warming to the theme, he started pointing at various employees and promising to “come for” them, too. Quickly running out of people to come for, he stalked out of the branch bank and Manager called JCSO, advising deputies that the longtime patron’s time was up and asking that he be o cially trespassed from the premises. When o cers rang him up with the bad news, he assured them that he was the victim in the case, having been “assaulted” by bank employees. Deputies were unmoved, and he promised to stay out of the branch bank from now on. 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.
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.
Located in the Lutheran Medical Office Building on the new Lutheran Hospital campus, Lutheran Clinic offers a range of specialty care services and providers dedicated to helping you live your healthiest life possible.
Our Services
• Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacy
• Breast Care Center
• Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic Trauma
• Cardiology
• Laboratory Draw Station
• Maternal Fetal Medicine
• Cardio Pulmonary Rehabilitation
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• Sleep Center
• Foot & Ankle Surgery
• Weight Loss Center
12905 W. 40th Avenue | Wheat Ridge, CO 80401
