Conifer resident leads nonprofit dedicated to helping Ugandans
Speakers for Africa aims to help one of Africa’s poorest but most joyful countries
Conifer resident Peyton omas was a sullen 12-year-old when his mother moved the two of them to Uganda, where she had taken a job as a teacher at a Christian elementary school.
“I hated it,” omas said. “I did not know why my mom would ever bring me to such a place. She promised me I would nd something there that would change my life and make me a better person. She was 100% right.”
Today, omas, 39, is executive director of a nonpro t called Speakers for Africa, an organization he founded that’s dedicated to providing school supplies, nancial aid and facilities to Ugandan children. Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world, and has been heavily impacted by infectious diseases, according to Brown University.
But what omas saw there many years ago that changed the course of his life was something simple: happiness.
“ ere were all these unbelievably happy people around me. I was like, ‘How can you be so happy? You’re living in these horrid conditions.’ I decided to start opening my eyes to what it was that made them so happy.”
omas found it was linked to their belief in God, the family unit and their roles and responsibilities to their community.
“It’s a dangerous place, and they have
Inter-Canyon Fire to hold public hearings on two district exclusions
One proposal tied to unification, other from neighborhood seeking inclusion in West Metro Fire
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Inter-Canyon Fire board will host two public hearings on exclusion during its Nov. 13 meeting — one required for its proposed uni cation with the Elk Creek and North Fork re districts, the second a request from a neighborhood that wants to leave the district.
State statute requires a property to exclude from one re protection district before it can be included in another. Under the uni cation proposal, both InterCanyon and Elk Creek must exclude their properties from their own districts before they can unify under the North Fork Fire Protection District. ey will then change the merged organization’s name to the Conifer Fire Protection District.
Meanwhile, the White Deer Valley neighborhood wants to be excluded from Inter-Canyon, and become part of the West Metro Fire Protection District.
e 53 residents of the upscale neighborhood near Deer Creek Canyon Park are on the east edge of Inter-Canyon’s service area, and HOA President Tom Gebes said the Conifer re agency’s response times are delayed by the distance. A study showed response times to the neighborhood would be faster under West Metro.
“Several community members have received delayed emergency medical response from this primarily volunteer dis-
Thomas poses with the girls soccer team at the Uganda Youth Aid School in Kampala, Uganda. Speakers for Africa provided the soccer uniforms and equipment. COURTESY OF SPEAKERS FOR AFRICA
SEE UGANDA, P4
Four candidates vie for three spots on Morrison Town Board
Sean Forey, John Leonard, Krista Nash, Angela Bernhardt shared views at Oct. 16 forum
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Four people, including two incumbents, are running for three open seats on the Morrison Town Board. e quartet elded questions about town issues during an Oct. 16 candidates night at the town hall. Hopefuls in the Nov. 5 election include incumbents Sean Forey and John Leonard, and Angela Bernhardt and Krista Nash. Current trustee Katie Gill is stepping down from her seat.
Jerald Jerome, who had initially said he would run, has since dropped from the contest.
Here are a few questions and responses from the Oct. 16 event, which 17 people attended.
What’s your background and why are you running?
John Leonard: I’ve lived in Morrison 24 years. I’m running because I really do enjoy the town, the character. I think from my perspective in my professional career I bring some things to the table in terms of nancial. In the end, I’m running to do what I think is best for Morrison. I really believe keeping Morrison Morrison, to a point, is what everybody wants, while also making sure … we’re in a good spot nancially. And with the land from Bandimere. I think there’s a lot that can be done to keep the town in a positive direction for a long time.
Krista Nash: I’ve been part of the town for 53 years. I own Morrison Mercantile. I watched my parents be intricately involved
in this town for many years. It’s worthy of protection and careful growth. I feel there’s an obligation of those who have deep roots in this town to give back. I trained as a journalist, and am an attorney now. at taught me to really dig into things. It feels to me we’ve got a lot of professionals telling the town what should happen. I feel there should be … a little more leadership and community engagement. I too want Morrison to stay Morrison. But I don’t know that’s really de ned.
Angela Bernhardt: Fifteen years in town; I ran Cli House Lodge for about six years. I created Alley Fest. I’m actually wanting to make Morrison better, not just stay the status quo it has been. It hurts my heart to see ve businesses without anything in them. I think sometimes we need to see how the town can help the businesses. How can we make this a little bit better, bring more community and revenue into Morrison? I like the way it is little, and we want to keep it that way. But let’s try to make Morrison better.
Sean Forey: I’ve lived in Morrison close to 30 years. We have understood there’s going to be change. But we adopted the slogan, ‘Keep Morrison Morrison’. We wanted to keep it our small town. We always knew things were going to happen on the east side of the hogback. I think history proves every single vote I’ve made has been for the town of Morrison. We have a couple really big issues right now, (including) Mount Carbon (and Red Rocks Ranch). at’s why I’m still here. I want to make sure we don’t make a mistake in this town. I am so proud of the board … how much time and e ort these people put in.
What should happen on the 16 acres of property at C-470 and Morrison Road that will be transferred to the town as part of the Bandimere annexation?
Sean Forey: e town should never sell the property; they should lease it. You want
the biggest and best that’s going to create the most sales tax revenue. To keep Morrison Morrison, we need some money. Let’s make some money over there and we can do what we want over here. If things are good over there, we could provide internet to everyone over here. I don’t know if it’s a Chick-Fil-A, an In-and-Out Burger. Somebody said Trader Joe’s; in my case, Natural Grocers. ose are the things we will control. We have something that can support the town forever, and we can’t ever let it go.
John Leonard: I don’t agree that necessarily you keep the land forever. ere are fee-based developers, a lot of people that will look at that 16 acres and tell you exactly what to do to maximize the value of the property. You’ve got to look at the best long-term use, and the right solution for the town, and how it a ects water. en we need all the input we can get from the town once we get an initial plan. Where I am is (let’s) get a plan. I’d like to see some sort of revenue coming out of there within 5 years.
Krista Nash: I was thinking we could make this a very cute extension of the town, something similar to downtown. But you might end up putting in sit-down restaurants or shops that end up taking from the strength of this part of town. I agree with Sean we should never sell that land, and we should use professional people to gure out how to develop it. Having a grocery store out there might be nice for everybody. I’d also like to see a parking study looked at. Would it be possible to create a walkway that would encourage people to park out there and come into town, and alleviate some of the serious parking problems we have now?
Angela Bernhardt: If we are building anything on it, I feel it needs to be multilevel. We can park underneath, have buildings on top. A mixed-use, social and community complex with events, comedy shows, things we can make revenue not only from sales tax but a Morrison usage
tax. Maybe even something art driven. Something that builds community. I don’t really want anything like Chick-Fil-A or McDonald’s. I’m thinking something more bougie where people … want to come and hang out.
What issues do you feel need to be addressed in Morrison?
Krista Nash: Water. And we need to streamline some of our systems. e Red Hotel process wasted a lot of time and money. We need careful development, and to shore up the way our processes work to protect the town but make sure we’re respectful of development costs. We also need to be really careful with that 16 acres.
Angela Bernhardt: How we revitalize our downtown area and get businesses involved, making it look more inviting. I feel the town is kind of being run down. How do we encourage those business owners and help them make the outside (of their buildings) inviting so we’re not just a driveby to go see the leaves.
Sean Forey: e big issue is the IGA (intergovernmental agreement) with Mount Carbon. We’ve also got 40 acres in the middle of the Lennar (Red Rocks Ranch) development. We’ll get a (public improvement fee) out of that. It’s designed to put in a typical King Soopers or Safeway center. Copart (a global auto company planned at former Bandimere site) is going to take a lot of the board’s time.
John Leonard: e IGA and the 16 acres. Another one for me is outsource services. Everything should be put out to bid. It keeps everything competitive and makes everybody hungry to give us the best services. Another one is a ve-year plan, a budget look-ahead. And town amenities; we could have some things in our little town just for us. Maybe it’s just free internet. Also nishing the Title 10 zoning regulations. And protection of the river, that we keep that as a protected jewel.
From left: incumbent John Leonard, Krista Nash, Angela Bernhardt and incumbent Sean Forey are seeking seats on the Morrison Town Board in the November election. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative for Downsizing Seniors
The first time I heard about Village Cooperatives was a few years ago when I listed the Lakewood home of an elderly couple who had a deposit on an apartment at Village Cooperative Lakewood, near Wadsworth and Jewell, which was then under construction. They ended up canceling their reservation, so I didn’t think more of it, including in March 2020 when Rita and I sold our Golden home and moved into a 55+ rental called Avenida. If I had looked into Village Cooperatives, I think Rita and I might have made a different decision.
pro-rated to the portion of the year, so it wouldn’t actually be 9% unless you bought after exactly 3 years.
There are between 50 and 70 apartments in each of the cooperatives. All but this one are 3 stories with a garage in the basement. There are a few 1-bedroom units, but most are 2 bedrooms, and some of those also have a den. They range from under 900 to over 1,700 square feet, and there are over 20 floor plans. During the tour, I got to see all three types.
Two weeks ago, I got an invitation to visit the Village Cooperative building in Centennial from a reader who had moved there from Avenida the same year we moved in. I attended a 2-hour talk and tour of the facility last week, and learned enough to consider getting on a waiting list for a 2-bedroom unit with a den.
Ten of the 45 Village Cooperatives built so far are in Colorado. Five of the 10 are in the Denver metro area, stretching from Longmont to Centennial, and the only ones that aren’t sold out are in the Columbine area of Littleton and in Longmont. All the others have waiting lists. The company that builds them is based in Minnesota.
The details and numbers I’ll quote below are for the Centennial location, but the other locations are probably comparable.
Buying into a cooperative is not at all like buying a condo. You are buying a share in the ownership of the building. The price of the share is set originally and appreciates by 3% per year, without compounding. For example, in the Centennial cooperative, the original prices ranged from about $160,000 to $240,000 when it opened three years ago. If you could purchase a share which had an original price of $200,000, you’d pay $218,000 (3% increase x 3 years). The 3% per year is
Real estate agents play no role in the purchase. You pay a refundable $500 deposit to get on the waiting list, and you will be notified when shares become available. You can pass on any unit that becomes available and not lose your place on the list.
The monthly fees — it’s not considered “rent” — are about $2,000 per month and consist of four components: your pro-rated share of the monthly payment on the building’s 40-year construction mortgage; your share of the property tax on the building, and a management fee, including your share of the building’s contract with Comcast for internet access, cable TV and a landline. The fourth component is contribution to reserves. Gas and electric are individually metered.
The cooperative is managed by a board of directors consisting of your fellow shareholders. Members also are encouraged to join committees focused on finance, maintenance, and social activities.
One parking spot in the secure basement garage is assigned to each unit. There is a high-pressure car wash bay with vacuum, too.
Amenities include a fitness center, a library, storage rooms, a meeting/game room, and two hotel-style guest rooms that residents can reserve for $50/night.
I was impressed by the sizes of the rooms in each of the apartments. In our current apartment, the master bedroom is
Just Listed: 5-Bedroom Brick Ranch in Wheat Ridge
10’ by 11’ — barely big enough for our king-size bed and one dresser. The master bedrooms in the cooperative’s units are more like 12’x15’, and the smallest guest bedrooms are bigger than the master bedroom in our Golden apartment.
A member can sell their share at any time and get back their investment plus the 3% per annum appreciation paid by the replacement member, minus deduction for repairs, etc. Members can pay for upgrades such as better appliances, countertops, backsplashes, fixtures, flooring, etc. and expect an additional direct payment for those upgrades by the buyer, as negotiated between buyer and seller.
A gas forced-air furnace is in a locked closet accessed from each unit’s balcony. Central hot water is included in the monthly fees.
You can’t finance your purchase with a mortgage, because it’s not real estate. It’s a cash purchase, and you have to demonstrate that you can afford the monthly fees. If you are planning to sell your current home when your wait for a unit is up, one strategy is to borrow the $200,000
via a home equity line of credit (HELOC) that is paid off when your home sells.
The purchase price and the monthly fees for a cooperative are roughly half what a comparable condo purchase and dues would be, making the decision an easy one if you have the liquid funds to buy the share.
Village Cooperative only began in 2011 and has grown impressively. You can learn more and see its many locations at www.VillageCooperative.com. In the posting of this article on my blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I have links to a few YouTube videos I recorded during my tour.
Some Buyers Pay ‘Admin Fees’
A couple weeks ago I wrote that almost no buyers are paying a commission to their agents, despite the recent NAR settlement. Sellers are still paying buyer agents’ commissions. However, many brokerages have a long-standing practice of charging a 3figure “administrative fee” to buyers — usually around $300. Golden Real Estate does not charge buyers such a fee.
Water Cremation: Going Green in the End
$750,000
The seller has owned and loved this brick ranch at 7085 W. 32nd Place for 43 years! The basement, with two doors to the backyard, includes a large wet bar for entertaining plus a sound-proofed musical studio which could be a bedroom with ensuite bathroom. The home has 500-amp electrical service, with 240-volt outlets in the detached garage/ workshop. There are four separate sheds in the backyard. Well water is used for irrigation. The asphalt driveway was recently seal coated. There’s a fenced dog run and pre-wiring for a hot tub. You’ve got to see this home to believe it! Visit www.WheatRidgeHome.info to see lots of interior and exterior photos and to take a narrated video tour. Kathy Jonke will be holding it open this Saturday from 11 to 1, or call her at 303-990-7428 to request a private showing.
Joined
in 2014 Licensed in 2001
Joined us in 2010
Licensed in 2000
Joined
in 2014 Licensed in 2000
I don’t recall how I learned about it, but last week Rita and I visited an open house at Be A Tree, a company which offers water cremation as a green alternative to conventional flame cremation. Conventional flame cremation uses natural gas. Water cremation is what it sounds like. Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, it uses a mixture of 95% water and potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide to dissolve fats and tissues in a body, reducing it to components of liquid and bone. The process takes place over 18 hours in a pressure vessel heated to around 200°F.
The bones are then ground into a powder referred to as ashes, although no flame was used. For an extra fee, those ashes can be molded into white stones which can be shared among loved ones.
The 150 gallons of nutrient rich water generated by the process, called Tree Tea, can be used as fertilizer, hence the
name of the company, Be A Tree. Rita and I had always thought that cremation was the best way to go when we die, but we had done no pre-planning and this approach is much more appealing to us, so we have now pre-planned for water cremation with Be A Tree. If this concept appeals to you, learn more at www.BeATreeCremation.com or call 720-782-2782.
Evergreen’s Haunted Halloween Trail a screaming success
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
More than 1,300 people of all ages gasped, screamed and laughed through the Evergreen Park & Recreation District’s Haunted Halloween Trail night at Buchanan Park Oct. 19. e third annual event included a haunted trail, candy stations, and for the rst time, a haunted house.
“It was a huge success, so much so (that) we’ll nd a way to have something similar next year,” EPRD Executive Director Cory Vander Veen said. e event attracted a mix of community members, from children and teens to adults.
“It was a good community event with a lot of good screams,” Vander Veen said. “It was de nitely an experience.”
EPRD sta converted an empty building west of the park district’s o ce into a haunted house. While that building’s set to be remodeled in the coming year into bathrooms, Vander Veen said the district will likely still use it next year for Hal-
UGANDA
to look out for each other,” he said. “But it’s also a culture of laughter and silliness. Laughter is what gets them through life. at and music. If you hear a song on the radio and you’re at a restaurant, you can get up and dance at your table.”
A common phrase used there
— bulungi — means “ ne.”
“ ey have this attitude of complaining about it would only hurt me,” omas said. “I’m here today. I’m alive. I have what family I have. And I’m ne.”
Remarkably, he said, he’s also never heard any gossip in Uganda.
Because of the joy Uganda and its culture brought omas, he’s giving back through Speakers for Africa, which aims to let Ugandans share their stories and needs with the world. It’s also intended to help Ugandans help themselves.
“ e handout model doesn’t work in Uganda,” he said. “We are very much ‘teach a man how to sh.’ We want to help Uganda grow from the inside.”
plies already over there and into the right hands,” Mitchell said. “ at’s what I really like about working with Peyton. I knew immediately where (the money) went.”
Speakers for Africa’s e orts have also supplied food to schools, and seeds with which students learned how to plant and cultivate vegetables. It also provided the Uganda Youth Aid School with equipment to form a soccer team, including balls, jerseys and cleats.
On the February 2025 trip on which Mitchell will accompany him, omas and his team plan to build latrines at a school. e organization is also working to raise funds to repair a leaky school roof.
omas’ passion for helping Ugandans is palpable, and so intense he said he often spends 12 hours a day working on it. He works on the side as a website designer and marketer, making just enough to sustain himself so he can continue bolstering Speakers for Africa.
loween. EPRD also plans to expand the haunted trail in 2025.
EPRD also hosted an outdoor screening of “Haunted Mansion” in the Buchanan Park eld after the trail closed.
High school and community volunteers joined EPRD sta for the event.
e nonpro t’s board includes four members from the United States — among them omas’ mother and group co-founder Penny Randell — and four from Uganda. Evergreen’s Cactus Jack’s co-owner Megan Mitchell recently joined the board. She plans to join omas on a trip to Uganda in February.
“I didn’t even think about it; I said ‘yes’ automatically,” she said. “Peyton is so passionate about it, it makes you passionate, too.”
Cactus Jack’s hosted a back-toschool fundraiser for Speakers for Africa in late August. It raised about $5,000, which supplied feminine sanitary products to a Kampala, Uganda, school — a need omas learned had contributed to girls missing ve days of school each month.
“Within two weeks of the fundraiser, ( omas) had the sup-
“Everything is geared toward being able to do this more,” omas said. “ e main objective is to make helping Africa fun, cool and reliable again. In addition to the magic they have to share, this is really the place that has our last resources on earth. It is the cradle of civilization.” omas’ goals for the group are big and broad. While Speakers for Africa is a 501c3, he is also working to make it a non-governmental organization (NGO), which would give it a broader international footprint and the potential to in uence public policy.
As part of Evergreen’s 32nd Annual Holiday Walk, Speakers for Africa will host a free 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 Ugandan music event in Evergreen’s main street parking lot. Conifer’s Peak Academy of Dance will perform to African music. Samples of Ugandan coffee also will be served.
“It’s to celebrate humanity and our inherent desire to dance,” omas said. “I think it will be super fun, and will help broaden some perspectives.”
From coding to roller skating, EPRD has an after school activity to interest every child. Let us take care of the transportation from school to Wulf Recreation Center where your child will enjoy learning something new. Wednesdays are for Robotics and Thursdays are for Chess Club. Have a more active kid? Let them blow off some steam with Dance or Gymnastics.
EPRD also services The Bergens Elementary with another collection of after school enrichments. Mondays are for coding where your child will learn to build websites or apps. Or get the wiggles out on Tuesdays with Yoshi PE. Art Club on Thursdays will help your child express themselves in creativity. And Friday will be roller skating in the gym!
After school enrichments is a great way to keep your child engaged and active all afternoon!
Evergreen Park & Recreation District sta converted an empty building near their o ces to a haunted house.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF EPRD
People wait in line to enter EPRD’s haunted house Oct. 19.
1 makes nancial sense, and are skeptical it will happen. He says White Deer Creek Valley has been trying to make the change from one re protection district to anoth-
er for years, and believes Inter-Canyon wants to keep the neighborhood as part of its tax base.
“It’s all about money; it has nothing to do with anything else,” he said.
Shirlaw said the nancial impact is among the issues Inter-Canyon will consider with the HOA’s request.
“My responsibility is to 52 square miles and thousands of residents,” he said. “Is this going to be a large hit to the budget where we can’t function well as a department serving the thousands of residents? It’s something we have to investigate.”
Earlier this year, the HOA hired public safety consulting rm Emergency Services Consulting International to study the issue. ECSI looked at both Inter-Canyon and West Metro’s response times, sta ng and other factors, concluding White Deer Valley could “bene t from faster response times, more reliable coverage, and higher customer satisfaction” under West Metro.
“ESCI strongly recommends that White Deer Valley consider West Metro Fire Rescue as its primary service provider,” the report concluded.
Gebes said the neighborhood isn’t strongly against uni cation, but is opposed to becoming part of the uni ed district.
“Our feeling is this consolidation is ne for the mountains; we don’t want to stop them,” Gebes said. “All we want to do is be excluded from Inter-Canyon. If they do this consolidation as planned and share funds and resources, our exclusion should not negatively impact this new re district. Just let us go, and move on.”
Meanwhile, the North Fork re board voted Oct. 16 to include the Elk Creek and Inter-Canyon districts into their own, taking yet another step required by the state for the trio to unify.
“ is is saying we’ll do the inclusion, contingent on (the other two districts) passing their exclusion,” said North Fork Fire Chief Curt Rogers. “It lets the district court know there’s a place for them to go.” e issue has so far been noncontroversial among North Fork’s residents, he said.
“Consolidation overwhelmingly passed in our district last November, and we’ve had nobody come and speak in opposition to uni cation,” Rogers said. e next major steps toward uni cation are two public hearings on the proposal, including Inter-Canyon’s at 6 p.m. Nov. 13 and Elk Creek’s at 6 p.m. Nov. 21. If the proposal passes, the three-district merger will take e ect in January.
Morrison police sergeant charged with domestic violence
Richard Norton, with force since 2023, is on administrative leave in wake of arrest
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Morrison Police Sgt. Richard Norton is on paid administrative leave after an Oct. 4 arrest by Longmont Police on charges of domestic violence, child abuse and unlawful storage of a rearm.
Morrison Police Chief Bill Vinelli responded to questions about Norton’s arrest with a press release.
“We are cooperating fully with the investigating agency and have no additional comment at this time,” it read.
An arrest warrant was issued for Norton Oct. 3. He was booked into the Boulder County Jail early Oct. 4 and released later that day.
Norton, 34, joined the Morrison Police Department in January 2023 and was promoted to sergeant later that year. He worked for the Broom eld Police Department from 2015 to 2022.
e Oct. 4 charges are not Norton’s rst brush with the wrong side of the law. He was among two Broom eld police o cers named in a 2019 federal lawsuit alleging the men manhandled a disabled 15-year-old girl during a 2017 arrest. Vinelli said Norton was dismissed from the lawsuit.
In addition, an internal Broom eld PD investigation found Norton sent inappropriate and unwanted sexual messages to four of his female coworkers, creating a hostile and o ensive work environment, according to documents gained in a collaborative investigation by the Colorado News Collaborative, 9News, CPR News, Rocky Mountain PBS and e Sentinel in Aurora.
e Broom eld investigation report recommended Norton’s termination. He resigned in 2022 while still under investigation, according to Broom eld’s public information o cer Rachel Haslett.
Vinelli said he was aware of both allegations when he hired him.
“We did our background check,” Vinelli said. “I was aware of his past police internal a airs investigation and didn’t nd anything in it that would preclude me from hiring him.”
Morrison Mayor Chris Wolfe said he also knew about Norton’s history.
“I’m all about second chances,” he said. “If all this is true, it’s a sad situation. We want justice to be served but also want help for him and his family.”
As for Norton’s future with the town, “I’m leaving that up to the town manager and the
chief,” Wolfe said. “Hopefully they make the right decision.”
He said the town board will talk about future hiring practices.
“I feel that falls under the town manager’s belt, but it’s going to be a topic of discussion,” he said.
Norton has been working with Morrison’s rst police K9, a Belgian Malinois named Niko that had formerly served with the Rangely police department. Niko is intended to help Morrison with narcotics enforcement.
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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
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
Park & Flex GLOW disc golf course fundraiser: 5:30 p.m. Nov. 8, 1521 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. $120 per team or $30 per player. Registration and information at evergreenrecreation.com.
Laughs on the Lake - Comedy Night: 7 p.m. Nov. 15, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Tickets: evergreenrecreation.com
Evergreen High School’s “ e Curious Savage” theater production: 6 p.m. Nov. 7, 8 & 9, 1 p.m. Nov. 9. Heartwarming comedy and fundraiser for Resilience1220. Tickets: evergreenhstheatre.ticketleap.com
Evergreen monthly Chamber mixer: 5
p.m. Nov. 14, Wild Rabbit Boutique, 28265 CO-74, Evergreen.
Evergreen Chorale Celestial Works: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15, Rockland Community Church, 17 S. Mt. Vernon Country Club Road, Golden; 4:30 p.m. Nov. 17, Wellshire Presbyterian Church, 2999 S. Colorado Blvd. Featuring space photography by Ross Campbell. Tickets: $22-$32 at ovationwest. org or the door.
Evergreen Newcomers and Neighbors Happy Hour: 4 p.m. Nov. 19, Pho Evergreen, 1193 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. evergreennewcomers.com
Conifer Area Council: 7 p.m. Nov. 20, West Je erson Middle School, 9449 Barnes Ave, Conifer. Future CAC meetings set for Feb. 19 & April 16.
Evergreen Christian Outreach 5K Turkey Trot: 8 a.m. Nov. 28, 27888 Meadow Drive. Evergreen. evergreenchristianoutreach.org.
Frostival: 2-6 p.m. Dec. 1, Buchanan Park ball elds, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. Local merchants, petting zoo, face painting, photos with Santa, tree lighting ceremony. evergreenrecreation.com
Christmas in Conifer: 10:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2. Live music, Christmas parade, ‘80s costume contest. goconifer.com
32nd annual Holiday Walk: 5-9 p.m. Dec. 6, downtown Evergreen. Traditional holiday tree lighting at Evergreen Lake House with Santa and Mrs. Claus, photos with Santa, live performances by local music & dance groups downtown. Fire pits, s’mores, shopping, seasonal goodies. downtownevergreen.com
Evergreen Chamber’s Santa Breakfast: Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 & 21. Breakfast, meeting and photos with Santa at various locations. Tickets on sale Nov. 1 at evergreenchamber. org.
EPRD senior excursion Breckenridge snowcat ride: 10 a.m. Dec. 6. Departing from Buchanan Park Recreation Center and Rocky Mountain Village Estates. Register at evergreenrecreation.com
Pet Pictures with Santa: Noon-2 p.m. Dec. 14 at Aspen Park Vet Hospital, 25871 Duran Ave, Conifer, & 12-3 p.m. Dec. 15, Saturday, 12-2pm at e ResqRanch, 25871 Duran Ave, Conifer. RSVP 303-838-3771 or Help@AspenParkVet.com
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A legal newspaper of general circulation in Evergreen, Colorado, Canyon Courier is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 3540 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen, CO 80439.
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Morrison Police Sgt. Richard Norton is on paid administrative leave after an Oct. 4 arrest by Longmont Police on charges of domestic violence, child abuse and unlawful storage of a firearm. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
HAPPENINGS
ONGOING
Soldier Bags Project 2024: Tallgrass Spa accepting travel-sized toiletries and other donations at e Wild Game, 1204 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, for annual veterans backpack project. Information at tallgrassspa.com
“Spirit Level,” comedy by the Evergreen Players: Weekends through Nov. 10. 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Center Stage eatre, 27608 Fireweed Drive, Evergreen. Adult $30, senior $25, student $20. evergreenplayers.org.
Conifer Chamber of Commerce member meeting: 7:15 a.m. second Friday each month, Our Lady of Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. $12 members, $18 non-members.
Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. to noon, every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Monthly topics could include native wild owers and seed bombs, dissecting owl pellets, live animal encounters, and more. evergreenaudubon.org
e American Legion Evergreen Post 2001: Meets every fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m., Evergreen Church of the Trans guration, 27640 Highway 74, Evergreen. Serving all military veterans in the foothills communities. Email evergreenpost2001@gmail.com
Evergreen Nature Center monthly family program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday. Free & no registration required. Monthly topics could include native wildowers 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 Republican Club meets at 6 p.m. the rst Wednesday of the month at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue Administration Building, 1802 Bergen Parkway. Information at evergreenarearepublicanclub.org
Mountain Area Democrats: Mountain Area Democrats meet at 9 a.m. the fourth Saturday of the month January through April at the United Methodist Church of Evergreen, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen. For more information, e-mail MountainAreaDems@gmail.com.
Evergreen Sustainability Alliance is looking for post-holiday volunteers:To help with our holiday tree and block styrofoam recycling event Jan. 4 and Jan 11. Collecting trees and block styrofoam to keep them out of the land ll and support ESA. Contact Wendy at 720-536-0069 or email info@sustainevergreen.org.
Evergreen Sustainability Alliance’s “Let’s Embrace Zero Food Waste” program needs volunteers: Program in local schools and food banks. Volunteers needed for a couple hours. Call 720-5360069 or email info@sustainevergreen.org for more information.
Evergreen Nature Center: 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.Ever-
greenAudubon.org.
e Bear Creek Cemetery Association board of directors volunteers needed: Members needed to help with operations of the local cemetery on Highway 74, Evergreen. Contact board president, evergreenbearcreekcemetery@gmail.com
Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@bluesprucehabitat. org for information.
EChO needs volunteers: e Evergreen Christian Outreach ReSale Store and food pantry need volunteers. Proceeds from the EChO ReSale Store support the food pantry and programs and services provided by EChO. Many volunteer options available. For more information, call Mary at 720-673-4369 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 ofce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.
ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available). e Re ll Station is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 1-4 p.m. in the Habitat Restore, 1232 Bergen Parkway.
Support After Suicide Loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a
loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220. org/groups.
Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. Register at resilience1220.org/groups
Caregiver support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice o ers a monthly group to provide emotional support services for caregivers helping ill, disabled or elderly loved ones. An inperson support group meets Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/services/emotional-support/.
Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.
Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Information at 346-248-7799.
Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet the second Tuesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is a group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ+ child. For group location and to RSVP, email heather@resilience1220.org.
Democracy denied: Three fire cheifs’ ‘unification’ plan
Recently, you may have been noti ed that the three Fire Chiefs of the Elk Creek, Inter-Canyon and North Fork Fire Protection Districts, in conjunction with their boards of directors and attorneys, have neatly found a way to combine the three re districts after their Consolidation Plan was rejected by voters of Elk Creek FPD in the November 2023 ballot election.
But I believe what they have contrived is to unconstitutionally and unlawfully use several provisions of Colorado Law to force the merger of the three districts — something they call “uni cation” — which is, in reality, their previous plan for consolidation.
Despite Consolidation’s “49% FOR vs 51% AGAINST” loss at the ballot box, the Fire Chiefs now choose to subvert the will of the people to move their agenda forward.
An analysis performed by the Conifer & South Evergreen Community Committee shows that as before, the “uni cation” (consolidation) plan irresponsibly diminishes the current high levelof-service within the Elk Creek FPD community, unnecessarily places an enormous debt burden on the entire mountain community, and unfairly requires Elk Creek FPD taxpayers to substantially subsidize rehabilitation of services at InterCanyon and North Fork FPDs.
What’s more, I believe resurrecting the Consolidation Plan and calling it “uni cation” has been foisted by unconstitutional and unlawful means. e three re chiefs are portraying their ploy as a normal, legally sanctioned program, claiming that the exclusion/inclusion provisions of the Colorado Title 32 Special District Act are an intended legal process for so-called “Fire District Uni cation.” However, these provisions of the statute were never intended to serve as a vehicle to accomplish consolidation of entire re districts, and this use of the statute is unlawful. e misappropriation unconstitutionally subverts the will of the voters of Elk Creek FPD and illegitimately forces loss of local control on Elk Creek FPD community voters.
e justi cations to override the voters to accomplish uni cation/consolidation are easily fact-checked. e claim is that emergency call volumes have increased so dramatically that the re districts are on the verge of crisis. But from 2020 to the present, the number of monthly incident responses by Elk Creek FPD personnel has remained relatively constant at an average of approximately 110 incidents per month — both res and emergency medical incidents — with ambulance transports at 32 per month, the “crisis” is completely made up.
Bottom line is that Uni cation/Consolidation will economically burden the citizens of the Conifer, Aspen Park, South Evergreen and Pine Junction communities for years to come, as well as the communities of Morrison, Pine Grove and Bu alo Creek. e entire population of a consolidated re district will be locked into a plan that has not been developed to meet the needs of our community. Instead, the plan that Fire Chiefs are
VOICES
DFF47 is bigger and more inviting than ever
With all the streaming options available to modern audiences, it’s easy to think that you can just watch whatever you want at any time and have the same experience as you would at the theater. But that’s just not the case, and in fact, that’s one of the things that makes events like the annual Denver Film Festival so important.
actress and director Joan Chen, screenwriter Virgil Williams, screenwriter and director Malcolm Washington, actors Gabriel LaBelle and Cory Michael Smith, and Academy Award-winner Andrew Wyatt. Add in the opening and closing night parties, as well as numerous lmmaker conversations, and there’s so much to be a part of.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
“ ere’s a special sauce to a lm festival. You’re not just going to the theater and seeing a lm. You’re part of a communal experience,” said Matthew Campbell, Denver Film artistic director. “You have the opportunity to talk to lmmakers and audience members, and there are few other forums like that anymore. Audience members can go a step beyond having a passive experience and really sink their teeth into the artform.”
e 47th annual Denver Film Festival will be held from Friday, Nov. 1 through Sunday, Nov. 10 at several venues across the metro area, like the Sie FilmCenter, Denver Botanic Gardens and the MCA Denver at the Holiday eater. e festival kicks o on Nov. 1 with “ e Piano Lesson,” an adaptation of an August Wilson play produced by Denzel Washington, featuring Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington. And it closes with on Nov. 9 with “September 5,” a lm that centers on the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attacks.
As usual, there will be screenings of lms in all kinds of genres from all over the world, including some major award contenders like “Nickel Boys,”“Emilia Perez,”“Blitz” and “ e Brutalist.” And lm fans can explore all manner of movies, including shorts, animation, and themes like Social Issues/Activism, Asian Diaspora and Colorado Spotlight.
“I think one of the best ways to start for people who have never participated in the festival is to pick a theme that interests you and check out some of those movies,” Campbell said. “I always encourage people to be adventurous, and pick some random lms that they know nothing about and see if they like them.”
Some notable Colorado-based lms that are part of this year’s festival include “Lovers,” which is largely set in the Hi-Dive on South Broadway, and “Half-Life of Memory,” a lm about Rocky Flats. ere will be special post- lm discussions following screenings of this lm, including former Rocky Flatts employees and members of groups like Rocky Flats Downwinders.
Another special aspect of lm festivals are the featured guests and events. is year’s festival features legendary
“ e festival is a great opportunity to be taken out of your normal existence and put in a di erent reality for a while,” Campbell said. “ ere’s no better way to be put in another person’s shoes and also learn about a subject you don’t know anything about.
e full schedule and tickets are available at https://denver lmfestival.eventive.org/welcome.
Thornton hosts 8th Annual Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos cultural celebration
Get ready to dress up in your nest Día de los Muertos out t and celebrate this important day at McAllister Park Center, 750 W. 96th Ave. in ornton, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.
e event will feature music by Chicano Heat and Mariachi Sangre Mexicana, dancers from Cultural Dance Productions and Fiesta Colorado, along with face-painting, stilt walking and magic-making, ancestor altar, photo booth and local artisan market
For all the details, visit Arts ornton.com.
LUMC hosts world-class classical concert
e Littleton United Methodist Church’s Fine Arts Series continues with a performance by two stellar musicians, violinist Harumi Rhodes and pianist Tamara Goldstein. Violin Sonatas will be held at the church, 5894 S. Datura St. at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. e duo will be performing music by Mozart, Brahms and others.
More information on the free concert is available at https://littletonumc.church/fas/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Sabrina Carpenter at Ball Arena
Nobody is having more fun with pop music this year than Sabrina Carpenter. Her album “Short N’ Sweet” isn’t just full of bangers, but brims with tongue-in-cheek jokes and risqué references scienti cally designed to make you smile. It’s a shot of sunshine we could all use. In support of the album, Carpenter will be performing at Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle in Denver, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. She’ll be joined for the evening by opener Declan McKenna. Get tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
Clarke Reader
COMMUNITY VOICES
Chuck Newby
WilacAcademy closconversayour while,” another don’t https://denMuertos MuerMcAllister 5 MariaProducstilt booth Semusicians, ViSt. performing at than just and smile. performing on opener weekly
BY STAVROS
Honk and run
arrested Boyfriend for punching walls, breaking drawers and throwing things.
All of them?
CONIFER – Feeling suddenly peckish, Corolla turned in to the King Soopers complex on the afternoon of Aug. 22 with an eye toward getting something crunchy at Qdoba. Following close on his bumper, RAV4 decided Corolla wasn’t turning in fast enough and laid on her horn. Corolla pulled into the rst available parking space, grabbed his wallet and phone, and began walking toward the restaurant. Seeing RAV4 glowering at him, he “waved my arms and asked ‘What’s wrong?’” RAV4 instantly ed the scene in a panic, calling 911 to tell dispatchers that Corolla “pulled a gun on me and my kids.” Deputies caught up with Corolla at a nearby gas station and, with his unhesitating permission, searched his vehicle and person. Finding no weapons, or reason to believe Corolla had threatened RAV4 in any way, deputies dropped the case.
Mist communication
EVERGREEN – Wife works at an Evergreen business. Husband is the jealous type. ere’s been trouble, so Wife told Husband to stay away from her workplace. Husband managed to suppress his suspicious nature for about two weeks, and then “came speeding into the parking lot” on Aug. 29 loaded for bear. At full volume and with menacing emphasis, Husband “accused all the employees” of sleeping with Wife, and “challenged several employees to ght him.” Deputies were summoned, Wife persuaded Husband to vamoose before the tin stars showed up, and it was business as usual as deputies tried to get a handle on the hullabaloo. Nobody wanted to press charges against Husband, and Wife took the rest of the day o “to deal with what happened.”
Spotlight on youth
SOUTH TURKEY CREEK – Stepping out of the shower, Girlfriend was surprised to discover that words had appeared on the foggy bathroom mirror. “Hi gorgeous,” read the maudlin memo. “By the time you read this you will know I love you.” is is the part where another freshly-washed maid might assume the sappy scribble was addressed to her and be moved to amorous response. Girlfriend took it as evidence that another lass has been sharing Boyfriend’s shower and she stormed into the bedroom soaking wet and steaming mad. “I’ve never cheated on you!” protested Boyfriend, o ering to take a polygraph test to prove his spotless record of delity. Girlfriend sco ed, saying she couldn’t a ord to pay for a polygraph test. Walls were punched, drawers broken and missiles thrown. At last deciding that her jealousy was misplaced, Girlfriend ed the apartment and dialed 911. Deputies
EVERGREEN – Arriving home after midnight, the couple caught something besides deer in their headlights. ere, peeping from behind their parked silver Beemer and desperately trying to avoid the blinding halogen light of discovery, crouched a tall, slender lad wearing a light blue shirt and caged-rat look on his face. By deft maneuvering the couple was able to fully illuminate his hiding place, prompting the rabbit to run. e Beemer seemed to have survived the ordeal intact, and the house appeared secure, but they called JCSO just to be on the safe side. Not recognizing the puerile prowler, nor aware of any similar incidents taking place in the district recently, the couple was content to shine it 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.
izing the sample Protest Letter found at https://cosecc.org/ and email it to your re district board members as described in the letter.
determined to force on residents-taxpayers is narrowly focused toward increasing property taxes in the future in order to pay for unnecessary new personnel, capital spending, and projects that will not bene t community residents, but which will cost the average household $10,000+.
Where are the people in all this? e three Fire District Boards and the Fire Chiefs are on a bulldozer driving us all towards a hearing in front of a 1st Judicial District Court Judge in November or December. Will the Judge approve this attempt to override the express will of the People at the ballot box? How will the Appellate and Supreme Courts view these matters?
Residents within the Elk Creek, InterCanyon or North Fork FPDs that believe the Fire Chiefs’ Consolidation Plan was not and is not in the best interests of our community, please consider personal-
Inter-Canyon or Elk Creek FPD residents, please plan to attend your re district’s Exclusion Hearing at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 6 p.m. Nov. 21 to personally protest these actions in writing. If you live in the North Fork FPD, please attend the 1 p.m. Inclusion Hearing on Nov. 20 to personally protest these actions.
To read a complete analysis of the Fire Chiefs’ “Uni cation” = Consolidation Plan, and for late breaking news and how you can help defeat the plan (again), visit the CoSECC website.
Chuck Newby has been a resident of the Elk Creek FPD living in the Valley-Hi Ranch Estates neighborhood of Evergreen since 1998. Chuck was elected to the Elk Creek FPD Board of Directors for a 1-year term in 2022, then reelected for a 4-year term in 2023. As a resident of Elk Creek FPD and as a board member, he strongly opposes the current uni cation e ort.
How does Colorado keep noncitizens and dead people from voting?
BY CAITLYN KIM CPR NEWS
As the election draws nearer, Coloradans have a lot of questions around voting — about how the process works, and also, what protections are there to ensure ineligible people aren’t casting ballots.
It’s a perennial concern in every election, but one that has heated up this year, that somehow large numbers of non-citizens — and the dead — will manage to cast ballots.
Weld County Clerk and Recorder Carly Koppes has been fielding versions of these fears since she first started working in the office in 2004. The Republican, who was first elected Clerk in 2014, is on her 6 th presidential cycle.
“This isn’t the first presidential election that we’ve got a lot of voters asking, ‘what about the illegals?’” she said.
Despite no widespread evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election, an NPR poll shows that a majority of Americans are concerned that there will be fraud this time around, in large part due to former President Donald Trump’s false statements. A majority of respondents in that survey said they believe nonciti-
REVERSE MORTGAGES
A sign in a room at the Je erson County elections facility says, “Due to building codes and safety concerns, the maximum number of observers allowed in Signature Verification at any one time is 4.” PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
SECURITY
zens will be able to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
A number of audits, investigations and studies confirmed the results of the 2020 election, which President Joe Biden won.
The checks to ensure only eligible voters end up on the voter rolls start with the first question asked of anyone registering to vote in Colorado.
“On the form it says, ‘Are you a citizen of the United State? Yes or No?” Koppes said, pointing to a printed copy of Colorado’s official voter registration form. Next to the question, the document says, “if you answered No, do not complete this form.”
“So, it’s a self-affirmation. We are hoping that you are answering that question correctly,” Koppes explained. But “when we start registering you to vote in the voter registration system, we do verify and check.”
In other words: trust, but verify.
Clerks and the Secretary of State’s office rely on a long list of databases to ensure their voter lists are clean, something even the right wing Heritage Foundation agrees Colorado does a good job on; it ranked the state third in the nation for accuracy of voter registration lists.
When it comes to preventing noncitizens in particular from voting, the verification process starts with two other pieces of information on that form – your drivers’ license number or, if you don’t have that, the last four of your Social Security number.
By double-checking those, “we will be able to know if it is a valid U.S. citizen-issued Colorado ID or driver’s license or Social Security number,” Koppes said.
While Colorado is a state that allows non-citizens, including people without legal status, to get a driver’s license, there are guard rails in place for them.
“There’s a nice big old black bar that’s actually put onto those issued IDs that clearly states this is not used for federal identification or voting purposes,” she explained. “Because they’re already flagged within the Department of Revenue system, if they do try to get used as a voter registration, when we hit that system, it’s going to go ‘nope’ and (that) stops it right there.”
Koppes said with all these different checks and verifications, it’s exceedingly rare for a non-citizen to get onto a voter list. And if a non-citizen does actually manage to vote, the consequences can be severe: a fine, jail time and deportation.
“I’ve known people and I’ve grown up with some people who have not been U.S. citizens and the last thing that they want to do is put that ability to eventually become a U.S. citizen in jeopardy,” Koppes said.
It might not sound sexy, but voter list maintenance is a big part of the job of clerks and the Secretary of State’s office. The databases they turn to don’t just allow officials to check for noncitizens and keep track of deaths, there are many, many more that help clerks, such as ensuring people aren’t voting in two locations and spotting when people move out of state.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Conifer High School
Brought to you with support from
coniferneighbors.org/boutique
This work does not just happen in the months leading up to an election, but year-round.
“We update our voter lists daily using information about driver’s license and address updates from the Colorado Department of Revenue. And (we get) incarceration updates from the Colorado Department of Corrections,” explained Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold (Colorado bans people from voting while they’re serving a felony sentence).
The state also gets federal information from the SAVE database to see if someone previously issued a non-citizen driver’s license has obtained their citizenship and is now eligible to vote.
As for dead people voting, Griswold quipped, “a dead person is dead.”
“But in all seriousness,” she went on, “we get information when Coloradans pass away from two spots… the Department of Public Health and Environment and also the Social Security Administration.”
Clerk Koppes said the Social Security list is aptly named the Death List.
“When I worked in the elections department every day doing data entry, I would always make the joke, I see dead people,” she said, citing the film “The Sixth Sense.”
And like the movie, the issue of dead people voting comes with a bit of a twist: some of the ballots counted on Election Day may legitimately belong to people who’ve died.
“Under Colorado law, if a voter casts a ballot during the early voting period and then passes away before Election Day, that vote will count,” explained Koppes.
Here again there is a verification
process — in this case, with the signature on the ballot envelope.
Every voter has to sign the envelope when they return their ballot and if you’ve been voting in Colorado for a while, your clerk’s office has all those signatures on file.
“It is extremely rare that somebody is going to be – even a family member – is going to able to duplicate your signature,” Koppes said. “Because even if you sat down right now and did your signature five times in a row, you’re going to notice there’s five different little nuances every single time.”
Elections judges have extensive training on signature verification. And here’s the thing, they’ve caught people who tried to cast another person’s ballot.
“We actually, in the 2016 election, did catch an ex-husband trying to vote his ex-wife’s ballot,” Koppes recalled.
In that case, the offender, a former chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, was sentenced to four years of probation.
Even if you don’t trust traditional media, election officials urge you not to take your questions to Google or social media. Both Koppes and Griswold had the same advice: call your county clerk’s office.
“We’re the ones that do this and know and understand the responsibility that we have. It’s a huge responsibility,” said Koppes.
One they take extremely seriously.
This article comes courtesy of the Colorado News Collaborative and the statewide project, “Voter Voices,” which Colorado Community Media is a part of.
Dress to e x p r e s s
Denver-area costume shops foster community of creativity
BY ELISABETH SLAY
Acolorful array of Denver-area costume shops intertwines creativity and camaraderie, with each shop revealing its own distinct charm. From elaborate corsetry to an immersive haunted house and engaging games and puzzles, these shops go beyond competition and collaborate to foster a community centered on self-expression and oneof-a-kind experiences.
The Wizard’s Chest: ‘An experience’ Kevin Pohle, co-owner of the Wizard’s Chest in Denver, describes his shop as “an experience.”
Pohle said the store at 451 Broadway, which is decked out from top to bottom with magical trinkets, towering skeletons
and quirky long-bearded wizards, is always changing and has something for everyone.
“It’s not supposed to be a retail store,” Pohle said. “It’s supposed to be a place to come and hang out and see cool things and pick up cool things and then feel the need to take something home that you didn’t know you needed until you saw it.”
For 20 years, Pohle and his partners David Boyce and Brad Brickley have owned and operated Wizard’s Chest, which originally opened in 1983.
Wizard’s Chest is divided into two oors. e rst oor contains costumes, accessories, decorations and more, while the bottom oor provides a plethora of puzzles and games for people of all ages.
Over the years, Pohle said, the store has leaned into providing clothing that people can wear in their regular wardrobe.
“So it’s not just a costume, it’s a piece
that has more than one use,” Pohle said. “It’s a piece that’s versatile.”
When comparing Wizard’s Chest to other local shops, Pohle said his store has its own unique aspects, as do others in the community.
“ e thing about costume stores in Denver is we’re all cooperatively competitive,” Pohle said. “We don’t really compete with each other. We try to send people to each other. Disguises in Lakewood does rentals, which we don’t do. Reinke Brokers in Littleton does a haunted house, which we don’t do.”
It’s their di erences that allow the shops to work together.
“So there’s no need for us to ght with each other,” Pohle said. “We keep it as a local community.”
For more information visit wizardschest.com.
Crimson Rose Masquerade: ‘Out of a fairytale’
Also on Broadway in Denver is Crimson Rose Masquerade, a “high-end costume boutique that treats dressing up as an expression of self-love,” said owner Kitty Krell.
e frocks that her clientele chooses to express themselves look as though they’ve “stepped out of a fairytale” and include Renaissance dresses, pirate coats and more.
“It’s alternative chic, Ren faire chic … it’s for anyone who ever felt like they didn’t quite t in,” Krell said.
Also among the garments in the shop at 1456 S. Broadway are Krell’s own creations, including intricate corsets for many occasions. She began her craft at the age of 15 after needing a corset for her costume during her rst job at a Renaissance festival.
“So I went, ‘How hard can it be to make one?’” Krell said. “I had just recently started sewing, and I think because I didn’t know what I was trying to do was impossible, I did it, and since then, I’ve continued to make corsets.” Krell said she also makes corsets for those with certain medical needs after starting to wear them for herself about eight years ago, to address a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
“It’s great for scoliosis, for EhlersDanlos, for anxiety, because it can act as a human thunder jacket,” Krell said. “I do a lot of work with people who have very physical jobs and are constantly lifting and messing up their backs.”
For Krell, one of the best aspects of her job is knowing that her pieces are making people happy.
“It’s one of my favorite feelings to know that I contributed something that makes someone’s quality of life better,” Krell said.
Krell said she enjoys being a part of the costume shop community in Denver because of its collaborative nature.
“It’s a bunch of weirdos who found this world, or found each other in this world that doesn’t really want us to,” Krell said. “Denver is especially great for that because Denver is very live-andlet-live.”
For more information, visit crimsonrosemasquerade.net.
Photo above: Denver resident Anthony Coularelli tries on a rabbit hat and sunglasses at Wizard’s Chest. Coularelli needed a quick costume for an Alice in Wonderland themed event and said Wizard’s Chest is a great local place for costumes. PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY
Reinke Brothers Store: A haunted house
From aliens greeting people at the door to skeletons serenading customers, Reinke Brothers Store sells experiences, said Greg Reinke, who co-owns the store with his brother Chris Reinke.
Located at 5663 S. Prince St. in Littleton, Reinke Brothers contains a long and immersive haunted house lled with di erent scenes and animatronics concocted by Greg Reinke and his sta .
Originally, Reinke said his haunted houses — which he and his brother began when they were young — were gory and quite scary for children, but as time went on, he realized that wasn’t the best way to intrigue them.
“People that get the living tar scared out of them when they’re little don’t enjoy my particular venue when they get older,” Reinke said. “So I said, ‘How can we correct this?’ And that’s when we stopped doing chainsaws and knives and blood and guts and torsos ripped in half and we made it more of an entertainment haunted house.”
e Reinke Brothers Store now o ers tours of the house with the lights on for children and others who have a hard time going through the attraction when it’s in full swing.
Along with the haunted house, Reinke’s shop is also jam-packed with wigs, masks, makeup, props, decorations and anything else one might need to create the perfect costume or their own spooky experiences.
While he has a plethora of items, Reinke said his shop also takes part in the camaraderie of similar establishments in the Denver area.
“If we’re out of something, I’ll call over at (Disguises), or I’ll call over at Wizard’s Chest and ask that, and then I send my customers there,” Reinke said. “And I think the customers appreciate that also. ese are local guys. So we protect each other.”
Going forward, Reinke hopes to continue making people happy with costumes and haunted houses for as long as possible.
“I plan to be dead back there someday, just draped over a gravestone or a prop or something,” the 65-yearold said. “A lot of people want to retire to enjoy the end or whatever. What would I retire to? I’d make monsters for a living and most people retire to do what I’m doing.”
For more information on the shop visit reinkebrothers.com.
Disguises: ‘Three to four businesses under one roof’ Disguises in Lakewood is another costume shop in the area that o ers a multitude of costume options, including makeup, wigs and more.
“We also have the other side of our retail store, which is our Et Cetera boutique,” co-owner Todd Belanger said. “ is has formal wear, retro dresses, Renaissance dresses, stockings, sexy wear, corsets, shoes, goth clothing, steampunk, clothing, festival and rave wear. Many people in the community shop for everyday clothing here all year.”
Belanger said his store at 10500 W. Colfax Ave. in Lakewood also has one of the largest stocks of rental clothes in the nation.
Belanger owns the store with his wife, Michelle Belanger.
“ e store was started by another individual in the mid-’90s and it was successful and grew out of its original location and moved into a larger location,” Belanger said. “I actually was a nurse by training and so is my wife and we began buying small rental houses, but after owning a few of those, I quickly realized that I wanted to replace my income as a nurse.”
Belanger and his wife were able to purchase their business, which they love.
“We currently have over 200 active vendors that we purchase products from represented in the store. It does make the store very unique and it makes shopping here like a treasure hunt because you’re never quite sure what you’re going to nd,” Belanger said.
Belanger describes the “caddie shack community” in Denver as unique and varied and explained it’s important to have shops such as Disguises because they’re establishments that make “the world a richer and less boring place.”
Going forward, Belanger said he hopes people will continue to visit Disguises throughout the year.
For more information on Disguises visit disguisescostumes.com.
Business owner and seamstress Kitty Krell works on a corset in her high end costuming boutique Crimson Rose Masquerade located on Broadway in Denver.
PHOTOS BY ELISABETH SLAY
Co-owner of Reinke Brother Store in Littleton Greg Reinke laughs with first time customers as he shows them one of his favorite animatronics.
EVERGREEN AREA Chamber Of Commerce
Women of steel
Colorado Railroad Museum’s new exhibit highlights women’s contributions to the railroad industry
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLOROADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Just as the railroads built the nation as we know it today, so too did the nation build the railroads.
People from all walks of life helped plan, construct and operate the railroads from the early days of locomotives until now. Although not every job was historically available to every person due to discrimination or other factors, the Colorado Railroad Museum is working to ensure the Mexican-American traqueros, the Black railroad workers and other communities are remembered.
Earlier this month, the Golden-area museum opened “Hidden from History: A Century of Women in Railroading,” highlighting women’s work in and for the railroad industry from the 1870s to the 1970s. e exhibit, which is in the sublevel of the main depot/ticket o ce building, will be open through August 2025.
Assistant curator Jasmine Robertson said she got the idea from a book she saw in the museum’s gift shop, “Iron Women: e Ladies Who Helped Build the Railroad” by Chris Enss.
Robertson started researching the topic in January, saying it was a challenging topic to study. Women faced prejudice throughout their history working for the railroad and were often limited in what jobs they could work depending on the era and location, she and Executive Director Paul Hammond said. Telegraphers were among the rst industry jobs that were open to women,
A crew of Black women work on a train in an Oakland, California yard during World War II. During World War II, women took on many railroading jobs typically reserved for men.
The Rio Grande Railroad monogram, seen here on a train car at the Colorado Railroad Museum Oct. 10., was developed by Rio Grande employee Laura Brakamp in 1940. Brakamp, who was based in Denver, initially designed it for head rest covers, but it was adopted as a companywide logo.
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
RAILROADS
Robertson explained. Many women who worked as telegraphers operated remote stations essentially based in their homes, and had to multitask alongside their responsibilities as wives and mothers.
During the World Wars, Robertson said, more jobs became available to women as millions of men left to serve in the military. However, once they returned, the women were expected to give up their jobs even if they didn’t want to, she continued.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the railroad industry’s hiring practices were challenged and women’s right to work any job they were quali ed for was upheld. After the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act was passed in 1976, more women became locomotive engineers and conductors, Robertson described.
Among them was Edwina Justus, the rst Black woman engineer, who worked for Union Paci c in Nebraska.
Justus is among the women speci cally highlighted in the exhibit, along with Coloradans like Dr. Susan Anderson and Laura Brakamp.
Anderson graduated from medical school in 1897 and was one of the rst women to practice medicine in Colorado.
Nicknamed “Doc Susie,” she treated railroad workers in Fraser. She was made Grand County Coroner around the time the Mo at Tunnel was being bored, and her duties included attending to the tunnel workers who were killed or injured in accidents.
Brakamp, a purchasing department employee who was based out of Rio Grande Railroad’s Denver o ce, designed the
jobs in railroading that was open to women.
company’s iconic monogram in 193940. She initially submitted it as a design for headrest covers, but it won a companywide design contest and was used on all Rio Grande train cars, stationery and more.
Overall, Robertson and Hammond wanted museum visitors to know the exhibit highlights the facts while showcasing “how far we’ve come, but there’s still room to grow.”
While the exhibit only covers women’s
Susie,” she treated railroad workers in Fraser and was Grand County’s coroner.
work in the railroad industry through the 1970s, Robertson said she’s contemplated doing a follow-up exhibit that details their work over the last 50 years.
She and Hammond said the museum’s trying to expand its physical collection to facilitate more exhibits like this.
As Robertson was building the “Hidden from History” exhibit, someone coincidentally decided to donate his grandma’s collection of telegraph equipment. Robertson said it was pure luck, but she was
grateful to be able to add that equipment to the exhibit and the museum’s general collection.
As the museum prepares to host its popular Polar Express train rides Nov. 8-Dec. 23, Robertson and Hammond hoped all its upcoming visitors would also stop by the exhibit to learn about the women who helped make the railroads possible. For more information, visit coloradorailroadmuseum.org.
Two female telegraphers, back row, serve with two railroad workers in Arrow, Colorado during World War I. Telegraphers was among the first
Jasmine Robertson, assistant curator at the Colorado Railroad Museum, presents the museum’s newest exhibit, “Hidden from History: A Century of Women in Railroading.” The exhibit opened this month and will run through next August. PHOTO BY
Dr. Susan Anderson, seen here in 1897 at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, was among the first women to practice medicine in Colorado. Nicknamed “Doc
Are unchecked opinions in Colorado’s local TABOR books misleading voters?
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As voters sit down to ll out their ballots, they often refer to their local TABOR book, commonly known as the “gray book,” for more information about local ballot initiatives. Whether it’s a school bond measure, like in Douglas and Arapahoe counties, or an elimination of a TABOR limit in Je erson County, the gray book provides voters with information to decide whether to vote for or against a proposal.
However, many may not realize that the public comments included in these guides are not fact-checked, according to the Colorado Legislative Council’s TABOR Blue Book guidelines. ese guidelines note that arguments for and against ballot measures are submitted by proponents and opponents and are not veri ed for accuracy.
According to reporting by Colorado Community Media two years ago, misinformation in Douglas County’s booklet regarding the school district had its administrators up in arms. e district’s Superintendent, Erin Kane, spoke out against comments opposing the district’s mill levy override and bond measures, calling them “untrue” and “misrepresentative.”
is year, a statement opposing proposition 1A in Je erson County claims a “yes” vote would eliminate the property tax cap from TABOR.
However, a “yes” vote would allow the county to keep its share of property tax funds “without increasing any tax rate or mill levy rate,” according to the ballot language.
e mill levy rate, which varies by coun-
ty, determines the amount taxpayers owe in property taxes.
According to state law, any registered voter within a local jurisdiction can submit comments for or against a ballot issue. However, the government entity is not responsible for fact-checking or verifying the accuracy of the submitted comments.
Local guidebooks explicitly state that comments aren’t veri ed, but readers may skip over this information as they ip to the issues.
“We include an explanation in the pack-
et that my o ce isn’t able to warrant the accuracy or truth of the contents of the notices, but we do provide the contact information for the designated election o cial,” said Je erson County Clerk and Recorder Amanda Gonzalez. “ is allows voters to reach out if they need more information about the content in their city, county or district booklet.”
Gonzalez said it’s important to remember that the TABOR book is one of many good resources for learning more about what’s on your ballot.
Voters can also look to county election websites, local news reporting or nonpartisan organizations like the League of Women Voters, which produces voter guides without endorsements or political bias.
In a time of heightened awareness of misinformation in our elections, sorting fact from opinion may seem more important than ever. State law makes it clear that the responsibility for evaluating the accuracy of the information ultimately falls on the voters themselves.
Local guidebooks explicitly state that comments aren’t verified.
Je co Schools celebrates year-round safety commitment during National School Safety Week
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As National School Safety Week gets going, the Je erson County school district is taking the opportunity to highlight its year-round commitment to keeping students safe, including enhanced partnerships with law enforcement, building a culture of safety and developing programs to foster a sense of belonging. is year, from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25, the district plans to recognize its School Resource O cers, build awareness of safety upgrades in its schools funded by the 2018 Capital Improvement Program, educate families on what to do in an emergency, discuss Safe2Tell reporting and highlight a day in the life of a campus security ofcer.
“Safety is more than a weeklong initiative — it’s a daily practice in Je erson County,” said Je Pierson, executive director of school safety at Je co Public Schools.
“We want to make sure that our community knows that safety is a priority, so we’re going to elevate our partnerships with our SRO community and all of our law enforcement agencies.”
Building a culture of belonging
Beyond physical safety, Je erson County is investing heavily in building a school culture that emphasizes mental and emotional well-being.
“What we’ve really honed in on over the
last two years has been the prevention or the mitigation of potential threats, and a lot of that has to do with building a culture of safety in our schools,” Pierson said.
A big part of that culture means that students have a trusted adult in the school they can go to with concerns if they’ve seen or heard something concerning. While the Safe2Tell platform is a valuable tool for anonymous reporting, Pierson emphasized the importance of face-toface communication as a quicker and often more e ective method of preventing incidents from escalating.
He also said that when students feel welcomed and know they are part of something, it helps to break down stereotypes in those kids who are often outliers.
“Our mantra is that we know our students by name, strength and need,” Pierson explained.
Still, safety threats are on the rise
Amid an unprecedented spike in Safe2Tell reports and a series of school safety threats, one of which ended in the arrest of a student at Green Mountain High School, Pierson said the district remains vigilant, focusing on response, prevention and communication with the community.
“We’re seeing an increase in all types of threats, especially through the social media environment,” Pierson said. “ ere are individuals out there that like to distract and impact schools and our opera-
SPORTS
Conifer, Golden & Valor cross country teams rule at Je co League Championships
BY DENNIS PLEUSS
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ARVADA — Conifer pulled off a cross country quadruple-double of sorts
Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the North Area Athletic Complex.
The Lobos swept the boys and girls Class 4A Jeffco League team titles, along with juniors Kyler Boymel and Gianna Cicora winning the individual boys and girls titles for Conifer.
It was the fourth team title for the Conifer boys team over the past five sea-
sons. Littleton spoiled the Lobos from a 4-peat last season, but Conifer got right back to its winning ways with Boymel, senior Nolan Schwemlein (2nd place), and senior Skyler Battersby (7th place) all finishing in the top-10.
Conifer’s score of 37 points allowed the Lobos to take back the league title. Green Mountain was runner-up with 84 points.
The Conifer girls almost just as dominate. The Lobos score of 38 points cruised Conifer to a wide-margin of victory against runner-up Littleton. Cico-
ra, senior Kate Horneck (2nd place) and freshman Isabella Carter (5th place) all finished in the top-5.
On the 5A side, Golden girls had no problem with the move up from 4A to 5A this season. The Demons (72 points), edged out Dakota Ridge (77 points) and Valor Christian (85 points) to claim the 5A Jeffco League girls team title. Juniors Elsa Vessely (3rd place) and Sophia Halverson (8th place) led the way for Golden.
Columbine senior Maren Anderson won the 5A Jeffco League girls indi-
vidual title with a time of 18 minutes, 57.9 seconds. Lakewood senior Sophia Christensen was second with a time of 19:08.3.
Valor boys captured the 5A Jeffco boys team title. Valor senior Griffin Mazeski had the best time of the day in all races with a blistering time of 16:03.8 to pace the Eagles. Golden finished as the runner-up with 50 points.
Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com.
JEFFCO
Conifer’s boys cross country team captured its fourth Class 4A Je co League team title over the past five years Oct. 16 at the North Area Athletic Complex. Conifer junior Kyler Boymel won the PHOTOS BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Conifer’s girls cross country team dominated the Class 4A Je co League girls race at the conference championships Oct. 16 at the North Area Athletic Complex. Gianna Cicora, Kate Horneck and Isabella Carter all finished in the top-5 individually with Cicora winning the 4A Je co League
Golden’s girls cross country team had no problem moving up a classification this year. The Demons moved from 4A Je co to 5A Je co this year and captured the 5A Je co League girls team title at the Je co League cross country championships.
Valor’s boys cross country team was able to sweep the team and individual title at the Je co League championships on Oct. 16 at the North Area Athletic Complex. The Eagles won the 5A Jeffco League boys team title and senior Gri n Mazeski won the 5A Je co boys individual title.
SAFETY
tions, and we don’t truly understand why.”
Safe2Tell is a statewide anonymous reporting system that began in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy. e hotline has elded more than 8,500 reports this school year, with September seeing a 161.7% increase in volume over August. While the majority of Safe2Tell Reports fall under suicide threats and bullying, Pierson said it takes just one safety threat to create widespread anxiety and fear. at’s why Pierson said the district takes every report they receive seriously, regardless of whether it seems legitimate.
“When we get one of these potential threats, we investigate it. We get it to all the Special Investigation Units and see if we can check IP addresses, look for background markings and investigate if there are previous threats connected to it,” he said.
While some threats are deemed noncredible, they still cause signi cant disruption for students, parents and sta . Pierson emphasized that the district has increased communication with the community to keep parents informed and reduce fears surrounding these threats.
While National School Safety Week provides a dedicated time to re ect on and highlight the district’s safety initiatives, Pierson stressed that safety is an ongoing priority.
“We want to be part of the school’s environment every day, not just when something goes wrong,” Pierson said. “Our goal is for safety to be embedded in every aspect of school life, so that students, sta and parents feel secure without the need for constant reminders.”
Arvada Police Department O cer Lewis high fives a Je erson County student.
Department of School Safety team showcasing our Drone program at the Je co Back to School Bash event at Je co Stadium.
PHOTOS COURTESY
Je co leaders use youth survey insights to drive mental health and substance abuse initiatives
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Je erson County’s public health o cials and community leaders are taking proactive steps to address youth mental health challenges and substance abuse issues, using the latest Healthy Kids Colorado Survey ndings as a guide.
While the county is celebrating that substance abuse has dropped, and fewer high school students are reporting persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness as compared to 2021, those working in teen support roles understand there’s still a lot of work to be done.
For instance, data shows that students with supportive connections to adults are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as substance use or self-harm. e great news is that more than 75% of Je erson County teens said they have a trusted adult they can go to for support.
“But when we dig a little deeper into the data, we can see that some of that shifts when we’re talking speci cally about mental health or identity issues around gender or sexuality, that drops o quite a bit, said Amanda Davis, a licensed social worker and mental health specialist for Je erson County Public Health.
Je erson County Communities at Care Executive Director Sasha Hutchings echoed Davis.
“We heard from some youth that in the spaces where there were adults, they couldn’t identify who could be an ally for them if they needed to talk to somebody,” Hutchings said. “And so through those conversations and hearing from youth directly, particularly BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, we developed the BADJ Project.”
In the BADJ Project, which stands for
BERGEN PARK CHURCH
Building Allyship and Diversity in Jeffco, school sta and other community members are trained to be visible and approachable allies for students, particularly those from vulnerable groups.
“Students want to see and identify the adults who are genuinely there to support them,” Hutchings said. “ is project was developed in collaboration with youth to make sure we’re addressing their needs in a visible and meaningful way.”
e program o ers comprehensive training to participants, covering topics such as understanding LGBTQ+ issues, anti-oppression frameworks, and suicide prevention techniques. Once training is complete, participants receive a badge that makes them easily recognizable to students needing support.
“ is isn’t just about providing help, but showing that support is readily available and visible,” Davis said. “We’re creating an environment where students feel safe reaching out.”
Addressing mental health with a holistic approach
e data from the Healthy Kids survey also provided insights into the mental health struggles many students face. In particular, LGBTQ+ students and students from minority groups reported lower feelings of belonging and higher risks of bullying, depression and anxiety.
ese disparities underscore the importance of targeted mental health initiatives that focus on increasing students’ sense of belonging at school and in their communities.
Davis said the school district has asked the public health department to adapt its ‘Twelve Talks to Have with Teens’ training for school nurses, who are often the rst
point of contact for students facing mental health challenges.
“We’re equipping parents and school sta with the tools to have these conversations in a way that builds trust and understanding,” Davis said. “It’s about creating a safe space for students to talk openly about what they’re going through.”
Shifting perceptions to reduce substance use
Survey insights also revealed a signicant gap between students’ perceptions of substance use among their peers and their reported behaviors.
“If you talk to young people, they tend to think other young people are using substances more than they actually are,” Hutchings said. “So we’re getting the message out about the reality as opposed to the perception to establish positive community norms.”
Davis agrees that emphasizing teens’ positive choices and listening to their ideas is important for supporting them.
“It’s a scary statistic to read that more
Community leaders say listening to teens is helping them provide meaningful resources.
than 50% of youth feel like they could access substances whenever they want, but when we look at the actual use, a lot of them are making really good choices,” Davis said.
“ ere’s a big gap between those who could be using and those who are, and when students understand that most of their peers are making healthy choices, it changes the narrative.”
Kelsey Campbell, tobacco specialist at Je erson County Public Health, said when it comes to e ective messaging to curb substance abuse, teens are their best resource.
“Young people are having fantastic conversations, and they have a lot of ideas. So, our job is to look at how our work can support them in the conversations they’re already having,” said Campbell.
“How can we enable young people to enact change in their local spheres and communities? Because the conversations they have often provide way better solutions than most adults could dream up.”
WORSHIP DIRECTORY
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: 10 a.m.
Wednesday evening: 7p.m: (Zoom only Nov.1st-Mar. 31st.)
Visit: www.christianscienceevergreen.com for more information and ZOOM link
Reading Room: 4602 Plettner Lane 303-674-5296 OPEN: TUES-SAT 12 p.m.-3 p.m.
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
CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL
In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569
In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m. --June through September— 27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transfigurationevergreen.org
CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE)
Reconstructionist Synagogue
Rabbi Jamie Arnold www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)
DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Reverend Dr. Knut Heim, pastor, Sunday Worship 10 AM
Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759 deerparkumc.org
All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!
EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH 5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654
Rev. Terry Schjang
Join us for worship in person or on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch Sunday Worship held at 9am. www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC 1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287 www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org
Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday “Real Church In An UnReal World”
A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!
PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH
Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey.
O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am
Small group studies for all ages at 9am
Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick
Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh
Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.
ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH
“Connecting all generations to Jesus”
Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668
SHEPHERD OF THE ROCKIES LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod. 106 Rosalie Road, Bailey, CO 303-838-2161 Pastor Pete Scheele Sunday Worship Service; 9 a.m., Fellowship Time; 10:15 a.m., Sunday School & 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”
TRIVIA
1. MOVIES: Who was the only actor to receive an Oscar nomination for work in a “Star Wars” movie?
2. GEOGRAPHY: What is a body of land with water on three sides called?
3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: In 1960, which two candidates participated in the rst televised presidential debate in 1960?
4. FOOD & DRINK: What type of ower produces vanilla bean pods?
5. MUSIC: What was the name of blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughn’s rst Fender Stratocaster?
6. SCIENCE: What type of gas is absorbed by plants?
7. LITERATURE: What is the name of the submarine in “Twenty ousand Leagues Under the Seas”?
8. TELEVISION: What is Clair Huxtable’s profession in “ e Cosby Show”?
9. ANATOMY: What is a more common name for the sternum?
10. ART: Which European city houses the Rijksmuseum?
Answers
1. Alec Guinness.
2. A peninsula.
3. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
4. Orchid.
5. Number One.
6. Carbon dioxide.
7. Nautilus.
8. Lawyer.
9. Breastbone.
10. Amsterdam
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
FLASHBACK
1. Which artist released an album titled “Tea for the Tillerman”?
2. Which artist was the rst to release “You’re No Good”? 3. e Swinging Blue Jeans only charted once. What was the song?
4. Which trio released “I’m So Glad at I’m a Woman”?
5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “Strolling along country roads with my baby, It starts to rain, it begins to pour.”
Answers
1. Cat Stevens, in 1970. Stevens, born Steven Demetre Georgiou, changing his name to Yusuf Islam in 1978. In 2006 he began using only Yusuf, and in 2014 began performing as Yusuf / Cat Stevens.
2. Dee Dee Warwick, in 1963. is was followed by several other artists, including Betty Everett and Linda Ronstadt.
3. “Don’t Make Me Over,” in 1966. e song was rst released in 1962 by Dionne Warwick. It was her version that put the
song in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
4. Love Unlimited on their “Love Is Back” album in 1979. Love Unlimited was the backup group for Barry White.
5. “Laughter in the Rain,” by Neil Sedaka, in 1974. e song charted in several places around the globe, including the Netherlands, the U.K., Yugoslavia, Canada, the U.S. and Australia.
(c) 2024 King Features Syndicate
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JENNA KELLEY HS-Mileage
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LABCORP
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PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETING SERVICES LLCHS-Professional & Technical Services (Other) 793.50
RAISE THE FUTURE HS-Miscellaneous Contract Services 3,640.00
Samantha Rieber-Huguley HS-Mileage 103.11
PUBLIC NOTICES
COLORADO
Legals
Metropolitan Districts
9946 Elkhorn
MESSNER R WILLIAM & MARIAN
32A, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, AMENDMENT NO. 1, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9957 Elkhorn Street
GIBBAR LISA & Timothy LOT 28, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9977 Elkhorn Street
IDEKER DOUGLAS E & Terrie L LOT 29, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9966 Elkhorn Street
HADDAD JULIA R & Jamal A LOT 31, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9986 Elkhorn Street
MELLOTT RODNEY G & Teresa L LOT 30, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12531 White Deer Drive
JONES STACEY E & W Garrett
PARCEL A: TRACT A, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 4, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO, PARCEL B: LOT 34, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12532 White Deer Drive
BLANCHARD DANIEL G & Deborah A LOT 35A, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 4 AMENDMENT 1, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12601 White Deer Drive
FLAHIVE ROGER M & Katherine L LOT 52, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 4, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12612 White Deer Drive
STAHL GEOFFREY & Kasik Kelly LOT 53A, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 4 AMENDMENT 2, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT RECORDED SEPTEMBER 23, 2005 AT RECEPTION NO. 2005087703, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12622 White Deer Drive LYNN A RABER QUALIFIED PERSONAL RESIDENCE TRUST LOT 54A, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 4 AMENDMENT 1, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12642 White Deer Drive
ADAM GEORGE & Bianchi Martha M LOT 37, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12944 Silver Elk Lane THE SOLICH TRUST DATED AUGUST 30, 1999 LOT 27, TCDNORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12964 Silver Elk Lane
EIGENBROD ERIK O & Debra A LOT 26, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, AMENDMENT 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12963 Silver Elk Lane
KERCHER KRISTEN R & Todd E LOT 25, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12933 Silver Elk Lane
FULLER MICHAEL ANDREW & Rachel B LOT 24, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12913 Silver Elk Lane
12913 SILVER ELK LLC LOT 23, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13056 Twin Elk Lane
DANTZLER SAMUEL & Brandi T LOT 18, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13186 Twin Elk Lane
FISCHER RANDALL JAMES & Holly Ann LOT 16, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13226 Twin Elk Lane
GREICHEN MICHAEL D & Katherine A LOT 15, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13265 Twin Elk Lane
BRANT BARBARA H & John G LOT 14, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13185 Twin Elk Lane
COHEN SUSAN & Michael A LOT 13, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY
OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13055 Twin Elk Lane
PREIKSCHAT STEPHEN & Kerri
LOT 12, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13035 Twin Elk Lane
HORNER CHRISTINE M & Michael N LOT 11, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10099 Whistling Elk Drive
MCLAUGHLIN KRISTI L LOT 48, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10098 Whistling Elk Drive
LONG RICHARD J & Bonnie L LOT 36, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10058 Whistling Elk Drive
BEHNER MARK R & Elizabeth A
LOT 38, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10029 Whistling Elk Drive
PLEUNE BARBARA A & Timothy G LOT 47, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10038 Whistling Elk Drive
MCCALLIN DEBRA A LOT 39, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10018 Whistling Elk Drive INDER PREET PURI REVOCABLE TRUST & AMAR PREET SINGH PURI REVOCABLE TRUST
LOT 40, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10008 Whistling Elk Drive AHMED LEILA HELENE & Wise James
Michael
LOT 41, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9958 Whistling Elk Drive
LUKOVSKY KEITH M LOT 42, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9959 Whistling Elk Drive JORDAAN HENDRIK F & Jessica A LOT 46, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9918 Whistling Elk Drive THE KNIGHT FAMILY QUALIFIED PERSONAL RESIDENCE TRUST DATED OCTOBER 30, 2001 LOT 43, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9919 Whistling Elk Drive DENISE ZACHAU GEBES REVOCABLE TRUST DATED AUGUST 29, 2005
LOT 45, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9888 Whistling Elk Drive THE RICHARD L RANDALL LIVING TRUST DATED MAY 21, 1993 & THE PAMELA S RANDALL LIVING TRUST DATED MAY 21, 1993
LOT 44, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9984 Whitetail Lane
MARCELLO JUDD & Julie Hammer
LOT 49, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9944 Whitetail Lane
GIDDENS PATRICK & Shara
LOT 50, TCD NORTH FILING NO.3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9905 Whitetail Lane
DRAPER JOHN M & Anne Talbot
LOT 51, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
TCD North Filing- Tracts B and G PIN
300424348
WHITE DEER VALLEY HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION, INC
TRACTS B AND G, TCD NORTH FILING, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
TCD North Filing No. 3- Tracts A, B, and C
300427446
PIN
WHITE DEER VALLEY HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION, INC
TRACT A, B, AND C, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
Adjacent Properties Outside of White Deer Valley Homeowners Association
12312 White Deer Drive
STUART M ROSS REVOCABLE TRUST DATED NOVEMBER 18, 2009 AND VALA-
RIE A ROSS REVOCABLE TRUST DATED
NOVEMBER 18, 2009
LOT 3, RED MESA SUBDIVISION, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9925 Whitetail Lane
KAREN L. NORROD LIVING TRUST
LOT 4, RED MESA SUBDIVISION, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13096 Twin Elk Lane
ZEMCIK MARTIN J LOT 17, TCD NORTH FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13081 Brown Bear Trail # 1
STEVEN T. MAXSON & Tara S. Maxon
NORTH ½ OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ NORTHEAST ¼, SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 6 SOUTH, RANGE 69 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M., COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
13091 Brown Bear Trail # 1 & #2
SEAN R. BAUER & Molly J. Bauer
SOUTH ½ OF THE NE ¼, NE ¼, SECTION 18 T6S, R69W OF THE 6TH PM, COUNTY OFJEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9900 Red Mesa Rd THE RED MESA TRUST, U/A DATED DE-
CEMBER 28, 2023
SOUTH 1/2 OF SECTION 8 AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 17, TOWNSHIP 6 SOUTH, RANGE 69 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M., COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9696 Elkhorn St THE RED MESA TRUST, U/A DATED DE-
CEMBER 28, 2023
LOT 1, RED MESA SUBDIVISION, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
12311 White Deer Dr THE RED MESA TRUST, U/A DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
LOT 2, RED MESA SUBDIVISION, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
10050 Red Mesa Rd THE RED MESA TRUST, U/A DATED DECEMBER 28, 2023
LOT 1, RED MESA SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9236 Cherrywood Trl
DIRK VAN WESTREENEN & Judith Elliott
LOT 1, BEAR CLAW ESTATES, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO. AKA LOT 1A, BEAR CLAW ESTATES ADJUSTMENT 1, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9356 Cherrywood Trl W. GARRETT JONES & Stacey E. LOT 2A, BEAR CLAW ESTATES ADJUSTMENT 1, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9446 Cherrywood Trl
GARDNER REVOCABLE TRUST, DATED MARCH 28, 2023
LOT 3, BEAR CLAW ESTATES, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
9526 Cherrywood Trl
GREGORY H. ROSE & Melissa L. Rose LOT 4, BEAR CLAW ESTATES, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO
All interested parties may appear at such hearing to show cause in writing why such Petitions should not be granted.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE INTER-CANYON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
Legal Notice No. CAN 1704
First Publication: October 31, 2024
Last Publication: October 31, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier
Metro Districts
Budget Hearings
Public Notice
NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2025 BUDGETS AND AMENDMENT OF 2024 BUDGETS
RRC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sections 29-1-108 and 109, C.R.S., that proposed budgets have been submitted to the Board of Directors of the RRC Metropolitan
District Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 (collectively, the “Districts”) for the ensuing year of 2025. The necessity may also arise for the amendment of the 2024 budgets of the Districts. Copies of the proposed 2025 budgets and 2024 amended budgets (if appropriate) are on file in the office of the Accountant for the Districts, Simmons & Wheeler, P.C., 304 Inverness Way South, Suite 490, Englewood, CO 80112, where such are available for public inspection. Such proposed 2025 budgets and 2024 amended budgets will be considered at regular meetings of the Districts to be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
1. To attend via Zoom videoconference, use the following link, or e-mail csorensen@specialdistrictlaw.com to have the link e-mailed to you: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89290078159?pwd=qFy5dRFCIdbPOHoU2RTIyQlBOTsqTO.1
2.To attend via telephone, dial 1-719-359-4580 or 1-253-215-8782 and enter the following additional information: (a)Meeting ID: 892 9007 8159 (b)Passcode: 703904
Any interested elector within the Districts may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2025 budgets or the 2024 amended budgets, inspect the 2025 budgets and the 2024 amended budgets and file or register any objections thereto.
RRC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
NOS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
/s/ Paula J. Williams
McGEADY BECHER CORTESE WILLIAMS
P.C.
Attorneys for the Districts
Legal Notice No. CAN 1703
First Publication: October 31, 2024
Last Publication: October 31, 2024
Publisher: Canyon Courier
Public Notice
NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE APPLICATION
The Idledale Water and Sanitation District intends to file an application for federal financial assistance with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service. The project includes improvements to the water distribution system and treatment plant. Any comments regarding this application should be submitted to the Idledale Water and Sanitation District at 720-2136621 or through the District’s website at https://idledalewater.org/contact
Legal Notice No. CAN 1697
First Publication: October 31, 2024
Last Publication: October 31, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier
Public Notice
NOTICE OF BUDGET (Pursuant to 29-1-106, C.R.S.)
NOTICE is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Indian Hills Fire Protection District for the ensuing year of 2025; a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of the Indian Hills Fire Protection District; where the same is open for public inspection; such proposed budget will be considered at the regular meeting of the Indian Hills Fire Protection District Board of Directors to be held at 4476 Parmalee Gulch Road, Indian Hills, Colorado on November 20, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Any interested elector of Indian Hills Fire Protection District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.
Legal Notice No. CAN 1706
First Publication: October 31, 2024
Last Publication: October 31, 2024 Publisher: Canyon Courier
Public Notice
NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the proposed budget for the ensuing year of 2025 has been submitted to the RRC Metropolitan District No. 3 ("District"). Such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held on November 1, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., or as soon thereafter, via telephone and videoconference. To attend and participate by telephone, dial 833 435 1820 and enter meeting id 161 905 1693 and passcode 558724.
Information regarding public participation by videoconference will be available at least 24 hours prior to the meeting and public hearing online at www.rrcmetrodistrict3.com/
NOTICE
wd=TlOmNeWmBa9kNlwIZnhw7lYVvZqyaB.1
Meeting ID: 833 0704 2711 Passcode: 528448
Any interested elector within the
Je erson County faces ongoing population shifts, impacting schools and local planning
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Unlike the rest of the state, fewer young adults of child-bearing age are projected to move to Jefferson County in the next decade, according to state demographer Nancy Gedeon. Gedeon highlighted ongoing population shifts that could significantly impact the area’s future during a recent presentation to the Jefferson County School Board.
Gedeon, representing the Colorado State Demography Office, outlined how Jefferson County’s birth rates have steadily declined over the past decade. This trend has led to fewer school-age children and is likely to continue for years to come.
“There have been fewer births and an increase in deaths (due to an increase in the share of the population over 65),” Gedeon said. “Migration and mobility are also slowing, a trend that began even before the pandemic.”
Based on the state’s prediction models, Gideon explained that Jefferson County will see a 4% decrease in 25- to 44-year-olds, the age group most closely associated with childbearing and a 29% increase in those 65 and older.
The decline in the county’s younger population differs from that of the state, where the number of 25- to 44-year-olds is predicted to increase by 11%.
When asked if the difference could be attributed to housing costs, Gideon said, “Definitely. Housing plays a part, including when housing was built and whether you’re continuing to build the same amount of housing as you had in the ’70s, ’90s or early 2000s.”
Yet, Gedeon cautioned that the cost of housing and differences along those lines aren’t factored into their data.
The state updates its population forecasts yearly and bases its models on various demographic, social and economic factors.
Impact on Je erson County schools e trend of fewer school-age children directly impacts the public schools, which board member Michelle Applegate said serve 91% of the county’s children. Still, with fewer young families moving in and declining birth rates, school enrollment numbers are expected to continue to stagnate or decrease.
Board member Mary Parker said Gedeon’s presentation to the school board is part of its e orts to continue the conversation around enrollment trends to prevent surprises.
“Under this board’s leadership, we have had to close 21 schools since I started in this role,” said Superintendent Tracy Dorland. “At the time, the board made it very clear that they didn’t want this to be a one-and-done thing, and they didn’t want the district to be in a position of having to make those kinds of big decisions at the 11th hour ever again.”
Board member Erin Kenworthy emphasized the district’s commitment to datadriven decision-making.
“So for folks who have come up and shared stories about a new family in their neighborhood with a brand new baby, I think that’s amazing. But it doesn’t mean that we’re experiencing a population boom,” Kenworthy said.
“We’re not saying that people aren’t having babies but that there’s empirical data and not just anecdotal informing our decisions.”
Gradual turnover in housing markets e presentation also touched on how the housing market could in uence migration trends into or out of the county.
Gedeon noted that while older residents stay in their homes longer, the eventual “turnover” of housing could open up more opportunities for younger families to move in.
However, this process will likely be gradual.
“If you had a whole neighborhood of people over the age of 65, the time in which they vacate their houses for what-
ever reasons could be staggered over 20 or 30 years, so you won’t see an entire street for sale at the same time.”
Board member Danielle Varga acknowledged that staggered turnover and slow migration into the county would make it easier for schools to manage enrollment without sudden surges or drops.
Statewide and national trends ese demographic shifts are not unique to Je erson County. Gedeon shared data showing that many parts of the U.S., especially in Northeast and Midwest states, have seen declines in their youth populations over the past decade.
Colorado has experienced slower population growth, with births peaking in 2007 and declining steadily ever since.
Gedeon also noted that the younger population is more racially and ethnically diverse, which will shape future economic and educational policies.
The way forward As Je erson County plans for its future, these demographic trends will be critical in shaping decisions around everything from school closures to housing development and labor force planning. e county’s slower population growth rate compared to the rest of the state means that planners must carefully consider how to meet the needs of an aging population and a shrinking youth demographic.
Je erson County school board members expressed gratitude for the insight into the county’s population predictions as they continue to navigate the challenges of changing enrollment patterns and resource allocation.
“I really appreciate the proactive and ongoing look at what’s going on,” said board member Paula Reed. “It really helps to inform our decisions and allows us to make the best choices not just for now but for our future.”
ERIC GINTER
As a dedicated public servant, I am committed to making a positive impact in our community. My focus is on creating opportunities for every individual, improving our education system, and prioritizing public safety and all vital services. I am dedicated to serving the residents of Clear Creek County with integrity, transparency, and a vision for a better future. I believe in open communication and collaboration to address the needs of our community. We can do this together to build a stronger more inclusive Clear Creek County.
I love living in Clear Creek County because of its unique communities, history, and geography. As a county official, I would work to balance responsible economic growth with the desire to preserve the heritage inherent to local mountain towns.
