Canyon Courier December 19, 2024

Conifer hosts 41st annual Christmas parade P4

Morrison speed camera not expected to return to town streets

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Morrison’s infamous speed camera has likely issued its last ticket. With the disbanding of the town’s police department, Town Manager Mallory Nassau said the town will not have the manpower to continue its operations.

“My understanding is we would need an o cer with a badge number to process those (tickets),” she said. “So I don’t see a way forward at this time.”

e town board voted earlier this week to disband the police department and contract for law enforcement services with the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce.

“We will not be picking up the use of the speed camera,” said JCSO Director of Public A airs Mark Techmeyer. “We do not anticipate monitoring tra c with radar or lidar either. We will be a response to calls for law enforcement services from the citizens.”

Morrison, which has had a longstanding reputation as a speed trap, bought two automated speed cameras early this year.

One of them began issuing citations on May 8, agging about 10,000 speeders in its rst two weeks. Morrison’s speed limit is 25 mph, and the camera was set to issue a $40 citation to those traveling 10 mph or more over the town’s 25 mph speed limit. e camera was controversial — among those who got tickets, and the town’s business owners and some town trustees — for both the brisk pace at which it issued

The Tomahawk Ranch was awarded best of parade during Conifer’s Dec. 7 Christmas parade. From left are hospitality director Tonetta Brawley, operational director Starlight Clarke, Teagan Phelps, Sydney Phelps, Mary Jane Sulka, Stephanie Freisen, Tristin Bauer, Hannah Clair, Ayla Mary and Maren German. COURTESY PHOTO

Locals supportive of Morrison’s decision to disband police department

Residents and businesses surveyed are happy or unconcerned with the change, while some others are quietly apprehensive

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Morrison residents and business people surveyed after the town voted to disband its police department were unanimously supportive of the decision.

However, resident and former Morrison Town Board member Katie Gill said she’s spoken with several residents who are unhappy with the decision, but prefer not to air their concerns speak publicly. e Morrison Town Board voted Dec. 3 to disband its police department, saying it is not nancially sustainable. It will instead contract for law enforcement services with the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce beginning with the new year.

“I think it might help our business because I think a lot of people stopped coming around, especially when they put the speed camera on,” said Shauna Dincola, a serve at Tap on the Rocks.

“ ey didn’t need that many police,” said Nick Pine, who works at Morrison’s Cow restaurant. “And the way they placed the speed camera was about money, not safety.”

Pine’s comment referred to the placement of the camera at Morrison’s west exit, where it was set to monitor the speed of drivers leaving town.

“It always felt like a predatory policing process; they were here to write tickets,” said Ashley Kuma, who works at e Cow with Pine. “Sometimes having a quick police response is nice — if someone is unruly, intoxicated or there’s a car accident in the parking lot. But then there were the speeding tickets.”

Daniel Inscoe, manager at Tony Rigatoni’s, was also on board with the decision.

“It’s great news,” he said. “Morrison has had a reputation for their police department not being the kindest. For a town this size, it was a lot of overkill, and when they implemented the speed trap, it killed some of our business. We’re look-

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tickets, and for tagging drivers as they were leaving the town.

e camera was vandalized Oct. 25 and has been out of service since.

Longtime Morrison resident Skip Campbell was glad to hear the camera is gone.

“Good,” he said. “ at was a stupid idea anyhow.

“You need control; no question about that,” he continued. “But the speed camera was in the wrong place, and poorly marked. If you go to other communities, they control speed much better with a lot less cost.”

Morrison Holiday Bar owner Dave Killingsworth said he’s in favor of slowing speeding drivers in town, but a speed camera at the end of town wasn’t the answer.

“If it has a deterring e ect, it would be ne,” he said. “But having

ing forward to doing more business with tourists and regulars.”

Longtime resident Pat Harrod, who was sitting in his garage enjoying a sunny afternoon, had a similar take on the change.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “ ey’re saving the town money. We had nine fulltime o cers and I don’t know what they did besides write tra c tickets.”

Kyle Burris, who was walking his dogs through his Morrison neighborhood, said he believes the town will be ne without its own police force.

“I think it’s OK,” he said. “ e reason I support not having the police force is because of the budget. An alternative use for that money would be paving the town’s roads. ere are many other priorities.”

it as you’re leaving town, that’s not a deterrent. e goal is to slow people down and have a safe environment, not make revenue.”

e camera was in front of Willy’s Wings, and manager Brian Musil said he also had concerns about its location on the edge of town.

“I thought that wasn’t right because there’s a 40 mph speed limit sign behind it,” he said. “I never got a ticket because I knew it was there but others did. ey made a lot of money o of it.”

But town records show it wasn’t a big money maker for Morrison. According to the latest gures, it generated about $134,000 for the town. at’s in large part because a vendor charged with processing tickets took an unexpectedly large chunk of the funds. Many people also haven’t paid their $40 citation, further impacting the town’s bottom line.

e two cameras cost the town about $30,000 each. e second camera was never used.

cently left her seat on the town board, said several long-time residents shared similar concerns about the decision.

“Specifically, they’re concerned it came up after a public hearing on the budget so the public had no input,” she said. “They are worried about response times from the sheriff’s office. And they’re also worried all the publicity about Morrison no longer having a police department could result in more crime and speeding.”

The department, which includes nine full-time officers, an administrative assistant and some part-time staff, operated at an estimated $1.2 million deficit in 2024, according to town staff.

Morrison’s speed camera warns drivers leaving town to slow down on Oct. 8. The camera was vandalized about two weeks later. The white sign in the background marks the transition from a 25 to 40 mph speed zone. PHOTO

Longtime Morrison resident Pat Harrod said disbanding the police department will save the town money. PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER

Three employees at The Cow restaurant in Morrison, including from left Ashley Kuma, Nick Pine and David Hargis said they believe Morrison will be fine without its police force.

Tony Rigatoni’s manager Daniel Inscoe is among those who supports the town board’s decision to disband its police department.

Morrison resident Kyle Burris said money that would have been spent on the town’s police force can be put to other needed uses.

What Are the Costs of Buying or Selling a Home? Homeowners & Investors Need to

Know

This is one article you’ll want to read at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, where the buyer and seller settlement statements at right appear much larger on your computer screen. I have anonymized the actual closing statements from a property I sold for $698,000 this year which had an HOA, a seller loan to pay off, and a buyer loan to fund. This should cover most of the expenses that a buyer or seller might encounter when closing on a home sale or purchase.

We’re blessed in Colorado when it comes to the cost of buying and selling real estate. In many states, there are transfer taxes imposed by state or local jurisdictions, but not here by Colorado or in metro Denver. Also, in some states, both buyer and seller need to hire a lawyer, not just a real estate agent to complete a transaction. Long ago the State of Colorado passed a law giving licensed real estate brokers limited legal authority to explain state approved contracts, so it’s rare for a client to spend money on a lawyer. The exception is when a buyer purchases a new home, because builders have lawyers create their own contracts, and we would be practicing law without a license if we were to interpret those contracts and their provisions for our buyer.

ance renewal), but that escrow can't be credited on your closing. You’ll pay for the property taxes at closing and get a refund of your escrow balance from your lender 30 days or so after closing. On this seller’s settlement statement, the HOA dues are also pro-rated to the date of closing, and since the closing was on the 30th of August, the statement refunds two days’ worth of HOA dues, which the seller had paid on August 1st.

The biggest deductions for the seller (other than property taxes) are the real estate commissions and the title insurance policy. The purchase contract specifies whether the buyer or seller will pay for the buyer agent’s commission and the owner’s title insurance, but it is still common for the seller to pay both agents’ commissions plus the title policy, as in this case.

There are HOA fees which can also be paid by either party but are typically paid by the seller. Typically, the title company which is closing the transaction pays those fees (for status letter, documents, transfer fee, and more), so those fees are shown here as being reimbursed to the title company rather than paid to the HOA.

statement. If the buyer were paying cash, he or she would have very few expenses other than recording the deed for $10. The biggest costs associated with buying the home are related to the loan, especially if the seller has paid the buyer’s real estate agent and paid for the owner’s title policy.

ing takes place. In this case the buyer is being debited for 3 months of insurance coverage and 5 months of property taxes.

So let’s look at the seller’s settlement statement first. Not all the debits on this statement are considered the cost of selling. For example, the property taxes for the current year, pro-rated to the date of sale, are not a cost of selling. Since property taxes are paid in arrears (not due until April of the following year), you’re always going to find that pro-ration of property taxes on the settlement statement. If selling in December, that’s almost an entire year’s tax bill. In January through April, if your taxes haven’t been paid, you will find the full year’s taxes plus a portion of the current year’s taxes deducted from your proceeds.

If you have a mortgage, your lender has probably been charging you each month to escrow for next year’s tax bill (and insur-

In addition to paying off the seller’s loan, based on payoff numbers the title company obtains directly from the lender, the closer will deduct a few extra days of interest to cover the time it takes to get the payoff to the lender. If that’s an overcharge, the seller will get a check for the surplus from the title company within a few weeks.

The title company will also escrow a few hundred dollars to pay the final water and sewer bill (unless water is included in the HOA dues), and will refund the excess after they pay the final water/sewer bill. This is the only utility which the title company pays and transfers on your behalf, because an unpaid water/sewer bill would result in a lien against the property, and the title company’s job is to assure the buyer that they are getting the home clear of any liens.

Now let’s look at the buyer’s settlement

Moving, Even Locally, Can Cost You a Lot

At Golden Real Estate, we like to save you money wherever we can. For example, we have a handyman who can help you get your home ready to show or fix inspection issues at a client-only rate of $30/hour.

We also have a box truck which you can use prior to, during and after closing, not just for moving to your new home, but making those dump runs or runs to Goodwill for donating all that stuff you accumulated over the years!

packing material, including bubble wrap, so don’t buy any of those items yourself.

We’ve been offering the use of this truck since 2004. In fact, this is our second truck. It’s hard to estimate how much money this perk has saved both our buyers and sellers, but it must be several hundred thousands of dollars.

We also provide free moving boxes and

We also make the truck available free to non-profits and local organizations, such as Family Promise and BGoldN, which uses it to pick up food from Food Bank of the Rockies for their Golden food pantry.

Those loan costs are large and varied, as is detailed in the buyer’s settlement statement above. There’s the origination fee, from which the loan officer is paid. There is also the cost of appraising the home (in this case paid prior to closing), underwriting, credit report, flood certification, and a couple other lesser fees.

The buyer’s lender wants to be sure the home is insured, so you see that debit on the last line of the buyer’s settlement. (A cash buyer might choose not to insure.)

Not only does the buyer have to pay all those expenses, the buyer is charged for a title policy that covers the lender for the amount of the loan ($500 in this case) and a loan closing fee ($450). The lender will probably want to escrow for property taxes and insurance and will require a deposit for both those expenses that will vary depending on when in the calendar year the clos-

There is one big credit which the buyer receives from the seller. The funds which were deducted from the seller’s proceeds for the current year’s property taxes are credited to the buyer, not paid to the county. That’s because the buyer will paying the current year’s entire property tax bill when it becomes due. You see that credit — almost $3,000 — near the top of the above settlement statement.

There could also be a concession for repairs that the seller agreed to in the inspection resolution, although not in this case. Sometimes that concession takes the form of a price reduction, which does not appear as a line on the settlement statement.

Notice that the closing services (notary) fee of $360 is shared 50/50 in this case, as is commonly done, $180 for each party.

As mentioned above, visit our blog for more readable copies of those documents and more discussion of transaction costs.

FHA Loan Limits Have Been

Each year, the FHA raises the limits on its federally guaranteed loans. The limits are based on the median sale price of homes in each county.

Because the Denver metro area’s median home price was calculated by FHA at $710,000, the loan limit for single-family homes was raised to $816,500 this year. That is the loan limit, not the purchase price, although FHA only requires a 3.5% down payment.

The loan limit for a duplex/2-family home was raised to $1,045,250. For a three-family home it was raised to $1,263,500, and for a four-plex, it was raised to $1,570,200.

Boulder County’s limits in each category are slightly higher, starting at $856,750 for a single-family home.

In the country’s lowest-cost counties, the loan limit is $498,257 for a single-family home, and in the highest-cost areas (Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands), the limit is $1,724,725, rising to $3,317,400 for a 4unit property. (Whether 1-unit or 4-units, the borrower has to live in the subject property.)

Non-FHA (“conventional”) loan limits are slightly lower for 2024. In most areas, the conforming conventional loan is limited to $766,550. Alaska, Hawaii and high-cost areas have a conforming conventional loan limit of $1,149,825 for a single-family home. FHA loans are attractive because they only require a 580 credit score (as low as 500 with a 10% down payment), and your debt-toincome ratio only needs to be below 57%.

The biggest negative of FHA loans is that they require a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) of 1.75% at closing, plus an annual premium which varies based on your loan-tovalue ratio. MIP is for the life of the loan, unless your downpayment is at least 10%, and remains in effect no matter how low the loan-to-value ratio falls (i.e., how much your equity increases). If your down payment was 10% or higher, the MIP goes away after 11 years. Otherwise, most 15- or 30-year FHA mortgages should be refinanced once the owner can qualify for a conventional loan, hopefully at a better interest rate, to get rid of the MIP.

Conifer hosts 41st annual Christmas parade

BY JANE REUTER

e Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce hosted Conifer’s 41st annual Christmas Parade Dec. 7. e festive procession included oats, music and plenty of holiday cheer.

is year, the chamber chose the theme “A Season of Stories” in honor of the soonto-come new Conifer Library. e parade

wound through the heart of Conifer and included oats from several local organizations.

Chamber director Beth Schneider called it “an unforgettable day.”

“ e Conifer Christmas Parade is more than a tradition — it’s a celebration of community, connection, and holiday spirit,” she said. “One of the highlights was the beautiful weather. e sunshine made it an especially great day for all in attendance.

“ anks to the dedication of our amazing volunteers and the generous support of our sponsors, this unforgettable day brought us all together to celebrate the season in true Conifer style. It was an event showcasing the creativity, talent, and togetherness that make our community so special.”

Parade winners included Tomahawk Ranch for Best of Parade, with Elk Creek Fire Department as runner-up. e best-decorated vehicle was awarded

to Je co Schools West Transportation, with Staunton State Park taking second.

e best small animal entry went to Mountain Parks Veterinary, with Staunton State Park in second.

e best large animal entry was awarded to Bu alo Creek Riders with Bigfoot Jiujitsu taking second.

Best music was the Conifer High School Regiment and e Venue eatre in second place.

MaryJane Sulk and Hannah Clair wave from a float created by the Tomahawk Ranch, operated by the Girl Scouts of Colorado.

Staunton State Park’s float took second place for best decorated and best small animal entry.

Elk Creek Fire’s parade entry was runner-up in the Best of Parade category. COURTESY PHOTOS

Evergreen Holiday Walk draws an estimated 5,000 people

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

An estimated crowd of 5,000 people attended this year’s 32nd Evergreen Holiday Walk, an annual kick-o to the holiday season that includes a parade, tree lighting, live music, food booths and performances by local music and dance groups.

During the event, the town’s main street was blocked to tra c and became a walking mall, complete with re pits, s’mores, shopping, holiday specials and seasonal goodies for the whole family.

“Everyone felt it was the highest attendance we’ve ever seen,” said Larae Evans, spokesperson for the Evergreen Downtown Business Association, which coordinates the event. “ e weather was mild, which de nitely helped us.”  e association also added some new attractions to the event, including a vintage tractor parade, goats in seasonal garb and an elkon-the-shelf contest.

Participants were asked to nd a small elf on the shelves of Evergreen businesses and upload their photos to Instagram with a hashtag. Winners received gift baskets from downtown businesses.

“We felt it was a really successful promotion,” Evans said. e event is run by association volunteers, with help from sponsoring businesses.

“It is a labor of love by the downtown businesses for sure,” she said. “And it’s a great, very festive kick-o to the holiday season. We thank the community for coming out.”

The Original Dickens Carolers performed at the Lake House and in downtown Evergreen during the Holiday Walk.

Members of Evergreen Troop 888, which includes boys and girls unit, sold doughnuts at the Evergreen Holiday Walk to raise money for their camping adventures.

Children peer at the reindeer in a fenced area on Evergreen’s Main Street during the Holiday Walk.

Goats Stark and Marley were popular guests at the Evergreen Holiday Walk. John Grich and Xanthia Borg from Guided Goat Hikes escorted them around town. Dr. Poz and Friends performed at the Evergreen Holiday Walk.

Morrison bids farewell to two trustees, welcomes new members

BY JANE REUTER

e Morrison Town Board said goodbye to two long-time members and hello to a pair of newcomers during its Dec. 3 meeting.

Newly elected board members Angela Bernhardt and Krista Nash were sworn in, along with incumbent John Leonard. Leonard, appointed to the board in 2022, was elected to a four-year term in November. Sean Forey, who served eight years as mayor and another eight as a board member, lost a November 2024 bid for re-election. Katie Gill, a town board member since 2016, was term-limited and could not serve again.

While Forey could not attend the meeting in person, Mayor Chris Wolfe honored both departing board members.

“Katie has integrity deep down to where you can’t budge her,” he said. “We will miss you. I know you serve on numerous other boards. We will support you in any endeavor and appreciate everything you did.

“Sean loves this town. You really can’t put into words what he’s done for it. We’re indebted to him. We know he’s going to be missed. It’s a fun time for us to have new people with us, but we will miss him and Katie.” Gill also had kind words for Forey.

“I personally want to say thanks to Sean for many years of proactive, visionary leadership,” she said. “His institutional knowledge of the town’s business is going to be impossible to replace. Sean, you and I have been on opposite sides of quite a few votes. I think it’s a mark of your leadership that you are the kind of person who can disagree with someone respectfully.”

Resident Deb Jerome also spoke about the two outgoing trustees.

“Sean, thank you; what Katie said — ten times over,” she said. “Katie, your research abilities, your knowledge, your memory — I want to grow up to be you. It was quite the board (for) a few years. It’s going to be a little di erent.”

Incumbent John Leonard and incoming trustees Krista Nash and Angela Bernhardt were sworn in as members of the Morrison Town Board Dec. 3. PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER

Mayor Chris Wolfe honored outgoing trustees Katie Gill, left, and Sean Forey during th board’s Dec. 3 meeting.

Finding cold weather shelter for homeless

Locations across region o er unhoused folks a warm place to stay

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

During cold weather in the Denver region, people without homes may struggle to nd a safe, warm place to go — and that can be a matter of life and death.

Unhoused Coloradans face the risk of hypothermia, a sometimes-deadly condition caused by exposure to cold temperatures. Staying outside also can cause frostbite, a freezing of body tissues that can lead to amputation. e nonpro t Severe Weather Shelter Network, a program that kept people warm in a large swath of the Denver metro area, recently shut down permanently.

But several programs in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Je erson counties, and beyond, o er shelter.

Here’s a look at where you may be able to nd a warm place amid cold weather.

Adams and Broomfield counties

In a large part of the north metro area, the Severe Weather Activation Program, or SWAP, provides hotel vouchers to the unhoused. e program generally activates when temperatures reach 32 degrees and wet, or 20 degrees and dry, according to the website for Brighton-based organization Almost Home.

People with documented ties to Broom eld or Adams County may qualify for the program. See the website at almosthomeonline.org/swap or call 303-6596199 for more information.

O cials in Adams also o er transportation to help people

reach a safe destination.

“Adams County believes that transportation should not be a barrier to life-saving shelter. We o er bus passes and no-cost Lyft rides through our municipal and nonpro t navigators to help lowincome community members access necessary resources,” said Nikki Kimbleton, a spokesperson for Adams County. “For those who need transportation to stay with friends or family in another community, we can purchase bus, plane or train tickets to reunite folks with friends, family and housing.”

e public can email PovertyReduction@adcogov.org for more information on long-distance travel.

Thornton

When temperatures drop below 32 degrees for daytime highs and below 20 degrees for nighttime lows, ornton opens a “warming center” at the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center at 11151 Colorado Blvd. — near 112th Avenue — according to the city.

When active, the warming center is open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, according to Gary Hobbs, deputy chief of administration with ornton Fire Department.

“ is program does not o er services such as warm meals, showers, bunk rooms, storage for belonging, etc., that are typically provided by emergency shelters,” Hobbs wrote in a statement. “If a community member requires longer-term emergency sheltering, sta will work to nd a sheltering solution. Typically, this includes relocating the person(s) to a shelter in another jurisdiction or working to acquire a SWAP voucher.”

Anyone in need of a place to warm up can drop in without an

appointment anytime the warming center is operational, Hobbs said.

Westminster Westminster activates a coldweather shelter when weather is projected to be zero degrees or sustained wind chill below zero degrees for six hours or more, said Andy Le, a spokesperson for the city.

e shelter will stay open for at least 48 hours, Le said.

e city converts e MAC recreation center — at 3295 W. 72nd Ave., a short walk west of Federal Boulevard — into a temporary shelter.

You can call ahead of time to check availability at 303-4264310, according to the city.

Hotel vouchers are also part of the local strategy for addressing homelessness.

“Our Homeless Navigator program helps distribute hotel vouchers provided by Je co and Adams County for people experiencing homelessness,” Le said. “Westminster provides additional vouchers when the weather drops below 10 (degrees) to provide additional support for our most vulnerable population.”

Northglenn

ere are not any city-managed cold-weather shelters in Northglenn, said Diana Wilson, spokesperson for the city.

But the Crisis Response Unit, or CRU, is available by appointment or during open o ce hours from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays at the Northglenn Justice Center’s west door entrance at 50 Community Center Drive — east of Huron Street and 112th Avenue.

CRU o ers some services and resources. See tinyurl.com/CrisisResponseUnitNorthglenn.

Transportation and shelter passes are available on a limited basis,

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Wilson said.

Call 720-822-0558 or see the link above for more information.

Commerce City

Commerce City operates two emergency shelters when conditions warrant, said Kristen Knoll, a spokesperson who provided information for the city.

e city’s two shelter locations are the Eagle Pointe Recreation Center at 6060 Parkway Drive — near U.S. Highway 85 and 60th Avenue — and the Bison Ridge Recreation Center at 13905 E. 112th Ave., near state Highway 2, according to Knoll.

Each location has capacity for up to 30 beds and o ers kitchen and sanitary facilities, Knoll said. is capability is intended to meet the short-term — no more than three nights or four days — needs of up to 30 residents per location in the event of various emergency situations, Knoll said.

“Once the location, timing and capacity have been determined, Community Well-Being division sta and Police Department sta will contact known people experiencing homelessness and assist with transportation, if needed,” Knoll said.

e following criteria trigger activation of at least one shelter, Knoll said. e same criteria will be used to activate an overnight shelter if one of the below scenarios occur between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.:

• Anticipated cold below 10 degrees

• Wind chill below zero

• Winds or blizzard conditions

• “72/48/24/12-hour alerts” and warning from the National Weather Service. At least one of the criteria needs to be met — or anticipated — for shelter to be activated, Knoll said.

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People walk through snowfall in November near Union Station in Denver.

PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ

Brighton

e City of Brighton does not have a standing cold-weather shelter program, said Jared Putnam, a spokesperson for the city

“Almost Home is the only such program in Brighton,” Putnam said.

See the website at almosthomeonline. org/swap or call 303-659-6199 for more information.

Fort Lupton

Fort Lupton pointed to a handful of resources.

“At this time, we do not have any designated cold weather or warming shelters under the city’s operation,” said Juan Arellano, a spokesperson for the city.

e city encouraged people to reach out to Hope at Miracle House in Fort Lupton, Almost Home, or United Way of Weld County, or call 2-1-1 for listed sheltering services that may be nearby.

Hope at Miracle House describes itself as a year-round emergency shelter assisting families that are experiencing homelessness in south Weld County. For more information, call 720-676-9697, see hopeatmiraclehouse.org or email programdirector0236@gmail.com.

Lakewood

Lakewood’s homelessness navigation center at 8000 W. Colfax Ave. — a short walk west of Wadsworth Boulevard — serves as the city’s severe-weather shelter.   When the shelter is open, it operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning, said Stacie Oulton, spokesperson for Lakewood.

ose needing shelter do not need to arrive until the 7 p.m. opening, Oulton said.

“No registrations or referrals are required for shelter services that are available to adults, and service animals/pets may be accommodated if they do not disrupt the comfort or safety of other guests,” Oulton said.

“Once the shelter is open and has reached capacity, the contractor may coordinate transportation to other locations,” Oulton added.

e city will consult the National Weather Service for two thresholds that may activate the shelter: when overnight low temperatures are forecast to be 32 degrees or lower and arrive with active, accumulating snowfall; or overnight low temperatures are forecast to be 20 degrees or lower with or without active snowfall, Oulton said.

“Lakewood retains the discretion to activate or not activate outside of these thresholds, but decisions generally are based on these weather conditions,” Oulton said.

For a countywide view of resources, see Je erson County’s Heading Home webpage at headinghomeje co.com/get-help.

Arvada

e Rising/Mission Arvada will be open when temperatures fall below 20 degrees and/or 6 inches of snow falls from November to the end of March, Colorado Community Media has previously reported.

e Rising church sits at 7500 W. 57th Ave.

See more about shelter in Je erson County at tinyurl.com/Je coShelterUpdate.

Wheat Ridge

ere are no programs o ering coldweather shelter in Wheat Ridge for people experiencing homelessness, but the city participates in a “countywide sheltering model,” said Amanda Harrison, spokes-

person for Wheat Ridge.

“Je erson County Public Health determines shelter activation based on a centrally located National Weather Service station and will alert all concerned parties in the region, including the homeless navigator at Wheat Ridge,” Harrison said. e “best way to stay up to date is to subscribe for email updates about activations.”

e public can subscribe to the Heading Home newsletter at headinghomeje co. com, Harrison said.

Wheat Ridge navigators give their clients — and anyone else seeking shelter — bus tickets, Harrison said.

Evergreen

e EChO Shelter in the Evergreen area is an overnight-only shelter open each night from 6:15 p.m. to 7 a.m. from October to late April, said Tim Clancy, the shelter manager.

All shelter guests must rst be registered by an EChO case worker at the EChO ofce. To make an appointment to register, call 303-670-1796.

Shelter guests are welcomed with services such as dinner, shower, laundry, and a quiet, safe place to sleep, and in the morning, they are provided a breakfast and a sack lunch to go, according to Clancy.

All EChO shelter guests meet with a case worker for further needs, he added.

When EChO is closed, people needing shelter should call the sheri non-emergency line at 303-277-0211, according to Clancy.

See more information at tinyurl.com/ EChOshelter.

Englewood-Littleton-Sheridan area

Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force, or HAAT Force, and Movement 5280 will be the primary overnight shelters for the Tri-Cities area, according to the City of Englewood.

HAAT Force is to serve as the main shelter, with Movement 5280 serving as an over ow shelter, according to the city. ey activate under the following conditions, according to the city:

• e shelter is activated on severeweather nights from Oct. 1 through April 30 when temperatures are expected to reach 20 degrees or below with no active moisture, or 32 degrees or below with active moisture.

• Temperature and moisture must be projected for three hours or more during the overnight hours from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

• Moisture is de ned as predicted rain or snowfall. It may not include previously

fallen moisture remaining on the ground.

Clients can call the hotline — 720-4837864 — daily at 9 a.m. to get the weather determination, according to the city. If open, registered clients must call to reserve their spot between 10 a.m. and noon, or until full, for shelter that night. Reservations for unregistered clients “begin from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.” only if rooms are still available, according to the city. e hotline will be transferred to Movement 5280, which will respond to requests for shelter from 2-5 p.m., according to the city.

Movement 5280 will open the doors for shelter at 6 p.m., and doors will be closed for the night at 9 p.m., according to the city.

HAAT Force sits at 4300 S. Lincoln St., o Quincy Avenue near Broadway, in Englewood. Movement 5280 is located at 3190 S. Grant St., o Eastman Avenue a short walk east of Broadway, also in Englewood.

For more information on the two shelter programs, see Colorado Community Media’s earlier coverage at coloradocommunitymedia.com/2024/11/15/severeweather-shelters.

For warming center information for Littleton and Sheridan, see tricitieshomeless.com/need-help.

Centennial

Generally, there are no shelters in Centennial, according to Allison Wittern, a spokesperson for the city.

“However, we’ve recently created a resource brochure that we give to various organizations and those unhoused,” Wittern said. at can be found at centennialco.gov/ homelessness.

Aurora

e Aurora Day Resource Center is available for shelter amid severe life-threatening weather. e center is located at 13387 E. 19th Place and serves as an overnight shelter for adults 18 years or older on a rst-come, rst-served basis, according to the City of Aurora.

e center can accommodate close to 200 people per night and is managed by Advance.

During cold-weather activation, no one will be turned away, according to Advance’s website.

To receive alerts about cold-weather activations at the center, text “Advance” to 38276.

e center sits a few blocks north of Colfax Avenue and a couple blocks west of

Interstate 225 — north of Children’s Hospital.

Call 303-343-7808 or 303-341-9160 for more information. Sta at the center will provide referrals to families for familydesignated shelters, such as Comitis Crisis Center.

At Aurora Day Resource Center, overnight cold-weather sheltering starts at 5 p.m., and there is not a cuto time for when people need to show up in order to get shelter for the night, according to Matt Brown, who served as a spokesperson for the city when Colorado Community Media reached out.

At the center, the threshold of weather conditions that trigger the cold-weather shelter to open is 20 degrees and below, or cold and precipitating, Brown said. e center will be providing a coldweather shelter program through the end of the year, and the city is looking at alternatives for sheltering in the new year, Brown said.

“If there is an alternative cold-weather sheltering option, the ADRC will no longer operate as an emergency cold-weather shelter but will still operate day services. No matter the outcome, emergency cold-weather sheltering will be provided,” Brown said.

Denver

During the cold-weather months, Denver shelters generally see more people coming indoors and often provide overow capacity to help meet the need, according to the city.

“We really encourage people in need of shelter to go to Denver’s ‘front door’ shelter access points,” which expand capacity for cold weather, said Derek Woodbury, a spokesperson for the Denver Department of Housing Stability.

ose “front door” shelters include:

• Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center at 2222 Lawrence St. in the downtown area for individual men

• Samaritan House at 2301 Lawrence St. in the downtown area for individual women

• And Urban Peak at 1630 S. Acoma St. for youth ages 15-20.

Denver’s cold-weather program also provides extra shelter at the Stone Creek shelter — the former Best Western hotel — at 4595 N. Quebec St. and at city facilities located at 2601 W. 7th Ave., and 375 S. Zuni St.

People walk through snowfall in November near Union Station in Denver.

PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ

Veteran news innovator to helm CCM

Brooke Warner brings vast experience in digital transformation

Brooke Warner, a veteran news industry innovator who has guided legacy organizations toward a more resilient future, has joined Colorado Community Media as its executive director.

In this role, Warner will lead CCM’s continued transformation into a sustainable community news business. She comes to CCM with extensive experience in digital media, organizational transformation and revenue growth.

“We’re thrilled to have Brooke Warner

SHELTER

e Quebec Street location is just north of Interstate 70.

Families in need of shelter should call e Salvation Army Connection Center at 303-295-3366, according to the city.

According to the city, Denver opens the extra shelter when capacity is exceeded in the existing homeless shelter system and one of the below criteria is met:

• Forecasted overnight low temperature of 25 degrees or below or

• Two inches or more of snow are forecasted for Denver; existing snow accumulation will also be taken into account, and activation will depend on amount and city’s ability to clear snow from roads,

take the helm at Colorado Community Media,” said Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO and co-founder of the National Trust for Local News. “She brings a passion for our mission along with deep experience in digital media, leading transformational change, and diversifying revenue. Our organization will bene t from her leadership as it works to create a sustainable future for community news in Colorado.”

Prior to joining CCM, Brooke served as

sidewalks, and bus stops; or

• A cold weather advisory, extreme cold watch, or extreme cold warning is issued for Denver by the National Weather Service.

Denver’s threshold for opening emergency cold-weather shelter for the homeless used to be when temperatures fall to 20 degrees, but as of October this year, the city raised the threshold to 25 degrees, Woodbury said.

Still, the city prefers that people make the “front door” locations their rst stop rather than going straight to the Quebec, Zuni and 7th Avenue locations, according to Woodbury.

“We strongly recommend that individuals go direct to ‘front door’ shelters during these conditions, where connections — and transportation if needed — is provided to available beds in our shelter system,”

general manager at Swift Communications in Nevada, where she managed a portfolio of 25 local media brands. She also was vice president of Draper Digital Media and WBOC-TV in Maryland, where she launched the rst interactive division at one of the state’s largest television stations.

“I’m thrilled to join Colorado Community Media. It has been my mission to help local news companies grow and thrive to meet the needs of readers, advertisers, and communities,” Warner said. “With the support of the National Trust, I’m excited to lead CCM’s continued development into a sustainable community news business for Colorado.”

e National Trust for Local News started in Colorado in 2021 with the acquisi-

Woodbury said.

For more information, see the city’s shelter webpage at tinyurl.com/DenverColdWeatherShelter.

Douglas County

Douglas County runs its Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team, or HEART, to help address homelessness. For any available resources, call 303-660-7301.

To complete an online referral form, see tinyurl.com/HEARTreferralDouglas.

Clear Creek County

Generally, Clear Creek County considers opening warming centers or emergency shelters when forecasts predict more than 2 feet of snow accumulation, or snowfall rates exceeding 1 inch per hour for consecutive hours, said Megan Hiler,

tion of Colorado Community Media, the primary source of local news for communities across the Denver metro area. Over the last two years, the National Trust has unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of CCM’s websites and digital news products, and expanded its news o erings to serve growing bilingual audiences in greater Denver.

e Trust also just announced the launch of the Trust Press to print CCM’s newspapers and o er commercial printing services for news organizations and other clients throughout the region. Warner will oversee those operations, as well. Warner’s position replaces the publisher role recently vacated by Linda Carpio Shapley, who is now CCM’s director of Editorial and Audience Engagement.

spokesperson for the county.

“ is threshold is weather dependent, and plans may change if conditions worsen,” Hiler said in late November.

Potential sheltering sites are spread around the county, according to Hiler.

“We have several pre-identi ed sites that have agreed to partner with the county in case of emergency sheltering needs,” Hiler said. “ ey are strategically located in our higher-density population areas and include Idaho Springs, Georgetown and Empire.”

Should an emergency shelter need to be opened, messaging will be pushed through county, sheri ’s o ce and state channels, Hiler said.

Check via the links to webpages or phone numbers throughout the story for any updated information. is list of resources is not necessarily exhaustive.

Brooke Warner

Jim versus the Christmas trees

One of the most encouraging things we can do is laugh, so I hope you enjoy this story.  Let me preface by saying that I would love to say my wife, Beth, was my partner in this so that I could change the title to “ e Roomes versus the Christmas Trees” but unfortunately, I am the only constant in the stories and therefore must claim this debacle as my own.

My unintended battle with Christmas trees began innocently enough in 1991. As December neared, Beth and I moved into our rst house in Englewood. e house, built in 1900, had wonderful architectural designs with a cherrywood entry, archways and French doors. We loved it.

As the holidays approached, my brother-in-law Ed suggested that we go with his family into the foothills to cut down a Christmas tree. Beth and I were excited about the idea and the chance to take our 10-month-old Katie for an adventure. As we drove, we realized we had no saw or tape measure, but decided it was OK. We had an ax, Ed had a saw, and who really needs a tape measure for a Christmas tree?

While wandering through the trees, we realized we had no idea how high our ceilings were in our new home. We decided that a house built in 1900 must have 10-foot ceilings. We found the perfect tree. It appeared to be just under 10 feet tall but there was no way to know for sure. We cut it down with Ed’s help, placed it on top of our car, tied it down and headed back to Englewood. e sun was going down as we returned to the house, put Katie inside and started to bring in the tree. Once the tree was wedged in the entryway, partway inside and partway outside, we discovered

CWORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

we had 8-foot ceilings and needed a saw.

We did not yet know the neighbors, Ed’s saw was two hours away and I was not willing to go knock on a stranger’s door and say “Hi, I’m Jim, your new neighbor and I have no saw,” let alone, “I have a tree wedged in my front doorway.” So, we called my sister and her husband, and about 20 minutes later they were there with a saw.

Turns out, three feet of tree is a lot of tree. After removing the extra height, we set up the tree in our living room. Beth took the extra branches, soaked them in the bathtub for a couple of days and made gorgeous displays for our front hallway, stairwell, living room, tables... e adventure ended happily, but after that, Beth’s enthusiasm for tree hunting had diminished.

In 1994, our second daughter Carly was born and by 1997, Christmas tree hunting had become a daddy-daughter adventure. We would go to a tree farm, search the lot for the perfect tree, cut it down, take it to the checkout station where they tied it to the car and then head home to show Beth our accomplishment. I did in fact know the height of our ceilings by then.

We switched from the practice of going to a tree farm when we moved to Colorado Springs, so the daddy-daughter Christmas tree adventure stayed in town. I loaded the girls in the car and we headed to a Christmas tree lot ve miles from the house. We wandered the lot, found the perfect tree, and paid for it. is time the tree lot employee did not help me

tie the tree on the car. ey pointed at a box of twine and left me to my own devices. I had no idea how to tie a knot that would keep something attached to the roof of a car, because I had, in fact, never done that alone before. Undeterred, I started the task and felt accomplished as I jumped in the car and started to drive us home.

Partway home we veered from the city street onto an on-ramp that would put us on I-25. e evening was beautiful, there were little bits of snow falling and few people out on the roads as I drove the car onto the ramp and began to curve with the road. Partway through the curve I watched in horror as the tree slid o the roof, twirling as it passed the front window and hood, and shot o the car. Our spinning bundle of Christmas joy came to rest on the on-ramp next to the barrier.  I looked around and realized the streets were empty. I jumped out of the car, grabbed the tree, and in what felt like one uid motion, threw it on top of the car, climbed in the vehicle, rolled down my window, grabbed hold of the tree and twine still attached to it, and very slowly drove home, clutching twine and tree. I was thankful I had gloves. e next year when it was time for our daddy-daughter adventure, we headed back to that same Christmas tree lot and found a great tree. I was determined to see the tree stay on the car roof so I put the girls in the car, rolled down the windows, and began passing the twine through the windows to the girls who, in their booster seats, would hand it to me on the other side of the car. Feeling con dent the tree would not move, I nished the job and stood admiring my work. Twenty feet of twine and some ingenuity defeated anything that tree could throw at me.

Once I stopped admiring my work and pulled on the door handle, I realized I had tied the doors shut with my children inside the car! Ultimately, I decided to go with it. I climbed through the window, shimmied into the driver seat, and rolled up the windows. Imagine my dismay when the tree lot attendant required me to climb out again to pay. We drove home. e tree never moved.

Once home and not wanting to admit to Beth another tree fail, I climbed out the car window, raced into the garage, found scissors, cut the tree free from the rope, and was helping the girls out of the car when Beth stepped outside to see the fruit of our victorious adventure. Of course, the rst thing the girls told her was that Daddy had tied himself out of the car.

For reasons that should be completely obvious, we now have an arti cial Christmas tree. It is safer, but the daddydaughter adventures, the contests with the Christmas trees, and the decades of smiles about the adventures will be with us forever.

I hope you will nd joy in this story. I would love to hear about your holiday traditions, adventures and misadventures. ank you to all who have shared stories with me so far. I can be contacted at jim.roome@gmail.com.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.

Scrooge hits di erent at Miners Alley

harles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is largely responsible for so much of what Christmas looks like in modern times. ere have been so many interpretations of the story on screen and stage and for Miners Alley Playhouse, it’s all about nding the right balance of humor and heart.

“ is is our fth year doing the show with mostly the same cast and crew and this year we’ve made the show even more Christmasy,” said Len Matheo, Miners Alley artistic director. “We’ve adjusted the script a bit and tightened it and made it funnier. ere’s more of a wink in this version — even as it gets serious, at any moment, something funny is going to happen.”

It’s something you want to hear again.”

“A Christmas Carol” runs at Miners Alley, 1100 Miners Alley in Golden, through Sunday, Dec. 29. Performances are at 7:30 Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Beloved actor Jim Hunt is back to play Scrooge, and he’s joined by a familiar and much-loved cast of actors, including Lisa DeCaro, Jason Maxwell, Josh Hartwell, Koi Matheo and Meredith Young, who have become a kind of family over ve productions of Hartwell’s delightful adaptation. “ is is e ectively the fth Christmas we’ve spent together and it goes through the whole holiday season,” Hunt said. “We really are a family and it’s just magical that we’re here again. Seems so unlikely it

would happen, but it is.” is is the rst time Miners Alley has staged “A Christmas Carol” in its new space and the larger theater allows everybody both in front and behind the curtain to go bigger and better. As Matheo said, there’s more room to create “theater magic.”

“One of the biggest changes is sound design, but we also have some great projections, costumes and more,” he said. “ e magic is much bigger than it has ever been because everybody has taken it to the next level.”

Everybody leveling up also includes Hunt, who has found new layers to Scrooge. Both Hunt and Matheo see a particular resonance this year in the character, a man who picks money over love and family only to realize he is full of regret and searching for a fresh start.

All the theater magic the cast and crew have summoned up is in service to a story that still has the power to move people more than 100 years after it was written.

“ ere are very few stories people want to hear every Christmas, but this is denitely one,” Hunt said. “ ere’s something about this version and the changes that have been made that makes it more than a story you don’t mind hearing every year.

For more information and tickets, visit https://minersalley.com/shows/a-christmas-carol-2024/.

Eva Noblezada celebrates Christmas at Lone Tree

Music is a great way to celebrate the season and the Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., is hosting a special performance by Broadway star Eva Noblezada e performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20.

Noblezada is currently playing Daisy in “ e Great Gatsby” on Broadway and has received a Grammy Award and a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Eurydice in the musical “Hadestown.” She’s also received a Tony nomination for the title role of “Miss Saigon.” Attendees can expect a mix of classical holiday tunes and contemporary tracks.

Get details and tickets at www.lonetreeartscenter.org/whats-on/eva-noblezadaholiday.

Ascend to a higher artistic place at Walker Fine Arts

Winter is a time when many people focus on tranquility and fostering connections with friends and family. at’s what makes Walker Fine Arts, 300 W. 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, newest exhibit, “Ascension,” such a great show for the end of 2024.

It runs through Saturday, Jan. 11, and features the work of Gail Folwell, Elaine Coombs, Bryan Leister, Laura Guese and Julie Maren. Each artist created ethereal installations, surreal landscapes and celestial skyscapes that encourage visitors to take a break from the bustle of life and re ect on moments of peace. For more information on the seasonally-perfect show, visit www.walker neart. com/ascension.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Annie Booth Trio at Dazzle

If you’re a long-time reader of this column, then you know there’s only one concert I can recommend the week of Christmas: the Annie Booth Trio at Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th St., performing the best Christmas music — Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” e annual performances begin on Monday, Dec. 16 and run through Tuesday, Dec. 24. Booth will be joined by bandmates bassist Patrick McDevitt and drummer Alejandro Castaño and jazz vocalists Jenna McLean, Marion Powers, Kathryn Radakovich and Bailey Hinkley Grogan. Tickets and information can be found at www.dazzledenver.com/#/events.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

Jim Roome

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Clarke Reader

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Conifer Jazzercise Fitness Center raises funds for breast cancer

I would like to take a moment to shine a spotlight on an incredible group of community members who are making a real di erence. Each year, the members of Conifer Jazzercise Fitness Center, owned by Aimee Pless, comes together to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and support of Susan G. Komen Colorado. Aimee is also a board member of the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce, and knows how important investing in community truly is.

In November 2024, the Jazzercise community raised more than $7,000 for breast cancer awareness and direct services. is remarkable fundraiser would not be possible without the support of many local businesses and individuals who step up to make it a success. I want to extend heartfelt thanks to this year’s main sponsors, Jodi Dolph with Keller Williams and Generations Skin Care, for their outstanding contributions.

We are also deeply grateful for the additional support from:

• Kim Leyba at Sharp Dimensions for creating impactful graphics,

• Blue Leaf Design Build,

• Jennifer Gann with State Farm Insurance,

• No Limits Endurance Coaching,

• One Trust Home Loans,

• A Happy Place Travel,

• Sam Schneider Legacy Fund,

• erapeutic Massage and Bodywork,

• e Kitchen Yeti,

• Chimney Doctors, and

studio members, and all our local heroes for showing us what can be accomplished when we come together. You are an inspiration to us all!

Corrina Steiger Susan G. Komen Colorado, Executive Director

Thoughts regarding fuels mitigation in our foothills communities

With the extensive push to protect our foothills communities from forest res comes the debate we’re having about many local “fuelals mitigation” (forest thinning) projects.

Some folks focus more on protecting “values at risk” (homes, infrastructure) and others prioritize protecting the forested ecosystems we’ve embedded ourselves in.

• Taspens Organics ese businesses and individuals exemplify the power of community. eir generosity and dedication ensure that important causes, like the ght against breast cancer, receive the attention and resources they deserve.

One in 8 women will face a breast cancer diagnosis in her life, and men can get breast cancer too. Susan G. Komen Colorado is your trusted, goto source for timely, accurate breast health and breast cancer information, services and resources. Our navigators o er free, personalized support to patients, caregivers and family members, including education, emotional support, nancial assistance, help accessing care and more. Learn more about breast cancer and the support available by visiting www.komen.org/Colorado ank you, Aimee, the Jazzercise

Arguments by both the “thinning” AND the “preservation” cases are correct!

How can this be? (1) reductionist thinking, (2) con rmation bias, and (3) entry-level understanding of two, interacting, highly-complex systems (forests and re).

Reductionist thinking seems to have replaced critical, complex analysis. Simplistic, “black-or-white” outcomes do not account for myriad variables for both forest ecosystems and re behaviour. People seem to focus on the information that bolsters their desired outcome. (Con rmation bias) Each forested area is unique, as is each re’s behaviour. So many everchanging variables a ect them. When they interact, additional variables are created and existing variables change through the interaction.

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

Both “sides” have legitimate arguments, concerns and desired outcomes (within certain timeframes). In some cases, fuels reduction reduces re risk. In other cases, it changes the ecosystem (sometimes irrevocably within a human generation-based timeframe).

is entire discussion should become more-nuanced. Only then — when speci c instances are addressed (as opposed to sweeping generalizations) will constructive progress be made in both protecting our forests as well as our local communities.

While it’s a lot more e ort, let’s consider trying more site-speci c, balanced, detailed discussuon of how we can both protect our communities while supporting the forest ecosystems we want to retain.

Kurt Muenchow, Evergreen

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

OBITUARIES

LeNore Bean

August 14, 1931 - October 7, 2024

Lenore May Bean, 93, of Evergreen, Colorado, passed away on October 7th, 2024. Born in Great Falls, Montana on August 14, 1931, her love for learning was evident from an early age.

In 1949, Lenore married her beloved husband, Calvin Bean. She earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, followed by a specialist’s degree in library science from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She taught in schools in Illinois and Denver and was a cherished librarian at West Je Elementary in Conifer, where she inspired countless

Lenore was married to Calvin for 70 wonderful years, until his passing in 2019. Lenore is survived by her daughter, Michelle Bean, her son-in-law, Rusty Ross, and her four grandchildren, Megan, Gabe, Angie, and Rachel, who carry on her legacy of curiosity and compassion.

Lenore will be remembered for her unwavering love, dedication to her family, and passion for education. In lieu of owers, donations may be made to the American Library Association to honor her commitment to literacy and learning: https://ec.ala.org/donate.

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

While the holiday season marks a time to relax with family and friends, the lead-up to the moment can often feel chaotic and overwhelming, and nding time to get and wrap gifts can be di cult.

However, there are businesses around the Denver metro area that provide gift-wrapping services to those who are overwhelmed by the holiday hustle and bustle.

“People shouldn’t feel like they have to do it all,” said Megan Trask, co-founder and CEO of TULA Life Balanced. “It’s more important to enjoy the season than to feel stressed or burdened by all the things that come with the holiday to-do list.”

TULA Life Balanced is an on-demand personal and family assistance platform that operates similarly to companies like Uber. TULA matches clients with an assistant to complete tasks ranging from grocery shopping and laundryto meal prep.

Having a to-do list to complete when people get home from a regular job can be overwhelming, and Trask said TULA aims to give busy people and their families a little more time in their days to do what matters most to them.

“(It’s) to create a way that people could ask for help without feeling kind of guilty about it,” Trask said.

While the assistants — who are fully vetted — are available year-round, Trask said the business sees about a 30% to 40% increase in services starting in October to mid-January.

During the holiday season, TULA Life Balanced can source gifts, wrap them and deliver them. Also, based on certain preferences, the company can create a list for the client to be able to quickly make purchases.

e clients pay for the materials, whether they provide wrapping materials or the assistants stop at a store to pick up supplies.

Although she is the co-founder of the business, Trask loves to wrap gifts and said she is more than happy to take gift-wrapping requests.

“It’s kind of like a nice break to just wrap somebody else’s gift beautifully,” Trask said. “What better gift to give than somebody getting the gift of time back?”

Always looking for ways to be creative, Kammy Witulski, a Highlands Ranch resident, also loves gift wrapping for others and started her home business, Wrap Paper Scissors, about a decade ago.

Witulski used to be an area manager for a high-end retail company in which one of the services provided was gift wrapping. After she had her daughter, Witulski felt she needed to take a few years o .

One of Witulski’s friends from her retail job had reached out to Witulski because she no longer had the ability to wrap the gifts herself. Witulski told the woman she would wrap gifts for her. While the two chatted, one thing led to another, and the idea of the

“It just started as a holiday type of job,” said Witulski. “It’s built up and now we operate year round — but the bulk of our business still comes from the Christ-

Witulski o ers several types of services. People can call, make an appointment and tell Witulski what they would like to see, such as certain colors or styles. ere is also no charge for canceling an

From the paper to the tag, Witulski provides all the supplies and will even remove price tags. However, people can also bring their own supplies. In those cases, the client will only be charged for the actual service.

Witulski does a majority of the wrapping herself as she said it brings her joy to meet people and help others during the holiday season. Nonetheless, Witulski has a team of four to ve people she can call when she needs help with big requests like corporate events or

Kammy Witulski, the owner of Wrap Paper Scissors, wraps around 2,000 gifts a year for customers who need help wrapping gifts.

From the paper to the ribbons to the tags, Kammy Witulski of Wrap Paper Scissors provides all the supplies, however, people can also bring their own materials.

One of the most important things when it comes to gift wrapping is to not leave the task to the last minute.

PRESENTS

Gift wrapping tips and tricks

For those who have time to wrap gifts or enjoy the task, Trask and Witulski have some helpful tips.

e rst one is to invest in quality supplies like sharp scissors and thicker-grade wrapping paper.

“While you are saving money on the less expensive paper and scissors, the time that it takes you to correct the tearing or sometimes needing to rewrap is where you end up spending more time and more money,” Witulski said.

While searching for wrapping paper online can be good due to the variety of patterns and colors, Witulski said it’s important to pay attention to the dimensions of

Gift wrapping experts recommend investing in quality supplies, which includes sharp scissors and thicker grade paper.

the wrapping paper. e dimensions for a standard roll of paper can di er depending on the brand type and type of paper.

Trask agrees that measuring before wrapping is the foundation to beautiful gift wrapping. Once the paper is picked out, measure straight lines before cutting the paper to ensure a clean look. It’s also helpful to have all of the supplies in one place instead of making multiple trips to stores as you are wrapping.

One of the most important tips from Trask and Witulski is to not leave gift wrapping to the last minute and to take 10 to 15 minutes to wrap gifts as you purchase them. And don’t forget about those gifts you’ve been hiding in the closet, attic or under the bed.

“ at’s much easier to do than to try to block out like three, four hours on Christmas when you’re already trying to clean your house, cook for company or maybe you’re having a party,” Witulski said.

To learn more about their services, visit TULA Life Balanced at tulabalanced.com and Wrap Paper Scissors at wrappaperscissors.com.

PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

Finding tradition in a pickle

Local historian speaks on origin of holiday ornament

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Passed on from one generation to another, meaningful and fun holiday traditions are part of every family’s celebrations.

But sometimes, there are traditions that just can’t be fully explained.  e Christmas pickle tradition has been part of many families across the country for generations. However, with numerous theories about its beginnings circulating the internet, the origins of the tradition remain unclear.

Wherever the tradition sparked, one thing is certain: hanging a pickle ornament on the family Christmas tree has a history of bringing people together during the holiday season.

“It’s a way for us to nd some community in fun ways,” said Dr. Kim Kilmek, a history professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “And nding it in a pickle — it just brings up a light hearted-

ness to the season and to the darker time of the year.”

Whether the pickle ornament is the rst or last ornament placed on the Christmas tree, the tradition of the Christmas pickle involves having children nd the ornament on Christmas morning.

Once found, how people celebrate the pickle di ers from family to family.

Often, the one who nds the pickle gets to open the rst gift on Christmas. Another is that the person who nds the pickle receives an extra gift or is said to have good luck for the upcoming year.

While the reason behind why the pickle is searched for varies, some say it’s a way to encourage children to appreciate the ornaments hung on the tree rather than rushing to see what St. Nicholas had brought them.

Where did it come from?

It’s commonly believed that the Christmas pickle is a German tradition. But because it is a mystery as to where it actually originated, some historians are led to believe that it is a German-American or possibly an Eastern European-American tradition.

Klimek has been teaching history

courses in Denver for nearly 20 years — including medieval history — and mainly focuses on women’s history and European history. Klimek’s studies suggest the pickle tradition seem to have originated in the United States when the Pennsylvania Dutch were settling in the midwest.

“No historians know if it was there before these people came,” said Klimek.

Klimek added that many people in Germany and its surrounding Germanspeaking countries were not aware of the tradition and didn’t, and still don’t, take part in the tradition.

History of the pickle

One theory dates back to ancient times in which the pickle was thought to represent hope and a glimmer of light. Another is a medieval tale that involves St. Nicholas rescuing two Spanish boys who were kidnapped by an evil innkeeper and placed in a pickle barrel.

Others think the tradition was a marketing strategy. In the 19th century, a

town in Germany was producing glass blown produce-shaped ornaments that were imported to Woolworth stores in the United States. Legend has it that the pickle ornament was not selling well, but by calling it a “German tradition” made it more appealing to American customers.

One of the most commonly heard stories is about a Bavarian-born soldier who was captured during the American Civil War and was being starved in a prison. e story goes that the soldier begged the guard for a pickle on Christmas Eve. e guard gave in and the pickle gave the soldier the strength to survive and reunite with his family.

Despite the fact that no one knows the exact origin of the tradition, Klimek said it feeds into the fact that Americans tend to seek tradition.

“ ey’re always seeking these kinds of older traditions to bring into their households,” said Klimek. “I think that this idea really links us to maybe even an imagined past — it doesn’t even have to be true to be fun.”

A popular holiday tradition involves hanging a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree for a family member to find. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Cold weather brings heart risks

Winter can play havoc with health

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When snow blankets the streets around the Denver metro area, it’s not just roads that become treacherous — your heart might be at risk too. e combination of cold temperatures, reduced physical activity and sudden strenuous tasks can create a “perfect recipe” for heart attacks, according to Dr. Akhil Reddy, an interventional and structural cardiologist with HCA HealthONE in Denver.

Many might assume the cold itself is the problem, but Reddy clari ed that it’s not so much the temperature as it is the activity people undertake in the cold.  “ e more common scenario is people shoveling snow and exerting themselves and having an active myocardial infarction, or heart attack,” he explained.

According to the AHA, intense physical e ort combined with cold temperatures forces the heart to work overtime. Blood vessels constrict in the cold, causing blood pressure to rise.

When paired with the sudden cardiovascular demand of activities like shoveling snow, this can trigger heart attacks, especially in people with pre-existing risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

Physical exertion in cold weather can be deceptively dangerous

Shoveling snow may look like a mundane household task, but research shows it’s a workout that rivals intense cardio.  “Shoveling a little snow o your sidewalk may not seem like hard work,” said Barry Franklin, the lead author of the American Heart Association’s 2020 scienti c statement regarding exercise-related acute cardiovascular events. “However, the strain of heavy snow shoveling may be as or even more demanding on the heart than taking a treadmill stress test, according to research we’ve conducted.”

“ e movements of snow shoveling are very taxing and demanding on your body and can cause signi cant increases in your heart rate and blood pressure,” Franklin told the AHA. “Combined with the fact that the exposure to cold air can constrict blood vessels throughout the body, you’re asking your heart to do a lot more work in conditions that are diminishing the heart’s ability to function at its

best.”

According to Reddy, the danger lies in the sudden increase in demand on the cardiovascular system, particularly for people who are not regularly active. e heart, especially one that hasn’t been consistently active, is not ready for sudden, intense exertion.

“When it’s cold outside, you’re more sedentary,” Reddy said. “You just don’t have the ability to understand your own limitations. It’s like asking a Toyota Camry to race on a NASCAR track. You’re not going to do well,” he said.

Reddy emphasized that even those who don’t have symptoms of heart disease should consider getting a stress test before starting new, intense physical activities.

“If you haven’t exercised in a while, that’s a reason to see a doctor and ask, ‘Is my heart OK to do this?’” he said.

The role of hypothermia in heart health

While heart attacks from exertion are the most common winter concern, Reddy also discussed the dangers of hypothermia, which occurs when the body’s core temperature drops.

He explained that prolonged exposure to cold weather, particularly if someone is wet or underdressed, can lead to dan-

gerous changes in heart rhythm.

“Hypothermia can lead to bradyarrhythmias, a condition where the heart beats too slowly,” he said. “You can end up passing out or having a cardiac arrest.”

How to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack

Recognizing heart attack symptoms early can mean the di erence between life and death. Reddy noted that while most people know to watch for chest pain or tingling in the left arm, symptoms for women and people with diabetes can be more subtle.

Reddy stressed that symptoms that appear during physical exertion — rather than at rest — should not be ignored.

“Peak exercise bringing about any sort of symptom, to me, is an ominous sign,” he said. “ is can include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain. If you’re noticing activities you normally do without symptoms are now causing shortness of breath or other symptoms, that’s your red ag to seek care.”

e AHA agrees, noting that women often experience heart attack symptoms di erently than men. Instead of classic chest pain, women may feel fatigue, nausea, or back and jaw pain. People with

diabetes may also have “silent” heart attacks without obvious chest pain.  Reddy highlighted the importance of listening to your body during exercise.

“If you’re shoveling snow and you feel o , that’s not the time to push through,” he said.

6 ways to protect your heart this winter With cold weather here for the next few months, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your heart health. Here’s advice from Reddy and the AHA on how to stay safe:

1. Stay active year-round: e best way to avoid cold-weather heart strain is to maintain regular physical activity throughout the year. “Try to be active at home, like going up and down stairs, doing jumping jacks or using an indoor bike,” Reddy suggested. Keeping the heart conditioned prevents it from being “shocked” by sudden, intense activity like snow shoveling.

2. Get a stress test before new exerIf you plan to start a new activity like running, CrossFit or even shoveling snow, consider a stress test. is step is particularly important for people with risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.

3. Dress warmly to avoid hypothermia: Protect yourself from extreme cold by wearing layered clothing, gloves and hats. e AHA emphasizes that keeping your head and extremities covered prevents heat loss. Stay dry if you’re planning outdoor activities since wet clothing increases the risk of hypothermia.

4. Know your limits when shoveling snow: Break up snow shoveling into smaller sessions, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. e AHA recommends using a smaller shovel to avoid lifting heavy loads of snow, which reduces strain on the heart. Take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.

5. Schedule annual health checkups: “If you’re over 40, you should be getting yearly checkups,” Reddy advised. A physical exam can detect heart murmurs, a potential sign of valve disease and identify other cardiac risk factors. If a doctor hears a murmur, they may recommend an echocardiogram or further testing.

6. Recognize heart attack symptoms: Watch for classic heart attack signs, but don’t overlook subtle symptoms like nausea, lightheadedness or back pain. Women may experience heart attacks di erently from men. If symptoms occur during physical exertion — even if they seem mild — seek medical attention immediately.

A Golden resident clears their front walkway during a recent snowstorm. FILE PHOTO

Judge denies injunction in Je co Schools’ transgender rooming policy case

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A federal judge has denied a preliminary injunction sought by Je erson County parents against a school district policy allowing transgender students to room according to their gender identity during overnight trips.

U.S. District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez ruled on Nov. 1 that the plainti s didn’t provide enough evidence to show they were directly a ected by the policy or at risk of immediate harm.

e lawsuit, led in September by Serena and Joseph Wailes, Bret and Susanne Roller and Robert and Jade Perlman, centered on concerns about sharing rooms, beds or bathrooms with transgender peers during school-sponsored trips, drawing widespread attention due to its implications for parental rights and student privacy.

e denial of the preliminary injunction means that Je co’s policy remains in e ect as the case progresses.

Background of the case

e plainti s allege that Je co’s policy violated their fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children. ey contend that the district’s approach to room assignments during school-sponsored overnight trips compromised their children’s privacy and con icted with their religious beliefs.

e Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization known for advocating parental rights and religious freedom, agreed to represent the parents when the Wailes family reached out to them after their daughter had been assigned to room with a transgender student during an outof-state trip in June 2023.

According to the lawsuit, the Wailes were told their daughter would share a room with three other fth-grade girls. However, upon arriving in her hotel room on the rst night, she discovered she was assigned to share a bed with a transgender girl, according to the lawsuit.

e Roller family’s 11-year-old son was assigned to a boys’ cabin during a schoolsponsored trip but felt uncomfortable when supervised by a transgender man, including during shower times, according to the documents.

e case also states that the Perlman family joined the lawsuit to express concerns about potential privacy issues for their children on future trips, emphasizing their need to participate in such activities for personal growth and academic opportunities.

The policy in question

e school district’s policy, titled “Equal Education Opportunities – Transgender Students,” allows students to be “assigned to share overnight accommodations with other students that share the student’s gender identity” rather than their biological sex.

According to the policy, accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis to “maximize the student’s social integration, provide equal opportunity to participate in overnight activity and ensure the student’s safety and comfort.”

e policy further states that transgender students “should be assigned to share overnight accommodations with other students that share the student’s gender identity consistently asserted at school.”

Private accommodations are also available for any student requesting them, regardless of gender identity.

However, the plainti s argued that the policy infringes upon their rights by not informing parents about the speci c rooming arrangements, hindering their ability to make informed decisions re-

garding their children’s participation in such trips.

Plainti s’ concerns e plainti s requested that Je co be prohibited from assigning their children to share rooms, beds or bathrooms with transgender students during upcoming trips, including a sixth-grade Outdoor Lab program and a 2025 Washington, D.C. trip. ey contended that such arrangements would cause harm.

“Plainti s allege P.P. (the Perlman’s child) will be harmed on the Outdoor Lab trip because he will be required to share a bed, bedroom and shower facilities with students of the opposite sex assigned at birth on that trip,” the ruling states.

However, the judge found no evidence to support this claim.

“Based on the record before it and Je co’s speci c representations as to measures that will be taken on this trip, this alleged harm is neither certain nor substantially likely,” Rodriguez wrote.

Alternative accommodations e court noted that the district has policies in place to address privacy concerns for all students. Accommodations include the availability of private rooms, gender-segregated sleeping areas, and day participation for students uncomfortable with overnight stays.

“Je co’s policy does not require students of the opposite sex to share accommodations; rather, the policy o ers accommodations for transgender students to ensure Je co’s compliance with ‘Colorado law and District policy, (which) require(s) that all programs, activities and employment practices are free from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression,’” Rodriguez wrote. Je co argued that accommodations for privacy are readily available and that families with concerns are invited to communicate with trip leaders.

“Families who have a need for some other kind of accommodation for student travel are invited to consult directly with their trip leader,” the district stated in a letter cited by the court.

Je erson County Public Schools argued in the motion that accommodations for privacy are readily available and that families with concerns are invited to communicate with trip leaders.

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 spaceavailable basis.

UPCOMING

Conifer Community Church nightly Christmas light show: rough Jan. 6, 9998 S. Havekost Rd., Conifer. 5-10 p.m. Sunday- ursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 7-11 p.m. Dec. 24. Show is approximately 35 mins. long and runs on a continual loop.

Ice Fest: Dec. 31, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Ice skating, skate rentals, hockey, broomball, ice carving demonstration, mobile recreation trailer games, repits, DJ. evergreenrecreation.com.

Evergreen Ball: 8 p.m. to midnight, Dec. 31, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Featuring the Michael C Experience band, catered hors d’oeuvres, desserts, photo booth, cash bar. Limited tickets at evergreenrecreation.com.

New Year’s Day Lake Plunge: 10 a.m. to noon, Jan. 1, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. $50 participation fee. No fee for spectators. VIP parking at lake, $25. Register at a4aevergreen.org

2025 Evergreen Pond Hockey Championship: 7 a.m. playtime, Jan. 25 and 26, Evergreen Lake, 29612 Up-

per Bear Creek Rd. evergreenrecreation.com

Wild Aware’s Bear Club quarterly meeting: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14. Address will be provided when you register. Social, potluck and speaker Brenda Lee, founder of the Colorado Bear Coalition. Email info@wildaware.org, go to https://bear-book-club.cheddarup. com, or call 303-670-7171.

Seniors4Wellness computer/tech help: Noon, Jan. 15, Evergreen Library, meeting room B, 5000 County Highway 73, Evergreen. 720-835-8776   Wild Aware’s Open Aware Meet & Greet: 6 p.m. Jan. 16, Evergreen Brewery, 2962 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen. Celebrating Wild Aware’s 5th birthday.

Evergreen Nature Center Weekly Preschool Adventures Program: 9 a.m. every ursday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Free & no registration required. Programs designed for children ages 2-5 years old. All children must have an adult in attendance. Dress to explore the outdoors. evergreenaudubon.org

Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. December’s program is Hibernation Station. evergreenaudubon.org

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 and Lam Tree services are collecting holiday trees and block styrofoam from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 3 at the vacant lot across from the Evergreen King Soopers, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 4 and 11 at both Evergreen Lutheran church and the vacant lot across from Evergreen King Soopers. Information at www. sustainevergreen.org or 720-536-0069.

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

ONGOING

Wild Aware is actively recruiting volunteers for their Last Friday Coffee. e monthly event is at 9 a.m., the last Friday morning of every month through fall. Evergreen Bread and Cocktail Lounge, 1260 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439.

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

Conifer Chamber of Commerce member meeting: 7:30 a.m. on second ursdays, Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. Free for members, $10 for nonmembers.

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

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

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

Mountain Area Democrats: Mountain Area Democrats meet at 9 a.m. the

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.EvergreenAudubon.org .

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

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

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 John Graham 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. GEOGRAPHY: What is the northernmost capital city in the world?

2. U.S. STATES: Which state is the driest?

3. MOVIES: In the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” what is the name of the angel who saves George Bailey?

4. LITERATURE: Which American novelist also wrote under the pen name Edgar Box?

5. SCIENCE: What is the process called in which plants lose water through their leaves?

6. HISTORY: What was the name of the international group that was supposed to keep the peace after World War I?

7. TELEVISION: Which TV sitcom featured a holiday episode titled “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”?

8. ASTRONOMY: What is it called when a group of stars forms a pattern?

9. MUSIC: What is the top-selling holiday song of all time?

10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many years are in a millennium?

Answers

1. Reykjavik, Iceland.

2. Nevada, with an average of 10 inches of rain a year.

3. Clarence Odbody.

4. Gore Vidal.

5. Transpiration.

6. e League of Nations.

7. “Community.”

8. Constellation.

9. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby.

10. 1,000.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

FLASHBACK

1. “You’re the One at I Want” was used in which musical lm?

2. Name the all-girl group that released “I Met Him on a Sunday.”

3. Which artist released “ e Wanderer”?

4. Who released “People Got to Be Free”?

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “Sometimes the love rhymes that ll that afternoon, Lose all their meaning with the rising moon.”

Answers 1. “Grease,” in 1978. e duet was performed by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. e song hadn’t been used in the stage version of the musical and was written especially for the lm. More recently the song was used in the superhero lm “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

2. e Shirelles, in 1958. e four friends formed a group and wrote the song before performing in their high school talent show.

3. Dion, in 1961. He recorded the song as a b-side single, but it became the more popular of the two songs.

4. e Rascals, in 1968.

5. “Do You Wanna Make Love,” by Peter McCann, in 1977. McCann was well known as a songwriter, producing chart-topping music for a long list of artists across the genres, including pop and country, and was active for decades lobbying for the rights of songwriters.

(c) 2024 King Features Syndicate

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Wanted

(46252337 when dialing from a phone or video system)

Additional details for accessing the public hearing will be posted at the following, https:// www.jeffco.us/events. Please note that citizens who would like to comment during the liquor hearing must be in person or access the hearing through the WebEx computer platform and use the chat feature to let the host know you would like to make a public comment.

The name(s) and address(es) of the Officers:

NAME : ADDRESS Perry Leyden 8495 E Otero Ln, Centennial CO 80112

By Order of Liquor Licensing Authority of the County of Jefferson, State of Colorado Legal Notice No. CAN 1761

Canyon Courier LEGAL NOTICE

According to the Liquor Laws of Colorado Tony’s Meats, Inc dba Tony’s Meats and Market Has requested the licensing officials of Jefferson County to grant a Fermented Malt Beverage and Wine Retailer License at 7421-2 W Bowles Ave. Littleton, CO 80123. Date of application: October 3, 2024. Public hearing on the application will be held by the Liquor Licensing Authority Board on January 2, 2024, at the hour of 9:00 A.M. Hybrid at 100 Jefferson County Parkway Hearing Room one and through a WebEx virtual meeting platform, the event information for attendees:

back by providing a phone number when joining the event online; or calling into the public hearing by dialing 1-408418- 9388 and +1-720-650-7664 United States Toll (Denver) and entering meeting Access Code 2498 307 7292.

Event address for Attendees is:

BY STAVROS KORONEOS

Pattern recognition

SOUTH JEFFCO – Gladys called JCSO – again – to complain about a neighbor. In that speci c instance, Gladys wanted deputies to charge young Rolland with harassment. Gladys explained that Rolland had “threatened” her, reportedly saying “I don’t want you to talk to my mom,” and promising to “hurt you” if she didn’t comply. Gladys also accused Rolland of “ram-charging” her, a term that apparently describes the act of “walking toward” someone in “an aggressive manner.” To provide context, Gladys went on to explain that she’s been enduring unprovoked hostility from virtually all of her neighbors in a relentless “pattern of friction” that’s been “going on for months” and includes “harassing” noises from the pet bird in the unit upstairs and the way all of her neighbors come outside to watch her “in an orchestrated manner” every time she leaves her apartment. Gladys said she’s been working with property management to resolve many of those issues, but only by the immediate ap-

plication of harassment charges against Rolland will she be “safe” within the complex. Not surprisingly, Rolland denied threatening Gladys, although he freely admitted telling her to leave his mom alone. Turns out Rolland’s mother has epilepsy and Gladys has fallen into a pattern of her own, that of “ ashing her porch light” every time she sees the woman coming down the stairs, presumably hoping to induce a seizure. e deputy advised Rolland to give Gladys a wide berth, and advised Gladys that she lacked grounds for a harassment charge. e o cer further suggested that if she feels threatened she should obtain a protection order. “I already tried that,” Gladys grumped. “ e judge denied it.”

I was prey

CONIFER – Out for a jog on the afternoon of Oct. 17, Randy Runner caught the keen attention of four familiar “large, u y” dogs who, for some reason, were also out for a run. Mistaking the complainant for a chew toy, the “snapping and growling” canine quartet quickly surrounded the unlucky loper, and Randy received a pretty nasty bite to the

leg before passing motorist recognized his peril and roared up, horn a-blare, scattering the pack. Randy reported the attack to JCSO, giving deputies the address where his hairy harassers normally reside, and then heading for the nearest urgent care facility. Contacted by deputies, the animals’ owner was appropriately apologetic, explaining that “the FedEx guy must have left the gate open.” Be that as it may, o cers said, his ferocious foursome would have to be quarantined pending the disposition of the case. Randy didn’t immediately le a formal complaint, but reserved the right to le one later.

Hex o ender

EVERGREEN – A tech-savvy witch is a fearsome foe, indeed. So said Dorothy on the morning of Oct. 14, when she summoned deputies to investigate the bewitchment of her Internet service. Dorothy told deputies she’d observed a certain neighbor walk about 10 feet into her yard holding a “small, gray device” in her hand, at which point Dorothy’s Internet went temporarily kaput, causing Dorothy to conclude that the device was a “Wi-Fi jammer.” Dorothy next

showed o cers a mark on the ground in her yard where she believed the neighbor had attempted to “stash the Wi-Fi jammer.” Deputies wondered why the neighbor would do such a thing. Dorothy said she doesn’t get along with that neighbor, whom she believes is a witch because she has a “Witch Parking” sign on her house. It is Dorothy’s considered opinion that the woman who owned the witch’s house previously is also a witch, that the two women belong to the same “coven,” and that they are together conspiring to drive Dorothy from her home “so they can buy the property.” Dorothy hastened to add that she won’t be listing the house any time soon because “I’m not afraid of witches.” Not granted authority over the supernatural, deputies could only suggest that Dorothy put up No Trespassing signs.

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.