Youth Services newsletter o ers program highlights, more
BY JACKIE RAMIREZ
MEDIA
e kids in Commerce City are denitely all right, with the help of the Youth Services newsletter, which came out Dec. 12.
By sharing resources, classes and events for the youth of the Commerce City community, the newsletter, published by the Youth Services division of Commerce City’s Parks, Recreation and Golf department, serves as a “onestop document” for all things teen-related.
Shannon Gri n, Youth Services supervisor, and Megan Krabbe, recreation coordinator of Youth Services’ general programs, have teamed up to shine a spotlight on the ongoing events and resources that their division o ers.
“ is newsletter really just highlights our bigger programs and when we are out in the community doing outreach events,” Gri n said. “ is is just a way that we can keep all of our monthly updates in one document that we can share with families in the community.”
e most recent newsletter provided a 2024 Youth Services In Review, where they highlighted “Kickstart to Adulthood,” where a Youth Commission Conference brought together 45 high school students to learn more about mental health and student rights.
e newsletter also stated that the Youth Services o ered 240 programs and served around 3,759 community members in 2024. In addition, the newsletter reminds the community of upcoming events such as their famous upcoming annual Daddy Daughter Dance in February 2025 where the Youth Services hosts 300 participants at Bison Ridge Recreation Center. Gri n and Krabbe have worked with Commerce City for close to 10 years,
and there has always been a newsletter. Over time, with the increase of technology and the move from paper to digital, the newsletter received a revamp about two years ago. Since then, Gri n and Krabbe have continued to better highlight the important youth-related topics and events in the area.
“We can reach a little bit more of a broader outreach with a better online version of it,” Gri n said.
e revamp of the newsletter includes clickable links and QR codes to easily access programs for speci c age groups and even a “family” link and QR code for a family program by the recreation department.
“We really just want to make it as easy and user-friendly with those links,” Krabbe said.
Creating an easily accessible and userfriendly newsletter is key to creating a newsletter that resonates with teens and the community.
State mulls stricter rules for police licensing
Standard
board asks to add 31 misdemeanors to disqualifying list
BY ALLISON SHERRY CPR NEWS
Child abuse, animal cruelty, theft, fraud, invasion of privacy for sexual grati cation.
In Colorado, a person can be convicted of these crimes — plus dozens of others — and still qualify to be a licensed peace o cer responsible for dealing with people at their most vulnerable moments.
e state agency in charge of licensing the state’s law enforcement o cers wants that to change.
e Peace O cers Standards and Training Board voted unanimously this month to ask the state legislature to add another 31 misdemeanor crimes to the existing list of 44 as “decertifying to be a peace o cer.” at means if the legislature agrees, a law enforcement o cer convicted of any of these crimes will also be decerti ed. e state already bars anyone convicted of any felony from being able to serve as a law enforcement o cer.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose o ce manages the POST board, said that adding to this list of disqualifying misdemeanors is long overdue.
“Over a decade ago, the POST Board had recommendations for additional categories that should merit being decerti ed. e legislature failed to act,” he said. “It’s important that the public have full con dence in law enforcement, and conduct in these misdemeanor categories is unacceptable and should prevent someone from serving in law enforcement in Colorado.”
Currently not included in that disqualifying list is violating a protective order – something state o cials hope the legislature adds.
SEE PAGE 6 TO LEARN MORE
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY
Commerce City teens pose for a photo during an outdoor teen program where they participated in a high ropes course at Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs in Summer of 2024.
COURTESY OF COLORADO ADVENTURE CENTER
Snow Trooper helps get you through the storm
When the akes start falling, Commerce City Public Works hits the road to plow nearly 300 lane miles of streets in the city.
To help you prepare for a safe commute, the city’s online Snow Trooper map shows which roads have been plowed and how recently. Visit snowtrooper. c3gov.com to see the treatment map and priority level of streets along your route. As a reminder, the city does not plow state roads, such as Highway 85, Interstates 270 and 76, and Brighton Boulevard. Learn more about the city’s snow response plan at c3gov.com/Snow.
Legal self-help clinic
e Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the rst Tuesday of every month. e program is for those without legal representation and needing help navigating through legal issues. Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss family law, civil litigation, property, and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours before.
Nominations needed for 2025 Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards
agmartinez@brightonco.gov.
Alliance Business Assistance Center grants available
e Alliance Business Assistance Center is excited to announce that 2024 business grants are now available to support your business endeavors. Sta at the center can assist residents by helping to identify grants that align with their business goals and industry, providing guidance through the application process, ensuring that they have the best chance of success and providing other valuable resources for local business.
To get started, visit our website at https:// businessinthornton.com/local-business/small-business-support-programs/ business- nancial-assistance.
CCPD o ers online crime reporting form
Adams County commissioners and the mayors of municipalities in the county are asking for nominations for the 2025 Adams County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards. is award focuses on youth who have triumphed over great odds and serve as inspiration and role models for their peers. is program recognizes young people in grades 6-12 (up to 20 years old) who have overcome personal adversity to create a positive change in their own lives or for those around them. If you know of an individual who has had this impact on others but is not in a school setting, those nominations will also be accepted. If you’d like to nominate a student for the ACMCYA, please complete the online nomination form. e deadline to submit nominations is Jan. 31, 2025, but please nominate as soon as possible.
e Commerce City Police Department has a new online reporting tool allowing the public to report some non-emergency crimes and receive a police report immediately without speaking to a police o cer. Community members can now conveniently report incidents that do not require immediate o cer intervention, such as fraud, identity theft, lost property, theft/shoplifting (less than $2,000), and vandalism.
e new form is online now in English and Spanish at c3gov.com/ReportACrime. Residents should always call 911 for emergencies.
‘Taking No Chances’
e 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Ofce and e Link, a community resource and assessment center in ornton, offer free, 10-week programs to families of Adams County teenagers to help develop personal and interpersonal drug-resistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-292-2811.
ily resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, has many power chairs, scooters, and electric wheelchairs available.
To nd the closest facility to you, visit www.va.gov/ nd-locations.
Quali ed Listeners also need volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, provide handyperson services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries, and veterans to be trained to become quali ed listeners. Call 720-600-0860.
Mental health
Community Reach Center o ers inperson intake assessments from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays at the Brighton Learning and Resource Campus, 1850 E. Egbert St. in Brighton. Call the Community Reach Center at 303-853-3500.
Boards/commissions’ openings
Commerce City has openings for several boards and commissions, including the city’s cultural council, the housing authority, and the Derby Review Board. Visit https://www.c3gov.com/Home/ Components/Form/Form/70316b05422 c448492c51da0f0e0fd86/ to sign up.
For walk-in intake, bring an ID and insurance information. For those who would prefer to complete the intake forms and schedule an appointment, the intake forms are available online at www. communityreachcenter.org. ere will be a short screening for u-like symptoms before entering the center to ensure safety and wellness for everyone.
Anyone feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text 38255, or visit the Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center at 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.
Walk with a doc
Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute. is is a walking program for everyone interested in a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and a fun conversation. It’s a great way to get out, get active, and enjoy all the bene ts of walking.
If you have questions, please contact Abby Martinez at the City of Brighton Ofce of Youth Services, at 303-655-2186 or
Legal self-help clinic
Help for vets
Quali ed Listeners, a veteran and fam-
e center has locations in Aurora, in Westminter’sPete Mirelez Human Services Center, 11860 N. Pecos St and at 36 South 18th Ave. in Brighton.
Warm Line up and running Community Reach Center is o ering a Warm Line (303-280-6602) for those who want to talk to mental health professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep, and strained relationships, among other topics. e professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance.
A press statement said the Line is not for crisis intervention.
ose feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-4938255), text 38255, or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.
Also, the center’s COVID-19 Heroes Program is set up to assist healthcare workers during the pandemic. ose who live or work in Adams County can receive up to six free counseling sessions. Use the Warm Line for support and free counseling.
Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second oor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.
Volunteers needed
Quali ed Listeners needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, provide handyperson services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries, and veterans to be trained to become qualied listeners.
Visit quali edlisteners.org/volunteerapp and ll out the form, or call 720-6000860.
Food distribution
e Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the rst Tuesday of every month. e program is for those without legal representation and needing help navigating through legal issues.
Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss family law, civil litigation, property, and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours before.
Workforce & Business Center workshops
e Adams County Workforce & Business Center is hosting multiple workshops throughout November.
Visit the center’s website, https://adcogov.org/workforce-business-center, for a full class schedule, which includes contact information for each workshop.
27J Schools have free grab-and-go meals for youngsters up to age 18. Driveby or walk up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Vikan Middle School, 879 Jessup St., Overland Trail Middle School, 455 N. 19th Ave., and at immig Elementary School, 11453 Oswego St. Food for Hope is the sponsor.
St. Augustine food pantry, 129 S. Sixth Ave., o ers food Tuesdays and ursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Brighton residents who live between Quebec St. and Cavanaugh Road and between Weld County Road 4 1/2 and 96th Ave. Chapel Hill Church, 10 Chapel Hill Drive, Brighton, hands out one box of food per family on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and alternating Saturdays at 9:30 a.m.
Calvary Chapel Brighton Food Pantry, 103 E. Bridge St., Brighton. Open from 4 to 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
Community Baptist Church Food Pantry, 15559 Weld County Road 2, Brighton. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
Small Landlords: Looking to Cash Out Due to New Pro-Tenant Laws? Here’s One Option.
Under laws enacted by the 2024 General Assembly, Colorado tenants gained many protections, both from eviction and for “habitability,” but those protections for tenants have made being a landlord trickier, more expensive, and riskier, especially for the small landlord who manages his or her own rental units.
Last week, I helped one such small landlord dispose of his rental duplex and invest the proceeds in a way that deferred his capital gains but didn’t get him into yet a new investment that carried those problems and management.
you’re able to put the entire proceeds to work generating income. If you keep doing 1031 exchanges until you die, your heirs will inherit your final holding(s) with a stepped up value and no capital gains tax liability at all.
In his case, he had to deal with a squatter who knew his protections against eviction that already existed under Colorado law and refused to leave. That experience left such a bad taste in my client’s mouth that he chose to sell instead of finding a new tenant.
I was once a commercial landlord myself and earned some great passive income from it for several years, but I vowed never to be a residential landlord. Back then, the big concern was whether your tenant might be cooking meth — a nightmare situation requiring not only eviction but very expensive mitigation before the property could be put back on the rental market or sold. I preferred being a commercial landlord, because my tenants’ offices were always open and I knew they wouldn’t trash their office, because they had customers.
These new protections for residential tenants only add to the unattractiveness of being a small landlord of residential properties.
Other changes in landlord-tenant law include the banning of occupancy limits based on familial relationships by local governments and prohibiting rent increases in excess of 10% over the prior year’s rent (defined as “rent gouging”). Local governments may still implement residential occupancy limits based on demonstrated health and safety standards, such as international building codes, fire codes, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment wastewater and water quality standards, or affordable housing program guidelines.
College towns, including Boulder and Golden, have in the past implemented occupancy limits to prevent the use of singlefamily homes by large numbers of unrelated college students. Those laws are now invalidated by state law.
In the posting of this article on my blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I’ve included a link to an article with a fuller description of those 2024 landlord-tenant laws.
Meanwhile, selling a long-held investment property can subject the seller to capital gains tax and depreciation recapture that can wipe out much of the profit from selling. A common tax strategy for deferring those taxes is to do a “like kind” exchange under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.
By purchasing a replacement investment property (not a primary residence) with the proceeds from your relinquished property,
You may be saying, “I don’t want to own any new investment property, especially a residential rental property,” given these new laws, but I have good news for you.
“Like kind” properties are broadly interpreted by the IRS to include any real estate (except a Real Estate Investment Trust or REIT). This allows you to reinvest your funds as a passive investor in what’s known as a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). However, a DST investment is only for accredited investors. Individual accredited investors come under two categories:
They have an individual net worth, or joint net worth with their spouse, excluding primary residence, but including home furnishings and personal automobiles, of more than $1,000,000, or
They have an individual income in excess of $200,000 or joint income with their spouse in excess of $300,000, in each of the two most recent years and have a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year.
DSTs are exploding in popularity, and with good reason. A Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) is an ownership structure that allows an investor to purchase a fractional interest in a large property or portfolio of properties. The DST is a legal entity (formed as a trust under the laws of Delaware) which holds legal title to property(ies) held in the trust.
For Federal income tax purposes, each DST investor owns a “beneficial interest” in the trust and is treated as owning an undivided fractional interest in the real estate being held by the trust. A real estate company, known as the sponsor, purchases the real estate for the DST and sells “beneficial interests” to 1031 exchange investors through broker/dealers.
The investors, as beneficiaries of the trust, receive their prorated share of the income, tax benefits, and any capital appreciation produced by the real estate. The real estate company, the sponsor of the DST, serves as the trust manager and is responsible for making the major management decisions of the trust. Some examples of the type of real estate that a DST may invest in are: Industrial, MultiFamily, Medical Office, Student Housing, Senior Housing, Retail, Storage, etc. The sponsor purchases the real estate for the DST and sells "beneficial interests" to 1031 exchange investors through broker/dealers. If you list your investment property for sale and your listing agent doesn’t tell you about DSTs, it could be because it’s an investment of your proceeds that doesn’t allow your agent to earn a commission. It could also, however, be because he or she is not familiar with DSTs. Show him or her this article!
We learned more about DSTs when Wayne Bernardo of Bernardo Asset Management, a boutique real estate securities firm in Evergreen, spoke to our broker associates and me at a recent office meeting.
One problem with doing a traditional 1031 exchange is that you must identify your replacement property within 45 days of closing on the relinquished property, and close on the replacement property within 180 days. It’s not uncommon for a 1031 exchange to fail due to missing these deadlines, leaving the seller of the relinquished property to owe the capital gains tax which he or she was intending to defer. The good news in that situation is that it takes almost no time to switch to a DST. If it’s day 45 and you know you’ll miss the deadline, there’s still time to invest in a DST. But you must identify the DST by day 45 with your Qualified Intermediary (QI).
That’s because there are always some DSTs being offered, and Wayne Bernardo can assist you in finding a DST option to complete your 1031 exchange. He proved that last week when he spoke to us on Monday, and I told him I had a closing that Friday in which the seller was facing over $500,000 in taxable capital gains which he was willing to pay to get out of his rental investment. “Can you help him,” I asked.
The answer was clearly “yes,” because at the closing on Friday, the settlement statement showed $500,000 of the sellers’ proceeds going to my client's Qualified Intermediary for a DST purchase. Wayne was able to find a few DST options for my client and my client decided to purchase one of Wayne's DST recommendations.
Instead of paying capital gains tax (and depreciation recapture) on his sale and wondering how to invest what was left, my client is investing $500,000 in a DST that will earn him an expected monthly income stream over the life of the DST. (Note: Distributions are not guaranteed.)
One of the “negatives” about DSTs is that it is not a liquid investment. You can’t pull your money out of the DST for at least 5 to 10 years, but if that is not problematic, it’s a great solution for the seller who wants to get out of an investment property without paying capital gains tax but having no further management concerns or liabilities. Wayne refers to it as “mailbox money,” because you get a
check in the mail without the headaches of being a landlord.
Note: You don’t have to invest your entire proceeds in a 1031 exchange. My client who invested $500,000 in the DST also received $153,000 in proceeds on which he will pay capital gains tax but still providing him over $100,000 in net proceeds for other purposes, such as travel. I did the same thing when I sold an office building in 2004 and didn’t reinvest the entire amount using a 1031 exchange.
For more information about DSTs, check out Wayne's website BernardoAsset.com, or call Wayne at 303-981-1387, or email him at Wayne@BernardoAsset.com Let Wayne know you saw this article, which he factchecked for accuracy prior to publication.
Of course, my broker associates and I are ready and able to help you sell your investment property. Our contact info is below.
As with any real estate investment, there are risks with investing in DSTs. Here’s how they are spelled out on Wayne’s website: Investors Do Not Hold Title: 1031 Exchange DST investors do not hold title of the property but rather own beneficial interests in the trust and the sponsor controls the management and selling of the property.
Illiquidity: A Delaware Statutory Trust interest is an illiquid alternative investment and there is no current active secondary market for selling your interest, which creates the inability to access immediate liquidity.
Potential for Property Value Loss: All real estate investments have the potential to lose value during the life of the investment.
Reduction or Elimination of Monthly Cas Flow Distributions: Like any investment in real estate, if a property unexpectedly loses tenants or sustains substantial damage, there is a potential for suspension of cash flow distributions.
No Performance Guarantee: General real estate market risks also apply to DSTs. There can be no assurance that a property will perform as projected. DSTs are subject to economic volatility, tenants not paying their rent on time, and other traditional risks of owning, operating and selling real estate.
Potential Change in Tax Law: Tax laws are subject to change, which may have a negative impact on a DST investment.
Why Are HOA Dues Being Raised So Much?
This is a question which I have been asked by readers, so I reached out to Stan Hrincevich, president of Colorado HOA Forum, who suggested some possible causes.
Many HOAs are discovering that their reserve accounts are underfunded and are increasing monthly dues in lieu of a one-time special assessment.
Insurance costs have skyrocketed, and if the HOA is responsible for more than just common elements, this could be a reason for increased dues. If the dues weren’t raised in a timely manner, the eventual increase could be even bigger.
Insurance deductibles have increased significantly, too, and if, for example, the HOA insures the community’s roofs and there’s a hail storm, your individual share of the deductible for replacing the roofs could result in
a special assessment in the tens of thousands of dollars. Ask the provider of your individual insurance policy about a rider to cover such an assessment.
Fees charged by HOA management companies and the contractors hired by them, such as for grounds maintenance and snow removal, have increased substantially.
Water charges have skyrocketed, and if the HOA provides irrigation, that could cause dues to increase.
If the HOA embarks on lawsuits and loses, this can result in a financial impact that could raise monthly dues or result in a special assessment.
If you are worried about misappropriation, ask to see the check register and bank statements of your HOA and see where the money is going.
BY YESENIA ROBLES CHALKBEAT
Je co, Adams 12 could see fewer at-risk students
is fall, fewer students at some Colorado schools are being counted as at-risk because pandemic-era rules for Medicaid left many families suddenly unenrolled by spring 2024.
Students enrolled in Medicaid are automatically counted as at-risk students in calculations about funding. A drop in the number of at-risk students can cause some schools to lose federal Title I funding used to help those students, who generally have higher educational or social-emotional needs.
e Je co district, the second largest in Colorado, told its school board last month that 6,000 of the district’s approximately 75,600 students were unenrolled from Medicaid.
At some schools, the decrease in atrisk students may be enough to drop a school below the required threshold to receive Title I money. Currently in Je co, that threshold is 55%, but may change for next year.
Title I funding varies between schools and districts, but in Je co, on average schools get about $900 extra for each atrisk student. e money is used to hire additional sta and provide extra resources.
Some families are worried that their children’s schools could lose that funding. Edgewater Elementary School parent Angela Cryan took her concerns to the Je co school board last month.
“We are so concerned, and the families that are here tonight with me are so concerned, about losing the funding that is critical even for one year,” Cryan told
tendent. “Whatever that amount is, it is too much to lose for our students.”
Superintendent Tracy Dorland told Cryan not to fear. Dorland said Edgewater Elementary would still qualify for Title I funds next school year.
school-level data, saying that everything is still being reviewed for accuracy. Ofcial enrollment demographic data is usually published by the state in January.
For students who were unenrolled or those who aren’t eligible for Medicaid,
including students from families that may not have legal status, parents can still ll out free and reduced-price lunch forms and, if eligible, be counted in atrisk gures that way.
LEAP
LEAP ayuda a los residentes elegibles de Colorado a pagar una parte de
cdhs.colorado.gov/LEAP
The main o ce for Adams 12 Five Star Schools on 128th Avenue.
Commerce City
TITLE 1
e district has shared the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. e gures are usually similar to at-risk numbers. At-risk counts include all students who are eligible to receive subsidized meals, but also other students including those who receive Medicaid. Overall, the district projects the percentage of students eligible for subsidized meals will be 31% this school year, down from 34% last school year.
e trend of having fewer students eligible for subsidized meals, and fewer at-risk students, is not unexpected, Je co leaders told the school board.
“ at’s actually about what we thought was going to happen over time,” said Brenna Copeland, chief nancial o cer for Je co Public Schools. “ e reality is the counts district-wide are going down, and that’s going to impact, over time, our Title I district-wide.”
Kym LeBlanc-Esparza, deputy superintendent in Je co, said the district has not set the percentage threshold that determines which schools will get Title I funding next year.
“We’re still going back and forth, making sure we have exactly what those numbers are,” she said.
Title I trends were worrying districts before the pandemic
Before the pandemic, districts were having to adjust the bar for which schools receive Title I status. Despite declining enrollment and overall stable numbers of students from low-income families, the distribution of those students was not even within districts. Students from high-poverty households tended to be concentrated in select schools. at meant that more schools were more likely to hit the thresholds of 65, 70, or 75% of students in poverty, for example, to qualify for the funding.
More schools qualifying for Title I status in a district can be a problem, because it doesn’t necessarily mean the district is receiving more federal funding for those schools. e federal government has a di erent calculation based on census data for determining how much funding to send districts.
at data doesn’t take into account school choice laws that allow Colorado students to attend schools outside their neighborhoods, changing the demographic makeup of students at schools when compared to their community.
Districts also have exibility to determine which schools will receive the money. ey specify the percentage of at-risk students schools must have to be considered Title I. In Je co, that bar is currently set at 55%, and this year, 31 schools are receiving Title I funding.
Pandemic-related demographic changes and the state’s 2023 decision to use Medicaid eligibility to determine the number of at-risk students in a school initially made the numbers rise, but those numbers could decrease now in districts like Je co and Adams 12.
Je co leaders wouldn’t say how many schools could lose the funding if the current threshold of 55% was used for next year. Ocials are deciding whether or not to change it.
If the decision causes some schools to lose eligibility, the district can do a phase out so that schools don’t immediately lose the funding when their demographics change, LeBlanc-Esparza said.
In Adams 12, Gina Lanier, the district’s chief nancial o cer, said the district is seeing a drop of about 3,900 students who qualify as at-risk based on Medicaid eligibility. Last year, about 50% of the district’s nearly 35,000 students quali ed for subsidized meals, meaning they were counted as at-risk students.
Overall, Lanier predicts the number of students who qualify for free meals in Adams 12 will have dropped this school year by more than 6%.
Lanier said if Adams 12 keeps the thresholds it currently has for Title I eligibility, ve schools will no longer qualify for the funding next school year.
As budget planning gets underway, Lanier said the district will discuss whether to change those thresholds or create a plan to support schools that would lose funding so that it’s phased out instead of immediately going to zero.
In the Aurora school district, leaders have pushed the threshold for how many at-risk students a school must have to receive Title I to the federal government’s maximum allowed limit of 75%. e district had 14 new schools qualify last year and is now at 31.
But Aurora, and other metro area school districts, said they’re not expecting declines in the number of schools qualifying for Title I status.
How one Je co school uses Title I funding
Although Title I money is important, it’s not the only source of extra funding for schools with lots of at-risk students. Many districts also direct state and local dollars to these schools.
In Je co, for example, the district money given to schools for at-risk students is signicantly more than what the schools get for having Title I status. e money is given on a perstudent basis regardless of whether a school meets a threshold, which can make the total funding amount less likely to change by large amounts from one year to the next.
Principal Megan Martinez of Deane Elementary in Je co said her school in Lakewood has had Title I status for several years, and that the funding is helpful in supporting the needs of her students.
Enrollment at Deane this fall is up compared to what was expected, and Martinez
“They might support with setting lessons around behavior expectations, they might pull a friendship group or lunch bunch or another targeted group working on relationship skills, or do crisis response. We wouldn’t be able to do that without Title funding.”
Principal Megan Martinez, Deane Elementary
Call first: 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton, CO 80601
“We live in a busy world and if people can’t nd what they need right away then they might just forget about it and not register for the program,” Gri n said. “ e easier that you make it for participants to register, the better.” e Teen Newsletter is bilingual, available in English and Spanish and is distributed to all who sign up to receive the monthly updates. Gri n and Krabbe also mentioned that the newsletter is distributed to Adams 14 and 27J schools in Commerce City. e digital route continues to look more appealing and allows the newsletter to have the information it needs without overwhelming the reader.
“We think it’s important that the schools receive the newsletter because they’re the ones that have daily touch points with the teens and youth of the community,” Gri n said.
“We serve preschool all the way up to teens so this is just like a collective way that we can put everything in one document so that we can make sure that we capture all of our programs.”
e opportunity to curate a newsletter for teens can be exciting, but letting teens know that their local government holds a space for them is special. Krabbe shared that the most rewarding part of working on the newsletter is seeing the excitement whenever youths try di erent programs or something new.
“One of my counterparts, she does all of our outdoor programming, so to get to see them do like rock climbing, something that they don’t typically get to do and just seeing the excitement for that is one of my main rewards on why I want to do this newsletter,” Krabbe said. “To get everything pushed out to them so they know what is o ered and what they can take advantage of.”
One thing that Krabbe said isn’t featured in the newsletter but that she would like readers
is seeing a major increase in the number of students who are learning English as a new language. Many of the new students are newcomers and English learners. e percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals appears to be holding steady. Last year, about 82% of Deane’s nearly 300 students quali ed for subsidized meals. Martinez said the school helps families ll out the free lunch applications and explains other available bene ts.
At Deane, Martinez said she uses the Title I funding primarily to hire teachers to keep class sizes small, or to avoid having to do combined-grade classrooms. e funding also pays for a restorative practice liaison, two interventionists helping teachers work on reading and math instruction, and supplements the school’s mental health resources. is year, that means that in addition to the full-time social worker paid for by the district based on the number of students who have special needs, Deane’s Title I funds pay for an additional social worker to come in at least two days per week.
“ ey might support with setting lessons around behavior expectations, they might pull a friendship group or lunch bunch or another targeted group working on relationship skills, or do crisis response,” Martinez said.
“We wouldn’t be able to do that without Title funding.”
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
to know about is their free teen drop-in room at the Eagle Pointe Recreation Center that’s open from Tuesday to ursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
“On Mondays, we have one up at Bison Ridge Rec Center and that’s free for teens. at’s something I really would love for them to know, to utilize,” Krabbe said. “It’s an open, free space for them, just somewhere safe to come at night. We have all kinds of games and video games, and we do all kinds of di erent activities. It’s free to them; they just have to come in. I want them to know how much we o er for them so that they can get outside of their house and come and do things with their community.”
e Youth Services Newsletter is released monthly, normally in the last week of each month. To sign up, visit https://www.c3gov. com/living-in/notify-me or for more information on Youth and Teen Programs, visit https://recreation.c3gov.com/classes-programs/youth-programs
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New kids clinic opening in Westminster
The Alto Clinic will o er pediatric primary care including for mental health
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A children’s health clinic in southwest Westminster will be a key component of a campus that will provide housing, food and medical care for low-income residents in Adams County, say planners.
“We are seeing that health and wellness will be a theme around this campus,” said Drew O’Connor, Chief Operating O cer of Maiker Housing Partners. Maiker is the “socially conscious” public housing authority for Adams County, according to Maiker’s website.
Five Maiker housing communities are located within a two-mile radius of the new clinic, called the soon-to-beopened Alto Community Clinic. e clinic will be operated by the non-pro t Kids First Health Care, which provides health care for kids from birth to 21 years of age.
Alto Community Clinic moved into the vacant retail space in the Maiker property in one of Maiker’s a ordable housing communities in the area of 71st Avenue and Federal Boulevard in Westminster.
Doors to the clinic are scheduled to
open in January.
Several businesses made inquiries about moving into the space but Maiker wanted the tenant to move in that would bene t nearby residents.
“We were looking for something that would add something to the campus we are developing here,” O’Connor said.
at idea led Maiker to form a partnership with Kids First, which has operated in Adams County since 1978. e location of Alto Community Clinic is ideal since it is close to other Maiker community properties. at includes Growing Home, south Westminster’s other non-pro t geared towards families, which is just one block away, say clinic o cials.
e Food Bank of the Rockies will also have a presence on the Maiker campus, O’Connor said, helping feed families who are stretched thin nancially.
Alto Community Clinic is squarely within the boundaries of Westminster Public Schools – which added 600 new students this past year. Clinica Colorado, an adult-serving nonpro t primary care provider, is also nearby, said Whitney Gustin Connor, executive director of Kids First.
“We are looking to be a mainstay in this neighborhood and be a one-stop shop for people who need us,” Gustin Connor said. “ is will help eliminate one of the biggest barriers to health care – transportation.”
SEE CLINIC, P12
June 23, 1928- December 16, 2024
Willard was born to Helen (Bitzer) and Otto John Mees in Tolstoy, SD on June 23, 1928. Will graduated from Wilmont High School in 1946. After graduating high school, Will enlisted in the Navy in July 1946. He served two years as a Hospital Corpsman. After the Navy, he received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Optometry from Illinois College of Optometry. Will received several post graduate certi cations throughout his professional career. Will met his wife Mary Ann Pongratz when he was in the nal stages of his optometric education. Willard and Mary Ann married on November 26, 1955. ey moved to Brush, CO where Will began his practice of Optometry in 1956 and raised their three sons Je ery, Craig, and Brad. Along with his practice, Will was elected to the Morgan Community College board
as Treasurer. On the board he assisted in opening the rst community college in Morgan County. In 1977, Will and Mary Ann moved to Denver where Will continued to practice Optometry until December 1999. Willard holds a Life Membership in both the Colorado Optometric Association and American Optometric Association. In retirement, Will enjoyed his time at the golf course and gol ng in the senior men’s league.
Willard is survived by his two sons Craig Steven Mees (Yolanda) and Brad Charles Mees (Sheila), two siblings Grace (Mees) Knight and Clayton Mees, eight grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. Willard is preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann Mees, son Je ery Alan Mees, both parents, and sister Joy (Mees) Olson.
MEES
Willard Kenneth Mees
Drew O’Connor, COO of Maiker Housing Partners and Whitney Gustin Connor, executive director of Kids First.
COURTESY PHOTO
Seasonal COVID rates drop for first time since 2020
Hospitalizations skipped lateNovember spike
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
’Tis the season in Colorado to be hipdeep in people in the hospital with COVID-19 — except not this year.
In each of Colorado’s previous four years living with the virus, the state has seen COVID hospitalizations surge in the late summer and through the fall, with a peak just before anksgiving that gradually recedes.
It may not have been the peak for the entire year, but it was a clear spike that ebbed when, during a season of holiday travel and gatherings, you might think it would continue climbing. (And there’s only been one year — the year that the original omicron variant emerged — where it wasn’t the peak.)
But 2024 seems to have broken the trend — COVID hospitalizations are relatively low right now and there was at best only a teensy weensy peaklet just before anksgiving. And that may point to ways the virus’s place in our lives is changing and how the ways we track it must also change.
A summer fling with the FLiRTs e most obvious reason for this de ated COVID season is that we already had an infection peak recently.
It came during the summer and early fall, and was due to a new gang of variants known collectively as the FLiRTs for the pattern of their mutations. e immunity
gained during that wave, plus Colorado’s continued better-than-the-national-average vaccine coverage, could be doing a lot to throw a blanket over what is normally a hot time for COVID transmission, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“ at is probably playing a role here, as is the underlying immunity of the population. As is the timing of the emergence of new variants,” Herlihy said. “So I think all of that, together, contributes to why we see surges when we see surges.”
But, as Herlihy indicates, there may also be deeper changes taking place.
Are hospitalizations a has-been?
Epidemiologists are evolving in the data they look at to track COVID.
Experts long ago stopped paying close attention to reports of new COVID infections. At-home testing means that most people aren’t reporting when they get sick with COVID, so infection data has become less reliable. at trend also threw o test positivity — looking at the percentage of COVID tests that come back positive.
So hospitalizations became a more important metric for watching COVID infection trends. People may not report when they’re sick, but they’re more likely to go to the hospital when they need to.
But Herlihy said a larger number of people in the population with at least some prior COVID exposure or vaccination means that hospitalizations for COVID are now less likely. at can make hospitalization data less sensitive.
“It can be more di cult to see a clear trend with hospitalizations, especially
when we are starting to see increases,” she said.
The proof is in the poop Herlihy said it’s become much more important to watch multiple data sources to gure out what’s happening with COVID.
Testing on wastewater is now an earlywarning system for COVID surges as well as those from other viruses. Data from emergency room visits has become more valuable, similar to how it is used to track u. e Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now produces simple updates based on measures of whether a virus’s infections are increasing, decreasing or staying at. Its latest forecast shows COVID trends at in Colorado, something
that state wastewater and emergency room data seem to con rm. e story is di erent for u, though. Both CDC and state data seem to indicate that a u surge is coming in Colorado.
“Once we start to see a gradual increase in u, it usually takes o a few weeks later,” Herlihy said. at’s a reminder that miserable viruses still abound this time of year, even if COVID may not be quite as abundant as it had been in previous years. Herlihy said vaccinations for u, COVID and RSV are all still available for those who haven’t received one. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
An EMT prepares to give a vaccination at an event in Lakewood. COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA FILE PHOTO
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Public Notices call Jean 303.566.4123
Legals
City and County
Public Notice
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the City Council of Commerce City on January 6, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in a hybrid format, or as soon thereafter. Persons wishing to testify in person will need to appear at the Council Chambers, Commerce City Civic Center, 7887 E 60th Avenue. Persons wishing to testify virtually must register in advance. Registration information can be found at https://www.c3gov.com/government/ city-council/virtual-meetings or by phone or email requests submitted to the City Clerk at 303-227-8791 or dgibson@ c3gov.com. The hearing will also be broadcast on Channel 8 in Commerce City and livestreamed at https://www. c3gov.com/video.
Resolution 2024-152 – A RESOLUTION DETERMINING THE ELIGIBILITY FOR ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO, OF THE PROPERTY GENERALLY LOCATED AT 8581 ROSEMARY STREET IN CASE AN255-19-24 KNOWN AS THE CARBAJAL AUTO ANNEXATION
Ordinance AN-255-22-24 – AN ORDINANCE ANNEXING THE PROPERTY GENERALLY LOCATED AT 8581 ROSEMARY STREET TO THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO, IN CASE AN-255-19-24, KNOWN AS THE CARBAJAL AUTO ANNEXATION
Ordinance Z-959-19-24 – GILBERTO R. CARBAJAL FLORES IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF AN ANNEXATION ZONE CHANGE FOR ONE APPROXIMATELY
0.45-ACRE PROPERTY FROM ADCO A-1 (ADAMS COUNTY AGRICUTURAL-1) TO COMMERCE CITY C-3 (REGIONAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT). THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 8581 ROSEMARY STREET
CUP24-0002 – ROGELIO & ALICIA MUÑOZ IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN EVENT CENTER IN AN EXISTING 1,740 SQ. FT. COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN A PUD (PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT). THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY 0.33 ACRES AND IS LOCATED AT 7390 HIGHWAY 2
BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY COLORADO
Project Owners: Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1
Project Location: City of Aurora, Colorado
The Velocity Metropolitan District plans to accept the above titled project as substantially complete and for Final Settlement to Hall Contracting, LLC after January 13, 2025. In accordance with the Contract Documents, the Velocity Metropolitan
District No. 1 may withhold a portion of the remaining payment to be made to Hall Contracting, LLC, as necessary, to protect the Velocity Metropolitan District No. 1 from loss on account of claims filed and failure of Hall Contracting, LLC to make payments properly to subcontractors or suppliers. Project suppliers and subcontractors of Hall Contracting, LLC are hereby notified that unresolved outstanding claims must be certified and forwarded to:
Contact Person:Barney Fix, P.E. Address:5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111
as soon as possible, but no later than January 6, 2025.
Legal Notice No. CCX1514
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-Consecutive Publications
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Mark Anthony Pfeifer, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 300
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before April 12, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Charles M Knapp
Personal Representative 5400 E 62nd Way Commerce City, CO 80022
Legal Notice No. CCX1513
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Estate of Patricia Ann McAlister, Deceased
Case Number: 2024 PR 356
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before April 12, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dennis D Tomsick
Personal Representative 829 Royal King Drive Cheyenne, WY 82007
Legal Notice No. CCX1512
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Name Changes
Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name
Public notice is given on September 18, 2024, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.
The petition requests that the name of Elina Viktorovna Vasilchuk be changed to Elina Viktorovna Lupenko Case No.: 24 C 1682
By: Deputy Clerk
Legal Notice No. CCX1515
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express ###
Julia Stahnke was an Aurora police o cer who, in 2021, was found to have violated a protective order, after she was charged with domestic abuse and a colleague drove her back to her house to pick up a car.
Stahnke was going to get red for that, according to news reports at the time, but she resigned before getting red. She ended up getting decerti ed in September 2023, but not for violating a protective order. She was found to have been untruthful and the POST board pulled her certi cation.
“It’s horrifying that these are not already violations that would decertify an o cer. ese are the people the state entrusts to protect civilians in the most vulnerable times of their lives,” said Mari Newman, a Denver civil rights attorney who has sued law enforcement agencies on behalf of clients dozens of times. “We really should expect better from our ofcers. If the state tolerates obviously bad behavior from law enforcement o cers, none of us should be one bit surprised when they engage in misconduct that endangers members of our public.”
e Colorado Association of Police Chiefs declined to comment on the pro-
posal, saying they were still studying it. Since the pandemic, law enforcement agencies have complained about how di cult it is to nd quali ed o cers given a slew of retirements and low morale between 2020 and 2024.
e state’s voters in November approved a $350 million grant, paid for by state dollars, to help agencies recruit and retain o cers, though how that money will be spent is still unclear.
Hashim Coates, an Aurora community advocate who has been critical of police misconduct, said he supports tightening regulations on who is quali ed to become a police o cer.
“Sometimes these are the least educated and least experienced people who have the greatest amount of control over someone’s future and so I think they should be held to a higher standard,” Coates said. “Child abuse, theft, these are things they arrest on on a daily basis and the fact someone could be a police o cer after being convicted of these things is troubling.”
Tom Raynes, the executive director of the Colorado District Attorney’s Council, said that the state’s DAs support adding any criminal o ense to the decertifying list where the conduct “clearly exhibits a lack of integrity, is morally wrong or of evil intent.”
e state’s Fraternal Order of Police said they haven’t seen the full list of pro-
ensure we maintain the highest level of integrity and public trust in our o cers,” by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
health, sick visits, and management of chronic diseases like asthma.
get the mental health care our patients need.”
“But we never, ever turn anyone away,” she said.
e clinic’s pediatric primary care services include well-child checkups, sports physicals, vaccines, reproductive
Anyone from birth to 21 can use the clinic, which accepts Medicaid, CHP+, private insurance as well as those who are not eligible for insurance, Connor said. “About 20% of our clients have no insurance, but we work with them, and we provide a sliding scale for them to pay,” Connor said.
Alto Community Clinic will also provide mental health care including visits with a counselor and well as one-on-one therapy, Connor said.
“Mental health care has become a huge issue in this community now,” Connor said. “We will do what we can to
e clinic will operate regular business hours ve days a week, Monday through Friday. One day each week have evening appointments available.
“We are looking to be a key asset for this whole area,” Connor said. “We can’t wait to get started.”
Colorado’s Peace O cers Standards and Training Board is
