State Sen. Michaelson Jenet talks state politics for 2025
BY JACKIE RAMIREZ SPECIAL COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
On Jan. 8, the Legislature began their 75th session for 2025. Among the senators and representatives of Colorado is Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who got into politics so the struggles she faced as a parent didn’t happen to others.
Michaelson Jenet of Commerce City has represented District 21, which includes Adams and Arapahoe counties. is year, she takes on the leadership role of President Pro Tempore, a key role to
have when the president of the Senate is unavailable. With 2025 now in session, Michaelson Jenet is turning her attention to kids who need our help the most. is interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Colorado Community Media: To start us o , can you tell me about yourself? Who are you?
Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet: I’m Dafna Michaelson Jenet and I’ve been serving in the Colorado Legislature for eight years. My husband and I run a nonpro t organization
called the Journey Institute and what we do primarily is publish books from authors who otherwise would not be published. We believe that getting the voices out of our community is very important and so whether or not you have a large platform, we want to get your message and your ideas out to the community.
CCM: I de nitely can relate to that! Would you be able to share your top priorities for the 2025 session?
Michaelson Jenet: So as usual, my top priorities have to do with youth and health. My
area of concern primarily is youth mental health. I started the I Matter program, which o ers free therapy for any school age youth who want it, in English and in Spanish. I hope that your readers know about I Matter. is year I’m focusing on foster youth and on youth who are running away from mental health facilities.
CCM: Sort of looking back at last year, what encouraged you to shift toward these priorities? Have you always had them?
Scandal clouds water quality tests
Latest twist in an expanding scandal at health department
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
e Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspended testing of drinking water at the state laboratory, the latest twist in an expanding water-testing scandal that’s been going on for a year. e scandal involves at least two chemists accused of cutting corners and falsifying data on quality-assurance tests — essentially practice tests run to make sure their machines are working correctly. e state says it has no evidence that public health was threatened through falsi ed data on tests of actual water samples sent into the lab for analysis.
“At no time did we nd levels that we knew would pose an immediate threat to public health,” Dr. Ned Calonge, CDPHE’s chief medical ofcer, said in an interview.
While testing is suspended at the state lab, CDPHE has transferred testing duties to third-party labs that are certi ed by the federal government.
Here’s what else we know so far about the testing scandal.
What kind of tests are we talking about?
ese are tests conducted on drinking water to look for harmful levels of various things like metals or toxins. e water samples could be submitted by a community or municipal water provider or they could be sent in by individuals whose drinking water comes from a well.
e speci c test at issue is known as Method 200.7. It looks for metals like barium, chromium and copper. Calonge said this is not the test the state uses to look for lead.
To conduct the test, a lab chemist runs a water sample through a machine, which spits out a result. e result is then compared to federal water quality standards to see if it exceeds allowed limits.
Various horse-drawn carriages were a major attraction Jan. 9 in downtown Denver for the National Western Stock Show Parade. PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ
BRIEFS
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
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.
If you have questions, please contact Abby Martinez at the City of Brighton Ofce of Youth Services, at 303-655-2186 or 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/localbusiness/small-business-support-programs/business- nancial-assistance.
CCPD o ers online crime reporting form
e Commerce City Police Department has a new online reporting tool allowing the public to report some nonemergency 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 drugresistance skills. Sessions are from 5:30 to 6;30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 720-2922811.
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.
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.
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.
Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center at 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.
Help for vets
Quali ed Listeners, a veteran and family 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 720600-0860.
Walk with a doc
Anyone feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text 38255, or visit the
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.
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.
Coloradans pay a portion of their
elegibles de Colorado a pagar una parte de sus gastos de calefacción de invierno.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with the State of Colorado, is conducting the seventh fiveyear review of the Sand Creek Industrial Superfund Site in Adams County, Colorado. Five-year reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the implementation and performance of a remedy to determine whether it remains protective of human health and the environment. The seventh five-year review will be completed in 2025.
The 550-acre Sand Creek Industrial site is in Denver and Commerce City, Colorado. Since the 1940s, several different types of businesses have operated at the site including an oil refinery, a pesticide manufacturing facility, an herbicide chemical plant and a landfill. Site operations, waste management practices, spills and explosions contaminated soil, air, groundwater and surface water with hazardous chemicals. The site became a Superfund site when it was added to the National Priorities List in 1983. The Site’s long-term remedy included demolition and disposal of contaminated buildings and tanks; excavation, incineration and disposal of contaminated soil; extraction and treatment of landfill gas; landfill cover maintenance; institutional controls; and long-term monitoring. After remedial activities were completed, EPA removed the site from the National Priorities List in 1996. Operation and maintenance are ongoing.
We want to hear from you! Community members are encouraged to share information that may be helpful in the five-year review process. Community members who have questions or who would like to participate in a
I’ll Say It Again:
The Mill Levy Should Be a Required Field on MLS Listings
The dollar amount of property taxes has always been a data field on the MLS, because buyers need to know how much they should expect to pay if they purchase a listing. But that number does not provide context to the home buyer. In other words, how do the taxes for this home compare with the taxes for a home of the same value nearby, across town, or elsewhere in the metro area? The answer is in the mill levy.
A few years ago, REcolorado (the Denver MLS) and other MLSs added a “yes/no” field for metropolitan tax district, but how much does that tax district add to the property taxes for that listing? MLS listings don’t currently have a data field for mill levy.
some counties, including Denver, just give the total mill levy and don’t, as far as I could tell, indicate how much of that mill levy is from a metro tax district.
valuing the home. That cost is literally hidden from the buyer of a home in any metropolitan tax district.
Some metro districts have a zero mill levy, but some metro tax districts have mill levies so high that they double the tax bill for a home compared to a comparable one nearby that is not in that tax district.
A good broker should let a buyer know the premium he or she is paying to buy a home in such a district, but that broker cannot currently get that information from the MLS listing. The broker would have to go to the assessor’s web page for that listing in the county where that home is located and look at the breakdown of mill levies for that house.
Jefferson County provides the breakdown of mill levies by each taxing jurisdiction, but
An example of how much taxes can vary can be found in two Jeffco homes that sold in the last few months. One house in the Mesa Meadows section of Golden which sold for $1,500,000 has a mill levy of 91, like all homes in the City of Golden, which has no metro tax districts. The tax bill for that home is $6,761. Meanwhile, a house three miles to the north in a metro tax district which sold for $972,500 has a mill levy of 165, resulting in a 2024 tax bill of $10,105, a $3,344 difference.
A metropolitan tax district is created to fund the infrastructure (roads, gutters, sewers, water lines, sidewalks, etc.) for a new subdivision. Instead of the developer paying those costs, a bond issue provides the funds for that purpose, and home buyers in that subdivision will be paying an extra mill levy for two or more decades to pay off those bonds.
In the above example, the metro tax district’s mill levy is 70 mills. The owner of that home will pay $100,000 or more over time for the infrastructure costs. In Golden, those costs were paid for by the developer or the city. Yet, an appraiser or real estate broker would not factor that long-term expense when
Does a Seller Say They Won’t Repair Anything?
Every buyer should hire a professional inspector, even if a home is sold “as-is.” That’s a bogus term intended to convey that the seller won’t correct any defects uncovered by the buyer’s inspector. I call it “bogus,” however, because the contract does or should contain an inspection termination deadline, and, even if it doesn’t, the buyer always retains the right to inspect the property.
If your inspector finds a serious issue, you can threaten to terminate because of it, and it’s likely the seller will agree to deal with it rather than lose the contract and start over, in which case he must disclose the newly found issue to the next buyer.
That being said, the seller could still call the buyer’s bluff, especially if the buyer’s agent has given the listing agent the impression that the buyer loves the house and would
not let a few thousand dollars in repairs stand in the way of getting a house they love.
That was the situation with a listing of mine. I had been told that the buyer lost out on a prior listing, and their offer had a clause saying they would beat any competing offer by $5,000. That won them the contract, but my seller (who met the buyers a couple times during showings and inspection) knew how much the buyer loved the property and wouldn’t want to lose it.
Therefore, when the inspection objection included a demand for a 5-figure concession to fix a major health and safety problem that any other seller would have agreed to fix, my seller refused, and the demand was withdrawn.
Remember: getting under contract is only the beginning; inspection is a negotiation, too.
When an appraiser or real estate broker values a home, they look at square footage, lot size, garage, bedrooms/bathrooms — in other words, everything but the tax rate (and the HOA dues) when doing an appraisal or comparative market analysis. Yet, the bottom line cost of owning homes in a metropolitan tax district can be dramatically higher.
That is why I have argued for over a decade that REcolorado should include the mill levy for each listing and not just the dollar amount of the property taxes.
Some counties make it easier than others to find the mill levy. In Jefferson County, the assessor’s website breaks down the mill levy from every taxing jurisdiction. A link provides the dollar subtotals and total.
You can, however, calculate the tax bill from the assessor’s website by multiplying the mill levy by the assessed valuation of the property. The assessed valuation for residential real estate statewide is currently 7.15% of the “full valuation” which the assessor as-
When you purchase a home that is within a homeowner’s association, state law requires that you receive a wide array of documents, financial and otherwise, about that association.
These include, for example, the covenants, the rules and regulations, financial statements, bylaws, budget, reserve study, the minutes of the last six months of board meetings, and the minutes of the most recent annual membership meeting.
The contract to buy and sell a home in Colorado provides deadlines for providing these association documents, objecting to them, and resolving any objections. A buyer can terminate a contract and get the earnest money deposit refunded if he or she is unhappy with what those documents reveal.
For example, the reserves of the association may be insufficient, suggesting that a special assessment is likely. The minutes might reveal issues which are upsetting to some members, or legal action which the association is undertaking, at some expense, to enforce its rules against one or more members. These and other reasons could exist that might cause the buyer to terminate the contract.
Very few listing brokers make those documents available to prospective buyers in ad-
signs to each parcel. Thus, if your home has a full valuation of $1,000,000, the assessed valuation would be $71,500. That’s the number against which the mill levy is calculated. A mill levy of 100 would compute to a property tax bill of $7,150. It’s called a “mill” levy (from the Latin word for thousand) because it is levied against each thousand dollars of value. Thus, 100 mills x 71.5 = $7,150.
The math becomes complicated when the state legislature says, as it did last year, that $55,000 should be subtracted from the full valuation before calculating the assessed valuation. How much did that reduce taxes? $55,000 of reduced full valuation is worth $3,932.50 in reduced assessed valuation. At 100 mills, that’s worth about $393.25 off the home’s tax bill.
Although giving the total mill levy for each MLS listing would be a great improvement, the best way to inform buyers of the effect of a metropolitan tax district would be to say that there is such a tax district, and to add a separate field to enter the number of mills for that tax district.
vance of going under contract, but why not?
Recently, at an open house, a visitor told our broker associate that in California the questions he was asking about the HOA (such as why the HOA dues are so high) would be readily ascertainable in advance rather than only after going under contract.
When we have been on the buyer side, we have rarely found that a listing agent already has the HOA documents — and answers to important HOA questions — to provide us.
That got us thinking, and the answer came last week when Pam Giarratano, our sales rep at First Integrity Title, brought to our office meeting Julietta Voronaov from Rexera. For a reasonable fee, Rexera provides all those required HOA documents prior to going on the MLS, so we can provide them to interested buyers and their agents.
Currently Rexera’s service is only available through our preferred title company, First Integrity Title. After Julietta’s presentation, our broker associates and I agreed that from now on, when we list a property that is located in an HOA, we will use First Integrity and order the pre-listing package from Rexera. We look forward to providing complete HOA information in advance from now on for all our listings that are located in a homeowner’s association.
Two ‘attainable housing’ plans approved
City approves a ordable projects near Orchard Church, and at Bromley
Park
BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Brighton City Councilors found the “missing middle” at the meeting on Jan. 7, approving two a ordable housing planned developments.
First, councilors voted 6-3 to approve the Kestral planned development, a medium-density single-family development on 28 acres surrounding the Orchard Church at 120th and Peoria. Developer Mike Cooper of Boulder Creek Neighborhoods said he expected those units to be on the market in 2026, if the city approves them.
Developer Cooper said he hopes the development would produce homes available for sale in the $400,000 range — considered “attainable housing.” Housing advocates say one problem with Colorado’s housing market is the lack of a ordable homes considered “the missing middle” between multi-family apartments and expensive single-family houses.
Cooper said the Kestral project is meant to ll that spot. en councilors voted 8-1 to approve a new Planned Development for the Bromley Park neighborhood at 50th and E. Baseline. at would convert the open lot at the corner into attached housing that will be available for rent, according to developer Chris Bremner with Brookeld Residential.
“I’m kind of torn on this one,” Councilor Tom Green said, regarding the Bromley Park plan. “It’s actually more dense
than the last one, but I think it’s a better alternative.”
The Kestral Plan Green was one of the three to vote against the Kestral plan.
e Kestral plan calls for developing land owned by the Henderson-area Orchard Church. e lot runs from Peoria Street to the church’s parking along 120th Avenue and up Peoria past underhawk Place, the northwestern entrance to Prairie View High School. e lot wraps around the northwestern side of the church and its parking lot.
Brighton Senior Planner Summer McCann said the plans call for 174 singlefamily homes on the 28-acre lot, almost seven units per acre. Developer Cooper said the lots would be a mix of two- and three-story cottages with six di erent building layouts and 10 color schemes. Most of the homes would be clustered around small green spaces meant to serve as yards for residents.
McCann said the lot’s current zoning allows between ve and 12 units per acre and is considered medium density.
“So at seven units per acre, it’s de nitely not a high density being planned here,” she said.
But neighbor Lief Southwell, who lives in the Fuller estates area across 120th from the new development and the church, objected to the idea. It’s too dense for a mostly rural area and will only add tra c to an already overwhelmed 120th Avenue.
“What is this doing in our neighborhood? Where does this t in? Maybe you don’t realize this, but it doesn’t t in this neighborhood, not at all,” he said. “And with the two schools on 120th, you cannot drive on 120th at all. is will make things worse.”
at was a compelling argument for
Councilor Jan Pawlowski, who voted against the Kestral plan. “ is goes back to when I rst moved here in 1967, when we had a population of just 7,000,” she said. “Seeing the growth today, we never ever anticipated this kind of growth in one little area like this.
Councilor Green also objected to the density on the lot and its proximity to Prairie View High School, seeing a parallel with parking problems around Brigh-
ton High School.
“We have another neighborhood that’s alley-loaded and close to a high school. We’ve had to issue parking permits there because so many were parking on the streets in front of those houses,” Green said. “I don’t like the concept of this development plan and I see nothing but heartache for these residents if we approve this.”
A site plan for the proposed Kestral planned development along 120th Avenue. Plans call for 174 signle family homes on the site. COURTESY CITY OF BRIGHTON
PRIORITIES
Michaelson Jenet: I ran for o ce because my son couldn’t get the mental health help that he needed, and I wanted to make sure other kids were able to get the help that my son was not a orded. Every session I hear from community members that their kids aren’t getting the help they need. ere’s a parent that I’m working with right now whose kid has similar problems to mine and they were promised a (paraprofessional) in school, and they haven’t received that para. So, you know, I’m constantly ghting for kids to be able to get the special help that they need in school to succeed.
CCM: Looking back at previous sessions, what were you most proud of accomplishing and what did you learn?
Michaelson Jenet: I am most proud of the “I Matter” program in the whole wide world. We have a problem of access, you know; people are saying we don’t have enough therapists, and I’m saying we do have enough therapists, but we’re not accessing them in the right way, in the right place at the right time. e I Matter program gives kids an avenue to be able to access therapy with, hopefully, their parents’ knowledge or without their parents’ knowledge if necessary. In some cases, there are kids who are too afraid to ask their parents for permission to have therapy, and this gives them an avenue …, with the hope that they bring their parents along as soon as possible.
HOUSING
ey just have to go to imattercolorado.org and the website is available for access by parents and youth. If it’s just the youth, they want to click the youth tab and they go through … 16 questions and when you answer those questions, the website tells you what they think you need right now.
If you need emergency help, they tell you to call 988. If you need therapy, they give you a list of the therapists and a kid-friendly bio of the therapist and a list of their available times so that you can schedule an appointment on your own time and when it’s best for you.
CCM: You mentioned that you like working with schools. Does the I Matter program collaborate with schools like Adams 14 and 27J schools in Commerce City?
Michaelson Jenet: ere are posters up in all of the schools to let the kids know about I Matter. e question is whether they see them, but I also know from school counselors that they send kids to I Matter.
CCM: Before we end this interview, I wanted to sort of shift to a fun question, outside of work and politics. It’s our seventh day into the new year. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
Michaelson Jenet: Outside of politics? My life is politics!
I have a lot of resolutions regarding passing legislation and making sure our o ce is an accessible o ce, and that we continue to lead in Commerce City the way the people of Commerce City want us to lead. Personally, I would say my New Year’s resolution is to make sure that I look after my own health and the health of my children.
CCM: Is there anything you would like to
BROOKE WARNER Executive Director brooke@ntln.org
discuss that I haven’t asked yet or something that you think is important that you would like to share with our readers?
Michaelson Jenet: I think I would want your readers to know that they can reach out to my o ce, and while I’m not bilingual, we do have people who can help us who are bilingual, and so we will help you in the language of your choice. I don’t want people to be afraid to reach out to me.
But Councilor Jim Snyder disagreed. “We’re constantly saying we need a ordable housing,” Snyder said. “I empathize with the people who have two acres of beautiful lots and who’ve lived there a long time. I really do. But not everybody can a ord that.”
e motion passed, with Pawlowski, Green and Councilor Matt Johnston opposed.
Bromley Park
Plans for a new development on the corner along 168th Ave. between N. 50th Ave. and Silver Maple St. had an easier time.
Brighton Planner Stephanie Iiams said it would be the 32nd amendment to the Bromley Park planned unit development that was rst approved in 1985. Developer Brook eld Residential plans to develop that eight-acre corner parcel into attached housing, similar to attached townhomes, that would be available for rent. In all, the project calls for 113 units, each containing a two-car garage or with an additional parking space.
e current zoning allows up to 142 units of multifamily housing and an additional six separate singlefamily units.
“ e reason we are transitioning this property from multi-family to single-family attached is because there really is no multi-family market in this area,” Brook eld’s Chris Bremner said. “ ere are two issues, the fees associated with multi-family and being in a metro district. From a multi-family standpoint, it makes it really hard to move property. So we are looking at this single-family attached standpoint.”
Councilors were concerned about parking for residents in the development and about increasing trafc in the area. But Councilor Peter Padilla noted that the proposal would reduce demand for both compared to what is currently allowed by zoning.
“Anything that reduces density in that area, I suppose it won’t gain you a ticker-tape parade and applause but I think people will have a silent sense of relief. And I’m certainly appreciative of that.”
e plan was approved, with only Pawlowski voting against it.
Both plans will be back before the City Council for a review of the nal plats and site plan reviews.
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An artistic rendering of what “attached” single family housings would look in the planned Bromley Park project. Six units would all share walls and a parking area, leading to indivudual garages. COURTESY
Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet shared to La Ciudad that her main priority for the 2025 session is foster youth and on youth who are running away from mental health facilities. COURTESY PHOTO
Rodeos, animals and entertainment
National Western Stock Show returns through Jan. 26
BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG
Another year of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is here and with it comes a variety of rodeos and entertainment.
Taking place through Jan. 26 at the traditional National Western Center, the events draw hundreds of thousands of people to the area.
Paul Andrews, the CEO of the National Western Stock Show, said this is a year of new beginnings.
“We’ve got about maybe a dozen, maybe a little more than that, new vendors in the trade show hall that have some really interesting products that people will enjoy,” Andrews said. “It’s kind of the year of the baby around here. We’ve got lots of baby animals that have been born, and in fact one is the baby Scottish Highland cows that will be here up in our expo hall, and they’re going to be available to take pictures with.”
Andrews said there is also a new baby Clydesdale horse that will be at the stock show. e Clydesdale horses are large creatures who pull the wagons during the rodeos. Andrews said there will be about 130 rodeos throughout the stock show.
So far, Andrews said the early indicators, including ticket sales, show there could be as many as 700,000 people who
visit the Stock Show. In addition, there are participants from all 50 states and other countries who will participate in stock show events. is contributes to what the NWSS estimates is a $171-million economic impact in the Metro-Denver area during the 16-day event. “ at’s only the second time in my tenure that I can say that, and I’ve been here for 15 years,” Andrews said. “Our ticket sales are signi cantly ahead of any other year on this same date. If Mother Nature holds up on the weather for us, and we don’t get some 20-inch snowstorm or
hired this year to enhance the events. Many have been on site since December, and some will work into February.
CEO change coming
Andrews has been a stalwart of the NWSS for decades. Having been its CEO for 15 years, he’s nally ready to pass the torch to another person.
However, the NWSS has not named a replacement at this time. e organization is going through a national search to nd someone who can ll Andrews’s boots. Andrews said he will stay on as the CEO until the NWSS can nd a replacement.
“I’ll be down here all the time at the next year’s show, and the show after that, and the show after that, God willing,” he said.
Andrews has sentimental value in the things he will miss most as CEO of the NWSS.
something of that, yeah, that will impact ticket sales. We’re feeling very good about (ticket sales).”
A full schedule of events can be found at nationalwestern.com/schedule/. e NWSS also redid its menu in the steakhouse this year, including the addition of a 48-hour braised short rib “that is as big as my arm,” Andrews said.
“Like always, there’s something new at the Stock Show. But there’s also the same great traditional things that people love,” he added.
About 600 temporary workers were
“Really, it’s been the smiles that I get to see every day in January,” Andrews said. “I so look forward to watching all the families coming through the exhibits that we have here, seeing the animals in the petting farm where the kids are actually in there with animals.
“I’ll also miss the sta ,” Andrews continued. “I’ve become very close to both our sta and our volunteers, and I can tell you that our sta and our volunteers and our committees and our board are some of the best people on planet Earth, and I will miss them.”
e good news, Andrews said, is that he lives in nearby Arvada, so popping over to the NWSS is just a short drive.
A favorite at the National Western Stock Show is the stagecoach entrance. Pulled by six magnificent horses, this replica is a reminder of how people, mail and goods used to cross Colorado. FILE PHOTO
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Legals
Bids and Settlements
Public Notice
WINDLER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
Connector Roads #2 – Utilities
Sealed Bids will be received by Windler Public Improvement Authority, hereinafter referred to as OWNER, at the office of the Authority Engineer, Merrick & Company, 8051 E. Maplewood Ave, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, until 10:00 AM local time on February 14, 2025 for:
Connector Road #2 – Utilities
This Contract provides for the construction of the following: Approximately 1 mile of utility improvements (water, sanitary, and storm). The project includes 8” PVC waterline, 8” PVC sanitary, 18”-60” RCP, as well as pond improvements. The utility improvements are located in future collector roads located east of Denali Boulevard and west of Harvest Road between E. 52nd Ave and E. 48th Ave.
Copies of the Bidding Documents may be requested from the Windler Public Improvement Authority, at the email of the Authority Engineer, barney.fix@ merrick.com, beginning January 16, 2025. NO PAYMENT REQUIRED.
Bidders must be licensed Contractors in the State of Colorado.
Bids will be received providing unit price for items; however, the price given will be on a maximum not-to-exceed amount, as described in the Bidding Documents.
The Work is expected to be commenced within Sixty (60) days after the Date of Contract.
Bid Security in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total Bid Price must accompany each Bid in the form specified in the Instructions to Bidders.
The Successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond, Labor and Material Payment Bond guaranteeing faithful performance and warranty bond for two-years after Substantial Completion, and the payment of all bills and obligations arising from the performance of the Contract.
The OWNER reserves the right to award the contract by sections, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informalities and irregularities therein.
For further information, please contact
Barney Fix at Merrick & Company at 303-751-0741.
Legal Notice No. CCX1527
First Publication: January 16, 2025
Last Publication: January 30, 2025
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-Consecutive Publications
Public Notice
WINDLER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
Harvest Road – SWMP
Sealed Bids will be received by Windler Public Improvement Authority, hereinafter referred to as OWNER, at the office of the Authority Engineer, Merrick & Company, 8051 E. Maplewood Ave, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, until 11:00 AM local time on February 7, 2025 for:
Harvest Road – SWMP
This Contract provides for the construction of the following: Approximately 13 acres of stormwater management as well as grading for about 1 mile of roadway. The project location is along Harvest Road from E. 56th Ave to E. 48th Ave.
Copies of the Bidding Documents may be requested from the Windler Public Improvement Authority, at the email of the Authority Engineer, barney.fix@ merrick.com, beginning January 16, 2025. NO PAYMENT REQUIRED.
Bidders must be licensed Contractors in the State of Colorado.
Bids will be received providing unit price for items; however, the price given will be on a maximum not-to-exceed amount, as described in the Bidding Documents.
The Work is expected to be commenced within Sixty (60) days after the Date of Contract.
Bid Security in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total Bid Price must accompany each Bid in the form specified in the Instructions to Bidders.
The Successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Performance Bond, Labor and Material Payment Bond guaranteeing faithful performance and warranty bond for two-years after Substantial Completion, and the payment of all bills and obligations arising from the performance of the Contract.
The OWNER reserves the right to award the contract by sections, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informalities and irregularities therein.
For further information, please contact Barney Fix at Merrick & Company at 303-751-0741.
Legal Notice No. CCX1528
First Publication: January 16, 2025
Last Publication: January 30, 2025
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Non-Consecutive Publications
Public Notice
NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT
NOTICE is hereby given that the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District (“District”) of Adams County, Colorado, will make final payment at its offices at 6595 E. 70th Avenue, Commerce City, Colorado, 80022, on February 3, 2025, at the hour of 3:00 p.m. to Diaz Construction, LLC of Lakewood, Colorado for all work done by said Contractor(s) in construction work performed for the District.
Project Contractor: Diaz Construction, LLC
Project Name: 2024 SACWSD Water System Removal and Replacements Project Location: Newport Street bounded by E. 74th Avenue to the south and Highway 2 to the north. 74th Avenue and Garden Court loop, 74th Place and Garden Lane loop both bound by Oneida Street and Quebec Street to the west and east respectively.
Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by any contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplies rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, and whose claim therefor has not been paid by the contractors or their subcontractors, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for the work contracted to be done, is required to file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid, and an account of such claim, to the District at the above address, Attn: Dawn Fredette, District Clerk, on or before the date and time hereinabove shown. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release the District, its Board of Directors, officers, agents, and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim.
All of the above is pursuant to §38-26-107, C.R.S.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
By: Vicki Ennis, Secretary
Legal Notice No. CCX1526
First Publication: January 16, 2025
Last Publication: January 23, 2025
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Summons and Sheriff Sale Public Notice
DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO 100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, CO 80601 Court Phone: 303-659-1161
PLAINTIFF: RIVER RUN FILING NO. 4 HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. v. DEFENDANTS: TAYLOR JAMES CUMMINGS; PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC; MIDLAND CREDIT MANAGEMENT, INC.; and ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC TRUSTEE Case No.: 2024CV031055 Div. A
Attorney: Kate M. Leason, Reg No. 41025
Jeffrey B. Smith, Reg No. 40490 Firm: Altitude Community Law P.C. Address:555 Zang Street, Suite 100 Lakewood, Colorado 80228-1011 Phone Number: 303.432.9999 E-mails: kleason@altitude.law jsmith@altitude.law Our File No.: 9644.0313
SUMMONS
TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to file with the Clerk of this Court an answer or other response to the attached Complaint. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon you within the State of Colorado, you are required to file your Answer or other response within twenty-one (21) days after service upon you. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon you, outside of the State of Colorado, you are required to file your Answer or other response within thirty-five (35) days after service upon you or if served by publication pursuant to C.R.C.P. 4(g). If served by publication, service shall be complete on the day of the last publication. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2410(b), the time for filing an Answer or other response is extended to sixty (60) days for the United States. Your answer or counterclaim must be accompanied with the applicable filing fee. A copy of the Complaint may be obtained from the Clerk of the Court.
SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT acting through its SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE
WATER QUALITY
What are the allegations?
ese machines must be tested every so often to be sure they’re working right — otherwise, the chemist would have no way of knowing if the results they are getting are accurate.
To test the machines, the chemists use a reference sample with a known amount in it of whatever they’re looking for. is same sample can also be used to calibrate the machines.
For the test in question, this quality check is supposed to occur every 10 tests, Calonge said.
e allegations are that at least two chemists cut corners by not running the quality-control tests correctly on the machine used for Method 200.7. At least one chemist is accused of not inputting the actual value produced during the quality-control test into the state’s system, but rather cutting and pasting in a value from a previous test.
Why doesn’t the machine automatically record the test result in the state system?
Because it’s old.
Calonge said the state lab is a mix of old and new machines. e newer machines directly deliver results electronically into the state’s system. Some of the older machines do not.
“So you have to take the data directly from the machine and enter it into a different machine,” Calonge said. at extra step provided an opportunity for the alleged data manipulation to occur.
Despite not being cutting-edge, Calonge said the machine would have met federal testing standards had the quality-control tests been run as required.
Were actual water tests a ected?
e state is sending samples to outside labs to double-check. But Calonge said there’s no indication so far that people were at risk of drinking toxic water. “We continue to have no evidence of values that would pose an imminent public health threat to people drinking that water,” he said.
How widespread is the problem?
Calonge said there are about 2,400 water providers in Colorado, and the state lab conducted testing for a minority of systems. Some larger water systems, like
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspended testing of drinking water at the state laboratory after those results came under question.
Denver Water, conduct their own testing. Others use third-party labs.
Of those tested at the state lab, Calonge said 69 systems were potentially a ected by the quality-assurance issue, and all are smaller municipalities or water suppliers.
“ e impact was really in those 69,” he said.
Of those systems, the state has determined that 24 required retesting.
e state has noti ed those systems.
ey have also noti ed well-users who may have been a ected, and have sent well samples to another lab for a recheck.
When did the state know about this?
is started last December when a manager in the water chemistry unit of the state lab spotted concerns with the work of one chemist, Calonge said. is manager alerted a supervisor.
In February, after no action had been taken, the manager took the issue to the lab director, who noti ed CDPHE executive director Jill Hunsaker Ryan, who
PUBLIC NOTICES
If you fail to file your Answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within the applicable time period, the Court may enter judgment by default against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint without further notice.
This is an action affecting the real property described in the Complaint and is a proceeding in rem as well as a proceeding in personam.
Dated: July 8, 2024
Respectfully submitted, ALTITUDE COMMUNITY LAW P.C.
Original signature of Kate M. Leason is on file with the law offices of Altitude Community Law P.C. pursuant to C.R.C.P. 121, §1-26(7).
S/Kate M. Leason
Kate M. Leason, #41025
Jeffrey B. Smith, #40490 555 Zang Street, Suite 100 Lakewood, Colorado 80228-1011 303.432.9999
ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF River Run Filing No. 4
Homeowners Association
Address of Plaintiff: River Run Filing No. 4 Homeowners Association, Inc. c/o PMP Management 390 Interlocken Crescent, Suite 350
“We believe that this issue is isolated in the water chemistry unit,” he said.
Is this related to the allegations about DNA testing in criminal court cases? No. at is separate and involves a separate lab — the state crime lab, which is run by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Is it related to the allegedly falsified data on toxic substances from oil and gas wells? No. at data was allegedly submitted to the state by consultants hired by energy companies.
So Colorado has three, simultaneous, ongoing scandals related to data manipulation and lab testing?
Yes, that is correct.
Why would someone do this?
Calonge said the state has not determined a motive for the alleged data manipulation on the water tests. He said it’s possible short-cutting would be done to save time and hassle in doing the quality-assurance work correctly, but that’s
“ e motivation we can only conjecture on,” he said.
What happened to the chemists involved in this issue?
launched an investigation. e chemist whose work was questioned was placed on administrative leave, Calonge said. e investigation continued until April, when CDPHE informed o cials with the Environmental Protection Agency, Calonge said. e EPA certi es water-testing labs.
In May, the EPA revoked the state’s certi cation to do that Method 200.7 test, as well as other tests that the chemist had worked on, such as testing for nitrates or pesticides. is week, CDPHE uncovered problems with the quality-assurance work of a second chemist. After nding that, the agency made the decision to suspend water testing in the chemistry unit of the state lab while it continues to investigate.
Are other parts of the lab a ected?
CDPHE’s lab is divided into six units, working in everything from water quality to disease surveillance to food safety. Calonge said there is no indication so far there are problems with other units within the lab.
e rst chemist whose work was questioned has now retired. e second chemist whose work was agged this week has been placed on leave.
What is the state doing now?
Calonge said CDPHE is continuing to investigate by diving deeper into previous test results.
“Now we’re at the point where we’re going through something like 550,000 lines of data looking for irregularities in the control values,” he said.
For tests that are EPA certi ed, like the Method 200.7 test, CDPHE has begun outsourcing that work to commercial, federally accredited labs. Some tests that aren’t EPA-certi ed have been shifted to other units in the lab. Meanwhile, CDPHE is talking with the EPA about how to get its water-testing program back online.
“We have to x this,” Calonge said. “One of the biggest things it impacted was trust in the state laboratory. It was an important and critical lapse in our water quality assurance system.”
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.
Broomfield, CO 80021
Legal Notice No. CCX 4508
First Publication: January 2, 2025
Last Publication: January 30, 2025
Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of KARIM I. ALSUBHI, a/k/a KARIM ALSUBHI, a/k/a KARIM I. ALSUBLI, a/k/a KARIM ALSUBLI, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 030916
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 May 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Wassim Subie
Personal Representative c/o Brian Landy, Attorney 4201 E. Yale Ave., Suite 110 Denver, CO 80222
