Clear Creek Courant August 15, 2024

Hundreds attend

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clear Creek County Commissioners unanimously agreed to grant a liquor license to Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs, one of the rst of its kind in the county, according to attorneys.

Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs plans to o er something more to patrons in addition to rafting, zip lines and rope courses next season. Beer and wine will be on the menu for patrons returning from their adventures.

“ e goal is to have a place to connect after they raft, zip or do a rope course because a lot of them are very excited and they want to relive the moments. is will provide a space for that,” Colorado Adventure Center owner Ethan Castro said after the commission meeting.

Alcohol has always been a staple for some rafting customers, according to Colorado River Out tters Association

BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Less Than 3% of Homeowners Took Advantage of Clean Energy Tax Credits in 2023

The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included generous incentives to homeowners who invest in clean energy (such as solar panels) or in energy improvements (such as improved insulation, windows or doors).

Only 3.4 million households took advantage of those tax credits nationwide on their 2023 tax returns. That was just under 2.5% of filed tax returns. In Colorado, the number was 65,810 households, or 2.9% of tax returns filed. The states with the largest participation were California, Florida and Texas, but only Florida saw over 3% of tax returns that included the tax credit (3.26%), and the other two states had rates lower than Colorado’s.

seems to be the case since 15 percent of the 3.4 million nationwide returns which took advantage of the tax credit had Adjusted Gross Incomes under $50,000. Just under half of the returns had AGIs under $100,000. The largest bracket was AGIs of $100-200,000 that numbered 1.2 million returns or 35% of all filed returns.

the installation of geothermal heat pump systems. The average tax credit taken for those systems was $12,078.

A total of $8.4 billion in tax credits was taken by taxpayers. The program is still active, and any taxpayer who wants to reduce his/her home’s operating costs should seriously consider taking advantage of the tax credits, which remain in place through 2032. I have posted a link for its provisions at http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com

One of the smallest amounts, $55.4 million in tax credits, were claimed by 36,820 households nationwide for my favorite investment, energy audits.

The average tax credit for home energy improvement such as solar panels, solar water heating and home battery installations was $5,084. The average credit for improvement in energy efficiency, such as better windows, air sealing and heat pumps, was $882.

Questions to Ask When Buying a Solar-Powered Home

I have always said that the most affordable way to “go solar” is to buy a home that’s already solar-powered. The reason is that the price differential on a solar-powered home versus a home that is not solar-powered is minimal. (Don’t invest in solar if you’re not keeping your home at least 5-10 years, because you won’t recover the cost of your investment when you sell your home.)

So, let’s say you’re buying a solar-

powered home. Most of what you need to know should be on the MLS. Is the system owned or leased, or is it owned by a 3rd party which sells the electricity to the home owner under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)? The MLS says when it was installed and how big it is (in kilowatts), but you’ll need to find out if it still performs efficiently. You might want to hire an agent like me to represent you in your purchase.

The intention of the program is to benefit working families and small businesses to lower their utility expenses by improving their homes and offices. That

Your Best Deal on an EV Is a Used One From a Dealer

I learned the hard way that you can’t get a good deal on a used EV unless you buy it from a dealer. The reason is that there’s a 30% Clean Vehicle tax credit up to $4,000 on used EVs, but only if they are under $25,000 and purchased from a dealer. I have posted on http://RealEstateToday.substack.com a link to the IRS web page with the details on qualifying for the tax credit.

I tried selling my 2015 Model S, but no one wanted it at a reasonable price, so I ended up selling it to CarMax.

Google “Used EVs Under $25,000” and you’ll see there are lots to choose from.

Although the credits vary from one improvement to another, it is generally a 30% on the cost of the improvement, including labor. The most popular improvement is solar photovoltaic installations, claimed by 752,300 households nationwide. The second most popular improvement was insulation, followed by exterior windows and skylights and central air conditioners.

Heat pump HVAC systems and heat pump water heaters were also a popular improvement, claimed by 267,780 and 104,180 households respectively.

Just under $1 billion in tax credits were claimed by 80,730 taxpayers for

Archive of Past Columns Is Online

Over the past two decades, this column has appeared in local weeklies and the Denver Post, and during that time I’ve written about every conceivable topic related to real estate. You can find and search that archive online at www.JimSmithColumns.com

Today’s the Day—Buyer Commissions Off the MLS

August 15th is the day which Denver’s MLS, REcolorado, set for removing buyer agent compensation from all MLS listings in compliance with the March 15th settlement between the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and a class of home sellers in Missouri. NAR had set the deadline for Aug. 17th. August 15th is also the date that new state-approved contracts consistent with the NAR settlement become mandatory in Colorado. I wrote about that on Aug. 1st. (see www.JimSmithColumns.com.)

Theoretically, home buyers will start paying the brokers who represent them in the purchase of real estate, but I will be surprised if a single home buyer pays anything at all for professional representation. That’s because most sellers will agree to offer compensation, leaving any seller who does not offer compensa-

tion in an untenable position — no buyer will want to make an offer on homes that require them to pay their agent.

Keep in mind that most buyers are already heavily burdened in the transaction to buy a home, especially when they are having to finance their purchase with a mortgage at 6% or higher interest rates. They have to pay for inspection, for appraisal, for loan origination, first-year’s home insurance premium, and for escrow deposits to cover next year’s property taxes and insurance renewal. Only cash buyers are spared those heavy upfront costs.

If sellers wants to attract buyers, they will need to offer compensation. It’s just that they can’t advertise it on the MLS. They’ll still let buyers know, either on a home-specific website (like we provide), on a sign rider, or in a brochure.

We Need to Level-Up Sustainability & Recycling

Have you heard of toilet paper made from bamboo? I hadn’t either, but when I read the pitch for it, I was sold. Regular toilet paper is made, like other paper, from trees. But trees grow back slowly, whereas bamboo is famous for growing quickly. It would be a lot better for the planet if everyone switched to bamboo toilet paper. Rita and I received our first order last week, and we are sold on it. It’s the only toilet paper we’ll buy now, online from both Amazon and Costco.com. I made another discovery recently. Those plastic jars you buy for everything from yogurt to milk and milk substitutes are wrapped in plastic that must be removed in order to recycle the bottle. At left is a picture of two quart bottles, plus a third in the middle with its label removed. The back of the milk bottle contains the notice shown at right:

It’s common practice in our home now to cut those plastic wrappers off and trash them before putting the bottles in the recycling bin. Some bottles, such as Activia’s Probiotic Dailies, have a marked “zipper” on them, making it easy. Others don’t even tell you that the wrapper must be removed, and you need a pointed knife to remove the wrap.

When we were in New Zealand in February, I saw a bicycle in the window of a Nespresso storefront. Looking closer, there was a sign on it saying that the bike’s aluminum frame was made of recycled Nespresso pods. We have one of Nespresso’s coffee makers, and now we keep one of their free postage paid recycling bags under the counter in our kitchen. Call Nespresso at 855-325-5781, and they’ll mail you some. K-cups can be recycled curbside after you remove the lid and contents. Do you want to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic? It’s becoming popular for restaurant-goers to bring Tupperware containers with them for leftovers. Rita does that. Also, there’s increasing popularity of “refill shops” where you buy bulk dry and liquid groceries to refill your own bottles or containers. Here’s a map from Googling it.

LIQUOR LICENSE

Executive Director David Costlow.

“You walk out into your parking lot and people are consuming alcohol because you didn’t o er them an alternative,” Costlow said.

e county commission approved the permit Aug. 6 after hearing extensive testimony from Castro and his attorney. e permit allows for alcohol to be served in a sectioned area of the center. Castro said any adult drinks would be available to customers only after their on-site adventure, and there would be a two-drink limit of beer or wine per customer.

“What we initiated with the commissioners was to propose a twodrink limit and make sure it’s only open in the afternoon hours,” Castro said.

A fenced area with one entrance and one exit, as well as the bar, is expected to be open by the season start in 2025, according to Castro.

As part of his testimony for the license Castro and his attorney told commissioners they estimated the seasonal gross income for rafting companies in Clear Creek at $30 million a year.

Clear Creek County. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Hundreds attend 15th year of Rapidgrass music festival

Concertgoers and campers

endured sun and hot temperatures to enjoy bluegrass music for two days in

Idaho Springs

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Rapidgrass music festival returned to Idaho Springs and drew hundreds of bluegrass fans from around the world to the ball elds on the east side of town for what many called a community event.

License plates from Arizona, Texas, Kansas, California and more along the entrance to the bluegrass festival told a story of how widespread the festival’s reputation has reached in its 15 years. One person even traveled from Australia and asked to volunteer, according to festival organizers.

However, organizers of the annual festival on Aug. 2 and 3 said once in Idaho Springs, you’re part of the community.

“People come from all over the planet, volunteer their time or just pay to listen and partake of an amazing weekend,”  Clear Creek Metro-

politan Recreation District Director of Special Events Jenn Jordan-Truesdale said.

At least 12 bands, with names like Crossed Eyed Possom and Magoo played the two-day event with Artist at Large Tyler Grant lling in between band sets.

“ is year I nally convinced Mark (Morris) to hire me as an artist at large,” Grant said. “I’m thrilled to be here for the rst time. It’s a beautiful setting, this eld is a wonderful place to be playing music and the sound crew is top-notch.”

Melissa Guthrie and daughter Nera Gomez of Elizabeth and friend Nichole Anderson from Castle Rock agreed it doesn’t get much better than enjoying bluegrass with family and friends.

stay and enjoy the two-day festival.  Flower-adored hats circled the event thanks to the Marigold Flower Shop in Idaho Springs weaving oral patterns throughout the day on Saturday.

“ is is what it’s all about, music, scenery and good friends,” Guthrie said.

Nearly two dozen festival goers set up camp in the adjacent ball eld to

“I think everybody here cares about coming together, I mean this is put on by the Rec Center because they understand this is mental health bringing everyone together listening to music,” Owner of Marigold Flower Shop Tara Worley said. Even the youngest, like 3-year-old Daisy Podosek and her sister 1-yearold Flynn from Lakewood, danced in the sun while their parents set up camp and shelter from the heat at the festival.

“It’s just a great community event,” Brent Podosek said.

Artist at Large Tyler Grant filling in between band sets at Rapidgrass in Idaho Springs Aug. 3. PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Daisy Podosek, 3 (left) and Flynn Podosek, 1 from Lakewood enjoy Rapidgrass with their parents Aug. 3.

Marigold Flower Shop in Idaho Springs set up a stand at Rapidgrass music festival.

Melissa Guthrie and daughter Nera Gomez of Elizabeth and friend Nichole Anderson from Castle Rock enjoy Rapidgrass in Idaho Springs Aug. 3.

Miss

Idaho Springs library icon Miss Honeybun takes a trip to Greece

According to her library companion, Miss Honeybun enjoyed the trip and has much to tell library patrons

Clear Creek Library District, storyteller, teacher and icon Miss Honeybun is now a world traveler after recently returning from Greece.

Carlson Elementary Instructional Librarian Brittaney Pauley recently took

Carlson Elementary Instructional Librarian Brittaney Pauley with Miss Honeybun in Greece.

Miss Honeybun on her trip to Greece with Bookbag tours, an organization Pauley said takes teachers around the world to learn from other teachers from a di erent country.

e pictures and stories of the tour through an ancient world will provide stories and images to young library patrons in the school district and county library system, according to Pauley.

“Miss Honeybun was very excited to see relics of the ancient world and what life would have been like for bunny rabbits back then,” Pauley said.

e goal is to present other cultures, ways of life and educational ideals to the youth of Clear Creek County, open worlds and new ideas, Pauley said.

Photo by McLeod9 Creative

Miss Honeybun at Theater of Epidaurus in July. PHOTOS BY BRITTANEY PAULEY / CLEAR CREEK LIBRARY

Miss Honeybun in front of Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens in July.

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Clear Creek County emergency personnel show connect with community at National Night Out

Heavy sheri /rescue equipment, a helicopter and lots of men and women in uniform meet and greet Empire locals

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clear Creek re trucks, ambulances, a tactical rescue vehicle and a Flight for Life helicopter were on display in Empire as the community took part in National Night Out.

Putting names with faces and greetings between law enforcement personnel and the community was the goal for National Night Out in Empire Aug. 6, according to Clear Creek County Sheri Matt Harris.

ere were free hotdogs, soda and plenty of law enforcement stickers, badges and other swag available to kids and parents at the ball elds in Empire as emergency services showed up to show o the people, equipment and tools of the trade.

“It’s a way for law enforcement and public safety to connect with the community, build relationships with kids, let the folks have positive interactions with law enforcement and see the tools of the trade,” Harris said. “You know, kind of build that bridge and build community.”

From the youngest to the oldest participants, everyone seemed to marvel at the equipment and emergency personnel in uniform. Who doesn’t like a helicopter?

“We saw the helicopter come in and he was so excited,” Emily Ratli of Empire said about her 5-year-old son Gri n. Gri n visited booth after booth, grabbing what he could from the “free” tables. His parents simply watched over him and smiled.

“Put actual faces to the police o cers and meet the people that they’re actually supposed to be serving. I think it’s to try and do outreach, to show we’re all people (and) to try and see people in not strenuous situations,” Ratli said.

A top priority of incoming Sheri Harris’ agenda was community building, and he said he wants o cers to be seen initially in the community socially, before any emergency setting.

“If you’re going to get into an interaction with law enforcement, you probably know the guys, you’ve probably seen them, right?” Harris said. “We’re small enough, our department is small enough, our community is small enough, so yeah we want that rst interaction to be positive.”

Georgetown Mayor Parker the Snow Dog also mingled with the crowd in his usual tie. Handler Dustin Schaefer said Parker supports local law enforcement and just wanted to show his support.

Flight for Life joins National Night Out in Empire July 6.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Clear Creek County Sheri Matt Harris (left) stands with Captain of Special Services Seth Marquardt and Mayor of Georgetown Parker the Snow Dog.

Gri n Ratli , 5 of Empire enjoys National Night Out with law enforcement in Empire Aug. 6.

A LETTER TO OUR READERS

To our loyal supporters,

ere’s a saying in journalism that newspaper production is a daily or a weekly miracle. A er the last few weeks, we’ve performed a few such miracles to make sure you can continue to receive your local newspaper.

I’m writing to update you about some short-term (potential) delivery delays, to provide information about the reasons, and to thank you for your continued support of your community newspaper.

As you may know, Colorado Community Media’s parent company, the National Trust for Local News, has been busy building a new, local commercial printing facility to serve Front Range newspapers. is move sets up our newspapers for more economic sustainability and the potential for future editorial investments – in other words, a stronger, more vibrant community news source.

Along the way, we’ve learned that launching a printing press from scratch is not for the faint of heart. During the initial project work, we discovered that the electrical capacity needed to run all of our equipment required additional (and unexpected) enhancements to our facility. We’re making great progress and are working with our partners to complete the nal electrical services. We hope to begin printing Colorado Community Media’s newspapers there in early September.

Given the unexpected closure of the Berthoud press facility this month, we have been scrambling to nd alternatives to print our mailed newspapers during the 3-4 week timeframe expected before our own press launches. Fortunately, we’ve found a temporary out-of-state alternative that will allow us to continue providing you the print newspaper you’ve come to expect from us while we work to get our own press operational. What that means, however, is that you could experience delays of one to four days in receiving your printed paper.

Know this: We’re dedicated to ensuring you get your newspaper throughout this interim period. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to hello@coloradocommunitymedia.com, or visit our website, which is always up-to-date with the latest news and information in your community.

We’re hopeful the disruptions to our readers and customers will be minimal and deeply appreciate your support of local journalism.

Linda Shapley Publisher Colorado Community Media

The countdown is on for both parents and kiddos. e new school year means a return to routines, perhaps slightly less chaos, earlier bedtimes and a break from constant snack and entertainment requests. It means excitement about new teachers, making new friends and seeing old friends. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you and your family gear up for a successful and low-stress start to the school year.

1. Organize your supplies

It starts with the school supply list and honestly, as a Type A oldest child, I loved school supply shopping and I still get excited about getting my daughter’s supply lists. Shopping early can help avoid the last-minute rush and ensure you get everything on your list. Consider buying in bulk for items that will be used throughout the year. And don’t forget to label belongings to prevent lost items. ere are many cool options for stickers and stamps to make this even easier.

2. Update the wardrobe

Planning that rst-day out t is a back-to-school fave. But rst, be sure to take inventory of your child’s current clothes to identify what they truly need, what needs to be replaced and what they’ve outgrown. As you gather clothes for donation, consider organizations that accept clothing and other back-to-school supplies to support kids. Take advantage of back-toschool sales to purchase new clothes,

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

VOICES

Preparing for the school year: Yes, it’s time!

LIFE BALANCED

night before to make mornings even smoother (packing lunches, organizing backpacks, laying out clothes, etc.).

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway

shoes and accessories, and don’t forget about handme-downs as well. If your school has a uniform policy, be sure you have enough sets to last through the week to prevent midweek laundry stress.

3. Set up a study space

Creating a dedicated study space at home is a great way to help motivate your child to do homework. Get your kids involved in preparing the space, from choosing decorations to picking out fun pens, a cool lamp, a comfy chair, anything that will help them look forward to using the space. Having a designated homework zone establishes a routine and signals to your child that it’s time to focus and get work done.

4. Establish a routine

A consistent routine is key. Start adjusting your child’s sleep schedule at least a week before school starts to ensure they are well-rested and ready to learn. Establish a morning routine that includes enough time for breakfast, hygiene, getting dressed, organizing their backpack and getting out the door with minimal stress. Similarly, create an after-school routine that incorporates time for homework, play and relaxation. Pro tip: Many morning routine items can be handled the

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

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

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• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

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

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for

5. Health and nutrition

It’s that time of year for wellness checks, which can bring anxiety if vaccinations are involved. Creating a fun tradition around checkups can be a great way to mark the upcoming school year. My family likes to make a trip to our favorite local bookstore, e Bookies, to pick out a book after our appointment. And ice cream, always ice cream. Since everything is about balance, this can also be a great time to brainstorm a list of nutritious meals and snacks your kids would like to eat. Don’t forget to emphasize the importance of staying hydrated and packing a water bottle.

6. So many big feelings

e start of a new school year can bring a mix of emotions. Be sure to create opportunities for your child to share their feelings by asking questions about concerns or anxieties they may have. Encourage positive energy by focusing on the exciting prospects of the new school year, such as extracurricular activities, new subjects and seeing friends. I’ve also found it helpful to share the worries I had at their age or embarrassing stories (there are plenty) to nd common ground and humor in worries that are totally normal.

7. Get involved is doesn’t mean being at school

every day, but being engaged to show your child you are supportive of their experience is important. Attend orientation sessions, meet teachers and familiarize yourself with the school’s policies and expectations. Establish a communication line with your child’s teachers to stay informed about their progress and any areas that may need attention. Volunteering at school can also provide insights into your child’s school life and help build a supportive community.

8. Technology and tools

Technology plays a signi cant role in education, which can make life both easier and harder at the same time. Make sure your child has access to the necessary devices and learning tools, such as a computer or tablet, internet access and any required software or apps. Set up parental controls and discuss responsible use of technology, emphasizing the importance of balancing screen time with other activities.

Preparing for the school year involves more than just shopping for supplies and clothes. It’s about setting the stage for a successful and enjoyable year, for everyone. So cheers to getting back into a routine, nding calm in the chaos and enjoying all the moments with your littles during these years.

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway are Denver residents and co-founders of TULA Life Balanced. Learn more about their business at tulabalanced.com.

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

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Nuclear

I’m mysti ed by this perfervid belief in nuclear energy that I see in Colorado. e commissioners in one Western Slope county added their support for nuclear, citing a poll that showed 65% of residents of northwest Colorado support nuclear. Conferences in Montrose and Pueblo devoted ample time to nuclear cheerleaders. ey promise high-paying jobs and ample tax base.

Well, heck, I believe it would be nice to have a Lamborghini when I replace my used Toyota Prius in a few years. But can I a ord a $300,000 car?

Nuclear has a horrible track record of cost overruns. In Georgia, two units recently completed cost $35 billion, more than double original projections. Cost overruns halted construction of two reactors in South Carolina in 2017. Much hope was pinned on small modular reactors, but then Utah utilities in 2023 pulled the plug on NuScale.

Bill Gates recently ung a shovel of dirt in Wyoming. ere, TerraPower hopes to deliver a nuclear reactor by 2030. Gates has committed $1 billion, plans to invest another $1 billion, but told a TV interviewer that he expects the project to ultimately cost $10 billion.

Could Colorado’s largest electrical utilities justify investing $10 billion in a reactor or two after they close their coal-burning units in Craig, Hayden and Pueblo in the next ve to seven years?

Chief executives say they can conceive of nuclear being part of Colorado’s energy future – but not until costs come down.

Duane Highley, chief executive of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Colorado’s second largest electrical generator, said recently he sees nuclear becoming competitive somewhere between 2035 and 2040. “We need to see a couple of these built and prove that they can be built cost-effectively, then everyone will be lined up. Everyone wants to be the rst in line to be serial No. 2 – including us,” he said.

Robert Kenney, the chief executive of Xcel Colorado, told me he does not see nuclear as an option for at least several years. e federal government may need to backstop it, he said, limiting risk to individual utilities.

Fair enough. Federal subsidies have helped wind and solar get on their feet

as they did fossil fuels before. Nuclear has also received help.

Renewables can take us far toward 100% emission-free energy, but we also need other answers. A study commissioned by the Colorado Energy O ce last year sees natural gas plants delivering a small but vital component to maintain a ordability and reliability. We know the technology. It’s not cheap. But neither is it a $10 billion experiment.

New ways to store excess renewable energy could help. Xcel is likely to participate in a test of iron-air technology at Pueblo. It could store excess renewables for 100 hours. Both Xcel and the Polis administration have shown keen interest in green hydrogen, which uses renewable energy and water. Pumped-storage hydro power projects near Steamboat and Craig could help in another decade. Geothermal could help, too. Conventional ground-source geothermal taps the near-constant 55 degree heat found about 10 feet below ground to heat and cool buildings. Colorado Mesa University heats and cools 800,000 square feet with the technology.

A di erent geothermal that goes far, far deeper underground can generate electricity, as it does in Iceland. California gets 10.1% of its electricity from enhanced geothermal. It also has a hotter subterranean. Volcanic eruptions last occurred there in 1917 (Lassen). Colorado’s most recent volcanic eruption (Dotsero) was 4,000 years ago.

Gov. Jared Polis contends that geothermal can deliver 4% to 8% of Colorado’s electricity by 2040. He cites the ingenuity of drillers at unlocking oil and gas deposits. Other see enhanced geothermal as a stretch for Colorado – like nuclear. Who knows which among these emerging technologies will triumph, but they won’t be $10 billion gambles. Cheerleaders for nuclear need to acknowledge that risk. And then we can talk about the problem of waste disposal.

Best chronicles Colorado’s energy and water transitions at BigPivots.com.

BY AUDREY BRICE AND LOURDES CAMARILLO SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

On a hospital bed, surrounded by sterile equipment and isolated, the anxious await a surgery that will alter their lives.

In pursuit of motherhood, many women have turned to In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF).

Samantha Bronson, a children’s youth minister at a church in Littleton, has dealt with negative thoughts and emotions regarding her infertility.

“A lot of questions came to me about my spirituality as well,” Bronson said. “Like, ‘Is this God saying something to me?’ And, in my darkest moments, ‘Is God punishing me?’ I don’t believe that’s how God works at all, but those were the feelings that were coming up for me.”

Samantha Sullivan of Fort Collins wanted a child, and her mom had called a center to talk about taking steps toward fertility treatment.

“She knew that my dream has always been to have kids, and so I was grateful,” Sullivan said. “But I also didn’t really know what I was getting myself into.”

Emily Heizer-Kochmna, from Sacramento, California, is on her ninth round of IVF.

“ e whole thing’s been brutal. e emotional ups and downs are just exhausting, and any time there’s a sliver of hope, it just seems like it’s a trick,” HeizerKochman said. “Something worse happens when you’re expecting the good news.”

For Tanya Knepp of Florence, the costs “impacted us in a lot of ways emotionally, mentally.”

Knepp and her husband paid for IVF without the help of insurance. While Colorado law mandates IVF coverage, Knepp’s insurance skipped around this law because her company’s insurance is self-funded.

“It was 100% out of pocket,” said Knepp.

e World Health Organization says one in six women globally experience infertility.

A single IVF cycle can cost $15,000 to $30,000, creating another challenge for many.

Bronson, Sullivan, Heizer-Kochman and Knepp shared their experiences with the University of Colorado’s News Corps in hopes that their stories would help other women and their partners as they navigate

the di cult path of IVF in hopes of having a baby.

Samantha Bronson, God and science

In 2020, Bronson and her husband, Luke, decided to start trying to conceive. By the end of 2021, the couple still wasn’t expecting, so Samantha went to her OBGYN for answers.

Bronson, of Aurora, was diagnosed with unexplained infertility, meaning that despite appearing capable of conceiving, she has been unable to do so. e only test Samantha could not undergo was an egg health test, which requires an egg retrieval.

“I wanted there to be a reason,” said Bronson. Bronson started trying to conceive through intrauterine insemination (IUI), a type of arti cial insemination where a long tube is used to put the semen directly into the uterus. Bronson tried this method of conception four times.

“We were paying out of pocket for those each month, which was racking up a lot. So our fertility doctor recommended we switch over to IVF,” said Bronson.

e switch would cost around $30,000. SEE THE SILENCE, P11

Emily Heizer-Kochman cries tears of joy while her husband, Ben Kochman, rests his head on her shoulder, sighing with relief from their hopeful fertility test results.

PHOTO BY LOURDES CAMARILLO / CU NEWS CORPS

THE SILENCE

Bronson felt like they wouldn’t be able to pursue that path at anytime soon, and after going through multiple rounds of IUI, she needed a break.

However, this changed when Luke switched careers, as his new job’s insurance would be able to cover the cost of IVF.

“We were ready to be parents,” said Bronson. “And because of (Luke’s) job and the fact that (his) insurance does cover it, that’s when we were able to pull the trigger on (IVF) without having to stress about going into more debt.”

roughout her struggle with infertility, Bronson has felt a strain on some of her relationships. She has had friends hesitant to tell her they are expecting because they don’t want to upset her, along with people just saying the wrong things.

“A lot of people don’t really know how to talk about infertility, so they’ll say some really stupid things. I am in a Christian community, and sometimes people will ask me if I’ve prayed about it,” said Bronson.

Bronson has chosen to keep her infertility journey largely private. While she believes she may share her experience once she has dealt with it, she exercises caution, particularly within her congregation, mindful of her position and the potential impact.

“As pastors, we’re taught to share vulnerably with people, and at the same time, the people that we are serving and helping, we don’t want them to feel bad for us,” said Bronson. “So, I don’t want it

to be that somebody who is expecting gets worried or weird about sharing that with me because they are worried I would feel upset about it. Whereas this is my job and calling to walk through that with people.”

Leading up to her rst egg retrieval, Bronson was feeling a variety of emotions.

“I feel excited and nervous and worried and happy, and quite literally what feels like every emotion I could feel,” said Bronson. “ ere’s still grief in there, too. is isn’t what I planned, I wish it would have been di erent.”

On April 2, Bronson underwent her egg retrieval, and 17 eggs were retrieved, but no answers about her unexplained infertility diagnosis were discovered.

e couple would get nine embryos, but upon further genetic testing for abnormalities only seven were viable for transfer.

“I had a lot of feelings. One of those feelings was that I did not want nine or seven children. at’s a lot,” said Bronson. “I was also excited about how successful it was and that this means that theoretically, I will never have to do an egg retrieval again.”  Bronson was ordained as a minister in June and her embryo transfer was set for mid July.

Samantha Sullivan, cancer survivor

When Sullivan’s journey with IVF began, her mind was far from fertility preservation, as she waited to nd out if she had breast cancer.

“I didn’t even think about that prior because I was so focused on: am I getting diagnosed with breast cancer?” said Sullivan.

She was devastated. She was unable to think about the trajectory of her life, but her mother’s

call to a fertility treatment center put her on track. It was on Valentine’s Day of 2020 that Sullivan received her diagnosis: stage two, grade three, triple-negative breast cancer. e nancial burden of IVF also quickly revealed itself.

“I remember we had to pay in full up-front, and I think it was something like $15,000 or $20,000 and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t have that so I can’t do this,’ and my mom was like, ‘We’ll talk about it. We’re doing it. Let’s go,’” Sullivan said.

“I didn’t know if I was going to survive, I didn’t know if my husband was going to become my husband,” said Sullivan. “We were engaged at the time. I gave him an out, and he stayed with me.”

Sullivan and Patrick would later marry on the rst anniversary of Sullivan being cancer-free on Oct. 9, 2021.

Before chemotherapy, Sullivan underwent two egg retrievals which gave them eight embryos viable for transfer. Only three were free of the BRCA 1 gene, which can increase a person’s chance of developing breast cancer.

Two years after her double mastectomy, Sullivan was able to undergo her rst embryo transfer. She went through three embryo transfers. One ended in a miscarriage and two didn’t implant.

Sullivan would have to come to terms with her only remaining embryos having the BRCA 1 gene.

After all those losses, Sullivan decided to take some time away from trying to become pregnant and also decided to switch from her previous clinic to the Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado.

Tanya and Leslie Knepp walk in their neighborhood in Florence. “IVF was the only thing remaining for us to try,” Tanya Knepp said.

Samantha Bronson sits on her porch in Aurora. She and her husband, Luke Bronson, tapped their savings, paying just under $25,000 in fertility treatments.

Samantha Sullivan looks outside of her bedroom window in Fort Collins. “IVF changes you,” she said.

PHOTOS BY LOURDES CAMARILLO / CU NEWS CORPS

THE SILENCE

Instead of spending a couple thousand dollars to transport the embryos there, Sullivan rented a tank and transferred them herself.

“My mom and I drove down, dropped the tank o at CCRM in Lone Tree. ey loaded the embryos up and I bucked them into the car and drove them over,” said Sullivan.

At this new clinic, Sullivan went through her fourth embryo transfer, which ended in a miscarriage.

“Every single failed transfer has been absolutely devastating, and of course, every pregnancy I have lost a child. So, it’s been very di cult,” said Sullivan. Later on, Sullivan went in for a fth embryo transfer.

e procedure itself went well, but a home pregnancy test she took came back negative. e clinic con rmed the result.

e couple still has two embryos that their current clinic could transfer. However, they have begun looking into using an egg donor to make an embryo. “I don’t know if I can keep going through loss,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan works as a postpartum nurse, a di cult position to have while going through infertility.

“It is really hard to take care of patients that don’t want the baby, or are upset that they’re pregnant, or are abusing their bodies – intentionally or unintentionally – which then a ects the baby, when I’m trying to do everything that I can and everything right to have a child,” Sullivan said.

Tanya Knepp, one little chance

Knepp and her husband, Leslie, have been trying to conceive for ve years, and recently started their rst round of IVF.

“We were very con dent that – aside from something miraculous and out of the ordinary – we weren’t just gonna get pregnant with less invasive means, and our doctors are pretty con dent of that too,” said Knepp.

e couple had to make a lot of sacri ces – living in a less-than-desirable neighborhood and driving older cars – to a ord IVF. And, after selling their last house, they were able to a ord their rst cycle of IVF. When Knepp started, she got the news that she had low ovarian reserve. is diagnosis means a woman has fewer eggs in her ovaries compared to others her age, making conceiving more di cult.

During her egg retrieval, Knepp’s emotions were mixed, partly due to the cost of the procedure.

“I was de nitely feeling hopeful, but at the same time, just scared,” said Knepp, adding that part of her fear came from the nancial aspect because they were spending $5,000 for one cycle of IVF with no guaranteed success.

e retrieval returned seven eggs, but only one ended up being viable for transfer.

“We have one embryo. We’ve got one little chance waiting for us,” said Knepp. “So that’s how I feel about that embryo now, just glad we had that chance.”

As the couple wants more than one child, they have decided that with Knepp’s diagnosis of low ovarian reserve, they should attempt another egg retrieval now before attempting an embryo transfer.

“You’re not crazy for wanting to do this. e hope of bringing a child into this world is so valid,” said Knepp.

Emily Heizer-Kochman, the ninth try

“I had worries that we would have trouble conceiving another baby – or that we were on a short timeline – just because of my age,” said Heizer-Kochman. Unfortunately, Heizer-Kochman was right to worry, as she would begin struggling with secondary infertility, a condition in which someone is unable to conceive or carry to term after already giving birth to a child without any fertility treatments.

Heizer-Kochman had ve miscarriages.

“I don’t know that you ever forget that pain. I don’t know,” said Heizer-Kochman. “You gure out how to live with it. I didn’t really do anything to deal with it, I just tried to move on.”

e couple ended up going to CNY, a fertility clinic in Colorado Springs. e cheapest option they could nd in the United States, which costed roughly $3,700 per cycle.

Out of eight rounds of IVF, none of the three embryos retrieved were deemed viable due to chromosomal abnormalities.

On Feb. 16, Heizer-Kochman went in for an egg retrieval for her ninth and nal round of IVF.

e procedure only returned a single egg. e couple wanted to try one last time to ensure they had done all they could, but Heizer-Kochman wasn’t putting much hope into their single egg. ree weeks later, the couple received the results that their latest embryo would not be viable. ey continue to work towards having another child with the help of a friend who has agreed to be their egg donor.

“We got nothing out of it, other than the courage to move on,” said Heizer-Kochman. “If we hadn’t done IVF and spent that much and tried all those times, I don’t know that we would be emotionally ready to move on.”

e couple has spent around $50,000 on medical expenses.

“My biggest takeaway is that it doesn’t always work,” said Heizer-Kochman. “It’s not necessarily a faster track to a baby. ere are some people who do one cycle and get everything they need. at’s not everybody.”

A threat to IVF

Navigating IVF is already challenging, but the recent Alabama ruling has added another layer of di culty. It’s evident that many people lack understanding of the complexities involved with IVF. Although none of the women interviewed were from Alabama, some still express concerns about the misconceptions regarding IVF highlighted by the ruling.

is story was created by students at the University of Colorado-Boulder’s News Corps. Colorado Community Media participated in the process that helped bring this story to light.

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.clearcreekcourant.com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email ckoeberl@coloradocommunitymedia. com to get items in the newspaper. Items will appear in

UPCOMING

Immersive Survival Camping: Sept. 6-8 at Tomahawk Ranch in Bailey. e trip includes information on shelter building, plant identi cation, re making and water gathering. Sign up at ticketsignup.io/immersivesurvivalcamping.com or with CCMRD by calling 303-567-4822.

Georgetown BigHorn Sheep Festival: 10 a.m. Nov. 9. 600 6th St. Georgetown. Gateway Visitor Center o ers trained volunteers with binoculars and spotting scopes to help viewers locate bighorn sheep and o er a brief lesson on the animals.

ONGOING

CASA of the Continental Divide seeks volunteers:CASACD promotes and protects the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in court proceedings through the advocacy e orts of trained CASA volunteers. Be the di erence and advocate for the youth in our community. e o ce can be reached at 970-513-9390.

Test sirens scheduled: In an e ort to notify people in the town of Georgetown of potential ooding due to the unlikely event of a dam failure at Xcel Energy’s Cabin Creek or Georgetown hydroelectric plants, sirens will be tested the rst Wednesday of every month.

Clear Creek EMS/Evergreen Fire Rescue Launch Mugs for Rugs Campaign: Bring an old throw rug and you’ll leave with a bright green mug! You can bring them to Station 1A in Dumont, 3400 Stanley Road, or you can email captains@clearcreekems.com and CCEMS will come to you to make the trade. Clear Creek EMS also o ers fallrisk assessments by bringing someone from the re department to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. To request a visit, ll out the form at clearcreekcounty.us/1388/ Community-Outreach.

Clear Creek Democrats: e Clear Creek Democrats meet from 5-7 p.m. the third ursday of the month at the Vintage Moose in Idaho Springs. Join them for conversation and social time.

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

More Colorado children will get state-funded full-day preschool classes this year

BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO

State o cials say over 11,000 Colorado children will get free full-day classes through the state’s universal preschool program this year, more than double the number last year.

e increase means progress towards one of the state’s original goals for the preschool-for-all program: extra hours for 4-year-olds with the greatest needs, like those from low-income families, as well as kids who are learning English, have special education plans, are homeless, or in the foster care system. It’s a signi cant contrast from last summer, when the state backpedaled on plans to cover full-day preschool for every child with one of those ve risk factors. So many families applied for half-day seats in the new program that Colorado didn’t have the money to fund as many full-day seats as it had hoped. State o cials noti ed thousands of families that were expecting to get free full-day preschool about the pullback just weeks before the start of school. at left many parents in the lurch and angered preschool providers.

Several school districts stepped up to cover the full-day preschool costs themselves last year, but expressed frustration about the budget hit. Some districts cited the state’s last minute decision to limit full-day preschool in a wide-ranging lawsuit over universal preschool alleging broken funding promises, among other things. (A Denver district court judge dismissed the case in early July.)

Not every 4-year-old with one or more risk factors will qualify for free full-day preschool this year. But at least 6,000 more will qualify compared with last year, and that number could rise as more families apply for universal preschool in the coming weeks. Dawn Odean, director of the universal preschool program, said the increase shows progress toward the state’s goal of serving students equitably: “We’re really excited.”

Two factors helped pave the way for more children to qualify for full-day preschool this year.

First, the state has more money for it. at’s because voters approved about $24 million in additional preschool funding in November.

Also, state o cials rewrote some of

the program’s rules last fall to more carefully target the children from the lowest-income families for full-day preschool.

Colorado’s universal preschool proved popular immediately, serving about 39,000 4-year-olds in its inaugural year — about 62% of that age group in the state. Most received 10 to 15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool, but some received 30 hours a week, which the state considers full-day preschool.

When state leaders were rushing to plan the program in the year before its launch, they decided to o er full-day preschool to children with certain risk factors. e idea was to provide more learning time to children facing extra challenges.

But one risk factor captured a particularly large group of kids: the low-income category. at category covered children in families with household incomes up to 270% of the federal poverty line, or about $84,200 in annual income for a family of four. Last July, as the program was about to begin, 15,000 children with at least one of the ve risk factors had joined. But there was only enough funding to serve a fraction of that number with full-day classes. e shortfall triggered a provision requiring students to have both the low-income risk factor and a second risk factor in order to get fullday preschool.

school were from low-income households but did not have a second risk factor.

“We heard from many families and many providers … that we were missing our most vulnerable, or specically those families living in poverty,” Odean said.

For year two, which starts in August for most preschools, state o cials decided to add a sixth risk factor to ensure that children from the lowest-income families were not passed over for full-day preschool. is “poverty” risk factor captures children whose families have household incomes up to the federal poverty line, which this year is $32,100 for a family of four.

Because such families are also covered by the “low-income” category, they have the two factors needed to receive full-day preschool.

Initially, only 3,700 students qualied for full-day classes, though that number grew to 4,800 by the end of the school year, according to o cials at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, which runs the universal preschool program. Many of the children who lost out on full-day pre-

So far this year, the majority of students eligible for full-day preschool — 63% — have the poverty risk factor. e rest are in the higher-earning tier of the “low-income” category and have one or more additional risk factors.

is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

More Colorado children in poverty will get tuition-free full-day preschool classes this year.

PHOTO BY

CURRENTS

volunteer@bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

Walk-in vaccine clinics: Walk-in vaccine clinics for adults and children needing u and other vaccines are available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center, 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs. No appointments required for the vaccines, though you can pre-register by calling 303-670-7528.

Resilience1220 counseling: Young people 12 to 20 can get free counseling through an Evergreen-based organization called Resilience1220. Composed of licensed therapists,

Resilience1220 serves individuals and groups in the foothills including Clear Creek County. ey also facilitate school and community groups to build life skills in wellness and resilience among youth. For more information or to schedule a counseling session, visit R1220.org, email Resilience1220@gmail.com or call 720282-1164.

Dental clinics: Cleanings, X-rays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/ low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. is is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-205-4449 for questions.

Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Marion’s

of the Rockies. 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. For more information, email loe er806@comcast.net.

Support after suicide loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 ofce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Storytime with Miss Honeybun: Storytime with Miss Honeybun is at 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Idaho Springs Public Library and at 11:15 a.m. ursdays at the John Tomay Memorial Library in Georgetown.

Sensitive collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live

healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. and is o ered via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Public Health o ering sexual health and family planning: Clear Creek County Public Health is now o ering Sexual Health and Planning Services at the Health and Wellness Center in Idaho Springs. Public Health o ers counseling, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, STI and HIV screenings, basic infertility services and birth control options and referrals. ese services are con dential. Public Health can also now bill Medicaid and most private insurance. However, if you do not have insurance, fees are based on a sliding scale — and no one will be turned away if they are unable to pay.

Federal water projects dream big

BY SHANNON MULLANE THE COLORADO SUN

e federal government has planned since 2022 to spend $450 million on water projects in four Western states, including Colorado. Last week, water o cials nally learned which projects are eligible — and they’re planning to dream big.

e funding is part of the federal government’s plan to address the impacts of drought in the overstretched Colorado River Basin. It will, in part, be used for projects that restore habitats and ecosystems or o er other environmental bene ts, according to an announcement from the Bureau of Reclamation July 22. A second application period, which opens later this year, will focus on long-term water conservation efforts using the same bucket of funds.  e door seems to be wide open for larger-scale projects — with more exibility and fewer hurdles for applicants, several groups said.

“Normally we’ll see somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million to $30 million annually for ecosystem restoration work through WaterSMART for the Upper Colorado River Basin,” said Alex Funk, director of water resources and senior counsel at eodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Never have we seen

$450 million come online all in one (request for proposals).”

e in ux of money is headed for Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah, the four states in the Colorado River’s upper basin. e river basin spans seven Western states, the lands of 30 tribal nations and two Mexican states. ere, the future water supply for 40 million people has been compromised by two decades of drought, a changing climate and overuse.

e funds come with a few strings attached. Only public entities, like governments and tribal nations, can apply. ey can partner with other groups, like environmental advocacy nonpro ts or nongovernmental organizations, which cannot apply independently.

e criteria seem suited to make big ideas happen, several water experts said. e funding minimum is $300,000. Many other grants max out at $300,000, which means projects are smaller in scope. Organizations will have ve years to spend the money.

With applications due in midOctober, many organizations are in the early stages of deciding which projects to prioritize. Funding announcements are expected in spring 2025.

e Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is looking at opportunities to improve

operations at its farming enterprise and water infrastructure, spokesperson Peter Ortego said.

e Southwestern Water Conservation District is already planning meetings with local partners to identify multipurpose projects that could receive funding. at could mean boosting a river’s ows or improving conditions for sensitive sh species.

In order to meet the funding minimum, a conservation group might choose to align its relatively inexpensive stream restoration project with a more expensive project to upgrade a concrete diversion gate for farmers and ranchers, for example. A recent project that helped sh and ranchers near Maybell is a good example of this type of work, Funk said.

“You might see some interesting bedfellows, like ag groups and conservation groups blending their projects together,” he said. “I think that could be really interesting in terms of long-term relationship development.”

Typically, a watershed is broken into smaller projects to t requirements for smaller grants, which can lead to disjointed work, Funk said. e new funding could allow it to tackle a whole river segment at once or do work in both headwaters and valleys.

In the Gunnison Basin, the fund-

ing could be used to build arti cial beaver dams, which slow the speed of water, attract beavers and restore wetland ecosystems higher in a watershed. at work could be paired with downstream projects, like improvements for irrigation infrastructure, Funk said.

Or, organizations could focus on the Animas River in southwestern Colorado, which turned yellow in 2015 when an upstream mine released toxic wastewater into the river.

e funds are also easier to access. Many grant programs require applicants to come up with matching funds, which can be di cult for rural communities, small organizations and tribal nations. ese funds do not have a match requirement.

“Match funding can be hard to secure,” said Aaron Derwingson, Colorado River Program water projects director for e Nature Conservancy. “With the urgency a lot of us are feeling in the basin with the water situation and the scale of the work that needs to be done, it’s really encouraging to see this great downpayment of funds.”

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.

Ballot measures lack signatures

Proponents of 8 proposed ballot measures fail to meet signatures deadline

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

e proponents of eight measures being pursued for Colorado’s November ballot failed by a deadline of Aug. 5 to turn in the signatures they gathered to try to get their questions before voters.

at means voters this fall won’t weigh in on whether to ban children assigned male at birth from participating in girl’s youth sports and whether the state should require voter approval for fees raising money for public transportation projects.

Many of the measures that failed were being pursued by conservative activists. Supporters of the initiatives needed to collect roughly 125,000 voter signatures to get their initiatives on the November ballot.

e eight measures that failed to make the ballot by default were:

Initiative 142, which would have required public schools to notify parents within 48 hours if their child is experiencing “gender incongruence,” which the initiative would have de ned as a “di erence between a child’s biological sex and the child’s perceived or desired gender.” e initiative was being pursued by conservative activists.

Initiative 144, which would have let veterinarians o er telehealth to patients in Colorado. e governor this year signed a bill passed by the legislature that will have a similar e ect.

Initiative 147, which would have

prohibited sheri s from denying a concealed carry permit to someone who lawfully uses marijuana.

Initiative 160, which would have banned children assigned the male at birth from participating in girl’s youth sports. e initiative was being pursued by the same conservative activists who were working on Initiative 142.

Initiative 201, which would have amended the state constitution to prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in Colorado. It was meant to combat Initiative 310, which, if its signatures are approved, will ask voters to change most of Colorado’s primaries so candidates from all parties run against each

other, followed by a ranked choice general election.

Initiative 202, which would have amended the state constitution to enshrine the ability of political candidates to make the ballot through the caucus and assembly process, in addition to gathering petition signatures.

Initiative 278, which would have amended the state constitution to prohibit una liated voters from casting ballots in partisan primaries. e same conservative activists behind this proposed measure were also behind Initiatives 201 and 202 and they came in large part in response to the campaign behind Initiative 310.

Initiative 284, which would have amended the state constitution to require that any government fees assessed for the purpose of funding mass transportation be collected only in areas served by that mass transportation and only after the fees are approved by voters. e measure was pursued by the rental car industry in response to a rental car fee hike imposed by the legislature this year that will generate millions for transit projects, including passenger rail.

e eight measures that failed were approved for signature gathering

among hundreds proposed for the November 2024 election. Most were either rejected by the state’s Title Board or abandoned by their proponents. Already on the November ballot are initiatives asking voters to impose an excise tax on rearms, prohibit mountain lion hunting and enshrine unfettered access to abortion in the state constitution.

ere are also likely to be two property tax measures on the ballot that would cap the annual increase in property tax bills, as well as Initiative 310 and a measure creating a new mid-tier veterinary professional position in Colorado.

e Colorado Secretary of State’s Ofce has until Sept. 4 to review signatures turned in on time for measures being pursued for the November ballot. e ballot will be set by Sept. 9.

To see a full list of the measures that have been approved for the ballot, are awaiting signature veri cation or that have failed, visit this website: https:// www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/ Initiatives/titleBoard/.

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.

Deputy Director of Elections for Arapahoe County Peg Perl holds an unused absentee ballot envelope during a media tour at the elections facility on June 9, 2022 in Littleton.

PHOTO BY HUGH CAREY / THE COLORADO SUN

These teens want to change the world — starting with Colorado laws

BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Help schools install solar panels to cut fossil fuel use. Reduce cafeteria food waste by creating “share” tables and composting programs. Stock opioid overdose remedies in school AED cabinets.

ese are a few of ideas that Colorado teens recently proposed to state lawmakers as part of a program that seeks to include young people in the legislative process. It’s possible some of the ideas could eventually become law.

Most of the eight proposals presented by students on the Colorado Youth Advisory Council touched on environmental or health issues. Others addressed the shortage of school bus transportation and the di culty that students with disabilities face in navigating school buildings. e advisory council consists of 40 students from across the state who are appointed for two-year terms.

One theme that emerged from ursday’s presentations was students’ concern about the impact of climate change and their desire for solutions.

Alex Fabbri, a 17-year-old who attends Lakewood High School, suggested the creation of a state program that would award grants and no-interest loans for schools to install solar pan-

els. He cited both the rising cost of natural gas and the fact that burning fossil fuels worsens the greenhouse e ect on the Earth’s atmosphere.

“I’m seeing my school and teachers struggle for funding while relying on nonrenewable energy options that keep getting more expensive every year,” he said.

Following Fabbri’s presentation, Sen. Janice Marchman, a Democrat from Loveland, told Fabbri she was interested in the proposal, saying, “ is is a very creative solution to an important problem.”

Ashna Shah, a 17-year-old who lives in Superior, described becoming involved in environmental action when her community was ravaged by the Marshall Fire, a wild re that destroyed more than 1,000 Boulder County homes in December 2021.

“Every day, I’m forced to wonder what my future will look like in a world plagued by the climate crisis,” she told lawmakers.

Shah proposed a state-sponsored youth conference aimed at accelerating Colorado’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. She said while today’s young people care about environmental protection, they lack the knowledge and power to drive change in their communities. A state con-

The game show that turns awkward parenting talks into

Students from the Colorado Youth Advisory Council presented their ideas for legislation to state lawmakers on Thursday.

COURTESY OF SARAH MOSS

Does Colorado require motor vehicle insurance for e-bikes?

BY JUSTIN GEORGE THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado does not require motor vehicle insurance for electric bikes as long as the bikes t the state’s electrical assisted bicycle classi cations and aren’t motorcycles.

e state has three classi cations for e-bikes:

Class 1: an electric assisted bicycle with a motor that provides power when the rider is pedaling and stops when the bike reaches a speed of 20 mph.

Class 2: an electric assisted bicycle with a motor that provides power but stops when the bike reaches a speed of 20 mph.

Class 3: an electric assisted bicycle

with a motor that provides power when the rider is pedaling but stops when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 mph.

Insuring e-bikes, however, is recommended by some insurance providers, who recommend at least liability coverage in case of an accident. Companies have started o ering special ebike insurance for riders as some companies don’t insure them as property under homeowners policies.

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.

e Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-size fact-checks of trending claims.

Interest-free cash flow loan program keeps Colorado schools operating during shortages

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Several of Colorado’s urban, suburban and rural school districts are set to take advantage of an interest-free loan program o ered by the state’s

treasury department just as educators, sta , and administrators are preparing to welcome students back to school.

In July, state Treasurer Dave Young announced the sale of $508.7 million of 2024 Education Tax Revenue An-

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ticipation Notes that will bene t 24 participating public school districts across the state.

Young, who taught middle school in Greeley for 24 years, explained that Colorado’s school districts receive a combination of state and federal funds along with property tax dollars each year to keep their schools running smoothly, ensure teachers and educators are paid and contribute to sta retirement and health care funds.

“While districts receive monthly equalization payments from the state, they don’t receive property tax funds until the Spring,” Young said. “Districts that receive more of their funding from property tax revenue have less cash ow early in the school year, making it more di cult for them to operate through cash ow shortages.”

Young compared the issue to managing a household budget.

“If you have a steady paycheck, you can budget for monthly expenses fairly easily,” he said. “But, say, if you’re someone who relies on a quarterly commission or yearly bonus, you know the money is coming but may have a gap in what you can a ord until it hits your bank account.”

To qualify for the program, districts must prove they’ll experience a de cit until property taxes come in, and they must pay back the loan by the end of the school year. Because of the loan’s

short window, districts don’t have to ask for taxpayer approval like they do for long-term bonded debt. Additionally, the cash ow loan program is speci cally for operational expenses, not capital projects. Districts can’t use the loan funds to build new schools or purchase equipment like HVAC systems.

e following districts participated in the Series 2024A Notes:

• Adams 14

• Aspen School District RE-1

• Aurora School District (Arapahoe 28J)

• Bennett 29J

• Boulder Valley School District RE-2

• Cherry Creek (Arapahoe 5)

• Denver School District 1

• Douglas County RE-1

• Eagle County RE-50

• East Grand School District

• Englewood (Arapahoe 1)

• Estes Park (Larimer R-3)

• Gilcrest (Weld 1)

• Huerfano

• Johnstown-Milliken (Weld RE-5J)

• Lake County (Leadville)

• Littleton (Arapahoe 6)

• Mapleton (Adams 1)

• Poudre (Larimer R-1)

• Roaring Fork (Gar eld)

• Summit County RE-1

• ompson (Larimer R2-J)

• Windsor (Weld RE-4)

Chatfield State Park o ers an e-bike rental program.

CHANGE

ference would allow teens to learn about the issues and share their input.

Sophie Tipper, a 16-year-old who attends Cherry Creek High School, also proposed an idea to get more young people involved in environmental decision-making. She suggested adding two youth representatives to the Environmental Justice Advisory Board, a 12-member state panel run by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. e group makes recommendations about environmental issues that disproportionately a ect certain communities and helps administer state environmental grants.

Tipper described her own evolution from a middle-schooler anxious about climate change to an environmental activist.

“In middle school, I heard over and over again how it was my generation’s responsibility to x this planet, but no one o ered any solutions,” she said.

ings changed, she said, when she and a friend saw trash cans over owing with plastic foam lunch trays and decided to contact the superintendent. He quickly responded, and Tipper soon received funds to launch a recycling awareness campaign.

“Being able to work on the project relieved much of my hopelessness and made the future of a green planet a possibility again,” she said. “Youth truly are paying attention to what is happening and they want to

help.”

e last youth presentation of the morning focused on access to naloxone, a medicine that reverses opioid overdoses.

Makena James, 17, talked about the impact of opioid-related deaths in rural Routt County, where she attends Steamboat Springs High School. She described 22 such deaths there over ve years.

“ ose small-seeming numbers take an immense toll on the community and on the people inside of it,” she said. “I grew up, and each year there were more deaths.”

Her presentation partner, 15-yearold Suyash Shrestha, proposed a state program that would allow schools to place naloxone into the same cabinets that already house automated external de brillators, or AEDs, devices that can treat peo-

ple whose hearts have stopped. By providing easy access to naloxone, especially in rural and lowincome communities, “we have the power to save lives” and empower youth to become heroes, he said.

e Youth Advisory Council typically has a few proposals that become law each year. During the 2024 legislative session, a youth council proposal to require school sta to call students by their chosen name was signed into law, and components of two other youth council proposals became law. In 2023, four youth council proposals became law, and in 2022, three became law.

is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

CLASSIFIEDS WORK!

Colorado’s top-paying and lowest-paying jobs

The state’s annual wage data report is out

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Fast food cooks kept the top spot as Colorado’s lowest-paid occupation by averaging an annual wage of $33,251 last year. On the opposite end, neurologists retained their top rank as the highest, averaging $409,685, according to the latest wage report from the state’s labor department.

e annual report, based on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, o ers one of the most comprehensive looks at how much workers in Colorado earn. State labor department analysts just released their take on it, providing a plethora of charts for additional context. One insight? ey looked at how hourly wages changed between 2013 and 2023.

For food preparation and serving-related jobs, those average wages soared 78.1% in 10 years, and had the highest growth rate of all major occupations for wage growth. When adjusted for employer costs, the historic increase dropped to 18.58%, which was still one

of the highest pay bumps for all occupations, said Barb Wills, lead technical analyst for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment OEWS program.

“You kind of expect high wage occupational groups to (be) increasing so this was encouraging,” she said. “It was nice to see them catching up.”

e most obvious contributor is the state’s higher minimum wage, which is pegged to in ation. In that same 10year period, the state’s minimum wage has shot up 75.4%, while in Denver, where the majority of food workers are, the minimum wage is up 122.2%.

ere’s more to it, said Ryan Gedney, a Denver economist known as “ e Stat Guy.” Colorado’s tight labor market before the pandemic was a big contributor as demand for workers pushed salaries higher.

In Gedney’s calculations of wage data, Colorado’s overall median annual income rose 21.9% between 2015 and 2019, ranking the state third highest nationwide. But between 2019 and 2023, income growth of 20.8% “was outpaced by 32 other states,” he noted online.

“I think Colorado’s fall in ranking between 2019 and 2023 could be a reection of other states increasing their minimum wages and having tighter

labor markets than Colorado post-

pandemic,” Gedney said in an email. “While Colorado’s minimum wage continued to increase through 2023 (and onward due to indexing), that gain was only 23% between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, Colorado’s openings-tounemployed ratio bounced around signi cantly in 2022 and 2023, with rankings as low as sixth but as high as 36th. at said, I don’t see Colorado’s relatively low rank between 2019-2023 as discouraging.”

Other highlights from the state’s OEWS report:

• e Boulder metro area had the highest annual average and median wages in the state, at $87,221 and

Colorado has 10 times more astronomers than the rest of the nation, thanks to the federal labs and universities located in the state.

$64,753, respectively. Eastern and southern Colorado areas had the lowest average wage at $54,205 and median wage of $45,220.

• e majority of the state’s labor force is in the Denver metro area, at 56.7%, or nearly 1.6 million workers. e Colorado Springs metro is second with 11.1%, or 310,390 workers.

• Colorado has 10 times more astronomers than the rest of the nation, thanks to the federal labs and universities located in the state.

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.

Colorado once again breaks tourism records

State sees 31% increase in travelers in the last decade

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

e Colorado tourism industry is still on a tear. Since 2010 — minus the global meltdown in travel during the pandemic years — Colorado has hosted record numbers of visitors leaving record-setting amounts of cash in their wake.

A total of 93.3 million travelers in Colorado spent $28.3 billion in 2023. Both those numbers are all-time highs. For reference, that compares with what was then a record in 2014, when 71.3 million visitors spent $18.6 billion in Colorado.

ere are more travelers spending more in Colorado than ever before, according to Longwoods International, a visitor research rm that began tallying the impacts of U.S. tourism in the 1980s. Colorado was the rst state

to engage Longwoods to survey visitors in 1986.

“It’s great to keep it moving in the right direction,” said Tim Wolfe, the head of the Colorado Tourism O ce.  Longwoods’ 82-page 2023 report identi es travelers who came to Colorado after seeing an ad campaign or promotional materials promoting the state as a vacation destination. e

Colorado Tourism O ce spends $12.7 million a year on media advertising, with $11 million of that directed toward the state’s 12-year-old “Come

To Life” campaign and the remaining spent on the o ce’s “Do Colorado Right” ads, which this year, for example, focused on how to stay safe in Colorado with messages that promote life vests around the state’s lakes and re safety when camping.

In 2023, travelers responding to marketing booked an estimated 21.6 million overnight trips in Colorado, down 4% from the previous year, while travelers staying with friends and family stayed 14.8 million nights in 2023, a

new high, up 14% from 2022.

Overnight visitors spent $22.9 billion, while an estimated 53.8 day-tripping visitors in 2023 — a record number of people taking day trips to or within the state — spent $5.5 billion, which was nearly evenly split between in-state residents and out-of-state visitors.

About 5 million of those overnight trips were booked by vacationers coming to Colorado to explore the outdoors. About 2.7 million overnight trips were from people in Colorado for special events and 1.1 million visited resorts. e 2023 Longwood reports show about 2 million overnight trips involved people staying in cities and 1.3 million overnight trips were for people visiting Colorado’s casinos.

An economic review of tourism in Colorado by Dean Runyan and Associates, which also has been studying the state’s tourism travelers for decades, showed visitor spending of more than $28 billion employed 188,000 workers in 2023, up 5% — or 9,450 jobs — from

2022. And those workers earned $9.9 billion in 2023, up 13% from the previous year.

State and local tax revenue paid by tourists grew to $1.8 billion in 2023, generating the equivalent of $800 for every Colorado household.

Business travel to Colorado still waiting for a rebound

Business travel has yet to rebound following the pandemic, with Colorado logging 3 million overnight trips from those travelers. at’s up slightly from 2022, but well below more than 25 years of annual business tra c to the state reaching more than 4 million overnight trips.

e Colorado Tourism O ce recently distributed $4.8 million in Tourism Recovery Marketing Grants to seven regions of the state through the federal Economic Development Administration. About half of that went to Front Range communities that have been

TOURISM

slow to rebound from the pandemic declines, especially with business travelers. But the grants to communities in metro Denver, the northern Front Range and around Colorado Springs were not necessarily focused on rebuilding business tra c, which has seen a decline as part of an overall business shift toward remote work and online meetings.  “I wonder if there would be a huge return on investment trying to bring business travel back,” Wolfe said. “So now we are seeing people thinking about how they can replace that business traveler, maybe by boosting leisure travel.”  e largest expenditure for visitors to Colorado is lodging, accounting for $6.2 billion in spending, followed by transportation, dining, recreation and retail. Spending in those four categories climbed in 2023. e average cost per person for an overnight trip to Colorado was $580, up from $550 in 2022. Daytrippers spend about $101 per person.  Colorado ski resorts reported about 14 million skier visits in the 2023-24 ski season. While Longwoods counts yearly tra c and resorts count seasonal visitors, the discrepancy between these tallies indicates the size of the daytripping skier market, with Colorado residents heading up to ski for the day account-

ing for the vast majority of skier visits. ( e Colorado resort industry does not release demographic information about its skier tra c.)

Longwoods reported that about 13% of overnight visitors booked their trips through short-term rental web platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo. at is up from 10% in 2022. e Runyan economic analysis shows 2023 visitors spending $15 billion on hotels and motels across the state and $2.5 billion on short-term rental homes. at compares to $14.6 billion spent on hotels and motels in 2022 and $2.3 billion on short-term vacation rentals.

Right now Wolfe’s tourism o ce is working to grow international tra c — which has never recovered from the pandemic decline — as well as extending the length of stay of overnight visitors. e average stay for Colorado vacationers in 2023 was 4.4 nights, the lowest in six years and below the long-term average.

“If we could ll those resorts with sixto seven-night stays through the winter, it would be much easier for those communities and the environments,” Wolfe said, noting how shorter visits stress lodging sta with more turnovers while longer stays provide more revenue with fewer impacts.

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.

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Let’s come together to celebrate the beauty that our local communities have to o er.

Our 5K Run/Walk will mark the culmination of members sharing their stories about the great places they go for a run or a walk. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to volunteer firefighters

SHARE YOUR TRAIL TALES 5K

is a new event that celebrates Colorado’s walking/running trails within our local communities.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

Clement Park–Littleton

REGISTER NOW!

Lace up your shoes, and after you hit the path, share your story with Colorado Community Media. We will be publishing your fan letters in our local papers.

Silverdale Trailhead

Three Sisters Trail

Golddiggers now play as an eight-man team

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As Nicholas Isaacson begins his third year as head coach for Clear Creek High School football, he’s also walking into his third consecutive league change. But this year, the team dynamic is changing drastically also.

e Golddiggers went 2-7 overall and 0-5 in the 1A League 5 in 2022. In 2023, the Golddiggers moved into the 1A Frontier League and improved to 3-6, but still lost every league game 0-5.

is season, not only is there another league change, but the Golddiggers will now be an eight-man football team playing in the A-8 Central League. As the name suggests, eight active players will be on the eld at a time versus the normal 11.

e move hopes to chase a more even playing eld for the Golddiggers’ already small team.

Also, the eld is smaller to accommodate fewer active players: only 40 yards wide, about 13 yards shorter than the normal 53 ⅓ width of an 11man eld.

“Our enrollment sort of necessitates that to some extent,” Isaacson said. “We were the smallest team in division 1A by approximately a standard deviation. Signi cantly smaller than the next smallest team, outside of a few private schools.”

He said a typical gameday in past seasons consisted of about 22 Golddiggers competing against schools with 60 players and student populations between 300 and 600 (versus Clear Creek’s 180 students).

Moving to an eight-man team will be a new experience for Isaacson and his players. ough there will be a bit of a learning curve, Isaacson said the team is excited about the change. He’s done his homework consulting with dozens of coaches with eight-man experience in Colorado and beyond.

“A lot of the concepts translate and

SPORTS

The only constant is change for Clear Creek football

a lot of the schemes translate,” Isaacson said. “I attended a night coaching clinic in Oregon and attended all of the eight-man seminars that they had, and found that great with not just the presentations but picking all coaches’ brains.”

ere was some initial resistance with worry about how the change would a ect recruitment, but players have acclimated well, he said. He expects more success throughout the season now, and the players know staying in 1A would make that di cult.

e change also makes practice more productive and e cient, he added.

“We’re having a full starting defense almost against a full starting o ense, more accustomed to what I’m used to coaching in bigger programs,” he said.

“We’re able to platoon a lot more.”

Going into year three, Isaacson is ready to crank up the expectations.

e culture is shifting and players are more bought in than in recent seasons.

Unsportsmanlike penalties are nearly extinct for a team that enjoyed many of them over the years.

“Our players are now leaders, not just on the eld but in the classroom. Almost half the team were rst-team, academic all-state,” Isaacson said. “So that was a big accomplishment. We had two people going on to top 20 colleges in terms of academics so I think that’s fantastic. Generally speaking, the kids are just working way harder.”

Voluntary practices are ongoing currently, and participation is up bigtime. e coaches get 15 to 23 kids typically attending, compared to mandatory practices in previous years when he’d be lucky to get 10. e younger generation is leading the charge, Isaacson said.

But there are upperclassmen he’ll

rely on heavily during this transition year. He expects a lot of success from them. ey should set the tone for Clear Creek.

Seniors Alex Shriner (o ensive line), Logan Ginter (linebacker and running back) and Asher Isaacson (tight end and linebacker) are this year’s captains.

“All three of those guys will be big components,” Isaacson said. “Logan was an honorable mention all-state last year in 1A, so I expect him to have a big season. He’ll certainly be a highlight for us. Alex was hurt most of the year last year and he was brand new to football. He was doing fantastic but then hurt his back early. He’s 6-foot-4, call it 210 pounds and maybe the second-fastest guy on the team.”

Both Ginter and Shriner could prob-

Clear Creek’s third-year coach Nicholas Isaacson watches a one-on-one drill at the Golddiggers’ practice. FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Colorado Community Media 5K to support firefighters

Event looks to build friendships centered around trails

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Community members will gather to run, walk and raise money to support local re ghting e orts at an upcoming 5-kilometer race in Robert F. Clement Park.

e “Share Your Trail Tales 5K” event and related storytelling initiative will be hosted by Colorado Community Media, the nonpro t that owns the Littleton Independent and two dozen other local newspapers around the metro area.

Events Director Carlie Scott said the event aims “to bring our communities together through our shared love for the great outdoors and to showcase all the beauty Colorado has to o er.”

It will also bene t the rst responders to the Quarry re, which erupted in early August in the Deer Creek Canyon area, many who are volunteers from local re departments and the American Red Cross.

“ is event is not only about enjoying nature, but also about giving back,” Scott said. “It’s an opportunity for our community to support our local volunteer re ghters, whose extraordinary e orts have saved countless homes and protected vast areas of wildlife and open space.”

e run takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 24 at Robert F. Clement Park, located at 7306 W. Bowles Ave. in

unincorporated Je erson County, just west of Littleton. e course will include two laps on the bike path around the lake, according to the event’s webpage.

Scott said a local competitive dance group will perform after the race, and other local businesses and vendors will be on site.

Leading up to the event, community members can share stories about and photos of their favorite Colorado parks and trails at https:// tinyurl.com/h2s562d5.

Registration costs $35 for individuals ages 17 and above, and $15 for youth between the ages of ve and 16. Children ages four and under can join the race for free. Runners who register early will receive a pair of custom running socks, according to the event’s webpage.

Race-day registration is also available for an additional $10 from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 24 at Clement

Park Shelter Q. Race packets may be picked up that morning at Shelter P.

Scott said events like the 5K are important because they create opportunities for community members to connect with each other.

“In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel isolated and disconnected,” she said. “ ese events provide a chance to slow down, enjoy the beauty around us and share mean-

ingful experiences with our neighbors.”

More: Participants can register for the event at https:// coloradocommunitymedia. com/2024/05/04/share-yourtrail-tales-5k/. Scott encourages community members to share photos and stories about their favorite trails at https://tinyurl.com/ h2s562d5.

As part of the “Share Your Trail Tales” 5K storytelling initiative, one community member submitted this photo of the Bear Creek Greenbelt Trail in Lakewood.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

One person uploaded this photo of their dog at the Genesee Mountain Trail for the “Share Your Trail Tales” 5K storytelling initiative.

TRIVIA

1. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin pre x “audio-” mean in English?

2. TELEVISION: Gladys Kravitz is the annoying neighbor in which TV comedy?

3. ANATOMY: About how many taste buds does the average human tongue have?

4. GEOGRAPHY: e Brandenburg Gate is in which European capital city?

5. HISTORY: Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during WWII?

6. MOVIES: Which movie features the line “I’m the king of the world!”?

7. MYTHOLOGY: What is the name of the Egyptian sun god?

8. LITERATURE: “ e Great Gatsby” is set in which U.S. city?

9. MONEY: What is the basic currency of Poland?

10. FOOD & DRINK: Which country is associated with the side

dish kimchi?

Answers

1. “Sound” or “hearing” (e.g. “audiophile”).

2. “Bewitched.”

3. 2,000-8,000.

4. Berlin, Germany.

5. Joseph Stalin.

6. “Titanic.”

7. Ra.

8. New York.

9. Zloty.

10. Korea (North and South).

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

FLASHBACK

1. Which group released “Do You Believe in Magic”?

2. Name the rst rock group that appeared on “ e Ed Sullivan Show.”

3. What was the name of the vacation resort in the 1987 lm “Dirty Dancing,” and where was it?

4. Who released “ e Love I Lost”?

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “I guess the dance is over now, So you just curtsy, and I’ll bow, And ask the band to play us Auld Lang Syne.”

Answers

1. e Lovin’ Spoonful, in 1965. e song was their debut single. ey went on to quickly release seven more that reached the Top Ten.

2. Bill Haley and His Comets, in August 1955. ey performed “Rock Around the Clock,” the rst rock and roll song to be played on a national television show.

3. e resort was called Kellerman’s, in the Catskills in New York. It was lmed, however, in Virginia and North Carolina.

Look for the movie sequel in May 2025.

4. Harold Melvin & e Blue Notes, in 1973.

5. “More Like the Movies,” by Dr. Hook in 1978. Dr. Hook (called Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show until 1975) was known mostly for soft rock, acoustic guitar and easy listening.

(c) 2024 King Features Syndicate

REAL ESTATE & RENTAL

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is position is responsible for providing support and assistance to the Finance/HR Department. Performs a variety of working level, para-professional duties as needed to expedite various day-to-day functions of the Finance/HR Department, including customer service, handling correspondence, cash receipting, accounts payable, utility billing, and xed asset tracking. Maintains the Finance/HR Department’s records in accordance with the City’s records retention policy. Requirements: Any combination of experience and training equivalent to graduation from High School and two years of progressively responsible work experience in accounting, human resources or le management is desirable. A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, nance, or related eld is preferred. e City provides a comprehensive bene t package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage. 100% of the employee’s premiums are paid by the City and approximately 98% of dependent premiums are paid by the City. Paid vacation and sick leave, 401(a) and 457b employer retirement contributions; een paid holidays annually. City paid Long Term Disability and Life Insurance.

Apply now: A detailed job description can be found on the City’s website centralcity.colorado.gov

Quali ed applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to the Finance/Human Resources Director at arobbins@cityofcentral.co or mail to P.O. Box 249 Central City, CO 80427. e position is open until 8/18/2024. EOE.

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FOOTBALL

ably play in college, Isaacson said. But keep an eye on Noah Clark (a senior speedy corner and running back), Jacob Young (the team’s longtime starting quarterback in his junior season)

and junior linebacker Nathan Guerrero.

“Our goal this year is to make the playo s,” Isaacson said. “I think it’s a realistic goal. We just need to avoid the injury bug and get our assignments done. And the kids are putting in the time to do that and the coaches are putting in the time as well … all those coaches are fantastic and they’re

working hard.”

Making the playo s means the Golddiggers would need to win, at the very least, six games, Isaacson said.

“To be safe, I’d say we need to be 7-2 or 8-1,” Isaacson said. “Expectations to win are certainly higher.”

e schedule is no easy cruise, with teams like Byers, Lyons and Front Range Christian on the calendar.

Clear Creek kicks o the season against South Park (who is transitioning to an eight-man team also) at home on Aug. 29. e Golddiggers played South Park in 1A last year and won 46-6 in the third week of the season.

View the Golddiggers’ full schedule at MaxPreps.com.

you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOT 80, ECHO HILLS SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 2, COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO.

Purported common address: 1042 Lodgepole Drive, Evergreen, CO 80439.

THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS

ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, 09/19/2024, at The Clear Creek County Public Trustee’s Office, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 7/25/2024

Last Publication 8/22/2024

Name of Publication

The Clear Creek Courant

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 05/20/2024

Carol Lee, Public Trustee in and for the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Amanda Ferguson #44893

Halliday, Watkins & Mann, P.C.

355 Union Blvd., Suite 250, Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 274-0155

Attorney File # CO23209

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

Legal Notice No. CCC920

First Publication: July 25, 2024

Last Publication: August 22, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE

COMMUNITY MEETING FOR CENTRAL-CITY CLEAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency will be hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, August 28 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Idaho Springs City Hall to provide an update on the status of the Central City-Clear Creek Superfund Site. The meeting will also provide a forum for community members to ask questions about the Site.

There are several ways to participate: ● Join community members in-person at the Idaho Springs City Hall (1711 Miner Street, Idaho Springs, CO 80452).

● Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89851289063?pwd= Rd1Iak1L4yNWBLWM0bk09rxsPa pYZR.1 (password: 743195)

● To participate by phone (no video): 1-719359-4580, pin 88639942552#, password 743195#

General information about the Site and access to resources related to health safety can be found at https://cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/central-cityclear-creek.

To sign up for email notifications about the Site, including public notices and upcoming public meetings, go to https://cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/sign-up-hmupdates and select “Remediation - Superfund - Clear Creek” at the bottom of the page.

If you have technical issues connecting to Zoom or prefer not to ask your questions publicly, please contact Branden Ingersoll at 720.810.7912 or Branden.Ingersoll@state.co.us.

Legal Notice No. CCC936

First Publication: August 15, 2024

Last Publication: August 22, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Summons and Sheriff Sale

Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, STATE OF

Georgetown, CO 80444 (303) 569-0820

Case Number: 2023CV30021 Division: C

Plaintiff: THE BANK OF NEW YORK-MELLON F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee for the Certificate holders of the CWABS, Inc., Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2006-26, v. Defendants: CHARLES H. HUTAFF a/k/a CHARLES HAMILTON HUTAFF; VIRGINIA K. HUTAFF a/k/a VIRGINIA KATHERINE HUTAFF; CHARLES L. HARMON; MICHAEL W. PHILLIPS; ERIN PHILLIPS; JFQ LENDING, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company; and CAROL LEE, in her capacity as Clear Creek County Public Trustee.

Attorneys for Plaintiff: Nathan G. Osborn, #38951 James C. Taravella, #55179 MONTGOMERY LITTLE & SORAN, PC 5445 DTC Parkway, Suite 800 Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 Phone Number: (303) 773-8100 Fax Number: (303) 220-0412 E-mail: nosborn@montgomerylittle.com jtaravella@montgomerylittle.com

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION 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 21 days after such 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 35 days after such service upon you. Your answer or counterclaim must be accompanied with the applicable filing fee.

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.

The subject matter of this action is as follows:

Property Desc.: 2663 S. SPRING GULCH RD., IDAHO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80452

Property Desc.: 2597 S. SPRING GULCH RD., IDAHO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80452

This case is an action to quiet title under C.R.C.P. 105 as to Plaintiff’s property.

Dated: July 24, 2024

s/ Nathan

Signature of Attorney for Plaintiff Montgomery Little & Soran, PC 5445 DTC Parkway, Suite 800 Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 (303) 773-8100

This Summons is issued pursuant to Rule 4, C.R.C.P., as amended. A copy of the Complaint must be served with this Summons. This form should not be used where service by publication is desired.

WARNING: A valid summons may be issued by a lawyer and it need not contain a court case number, the signature of a court officer, or a court seal. The plaintiff has 14 days from the date this summons was served on you to file the case with the court. You are responsible for contacting the court to find out whether the case has been filed and obtain the case number. If the plaintiff files the case within this time, then you must respond as explained in this summons. If the plaintiff files more than 14 days after the date the summons was served on you, the case may be dismissed upon motion and you may be entitled to seek attorney’s fees from the plaintiff.

TO THE CLERK: If the summons is issued by the clerk of the court, the signature block for the clerk or deputy should be provided by stamp, or typewriter, in the space to the left of the attorney’s name.

Legal Notice No. CCC929

The petition requests that the name of Linda Sue Callahan be changed to Donbi Yo Callahan Case No.: 24 C 38 By: Deputy Clerk Legal Notice No. CCC937

Publication: August 15, 2024

Publication: August 29, 2024

Clear Creek Courant

G. Osborn, Esq.