Former Carlson Elementary School building in Idaho Springs
Sergio Ferrer pleaded not guilty in Idaho Springs homicide case
Ferrer is due back in court Oct. 16 when a date is expected to be set for his preliminary hearing
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Sergio Ferrer, of Georgetown, has pleaded not guilty to charges of rstdegree murder, felony murder and aggravated robbery in connection with Idaho Springs resident Paul Peavey’s death.
Ferrer was dressed in an orange jumpsuit inside the Clear Creek County Jail surrounded by white cinderblock walls as he appeared via video in court Sept. 18 as prosecutors and his defense attorney paved the way forward in his criminal murder trial.
Ferrer is due back in court Oct. 16 when a date is expected to be set for
The former Carlson Elementary School building in Idaho Springs.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Former Carlson Elementary School building in Idaho Springs to be sold
At least 80 residents attended a meeting with school board members to discuss options on what the sale means to Idaho Springs
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Idaho Springs community lled the gymnasium of the former Carlson Elementary School building to discuss and debate the ultimate fate of the iconic brick-and-mortar building.
e elementary school has been moved to Building 103 in Idaho Springs. However, school board members made one thing clear at the outset: the original school building and property will be sold.
e Clear Creek County School Board called a public meeting Sept.16 at the former location of Carlson Elementary at 1300 Miner St. to hear concerns, fears and hopes for what will become the fate of a building some city leaders describe as the gateway to Idaho Springs.
At least 80 people lled the ve tables set up by the school board in the center of the gym and over owed onto the bleachers on the side.
A school board member was seated at each of the ve center tables surrounded by locals with questions and concerns. Clear Creek County Superintendent Tom Meyer and Idaho Springs Mayor Chuck Harmon divided the over ow crowd on the surrounding bleachers into two groups to hear from local residents about fears or hopes in what is to become the future use of the building and surrounding land.
For more than a year, the school board had been preparing to close the existing Carlson Elementary School building in the downtown area of Idaho Springs ahead of the school’s relocation to Building 103 in Idaho Springs. e new school opened in August.
However, now school board members are faced with the decision of what to do with the former elementary school structure and property that has existed in its Miner Street location for
nearly 100 years.
A recent 177 page appraisal ordered by the district and conducted by Titan Valuation of Golden estimated the existing building and property have a commercial value of $7.8 million.
It will be sold, is the consensus of school board members, as stated during the Sept. 16 meeting. e only questions now are to whom and to what end it will be utilized.
Suggestions to board members from residents focused on several key areas, with a ordable housing, assisted senior housing and childcare at the top of the list.
Other ideas oated by residents suggested mixed use functions including a bowling alley, hotel space or additional retail space, not to compete with existing downtown store owners.
Pessimism and realism abundant at school board meeting
Many attendees of the Sept. 16 meeting told the Courant they were skeptical about what school board members were saying and what they expect will be the eventual outcome of the sale of Carlson.
“I think the school district has trust issues with the community. ey did the high school without really consulting or against community wishes, they sold the football eld, same thing,” Idaho Springs resident Dave Hodge said.
Hodge was referring to the construc-
tion of the high school and middle school in Evergreen a decade ago and the fairly recent sale of the former Golddigger football eld and bus barn in Idaho Springs to Four Points where construction of the Fieldhouse apartment complex is underway.
“I’ve lived here my entire life and there’s a little bit of angst against the school district because they seem not to listen too much to voters sometimes,” Hodge said.
His sentiments about real transparency from the board of education were shared by other locals attending the meeting.
“ ere’s not a lot of transparency about how this decision is being made, they just keep saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to keep talking, keep having discussions and listen to you guys.’ at’s not transparency,” Idaho Springs resident Meredith Roberts said during the meeting. “We asked about the timeline and they had no answer.”
Kelia Zigich of Georgetown said she’s fed up with the “grow or die” attitude of small Colorado towns with what she called “big ideas.”
“I grew up in Golden and I’ve just seen the overdevelopment of Colorado in the last three decades and it’s terrifying,” Zigich said.
Clear Creek County Board of Education President Jessica North said no other public meetings are scheduled before any sale takes place, however, she said board members would
discuss the idea in upcoming board meetings.
“We make the hard decisions with everyone’s feedback in mind,” North said.
School board member Kelly Flenniken echoed North’s position on transparency.
“ e very fact that there are this many people coming and participating tells me we are transparent and so I think that’s a little bit of a dog whistle,” she said. “ at is not who we are as the Clear Creek Board of Education. We’re very transparent and we encourage public engagement and participation in every step.”
Reality: No control of property after sale, sans city regulations
Once a contract is signed and payment is made for the former Carlson Elementary building and property, the purpose and structure of the property will be up to new owners or developers, according to the Director of JLL Capital Markets Chris Musselman, the broker hired by the board to facilitate the sale.
“My goal here is to be listening to what the people need, what the school board needs and I was asked to identify who would be a good partner to work with as a purchaser of this site,” Musselman said during the meeting.
School board members agreed that nding the right buyer with the imperative vision of Idaho Springs as a whole is important and that suggestions and requirements should be in place in any signed contract.
“I think that by the time we are at a place where we’re looking at executing and signing a contract there is a vision attached to that,” Flenniken said.
However, Flenniken followed that statement with a caveat.
“If they choose to (drop) out after we cash the check, that’s unfortunate and there’s not a lot we can do about that contractually,” Flenniken said. “I would just ask that we have a little faith in this process.”
ere is one entity standing watch over what happens to the former elementary school: the city of Idaho Springs controls city building codes and zoning. Any variances to those codes will have to be approved by
Idaho Springs Mayor Chuck Harmon addresses the crowd during the Sept. 16 meeting about the fate of the former Carlson Elementary School building. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
HOMICIDE
his preliminary hearing, according to prosecutors.
More than a dozen locals and friends of Peavey found Peavey’s body during a privately-organized search Aug. 24, according to the Clear Creek County Sheri ’s Ofce.
“We found his (Peavey’s) body within the rst ve minutes of searching,” Peavey’s friend Gary Burke said. He said the body was found partially covered by brush about 75 yards from his home and about 25 yards down a hill.
Investigators searched Ferrer’s home in Georgetown with a warrant the same day Peavey’s body was found, according to the arrest a davit.
Inside Ferrer’s home, investigators found a black bag containing jewelry that belonged to Peavey, a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun, four metal detectors that belonged to Peavey and a cellphone with Paul Peavey’s name on it, according to the a davit.
Several items of clothing with “possible blood” were also seized, according to the a davit.
I-70 Floyd Hill
Starting late September/early October, motorists should anticipate several hundred traffic holds for rock scaling and blasting through 2026.
Stay Informed During Construction
Text floydhill to 21000 to sign up for text alerts
Project hotline: 720-994-2368 (720-994-CDOT)
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• Begins late September/early October and lasts two months.
• Westbound I-70 traffic held east of Hidden Valley (Exit 243), eastbound I-70 traffic held west of Veterans Memorial Tunnels.
• Expect up to six traffic holds per day, Mondays - Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., every 60 to 75 minutes.
• Plan for up to 45-minute delays.
Web: codot.gov/projects/i70floydhill
Email address: cdot_floydhillproject@state.co.us
• Begins late-2024 and lasts through 2026.
• Westbound I-70 traffic held at Homestead Road (Exit 247), eastbound I-70 traffic will be held west of Veterans Memorial Tunnels.
• Traffic held on Central City Parkway, County Road 314 and the US 6 on-ramp to westbound I-70.
• Expect traffic holds Mondays - Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon, once per day and up to three times per week.
• Plan for up to 45-minute delays.
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Please stay on I-70 - there will not be a traffic detour in place during these operations. Signing up for Project text alerts is the best way to stay informed on traffic impacts!
Idaho Springs resident Paul Peavey was found dead on his property Aug 24.
FILE PHOTO
GREEN HOMES TOUR
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Self-Guided Tour 9am–4pm • $15/adult $25/couple
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Register online at: MetroDenverGreenHomesTour.org or register in person at Jefferson Unitarian Church (JUC) • 14350 W. 32nd Ave • Golden, CO 80401
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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
After School Cooking Class: 3:305:30 p.m. Wednesdays in September at Georgetown Community School. Ages 5 years old and up. Register at www. clearcreekrecreation.com
Ghost Tours: Tuesdays Sept. 17 - Oct. 29. Idaho Springs Ghost Tours give “a trip through the darker parts of Idaho Springs history.” Ages 13 years old and up. For times and tickets contact Jessi Steele at jsteele@ccmrd.com.
Save Je co Parks (Public Forum): 6:30 p.m. Oct.10 at Evergreen Library, 5000 County Highway 73 in Evergreen. Public forum for Je erson County residents and visitors concerned with impacts of forest “thinning” in Open Space Parks. Visit coloradosmokescreen.org
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.
Georgetown BigHorn Sheep Festival: 10 a.m. Nov. 9. 600 6th St. in 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 970-5139390.
Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@bluesprucehabitat.org for information.
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 720-282-1164.
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 720-2054449 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 per-
SEE CURRENTS, P9
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
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council members, according to Harmon.
“Once it’s sold, OK, now they own it. But the problem is, ‘How do you get to your goal?’ You’re going to have to come to the city,” Harmon said.
Although the building is nearly 100 years old, it is not designated as a Historical Site, according to members of the Historical Society of Idaho Springs. is limits protections that would otherwise be in place, according to the Historical Society.
However, current city regulations must still be approved by council members and planning commissioners. Harmon said the city can
act as a “Gatekeeper” by managing those approvals and any requested changes to current codes.
“I can’t see a scenario where whoever the buyer is, isn’t coming to the city to at least play ball to some extent, because I would suggest to
you they’re not even going to settle up with even one variance, they’re probably going to need several,” Harmon said.
If developers plan to “scrape” the building, meaning tear down and rebuild all or part of the structure, city code prohibits any new structure from being over 35 feet tall, according to city planners.
Harmon said the codes will be vigorously applied with one idea in mind.
“We are beholden to our citizens and we know what they want,” Harmon said. “So, in the spirit of negotiations, we might not get everything we want but you better believe there are some leavers we can pull on to get some key things that t downtown, that t the desires of the citizens and yet still put the developer in a situation where they can be suc-
cessful.”
Nonetheless, according to school board members, city leaders and business owners, change is once again coming to the landscape and persona of Downtown Idaho Springs, remaining questions, negotiations and approvals will shape its eventuality and everyone will have an opinion.
“Our group is de nitely against the box stores or the franchises… we want this for the community. If there is money made o it, (we want it) to come back into the community,” Roberts said.
“What’s good for this community is good for our school district and what’s good for our school district is good for the community,” Flenniken said.
“We have one chance to get it right,” Harmon concluded.
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CURRENTS
son at the Resilience1220 office. 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. Thursdays 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 offered via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 office. Register at resilience1220.org/groups .
Public Health offering sexu -
al health and family planning: Clear Creek County Public Health is now offering Sexual Health and Planning Services at the Health and Wellness Center in Idaho Springs. Public Health offers counseling, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, STI and HIV screenings, basic infertility services and birth control options and referrals. These services are confidential. 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.
Clear Creek County Lookout Alert: The CodeRED alerts have been replaced by the Lookout Alert. Residents can sign up for emergency alerts county-wide by signing up at www.lookoutalert. co. The new site replaces CodeRED following the switch to JeffCom911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.
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IT’S PATIO FURNITURE REPAIR SEASON
As life moves indoors, it’s a good time to spruce up your patio furniture. We replace straps and slings, reweave vinyl lace, powder coat and make custom cushions. Pricing and more at openairchair.com.
Suzanna Gould, Kristen LaJoy, The Wild Game
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Home is where the heart is,” but as we o cially head into the fall, there’s something special that truly makes us feel it. Whether it’s the turning of the leaves, the crisp coolness of the evenings, the smell of rewood burning, or the cozy embrace of a favorite sweater or denim jacket, this season seems to tug at our hearts in a way no other time of year can. It might even be as simple as slipping into our favorite team’s T-shirt or jersey, or perhaps it’s the scent of a freshly baked apple or pumpkin pie that lls our homes with warmth and love. Whatever the reason, there’s a sense of home that becomes unmistakable as fall settles in.
As someone who has spent much of my professional life traveling, experiencing major metropolitan cities, quiet suburbs, and rural communities around the world, I’ve often fantasized about what it would be like to live in each of those places. Could I actually do it? Would my family be
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WINNING WORDS
VOICES
Home is where the heart is
something about their home that lls their hearts.
up for the adventure, just as eager and curious as I was? More often than not, these thoughts remained just that, fantasy. After all, by the time my journey in each city was over, I’d typically ruled out most of those places anyway
One of my favorite pastimes is hopping on a real estate website like Zillow, randomly picking cities, and seeing what’s available. I’ve shared this with a few people over the years, and it turns out I’m not alone, many of us love to indulge in virtual house hunting. As I’ve traveled, I’ve spoken with people in the cities and towns I’ve visited, or met new friends on ights who talk up their hometowns, and here’s something I’ve learned: For the most part, people love where they live. Regardless of whether it’s a bustling city, a sleepy suburb, or a quiet rural area, there’s
Vote Rebecca Lloyd for Clear Creek County Board of Commissioners I support Rebecca Lloyd for a seat on the Clear Creek County Board of Commissioners. I have known Rebecca for a while now, and over the course of many conversations I’ve grown to appreciate how extensive her experience in both the public and private sectors is. I feel that experience provides her with a deep and informed perspective as she explores new solutions to the challenges facing county residents: access to housing, childcare, medical care, environmental protection/restoration and more. Rebecca and her family are long-time residents of Clear Creek and have been deeply engaged for years. She knows Clear Creek is a special place and is fiercely intent on preserving the small-town qualities that we love. Rebecca has the analytical skills needed to accurately evaluate complicated scenarios and to recognize and seize opportunity. I have been impressed by the questions she’s asked: pertinent, probing and thoughtful. She is clearly a goal-oriented person but her experience has taught her that there’s no way around the hard work of building consensus. I trust Rebecca to represent our community with honor and integrity, to reach out to residents and to bring forth solid, workable plans that will effectively marshal the resources needed to make things happen.
I’ve been blessed to have lived in a few di erent places myself, spending some of my time in the mountains and some near the beach. For me, both places hold a special connection, and I refer to them both as home. Whether it’s the serenity of the mountains or the calming rhythm of the waves, my heart is full in either place because it’s where I nd connection with my family, friends, and community.
For those of us who travel often, we know the undeniable feeling of the return ight home. After days of living out of a suitcase, dealing with airports, hotels, and the hassle of travel, there’s no better feeling than knowing we’re on our way back to our own bed, our own space, and most importantly, our loved ones. at rst step through the front door, no matter how far we’ve traveled or how great the adventure, brings a sense of peace that can only be found at home.
So whether you’re like me, a virtual real estate shopper, daydreaming
Please support Rebecca Lloyd with your vote this November. LF Pyers, Georgetown
about what life could be like in di erent cities or countries, or you’re content in the town you’ve always called home, remember this: wherever your heart is, your home will be there too. It’s not about the location, the size of the house, or the view outside the window, it’s about the love, warmth, and connection we share with the people and memories that ll our lives.
Home is where we nd comfort. It’s where we wrap ourselves in familiar scents and sounds, where laughter echoes, and where love resides. No matter how far we wander, home is always waiting for us, wherever our hearts lead us back to. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when our heart is connected to our home and home life, it really will be a better than good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
Vote Jodie Hartman-Ball for Clear Creek County Board of Commissioners
This fall we have a chance to vote for one of our own. We are very fortunate that Jodie Hartman-Ball is willing and able to represent us as a Clear Creek County Commissioner. She is a candidate for this position in the November election and is very aware of the needs and priorities of our county. Jodie is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the way of life for our residents.
I watched Jodie grow up here. Her parents live near my Miner Street house and, as a young wife and mother, Jodie and her husband Shane lived next door to me. They were great neighbors. Jodie graduated from Clear Creek High School, worked here and got married to Shane here. Jodie and Shane raised their children here.
Later they moved to a property near Dumont where they could grow food and raise animals, including laying hens. Great fresh eggs, by the way! I have always been impressed by Jodie’s enthusiasm and wherewithall. When her children were younger, Jodie ran a day care. She was also a foster parent.
Many people got to meet her when she was a Census Bureau Worker for the 2000 Census. She is extremely knowledgeable about our county and strives to keep the vision of Quality of Life for our residents. She is an avid volunteer for anything and everything that is needed.
Jodie listens. She has great compassion and common sense. She is honest, smart and a very hard worker. We need her!
Sandra Russalesi, Idaho Springs
Michael Norton
Nick Scafidi with the Lazy Butcher of Evergreen provided samples at Taste of Evergreen Sept 17 with help from his 3-year-old son Dominic.
Annual Taste of Evergreen draws crowd to sample local food and drink
filled the Evergreen Lake House as participants sampled local cuisine
BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Shuttle buses were required to ferry attendees to the annual Taste of Evergreen as parking quickly lled the Evergreen Lake House property where people sampled food and beverages from more than 20 local vendors.
Small samples of cuisine from local restaurants and brewpubs were available to those who purchased tickets to the event.
is year was Evergreen residents
Scott Arnold and Jenny Chabez’s fourth year attending the savory Evergreen event.
“It gets better every year,” Arnold said.
“We try to go to a lot of local events and this is one we did right after COVID and we just loved it, so we go every year now,” Chabez said.
Even the vendors made the event a family a air. Nick Sca di, with the Lazy Butcher of Evergreen, provided food to participants with help from his 3-year-old son Dominic.
Despite the large turnout, lines moved quickly for attendees looking to sample something new, like beef tartar or an Old Fashioned drink made on the spot.
As the sun set on the event, most locals said they were already looking forward to next year’s event.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Since the 1950s, pop culture has had a profound in uence on the idea of extraterrestrials and mysterious ying objects. Whether exemplifying the public’s fears or hopes of the existence of another life form, TV shows, movies and comics have helped form a fascination with the unknown.
As we develop into a more digital world, some confusion has accompanied the fascination, building a culture of conspiracy, assumptions and growing questions, according to an Enigma Labs consultant Alejandro Rojas.
“ e public really wants to be part of the club that has seen something extraordinary,” said Seth Feinstein, president and state director of the Colorado Mutual UFO Network.
COMUFON is a chapter of an international nonpro t organization, MUFON, which has been around since 1969 to investigate sightings, collect data and establish a worldwide database in hopes of educating the public. e idea of “ ying saucers” became a national interest in the late 1940s when a rancher in Roswell, New Mexico found remnants of a ying object.
CURIOSITIES
By 1952, the U.S. Air Force coined the term UFO — unidenti ed ying object — as part of Project Blue Book, a program that investigated and analyzed UFO reports. e project was closed in 1969 and since then, the records have been with the National Archives.
Just like “ ying saucers,” the term “UFO” became synonymous with alien spacecraft. In an e ort to avoid speculation, investigators have now been referring to them as UAPs –unidenti ed anomalous phenomena – as they do not know the nature of the objects.
As documentaries and novels studying the phenomena continue, there has been more transparency from the national level. ere have been multiple Congressional hearings surrounding the topic, the Director of National Intelligence writes annual reports on UAP sightings by the military and NASA as a UAPindependent study.
Earlier this year, the Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution O ce put out a statement that the department doesn’t believe sights of UAPs are of “extraterrestrial activity.”
Whatever it may be, people are interested in the unknown. As researchers continue to gather information, many residents across the metro area are attending talks and studying the subject themselves.
“It’s part of the mystery,” Rojas said.
Did you see that?
e mystery is what attracts people.
e Highlands Ranch Historical Society sponsors over ten programs on various topics throughout the year, one that focuses on UFOs and the supernatural. Each year, it’s the most attended program, said McKeag.
Over the summer, the society invited researcher, investigator and author Katie Paige to speak about strange occurrences that have happened along the front range.
Paul McKeag, a former board member of the historical society, had known of Paige and has had an interest in the phenomena from an early age.
“I have never seen one, but I’ve had close family members that have experienced them,” McKeag said.
He grew up in a sparsely populated area of Nebraska on a farm. When he was about ve years old, his parents had friends from out of state visit. One night, he had gone to bed when his parents heard the cattle making strange noises.
McKeag said when his parents went to look, the cattle were circling around the young and there was a sulfur smell in the air. at’s when they noticed a disc shaped object not making any noise, but slowly rotating. He remembers them telling him the next morning that they watched it for some time before it shot straight up in the air.
Sara Lebofsky, a current Highlands Ranch Historical Society board member, was a skeptic up until a little over a decade ago.
“I have become more and more convinced that we’re not alone,” Lebofsky said.
Lebofsky rst became interested when she saw a ballot measure in Denver calling for the city to accept reports of UFO sightings. Although the measure failed in 2010, it was enough for Lebofsky to start reading about the phenomenon.
One day, Lebofsky’s husband was looking out the front door and suddenly called her over. After she rushed to the door, she said they both saw a large object with lights on the bottom. She recalls the object moving straight up and down, then to the east and back before suddenly disappearing.
“We just stood there trying to come up with what it could
be,” said Lebofsky. “But everything that we tried to think that it might be was not possible.”
In 2020, numerous reports were coming in across the metro area.
Micki Trost, strategic communications director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said the division worked with local law enforcement and most reported sightings were identi ed as Starlink Satellites, aircraft landing at Denver International Airport and drones used by utility companies.
When asked how the division handles reports of sightings, Trost said in an email that the division recommends if someone has a safety concern to contact local law enforcement through the non-emergency phone number if it isn’t an immediate life safety issue or 911 it is a life safety issue.
“(People) should always report any concerns to local law enforcement,” Trost said. “Our role is to support local law enforcement and government.”
Using science to understand what’s going on
When Kevin Benham witnessed a solid black sphere with no lights or sound moving at an incredible speed in 2014 near southeast Aurora, he wanted to learn more.
Benham, now retired, became a eld investigator with Colorado Mutual UFO Network in 2016.
“Everybody who’s involved in MUFON is passionate about the truth behind UFOs,” said Seth Feinstein, state director.
All eld investigators are trained in the most up-to-date programs. Using the scienti c method, the investigators use the Jacques Valet classi cations as a guide
and a photo analysis team analyzes photos to authenticate the image or video to help identify the object.
Feinstein, who is also the Case Management System coordinator and leader of the Photo Analysis Team, became interested when he was a teenager with friends in a suburban Long Island, New York park when he said a silent craft with “lights swirling all around” ew silently over them.
Now, he has been studying the subject for about 35 years, adding that the use of cell phone cameras has created a shift in the amount of sightings being reported.
Cell phone cameras are essential to what is being done at Enigma Labs. e company, based out of New York, describes itself as a “community-driven product” that aims to provide tools for analyzing and discussing sightings with an overall goal of being the rst unidenti ed anomalous phenomena sightings alert network.
“We would like to have a real time alert system so
people can be noti ed when something’s being seen near them,” Rojas said.
With hundreds of reports being uploaded to their app per week, Rojas said Enigma has built a community where researchers can crowdsource the data as scienti c investigation and data collection is critical.
For nearly two decades, Rojas has been working with di erent nonpro t organizations, writing and researching the topic. But before that, he was a Colorado journalism student, with a focus on science, and he was skeptical about the subject.
“I started hearing about a lot of stories that I didn’t see in the news where there were credible people claiming incredible things,” Rojas said. “It took o from there.” ere is a perception that UFOs or UAPs mean alien spacecraft. While Rojas doesn’t believe there is strong enough evidence to determine that, there is the ability to collect and analyze more data, just as the Department of Defense and NASA are doing.
As characteristics are beyond any known commercial or military technology, Enigma Labs suggests UAPs can manifest in various forms. Some hypotheses include: natural weather phenomena, human time traveling from the future, interdimensional entities, ancient probes from prior civilizations or arti cial intelligence that is further ahead than society realized.
However, there are people who are convinced that it’s aliens visiting.
“If they have a strong belief that they know what it is, they should be encouraging science to do more data collection and analysis,” Rojas said. “Because if they’re right, science will prove them right.”
Federal o cials say Colorado’s access to air pollution open records is good enough
BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
e Environmental Protection Agency is letting Colorado air pollution o cials o the hook for making records available to members of the public who might want to help police corporate rule breaking, two state environmental groups say. e federal agency had previously held up approval of a key “state implementation plan” detailing how Colorado will stop northern Front Range violations of EPA ozone caps.
View from the NOAA/NASA Twin Otter research plane making runs over the Denver Julesburg oil basin in search of greenhouse gas and ozone precursor sources in early July. PHOTO COURTESY OF NOAA/NASA
e EPA in delaying approval had agreed with environmental groups that Colorado should more frequently demand records from polluters and make them easily accessible.
But Colorado pushed back hard, arguing that its proposed system provided “e ective and reasonable” access to anyone who wanted it, and that the EPA’s initial demands went above and beyond what the agency was requiring of other states. Attor-
P15
Colorado workers have questions about paid family and medical leave.
Here’s what you need to know.
Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program allows eligible Colorado workers to get up to 12 weeks of paid time off each year.
By Tracy Marshall
(DENVER) – Coloradans no longer have to choose between caring for themselves and paying the bills.
The new Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program gives Colorado workers pay replacement when they need to step away from their jobs to care for themselves or a family member.
It’s a benefit available to almost everyone who earned at least $2,500 in Colorado in roughly the last year – including self-employed and gig workers. Workers in Colorado can now get up to 12 weeks of partial pay replacement per year after certain life events, such as the birth of a child or a serious medical condition.
But many Coloradans don’t know about this new benefit and how to get it. Here’s a quick overview, so you know that when life happens, FAMLI has you covered.
Where did FAMLI come from?
Colorado voters approved FAMLI in 2020. We’re actually the first state in the country to enact paid family and medical leave through a ballot initiative.
How does it work?
Employers and employees in Colorado
have been paying into the FAMLI program since January of 2023. Premiums are set to 0.9% of the employee’s wage, with 0.45% paid by the employer and 0.45% paid by the employee.
Nearly every Colorado employer is required to comply with the FAMLI Act’s requirements – by either participating in the state program or providing a private plan of equal or greater benefit.
Only local governments have the option to vote to opt out of participating in the program. (Employees of opted-out local governments can still participate if they wish; they simply agree to pay the employee portion of the premium for three years.) Federal employers and some railroad employers are fully exempt from the program.
Family and medical leave isn’t new – the national Family and Medical Leave Act, which took effect in 1993, grants 12 weeks of job-protected leave for many. But it’s unpaid leave and excludes many part-time workers, workers at small-sized businesses and those who have worked less than 12 months.
What life events make someone eligible for paid leave?
Colorado’s FAMLI program covers workers who need to temporarily step away from work for the following reasons:
• Bonding with a new child (including adoptions and foster care/kinship care placements)
•Managing a serious health condition
• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
• Making arrangements because of a military deployment
• Dealing with the immediate needs and impacts from domestic partner violence, sexual assault or stalking.
How much does FAMLI pay?
Employees can receive up to 90% of their wages, based on a sliding scale. So if you make $500 a week, your FAMLI benefit would be $450 a week. Benefits are capped at $1,100 per week.
This cap is proportional to the average weekly wage for Colorado and may increase over time. We have a calculator on our website (famli.colorado.gov) to help families get a rough estimate of both their paycheck deductions and potential benefit payments.
What if my employer won’t let me go?
Colorado voters made sure that employers can’t fire people just because they need to
take FAMLI leave. The law prohibits employers from interfering with your right to take paid medical leave, and it says they have to keep your information confidential.
Even better, the law includes important job protections that kick in after you’ve worked somewhere for 180 days, or roughly six months. After that, employers are required to reinstate workers on FAMLI leave to the jobs they had before (with some exceptions, such as seasonal work that was scheduled to wind down anyway.)
We’ve got lots of resources on our website to explain exactly how FAMLI job protection works.
What are my next steps?
Supporting Colorado workers who need FAMLI leave is our passion. You can file your claim online, with lots of how-to guides and videos to help you through the process.
For personalized assistance, you can call us any weekday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. at 1-866-CO-FAMLI (1-866-263-2654).
Tracy Marshall is the Director of the new paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). Tracy has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years and holds her Bachelors in Nursing from the University of Wales.
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ney General Phil Weiser’s o ce sued the EPA in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, as required by the Clean Air Act, to stop the demands for expanded open records.
Now it’s likely the environmental groups will have to le their own lawsuit with the 10th Circuit, demanding the EPA’s tougher open-access rule be put back in place.
Coloradans wanting to check up on actual air pollution emissions from oil and gas or other sites will be “getting just the tip of the iceberg,” said Ryan Maher of the Center for Biological Diversity, which along with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility has been challenging Colorado’s open records rules. “And the EPA and Colorado are saying, well, that’s all the public needs.”
e gap of information available to the public comes frequently in aring operations at oil and gas production sites, with rules requiring that the producer have burning devices that remove 95% of methane and volatile organic compound emissions created as an extraction byproduct, Maher said.
e oil and gas company may only need to report once a year that it has the minimum required equipment in place, Maher said. But those reports don’t say how often the aring equipment is o ine due to malfunction or maintenance, or whether it’s truly
September snowstorms are rare in the Denver area
But it has happened
BY JUSTIN GEORGE THE COLORADO SUN
As recently as Sept. 8, 2020, it snowed 1 inch in Denver, the second-earliest snowfall in the city’s recorded history. September snowstorms are relatively rare in the Mile High City.
Since 1882, Denver has received a monthly snow total of at least 0.1 inch in September at least 29 times, with the earliest snowfall coming Sept. 3, 1961, when Denver was pounded with 4.2 inches of snow. Most years, snow doesn’t show up in the city until November or December. In 2023, snow’s rst arrival in Denver came Oct. 28. In 2022, snow fell Nov. 4. And in 2021, the rst snow was recorded Dec. 10. at was also the latest a rst snow had ever fallen in Denver. Before that, the latest recorded rst snowfall occurred Nov. 21, 1934. 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.
FILE PHOTO BY SARA HERTWIG
Loveland Ski Area to start making snow in early October
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Loveland Ski Area will make it snow in early October in anticipation of opening its rst lifts by early November, according to Marketing Manager Dustin Schaefer.
e ski area’s plan is to start making snow using snow guns at the top of Chet’s Dream ski run and work their way down to the base as conditions allow, Schaefer said.
e ski area also recently announced a price freeze from last season’s 4-Paks and 3-Class Passes, meaning rates won’t go up for the 2024-25 season e price deadline for season passes is Dec. 5, and the deadline for 4-Paks is Nov. 24.
“Loveland’s opening day terrain will include Catwalk, Mambo and Homerun, o ering 1,000 vertical feet of treeto-tree coverage with an 18-inch base,” Schaefer said.
An exact opening date is yet to be announced and will depend heavily on the weather conditions, Schaefer said. Last year’s opening day was Nov. 10. It typically takes about two weeks of continuous snowmaking to get the mountain ready, Schaefer added.
Loveland Ski Area will start making snow in early October for the upcoming ski season.
TRIVIA
1. U.S. STATES: Which state’s nickname is e Hawkeye State?
2. MOVIES: What are the bad guys called in “Transformers”?
3. MYTHOLOGY: What happens to people when Medusa turns her gaze on them?
4. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of crocodiles in the water called?
5. FOOD & DRINK: What is the main ingredient in bouillabaisse (stew)?
6. ASTRONOMY: How old is our Sun?
7. TELEVISION: Where does Walter White live in “Breaking Bad”?
8. LITERATURE: e character named Ichabod Crane appears in which 19th-century story?
9. MEDICAL: What is a common name for onychocryptosis?
10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Nova Scotia?
Answers
1. Iowa.
2. Decepticons.
3. ey turn to stone.
4. A oat.
5. Seafood.
6. About 4.6 billion years old.
7. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
8. “ e Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
9. Ingrown toenail.
10. Halifax. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
FLASHBACK
1. Which group had a hit with “Dancing Machine”?
2. Who released “Knock ree Times”?
3. Which group released “Bad to Me”?
4. Name the group that released “I Can’t Get Next to You.”
5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “Maybe I didn’t treat you quite as good as I should have, Maybe I didn’t love you quite as often as I could have.”
Answers
1. e Jackson 5, in 1974. Michael helped popularize the robot dance with “Dancing Machine.” e group netted a Grammy nom for Best R&B Performance for the song but lost to Rufus and Chaka Khan.
2. Dawn, later known as Tony Orlando and Dawn, in 1970. Singing with the two Dawn ladies while on tour was supposed to be temporary, but was continued when all three liked the arrangement.
3. Billy J. Kramer & e Dakotas, in 1963. e song was written for the group by Beatle John Lennon and recorded at the Abbey Road Studios.
4. e Temptations, in 1969.
5. “Always on My Mind,” by Gwen McCrae in 1972. Brenda Lee released a cover three months later, followed by Elvis Presley the same year and Willie Nelson in 1982.
(c) 2024 King Features Syndicate
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Climax Molybdenum Company seeks Geomechanical Engineer I (Job #AC30) position in Empire, CO: Under close supervision, assist in mining geomechanical engineering processes including pit slope & stockpile stability, instrumentation and serve as resource for geomechanical information and analysis. Rate of pay: $85,000 per year. Send resumes to Ron Ostrom <rostrom@fmi. com> & must reference Job # in subject line. Equal Opportunity Employer/ Protected Veteran/Disability
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Maher said.
“ ere’s 14,000 permitted entities out there, and the state is not requesting records on a regular basis,” Maher said. “We know that we’re not going to get access to a lot of this unless it’s required by the EPA,” he said. “ at’s why this situation is especially disheartening, where the EPA initially came out with such strong language in favor of public enforcement, and then just kind of accepted what I view as pretense … supercial explanations.”
e Denver regional o ce of the EPA said it was still evaluating comments on
its proposal to accept new State Implementation Plan details from Colorado, and would respond to groups like Center for Biological Diversity before taking nal action. e EPA said that after it had initially rejected parts of Colorado’s state implementation plan for lack of records access, the state “submitted a letter committing to undertake additional steps to improve public access to regulatory compliance information and clarify existing SIP reporting requirements.”
Colorado air pollution control o cials said they would not have any comment about the open records dispute.
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.
AGREEMENT RECORDED FEBRUARY1, 2008 IN BOOK 786 AT PAGE421.
Purported common address: 1531 LITTLE BEAR CREEK RD, IDAHO SPRINGS, CO 80452-9607.
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,
11/21/2024, at The Clear Creek County Publictown, Colorado, sell to the highest and best interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs
Legal Notice No. CCC945
Last Publication: October 24, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
City and County
Public Notice L0926-TD 24-006 NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND OF APPLICATION FOR A PUBLIC AUCTION OF A CERTIFICATE OF OPTION FOR TREASURER’S DEEDinafter Described Land, Lot or Premises, and to the Person in Whose Name the Same was Taxed
Premises and To Whom It May Concern, and Henry L Eckard
First Publication 9/26/2024
Last Publication 10/24/2024
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: 07/24/2024
Carol Lee, Public Trustee in and for the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado By: Carol Lee, Public Trustee
and bar registration number of the attorney(s)ness is: Carly Imbrogno, Esq. #59553
Attorney File # 00000010040509
the 13 day of November, 2020 the then County Treasurer of the County of Clear Creek, in the
Kent S Taylor the following described real estate situate in the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado, to wit:
Purchase 2020-01182
Account R016974–Parcel 183920311008
Sub.: BERTHOUD FALLS Block: 11 Lot: 34 AND: Lot: 35 & PT VAC ALLEYWAY 198/242 VAC 600/188 616/374
SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO
And Whereas said County Treasurer issued a Kent S Taylor. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2019. That said real estate of Henry L Eckard.
That said Kent S. Taylor, did on the 01 day of
August, 2024
Treasurer’s Deed to said real estate;
Auction date (unless the Auction is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real Lawful Holders’ heirs and assigns therein, for the -
39-11.5-106)
Assessed value: $ 800.00
First Publication: 09.26.2024
Second Publication: 10.03.2024
Last Publication: 10.10.2024
Published in: Clear Creek Courant
to the actual Public Auction. Witness my hand this 05 day /s/ Carol Lee Carol Lee, Treasurer Clear Creek County L0926-TD 24-006
Legal Notice No. CCC944
Last Publication: October 10, 2024
Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
NOTICE COMMUNITY MEETING FOR CENTRAL-CITY CLEAR CREEK
Environment
meetings, go
The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector -
Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Being an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Seniors don’t want to be a burden to their children while they’re alive, and there are ways to reduce their burden after they die.
If you’ve ever served as a “personal representative” (aka, “executor”) for a person who has passed, you know that it can be a long and burdensome process. There are actions that you can take now so that handling your estate is less burdensome.
First, of course, you need to write a will, and make sure that it can be found upon your death. You can find law firms that specialize in estate planning which can help you with composing a will plus other tools such as a medical power of attorney, living will, living trust, and, for real estate, a beneficiary deed.
gave unused bicycles to the Optimist Club’s Bicycle Recycle Program, and took several car loads of clothes, dishes, silverware, small appliances and you-name-it to Goodwill. Since I was our own Realtor in the transaction, I cleverly inserted in the contract of sale that “the seller can leave anything he doesn’t want,” which included countless tools and other stuff in our garage. That was in addition to selling most of our furniture to the buyer for $10,000 paid by check outside of closing.
An unbelievable sense of lightness and peace of mind filled Rita and me from the experience of disposing of so much stuff that would have only been a burden to our heirs if we had died while living in that home.
Is a Heat Pump Right for You? Here Is Some Info.
More and more builders and homeowners are looking at the possibility of switching from gas forced air to heat pumps for heating homes and domestic hot water, especially with the huge tax credits offered under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The following is adapted from an article I saw on CustomBuilderOnline.com
How do heat pumps work?
A heat pump moves heat, it doesn’t generate heat.
A furnace combusts fuel — oil, gas, or propane — and that fuel heats a metal component called a heat exchanger. A fan blows air over it, and that’s how a home heats up, explains Matt Rusteika of the Building Decarbonization Coalition.
pump,” says Rusteika.
How much does switching to a heat pump cost?
With rebate incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), switching to a heat pump could be more attainable.
Thanks to the IRA, heat pumps are now affordable for low-income households and we’re seeing a lot of heat pumps in those homes now, says Unger. Rebates under the IRA are as high as $8,000 for the heat pumps and $6,500 for the wiring to support them, he says.
Searching for “estate planning” on the internet produces an abundance of easy-to-understand advice from multiple trust-worthy websites ranging from wikipedia.com to fidelity.com to the American Bar Association, nerdwallet.com and the National Council on Aging. One website I clicked that had excellent and thorough advice was investopedia.com
A good piece of advice I read was to add the person you designate as your personal representative to your bank accounts, the title of your vehicles, and to your credit card accounts, so those are not frozen and unavailable to him or her after your death. And you might want to dispose of excess property that is otherwise cluttering up your basement and garage.
When Rita and I downsized from our 4,000-sq.-ft. home to an 1,100-sq.-ft. apartment, we did our heirs a great favor, because doing so required us to dispose of an immense amount of stuff that was cluttering up our basement. We
Notice that I did not advise you to add your heirs to the title of your house. If you do, your heirs will not only inherit the house, they will also inherit your capital gain when they go so sell it. The better strategy is to create a beneficiary deed naming your heir(s) as the beneficiary. A beneficiary deed, also known as a transfer-on-death (TOD) deed, is a legal document that allows a property owner to transfer ownership of their real estate to a designated beneficiary after they die. The deed is effective upon the owner's death and bypasses the probate process. This approach, like leaving the property to your heirs in your will, allows your heirs to avoid the capital gain on your home, because its value is “stepped up” to the value of the home at the time of your death. If they sell the home soon, they will probably owe zero in capital gains tax.
For more estate planning advice, contact a lawyer specializing in that field. I can recommend one if you’d like.
List With Me & Get Totally Free Local Moving
It has long been my practice — and that of some of my broker associates — that if you hire me to list your current home and to purchase your replacement home, I will not only reduce my commission for selling your current home but provide totally free local moving using our company moving truck (similar to a large U-Haul) and our own moving personnel. We also provide free moving boxes and packing paper/bubble wrap. Just pack and unpack. We will even pick up your flattened boxes and packing materials after you unpack! If you have ever priced moving costs
using traditional moving companies, you know that our totally free moving can save you thousands of dollars, even for a move within the metro area.
I bought our first moving truck in 2004. We replaced it with a newer truck (above) in 2016. I calculate that we’ve saved clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in moving costs over the years.
In heat pumps, there is a compressor which moves a liquid/gas through copper pipe coils located outside and inside the home, operating on two laws of physics: gases get hotter under pressure, and heat moves from hot to cold. Compared to combustion, the heat pump doesn’t burn fuel, rather, it uses energy from the pump and compressor to harvest heat and move it.
“Heat goes into the coil, gets pumped through the compressor, the compressor puts it under pressure so it’s very hot. It goes inside, air blows over the inside coil, deposits the heat in the house, comes back outside, and starts the cycle again,” explains Rusteika. During cooling operation, the cycle is merely reversed, pumping heat out of the house.
What are the negatives of heat pumps?
Heat pump efficiency drops as temperatures get colder, explains Russell Unger, principal at Rocky Mountain Institute. Early heat pumps were not efficient at very cold outdoor temperatures, and some contractors are unaware of the improvement in efficiency that is now common. Nowadays there are cold-weather heat pumps which can draw heat out of the air even at subfreezing outdoor temperatures, says Unger. He points to the state of Maine, which has very cold winters but has the highest percentage of homes heated with heat pumps.
In 2019, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced a goal to install 100,000 heat pumps in the state by 2025. That goal was achieved in July 2023, and now Gov. Mills has a new goal of 175,000 more by 2027.
“When you look for a heat pump, you need to look for a climate-appropriate heat
When a homeowner needs to replace an existing heating system, the wisest move may be to install a heat pump. The Department of Energy estimates that efficient electric heat pumps can save families approximately $500 to $1,000 annually
Heat pumps are being installed in great numbers in Maine because the marginal cost of switching to a heat pump is pretty small, explains Unger. Where there is a need for both heating and cooling, a heat pump provides a complete solution. The heat pump replaces two separate components — a furnace and A/C compressor — with a single component using the same ducts. And if a homeowner installs solar, earning additional IRA tax credits, there’s great synergy, since the heat pump uses only electricity and uses it very efficiently.
How popular are heat pumps?
Revised building codes have increased the adoption of heat pumps within the last few years. Still, a lot of HVAC contractors remain skeptical. Many of them tried older heat pumps and it didn’t work as well in cold climates, so getting them to revisit the option has proven difficult, but needs to be encouraged, says Unger.
Heat pumps have outpaced furnace sales every month for the past two years, in addition to solar generation increasing about 40% in the last 20 years, and battery sales up 70% in the last 10 years,
“There’s a big shift happening right now. To remain competitive, to get ahead of what customers want, this is something for contractors to start paying attention to,” says Unger.
In the posting of this article online at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I have added hyperlinks to Maine’s experience and the rebates available under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Jim
303-525-1851
1214 Washington Ave.,
