Clear Creek Courant October 10, 2024

A dark tour through Idaho Springs

Clear Creek School District ends negotiations with Clear Creek Center for Arts & Education

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Years of negotiations between Clear Creek School Board members and the Clear Creek Center for Arts & Education to use the fourth oor of the new Carlson Elementary School building as a rehearsal and performance space ended abruptly in a four-to-one vote by CCSB members.

At a regularly scheduled business meeting for the CCSB Sept. 19 at the high school in Evergreen, board member Kelly Flenniken began speaking on an agenda item including ongoing negotiations with CCCAE.

“I am just going to go ahead and say that I’ve been struggling with this project for a long time and not because I don’t believe in the arts or because I don’t value partnership but because I have struggled for a very long time to understand nancial viability of this, and I think that was well demonstrated tonight.” Flenniken said. “I’m appreciative of the conversations that we’ve had. ey’ve been hard and they’ve been productive but at this point I would like to move that we cease negotiations with the Clear Creek Center for Arts and Education.”

Four CCSD board members, Kerry Ann McHugh, Erica Haag and Marcie King joined Flenniken in stopping negotiations with CCCAE. School Board President Jessica North was the only vote against the motion. Flenniken’s statement and the board’s

The Idaho Springs ghost tour revealed creepy secrets about the city’s history.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

P4

ARTS CENTER

ultimate decision was made in under a minute and 30 seconds during the nearly hour-and-a-half-long meeting.

Flenniken simpli ed the implications of the vote during the meeting.

“(It) means we are no longer considering them (CCCAE) as a partner for the fourth oor,” Flenniken told the Courant.

Editor’s note: e school board’s full explanation of the decision to the Courant was published as a Community Voices column in the Oct. 3 paper.

When asked if she was surprised by the statement from Flenniken and the abrupt decision, North said, “Yes, because my training as board president is to make sure all sides get to be heard and I was surprised when no one listened to the other side and for the community, that happened really fast.

“I have shed so many tears over this,” she continued.

“Transparency” is a term often used by agencies in an e ort to inform the public the reasons by which ruling members or judges are open to the public in meetings, it is, by its very definition, according to the Oxford Dictionary, “the quality of allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen.”

However, transparency is negated by an executive session when board, commission or council members meet privately to discuss matters with attorneys or other government o cials regarding legal or personnel matters, according to state, city and federal law.

“I am saddened,” North said. “It’s a part of democracy, we rule by consensus in the school board and our community members don’t understand. ey’re like, ‘What are we missing?’ I guess why so much of our conversation is done in executive session, not out in the open (is) because it really limits what I can say.”

“It was a total blindside. We thought we were going there to answer nal questions on the lease, so the board as a whole is in shock,” CCCAE board president Mary Jane Loevlie said after the meeting. e CCCAE had already raised $1.538 million in funds for the project from Colorado’s Creative industries, as part of the state’s Impact Development Fund.

According to public state documents, the Impact Development

Fund “supports projects that bring together multi-faceted community stakeholders including nonpro t organizations… and local and state government. Starting with strategic planning for future projects, through the application process to ultimately securing nancing, we help overcome obstacles to ensure critical Colorado community projects can break ground.”

In November 2023, Flenniken wrote to IDF Chief Compliance O cer Connie Ealey, according to emails received by the Courant.

“As you may know, on Nov. 17, 2022, the Board of Education signed a letter of intent with the CCCAE organization to work together to revitalize community arts in a designated portion of the district owned facility,” Flenniken wrote in the email.

On Aug. 8, 2024, Ealey reached out to the CCCAE in another email.

“As you are aware, the primary goal of your project is to renovate a 300seat multi-use professional theater, cinema… a 175-seat concert hall… and an 85-seat children’s theater,” Ealey said in the email.

“With a total grant award of $1.538 million and the deadline for drawdown rapidly approaching, it is essential that we understand any challenges or delays that may be hindering progress,” the email continued.

Leaders with CCCAE said it earmarked those funds for the performing arts center on Carlson’s fourth oor, however, it said it can do nothing there without a lease.

Flenniken said she’s not aware of any plans for how CCCAE could use the $1.538 million funding before the end of the year.

However, she said the board’s decision to stop negotiations was based on several factors including nancial

viability, organizational track record, student safety and facility use and equity across the district.

“It is di cult to watch CCSD choose to walk away from $1.583 million in capital improvements. Potentially $40,000 in rent over the next two years, as well as the value of the educational enrichment and opportunities for all our K-12 students,” Executive Director of CCCAE Carla Pokrywka Cole said.

Loevlie said CCCAE has no intention of walking away from the grant and ideas are on the table, including working with the school board.

“I don’t see us being able to do that much with that space in the short term on our own, so it’s sad we could be shuttering it, or right now it is. My hope is we nd a fast-forward where we continue to work with them (CCCAE) or any other group that would be willing to help us nish out that space,” North said.

Carlson Elementary in Idaho Springs.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

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Phase two of the Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain opens to the public

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain adjacent to the Might Argo in Idaho Springs is now open to mountain bikers as phase two of a master plan of hiking and biking trails for the area.

A collaboration between Idaho Springs, e Mighty Argo and the Colorado Mountain Bike Association plans a total of at least 28 miles of bike trails in several phases, and it will ultimately offer a combination of multi-use trails as well as those speci cally designated for hikers or mountain bikers, according to COMBA.

ese bike/hike trails are designed for everyone from beginner to experts and phase two of the design demonstrates that, according to COMBA Executive Director Gary Moore.

“Drop Shaft” is the trail name decided by associated members as one of the rst to open and the term “challenging” is relative, according to Moore.

“What we have on the Drop Shaft sign is ‘challenging terrain, large berm corners, multiple jumps with optional gaps, wooden features, high speed and loose conditions,’ so that’s the way we’ve described it at the trailhead sign,” Moore said.

Another unique feature of the trails is

the integration of hiking and biking simultaneously and safely on the mountain, according to Moore.

“ ere are two trails that are hiking both directions but biking only uphill, so there is no place in this park where hikers have to worry about bikes coming downhill and that’s unique,” Moore said.

Phase three is next and $400,000 in funding is in place from the Mighty Argo Gondal project, with construction to start this month, according to project partners.

“ at construction is primarily a blue trail that will go top to bottom on a similar track parallel to Drop Shaft; we expect that to be completed probably early spring,” Moore said.

According to an agreement between the City of Idaho Springs and the Mighty Argo, the city will receive 50 cents of every ticket sold to continue building and maintaining the series of bike paths under construction at the Argo that will be considered to be “world-class” when completed, according to planners and local bike enthusiasts.

Emergency services including county emergency medical services and Alpine Rescue have already walked the trails and have signed o on paths and rescue plans on the trails, according to COMBA leaders.

IT’S PATIO FURNITURE REPAIR SEASON

Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain adjacent to the Might Argo in Idaho Springs is now open. TODD ABBOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

A dark tour through downtown Idaho Springs reveals spooky secrets

BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Residents of Idaho Springs have experienced raw, rough and violent episodes in the 150 years of the city’s history, and some of those skeletons still lurk in the closets of original downtown buildings, according to ghost hunters on a tour with the Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District.

Jessi Steele with the CCMRD led a group of a dozen curious participants on an informative tour during a recent and chilly night through the streets of

downtown Idaho Springs all the way to the Argo Mill and Tunnel.

Along the way, Steele pointed out the lesser-known and eerie details of some of the long-established buildings throughout the historic downtown district.

Repeated claims of hearing clanking dishes and silverware, low voices and “strange misty gures” inside Tommyknocker Brewery are common to employees, Steele told tour-goers.

During one speci c event in the early 2000s, a waitress cleaning the dining area after business hours heard a

strange “scratching sound” and eventually narrowed in on a table where a half-empty water glass was located, according to Steele.

Surprised, since the waitress said she had already cleared the table, she reached to retrieve the glass when it slid away from her grasp and o the end of the table where it shattered on the oor, Steele said.

Beau Jo’s pizza was built in 1881 as a jewelry and sewing machine store before it came to be the well known Idaho Springs restaurant, but the souls of passed employees and visitors may have never left the building, Steele said.

“Employees, both current and former, report a frequent feeling of someone watching them,” Steele told the captivated tour audience. “Not the kind of feeling where you can tell someone is simply looking at you, but rather the heavy sinking feeling you’re being stared at.”

Steele added that there have also been “reports of a guttural growling coming from beneath the oorboards with no plausible explanation.”

A former member of management, Steele said, claimed to see a sevenfoot-tall shadow gure in the hallway outside upstairs o ces on multiple occasions.

“I wanted to learn a little bit more about the history and the ghostynist of Idaho Springs,” Dumont resident and tour participant Marissa Inhofer said.

e tour was not disappointing, she said.

“I doubt it was planned, but there were de nitely some lights that were ickering and shades that were closing, so that was fun,” Inhofer said.

Marcel Sorel from Denver agreed.

“I thought it was really intriguing,” Sorel said. “I learned a lot more about the history up here and I had not a clue about this kind of stu .”

Reports of sounds of footsteps, tap shoes and hearing someone crying date back to the 1940s inside the Idaho Springs Opera House, Steele claimed.

Child-like giggles and repeated “tapping” sounds can be heard from behind stationary objects in the current location of Idaho Springs City Hall, employees reported.

At the Idaho Springs Library, Steele said, “doors and lights seem to be a favorite of whoever continues to reside in the building, lights ickering in unusual patterns, cold spots, the occasional book ying o the shelf and cold hands on patrons’ shoulders have been reported.”

“I tend to be quite a skeptic, so I usually don’t believe in paranormal things,” Jere Sandberg of Idaho Springs said following the tour. “Still, the hair raises above my neck.”

e ghost tours continue at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Idaho Springs through October. Email jsteele@ccmrd.com for tickets and information.

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

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

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

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 volunteer@ bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

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.

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 720-2821164.

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 o ce. 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. urs-

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

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Clear Creek Courant (USPS 52610)

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SEE CURENTS, P7

The Colorado Trail, an iconic 567-mile high-elevation trail that crosses the Rockies, owes its existence largely to Gudy Gaskill, a charismatic, six-foot-tall woman who could make tough things seem easy.

Gaskill not only carried out the vision of a state trail, beginning slowly in the late 1970s but also gave birth to it. In 1972, she lobbied Congress, along with forester Bill Lucas, credited with the Colorado Trail idea, to change federal law so that volunteers could be allowed to build trails on public land.

Volunteerism was so potent an idea, that when, in 1984, writer Ed Quillen broke the story about Gaskill’s e orts to revive trail building that had foundered under the Colorado Mountain Trails Foundation, people were energized to join her. Soon, thanks to fundraising, she had 350 volunteers coming each summer to join trail crews she often led herself.

She made creating the Colorado Trail seem like a privilege: You camped out in beautiful backcountry, ate great food, and found stamina you never knew you possessed.

In 1985, caught up in the story, my father, Ed Marston, then publisher of High Country News, volunteered my sister, Wendy, 15, and me, 13,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Rebecca Lloyd will be a strong, smart Clear Creek County Commissioner

VOICES

Volunteers power the Colorado Trail

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

for a week of trail building. at’s how we learned how to swing those axe-like tools called Pulaskis on the Molas Pass to Durango section.

Gaskill herself led our crew, setting out early with orange ribbon to mark the trail. She was ecient and tireless, and in just a few hours, older, urban and young volunteers became trail builders with blisters to prove it.

It was exciting to work on a trail that unfurled along the rooftop of Colorado. Typical trails in those days led up mountains or over steep passes. e Colorado trail rejected peak-bagging and o ered a moderate route of week-long, 70-mile sections, neither losing nor gaining elevation rapidly, though often charting a route above tree line.

I joined a trail crew to revisit my childhood adventure this summer, and from Aug. 7 to 11, Denver friend Je Miller and I worked to repair trail in Cha ee County’s Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.

In wilderness, if there’s a tree to fell, you use a handsaw. We needed to move big rocks, so two of us yoked

Our community is fortunate to have Rebecca Lloyd running for County Commissioner and she has my enthusiastic endorsement.

Rebecca grew up in a small town and she understands how important it is that we all have a voice and a role in continuing to make Clear Creek a great place to live. With a background working as an attorney for a large government agency, she has the experience and skillset to dive into the complex, dynamic nature of county government.

She understands the various components of the county and how they all work together, and she will roll up her sleeves and do the hard, detailed work of budgeting, policy making, and supporting county employees. Rebecca will foster and grow key partnerships – with the school district, local businesses, nonpro t

ourselves together in nylon harnesses to do that. We divided labor this way: Men hauled big rocks, and women wielding rock hammers smashed the rocks into gravel.

Trail work has changed a lot in 39 years. Back then we built water bars to stop erosion from runo . Logs anchored into slopes sluiced water o trails but required annual maintenance. Now, water moves o trail through “grade reversals.” e trail swoops below grade, e ciently shunting water o the path, then swoops back up to level grade. Drains are large versions of grade reversals.

My fellow volunteers were largely thru-hikers, skilled backcountry voyageurs who spend their holidays hiking the trail from Denver to Durango in one go. Mark Stephenson, 26, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was one of the trail’s most ardent fans.

He arrived on the trail via Greyhound bus with $40 in his pocket, saying, “ is is a place where money doesn’t matter.”

inking a reported two-and-ahalf-mile hike to camp would be easy, my friend and I arrived at the trailhead loaded up with both front and back packs. I confess to having done the shopping. My friend was optimistic: “I can carry anything two and a half miles.”

organizations, citizens, surrounding counties, legislators, and state agencies – that are critical to our continued success.

Rebecca has lived in the county for 32 years and has a long history of community engagement. Over the years, she has invested time and energy in attending local meetings, listening to leaders and stakeholders, understanding the issues, contributing to conversations, and helping think through solutions to solve tough problems.

Rebecca has a deep respect for the grit, perseverance, and hard work that de ne our citizens and our history, and she will put her intelligent, articulate, and enthusiastic leadership style to work to bene t our families, our institutions, and our extraordinary community. I encourage you to join me in voting for Rebecca Lloyd for Clear Creek County Commissioner.

Liz Houston, Evergreen

But our camp had moved six miles away and 2,700 feet uphill. We made it, slowly, and once at camp, we quickly became free-store proprietors. But there was another problem: I’d left my tent poles at home. Crew leader Matt Smith, an engineer from Golden, easily came up with a x: He used parachute cord to rig up the tent y, then added a tarp to ward o the rain that soaked us every afternoon and night.

I don’t recall meeting thru-hikers in the mid-1980s, but today they seem to dominate hiking culture. I could only listen as the rest of the group talked about trails known by acronyms, including the famous AT—Appalachian Trail.

“You’re doing great work!” hikers told us as they passed by. Crew leader Smith o ers this perspective today: “19,000 volunteer person-hours go into trail improvement every year.”

We owe thanks to those original trail stalwarts—forester Bill Lucas, journalist Merrill Hastings and of course, Gudy Gaskill. eir vision created of one of the state’s wonders.

Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Durango, Colorado.

Connect, empower, discover

“Connect, empower, discover” are the guiding principles of our Clear Creek County Library District. In recent years, the CCCLD has expanded the idea of a library from a repository of information to a facilitator of growth and learning. Our libraries still house books for all ages and interests, and supporting literacy in our youngest residents is at the core of what the library sta does. But that is only a small part of their work.

“Literacy” has a broader meaning than simply being able to read and comprehend text. Our libraries support legal literacy by connecting residents to free legal services, or promote digital literacy through technology support sessions. e library sta helps our neighbors connect to fam-

Dave Marston

CURRENTS

days 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

LETTERS

ily, empowers them to nd the information they need, and helps them discover new passions and interests. Of course, our libraries still support content literacy with educational books, best-sellers, and the literature of the world.

It does not stop with literacy, though. Our libraries spark discovery through the “Library of ings.” Did you know you can check out an Instant Pot or a bicycle repair kit from the library? If you want to explore virtual reality, you can borrow their VR set. Prefer visiting nature over virtual landscapes? You can check out a State Park Pass free of charge.

rough the years of declining revenue, CCCLD has cut its budget with-

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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.

Clear Creek County Lookout Alert: e 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. e new site replaces CodeRED following the switch to Je Com911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.

out cutting services - doing more with less. e situation has gotten to the point where cutting further will mean reducing sta ng, programming, and resources o ered to the community. Our library district has been committed to supporting the residents of Clear Creek County to learn and grow, regardless of age, learning preferences and timeframes. Together, it’s time for us to commit to CCCLD by saying YES to ballot initiative 6A when you vote this year, increasing your property tax by $0.53 per month for each $100,000 of your home’s actual value. I invite you to go to yesclearcreeklibraries.com to get more information about 6A. I also invite you to step into the Idaho Springs Public Library, the John Tomay Memorial Library or the Local History Archives in Georgetown to learn more about all of the great opportunities that our libraries o er. Chris Gould, Idaho Springs

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 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.

BY NINA JOSS

Going through the home to declutter every few months can feel good.

Sometimes, the act of decluttering is spurred on by a large life change, like a move. Other times, it’s just nice to get a fresh start.

Deciding what to keep and what to let go can certainly be challenging, but sometimes the hardest part comes once the piles have been made. What should you do with the stroller your kids have grown out of, or the pantsuit you no longer need since you switched jobs?

Luckily, several organizations in Colorado exist to ensure your loved items will nd a second life. From mat-

tresses to cribs, your items can be recycled or reused — and can help change people’s lives in the process.

Cribs and car seats for young families

In Aurora, an organization called WeeCycle connects families raising infants and toddlers with essential baby gear and supplies.

“We do this by collecting new and gently used items from other community members that are done with their items, but they still have a lot of usable life left in them,” said Executive Director Morgan Seibel. “All of our programming works through that lens of sustainability.”

WeeCycle accepts items including cribs, car seats, strollers, diapers and “pack ‘n plays,” which are portable play

and sleeping area units. e group also accepts baby gates, baby monitors, humidi ers, bassinets and more.

e organization hosts collection events multiple times a week at its warehouse in Aurora and has other partner locations throughout the metro area that accept new diapers, wipes and formula. Pickup services are also available in some cases.

After receiving, cleaning and organizing donations, the team works with about 60 partner organizations to connect usable items to families that need them.

“We try to have a very wide range of di erent organizations … with the common thread that they are supporting families with infants and toddlers, and those families are struggling to provide

all the items that they need,” Seibel said. ese organizations help immigrant and refugee families, families experiencing homelessness, foster families, families in the court system and more.

Seibel said WeeCycle tries to partner with organizations that provide additional wraparound support services for families, such as housing support, job training, English language classes and more.

“We understand that giving a family a stroller doesn’t solve all the other challenges that they’re facing,” she said.

In the rst two half of this year, WeeCycle distributed over 367,000 items to families in need, totaling an estimated value of over $1.6 million.

Employees at Spring Back Colorado smile in the organization’s mattress recycling warehouse. COURTESY OF SPRING BACK COLORADO

on their professional journeys.

Dress for Success Denver aims to empower women and all who genderidentify as women to achieve economic independence by providing professional attire, career development tools and a network of support, said Executive Director Amara Martin.

e local branch of the international nonpro t accepts women’s business casual to business professional clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, Martin said. e organization asks that all clothing donated be clean, in season and current.

“ ose clothes are going to immediately go into my clothing boutique, where women are coming down during the week when they have a job interview, as well as when they are starting work,” she said.

When a woman comes into the boutique, she gets to work with a volunteer personal stylist who helps the client identify which out ts will work best for her needs.

look, the more con dent you feel,” she said. “ is is an excellent way to kind of spread that con dence and to help a woman on her journey toward selfde ned success.”

Martin said the organization is often in need of plus-sized clothing, which it receives less often in donations. People who want to help ll this need can donate funds to support Dress for Success Denver in purchasing clothing that matches the sizing needs of their clients.

Mattresses for a better life

One of the most notoriously challenging items to get rid of is a mattress. ey can be hard to sell. Many donation centers don’t take them and they rarely t in a dumpster. Plus, simply throwing away such a large and important item can feel like a waste.

and compress them into bales, which they then send to recycling partners. Steel makes its way to mills where it is recycled into new steel products. Foam goes to a plant where it’s made into carpet padding, automobile insulation and more. Wood is turned into landscaping mulch or biofuel.

“Historically, we have been able to recycle anywhere from 85% to about 92% of a mattress,” Conway said. e team recycles about 6,000 to 7,000 mattresses each month, Conway said. at means they diverted about 3.4 million mattresses from land lls in 2023.

“ e worst thing for a land ll is a mattress,” he said. “If you have a nite amount of space in the in the ground, the last thing you want going in there is big, bulky items that don’t break down, that are really hard on equipment and machinery.”

“ ey, together, shop to nd the best items that are going to t the best, that are going to look the best, that are going to help her feel as con dent as possible in her job search,” Martin said.

DONATIONS

WeeCycle recycles car seats that cannot be reused. ey also try to be creative with other items that cannot be given to families, which has led to donating recalled pillows to animal shelters and donating crib pieces to the local children’s museum maker lab.

Seibel said donating items to WeeCycle can be a great way for families to help others with items that they have grown out of, or perhaps items that they never even used.

“It allows them to really support other members of their community that aren’t able to access the items that they had when raising their children,” she said.

Clothing and confidence for professionals

If you have professional clothing that you no longer need, it can be used to help support women as they embark

In 2023, over 1,300 women used the boutique space, Martin said. Some people are referred by partner organizations, and others refer themselves.

In addition to getting free professional clothing, women who use Dress for Success Denver’s services can receive career coaching, take job readiness classes, participate in a job retention program and more.

Martin said if a person is unsure whether their clothes are in season or in style, they should bring it to donate anyway. Anything that doesn’t meet Dress for Success Denver’s requirements will be donated to other organizations that serve women in the community, she said.

e organization accept donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month at 2594 S. Colorado Blvd. in Denver. ey ask that all donations are delivered on hangers, not in garbage bags or boxes.

e organization also accepts donations of unopened, mini-size toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and hand sanitizer.

Martin said donating clothes to Dress for Success Denver can give the clothes that helped a person in their career the chance to help someone else.

“We all know that the better you

Spring Back Colorado gives people an alternative for mattress recycling, while also providing employment opportunities for people who have had challenges entering the workforce due to criminal history, addiction or other challenges.

President Peter Conway said his father started Spring Back Colorado after spending years volunteering at Denver Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter. While working there, he met a lot of people who struggled to nd and keep jobs.

“ e company was created as a way to help those folks get stable employment, get back on their feet, become tax-paying members of the community, and also to help reduce recidivism,” Conway said. “We use mattress recycling as a vehicle to do all of that.”

e company partners with drug and alcohol recovery centers to o er job opportunities to individuals in the programs. One of their main partners is the Stout Street Foundation, a recovery program based in Commerce City, where Spring Back Colorado is also located.

“As their members are going through their treatment program, they basically introduce them into di erent workforces throughout the community,” Conway said. “Once they graduate from that program, they’re able to come on in a more full-time capacity with us.”

At the mattress recycling warehouse, employees break down mattresses that have been picked up or dropped o . Mattresses are usually largely made of foam, wood and steel, Conway said. e workers separate the materials

Spring Back Colorado has partnerships with land lls to bring mattresses to the recycling plant. In many cases, recycling a mattress with Spring Back Colorado — which costs a $40 recycling fee if you drop it o at the warehouse — costs less than throwing it away at a land ll, Conway said. Spring Back Colorado also o ers mattress pickup, which costs an additional $60 to $90 transportation fee, depending on distance.

Conway said recycling mattresses is the environmentally responsible thing to do.

“Bringing them to us, you are helping create that land ll waste diversion,” he said. “Shifting the awareness and the consumer to do the right thing, I think is only going to continue to become more and more impactful on an environmental level.”

But perhaps even more importantly, Conway said, bringing mattresses to Spring Back Colorado helps make a di erence in people’s lives.

Bobby Dainko, who works as the community development director at Spring Back Colorado, is a graduate of Stout Street Foundation. When he started working at the mattress recycling facility, he was experiencing homelessness and had 11 warrants. Five years later, he is a homeowner, is employed and says he loves his life. He credits Spring Back Colorado for the transformation.

“If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I’d be,” he said. “I might even be dead. It allowed me to get my life back … You can’t put a price on what I’ve gotten back.”

A woman smiles in her new professional outfit from the Dress for Success Denver boutique. COURTESY OF DRESS FOR SUCCESS DENVER

Clear Creek County 2024 Election Guide

Ballots are mailed out on Oct. 11 for the Nov. 5 general election.

e Clear Creek Courant organized this guide with important dates, ballot box and voting center locations and races. Questions were sent out to all of the candidates to help readers make an informed vote.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Sept. 21: Military and overseas ballots mailed

• Oct. 11: Local ballots mailed, drop boxes open

• Oct. 21: Vote centers open

• Oct. 28: Last day to mail your ballot

• Nov. 5: Last day to vote

VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTERS

On the state level, voters will elect a state representative for Colorado House District 49, which covers Clear Creek County. Unfortunately, Demo-

Ballot drop o , replacement ballots, voter registration, in-person voting andaccessible voting equipment will be available at the Clear Creek County Courthouse (BOCC Room), 405 Argentine St. in Georgetown.

• 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, Oct. 21 through Nov. 4

• 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2

• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 5

BALLOT DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

These 24-hour monitored mail ballot drop boxes will be open Monday, Oct. 11 through 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5

• Clear Creek County Courthouse, 405 Argentine St, Georgetown

• CommonSpirit Primary Care Idaho Springs, 1969 Miner St, Idaho Springs

• Clear Creek High School, 185 Beaver Brook Canyon Rd, Evergreen

crat candidate Lesley Smith and Republican candidate Steve Ferrante did not respond to our questionnaire.

On the county level, voters will elect members of the Clear Creek County Board of Commissioners for districts 2 and 3. We heard back from district 2 candidates Rebecca Lloyd and Eric Ginter and district 3 candidate Jodie HartmanBall. e other district 3 candidate, Robert Smith, did not respond to the questionnaire.

— Kristen Fiore, Editor

Clear Creek County Commissioner District 2

Eric Ginter

Residence: Evergreen  Profession: Electrical Contractor  For more information: https:// cccgop.com/gop-candidates/ericginter/

If elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?

As a county we must get out of a cycle of de cit spending. We must be able to retain professional county workers ie Educators, road and bridge, sheri deputies, Fireghters, and EMT.

Adequate and a ordable housing is a critical issue across Clear Creek County, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Empire and Silver Plume. Many people who work here can’t a ord to live here. Is teaming up all five entities to form an Intergovernmental Regional Housing Authority the best direction for success or are there better ways to consider moving forward?

I’m not against the housing au-

thority, however, I think we need to be “beginning with the end in mind.” We need to have de ned objectives laid out, as well as expectations. We should be looking into more ADU solutions.

Budgets are an issue in each Clear Creek County jurisdiction and funding is always tight. Are there additional revenue funding streams to be considered or would you consider raising taxes?

I would consider looking into any new revenue streams. I think there are creative ways I would also look to our community for input.

The Clear Creek Fire Authority has struggled for many years to find adequate funds to provide emergency services. There are a handful of fulltime paid personnel in the departments, as most are volunteers. A recent report from MissionCIT identified several areas, especially in

qualified personnel, that the report deemed “critical” to improve. How do you fix this and better protect this county? How familiar are you with the situation and do you currently work with the fire authority on the issues?

I let re ghters do their jobs, and aid property owners/ homeowners with mitigation.

Clear Creek County Commissioner District 2

Clear Creek County Commissioner District 3

Residence: Evergreen (Clear Creek County)

Profession: Attorney

For more information: www. RebeccaforClearCreek.com  RebeccaforCreekCreek@icloud.com

FB: Rebecca Lloyd for Clear Creek

If elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?

Over the past year, I have been attending many county meetings and listening to the frustration of residents trying to get the county to improve certain areas. Some of the loudest voices come from residents who want safer roads, bridges and pedestrian walkways. To me, roads and bridges and public safety are critical functions of county government. I also want to ensure our re department is strong, fully sta ed and well-equipped. e risk of wild re is not going away, and a re with heavy wind in any part of Clear Creek County could threaten all of us.

Adequate and a ordable housing is a critical issue across Clear Creek County, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Empire and Silver Plume. Many people who work here can’t a ord to live here. Is teaming up all five entities to form an Intergovernmental Regional Housing Authority the best direction for success or are there better ways to consider moving forward?

We are such a small county that banding together to help our residents have consistent housing rules, guidelines and protections across the county is a wise move. Our County faces so much pressure by Summit County and the Denver Metro areas to provide more Short Term Rentals and second homes that working together is the best way to protect our communities. A community thrives when it has engaged citizens who look out for each other, and support our schools, businesses and environment. A neighborhood full of short-term rentals

Rebecca Lloyd Jodie Hartman-Ball

or mostly vacant houses is not a healthy welcoming neighborhood.

Budgets are an issue in each Clear Creek County jurisdiction and funding is always tight. Are there additional revenue funding streams to be considered or would you consider raising taxes?

To be able to protect our communities, we need a combination of revenue sources. at includes recouping our tax dollars from the State and federal governments in the form of grants targeted to needed improvements. We need tourist tax dollars to help pay for the burden on our emergency services from lost or injured hikers, disorderly vacationers and issues arising from the over 35K daily vehicles driving I-70. Clear Creek is a small county with big county challenges. Only if grants and other revenue sources prove to be inadequate, would I consider asking county voters to approve additional revenues.

The Clear Creek Fire Authority has struggled for many years to find adequate funds to provide emergency services. There are a handful of full-time paid personnel in the departments, as most are volunteers. A recent report from MissionCIT identified several areas, especially in qualified personnel, that the report deemed “critical” to improve. How do you fix this and better protect this county? How familiar are you with the situation and do you currently work with the fire authority on the issues? I have attended or “Zoomed” most of the BOCC/CCFA meetings this year

If elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?

Clear Creek has a ordable housing, a balanced budget while providing great services to our community. Balance tourism while protecting residents’ way of life and our environment. I would hope young families would be attracted to Clear Creek County to raise their children and our aging population thriving. Hearing folks talk about Clear Creek County and residents are proud to be part of the community. Clear Creek has a healthcare facility that is thriving and providing all kinds of services our residents need. Our government departments and private businesses are fully sta ed with happy employees.

Adequate and a ordable housing is a critical issue across Clear Creek County, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Empire and Silver Plume. Many people who work here can’t a ord to live here. Is teaming up all five entities to form an Intergovernmental Regional Housing Authority the best direction for success or are there better ways to consider moving forward?

I support the Intergovernmental Regional Housing Authority. It will be good for the local governing bodies to collaborate and tackle the a ordable housing crisis in Clear Creek County. With this agreement, the authority can seek funding such as grants, donations and public-private partnerships. ey can identify the needs of the community and make strategic plans to meet those needs. Engaging with the local governments, community, and other relevant stakeholders to provide guidance I believe is important. I would like to see empty homes that could be xed up and get incentives for full-time residents to live in.

Budgets are an issue in each Clear Creek County jurisdiction and funding is always tight. Are there additional revenue funding streams to be considered or would you consider raising taxes?

I am hoping to work with our state legislators on bills that could help ease some of the burden local residents have by taxing some of the services provided to those traveling through our. A tourism tax or some type that can be implemented countywide. I do not feel it is fair to attract folks to our community to in turn cost them more money. Sometimes Bigger isn’t Better! Let’s look at what we have now and nd ways to get revenue from those traveling through. Raising taxes for services locals residents need to be safe is one thing but taxing locals to pay for tourists I believe is bad government.

The Clear Creek Fire Authority has struggled for many years to find adequate funds to provide emergency services. There are a handful of full-time paid personnel in the departments, as most are volunteers. A recent report from MissionCIT identified several areas, especially in qualified personnel, that the report deemed “critical” to improve. How do you fix this and better protect this county? How familiar are you with the situation and do you currently work with the fire authority on the issues?

I have attended many CCFA/ BOCC with Municipalities meetings. I have listened to the concerns and know there is a good solution.

LIFESTYLES

The 24th Annual Alternative Gift Fair…

An Absolutely Blessed Event of Giving and Receiving

By Jo Ann M. Colton  Special to Lifestyles

Evergreen’s Alternative Gi Fair celebrates its 24th year in our community. is joyous two-day “giving and receiving” event will once again be held at Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980 County Highway 73, between Evergreen and Conifer on Saturday November 9 (9:00am-4pm) and Sunday, November 10 (9:00am-3pm).

e idea behind the Alternative Gi Fair is that people can come together to shop “once,” while gi ing “twice”—once when they make a purchase for the bene t of these local faith charities and then again when they gi the item to a family member or a friend. e purpose of this “twice blessed” event is to connect

FEATURE OF THE MONTH

people in our community with folks nearby and from afar, get to know their organizations, and assist them in their endeavors to raise money for their own circle of people.

Showcasing arts and cra s vendor-booths occupied by nonpro t organizations that operate around the world, charities do not have to pay a fee to take part in the Fair. Each booth is responsible for its own intake of money and the charities receive 100% of the funds from their sales. Most charity vendors will accept credit cards but bring cash or checks for some that might not.

For over 20 years the fair has been held at Evergreen

Lutheran Church, which serves as the event’s physical host and nancial hub. e generous sponsorship and participation of local faith congregations include: United Methodist of Evergreen, Episcopal Church of the Trans guration, Congregation Beth Evergreen, Church of the Hills Presbyterian, and Christ the King Catholic Church. Volunteers from the community come together to help make it run, including Scouts who will host a Cafe, providing a bake sale and refreshments to shoppers and volunteers alike. e act of volunteering is, of itself, a “gi ” and one that can certainly have an immense positive impact on our community. Consequently, if anyone is interested in volunteering, please visit the Alternative Gi Fair’s

ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR

From Page 1

website (www.Gi Twice.org) and click on the Volunteer link at the top. Your support as a volunteer is a gi that will keep on giving and it will be greatly appreciated.

“ e three key elements necessary to put on our successful Alternative Gi Fair each and every year are vendors, shoppers, and volunteers (sustaining and new)! Although money and volunteers spring from these faith communities, we are always looking for more volunteers,” said Bill Graf who has co-chaired this event for the past seven years along with chair, Riley Hanback.

e Alternative Gi Fair commenced 24 years ago, and Mary Richards has been involved from the start. She reports that it has always been a mission of faith and volunteers. In the beginning the faith communities were all noti ed about the event.

“It just happened,” said Mary. “ e word of mouth spread like a re and before long, hundreds were involved. Multiple faith congregations grabbed the commitment from the get-go.”

Beneath the endeavors rested a spirit of fun and joy, which was soon contagious. In the beginning the fair was held at the Church of the Hills. But it was not long before the location was

Please see ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR

Come shop for fabulous handmade cra s, jewelry, textiles, and other gi items o ered by non-pro t organizations!

Come shop for fabulous handmade crafts, jewelry, textiles, and other gift items offered by over 30 non-profit organizations!

Saturday, November 9th | 9am-4pm Sunday, November 10th | 9am-3pm Evergreen Lutheran Church 5980 Highway 73, Evergreen, CO 80439

Saturday, November 11th | 9am-4pm Sunday, November 12th | 9am-3pm

Please bring cash or checks as some vendors cannot accept credit cards.

Please bring cash or checks as some vendors cannot accept credit cards. Shop once. Gift twice.

Evergreen Lutheran Church 5980 Highway 73, Evergreen, CO 80439

Check Out These Recommendations for the Perfect Fall Getaway

(StatePoint) Anyone who loves fall weather should make plans to come to Kentucky. When October and November roll around in the Bluegrass State, native Kentuckians and visitors alike have their eyes on the tree line, waiting for the rst hints of autumn colors. And while the anticipation might seem almost too much to bear, the breathtaking sight of fall foliage in Kentucky is so worth the wait.

If the leaves are turning, no matter where a traveler happens to be in the Commonwealth, they are in for a veritable reworks show of vibrant fall colors. ere are so many ways to get an amazing view of the foliage, from nature trails for those who like hiking to country roads for those who enjoy nature from the inside of the car.

e Old Frankfort Pike is a National

Scenic Byway that runs through Woodford County in central Kentucky and passes by some of the most charming and beautiful landscapes in the entire country. e pike is 15 miles long, including a two-mile stretch of road that features centuries-old limestone fences, pastures, barns and a tunnel-like oak tree canopy on either side of the road. ose lucky enough to drive it during the fall experience a view that’s truly special.

Sixty miles southeast of Lexington is a nature lover’s paradise, the Daniel Boone National Forest. Driving any one of the state routes that passes through the preserve would satisfy most leaf peepers. However, for those who insist on getting out of the car and into the woods, hiking the trails in and around Slade will provide all the leaf colors desired, not to mention jaw-dropping views of Red River

Trail.

To nd colors and educational opportunities, head to the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum, located just outside Clermont. Not only does it contain 16,137 acres worth of arboretum, forest and nature preserve, but it has nature and science programming, dozens of folk art installations and playgrounds for children of all ages.

Pushing to the western part of the state, don’t miss out on the Woodlands Trace Scenic Byway. is road starts at Grand Rivers and takes travelers through

the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and into Tennessee. Along the way, sightseers will be surrounded by all the autumn splendor Kentucky has to o er.

Beyond fall foliage, Kentucky is the place to be for autumn fun -- from haunted mansions and ghost walks to u-pick o erings at farms all across the state. For more information visit, www. kentuckytourism.com.

e Bluegrass State has amazing things to do and see regardless of the time of year, but Kentucky in the fall is hard to beat.

Gorge, Natural Bridge and Chimney Top

Its A Spooktacular Season!

Be inspired by the ickering ames in your Jack-O-Lantern and get your replace ready for winter! You may only get to enjoy your carved pumpkin for a few days, but your replace will work hard for you for many years. We will help you with routine maintenance, replace repairs, and even an entirely new replace, stove, or insert! If trying to turn your replace on is like talking to the dead, it is time for a service! We o er full cleanings for your replace and can even complete an Operational Assessment which checks all of the internal components to nd the source of your replace gremlins. When your ames are ghosting out, or your blower fan sounds like a screaming black cat- the x can be as simple as a part replacement with a service call. Our Certi ed Technicians have the training and experience to get you back up and running.

You want Santa to be ready to come down your chimney, not spooks! Its prime chimney sweeping season, and we are here to help make sure you’re ready for winter. With our chimney sweeping service, we include a Level I Inspection which means we evaluate all readily accessible parts of your replace, stove, or insert for any apparent haunts. We will even get on your roof to clean the cap, look at the exterior of the chimney structure, and down your chimney for anything eerie.

Have you looked at your replace or insert or freestanding stove and questioned if it was Frankensteined together? Its time for an inspection or replacement before the cold weather comes and you need to rely on your stove as a source of heat.

Do you see a ghastly white fog on the glass of your ine cient, outdated original gas replace? We can help

you upgrade that replace to one with a larger viewing area and all-seeing crystal-clear glass! A new appliance will also be higher e ciency and can be run on a thermostat for the upmost ease of use. When your new replace kicks on because it senses your room is chilly, you may be startled at rst! Its not ghouls at work; its modern-day convenience!

Now is the best time to upgrade your hearth appliance so you can use it all winter. If you want to burn wood, you can get a new ultra-high e ciency appliance that quali es for a tax credit that you can submit for in the springtime.

You won’t need witches’ brews or crystal balls to see how a new replace, stove, or insert can be installed in your home. Our three associates in the showroom are all certi ed by the National Fireplace Institute for installation

planning, and their expertise makes it seem like magic. When you want to change your fuel type with an insert or freestanding stove, we can make sure you have the parts and pieces you need. We’ll then order everything for you and coordinate with our in-house installers so you have a seamless one-day installation. Your new replace will be ready to treat you that day!

Add Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney and Mountain Hearth & Patio to your trick-or-treating rounds! We can show you the latest and greatest hearth appliances or schedule your service call at 7001 Highway 73 in Marshdale. Visit us from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday, and 8am-4pm Saturdays. You can also see our products and portfolio of work on our website at www.MtnHP.com or reach us by phone at 303-679-1601, and email at O ce@MtnHP.com.

If your replace or chimney is acting haunted, we can help! e gremlins in your replace will be cast away by our Certi ed Technicians and Installers. Call us today to schedule your service or showroom appointment!

ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR

From Page 2

changed to Evergreen Lutheran Church to accommodate the ever-growing attendance. Over time, additional faith congregations have become part of the Fair, making this event one of the most attended occasions all year.

Today, a committee meets regularly to make sure the Fair will be a continued success. Nonpro t vendor relations are again managed by Deb Ryon who tends to the groundwork for the event and takes care of vendor sign-ups. Returnees are part of the fun, and all the volunteers enjoy not only seeing many of the same vendors each and every year, but also meeting and interacting with so many caring people.

Nonpro ts participating in the 2024 Alternative Gi Fair include: Africa Bags (www.AfricaBags.org) / Handcra ed goods from Malawi; Agile International / Purses, handbags;  Cards for Caring (www.cards4caring. com) /  Note cards with original photographs; Chao’s Needle Works / Vietnamese handmade items; Church of the Hills (www.churcho hehills. com); Congo reads / Scarves, shawls, jewelry; Earth Links (www. earthlinks-colorado.org) / Natural and organic candles and soaps, reusable bags, upcycled products, bookmarks and greeting cards handmade by people with lived experience with homelessness); EPIC Amazon (www.EPICA.earth) / Native-made jewelry, pottery and scarves; Evergreen Audubon (www.evergreenaudubon.org) / Bird nest boxes and nature-related gi s; Evergreen Mountain Area Historical  Society (www. EMAHScolorado.org) / Books of historic and local interest, handcra ed items from EMAHS volunteers; Evergreen Sustainability Alliance / Sustainable products, local made products; First Presbyterian Church, Friendship Bridge (www.friendshipbridge.org) / Textiles from Guatemala and wool items, swittens (mittens and headbands), stockings, headbands made from wool sweaters by women in Evergreen; Fraternity Without Borders US; Fundacion ‘Yo Te Amo’, CO (www.

fyta.org) / Ecuadorian handmade items…children’s, ladies Alpaca wraps/ponchos, and throws, jewelry, wood carvings (nativities); Global Mamas (www.globalmamas. org); Hands in Hands; Ice Melt; Joy International (www.joy.org) / Candles, jewelry; Kenya Kids (schartongloria@ hotmail.com) / Handmade beaded jewelry, animals, bowls, key rings…;  Making A Di erence / Brazilian handwoven items; Mount Evans Heath Care & Hospice (www.mtevans.org) Seasons of the Mountains calendar, angels, hot pads; Outreach Uganda (www.outreachuganda.org) Paper beaded jewelry, ornaments, wine glass charms, lanyards, bags and purses, aprons, stu ed animals, scarves, coasters, pot holders, oven mitts, crosses; Purple Door Co ee/ Dry Bones (www.drybonesdenver.org) / Co ee items, mugs, burlap bags; R Bazaar  / Arts, jewelry, cooking items from refugee and international women); Rooted Wisdom Africa; Salvation Army; Seeds to Sew/ Handmade items from Kenya; SARDUS, and Silks of Laos / Handwoven silk scarves from Laos; cotton table-runners, silk wall-hangings, carved wooden hangers, silver jewelry hand-cra ed in India.

e Annual Alternative Gi Fair featuring handmade gi s and baked goods for purchase will prove to be a delightful way for you, your family, and your friends to spend your weekend as a holiday shopper and/or a volunteer. Jodye Whitesell has furnished the Alternative Gi Fair (www.Gi Twice. org) with an informative website that provides a plethora of information. e website also includes a link at the top of the home page to a sign-up genius for those people who might be interested in volunteering.

In light of so many tensions in today’s world, we must remind ourselves each and every day to count our blessings. November is truly a month of giving thanks, which is why the 24th Annual Alternative Gi is also an absolute blessing this time of year. Come out to the twice blessed 24th Annual Alternative Gi Fair at Evergreen Lutheran on Saturday and Sunday, November 9 and 10 and support this heavenly community event.

Mortgage Loan O cer Grant Brewster Can Help You With All Your Home Financing Needs

By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles

For over thirty years, Colorado Foothills native and Mortgage Loan O cer Grant Brewster of Edge Home Finance Corporation has been providing his customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. A mortgage broker is not an employee or a liate of a lending institution; therefore, they are not limited in the products they can o er you. Unlike a bank, a mortgage brokers represent YOU, the customer, not the lender.

Edge Home Finance seeks out the best lending package tailored to suit your particular situation, whether it’s with a national wholesale lender, second mortgage/HELOC lender, or private funds. With a wide assortment of loan options available to homebuyers/homeowners today, Grant is committed to helping both salaried and self-employed individuals obtain the right loan to meet their speci c needs.

Contact Mortgage O cer Grant Brewster today for all your home nancing needs (720-668-4183/grant. brewster@edgehome nance.com/www. grantbrewster.com) and nd out how he can save you time—and money.

Water Leaks Can Cost You Thousands. Here’s What to Know

(StatePoint) A leaky faucet, pipe or toilet is more than just a nuisance, it can lead to unhealthy mold growth and cause costly damage to your home. Such issues are more common than you may think. In fact, two out of ve homeowners have experienced water damage. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to detect a leak. Beyond the typical warning signs, such as higher than usual water bills and unexplained damp spots on walls and ceilings, new products can help you detect and address water leaks right away. e Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shuto from Moen, for example, is a game-changing smart water device that o ers 24/7 leak detection. If the system detects a leak, your smart water valve will automatically turn o your water to prevent ooding. Water damage can have potentially devastating impacts. By being vigilant and relying on innovative solutions, you can protect your home, your health and your wallet.

and met with Fire Chief Babeon and Assistant Chief Jones last February to discuss our county’s re protection. e county cannot a ord all of the report’s recommendations, but wild re danger is not going away. I do support allowing our re department to be able to seek funding from State and federal government sources in addition to asking voters to approve a mill levy to add more trained reghters and equipment to protect our county. Losing a home to wild re is far more expensive than adding a mill levy to our property tax.

What will you do to alleviate the high costs of living?

While the county government cannot control the price of goods and services, and is having to pay these higher costs itself, there are ways it can help the community. We could limit the number of permits and enforce the regulations on Short Term Rentals. If we can stop selling o so much of our housing for Short Term Rentals and start taxing them like the businesses they are, we will have more homes for families, and, with additional supply, the rising price of homes in Clear Creek should slow down. e post-pandemic national in ation rate is easing, which will also help us better budget for the future.

HARMAN-BALL

I believe it is important our CCFA is adequately supplied with the support it needs. Funding seems to be the key issue the Authority is facing. Talk of a structural governance to either a Title 32 special district or a countywide EDS can add di erent taxing for additional funding. ere can be a “public safety” tax, raise the mills for properties and/or raise retail taxes. ere are challenges but the CCFA needs to be fully funded to provide best services for our communities.

What will you do to alleviate the high costs of living?

is is a tough one as the cost of living is high all over the nation. I would want to promote businesses that could provide services and goods that locals could purchase here in Clear Creek County instead of driving to the front range, taking up time and spending money out of the county. I hope to attract higherpaying jobs. I would also continue connecting folks with resources that they can use right here in Clear Creek County. I would encourage my sta to be very responsible with the county budget and to not pass on unnecessary costs to the residents. O er budget classes through the county to residents.

FROM PAGE 11

In Clear Creek High School football’s first year as an eight-man football squad, the team started 2-2 in the 2024 season. Moving into league play,

cussed what the team needs to do to still make the playo s.

Midseason check-in: 5 questions for Clear Creek football

Head Coach Nicholas Isaacson provides an update after four games

Clear Creek football moved to an eight-man team this season after three consecutive league changes in three years. But the Golddiggers didn’t miss a beat to start 2024; the team dominated South Park 48-6 to open the season and then poured 60 on Lake County to start 2-0.

ird-year Head Coach Nicholas Isaacson said in the season preview in August that the schedule gets daunting fast. at quickly became a reality and

it was a tale of two halves for the season’s rst four games.

e Golddiggers went from dominating to being dominated. Byers (still undefeated and atop the A-8 Black Forest League) was too much at home for Clear Creek to handle and beat the Golddiggers 48-18 in Week 3. en St. Mary’s from Colorado Springs (3-1 in the same league) outlasted Creek in a shootout at home to win 34-28 in Week 4.

Going into A-8 Central League play, Isaacson sat down for a midseason check-in with Colorado Community Media. Check out the Q&A below.

Colorado Community Media: How has the transition to eight-man ball been this season so far? What has felt the most di erent, if anything?

Isaacson: I’m glad we did it because I feel we’re competitive in every game, whereas last year, going against teams that were roughly three times our size. I didn’t feel that we could be competitive in every game that we were in. Every game (this year), I felt we’ve been competitive. And in practice, it’s been good because we can always go at least eight on eight. So that’s been a big positive, versus trying to get 11 on 11, but not being able to do it. Kids are excited. I think they’re having a good time. We’ve been able to have a number of JV games, and we’ll continue to have more JV games. So being able to feel the JV team, I think, is very good in terms of the development of our players, and overall, it’s just been a great experience. I wish we would have

done it earlier.

CCM: What are some positives you’ve seen from the team in wins and losses this year?

Isaacson: e positives in terms of the wins, I think, because they were blowout wins, are being able to get the younger players in and develop them at an earlier stage, whereas, a lot of times we’re unable to do that. So although we have a JV team, we’ve only had two or three JV games so far. So they’re accelerating up the learning curve faster. at’s a big positive. e positives in terms of our losses are similar, just for the juniors and seniors accelerating up the learning curve. A lot of these teams that we’re

Head Coach Nicholas Isaacson dis-

COURTESY PHOTO

FOOTBALL

going against have been playing eight-man for years and years. ey know the o ensive scheme. We’re learning our o ensive scheme. ey know the defensive scheme. We’re learning our defensive scheme; how to scheme for eight-man a bit better, both on o ense and defense. So it’s really just accelerating up the learning curve in terms of the positive and in terms of the negative. And I don’t necessarily know if it’s a negative, but it’s that learning process of not knowing assignments and just missing assignments. But we’ll get better at that as the year goes on.

CCM: Moving into league play, what’s one thing the team needs to

polish going forward to have success?

Isaacson: In terms of assignments on defense when there’s a tight end or two tight ends that are eligible, not coming up against the run and watching those tight ends and following them in pass coverage. Because if I told you we’ve gotten beat deep six times, either for long gains or touchdowns, that would be an underestimation of how many times we’ve been beaten deep out of maybe 10 of those routes. But call it 20. So we’re not doing great on that in terms of defense. In terms of offense, two things: the center play. We’ve had a rotation of centers, and cleaning that up, and getting a center that’s going to understand his assignments and execute those assignments. Way too often our center, and again, I’m not blaming the center.

I’m blaming the coaching (me) for him not knowing his responsibility at would be the biggest cleanup in terms of players. In terms of the biggest cleanup for coaching, it would be simpli cation. I tend to add too much too quick for for the players. I’ve done that my whole career as a coach, and sometimes, especially at Clear Creek, I need to take a step back and reduce the number of defensive scans, reduce the number of o ensive plays that we have, reduce the number of formations. It was clear, for example, last week when I put in a number of o ensive variations and one of those led to a sack. Another one led to a fumble. So if I wouldn’t have put those in, I’m sure we wouldn’t have had either of those big net negative plays that hurt us.

CCM: Is a playo push still the expectation and how can you get

there?

Isaacson: We control our own destiny. e expectation is still playo s, and we get there by not losing because we’re in conference play. So, if we win the conference, then we automatically make the playo s. Otherwise, we have to rely on RPI (rating percentage index) and all those other measurements and seeding. So I think without winning out, we don’t make the playo s. Last week was a big loss, and so one of the things that we need to clean up is penalties like last week. In my whole career of playing and coaching for 38 years, I’ve never experienced something like that. We had 14 penalties for 170 yards, another 110 lost on yardage that was called back, resulting in two touchdowns called back, and at

BY SARA WILSON COLORADO NEWSLINE

Local car registration fees possible

e Colorado Legislature could consider a bill next year that would enable local governments to impose additional vehicle registration fees to pay for infrastructure proven to make streets safer for non-

drivers.

at bill advanced through the Transportation Legislation Review Committee on a 12-5 vote as one of its interim bills to be introduced during the regular session.

It would let cities and counties charge registration fees on light trucks and passenger vehicles be-

ginning in 2026 to fund so-called “vulnerable road user protection strategies,” which are road features to make streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. at includes bike lanes, street medians, crosswalk visibility enhancements, rumble strips and tra c circles designed to manage speed, which are all features that the Federal Highway Administration recommends.

portunity to meet climate goals and reduce car use.

“We can’t expect our residents to get out of their cars until biking and walking becomes reliably safe,” he said.

“We want to convince folks to hop on the bus, get on their bike or to walk to the market. But we recognize that our members need to feel safe doing so,” said Anita Seitz, the advocacy director for Colorado Communities for Climate Action. “In 2023, Colorado saw cyclist deaths increase and pedestrian deaths reach an all-time high. Bike and pedestrian friendly infrastructure investments help to protect our residents and save lives, but there’s simply limited dollars dedicated to this purpose.”

e fees could be higher on heavier and less fuel e cient vehicles.

According to draft bill text, a car between 3,500 and 4,499 pounds could have a maximum fee of $3.60. at is about the weight of a Subaru Outback. e highest fee would be $52 for a truck over 9,500 pounds.

A similar bill came before the Legislature this year to create an enterprise fund for these projects, but it died in committee. is version gives the fee collection power to local governments instead.

Ridgway Mayor John Clark told the committee that while mass public transit is not totally feasible in his rural community, pedestrian and bike transportation is an op-

e bill will be sponsored by Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, a Fort Collins Democrat, Rep. Stephanie Vigil, a Colorado Springs Democrat, Sen. Faith Winter, a Westminster Democrat, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat.

Republicans on the committee said they were concerned that a local government would be able to charge a new fee without voter approval.

“I can’t be supportive of the bill today, but the concept of trying to get the consent of the voters would certainly move me to be supportive, and we can work on that if the bill moves forward,” said Sen. Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican. Republican Rep. Matt Soper of Delta said the bill seemed to be in contrast to the Colorado tradition of taking similar scal matters to a vote.

e committee advanced a handful of other bills for the full Legislature to consider when it reconvenes in January. at includes a bill to bolster public transit options for people with disabilities, a bill criminalizing vehicular document piracy and a bill to repeal the condentiality requirement for railroad investigative reports.

is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com .

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FOOTBALL

least three fourth-down conversions for them. So you take away, you know, all of that, if you clean up just a quarter of that, you probably don’t lose that game.

CCM: Are there any players who have surprised you or taken a big

step forward this season?

Isaacson: All the people that I expected in our rst article to produce have produced. ere’s maybe one surprise for me. It’s probably my sophomore son, Drake Isaacson. He didn’t play at all last year. I know we worked hard in the weight room, but I didn’t expect him to do what he’s been doing. He’s been dominant on the o ensive line. With all due respect to the seniors, our best of-

Public Notices

5, BLUE VALLEY ACRES, UNIT 1, COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO, SAID LOTS COMBINED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED FEBRUARY1, 2008 IN BOOK 786 AT PAGE421.

Purported common address: 1531 LITTLE BEAR CREEK RD, IDAHO SPRINGS, CO 80452-9607.

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION CRS §38-38-103 FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 2024-007

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On July 24, 2024, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in

the County of Clear Creek records.

Original Grantor(s) APOLLOS JAMES HINSHAW AND TASHA HINSHAW

Original Beneficiary(ies) MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR QUICKEN LOANS INC.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING

Date of Deed of Trust November 05, 2019 County of Recording Clear Creek Recording Date of Deed of Trust November 12, 2019

Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) 293607 Book: 974 Page: 460-477

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. LOTS

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, 11/21/2024, 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 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

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

Carly Imbrogno, Esq. #59553

Barrett Frappier & Weisserman, LLP

fensive lineman in terms of the run game, at least, probably overall, and that’s so on o ense. And I’m not one of those daddy-ball coaches. On defense, I think I mentioned Nathan Guerrero and Alex Shriner, but they’ve really exceeded expectations. I thought they’d be good, but they’re much better than I thought. You know, Nathan’s been great in terms of just lling as a linebacker and making a bunch of plays at the

1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80204 (303) 350-3711

Attorney File # 00000010040509

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. CCC945

First Publication: September 26, 2024

Last Publication: October 24, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

City and County

Public Notice

Notice of 2024 Clear Creek County General Election

A General Election will be held in the State of Colorado, County of Clear Creek, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. All eligible registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail. Ballots will be mailed the week of October 11th – 18th. If you do not receive a ballot, contact the County Clerk’s office.

***The Clerk & Recorder’s office will be closed on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th, so no in-person Motor Vehicle and Recording transactions will take place. Staff will be assisting with the election being held in the BOCC Room.***

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

CLERK AND RECORDER

405 Argentine St., PO Box 2000, Georgetown, CO 80444 PH: (303) 679-2339

Web Site: www.clearcreekcounty.us Email Address: clerk@clearcreekcounty.us

VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTERS

• Ballot drop off, replacement ballots, voter registration, in-person voting and accessible voting equipment will be available at this location:

Clear Creek County Courthouse (BOCC Room)

405 Argentine St., Georgetown, CO 80444

Monday-Friday, (10/21/2024 – 11/04/2024) 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday, (11/02/2024) 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Tuesday, ELECTION DAY (11/05/2024)

BALLOT DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

These 24-hour monitored mail ballot drop

line of scrimmage. And Alex pretty much lives in the back eld when he goes 100%. ose would be my two sort of surprises on defense.

Editor’s note: is story went to press before Clear Creek’s Oct. 5 league game against Gilpin County. View the Golddiggers remaining schedule at MaxPreps.com/co/evergreen/clear-creek-golddiggers/football/schedule.

• Clear Creek County Courthouse

• CommonSpirit Primary Care Idaho Springs

Miner St, Idaho Springs

Clear Creek High School 185 Beaver Brook Canyon Rd, Evergreen

• Any Jefferson County drop box near you

Brenda L. Corbett, Clear Creek County Clerk and Recorder

Legal Notice No. CCC010

First Publication: October 10, 2024

Last Publication: October 10, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

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 DEED

To Every Person, Occupant, Tenant, or Lessee in Actual Possession or Occupancy of the hereinafter Described Land, Lot or Premises, and to the Person in Whose Name the Same was Taxed or Specially Assessed, and to all Persons having an Interest or Title of Record in or to the said Premises and To Whom It May Concern, and more especially to: Henry L Eckard

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 13 day of November, 2020 the then County Treasurer of the County of Clear Creek, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to Kent S Taylor the following described real estate situate in the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado, to wit:

Tax Lien Sale Certificate of 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

And Whereas said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to 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 was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of Henry L Eckard.

That said Kent S. Taylor, did on the 01 day of August, 2024 the present Lawful Holder of said Tax Lien Certificate of Sale, make a request upon the Treasurer of said County by presenting an Application for a Public Auction of a Certificate of Option for Treasurer’s Deed pursuant to C.R.S. 39-11.5-101 for initiation of the process for a Treasurer’s Deed to said real estate;

Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible 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 property and all interest of said Lawful Holder, Lawful Holders’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Application for a Public Auction of a Certificate of Option for Treasurer’s Deed, plus fees, expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. (*Public Auction may be continued per CRS 39-11.5-106)

Assessed value: $ 800.00

2024 Saw the Enactment of Numerous New Housing & HOA Laws

The Colorado General Assembly passed and Gov. Polis signed many new laws regarding housing and how HOAs can operate. Here are some new laws that caught my attention:

HB24-1152: Concerning Increasing the Number of Accessory Dwelling Units — This law prohibits jurisdictions or HOAs in a metropolitan area from unreasonably restricting the construction of ADUs in single-family neighborhoods. It also prohibits the requirement that an owner occupy the ADU or the primary residence, and it prohibits requiring additional off-street parking if there is sufficient existing parking, including on-street parking. (Those are two current requirements of many jurisdictions’ ADU ordinances.)

of fire-hardened building materials used for fencing within the community.

copy a designated contact on the notice.

HB24-1007: Concerning Residential Occupancy Limits —The act prohibits counties and municipalities from limiting the number of people who may live together in a single dwelling based on familial relationship, while allowing local governments to implement residential occupancy limits based only on demonstrated health and safety standards, fire code regulations, etc.; or on local, state, federal, or political subdivision affordable housing program guidelines.

HB24-1173: Concerning Streamlining the Process for Permitting Electric Motor Vehicle Charging Systems

HB24-1337: Real Property Owner Unit Association Collections — This law limits the reimbursement amount which an HOA can charge for attorney fees to $5,000 or 50% of the original money owed when its takes collection action against a unit owner. For failure to obey the bylaws or rules of the association, the reimbursement for attorney fees is limited to $5,000 or 50% of the actual costs. The law also limits the ability of the HOA to foreclose on the unit, and provides for redemption by the unit owner and others, including the tenant, within 180 days after a foreclosure sale.

SB24-005: Prohibit Landscaping Practices for Water Conservation —

scribed size, location and wording of the sign is included in the bill.

Affected jurisdictions are given until June 30, 2025, to submit a report to the state’s Department of Local Affairs demonstrating that they have complied with the law and that they have implemented one or more strategies to encourage and facilitate the construction or conversion of ADUs.

HB24-1091: Concerning Prohibiting Restrictions on the Use of FireHardened Building Materials — This law generally prohibits covenants and other restrictions that disallow the installation, use, or maintenance of firehardened building materials in homes, including in HOAs. However, the law allows an HOA to develop reasonable standards regarding the design, dimensions, placement, or external appearance

This law requires the Colorado Energy Office to publish by March 31, 2025, a model code for the installation of EV charging systems in counties over 20,000 population or municipalities over 10,000 population. The office must also provide technical assistance to counties or municipalities for the implementation of an expedited permitting process

HB24-1233: Homeowners' Association Delinquency Payments Enforcement Procedures — This law amends HB22-1137, which said that notices of delinquency must be posted on the unit’s door. Under this law, the HOA must send a certified letter to the unit owner and employ two other methods (phone call/voicemail, text message, or email) and must communicate in the preferred language of the unit owner and

Megan’s Market Snapshot: Sept. 25-Oct. 1

By Megan Aller First American Title

Here are some key takeaways from the market activity during the 7-day period from Sept. 25th to Oct. 1st:

Denver metro area inventory appears to be stabilizing, with steady buyer activity, signaling a sense of balance in the market as we move from September into October.

Buyers who have been waiting for better market conditions are now finding more options available. Sellers are increasingly open to negotiating, making repairs, offering concessions, and accepting contingent offers to get deals done. This creates an excellent opportunity for buyers to take advantage of the increased negotiating power they currently hold, which may shift if rates drop and competition intensifies.

The number of active listings remained consistent compared to the prior 7-day period, though inventory is much higher than this time last year.

New listings increased both week over week and compared to the same period last year, while “coming soon” listings have dipped slightly. Pending transactions stayed fairly flat, and the market’s supply of inventory has held steady.

The odds of selling rose but remain below the historical average from prior years, reflecting ongoing market dynamics.

Showings decreased slightly from the previous 7-day period but are up compared to last year. Homes are spending more time on the market, allowing buyers more time to make informed decisions.

There was an increase in price reductions, with a larger percentage of homes lowering their prices before going under contract. The size of these price reductions has also increased.

REcolorado, the MLS serving Denver and beyond, is the data source for this article.

To conserve water used for irrigation, this law, effective Jan. 1, 2026, prohibits local governments from allowing the installation, planting, or placement of nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, or invasive plant species on commercial, institutional, or industrial property, association property, or a street right-ofway, parking lot, median, or transportation corridor. Artificial turf for athletic fields is not banned, however.

SB24-058: Landowner Liability Recreational Use Warning Signs —

This law allows the owner of land with recreational access to protect himself or herself from liability for off-trail injury or death by posting a sign at the common entrance to the property. The pre-

SB24-134: Operation of a HomeBased Businesses — This law allows a unit owner (or tenant, with the unit owner's permission) to operate a home-based business in a unit owner’s unit. An HOA may no longer seek to enforce any covenant or restriction that would prohibit a unit owner from operating a home-based business. The operation of a home-based business must still comply with any applicable and reasonable unit owners' association rules or regulations related to architectural control, parking, landscaping, noise, nuisance, and other matters that may impact fellow HOA members. The operation of a home-based business must also comply with municipal and county noise and nuisance ordinances or resolutions.

SB24-145: Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records — Older CC&Rs (covenants) included unlawful restrictions on membership based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or other personal characteristics. These are no longer enforceable, but they remain in those documents. This law creates the ability of any association to submit an amendment to the county clerk and recorder removing those provisions without a vote of the membership.

The posting of this article online at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com includes links for each of these laws.

$8,000,000

Currently a greenhouse operation, these parcels at 52nd Ave. & Indiana St. have two addresses. The smaller parcel is 14780 W. 52nd Ave., and the larger one is 5150 Indiana St. Together they total over 12½ acres. The land is zoned agricultural, with a single family home, several outbuildings and a commercial well. They are in unincorporated Jefferson County. Current zoning allows for several uses, or the purchaser may choose to rezone to highest and best use. Downtown Golden, Jefferson County Government, and the Colorado School of Mines are just over five miles away. Learn more at www.GRElistings.com

Development Site Just Listed by Austin Pottorff