Clear Creek Courant December 5, 2024 by Colorado Community Media

Clear Creek High School students craft custom skis and boards for one-of-a-kind ride

Big construction changes on the way for downtown Idaho Springs

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e sound of bandsaws, router and sanding machines resonated and punctured the air in a classroom at Clear Creek High School in Evergreen as students joked while peeling resincoated protective fabric from a freshly manufactured snowboard.

You will never nd another board identical to the one 11th grade student Johannathan Scott designed and crafted, starting with thin plywood stock available at the ski and bike classroom at the Clear Creek High School.

“It’s really a surreal kind of feeling when you get to make something that you’re going to use. It’s almost like building a bike from scratch, it’s just a really good feeling,” Scott said during class Nov. 18.

e art of creating a board or sk dependent on the individual creating it; thick or thin tails and tips, shaping and tapering you create your custom ride with graphics you’ve designed, Scott said.

“You have control of every aspect, like your style of riding… I built mine for just going downhill really fast basically,” he said.

At the center of the classroom is instructor and guide, Outdoor Rec and Tech Instructor Ben Shay with the Clear Creek school district.

The students learned tradecraft skills in the logistics and art of making their own skis and boards SEE SKI SCHOOL, P2

made in wood shop.’ Now they get to show up with their own pair of skis or snowboard,” Shay said.

“It gives kids an outlet to do creative work with their hands and bring something to fruition. I like to tell the story, ‘Kids used to go home and give their mom a wooden spoon they

ere is a uniqueness to this county many locals take in stride, however, the culture of embracing and teaching lessons of the outdoors and our gift of this backyard is active, according to Shay.

“I think Clear Creek County has an abundance of opportunities for kids

to get outdoors, what kids lack is the resources or the education to do it and so this course is a stepping stone towards those skills,” Shay said.

High school freshman Archie Neu’s board design is an image of a Victorian-era sailing ship.

It’s nearly ready for the slopes and when asked, “Why the ship design?”

City and business leaders discuss upcoming construction projects that will alter the look of the downtown area

CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A mobility hub, parking garage and vehicle roundabout were some of the changes outlined by city and business leaders during a Business and Community Promotions Board meeting with Idaho Springs residents packing Tommyknocker Brewery to listen and ask questions.

e Business and Community Promotions Board headed by downtown merchant Sadie Schultz along with Idaho Springs Mayor Chuck Harmon outlined several changes coming to the downtown area and discussed the challenges of construction delays on I-70 a ecting the tourist economy.

Sales tax revenue for the city was down 1.8% in October and “long term pain” was the future forecast for retailers as construction and blasting delays continue on I-70 through Clear Creek County, Harmon told the crowd of more than 60 people.

Harmon also discussed the city’s ongoing discussions with U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse from the 2nd Colorado District about federal funds to supplement city co ers during I-70 construction.

ere will also be a promotional campaign about Idaho Springs attractions and merchants slated to start Jan. 1 with a budget of more than $260,000 supplied by city funds, according to Harmon.

According to program Improvements outlined at the meeting Nov. 21: “ e City of Idaho Springs is developing a holistic program to improve regional and local transportation mobility while also improving connectivity and safety for residents and visitors to the downtown area.”

Concrete changes include a roundabout at exit 240 from I-70. e roundabout at 13th Avenue will “increase visibility for pedestrians and cross tra c and provide physical reinforcement for drivers exiting I-70 to adjust to the slower speeds of the commercial and residential areas, keep pedestrians safe and direct visitors to available parking areas,” according to

11th grade student Johannathan Scott works on his snowboard in the ski shop of Clear Creek high school Nov. 18. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

SKI SCHOOL

Neu simply responded, “Because I could.”

“People are going to ask what brand it is and I’m going to say, ‘Oh, I made it,’ and they’re going to be like, ‘What?’” Neu continued. “I thought it would be unique and cool and I think it turned out pretty well.”

e ski and bike program at the high school and middle school in Evergreen is also recognized as a leader in providing future manufacturers and designers in the industry, according to Shay.

So much so, the ski and bike program was recently recognized with a $20,000 grant from Shift Events to the Clear Creek Schools Foundation that will provide future funding for students in the school district and establish the Sean Wood Education Fund in recognition of the former Clear Creek County commissioner.

“Being able to get out on my own board is going to be so cool,” Scott said.

e wide-open eyes and smiles students have opening a gift to themselves built with craftsmanship and care is what matters, Shay said.

“When you boil it down, it’s all a lot of simple skills that transfer to a lot of other industries. ey learn a lot of the woodworking skills here that they would in a wood shop but then they get something that they actually get to strap on their feet, go to Snowdodgers, ride the hill and say, ‘Look I made this,’” Shay concluded.

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Week of November 18, 2024

Each day at about 8 a.m. a local National Weather Service volunteer observer makes temperature and precipitation observations at the Georgetown Weather Station and wind observations at Georgetown Lake. “Max” and “Min” temperatures are from an NWS digital “Maximum/Minimum Temperature System.” “Mean daily” temperature is the calculated average of the max and min. “Total Precipitation” is inches of rainfall plus melted snow. “Snowfall” is inches of snow that accumulated. T = Trace of precipitation or snowfall. NR = Not Reported. “Peak wind gust at Georgetown Lake” is the velocity and the time of the maximum wind gust that occurred during the 24 hours preceding the observation time. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 55 years within the period 1893-2023). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set.

Day and date of observation

(2024)

Department of Justice Objects to Key Part of the NAR Settlement as Anti-Competitive

When the National Association of Realtors (NAR) agreed on March 15th to a $415-million-dollar settlement with a class of home sellers in Missouri, there were two changes which NAR agreed to make.

The first was to remove from the nation’s MLSs all mention of commissions being shared cooperatively with buyer brokers. The second was that all buyers must sign an agreement with any broker (other than the listing agent) before showing another agent’s listing.

If a buyer were to call one of us to see a listed home, we would want to make sure they were a qualified buyer before taking the time to show them a listing, but few of us would bother with any paperwork unless and until they wanted us to compose an offer to buy that or another listing. And we universally got away with that approach.

Last week, the judge in that case was scheduled to affirm or deny that settlement, and on Sunday, Nov. 30th, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a 5-page “statement of interest” stating that, in the DOJ’s opinion, the latter provision was anti-competitive and should be struck down.

So it was a bit of a pain (and an annoyance to the buyer) when we were told that from now on we had to get any prospective buyer to sign a “showing agreement” or a “buyer agency agreement.”

provision of the settlement. And let it be said that this rule was pretty meaningless in the context of the complaint on which the NAR settlement was based, namely that listing agents shouldn’t be sharing their commission with buyer’s agents.

Regarding the other requirement of the NAR settlement outlawing commission sharing and the publishing of “cooperative” commissions on MLSs, it has had little effect here in Colorado. All that happened was that offers of compensation were rephrased on listing agreements and on contracts to buy real estate.

judge in the settlement case deny that aspect of the agreement, too? Perhaps, but one can always hope!

The

Origin of

the 2.8% Co-op

At press time for this column, the judge had not yet affirmed the settlement, so maybe this is old news to readers, but I wanted to share it with you in case you haven’t heard about the DOJ filing.

We Realtors had taken a grin-and-bearit attitude toward both rules, and I personally hadn’t considered what the DOJ is now espousing — namely, that when you ask a buyer to sign a representation agreement with one broker just to see a home, no matter how short the term of that agreement, you are limiting the ability of other brokers to compete for that buyer’s business.

Prior to the NAR rule, it was considered proper practice to provide a buyer with whom we interact with a “Brokerage Disclosure to Buyer” stating that they are a “Customer” and not a client, but I don’t know any brokers who actually did that.

Since the NAR settlement didn’t say what kind of agreement that should be, I created a simple “Showing Agreement” which I printed up for our broker associates and gave to them, padded, to keep in their glove compartments. Before entering a listing, they were to fill in the blanks and have the buyer sign it before entering the listing. That copy would be given to the buyer, and I suggested that our broker associates take a picture of it on their smartphone — not to print and file it, but just to keep it on their phone as a record.

The fact remains that there is no one to audit whether this form is completed, although I suppose there could be “secret shoppers” who would test agents to see if they are doing that. But, remember, this is a NAR rule, not a state law, so any audits by the Real Estate Commission would not include verifying that such forms were being completed. For that reason, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of agents who simply ignore that NAR rule.

Regardless, it would be a relief if, following this DOJ filing, the judge in the NAR settlement case were to deny that

Now, the listing agreements still state the same total commission — 5 to 6 percent, or whatever — but instead of saying how much of that commission the listing agent will offer to an agent for the buyer, the listing agreement now says how much the seller will offer to an agent for the buyer and then says that, if that amount is indeed paid to a buyer’s agent, that percentage will be deducted from the commission paid to the listing agent. In other words, no change except in phraseology.

Why the amount the seller is offering can’t be stated on the MLS makes no sense. Would it be too much to have the

Have you ever wondered why 2.8% became the typical or standard commission offered to “cooperating brokers” who represent buyers? Here’s a history lesson. It was explained to me that, before the U.S. Department of Justice said that the Denver Board of Realtors (DBOR) was engaging in price fixing by dictating commission rates, DBOR set the listing commission at 7%, and dictated that 40% of that amount, or 2.8%, was the proper amount to be shared with agents representing buyers.

After price-fixing was outlawed, listing commissions declined, but the 2.8% co-op remained a fixture, so to speak, because sellers and their agents didn’t want buyer agents to avoid their listings in favor of listings still offering 2.8%.

Nowadays, with buyers doing their own searching online (where that co-op commission was hidden from consumers), the reluctance to offer less than 2.8% diminished and now is far less important.

My Feb. 17, 2022, column reported that the percentage of listings offering less than 2.8% had grown from 2% in 2015 to 30%.

Is Your Home Fully Prepared for Winter?

Now that our warm autumn is giving way to the cold spells of winter, have you done everything you should to prepare for cold weather?

Frozen pipes should be your number one concern, given the damage burst pipes can cause. Are your outdoor hose bibs the kind that resist freezing? They’re easy enough to install. They work because the valve itself is deep within the unit so that it benefits from the warmth within your house.

Does the caulking around your windows need refreshing? Leakage around windows is a major source of lost heat.

ommend annual cleaning and servicing of HVAC systems.

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, when was the chimney last cleaned? Chimney fires are all too common.

Tree trimming is expensive, but should be considered, given the increase in hurricane-force winds due to climate change. Is there a tree that could fall on your home? Consider removing it, or at least trimming threatening branches.

This is a good time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and maybe install fresh batteries.

$750,000

Condos in this building at 722 Washington Avenue (called Washington Station) are in great demand because of its location right in downtown Golden. This new listing is for Unit 201, which has a great corner location directly above the unit’s deeded parking spot. Moreover, the stairs to the parking garage are right next to the door to this unit. (There’s also an elevator, of course.) This is a mixed use building, with commercial units, including the Golden Bike Shop, on the main ground floor. The unit itself features an open floor plan, with slab granite countertops and cherry cabinets with handles, and an island with breakfast bar to complement the dining area. At left is the view from the 5.5’x11.3’ balcony outside the living room. That view is also from both bedrooms. The bathrooms and kitchen have ceramic tile floors, and the rest of the unit has carpeting in like new condition. There’s a 7’-deep storage room and laundry closet with vinyl flooring. Take a narrated video tour at GoldenCondo.info, then come to the open house this Saturday, 11am to 1pm.

There’s so much to love about this home at 7085 W. 32nd Pl.! For starters, it’s a handyman’s delight with an oversized 2-car garage that is heated and has 200 Amps of power, including two 240-Volt circuits! Also, one of the basement bedrooms has been converted into a sound studio with professional soundproofing such that neighbors and the people upstairs wouldn’t be aware of it! Altogether, including that studio with its ensuite bathroom, this home has five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. And it has a full-size bar with bar stools next to that studio in the

Check your dryer vent for built-up lint, a major cause of house fires.

Change the filter in your forced-air furnace to improve its efficiency. I rec-

Clean your gutters so water doesn’t collect, freeze and back up on your roof. We have vendors to recommend for each of these tasks under the “Resources” tab at www.GoldenRealEstate.com

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Big Price Reduction on Brick Ranch in Wheat Ridge

Just Listed: 2-BR Condo in Downtown Golden

CONSTRUCTION

city planners.

Adjacent to the roundabout, Idaho Springs is working with the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Department of Transit and Rail on a statewide program “to implement investments to transit facilities with the goal of increasing ridership,” according to CDOT.

Idaho Springs planners say a Mobility Hub near I-70 would improve transit operations by providing transit access and a bus turnaround. e hub, according to the city, will facilitate a ordable, reliable and accessible mass transit services for visitors and residents.

A parking structure and parking lot improvements are planned for the downtown area as well, according to city planners.

Several conceptual designs for the parking garage have been completed in various con gurations and locations, according to planned improvements, while coordination with State Historic Preservation O ces continues to determine impacts on the historic nature of downtown Idaho Springs.

Funding for the downtown projects will include a variety of State and Federal grants, according to Harmon, who said the city has already received $2.4 million in funds from the form of a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Planning Grant.

Balanced sustainable growth is the goal of the construction projects in Idaho Springs, according to Schultz.

“I just want everyone to be heard,” Schultz said. “We are better because of the participation we get here in Idaho Springs.”

Map of proposed changes and locations in downtown Idaho Springs.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL

Clear Creek Fire Authority wants to hear from residents about service and funding

Fire Chief Kelly Babeon says CCFA needs additional funding to continue protecting the county

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

An update and survey has been mailed to Clear Creek County residents to evaluate current services of the Clear Creek Fire Authority and consider additional funding sources Fire Chief Kelly Babeon says CCFA needs to continue operations.

Babeon said the CCFA is dealing with declining tax revenue, primarily from the reduction in operations at the Henderson Mine, while service calls and emergencies have been increasing.

According to a report from CCFA, authority members answered more than 1,460 emergency calls in 2023 and is on pace to respond to more than 2,200 calls in 2024.

Service calls, including along I-70, increased 37% from 2019 to 2022.

e board is considering a $3.6 million sta ng and capital plan.

e plan would allow for six paid re ghters, a re inspector and health and safety captain at the cost of $2 million.

Reducing turnover and developing a long-term and well trained sta is estimated at $569,000.

Maintaining a full-time mitigation crew for wild re mitigation and availability for incident responses is estimated to cost

$368,000.

e remaining $625,000 would be earmarked for capital funding for equipment and stations.

Several methods of funding Sta ng and Capital Plan are outlined in the survey but all are variations of tax increases according to the CCFA board.

Option 1 would create a dedicated 1.45% sales tax on purchases within the county and in the four municipalities of Empire, Georgetown, Silver Plume and Idaho Springs.

e sales tax would ensure direct contributions to the re service by tourists visiting the county, reducing the tax impact for local residents, according to the CCFA board. However, it would also push local sales tax rates to some of the highest in Colorado.

Option 2 is a property tax increase for the county and all ve municipalities of 14.67 mills for use by only the CCFA. is option would raise yearly property taxes by an estimated $450 a year for a $400,00 home in the county and approxi-

mately $409 per year for every $100,000 in the commercial value of a building in the county.

A mill levy is de ned as a $1 tax on every $1,000 of property’s assessed value, according to the State of Colorado.

Option 3 is a hybrid between the rst two options in the survey with a 1% sales tax increase and a property tax rate increase of 4.57 mills.

All three options should provide the $3.6 million needed annually to fund the Authority’s capital plan, according to the CCFA board.

CCFA o ers service to 9,000 residents and businesses across the Authority’s 348-square miles of service area.

e surveys can be completed by hand and returned to the Fire Authority at 681 County Road 308 or by mail at P.O. Box #507, Dumont 80436.

ere is also a QR code included in the survey for residents who want to complete it online.

A firefighter crew learned how to attack a vehicle fire with high-pressure hoses and search for victims at Clear Creek Fire Authority in Dumont. FILE PHOTO

Clear Creek Fire Authority is asking for input from county residents about future funding needs.

PHOTO

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

Ugly Sweater Trivia Night: 5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Cabin Creek Brewing 577 22nd St., Georgetown. A fundraiser for Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District youth scholarship fund.

Historic Georgetown Christmas Market: Dec. 7-8 is the 64th annual Christmas Market in downtown Georgetown.

Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District: Practice forYouth Basketball at CCMRD in Idaho Springs starts Jan. 13. Register at www.clearcreekrecration.com.

ONGOING

Colorado Department of Transportation I-70 Sunglare Closure:I-70 Eastbound at Floyd Hill will now be closed from sunrise to approximately 8:30 a.m. on sunny mornings. Detours will be in place.

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 ad-

vocate for the youth in our community. e o ce can be reached at 970-5139390.

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

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

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.

Resilience1220 counseling: Young people 12 to 20 can get free counseling

through an Evergreen-based organization called Resilience1220. Composed of licensed therapists, Resilience1220 serves individuals and groups in the foothills including Clear Creek County. ey also facilitate school and community groups to build life skills in wellness and resilience among youth. For more information or to schedule a counseling session, visit R1220.org, email Resilience1220@gmail.com or call 720-282-1164.

Dental clinics: Cleanings, X-rays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. is is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-2054449 for questions.

Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Marion’s of the Rockies. 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. For more information, email loe er806@comcast.net.

Support after suicide loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in 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: Sto-

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

Sensitive collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. and is o ered via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

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

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 JeffCom911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.

‘The ultimate feel-good event’

Annual Colorado Gives Day takes place on Dec. 10

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Whether a nonpro t organization has participated in Colorado Gives Day for one year or for 10, is large or small, the Colorado Gives Foundation continues to support thousands of nonpro ts across the state in the hopes of connecting people and ideas.

“Colorado Gives Day is really an opportunity to be part of the statewide movement,” said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO of the Colorado Gives Foundation. “I think of it as the ultimate feelgood event.”

Colorado Gives Day launched in 2010 and has become one of the state’s largest 24-hour giving events. Taking place on the second Tuesday every December, which this year is Dec. 10, Coloradans can use the Colorado Gives Day website to nd a cause they want to support and can donate any amount.

However, early giving kicked o on the rst of November.

While people can donate to Colorado Gives all year long, Dunkin said donations during early giving and on Colorado Giving Day gets a boost from the foundation’s $1 Million + Incentive Fund.

A publication of

When it comes to volunteering and charitable giving, national trends have indicated that there has been a decline over the years, which can be attributed to economic distress among other factors, according to a 2024 Giving USA report. e report showed that giving by individuals declined 2.3% in 2023.

Despite national trends, Dunkin said the Colorado Gives Foundation is seeing a di erent trend — a positive and hopeful one at that.

Compared to 2023 numbers, Dunkin said the amount donated so far this year has increased 76%. Additionally, the number of donations increased 46%, the number of nonpro ts that have received a donation went up 22% and the number of donors making donations increased 35%.

“We’re hopeful that it means we’ll see a great response on Colorado Gives Day,” said Dunkin.

Last year, more than $53 million was raised for more than 4,000 nonpro ts. As for early giving, the cumulative total the foundation made between Nov. 1-13 in 2023 was $2.49 million, according to Dunkin. is year, the cumulative total made between Nov. 1-13 was about $3.1 million.

“We’re always amazed and grateful to Colorado donors who step up every year to support their favorite nonpro ts,” said Dunkin.

Making an impact

Lisa Mendelsberg, who founded Colorado Animal Rescue Express, also known as C.A.R.E., has

participated in Colorado Gives Day for 14 years and each year, has seen the impact the fundraising event makes.

Colorado Animal Rescue Express, located in Greenwood Village, works to curb pet homelessness through transportation and veterinary care donations. e nonpro t also works to reduce pet-overpopulation with sponsored programs for spay and neuter procedures.

e rst year that Mendelsberg participated in the event, her nonpro t won an award for being the smallest charity to have the largest number of donors.

“(Colorado Gives Day) gives a platform to tell your story and to be in front of other people, to be in front of a donor audience,” said Mendelsberg.

She added that Colorado Gives Day has been very important to the nonpro t’s success. Ever since it was formed in 2007, about 65,400 homeless pets have been moved to safety and about $398,000 has been donated to shelters, rescue groups and other caregiver organizations, according to the website.

e animal nonpro t is just one of thousands of nonpro ts that bene t from the annual fundraising event. e Aspen E ect, based in Douglas County, began fundraising through Colorado Gives Day last year.

Acknowledging the prevalence of mental health issues among youth, Jerry Van Leuvan founded the nonpro t to help give youth a

place to connect with one another, heal and thrive.

In its third year of operations, e Aspen E ect is a youth program that aims to increase the resilience of youth across the county through the therapeutic relationships they develop with farm animals and adult mentors.

“Being a part of Colorado GIves Day has not only helped us to raise funding for e Aspen Effect, it gives us a strong connection to the bigger community of nonpro t work in Colorado,” said Van Leuvan.

How it works

People can go online to Coloradogives.org and type in a name of the nonpro t they want to support. If they are unsure, they can search by cause or location. e 12 groups of causes range from animals and civil rights to mental health and religion.

Donors can give various amounts to multiple nonpro ts at the same time by adding their donations to a cart. e donor can then check out all at once and receive one receipt.

“Just like shopping online,” said Dunkin. “If you can shop online, you can give online.”

Every donation made and processed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 10 is boosted by the $1 Million + Incentive Fund. e Colorado Gives Foundation puts in $500,000, its partner FirstBank puts in $500,000 and from there, other community sponsors help it grow.

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e fund boosts every donation made based on a percentage, said Dunkin.

All nonpro ts receive a percentage of the fund equal to the percentage it raised for Colorado Gives Day. For example, if a nonpro t raises 10%, it gets 10% of the Incentive Fund.

“All nonpro ts on the website are public charities, therefore, whatever dedication you can take, you’ll need to talk to your tax advisor about that,” said Dunkin.

e foundation also has nonpro ts that o er the homeless tax credit, the child care tax credit and the Enterprise Zone tax credit on the website.

She added that a lot of individuals have what are called Donor Advised Funds, and a donor can easily use their Donor Advised Funds to make contributions to nonpro ts on the site.

To learn more or to search for causes and donate, visit coloradogives.org.

SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS

Here at Colorado Community Media, we take pride in being your local news source and bringing you the stories that matter most. We are participating in Colorado Gives Day this year, and we would be most thankful if you consider donating to us to help keep our newsroom thriving.

You can donate at coloradocommunitymedia.com/ give-to-ccm.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Courant. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to kﬁore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Clear Creek Courant (USPS 52610)

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Idaho Springs, Colorado, the Clear Creek Courant is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 1630 Miner St., Idaho Springs, CO 80452. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Idaho Springs and additional mailing o ces.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Clear Creek Courant, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

CORRECTIONS

Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.

Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.

The Colorado Gives Foundation sees an uptake in the number of donations during the annual Colorado Gives Day fundraising event, which takes place on Dec. 10 this year. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Families urge state to support dyslexia screening

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“I want to tell you the story of my daughter, Mackenzie,” Parent Bri Luna said, her voice trembling as she stood before Colorado’s Board of Education.

“Mackenzie was a vivacious, bubbly, enthusiastic ve-year-old when I dropped her o at kindergarten,” Luna said. “Her nickname was ‘Little Miss Sunshine.’”

But Makenzie’s early struggles with reading soon spiraled into years of frustration and anxiety, she explained.

Despite pleas and numerous teacher conferences, Mackenzie wasn’t screened for dyslexia. Instead, she received interventions that didn’t address her core needs. By middle school, her anxiety had worsened, requiring medication. In high school, she missed weeks of school due to overwhelming stress, Luna said.

It wasn’t until Mackenzie’s mother pursued a degree in literacy that she recognized her daughter’s symptoms as classic signs of dyslexia. Now 23, Mackenzie still grapples with self-doubt.

“I think about what would have changed if she had been screened in kindergarten,” Luna said.

Mackenzie’s struggle is one of countless stories shared by parents desperate for the state to change its approach to dyslexia screening.

Advocates have pushed for mandatory screening for years, but e orts to pass legislation have failed.

When the Colorado Department of Education recently recommended adding a mandate to the state’s READ Act requiring districts to use early literacy assessments that include dyslexia indicators

in another 2-3 years, many decided they could no longer remain silent.

“ ere are just under 250,000 students in grades K-3 in Colorado,” said co-chair of the statewide dyslexia advocacy group COKID Lindsay Drakos. “KID” stands for “Kids Identi ed with Dyslexia.”

“By not screening for another four years, we will be missing an estimated 120,000 kids in the next few years, using 12% as a conservative estimate of dyslexia occurrence,” Drakos continued.

Calls for immediate action

Colorado remains one of only seven states that does not mandate dyslexia screening, despite annual recommendations from the Dyslexia Working Group since 2020. e group, formed in 2019, was created to advise the Department of Education on literacy issues and push for

better support for students with dyslexia.

“Screening is critical because having our teachers understand what they’re seeing with their students is very important,” said Elisa Sodja, cofounder of Je co KID. “It impacts how they help them, how they support them and how they teach them.”

Sodja’s partner at Je co KID, Jen Halsall, agreed. “It’s critical that the screening occurs. It’s a clarifying lens written for our teachers. And that’s the piece that I think is critical across the country.”

Yet, each year, their calls for universal screening have gone unanswered. While advocates propose fully-funded screening starting as early as next school year, the Department of Education advocates a slower approach. ey plan to add dyslexia indicators to the READ Act assessment rubric, a pro-

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cess that would not be implemented until 2027 at the earliest.

e reason for the lack of urgency in the department is unclear. However, Shelbie Konkle, a lobbyist for the Department of Education, suggested budget constraints and opposition to any “new unfunded mandates” could provide a barrier to universal dyslexia screening legislation.

The cost of delayed action e stakes are high. Research suggests that dyslexia a ects 20% of the population and represents 80–90% of all those with learning disabilities.

Without proper screening and intervention, many will struggle academically, with implications extending well beyond the classroom.

During public comment, one speaker shared a personal story about a relative whose dyslexia went undiagnosed, leading to a lifetime of hardships, including encounters with the criminal justice system.

“He was never identi ed, and it changed the course of his life,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. “Early identi cation could have made all the di erence.”

Without proper interventions, children with undiagnosed dyslexia often require more intensive and expensive support services later on. Advocates argue that investing in screening and early support now would improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs for schools.

Small changes, big impact

Advocates pointed out that some currently approved assessments used under

“I approach family medicine care through a traumainformed, patient-centered lens, creating a nonjudgmental and collaborative environment.” ~ Dr. Shah

Dyslexia screening advocates argue delaying legislation could result in thousands of children not getting the help they need. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

the READ Act could e ectively screen for dyslexia with minor modi cations.

“ ere are two assessments already in use by roughly 65% of the state,” Drakos said. “By adding a few subtests, we could screen all children for an additional $1 to $1.5 million — a fraction of what we might otherwise spend in remedial e orts.”

Yet even these incremental steps have met resistance. e Department of Education has cited concerns about preparation time and funding availability. For parents, the reluctance to act feels like yet another instance of a system prioritizing red tape over their children’s needs.

“We’ve heard the same excuses for years,” said Amy Dobronyi, another parent advocate who spoke during public comment. “Districts need more time, there’s not enough money, we have to wait for systems to be in place. Meanwhile, other states are acting, and we’re still talking.”

Halsall highlighted the critical need for screening and identi cation: “ ey’re probably doing twice as much work trying to gure out how to help the kid. And if you have the screening and identi cation, that child is not going to be...in the meetings with teachers asking, ‘How do we help this kid? What’s going on?’ It’s, ‘Here’s the answer. is is why. Now we know how to help them.’”

The human face of dyslexia

For many parents who spoke at the board meeting, the issue of dyslexia screening is deeply personal. ey shared stories of children who had fallen behind their peers, whose self-esteem had plummeted and whose frustration had boiled over into behavioral issues.

One mother spoke of her son, who struggled with reading until a teacher recognized the signs of dyslexia and intervened.

“Once he got the help he needed, he started to thrive,” she said. “But it shouldn’t take a miracle for every child to get what they need.”

One of the most powerful testimonies came from a parent whose child, despite signi cant struggles, was never properly identi ed or supported and took her life, leaving behind a note that she couldn’t face another day of school.

Parents, educators and advocacy groups are not the only ones pushing for change. Some state board members have expressed support for dyslexia screening legislation.

“If we begin by telling ourselves the truth about how big the challenge is, that can be part of the argument for the funding for the services... even if all we get is a successful push for more robust and e ective screening,” said board member Rebecca McClellan. “ e data that comes from that helps to justify and strengthen the argument for resources to help those students.”

Board member Karla Esser acknowledged that dyslexia screening has been a topic for years.

“I really want to solve this issue,” Esser said. “It’s just going to keep bubbling up over and over again if we don’t get to the point where we have a screener.”

For advocates and parents, the stakes are clear.

e longer Colorado waits to implement universal dyslexia screening, the more children will face preventable academic struggles, loss of self-esteem and even more severe outcomes.

Countless families are hoping their years of pleas will nally result in real, tangible change.

Bri Luna, former Poudre School District teacher and board member of the Rocky Mountain Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, testiﬁes on behalf of her family’s struggle.

One mom shares how she fought for her two sons to receive a dyslexia diagnosis and get the reading intervention they need. COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION YOUTUBE

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF

Ifondly recall the tour I took of Hearst’s Castle on the California coast. I hadn’t planned on it, but when I saw how the woman at the welcome center, after I told her I had just watched “Citizen Kane,” hu ed about how the movie was NOT a fair representation of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst’ life, I couldn’t resist. I have to admit I was not disappointed. e tour was quite interesting. I entered the hallowed bedrooms where the rich and famous slept, gazed at magni cent works of art and statuary and learned that Hearst nally resorted to cutting o David Niven from the bar. Apparently he was a lush. However, the most striking part of the tour for me came at the end when we were herded into Hearst’s lm room where he would do private, rst-run showings of Hollywood lms. Our guide stated Hearst invited and entertained a wide breadth of stars and artists. All were welcome except one.

“Who do you think it was?” he asked o handedly.

Stirred from my reverie, I clicked around on my heels and without hesitation said, “John Steinbeck.”

I was both right and delighted not

After a trip along the coast of Lake Michigan, I became intrigued by lighthouses and spent some time learning about these amazing torches. ey have existed for centuries; the Egyptians created the rst lighthouse 2,300 years ago. ey come in di erent shapes and sizes and can be seen in stunning places. Lighthouses must be nearly indestructible, give direction to the voyager, and protect vessels from unseen dangers lurking just below the water’s surface. e three most important parts of a lighthouse are the type of light used to attract attention, the location of the lighthouse protecting ships from danger, and the foundation upon which the structure is built.

As I read more about these buildings, I thought about how, in our sometimes complicated and downright confusing world, we as human beings need lighthouses, something or someone to give us direction and protection from unseen

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The winter of our discontent

JERRY FABYANIC

because I knew that factoid but because it wasn’t hard to surmise. Steinbeck was brutally cutting toward the mega-rich, especially Hearst, and Hearst hated him passionately.

It’s not hard to imagine why: Steinbeck ripped away the veneer Hearst and many of the uber-wealthy of that time cloaked themselves with and hid behind. In so doing, he exposed not only them but also us in our complicity by venerating them and allowing them to get away with pretty much anything they want. He laid bare the corruption in their souls and the proclivity for it in ours. For then as it is now, it was about strength and success, success de ned by wealth, power and status.

If you’re looking for adventure or romance in a novel or getting lost in a whodunit, John Steinbeck is not your author. But if you dare take a peek into an unsettling side of the human soul, he’s your guide. And there’s no place better to start with than “ e Winter of Our Discon-

tent.”

As he watches the drama unfold he’s the center of, it slowly dawns on Ethan Allen Hawley, the story’s protagonist, that strength and success are seemingly above reproach, above morality and criticism. He wonders though if there is a “check in men” that “stops or punishes” but concludes there isn’t and that the only punishment meted out in that moral universe is for failure.

It’s a pathetic ethical and moral code, but it is quintessentially American, encoded in the American ethos by Hearst and his uber-wealthy contemporaries, the so-called Titans of Industry. Success at all cost or else you’re red. And not only literally, but guratively in your private life because it’ll be well known that you’re a loser.

Wanting to be careful with a spoiler alert for those who haven’t read the novel, I won’t provide the context of the following. But I hope if you read or reread the book, you’ll take your time, slowread, and highlight the exchange Ethan has toward the end of the story.

After surveying the ruin that has transpired, Ethan wryly observes what’s covered up, for the perps and their solicitous followers and acolytes, doesn’t exist.

Lighthouses in our lives

Hide it, ignore it, talk over or away from it, and poof, it’s gone, it never happened. Ethan is disgusted and deeply shaken by the rot, the moral dissoluteness that solidi ed in those around him, including the ones he loves most. But he’s more unnerved by how he, after the seed was planted, allowed it to fester and grow within himself. Alluding to the biblical admonition about the wages of sin, Ethan plaintively asks, “Has sin gone on strike for a wage raise?” Sin being the unethical, immoral, unbridled pursuit of success, power and status.

While reconnecting with his Moral North Star, Ethan remembers that in the end, all anyone has and leaves as a legacy is their integrity, dignity and reputation, which, as Ben Franklin reminded us, is like glass: easily cracked and never well mended.

Despaired, Ethan must decide what to do about his moral quandary. What action does he take? Read the book in this, the winter of our discontent, and thou shalt knowest the answer.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

dangers. ree questions helped me wrap my head around the idea of lighthouses in our lives.

What light shines for you in a way that you will never miss? Is it family, friends, mornings? Is it the promise of health or maybe just the comfort of knowing things will work out? Whatever the light, it must catch your attention no matter how di cult the situation or how big the storm.

What is your lighthouse protecting you from hitting? Are your dangers discouragement, fear, anger, disappointment, or does something else present a greater peril? Knowing the dangers you are avoiding lets you know your light-

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house is in the right spot. e goal of your lighthouse is to catch your attention when you venture too close to the rocks that can hamper your journey.

What is the foundation upon which your lighthouse is built? Is it faith? Is it family? Is it friends? Or is it some combination of all of these and a few other things? ere are all sorts of stories of lighthouses failing. ere is even a top 10 list of most endangered lighthouses published by MapQuest Travel. Most lighthouses that fail do so because of issues with the foundation. As the ground under the lighthouse erodes the structure cannot stand. It is only with a strong base that the lighthouse accomplishes its goal.

At rst glance, it may seem strange for a column about encouragement to suggest you think about lighthouses, but in introspection, we sometimes nd the greatest treasures. Taking time to think about this idea allows you to celebrate the supports

and protections surrounding you. It also allows you to look for ways to create the type of support you need if it is not there. If you take time to think about this idea of a lighthouse, I would love to hear about the supports surrounding you. As always, I hope that you will nd inspiration in my words and share those words of encouragement with those who need it. I would love to hear from you as you nd helpful morsels in these columns and as you nd ways to encourage those around you. I can be contacted at jim. roome@gmail.com.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.

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Columnist

Jim Roome

Let’s scrap the stigma of mental illness

Even though 1 in 5 Americans is estimated to su er from mental health illness, talk about mental health in the rural West remains muted. I’d like to talk about it this anksgiving season because I’m grateful I got the help I needed after a long-fought problem: I’m bipolar and I’m being treated for it. I didn’t start out bipolar. I was 24 when my behavior took a dive. At rst, I chalked it up to my job in New York where I was buying and selling stocks all day. I became manic and anxious, prone to periods of depression laced with sleepless anxiety.

During a period of ramped-up mental anguish, I jumped out of a moving car. It was going fast, over 30 miles per hour. I was with friends when someone made a joke at my expense, and rather than re back a witty response. I thought, “I’m going to explode.”

I opened the door and jumped. Ten seconds later I was hobbling down a dark suburban street. Sure, I was bloody, gravel lodged in my hands, but I was relieved to be out of that car.

Running from problems became my life’s work. It was that or suddenly erupting in anger, seeming without notice. But for years I dodged seeing a psychiatrist, consulting a therapist instead. I’d grown up in a rural Western community and seeking psychiatric help seemed impossible.

When I nally sought out a psychiatrist 15 years later, he asked tough questions. What were the most erratic things I’d done? Jumping out of a moving car ranked rst on the list. Had I ever been hospitalized for my behavior? No, nothing that severe. He took notes, then gave me his diagnosis: I was bipolar. I rmly resisted that conclusion.

Skeptically, he o ered anti-depressant medication. “Typically, a bipolar person will have a poor reaction,” he said. I had seven bad reactions to seven anti-depressants. I nally gave up.

“I’m not saying I’m bipolar,” I said. “But if I were, what medication would you prescribe?”

“I’d prescribe an anti-psychotic,” he said.

At that point, the continuing anguish of my daily life outweighed my fear of being diagnosed as mentally ill. “I’m ready,” I said.

Sure enough, the medication was effective and life changed. I slept soundly and could readily work. I experienced calm. I married, had a child and eased into what passes for normal life. But I never talked to people about being bipolar, about the medication that made life worth living. I bought life insurance and

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

HOOT

went through a medical exam. Afterward, the agent said I could get a much better rate without an antipsychotic in my daily regimen.

I paid the higher rate for what I called my “bipolar tax.”

In 2022, my family and I moved from New York to the town of Durango, Colorado. I called psychiatrists in the area and explained I was looking to start treatment locally.

One doctor quickly texted me back and asked me to text my medications.

“Whoa!” he texted, “I don’t treat bipolar patients.” e next psychiatrist rejected me also.

I tried to wean o medication, but the old hamster wheel of anxious thoughts spun faster and faster. In western Colorado, it took nding a telehealth doctor who would prescribe the medication that allowed me to function.

I also got to know my neighbor John Truitt, who is, among other things, on the autism spectrum and happy to chat about it. Sensing a kindred spirit, I began, “ is is a big secret.”

His reaction to my confession was surprising: “Big deal, you’re bipolar,” he said. “You’re what’s called 2E for twice exceptional.” at meant I was “neurodiverse” and gifted, he said.

My gift had once been turning the chaos of nancial markets into pro table trades, something I can’t do now while medicated, but I’m ne with that.

Since that day, I’ve told more people about my diagnosis and subsequent learning curve. is spring, I gave a commencement speech at the private Heron School for Twice-Exceptional Students in Moab, Utah, sharing with parents, teachers and students my bumpy ride with mental illness.

Looking at the audience, I saw understanding and acceptance.

Because so many of us live with it, mental illness needs to be acknowledged, treated and talked about. I could have saved so much time, energy and pain by seeking the right kind of help earlier. How much healthier we would be if we treated mental illness the way we treat any other illness — with openness and compassion.

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

Sheryl “Sherrie” Hoot [Larson] September 7, 1949 - November 19, 2024

Sherrie Hoot, Golddiggers Class of 1967, former wife of Duane Larson, Golddiggers Class of 1966. Join family and friends for a Celebration Of Life on 12/28/24.

Please visit allstatescremation.com to see her full Obiturary and details of the Celebration.

Dave Marston

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Educators Je Kagan and Paige Doughty are a married children’s musical duo in Colorado who have performed together for 20 years. ey focus on teaching science in English and Spanish through music and theater at summer camps and educational school assemblies.

“To see the joy on their faces and the connections they make through their bodies and minds when dancing and singing about these complex subjects” is what makes it all worth it, Doughty said.

“I love creating something at home or sitting by a stream, a song, or an entire performance piece and then seeing how a large group of three to eight-year-olds responds to that when we present it,” Kagan added.

Doughty was not born in Colorado but considers it her home.

“It was the rst place that felt like home to me,” Doughty said. “I’ve been here a long time. I can’t claim I’m a native, but it feels like home.”

Doughty has undergraduate degrees in English Literature and French Language.

“When I was teaching middle school and high school, I realized I wanted to teach experientially about the is-

sues happening in the world around us,” Doughty said. “So I went back to school and I got a degree in Environmental Education.”

While pursuing that degree, Doughty met Kagan, who was inspired into the line of study after teaching residential environmental education at a camp for middle school students on the East Coast.

“Once a week, the entire sixth-grade class would come to a camp in the Adirondacks, which would be their curriculum for the week,” Kagan said. “I just fell in love with both the content and all the creative ways that teachers were using the natural world to get these kids excited about science and nature.”

After Doughty and Kagan completed their environmental education, they ended up in Boulder where they started leading programs through the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks.

“We started doing those programs to get families outdoors to enjoy music. rough those programs, I started writing songs about the actual ecology of the places we were sitting in, and now we have seven albums,” Kagan said.

Kagan and Doughty made these programs their fulltime work in 2011.

Paige Doughty and Je Kagan are

science educators.

SCIENCE

When the duo performs, they sing and perform theatrically about science and nature while Kagan plays the guitar.

Doughty said they started adding the Spanish language to their music and theater science programs in

the last ve years and are trying to add more Spanish every time they perform.

“It’s important to us to be inclusive, and it feels exciting to use another language involved in our educational act,” Doughty said.

Doughty said they are called for performances at events mainly in the front range, but all over Colorado.

“In our 20-year history, we’ve been to many places. … Since we had our kids, we have stuck a little bit closer to

home and love traveling for work when we can and reaching more people with our live performances,” Doughty said.

e couple also has a YouTube channel and music available to stream.

Doughty said they teach kindergarten through fth grade, and babies and toddlers come to their shows, too.

“With fth graders, especially in the upper grades, I see them letting loose, nding themselves in the joy of their movement, and presenting it as their learning. It feels right we tend to deprive our kids so much these days, and we expect them to grow up so fast,” Doughty said.

Doughty said that occasionally over the years, she received feedback from people who said they wouldn’t bring the fth graders to their assembly because it was too babyish for them.

“I said they’re the ones that need it much more than the kindergarteners,” Doughty said.

e duo works as a nonpro t, so they do a lot of fundraising to support their programming and o er as much as they can for free to audiences, Doughty added.

“ ere’s so much work we must do in the background to plan the shows, rehearse, write and produce the music. It feels delightful, and it’s worth it,” Doughty said.

“It’s uplifting. It feels like we are ultimately doing what we are called to do, and the kids are having a great time, especially in a school context, that they’re getting to move their bodies and learn about these subject matters in a fun and artistic way,” Kagan added. “It’s what I want to do until my hair is entirely gray.”

For more information about Je and Paige, visit www.je andpaige.org. To see their performances, visit www.youtube.com/je andpaige.

Paige Doughty and Je Kagan dress in di erent nature and animal costumes.

By Jason Harris of Foothills Kitchen & Bath

It’s widely accepted in the scientific community that Thag Urk’s greatest invention occurred one million years ago when he rubbed two sticks together to create fire. What’s lesser known is there isn’t consensus on why it’s such a magnificent achievement.

Was it because it produced more heat than sleeping next to curled up bears? Or because food evolved from sushi to ﬂambéed? Sure, all important milestones, but hear me out, because I posit that there is a direct line between ﬁre and indoor lighting. And while we might have more moths now, there are far less stubbed toes.

The most common lighting in our homes is ambient, a word whose Latin origin meant “going round,” though we tend to think of it today as something in the background, such as sound, heat or light. Any fixtures that cast light over the bulk of the room fit this category. Your grandparents’ bulb with a pull string in the middle of the room was ambient; chandeliers, sconces, cans or track lighting are ambient; floor or table lamps also belong.

With endless materials, whether man-made or au natural, lighting fixtures can provide architectural statements that are limited only by the imagination of designers: chandeliers that look like jellyfish, a driftwood table lamp, sconces repurposed from hubcaps. But what if American Express hasn’t been kind enough to add another digit to your credit line, how do you enhance your room without spiking your heart aflutter?

Take advantage of technology, because today‘s LED lighting is amazing and increasingly affordable. LED stands for “Light Emitting Diode”; electricity passes through a microchip and creates light via electrolu-

minescence. With no ﬁlaments to break, they, uh, claim to last thousands of hours and not produce heat. I’ll buy the low heat, but apparently my “thousand” is higher than theirs.

In the past, we’d buy bulbs based on wattage, whereas now we have to retrain ourselves with LED‘s to think in Kelvins and lumens. Kelvin refers to the color temperature of light, and runs from red to purple; the lower end is considered warm, while the higher Kelvins are cool. Maybe your preference is daylight — 5000-6000 K — but how bright do you want it? That’s where lumens come in, because as the lumens increase, the light becomes more intense or brighter.

But back to setting the mood. Clients constantly request more fixtures throughout a room, and our weapons of choice are thin profile retrofit LED’s. Initially, they came at specific Kelvins, then they were selectable prior to installation, before finally evolving to being adjustable on your phone. You can choose daylight for cleaning, then scale back to cool colors for entertaining, or party with red and green for Christmas or orange and purple at Halloween.

That’s more fun than one person deserves, so we’ll gloss over accent lighting — those that are directed toward speciﬁc architectural elements — to discuss the heavy lifting that gets done. Task lighting illuminates areas where projects are performed, such as over countertops or computers or reading. The most common example would be undercabinet lighting, but pendant lights above an island or directional mini-spots attached to the headboard are others.

We’re a kitchen and bath store, after all, so let’s talk about design ideas for kitchen lighting: Place under-

cabinet lights at the front of the cabinets; this not only directs the lights to the middle of your counters, it also decreases shadowing in your backsplash; that said, for a corner cabinet, place the light more toward the middle or add a second light, else the corner will seem darker. You’ll want either slim proﬁle lights, or you’ll need light rail molding, but be aware light can bleed through the gap between the rail and the frame.

Consider glass shelves with puck lighting for cabinets with glass doors. Install motion detectors that turn on lights when doors or drawers are opened. Toe kick lighting is gorgeous. Tape lighting is less expensive, but projects a dotted reﬂection on your counters. My friend always referred to hidden wires as proper wire hygiene; with good planning, you can keep the wires behind the drywall before the backsplash is installed.

This isn’t lighting, but have you ever seen a beautiful backsplash that was marred by bad cuts in the tile to make room for electrical outlets? That’s a thing of the past as you can now have custom length, hard-wired power strips installed beneath the back of the cabinets. Dimmer switches are now touch sensitive for boomers; or wireless for millennials and Gen Z.

Whoops, must ﬁnish...article...but it’s suddenly... getting dark....daaarrk inside my eyezzzz....

A ‘Miracle’ comes to Town Hall Arts Center COMING

ere are few things about Christmas that are as joyful as children’s excitement about a visit from Santa Claus. So, can you imagine the thrill when a child meets the real Santa at Macy’s Department Store?

at’s just what happens to 6-year-old Susan in Meredith Willson’s “Miracle on 34th Street: e Musical,” which is running at theTown Hall Arts Center, 2450 St. in Littleton, through Sunday, Dec. 29. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“When I saw Town Hall was doing this show, I immediately remembered the 1947 movie so well,” said Billie McBride, director of the show. “I thought this was just my cup of tea and I know it will be for the audience as well.”

Based on the classic lm, the show follows Doris Walker and her daughter Susan as they navigate the holiday season in New York City. When Doris’ neighbor, Fred, volunteers to take Susan to meet Kris Kringle at Macy’s, she nds herself face-to-face with someone claiming to be the real Santa Claus. And so begins a song-and-dance- lled magical journey to discover if he’s the genuine article. e original version of the musical moved the time frame from the 1940s to the 1960s, but for this production, McBride returned the setting to its original

ATTRACTIONS

roots. She said this allows the story to better capture a time of innocence in the world.

Information and tickets are available at https://townhallartscenter.org/ event/meredith-willsons-miracle-on34th-street-the-musical/.

At SeeSaw Art, PRESENT is a present

Clarke Reader

“ is story is a fairy tale and I think it is harder to tap into that during the 1960s, with all that was going on at the time,” she said. “ e story needs the simplicity of a di erent time, and so we opted to return to 1947.”

A cast of the size “Miracle” requires a lot of work from McBride and the behind the curtains team — everyone from the musical director and the choreographer have worked hard to get the performers to their holiday best. And McBride is particularly proud of the cast, which she said was selected to re ect the way New York City actually looks.

e show is really about celebrating the magic of the season and McBride hopes the production will give audiences some much-needed Christmas fun.

“To sit a whole bunch of people down and give them a live production of a wonderful show is a gift we give them for Christmas,” he said. “It’s an old-fashioned, feel good musical with magic and we consider it a gift to the community.”

For its nal show of the year,SeeSaw Art Gallery, 5 W. Radcli Ave. in Englewood, has unveiled PRESENT Company, a group show highlighting small works. It runs at the gallery through Sunday, Jan. 12.

e exhibition features 27 artists (most local to Colorado) and more than 65 unique artworks. e works have been curated with the holiday season in mind and require the same skill, technique and creativity as any large piece you might come across. Visitors can see work in a range of mediums, including painting, mixed media, drawing, ber and sculpture.

More details at www.seesawgallery. com/.

Make Merry with Christmas stories at the Arvada Center

Christmas is brimming with stories that have delighted audiences for years; stories that have worked their way into the very fabric of the se ason.“Making Merry”is a collection of holiday stories and songs to mark the season presented

by stories on Stage and its coming to the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. e show features Gabriella Cavallero, Seth Dhonau, Voices Rock Reverb and pianist Kent Lemburg. Tickets are available at www.arvadacenter.org.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — brent Forever: The Tour at Mission Ballroom

It seems like you don’t hear many musical duos these days, which makes the partnership between Connecticut’s Chelsea Cutler and New Jersy’s Jeremy Zucker such a special treat. Both musicians have worked together o and on since 2018, specializing in the kind of love-drunk melancholy pop that we’ve all needed from time to time. All three of the pair’s albums have been named “brent,” so it’s only tting now that they’ve just released “brent iii,” that they take the show on the road. brent Forever: e Tour is coming to the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. in Denver. e opening act for the evening will be Paige Fish Get tickets at www.axs.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

“A splendidly festive tradition” – BroadwayWorld

NOW – DEC 29

WOLF THEATRE

SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR:

SEASON SPONSOR:

A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens

Adapted by Richard Hellesen Music by David de Berry

Directed by Anthony Powell

Colorado sees surge in bear reports with a record year for conﬂicts

BY ALEX MURPHY KUNC

New numbers from Colorado Parks and Wildlife shows a signi cant increase in bear activity across the state. e data shows more than a thousand additional cases so far in 2024 compared to numbers from 2023. is includes 4,644 bear reports from Jan. 1 through Nov. 1. e total is the third-highest since 2019, and the year isn’t over. With more than 17,000 bears estimated to live across the state, CPW suggests locals and visitors practice “bear-aware” principles. ese guidelines were created by wildlife o cials to keep humans and bears safe. Unfortunately, many issues between humans and bears can be blamed on food.

“ e bear population seems very healthy, which is great news, but it also puts more on our plate as humans to be sure that we are staying vigilant with trying to keep bears eating things that they should be eating. So, things out in the wild and not our trash,” said Kara Van Hoose, the Northeast Region Public Information O cer for CPW.

Part of being bear aware includes everything from securing trash cans and dumpsters to locking car and home doors and windows. To keep bears o residential property, people should secure compost piles too. e same goes for rotting fruit on the ground from fruit trees. CPW also recommends people clean grills after each use, not leaving pet food outside, and more.

“We encourage people to take down their bird feeders until after, typically after anksgiving, because those are just really easy bu ets and sources of calories for bears,” said Van Hoose. “Bird feeders are typically close to your windows, so you can look out and see what’s happening there. And you don’t want to bring the bear closer to

your house where it can nd more food and also a higher chance of interacting with people.”

When there are con icts and aggressive bear incidents, they can sometimes end with the bear being euthanized. e best way to avoid this is for locals and visitors to take the proper precautions.

Some of the most aggressive bear activity came from reports in Eagle, Pitkin and Aspen counties. In those areas, there are multiple accounts of bears entering homes and buildings through unlocked doors and windows.

e end result is an extremely dangerous scenario of a wild animal potentially trapped in a home with people.

It’s important to note that the issue is not isolated to the mountains. In the Boulder and Broom eld area, wildlife managers say human-bear interactions have been high this year. ey recommend hazing bears by making noise, using bear spray or even a water hose to scare the animal o .

Weld and Larimer counties saw an average number of bear con icts, but there has been a sharp increase in sightings as a warm fall and drought conditions keep bears searching for food sources. Colorado’s increase in population along the Front Range also put bears and humans closer as more undeveloped land becomes homes.

Historically, bear-related incidents drop o in November and December with the cooler weather arriving. However, this year’s warmer than normal temperatures may keep the bears out longer.

“We’ve typically always said, through anksgiving is when we consider bears to be still awake. But, I mean, it’s possible that they stay awake longer than that, based on what forecast is doing, and if it’s going to get cold enough,” said Van Hoose. “In Colorado, it’s not a true hibernation. We call it torpor, which means that they can still wake up, leave their dens, eat and then return back

A Service Of Nine Lessons, with Carols Sung By The Congregation

Time: 4 pm Sunday, December 8, 2024 Place:

to their dens. So, it’s a good idea to stay vigilant about your trash and things like that, especially if we have a warmer winter too.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommend locals report all bear activity, especially in towns and cities, whether the bear is digging through a trash can or is caught on a doorbell camera. e data helps wildlife o cials understand bear activity, track where bears are located, and avoid future human and bear con icts.

You can report bear activity on the agency’s website.

HOLIDAY

Castle Rock resident Carly Rima had a bear and her cub visit her yard in Happy Canyon on June 13, attracted by a bird feeder. Rima said she usually takes the feeder down before bear season to avoid drawing them into the neighborhood.

How to keep your cool during holiday political debates

7 practical tips from a behavioral scientist to navigate family conversations post-election

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Navigating political debates during the holidays can feel like walking a tightrope: one wrong step, and you’re in a heated argument instead of enjoying the pumpkin pie. Whether it’s a well-meaning relative dropping a divisive comment or a spirited family member pressing you for your stance, these moments can quickly escalate.

Denver-based behavioral scientist Susanna Park, Ph.D., shared practical advice for navigating these tricky conversations without losing your cool — or your relationships. Here are her top tips, drawn from her expertise and personal experience.

1. Know your goal

Before diving into any political discussion, Park advises asking yourself a critical question: What’s my goal?

“Is it to actually change the other person’s mind, or is it to just be able to speak your thoughts and feel heard?” she asked. If you know the likelihood of changing minds is slim, adjust your expectations.

“ e way you talk to them is going to change…because you know it’s not going to happen,” she continued. Reframing your goal can prevent conversations from spiraling into heated debates where both people ght to win.

Pro Tip: If validation is your goal, frame the conversation with open-ended questions to encourage dialogue, not debate. If you sense things heating up, redirect to common interests or shared values.

2. Recognize your limits

It’s okay to step away if the conversation becomes too overwhelming.

“You’re not losing an argument,” Park said. Instead, you’re saving yourself unnecessary stress and prioritizing quality family time. Remember, you’re allowed to decide how you want to spend your evening. Peacefully enjoying dessert beats a shouting match any day.

Pro Tip: Have an exit strategy ready. For instance, excuse yourself to grab a drink or o er to help in the kitchen when tensions rise. Physical distance can also give you mental space.

3. Set boundaries

Sometimes, the best approach is to set clear limits upfront. A mutual agreement to leave politics at the door can help maintain harmony. If some feel strongly about

discussing it, they can nd other outlets while respecting the collective agreement at the gathering.

“ ere is something to be said about permitting yourself to not engage,” Park said. “Others in the community are with you and doing that work as well. Just because you’re not engaging in that one moment with your family doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or that the situation will change for better or worse.”

Pro Tip: Frame the boundary as a shared goal to keep the event positive. For example, say, “Let’s make this about catching up and celebrating, not debating politics.”

4. Find common ground

Park emphasized the value of connecting with family members on shared interests outside of politics.

“If you care about animals, nd people who care about animals,” she said. Whether volunteering at a shelter or attending a local event, community work can bridge divides and bring people together.

Pro Tip: Suggest activities that focus on shared values. Whether it’s a food drive, local park cleanup or holiday decorating, working toward a common goal can strengthen bonds despite di ering views.

5. Take care of yourself

Self-awareness is key, from managing

social media algorithms to recognizing physical signs of stress.

Emotions are just information for us to then take in and tell us what the next steps are,” Park said.

Recognize physical signs of anxiety, like a racing heart or shallow breathing and step back if needed.

Park also advised that we don’t have to scroll through everything the algorithm shows us.

“I think it’s really important for people to recognize that they have the power to change how they feel about social media – how they feel going into it and coming out of it.”

And don’t underestimate the basics: “Get sleep,” she urges. e holiday chaos, compounded with election fatigue, means self-care is more critical than ever.

Pro Tip: Balance your media diet. Follow uplifting or educational accounts alongside news, and take regular social media breaks to reset your mindset.

6. Embrace the long game

Park said to remember that meaningful change and understanding take time, so there’s no need to resolve deep political divides in a single conversation over a holiday meal. Advocacy and change are marathons, not sprints.

Park likened activism to the airplane ox-

ygen mask rule: take care of yourself rst.

“If you’re feeling burnt out and fatigued, then your capacity is decreasing,” she said. Step back when needed and trust others in the community to carry the torch.

“It’s OK to take that moment. It may feel sel sh, but it’s really not,” Park said.

Pro Tip: Instead of diving into arguments, focus on small, impactful actions that align with your values, like sharing a thoughtful article, asking open-ended questions or simply listening. ese quieter approaches can build bridges without overwhelming yourself or others.

7. Practice empathy and kindness

At the end of the day, the holidays are about connection. “ ere’s a need for more empathy and grace for each other,” Park said. You don’t have to ignore the world’s challenges, but facing them together with kindness can make all the difference.

Pro Tip: Use humor to defuse tension. Sometimes, a light-hearted comment can help everyone remember what matters most: your connection, not your con icts. With these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the post-election holiday season with grace and sanity intact.

“ e holidays are rough for a lot of people,” Park said. “So just be kind.”

Surviving holiday political debates can be challenging no matter how you voted.

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evidencing said debt) due and owing upon the Evidence of Debt secured by the above-described Deed of Trust being foreclosed is $69,164.88.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

ALL THAT PARCEL OF LAND IN CLEAR

CREEK COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO, BEING KNOWN AS FOLLOWS:

PARCEL A: THAT PORTION OF THE MARTIN LODE MINING CLAIM, U.S. MINERAL SURVEY NO. 6377, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT N. 78 0 E., 684 FEET FROM CORNER NO. 1 OF SAID MARTIN LODE; THENCE N. 78 0 E., IIO FEET; THENCE N. 120 W., 150 FEET; THENCE S. 78 0 W., 110 FEET; THENCE S. 12 0 E., 150 FEET TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING, EXCEPTING THEREFROM THAT PORTION CONVEYED IN DEED RECORDED FEBRUARY 14, 1956, IN BOOK 250, PAGE 398, COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO.

PARCEL B:

THAT PORTION OF SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 3 SOUTH, RANGE 73 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M., DESRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COMMENCING AT CORNER NO. 1 OF THE MARTIN LODE MINING CLAIM, U.S. MINERAL SURV EY NO. 6377, ALSO KNOWN AS IDAHO SPRINGS TOWNSITE CORNER NO. 41; THENCE NORTHWEST ALONG LINE 41-40 OF SAID TOWNSITE TO CORNER NO. 40 OF THE IDAHO SPRINGS TOWNSITE; THENCE N. 05 029’00” W., A DISTANCE OF 311.32 FEET;

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, 01/23/2025, 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 Publication11/28/2024

Last Publication12/26/2024

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: 09/24/2024

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

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Ilene Dell’Acqua #31755 McCarthy & Holthus, LLP 7700 E. Arapahoe Road, Suite 230, Centennial, CO 80112 (877) 369-6122

Attorney File # CO-24-997013-LL

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. CCC976

First Publication: November 28, 2024

Last Publication: December 26, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Public Notice

COMBINED NOTICE - PUBLICATION CRS §38-38-103 FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 2024-009

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

On September 18, 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) CHRISTOPHER T. MCGREEVY Original Beneficiary(ies) OPTION ONE MORTGAGE CORPORATION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee for Soundview Home Loan Trust 2006-OPT1, Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2006-OPT1 Date of Deed of Trust December 21, 2005 County of Recording Clear Creek

Recording Date of Deed of Trust December 29, 2005

Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.) 236857 Book: 745Page: 871-880 Original Principal Amount

$120,000.00 Outstanding Principal Balance

$84,079.28

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.

SECTION OF LINE2-3 OF THE CROMWELL LODE MINING CLAIM, U. S. MINERAL SURVEY NO. 14761 A WITH LINE3-4 OF THE SAID CHARTER OAK LODE; THENCE SOUTHWESTERLY ALONG LINE3-4 OF SAID CHARTER OAK LODE TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION WITH CENTERLINE OF THE UNNAMED CLEAR CREEK COUNTY ROAD10-TC9 OFF OF MINERS CANDLE ROAD, THE POINT OF BEGINNING, AND A TRACT OF LAND LOCATED IN SECTION32, T OWNSHIO 3 SOUTH, RANGE 73 WEST OF THE6TH P.M., MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT CORNER NO. 4 OF THE NINTH NATIONAL LODE MINING CLAIM, U. S. MINERAL SURVEY NO. 1249 A; THENCE NORTHWESTERLY TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION WITH LINE1-2 OF THE SAID CHARTER OAK LODE; THENCE NORTHEASTERLY ALONG LINE1-2 OF SAID CHARTER OAK LODE TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION WITH LINE4-3 OF THE OREGON LODE MINING CLAIM, U. S. MINERAL

SURVEY NO. 1096; THENCE SOUTHW ESTERLY ALONG LINE4-3 OF SAID OREGON LODE TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION WITH LINE3-4 OF THE SAID NINTH NATIONAL LODE; THENCE NORTHW ESTERLY ALONG LINE3-4 OF SAID NINTH NATIONAL LODE TO CORNER NO. 4 OF SAID LODE, THE POINT OF BEGINNING, COMBINED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED AUGUST9, 2001 IN BOOK 620, PAGE786, COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO

Purported common address: 719 MINERS CANDLE, IDAHO SPRINGS, CO 80452-3073. 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, 01/16/2025, 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 Publication11/21/2024

Last Publication12/19/2024

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: 09/18/2024

Carol Lee, Public Trustee in and for the County of Clear Creek, State of Colorado The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Carly Imbrogno, Esq. #59553 Barrett Frappier & Weisserman, LLP 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80204 (303) 350-3711 Attorney File # 00000010248391

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. CCC973 First Publication: November 21, 2024 Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

City and County

Public Notice

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project is on file at the Idaho Springs City Hall, located at 1711 Miner Street, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 4P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Idaho Springs. All comments received by December 12th, 2024, will be considered by the City of Idaho Springs prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

The City of Idaho Springs certifies to HUD that Andrew Marsh in his capacity as City Administrator consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Clear Creek Schools Foundation to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Idaho Springs’ certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Idaho Springs; (b) the City of Idaho Springs has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to HUD at Office of Environment and Energy – Region VIII, 1670 Broadway Blvd. 21st Floor Denver, CO 80202. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Andrew Marsh, City Administrator Legal Notice No. CCC984

First Publication: December 5, 2024

Last Publication: December 5, 2024

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY COLORADO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT UPDATES TO THE CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ROAD SYSTEM

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing to adopt updates to the Clear Creek County Primary and Secondary Road System has been set by the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners to be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 , at the Clear Creek County Courthouse, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, where and when all interested parties may appear and comment upon the proposal.

Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: (669) 900-6833 or (346) 248-7799 or (301) 715-8592 or (312) 626-6799 or (929) 205-6099 or (253) 215-8782

Webinar ID: 167 562 1155

Or iPhone one-tap: US: (669) 900-6833, 167562115# or (346) 248-7799, 167562115#

A list of the proposed updates can be viewed at https://co-clearcreekcounty2.civicplus. com/1280/County-Road-List-Map or at the Clear Creek County Courthouse, 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado. George Marlin, Chair Board of County Commissioners

Legal Notice No. CCC

Unincorporated Area of Clear Creek County.

This hearing will be held both in person and via Zoom teleconference. Please use the link or phone numbers below to participate via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/j/167562115 US: 669 900 6833 or 346 248 7799

Webinar ID: 167 562 115

This notice is given and published by the order of the Board of County Commissioners of Clear Creek County.

Dated this 19th day of November, 2024.

George Marlin, Chair Board of County Commissioners Clear Creek County

Legal Notice No. CCC 018

First Publication: December 5, 2024 Last Publication: December 5, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Public Notice

The Town of Empire has passed and adopted upon second reading ORDINANCE 274: AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF EMPIRE, COLORADO IMPOSING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE SUBMISSION, ACCEPTANCE, PROCESSING, AND APPROVAL OF CERTAIN LAND USE APPLICATIONS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY

Effective thirty days after publication.

Legal Notice No. CCC987

COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO. Purported

THE CHARTER OAK LODE MINING CLAIM, U. S. MINERAL SURVEY NO. 14853, AS DESCRIBED IN U. S. PATENT RECORDED IN BOOK 235, PAGE362, EXCEPTING THEREFROM ANY PORTION EMBRACED IN SURVEY NOS. 749, 1096, 2073, 1249A, 1462 AND 14761A, AS EXCEPTED IN SAID PATENT, AND A TRACT OF LAND LOCATED IN SECTION29, T OWNSHIP3 SOUTH, RANGE 73 WEST OF THE6TH P.M., MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF LINE3-4 OF THE SAID CHARTER OAK LODE WITH THE CENTERLINE OF THE UNNAMED CLEAR CREEK COUNTY ROAD10TC9 OFF OF MINERS CANDLE ROAD; THENCE NORTHERLY50 FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID COUNTY ROAD; THENCE NORTHEASTERLY ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE TO THE POINT OF INTER-

December 5, 2024

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of a public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners for Clear Creek County, Colorado, at 8:30 a.m. on the 17th day of December, 2024, at 405 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado, 80444, for the purpose of considering the adoption of Resolution No. R-24-82, a Resolution by the Board Of County Commissioners, County of Clear Creek, for the Adoption of the 2021 International Code Series to Include the Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Swimming Pool and Spa Codes for the

NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED BUDGET NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that a proposed combined budget has been submitted to the Clear Creek County Board of County Commissioners for the ensuing year of 2025 for all County Funds, Public Trustee, Housing Authority, and the Emergency Services General Improvement District. The proposed budget is available to view on the Clear Creek County webpage at https://www.clearcreekcounty.us/183/ Finance-Budget . The proposed combined budget will be considered for adoption at a regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to be held at the Clear Creek County Courthouse, 6th and Argentine Streets, Georgetown, CO on the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Any interested person within Clear Creek County may inspect the proposed combined budget and file or register any comments thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

George Marlin, Chair Board of County Commissoners Clear Creek County, CO

Legal Notice No. CCC989

First Publication: December 5, 2024

Last Publication: December 5, 2024 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT MARTIN MARRIETA MATERIALS, INC. RC 24-01 PAVEMENT REHAB FOR UPPER BEAR

LEAP ayuda a los residentes elegibles de Colorado a pagar una parte de sus gastos de calefacciòn de invierno.