Former Georgetown police marshal leaves scathing letter of resignation to town leaders
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Daniel Trechter of Manhattan, Kansas was selected as Georgetown police marshal in August. After just a couple of weeks on the job, he penned a letter of resignation to Police Judge Lynette Kelsey and members of the Board of Selectmen.
“It is with an extremely heavy and tortured heart that I tender this letter of resignation as your chief of police e ective immediately,” reads the opening of the letter from Trechter. “I came into this position optimistic and wideeyed with an open mind, heart, soul, and spirit. Unfortunately, over the last week my ‘dream come true’ became a nightmare.”
In his 1,000-word resignation dated Oct. 12, Trechter described “signi cant failures in leadership at the town administrator level.” Trechter’s resignation forecast a coming storm of an administrative exodus in November.
In November, the Georgetown Board of Selectmen accepted the resignations of Town Administrator Rick Keuroglian and Town Treasurer Mary Sims, who had been in the position for 23 years. Town Clerk Jennifer Yobski quit shortly thereafter.
“It became an unhappy, unhealthy place to be,” Sims said in a Dec. 11 interview with the Courant about the job she loved for decades. Sims declined to go into speci cs as to why she stepped down.
In the letter of resignation, Trechter said board members informed him of the challenges of the marshal position he was taking over when accepting the job and the “ghosts of the past” such as Christian Glass that he would be subject to scrutiny for his predecessors.
During his initial job interview, Trechter said the Board of Selectmen
Clear Creek Center for Arts and Education with Argo Mill sponsored a gingerbread house event in Idaho Springs.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Young artists show o talent in annual gingerbread house contest in Idaho Springs
Clear Creek Center for the Arts and Education and the Argo Mill supplied materials for the gingerbread creations, kids supplied the creativity
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The 4th annual Gingerbread Challenge in Idaho Springs brought more than two dozen entries, including participation from the entire first grade at Carlson Elementary School.
Clear Creek Center for the Arts and Education and Argo Mill provided free construction kits, frosted gingerbread, gummy treats and candies.
The resulting creations were on display at the Majestic office spaces Dec. 21 in Idaho Springs.
The meticulous work some participants put into building their edible house was evident in the intricate design and decorations of the homes, many based on existing buildings in Idaho Springs.
“The amazing thing is that we look at a spread of 25 kids houses that were submitted, you can start to see those budding artists from the get-go and that’s
exciting to me,” CCCAE Executive Director
to anyone with the agreement that pictures of the final project were submitted Carlson Elementary first grade teacher Liz Bogers took the holiday opportunity to heart, creating an entire day of practical learning, dance and even math worked into the lesson.
“The whole day was about gingerbread houses and dances, math and they were in pajamas and we had a lot of snacks, so it was a fun day,” Bogers said.
Bogers’ class submitted several colorful creations in the “small house” category. Bogers acknowledged parent volunteers were “precious” in the process.
A panel of three anonymous judges picked three artisanal winners: Jessica Thew, Carla Cole and Megan Aldrich, according to Cole.
The top prizes include a shopping spree in downtown Idaho Springs sponsored by CCCAE, Cole said.
The annual gingerbread house event will be getting even bigger next year, Cole added.
Carla Pokrywka Cole said.
Gingerbread houses up for judges during the contest.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
NAR’s 2024 Survey of Buyers and Sellers Provides Some Interesting Insights on the Market
Every year the National Association of Realtors (NAR) publishes a “Profile of Buyers and Sellers” which contains some useful data and insights on the real estate market.
The 2024 survey was just released and contains some interesting trends which I’ll summarize here.
The image at right is an example. In the posting of this week’s ad at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com you’ll find the full highlights of the report on the following topics:
Characteristics of home buyers
Breakdown of homes purchased
Use of real estate professionals
The home search process
How homes are being financed
The experience of home sellers
Use of listing agents by sellers
For Sale by Owner statistics and trends
Here’s just one of those highlight pages, to give you an idea the detail provided. This is the one about FSBOs (for sale by owner):
Here are some of the key take-aways from the other chapters;
Characteristics of Home Buyers: The median age of home buyers surged in 2024 over the prior year — 56 vs. 49. The median age for first-time buyers jumped from 35 to 38, and for repeat buyers jumped from 58 to 61. 73% of buyers had no children under 18 in the home, and 17% bought a multi-generational home. First-time home buyers constituted 24% of home sales, down from 32% in 2023. This was the lowest percentage since NAR started doing these surveys in 1981.
Characteristics of Homes Purchased: 15% of buyers purchased new homes from a builder. Among those who purchased existing
homes, the typical home was built in 1994, compared to homes built in the 1980s in two prior surveys. The typical home was 1,900 square feet, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The median distance of the new home from the previous home was 20 miles, compared to 50 miles in 2022. (That was the height of Covid, spurred by remote work.) PreCovid, the median distance was typically 15 miles. 16% of 2024 buyers purchased in an urban area or central city, the highest such percentage since 2014, spurred perhaps by the end of some work-at-home arrangements. Proximity to the home buyer’s job was important to 34% of buyers, down from 52% in 2014. The top consideration this year was the quality of the neighborhood (59%), followed by proximity to friends and family (45%).
Home Buyers & Real Estate Professionals:
88% of home buyers used the services of a real estate agent. Looking at buyers of existing homes, that percentage rose to 92%. Only 63% of new home buyers were represented by an agent. 80% of first-time buyers said that their agent’s assistance in understanding the home buying process was “invaluable.”
40% of all buyers and 51% of first-time buyers found their agent through a referral from their friends, family or personal network. Most buyers only interviewed one agent — it was 71% for repeat buyers.
Although 88% of buyers said they would use their agent again or recommend him/her to others, only 21% of buyers actually used the same agent they had used before. Of those who purchased in 2024, 61% have already recommended their agent to others.
The Home Search Process: 43% of buyers said they started the process by looking at homes on the internet, with 21% first contacting an agent. 69% of buyers searched for homes on their mobile or tablet devices.
Open houses were deemed “very useful” by 23% of buyers. About 40% said they valued photos and detailed listing information, while 31% appreciated floor plans. The typical buyer spent 10 weeks house hunting and saw a median of 7 homes, 2 of them online only. 51% found the home they bought through their own online searching. 55% said that finding the right home was the most difficult part of the process.
59% of buyers said they were “very satisfied” with their home buying experience, and another 33% were “somewhat satisfied.”
Financing the Home Purchase: 91% of first-time buyers and 69% of repeat buyers financed their home purchase with a loan. These percentages were down from 92% and 81% respectively from last year. The overall percentage was 74%, meaning that 26% of all home buyers paid cash — an all-time high.
The median down payment was 9% for first-time buyers and 23% for repeat buyers, That’s the highest down payment percentage for first-time buyers since 1997 and the highest for repeat buyers since 2003. 25% of the first-time buyers used a gift or loan from a
relative to finance their down payment, but savings was the biggest source at 69%.
In 2009, 55% of first-time buyers used an FHA loan, but that has dropped to 29% now that there are many conventional loan offerings requiring minimal down payments and no mortgage insurance premium. In 2024, 52% of first-time buyers took out a conventional loan.
Home Sellers and Their Selling Experience:
The median age of home sellers in 2024 was 63 — the highest ever recorded. 69% of the sellers were married couples, the first increase in this statistic in four years. Of all the homes sold in 2024, 77% did not have any children
under 18 living in the house -- empty nesters! 66% moved within the same state, 16% within the same region. (Note: These are national statistics.) Roughly one-third bought a bigger house, one-third bought the same size house and one-third bought a smaller house. 52% bought a newer home, with the rest split equally between the same age or older home.
The single most common reason for moving (23%) was to be closer to friends and family. The median number of years that a seller owned their home was 10 years, a big drop from 6 years in 2000 to 2008.
Median time on market in 2024 was three weeks, up from two weeks in 2023.
68% of sellers were “very satisfied” with the selling process. 22% were “somewhat satisfied.”
Home Selling & Real Estate Professionals: 90% of sellers hired a listing agent, up from 89% in 2023. Only 6% were FSBO (for sale by owner), a record low percentage. Of those sellers who did not know the buyer, 95% used a real estate agent. Two-thirds of sellers used an agent who was referred to them or that they had used before. 81% interviewed only the one agent they hired. 71% of sellers who bought within 10 miles of their home used the same agent for both transactions. The most important criteria in selecting the listing agent were the agent’s reputation (35%) and the agent’s honesty (21%). 58% of sellers offered open houses.
Again, the full reports of each of the above sections can be found on our blog, http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com
Is a Reverse Mortgage the Best Option for You?
If the idea of not paying principal and interest for the rest of your life and possibly drawing a lump sum from your home’s equity to help you with taxes and insurance, sounds like something you’d like to explore, let me tell you about “reverse mortgages.” They are officially known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM). They can be used to purchase a home or to refinance your current home.
Many seniors are in a situation where they have substantial equity in their home but don’t have quite the amount of income they need to live on day-to-day or month-tomonth. If you are still paying on your mortgage, a HECM allows you to reduce that monthly expense by the amount of your principal and interest payment. That alone may be enough to improve your monthly cash flow, but you can also draw on your surplus equity to have additional money for living expenses or discretionary expenditures such as travel.
If downsizing is in your plans, the HECM can also be used to purchase a home that better fits your senior lifestyle.
Here’s the nitty gritty. You have to be 62 or older to qualify for a HECM. The amount of down payment or equity you need to have is based on your age and life expectancy, because the lender wants to know that you’ll outlive the equity which is going to be used up by not paying principal and interest until you die.
That down payment requirement (or equity requirement if you are refinancing into a HECM) ranges from 45% to 70%. A HECM
loan is FHA insured, which covers the possibility that you live longer than expected and drain all your equity by not paying those monthly principal and interest payments. When you die or move out, the home can be sold, and the FHA insurance means that the proceeds of the sale don’t need to cover the mortgage payoff.
If you’re married, only one of you needs to be over 62, and if the qualifying senior dies, the surviving spouse can remain in the house until he or she dies, even if that means the equity is exhausted.
You retain title to the house, just like with a conventional mortgage. You can sell at any time and pay off the loan balance with your proceeds at closing.
Because it’s an FHA loan, the closing costs of the HECM loan are greater than for a conventional loan, but, depending on your cash flow situation, it may be worth it.
Eligible property types include 1-4 unit properties, so long as you live in one of the units. It can include FHA-approved condos and townhomes, and properties that are titled in a living trust.
If you’re purchasing a home with a HECM, the seller can provide a concession for up to 6% of the purchase price to cover those higher closing costs.
If you’re not a senior but have parents who own their own home but are struggling with monthly expenses, you might want to explore with them the benefits of a reverse mortgage.
Our in-house lender, Wendy Renee, is an expert on this product. Give her a call at 303868-1903 to get your questions answered.
made the environment of hostility toward local police clear.
“I was told we needed to rebuild the Georgetown Police Department, especially given the recent history regarding the Christian Glass incident, settlement and pending criminal charges,” he said.
Glass died on the night of June 10-11, 2022 when he was stranded in his car near Silver Plume. He had called 911 for help, saying he was trapped, and when o cers arrived, they asked Glass to leave his car. He refused in what turned into a long stando that ended when o cers broke Glass’ car window and used a Taser on him. Former Clear Creek Sheri Deputy Andrew Buen shot Glass ve times, killing him, according to an indictment.
Buen is charged with 2nd-degree murder in the case and trial is set for February of 2025.
Despite the responsibility of reshaping a town police department, Trechter said in his letter that he received no support from and to the detriment of the town.
“Your city administrator (Rick Keuroglian) and city treasurer (Mary Sims) see it di erently and have blocked or seriously sti ed every attempt I have made to spend even basic amounts of money,” Trechter wrote.
Sims told the Courant she had very little interaction with Trechter other than budget items for 2025 and points the blame for the “debacle” at Keuroglian.
“ e problem was Rick throwing employees under the bus, playing employees against each other and it wouldn’t stop,” Sims said in an interview Dec. 20.
“I was told by the city administrator (Keuroglian) that my budget should be
the ‘bare minimum’; ‘ e police department just isn’t a priority’ when answering a question regarding budgeting,” Trechter’s notice reads.
e Courant reached out to every member of the Georgetown Board of Selectmen, Keuoglian, and Treachter for comment on this story.
Amanda Cooper from Ward 1 in Georgetown is the only member who responded, saying there’s very little she can reveal.
“I’m just trying to avoid commenting on a personnel matter that wouldn’t be ethical for me to comment on,” Cooper said.
Trechter said he would prefer his letter speak for itself in a conversation with the Courant.
In the complete absence of local law
enforcement, Georgetown has turned to the Clear Creek County Sheri ’s O ce for assistance.
On Dec. 10, Clear Creek County Commissioners and the county sheri ’s o ce signed an Intergovernmental Agreement with Georgetown to provide county deputies for town law enforcement.
Under the agreement, the initial level of service patrols will be three days a week for a total of 18 hours per week. e town will pay the overtime rate for deputies on patrol of between $55 to $60 per hour. e county sheri ’s o ce will provide equipment, personnel and vehicles associated with the services and will invoice the town on a monthly basis, according to the agreement.
During an unexpected Dec. 7 interview
with Kelsey, who is now acting as town administrator, Kelsey con rmed, “ e town is currently negotiating a contract with a potential new town administrator and is working to ll the town clerk and treasurer positions.”
Kelsey said details surrounding the public exodus are elusive.
“Unfortunately, it’s very closely tied to personnel issues that I can’t give lots of details on. You know, sometimes you get those perfect storm kinds of waves,” Kelsey said.
In an ominous conclusion to his resignation Trechter writes: “I write a small sample of these things not to o end, accuse, demean, demoralize, etc. but as an ethical obligation to let you know your city administrator is failing you.”
Former Georgetown police marshal Daniel Trechter left a scathing letter of resignation to town leaders.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Clear Creek County Transfer Station extends days of operation
The transfer station will be open four days a week again despite a budget shortfall in the county
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Clear Creek County is extending days of operation for the transfer station in Idaho Springs.
Beginning after the rst of the year, the station will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays for locals to take trash and recycling to the facility at 1531 County Road 140 in Idaho Springs.
e transfer station was operating just Fridays and Saturdays due to sta ng issues, according to county spokesperson Megan Hiler..
However, Hiler said a new operations manager is in place and the county raised pay for employees to keep the station operating.
e additional days of operation are simply a response to public needs, Hiler said.
“People care about it, I think they like it because it’s local and they’ve been going there for years and when it’s closed it really a ects
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
Ice Drifting Round 1: 8:30 a.m. Friday Jan. 17 Georgetown Lake. Colorado Drift School https://www.coloradodriftschool. com/ice-drifting.
Adult Dodgeball Tournament: 5-8 p.m. Friday Jan. 24 Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District. Registration is $100. Contact Jessi a jsteele@ccmrd.com.
them,” Hiler said.
e move to extend hours at the station comes at a time when the county is aggressively dealing with budget shortfalls that will reduce operating hours to 32 hours four days a week.
Pond Hockey Tournament: Saturday, Feb. 22, Georgetown Lake Cabin Creek Brewing Registration Fee: $350 per team prior to January 10th. Team Size: 3v3 format with a max of 5 players per team. Information: jenn@ccmrd.com.
ONGOING
Idaho Springs Lions Club meetings: 7:30 am every rst and third ursdays of the month at Marions of the Rockies, 2805 Colorado Blvd, Idaho Springs. Come join us and help to serve our community. For information – www.islions.org, email info@isLions.org or call 720-608-1140.
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.
Test sirens scheduled: In an e ort to notify people in the town of Georgetown of potential ooding due to the unlikely event of a dam failure at Xcel Energy’s Cabin Creek or Georgetown hydroelectric plants, sirens will be tested the rst Wednesday of every month.
Clear Creek EMS/Evergreen Fire Rescue Launch Mugs for Rugs Campaign: Bring an old throw rug and you’ll leave with a bright green mug! You can bring them to Station 1A in Dumont, 3400 Stanley Road, or you can email captains@clearcreekems. com and CCEMS will come to you to make the trade. Clear Creek EMS also o ers fallrisk assessments by bringing someone from the re department to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. To request a visit, ll out the form at clearcreekcounty.us/1388/Community-Outreach.
Clear Creek Democrats:5-7 p.m. ‘ irsty 3rd ursday’ Vintage Moose, 12 16th Ave in Idaho Springs. Non-alcoholic options and snacks are provided.
CASA of the Continental Divide seeks volunteers:CASACD promotes and protects the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in court proceedings through the advocacy e orts of trained CASA volunteers. Be the di erence and advocate for the youth in our community. e o ce can be reached at 970-513-9390.
“ is is during a budget crunch. that just shows how important it is to us that we’re providing a service that the community really needs,” Hiler said.
An extensive list of fees at the transfer station is available on the county’s website.
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 720282-1164.
Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Marion’s of the Rockies. 2805 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs. For more information, email loe er806@comcast.net.
Support after suicide loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.
Storytime with Miss Honeybun: Storytime with Miss Honeybun is at 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Idaho Springs Public Library and at 11:15 a.m. ursdays at the John Tomay Memorial Library in Georgetown.
Dental clinics: Cleanings, X-rays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. is is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-205-4449 for questions.
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 ofce. 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 Je Com911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.
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The transfer station in Idaho Springs returns to being open four days a week. PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
My father had a story for almost every occasion. His stories were like a magical chapter book that would open and share insights from his life. A wonderful thing about the stories he shared was that they would span from the time of his childhood clear through that of my sister and me, the main character constantly changing.
One of the stories that he would share came from the Depression era. It started with him explaining that at that time, a dime’s worth of potatoes and a quarter’s worth of ground beef would feed their family of nine kids and two adults. en he would go on to explain that when he was about ten years old his mother entrusted him with a ve-dollar bill and told him to go to the corner grocery store and purchase potatoes and ground beef for dinner.
In his telling of the story, he left the house with the ve-dollar bill rmly in his hand. After walking a block, about half the distance to the store, he stopped; and with panicked energy began to look around for the money. He described the incredible depth of his despair as he retraced his steps, looked under every leaf,
To say 2024 was a year with a lot of ups and downs would be an understatement. A constant slew of unprecedented events kept everyone feeling on edge and I have a feeling that this unsettled sense is going to continue for a while.
Slow down and don’t panic
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
through every drain, desperately trying to nd the currency. Finally, after what to a ten-year-old, seemed like forever, he realized he needed to go home and tell his mom about the lost money. With tears in his eyes, he walked up the stairs of the house and into the kitchen. He looked his mom squarely inthe face and gravely said that he had lost the ve dollars. He explained to her how he had looked everywhere, retraced his steps multiple times, and could not nd the money.
His mom watched him as he told his story, nished drying her hands, put down the rag she was using, hugged him, took his left hand, and pried it open, revealing the ve-dollar bill.
Being so completely my father’s son, I understand the incredible panic that the little boy in the story was experiencing.
Although Dad never said this specically, I know he was running through a
list of things that were going to happen because he lost the money, that he was berating himself for not being a better steward of the money given him, and that he was absolutely panicked to share about the loss.
Actually, I think we all understand his panic and thought process. When we face struggles, we all tend to miss what is literally within our grasp.
As I write about this story, I am struck by the number of times I have both guratively and actually panicked over losing things that are right in my grasp. It is easy to do — you get di cult news, or you struggle through your day and you convince yourself that you have lost something. For me, that panic shows up most often around physical abilities I think MS is taking. For you, it will be something di erent.
No matter the cause, that panicked response does not serve anyone.
My grandmother’s response, wiping her hands, giving dad a hug, revealing for him the truth of what was in his hand is a helpful reminder of a better way to respond.
When things seem truly awful, if we
slow down (Grandma drying her hands), remember the love that surrounds us (her hug) and look at our situation without panic (opening his hand), we will be able to deal with things more e ectively. We cannot control the fact that di cult things are going to happen in our lives; we can control how we respond in those moments.
You have got this.
I hope that you will nd inspiration in my words and share those words of encouragement with those who need it. ank you to all who have shared stories with me so far, I love hearing from you as you nd helpful morsels in these columns and 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.
Music in 2024 reflected a challenging year COMING ATTRACTIONS
and subjects modern folk can encapsulate.
It was di cult to keep up with the music world while so much was going on (unless you’re one of the pop stars who ruled the year). To help with that, I gathered ve of my favorite releases that may have slipped by you. I hope you nd something to excite you and comfort you as we head into a new year.
Blackstarkids — ‘Saturn Dayz/Heaven on Urf’
Describing a group like Blackstarkids is a tricky proposition. eir list of in uences is so wide-ranging that naming everything doesn’t do the project justice, but su ce to say they take elements of soul, funk and hip-hop and mash it together with synth pop, indie rock and pop-punk. It’s a heady brew, but the group make music that is often so beautiful, it takes your breath away.
For their last release as a band, Blackstarkids created a two-part concept album about a young woman making her way through the afterlife. Whether or not you want to invest in that side of the storytelling is up to you, but the songs they make are undeniable. Utterly gorgeous, infectious and full of the kind of pure joy we could use more of. It’s a shame it’s their nal release, but the group goes out on the highest of notes.
Bonny Light Horseman — ‘Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free’
Bonny Light Horseman is a collaboration between Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson and Josh Kaufman, all three of whom have deep experience blending folk sensibilities with pop, rock and any other number of genres. eir third album might be their strongest yet, a sprawling sonic exploration of the many directions
Genesee Park bison
e album’s 20-track total may seem excessive, but the cumulative e ect is one of pure pleasure, as the trio of Mitchell, Johnson and Kaufman discover new and catchy ways to tell their stories. ere’s something for almost everyone to dig into — more traditional numbers and others that get under your skin and stay there. “Keep Me…” is an album to immersive yourself in — you won’t regret it.
Liana Flores — ‘Flower of the soul’
“Flower of the soul,’ the debut fulllength from British-Brazilian singer/ songwriter Liana Flores, may well be the prettiest album of the year. It brings to mind the work of legendary jazz vocalist Astrud Gilberto, but while there certainly is a jazz element to the music, Flores leans more on the acoustic side of things, creating a sound that is both lush and slightly minimalist.
Flores’ music is so lovely you’d be forgiven for slotting it in as background music, but that would do a disservice to her songwriting ability. Songs like “I Wish for the Rain” sound like they were transported out of the 1960’s, but still manage to feel fresh, instead of just a rip-o . e resulting album transports the listener to warmer climes and times — it’s a free plane ticket to a place where you can just relax and vibe.
Japandroids – ‘Fate & Alcohol’ Sometimes, a band just knows when it’s time to go. As a fan, I’d rather see a group go out on their own terms than dissolve into ghting and bitterness. So even though I’ll miss them, “Fate & Alcohol” is a tting send o to Japandroids, the Vancouver duo of Brian King and David
Prowse.
e band’s fourth and nal album is particularly special because it completes the arc the group have been on since their debut. Japandroids has always tra cked in anthemic, sing-along style guitar rock (hitting the zenith on their immortal second album, “Celebration Rock”), and that remains present here. But the lyrics are no longer driven by an unquenchable urge to spend the whole night drinking with friends. It’s more about nding peace and moving forward into whatever comes next. Heading into a new year, that’s a lesson we could all do well to learn.
Soccer Mommy — ‘Evergreen’
Over the course of her career, Sophie Allison (who records under the name Soccer Mommy) has perfected a blend of 90s grunge and indie rock with an apprecia-
A Genesee Park bison stands along the fence and basks in the mid-afternoon sun Dec. 20 near the Patrick House Trailhead. Starting in 2021, Denver Parks and Recreation has been donating surplus bison to Native American nonprofits and tribal governments to enhance conservation herds on tribal lands.
tion of generational pop gures, like Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift. On her fourth album, “Evergreen,” she digs even deeper, coming up with an album that is stunning in its beauty and lyricism.
Written after what Allison said was a period of “profound and personal loss,” the album feels richer and more sonically exploratory than anything she’s done before. “Evergreen’s” musical palatte features more acoustic and string elements, which she uses to paint pictures of vulnerability and hope. Songs like “Some Sunny Day” and “Dreaming of Falling” just wrap you up and stick with you longer after they’re done. e whole album is a testament to the challenges we all face and inner strength to move forward. Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
Jim Roome
Clarke Reader
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
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TikTok and timeouts:
How I took my life back from social media
“ Hold up! You’ve been scrolling for way too long now. Maybe get some food, get some water, and then come back later.”
Annoyed, I rolled my eyes at the TikTok Man and kept scrolling. TikTok’s algorithm will occasionally interject one of these “time to take a break” videos into your feed, supposedly when you’ve been on the app for over an hour. But I thought the algorithm to be a bunch of baloney. I hadn’t even been scrolling for that long! Or… had I? I closed the app to check my “screen time,” a feature on the iPhone that monitors your usage of di erent kinds of apps. e apps are grouped into categories such as “social media,” “productivity” and “navigation.” Feeling smug, I was certain the majority of my screen time that week was spent on something worthwhile. Something in the “productivity” category, surely.
“TikTok: 3 hours 53 minutes,” my phone read. I had been scrolling on that darn app for almost four hours. Four hours! My most used category? Social media. e Information and Reading category came next. Navigation was third. (I am 100% dependent on Google Maps so this came as no surprise.) e Productivity category didn’t even make my top ve. My average daily screen time was 8 hours, 27 minutes, over an hour longer than the average Gen Z-er, and I already knew my generation spends an absurd amount of time on screens. We’re not quite iPad kids (that’s Gen Alpha) but we are absolutely “chronically online.” I was stunned. Was it true? Was I doomscrolling my life away?
Desperate, I quickly devised a plan. In my Notes app. Hopefully doing so would raise my daily average in the “productivity” category. at felt important. To be frank, the amount of time I was still spending on X (formerly Twitter) despite it being a terrible app ever since Elon Musk bought it, was downright embarrassing.
I decided to name my plan “No More Brain Rot”. “Brain rot,” ironically, is a term I learned on Xitter. Urban Dictionary de nes brain rot content as “the various ‘short’ type-videos (typically a YouTube short, a TikTok, an Instagram reel etc.) that swarm social media feeds. It’s very easy to get sucked in and watch one short after another without even noticing. is lack of stimulation (or more correctly, empty stimulation) ‘rots’ the brain because of its self-repetition and low quality.”
As I began to draft my plan, I was reminded of something my dad used to tell my brother and me when we were kids. He told us that watching too much TV can turn your brain into soup. I fear he was on to something.
While Urban Dictionary and dad jokes are great in their own right, they’re not exactly reputable sources. So I did a little bit more research. I could spend hours on TikTok or Instagram without even noticing, let alone remembering any of the content I took in. When I watched a movie, however, or read a long-form article, I retained virtually all of it. Why is that? I wondered.
It turns out that short-form content
GUEST COLUMN
like TikToks or reels on Instagram and Facebook give us an instant dopamine release in the brain’s reward pathways. Scientists say this makes dopamine levels spike to way above baseline. When you watch a movie or read a book, the dopamine release is a slow burn. You have to practice delayed grati cation to get the most out of the experience.
We live in an attention economy, meaning human attention has been commodi ed. Modern marketing tactics aim to “buy” your attention. Social media companies know this, and have designed their algorithms in a way that keeps you scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling.
As a result, young Americans’ attention spans have gotten shorter over time. ere is a growing amount of popular books, documentaries and TedX Talks on the subject, such as Atomic Habits, Scroll Zombies, e Social Dilemma, Dopamine Nation and more.
Not to be dramatic, but my reliance on those little dopamine hits throughout the day felt a little bit like an addiction in its own right. I was worried about what my “withdrawals” might look like. So as I put together my plan, I knew I needed to nd other things to do when I craved these digital drugs.
I thought back to what I used to do before social media. Tapped into my inner child. I used to spend more time outside. I used to read more books. I used to call my grandparents more often.
Suddenly, the prospect of a digital detox seemed a little less scary.
No More Brain Rot was a minimalistic program. It only had three steps.
Step one: Delete, Delete, Delete e rst step was deleting all of my social media apps. Not my accounts, just deleting the apps o of my phone. While I had worries about missing the next “demure” joke, “Moo Deng” video, and other viral moments, I put my pride aside. What’s more important, being upto-date on all the latest lingo and online trends, or improving my mental health and quality of life? If I had to be out of the loop for a beat, so be it.
Step two: Timeout Timeline
e next step was to come up with a timeline. I had no idea how long a digital detox should last. I decided to shoot for 70 days because that’s how long Amy Winehouse said rehab takes, and this is basically the same thing. (Also, fortunately, I do have 70 days to work on this!)
I also decided to make a goal of cutting my screen time in half. at meant I would allow myself 4½ hours of screen time a day. is step was important because without setting goals related to my screen time, I risked replacing my social media usage with Reddit or Candy Crush. Sticking to it for 70 days ensured I had enough time to form new,
London Lyle
Experts give insight on how to stick to your New Year’s resolutions
BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Afew years ago, Randi Smith received an Italian accordion as a gift from her husband.
For years, it had been her goal to learn how to play the instrument. She planned to start learning once she retired, but her husband encouraged her to start before that.
But, despite resolving each new year to become an accordion player, Smith still hasn’t learned to play.
“I set myself up, because my goal to learn to play the accordion — it wasn’t speci c enough, and it certainly wasn’t attainable enough,” she said. “Whatever I did have in my mind was a fantasy rather than an achievable, measurable, stepwise map towards progress. It was just like, ‘I’m gonna learn how to play the accordion this year!’”
Smith, a professor of psychological sciences at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, said her story is a common one. Research shows that people tend not to stick to
their New Year’s resolutions beyond a few weeks, with some articles stating the failure rate is as high as 80% by February. rough her research and her work as a licensed psychologist and a licensed clinical social worker, Smith has seen that many people do not achieve their goals for a variety of common reasons. Whether people are making New Year’s resolutions or setting goals at another time of year, there are tips everyone can keep in mind when aiming to build new habits.
One strategy, Smith said, is to set realistic and measurable goals. Unlike her goal to learn to play the accordion, she said good goals should be speci c, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Many experts refer to these goals by the acronym “SMART.”
For learning to play the accordion, a smart goal could be to play 20 minutes per day, ve days per week and master the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by February, Smith said.
A man scrolls on his phone in his bed at night. SHUTTERSTOCK
TOP LEFT: An accordion, gifted to Randi Smith by her husband. COURTESY OF RANDI SMITH
RESOLUTIONS
“It’s speci c,” she said. “I think it’s achievable. It’s time-bound because it just gives me one month to get that far. And, I can certainly measure it and see whether I’ve been able to do that.”
Smith said it can also be helpful to write goals down. Putting goals on paper encourages the goal-setter to think about how to make the objective more structured, and also helps a person track their progress. It’s critical, however, to make sure that you aren’t too hard on yourself if you falter, Smith said. She said one roadblock to reaching a goal is “developing this all-ornothing thinking around it.”
“As soon as there’s something that is not counted as success toward the goal, the person feels like, ‘I’m a failure, I blew it — better try again next year,’” she said. “Obviously, that’s not good, and that’s why so many resolutions fail within the rst couple weeks or couple months.”
Smith said many people think they need to be hard on themselves in order to keep themselves accountable, but that strategy can actually back re.
“Sadly, the inner-drill-sergeant approach doesn’t really work, because then failure seems so total,” she said. “ e truth of the matter is — and it’s born out in the research, and I certainly see it in my own psychotherapy practice — that you’re actually creating more space for success if (you choose) to be more exible and kind to yourself.”
Cindy Morris, a clinical psychologist, said there are also things to keep in mind when deciding which habits to build for yourself. She is the clinical director of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’ Behavioral Health and Wellness Program, where her team trains organizations around the country to help them help patients and clients change their behaviors.
Speci cally, her program trains healthcare organizations, mental health organizations and community and public health groups to help their clients live nicotine-free, practice self-care and improve sleep habits, nutrition, physical activity and more.
Morris said self-awareness is the most important step to changing behavior. First, she said it’s important to re ect on your emotions, especially when you feel guilty or bad about something you have done or continue to do.
“It’s important to listen to it and see what the emotion is telling you,” she said. “Is it,‘I feel bad because I have a rule in my mind, a thought, a belief that tells me this is bad to do?’ or is it that it actually isn’t right for me? Once you get a sense of what’s going on — what is it that you want or don’t want — then you can focus more on the behavior.”
When a person decides they want to change a behavior or build a healthy habit, Morris said, it’s helpful to re ect on the triggers or cues that lead to the behavior they’re trying to change, what their current routine is and what the reward is.
“As people are aware of this kind of habit loop, then they can choose a new, di erent behavior, or di erent habit that they want to practice, and then they can replace the routine,” she said.
For example, if a person nds themself going to sleep late because they always stay up scrolling on their phone, they might recognize that this happens in the lull in the evening after they nish cleaning up from dinner, Morris said. ey might try to replace their mindless phone use at that time of night with reading a novel or taking a relaxing bath — something that can still let them get the reward of turning their brain o for a little bit before they go to sleep, without keeping them awake all night.
Morris said practice is an important part of habitbuilding.
“It’s not like anyone does anything like, say, plays a sport or something (and) the rst time you do it, you’re
“It just feels good to not only be thinking about yourself but to have other people in mind and wonder how they’re doing on what they wanted to be accountable towards.”
incredible and you’re going to the Olympics,” she said. “It’s incremental. And so, we want to be gentle with ourselves.”
Morris and Smith both said having social support is a helpful environment when you are practicing new habits.
“( ere’s) good empirical support for having social support when we’re working on a new goal,” Smith said. “If my goal is to lose 30 pounds in 2025, having a partner who is engaging with me — maybe somebody I meet with to have some regular exercise, or joining a support group to improve my nutrition and master my overeating... We know those things are helpful.”
For Lakewood resident Ty Preizler, having social support is helpful when working towards goals. at’s why he started the Denver Healthy Habits Accountability Group, a community for people to come together to support each other in building new habits.
“I nd that I’m I’m way more motivated when I know that there’s going to be a group of people in a few weeks that I’m going to sit there and talk with about this,” he said. “Just having that companionship makes it a lot easier to stick to to the habits that we want.”
His group, which he launched in October, generally meets once a month. ey discuss their goals and sometimes do guided meditations or journaling sessions to re ect. With a variety of ages and backgrounds, the group members are working towards goals related to tness, nutrition and nding purpose in life.
Learn more about the group at https://www.meetup. com/denver-healthy-habits-accountability-group/.
So far, Preizler said his favorite part of the group has been getting the chance to help people, hearing their challenges and nding a community of people who understand and encourage self-improvement.
“It just feels good to not only be thinking about yourself but to have other people in mind and wonder how they’re doing on what they wanted to be accountable towards,” he said. “It just feels good.”
Psychology professor Randi Smith says it can be helpful to write down your goals. SHUTTERSTOCK
Ty Preizler, Lakewood resident
Colorado cyclist returns from 5-year trip around the globe
Ted Eliason details circumnavigating
BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMNMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After over ve years pedaling across 56 countries spanning ve continents, Ted Eliason is back in time for the holidays and enjoying the creature comforts of his Westminster home.
On Dec. 14, Eliason, 57, turned the nal corner of his neighborhood bordering Westminster and Arvada on his Surly bike to return at last to his wife, Kendra, and the welcome sight of his friends, family and food he’d missed for a half-decade.
It only took 51,164 miles and 1,379 days.
Eliason had always planned to climb the Himalayas. To prepare for this bucket-list goal, he moved to Colorado in 1999 with the idea of using the Front Range as a training ground for tackling the tallest peaks in the world. He and Kendra had lived a life together of rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain climbing and all sorts of mountaineering adventures (including summiting all of Colorado’s 14ers), from the Rockies to the Alps to the Andes and in Canada.
But one day a mountaineering accident broke Eliason’s foot. To help in his recovery, he took up cycling, but could never have guessed the places it would take him.
“I had started watching people on Instagram doing this kind of cycling, and realized the money that I would spend on one guided peak in the Himalayas was enough to fund me for about three years on a bicycle instead,” Eliason said. “And so I sort of changed my lifetime goal at the last minute. Instead of taking three months with a 50% chance of success at one mountain, how about we take three years and try to go through 50 countries around the world in one trip? And so I was at a point in my life where I decided, if I’m ever going to take a shot at this, this is when I need to do it.”
Part I: Hitting the open road … and quick roadblocks
After weeks of planning and plotting, he set out on his expedition in 2019, pulling his loaded-up bike out of his garage to trek across the country to Newfoundland, stopping during nights to set up camp and nd at ground for his tent. In the beginning, it was easy to overthink, and to overdo just about everything, he said.
the world on his bicycle
“Absolutely there were a lot of doubts,” Eliason said. “I started by over-planning, over-gearing, over-spending. And it’s funny. e longer that I’ve been doing this, the more my executive function has
So the
thinking about, ‘OK, where do I have to be tomorrow? Where am I going to eat, sleep, you know, what can I a ord?’ And over time, I just got better at it.”
He rode his momentum down to Providence, Rhode Island, where he’d y across the pond to start his European stint. After landing in Dublin, Eliason powered up to Scotland before turning south for Brindisi, Italy, to wind around the Alps to the east.
A ferry took him to Greece, where he biked east through Croatia to the Danube River.
Following the ancient waterway from Serbia to Bulgaria, Eliason quickly learned that this trip wouldn’t be possible in just three years. e COVID-19 pandemic would halt his journey and the world over.
“I missed the Turkish border from Bulgaria by a day,” Eliason said. “ I got to Bulgaria, and then basically the whole country just locked down. Which, you know, if you’re going to get stuck, Bulgaria is a good place. It’s the least expensive country in the EU. I had a very comfortable one-bedroom apartment on the Black Sea. I wound up staying there for three months waiting
for the Turkish border to open, which it never did.”
Discouraged and antsy, Eliason reluctantly made for the So a International Airport, ashing his passport to guards through highway checkpoints and nally being let through.
Getting home was an expensive roadblock in his journey, costing him both his nances and his time.
Upon his return, Eliason quickly discovered (unsurprisingly) that he wasn’t satis ed sitting around waiting for the Earth to reopen. Before he knew it, he was back on the bike.
“When I got home, I wasn’t ready to stop,” he said. “My wife suggested I bike out to Oregon and see my brother, and I had always wanted to do the West Coast bicycle route down Highway 1. My COVID loop was up to Glacier, over to the U.S.-Canada border, down the West Coast to Tijuana. And back at that point, I was in California spending $8 on a box of Triscuits, and just was like, this is not the priority for spending. So I went home, and I kind of rotted for a year and a half and waited.”
Ted Eliason poses in front of a sign depicting the longest road through Australia. He biked from Perth to Sydney on his journey.
COURTESY PHOTOS
The map above details Ted Eliason’s final stretch from South America back to Colorado. It also details his trip during COVID-19 to Oregon and down the West Coast.
Part II: Getting back in the saddle
By April of 2022, Eliason nally felt borders had opened enough to pick back up where he left o . But this time, Kendra was coming along, if only for a bit.
e adventurers went back to Greece for Round Two. ey enjoyed parts of Greece and Turkey together for two weeks before Kendra returned to the U.S. and sent him o for Central Asia. A bus took her to the airport in Istanbul.
As for Eliason, he made it into Turkey this time and followed a path across Georgia and Central Asia to the Chinese border.
Rather than go through China, which was still closed due to the pandemic, he traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to y rst to Dehli, India, before connecting to Leh, one of the northernmost points of India and a key historical trade point also known for stunning views and cultural signi cance.
After enjoying a week of backpacking in the area, Eliason continued his journey down the west coast of India around the peninsula to Chennai on the eastern side. Kendra ew to meet him again in Bangkok in January 2023.
All the way from Bangkok to Nha Trang, Vietnam, the two cycled across Cambodia together for ve weeks. It was an experience the two will relish forever and was the favorite stint of the long journey for both riders.
“South Asia was freaking amazing. I would go back,” Kendra said. “ ere’s not many places I would say I would go back. e riding was so amazing. ere’s always a huge shoulder (to bike on), and they’re all on two wheels. You’d see families of six on one motorcycle. It was so crazy exhilarating to go through South Vietnam. e tra c was just insane. We had kids chasing us and cheering us on (and) little kids racing us on bicycles. It was like a bicycle culture.”
From there, Kendra went home while Eliason looped up through Vietnam solo to the Chinese border before wrapping around Laos to get to ailand. He moved south through Malaysia before hopping over to Indonesia to bike from Java to Bali, concluding the Asian stint of his journey.
Another ight took him to Australia, where he’d trek across the outback from Perth all the way to Sydney before taking to New Zealand. While this portion of his trip was undoubtedly beautiful, Eliason said Australia and New Zealand, much like the U.S., can be di cult to navigate. “ e U.S. and Canada together, as well as Australia and New Zealand, are geared around cars, and how you travel through them is just very di erent from how you travel in the rest of the world,” Eliason said. “ e rest of the world is, in general, much easier. I mean, there are towns everywhere, there’s food everywhere (and) it’s more a ordable.” ere would be long stretches of highway between cities or towns that would make him push harder to reach a food source, or often camp for the night and survive on what he already had on his person.
After ve weeks in New Zealand, it was time to go back to the Americas.
Part III: Back to the Americas
Landing in Santiago, Chile, the nal stretch up South America back to Colorado was underway. But rst, he’d loop down the Carretera Austral highway to Ushuaia, Argentina, dubbed the “end of
the world” at the southernmost point of South America on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.
Most of 2023 had passed since Eliason had seen Kendra. But she decided to y south for the winter in December to explore ve South American countries with him.
ey met in Calafate to cycle through Argentina, Uruguay, Rio Grande Do Sol Brazil, Paraguay and nally Bolivia to La Paz where she ew home again ve months after she’d arrived.
us began the last leg of his transcontinental journey. It began with Peru, which Eliason said was the beginning of his travel burnout.
“Peru was absolutely the most di cult for me,” Eliason said. “ e Himalayas are easier because the roads are like the Front Range — like (here). In Peru, they are not. ey are up and over repeatedly. So you’re doing 3,000-meter climbs, which can take two days, and then going down and doing it again. It’s very safe.
e people are very nice. e dogs are a bit aggressive. But getting through the Peruvian Andes for me was just really, really grueling.”
He continued up through Ecuador and Colombia before taking a sailboat to Panama. Central America took him through Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala before he broke through to Mexico.
e American Southwest was beckoning, and Eliason was anxious to chase it. He longed for his wife, his bed and some Taco Bell.
He nally broke through to Arizona, riding the desert up to Utah and cutting across to Colorado. Just a week from home, a snowstorm would hit Colorado, delaying his nal homecoming. He camped in Parker before making his way to Denver, stopping at the REI at Con uence Park downtown.
Local cyclists and friends joined him there to make the nal stretch back to his Westminster garage. Eliason was welcomed home with a party, a makeshift “ nish line” to break through, and lots of food he’d been missing.
After six sets of tires, countless ats, seven broken chains, eight sets of brake pads, over 20 spokes, four rim/wheel repairs, ve pairs of pedals, 3½ saddles and over 10 ights, he pulled into the garage he’d embarked from ve years ago.
Dismounting from his trusty Surly Disc Trucker, he fell into the arms of his wife while friends and family cheered, ready to celebrate his return. It was sunny and 50 degrees, and for the rst time, Eliason didn’t have to set up camp or worry about what tomorrow’s road would bring.
“ ere’s far, far less to fear about most countries in the world than I ever expected,” Eliason said, re ecting on a lifechanging journey. “ e vast majority of countries will greet a foreign traveler on a bicycle, even an American traveler, like a long-lost relative. I mean, people are just generally good, curious, kind, hospitable people.”
For more photos and to experience Eliason’s journey mile by mile, visit @ bikingthebluemarble on Instagram, and stay tuned for his experience in his own words in a forthcoming book he plans to begin soon.
THERE’S MORE ONLINE!
See more photos at https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/2024/12/17/ colorado-cyclist-returns-from-5-year-triparound-the-globe/ and read answers to four more questions we asked Ted Eliason.
Pictured is a campsite Ted Eliason from Colorado set up along Peru’s grueling highway through the Andes mountains.
Ted and Kendra Eliason pose for a photo as they cross into Brazil.
COURTESY PHOTOS
Overdose deaths among metro area’s homeless fall in 2024
Homicides also decline, but suicides double
BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN
Overdose was still the leading cause of death this year among people who were homeless in the Denver metro area, but the number of overdose deaths decreased for the rst time in six years, according to an annual report based on research from the medical examiner.
Homicides also decreased, but suicides among the homeless population doubled, according to the report from the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
At least 294 people who were homeless died from Nov. 1, 2023, through Oct. 31, according to a count by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, which coordinates services in the metro area. at’s down slightly from 311 the prior year.
e medical examiner’s o ce was able to determine the cause of death for 216 people who died in Denver. Among those,
68% died from overdose — and most of those overdoses, 75% of them, were due to fentanyl. at’s 115 deaths attributed to fentanyl out of 153 overdose deaths.
Overdose deaths had increased by 18% in 2023, but plateaued this year, dropping 0.6%. It was the rst year since 2017 that overdose deaths did not rise.
e homicide rate among people who are homelesshas declined the past two years — down 4.4% this year and 5.4% last year. Deaths by suicide, meanwhile, accounted for almost 5% of all deaths this year, compared with about 2% last year.
Risk factors for suicide, including mental illness, drug and alcohol use, and isolation, are associated with homelessness.
e Coalition for the Homeless planned to honor those who died at an annual vigil Saturday, the longest night of the year. It was the 35th annual event in which people who work to provide shelter, food and health care to the homeless throughout the year gather at the steps of the Denver City and County Building, surrounded by luminaries, to read the names of those who died.
“It is important to honor individuals
and report on their deaths in the greatest detail possible because this may be the only acknowledgement some receive,” the coalition wrote in its report.
e average age of death for a person who was homeless this year in Denver was 46. at’s below the 2022 average of 50.5 and far below the average U.S. life expectancy of 77.5.
For those who went from homelessness to housing in one of the coalition’s apartment buildings, the average age of death jumped 13 years, to age 59. Housing also had a profound e ect on the overall death rate and the number of people who died by overdose. Among those who died while living in coalition housing, 17.2% died of overdose, compared with 68% of those who were homeless.
Overdose deaths among people who are homeless across the nation have slowed in recent years. After rising steadily for two decades, overdose deaths decreased 17% nationally from July 2023 to July 2024. Still, this equates to about 100,000 overdose deaths this year.
“ ese losses are catastrophic, unacceptable and largely preventable,” the co-
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alition wrote.
e nonpro t advocated for expanded access to treatment, including more syringe exchange programs. e coalition supports a Denver City Council proposal that would loosen restrictions on the number of needle exchange sites, which is currently capped at three, and a requirement that they are at least 1,000 feet from schools or day care centers. e sites provide naloxone, which can revive people who have overdosed, as well as test strips to check drugs for fentanyl.
e coalition provides medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction in Denver and runs a treatment program at Fort Lyon, a former Army fort outside of Las Animas in southeastern Colorado. e coalition added 215 apartments this year, and converted a nine-story hotel and convention center in Globeville into a supportive housing residence called Renewal Village.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
bad about myself the way it used to. Comparison is the thief of joy, and comparing myself to influencers was not serving me in any way.
Through my research while on the break, I learned about a lot of tools people use to limit their social media usage. Once I returned, I set up controls on my phone that “time me out” of social media usage. It’s like using parental controls on a kid’s iPad, except I’m doing it for myself. There are tons of apps out there that can help you limit your social media use.
I’m proud to say that if you look at my screen time report today, the ‘productivity’ category has taken first place.
London Lyle is a freelance reporter for the Denver North Star and La Ciudad newsletter.
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Safe parking e ort runs out of money
CSPI worked to let homeless shelter in their vehicles overnight
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A program that drew volunteers, local faith communities and governments into an e ort to o er safe places for people sheltering in their vehicles is shutting down.
Despite its closure after COVID-19-related funding dried up, the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative helped bring to light the struggles of metro-area residents who lived in their cars, trucks and vans after they were forced out of their homes, a co-founder of the initiative said.
“I would say, in general, the experience and needs of unhoused people have been more prioritized since the pandemic,” CSPI Executive Director Terrell Curtis said via email.
“More speci cally, in the nearly ve years CSPI has operated, we have elevated the experience and needs of people relegated to sheltering in their vehicle because existing resources don’t meet their speci c needs. In our experience, communities across metro Denver have embraced and adopted a safe parking model and realized the success that brings to people who can stabilize and move on to appropriate housing solutions,” Curtis said.
“ e federal government considers people living in their vehicles to be unhoused. As a result, many city and county governments have diverted funding from safe parking to programs that immediately move people into housing or indoor shelter,” the news release states.
CSPI’s many partners will continue to operate in partnership with nonpro t and government partners in their communities. In this way, the work of safe parking continues in Metro Denver, and we are working with them so they can be set up for success, according to the CSPI news release.
e lots that have been part of the CSPI program that are expectec to continue o ering services include 11 churches, e Salvation Army (which hosts one lot in Adams County), and a lot on a private commercial parking lot that will be supported by Almost Home in Adams County, Curtis said.
e need for some form of stable housing is still there, Curtis said.
CSPI received more than 1,700 calls for help last year and at least 799 people in the Denver Metro area have been identi ed as living in vehicles, Curtis said in the email.
“In the four short years since our founding, CSPI is proud to have demonstrated the e ectiveness of safe parking as a community-based intervention for those experiencing homelessness and living in their vehicles,” Curtis said.
“Safe parking is recognized across the Front Range, and elsewhere in the state, as a safe, simple, e cient and cost-e ective intervention for this unique population,” added Curtis.
CSPI will cease operations on Dec. 31.
CSPI was formed ve years ago after a
group of volunteers and local faith communities came together to gure out how to provide safe places for people sheltering in their vehicles to park overnight, according to a CSPI news release.
Relying on funding related to COVID-19 recovery — including the American Rescue Plan Act — CSPI grew to offer “safe lots” in ve counties: Je erson, Denver, Broom eld, Adams, Arapahoe/ Aurora.
More than 100 people slept safely every night, formed communities, and found their way into stable living situations and the organization’s central operations were supported by government funds, according to the news release.
But available government funding is no longer su cient to support operations of the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative, and CSPI o cials do not expect that situation to improve in the coming years.
“We are so grateful to all of our government, nonpro t, and faith community partners, and especially to the generous donors who supported this vital work,” the news release states.
“Together, genuine change came for hundreds of families,” according to CSPI. “Additionally, CSPI could not have even been created without the support and generosity of our scal sponsor, e Barton Institute for Community Action.”
and is also known by street and number as 001 Nebraska Cir, Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Purported common address: 001Nebraska Cir, Idaho Springs, CO 80452. 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,
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 Publication12/26/2024 Last Publication1/23/2025 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: 10/23/2024
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-24-999576-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. CCC985 First Publication: December26,
PARKING AREA IMPROVEMENTS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with the notice provisions contained in 38-26107, C.R.S., the CLEAR CREEK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS has established Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, 8:30
A designated safe parking area reserved for homless people living out of the cars in Lakewood in 2023. The e ort is suspending its e orts, although some individual groups will still o er safe parking. FILE PHOTO
LEAP ayuda a los residentes elegibles de Colorado a pagar una parte de sus gastos de calefacciòn de invierno.
