Clear Creek Snow Dodgers begins 2025 season taking kids to slopes at Loveland Ski Area P5
Clear Creek County cuts coroner to part-time, retains two top administrators
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Clear Creek County commissioners have reduced the county coroner to part-time in a continued e ort to cut budget expenses. Meanwhile, they are retaining contracts with the county manager and attorney, according to commission agendas.
County Coroner Chris Hegmann was informed his position would be reduced to a part-time job during a meeting of commissioners Dec. 19.
In the same meeting, commissioners continued contracts for County Manager Brian Bosshardt and County Attorney Peter Lichtman. Public records show both positions have a current salary of $179,644 a year.
County spokesperson Megan Hiler said neither the county manager nor the attorney had received a raise in at least two years. Both contracts run through Dec. 18, 2028, according to county records.
However, in a letter to county commissioners obtained by the Clear Creek Courant, Hegmann, who has held the coroner position for approximately 25 years, said he was blindsided by the decision to cut the position to parttime and questioned the e ectiveness of parttime work.
“I was taught at the beginning of my career and have been training my team to treat every person that we come into contact with as we would want our family treated. I have always given 110% to ful ll my role,” Hegmann wrote. “I don’t even know how to scale that back to 50% or less. I really don’t want to have to gure that out.”
e county recently announced at least four full-time positions will be eliminated and county o ces will go to a four-day workweek with a 32-hour work week.
Current employees in the positions of County Archivist, Geographic Information Systems
Clear Creek Snow Dodgers at Loveland Ski Area.
PHOTO BY TIFFANY DALTON
FRIDGID FUN
Evergreen’s annual lake plunge returns to kick o the new year
BY TIM WEIGHART
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
New year’s day at Evergreen Lake this year had the perfect weather to bundle up and celebrate the holiday on the lake: blue skies, a vibrant sun and just a bit of chill in the air. However, for roughly 400 people from across the state, bundling up was only a temporary luxury as they prepared to jump into the ice-cold water.
e annual Evergreen Lake Plunge is a longstanding tradition run by the nonpro t Active4All to raise money for its INSPIRE program, which aims to provide inclusive recreational activities to kids with disabilities. Last year’s plunge hosted a record number of jumpers who collectively raised over $40,000 dollars for INSPIRE.
John DuRussell, president of Active4All, said INSPIRE hopes to use donated funds to build an ADA accessible playground and work on a skate park and amphitheater.
While a few bold souls have been taking the yearly plunge since long before Active4All started running the event, many more experienced the grueling waters for the rst time in 2025.
“ is is just one of the rst challenges we’ll overcome this year,” said rst-timeplunger Jeremy Salter from Strasburg. Jeremy and his daughter wore matching Bluey shirts as they jumped, getting in on the trend of wearing matching out ts or costumes when jumping into the lake.
Other attendees wore onesies portraying animals or ctional characters, including Emily and Leo from Parker, who dressed as Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc., and Rosalie from Denver, another rst-timer, who dressed as a shark.
“I just really love sharks, and I gured a shark might be a good thing to get into chilly water with,” Rosalie said, laughing. “ is seems crazy, but also like a really fresh way to start the new year.”
Second-time plunger PJ Holtz from Evergreen was also looking for a fresh start through the plunge.
“It was a little warmer last year,” Holtz said, bouncing up and down to stay warm in his singlet and shorts. “I do triathlons, and this is the start of my March tri season — my rst open water swim of the year.”
Regardless of whether you do the plunge once or do it annually, it’s guaranteed to leave an impact, something that
DuRussell knows all too well thanks to his friend and long-time plunger Paul Regan pressuring him into it six years ago. “I only did it one time, and it was ve degrees and windy,” DuRussell recalled. “I told Paul that I wasn’t going to do it again, and he told me ‘You either do it again, or you run it!’ So I said, ‘Okay, I’ll run it.’” And the event has been a yearly staple for DuRussell and Active4All ever since.
As the event began, plungers stored their towels and belongings in plastic crates before lining up behind the jumpo point. e rectangular hole cut out of the ice had a ladder on the opposite end, meaning everyone had to swim about ten meters across the dark water before they could get refuge from the brutal cold.
Regardless of their con dence or their nerves, most plungers looked shocked and ready to get back on land as soon as they hit the water.
Exposing so many people to such cold water would be impossible without the supervision and safety practices implemented by the Evergreen Fire/Rescue squad, ensuring that everyone got in and out of the water safely.
“It’s always exciting to see so many people join, and to see their facial expressions,” said Doug Matheny, a volunteer captain who has overseen the event for nine straight years. “ e department’s here to help out the community, make sure it’s safe, and get the ice ready for them.”
e Fire/Rescue squad is always on standby to keep the ladder out of the pool steady, watch out for each person currently in the pool, and stay ready to jump in to help out anyone who is too shocked by the cold water to swim out on their own.
“We’ve pulled a lot of people out. Once you get them out, they’re ne, but the shock in that cold water can get you in the moment,” Matheny said.
Even though more and more people from across the Denver metro have come up to the lake in recent years, the Evergreen Lake Plunge still feels like a vibrant celebration of the local community. e sponsors, rescue team and the skate park company where the plunge is located are all locally based and dedicated to helping Evergreen be the fun and welcoming town that it is.
Cheers to everyone who makes the plunge possible, and for many more
Emily and Leo from Parker took the plunge in matching ‘Monsters, Inc.’ onesies.
PJ Holtz from Evergreen took on his first open swim of the year in his Colorado-branded triathlete gear. PHOTOS BY TIM WEIGHART
Rosalie from Denver, dressed as a shark, braced herself for a cold swim.
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Statistics Confirm That the Seller’s Market Evaporated by the End of 2024
Now that 2024 has ended, we can see quite clearly that the seller’s market created during the Covid pandemic is now a thing of the past. December was a particularly slow month in a year that saw a great increase in the number of active listings, but little or no corresponding increase in sales, plus some other negative metrics, as shown in the charts at right.
As always, I derive these statistics from REcolorado, the Denver MLS, within a 25-mile radius of downtown Denver instead of using the multicounty “metro Denver” stats reported by the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.
that there were now more homebuyers than homes for sale, which fostered competition and drove home prices to unforeseen levels. From the start of the pandemic in March 2020 until the Federal Reserve began hiking rates in March 2022, home prices grew 37%, per Case-Shiller.
All Charts Are for Last 5 Years
Expired Listings
The most obvious indicator of a slowing market is how many listings expire without selling, and that number reached nearly 3,000 in December, about triple the figures for the first two Decembers of the pandemic, 2020 and 2021.
The ratio of closed price to listing price is another key indicator of a seller’s market. It peaked at 106.1% in April 2022, but has been as low as 92.0% since then.
The median sold price has leveled off but is still higher this December than all previous Decembers. It’s just that sellers are still overpricing their homes when they first put them on the market, producing that lower ratio.
The median time on market stayed well below 10 days throughout the pandemic, but has risen steadily since the fall of 2022 and is at its highest level in recent history now — 39 days. The average days on market is at 56 days. This compares to 30 days and 47 days respectively a year ago.
A big factor in the real estate market is always the cost of mortgage loans. At right is a graphic from USNews that charts the impact of interest rates on home prices from 1987 to present. Here’s that website’s interpretation of the chart:
“In late 2022, home sales activity came to an abrupt halt when mortgage rates climbed from about 3% to above 7% in a matter of months. Buyers are still facing higher mortgage rates than they've seen in recent memory – on top of that, home prices are still staying stubbornly high after the pandemic housing boom. For many, especially first-time homebuyers who lack tappable equity, monthly mortgage payments have become too expensive at these new interest rates.
“The housing market is in a mortgage rate stalemate: Homebuyers are priced out, and homeowners are reluctant to sell and trade in their low mortgage rates.”
So what should we expect in 2025?
Whenever there’s a market slowdown, it produces pent-up demand later on. And I foresee that pent-up demand expressing itself this month and this year in a more balanced market. The big increase is inventory shows that sellers are accepting that interest rates
“With mortgage rates at 3% or even lower, more homebuyers could afford to enter the market in the early 2020s. Home sales activity picked up, but housing inventory was insufficient to keep up with demand. Decades of housing underproduction in the U.S. meant
will stay at present levels, so they are no longer waiting for them to go down before sacrificing their current low interest rate loan to purchase a replacement home. Likewise, I see buyers accepting current interest rates as the “new normal” and getting off the fence.
Open House at 2-BR Condo in Downtown Golden
New App Adds Neighborhood Politics to Criteria
Nearly one-quarter of Americans say local and national politics highly influence their decision about where to live, according to a recent survey from Realtor.com. In some age groups, that percentage is even higher.
“With both local and national politicians making decisions that impact daily life, both socially and fiscally, it makes sense that many would prefer to live in areas where the politics align with their own beliefs,” according to Danielle Hale, Realtor.com’s chief economist.
Many of the respondents to a Realtor.com survey said their political views do not align with those of their neighbors, and 17% have considered moving for that reason.
That percentage was 28% for the millennial generation, who are also the most likely –at 33% - to report that their decisions about where to live are highly influenced by national politics. Among Gen Z respondents, 25% say politics influence their decisions, and among Gen X, it’s 21%. Only 16% of baby boomers felt that way.
Now a company called Oyssey has entered the home search business with an app that includes all the usual criteria plus neighbor-
hood politics — even block-by-block. Calling Oyssey an “app” minimizes the company’s intention, which is to replace Zillow as the go-to real estate search engine by providing more information about listings — including neighborhood politics. Currently, the app is sold to individual real estate brokers who can invite individual buyers to access it. It’s strictly a buyer’s tool, and brokers will still be using their current MLS for listing homes for sale. The idea is that Oyssey would replace buyer tools, such as email alerts, built into the MLS, and that the buyer agency agreements now required by the NAR settlement would be built into its functionality.
Ultimately, the company wants to partner with the nation’s MLSs to have their app be an included feature of that MLS instead of something brokers need to purchase on the side.
The app was introduced last month in south Florida and some New York cities, but should be available elsewhere, including Colorado, by the end of March 2025.
I am the first Colorado broker to have signed up for it when it comes to our market.
Condos in this building at 722 Washington Avenue (called Washington Station) are in great demand because of its location right in downtown Golden. This listing is 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.) This is a mixed use building, with commercial units on the main 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. There’s a balcony outside the living room. It an all windows have mountain view. 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 www.GoldenCondo.info, then come to the open house this Saturday, 11am to 1pm. Or call Kathy Jonke at 303-990-7428 to request a private showing.
$650,000
Originally listed for $750,000, the price is now $100,000 less! 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 basement that is to die for. Under the new state law, the basement could be adapted into a 2-bedroom/1-bathroom accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to provide extra income for the owner. To fully appreciate this impressive home, which has been owned and lovingly maintained by the seller for 43 years, take the narrated video tour at www.GRElistings.com, then come to the open house this Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Or call Kathy at 303-990-7428.
NOTE: All prior “Real Estate Today” columns are archived at www.JimSmithColumns.com.
Jim Smith
Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851
Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727
BROWN, 303-885-7855
, 303-868-1903
Big Price Reduction on Brick Ranch in Wheat Ridge
‘Denim and Diamonds’ returns to Evergreen’s The Wild Game
Annual fundraiser supports Evergreen Rotary’s local and global projects
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Evergreen Rotary’s biggest fundraiser of the year kicks up its heels Feb. 7. e club will host “Denim and Diamonds,” a country western dance and fundraiser at e Wild Game in Evergreen.
Money raised from the evening helps support the $70,000 Evergreen Rotary spends each year on local and international projects. at includes its Rotary Wild re Ready program, local youth service projects and a program that helps provide fresh water to impoverished areas of the world.
Rotary has hosted a winter fundraiser for several years, but last year switched from a Mardi Gras theme to country. Rotarian Doug Turner said it hit the mark. “It’s de nitely more a country-western lifestyle here in the Evergreen area, and
who doesn’t like country-western?” he said. “Last year was a lot of fun. It’s a good party and always good people watching.”
e event o cially starts at 6:30 p.m.,
but doors will be open at 6:20 p.m. for those who’d like a free dance lesson with instructor Shelby McKee. e rest of the evening includes abundant appetizers, a cash bar and live music from the Parkerbased band Whiskey Road.
e Evergreen High School Poms
will perform at intermission during the event.
Attendees are encouraged to dress for the theme but are welcome to come as they are.
Evergreen Rotary holds a second fundraiser with the Conifer Rotary in the spring. e Foothills Home, Garden and Lifestyle Show is set for April 12 and 13 at Evergreen High School. But for the Evergreen club, “Denim and Diamonds” is its most critical event.
“ is is the big one,” Turner said. “Most of our revenue from the home and garden show comes from vendors. e revenue from Denim and Diamonds mainly comes from donations. It takes about 180 tickets to cover the cost of the event. My goal is that we sell 300.”
Rotary clubs around the world work to create change in their communities, the world, and themselves, and Evergreen Rotary carries out that mission by helping local middle and high school students. Its biggest is the Evergreen Rotary’s Youth Leadership Awards, which provide a two-week summer leadership training in Estes Park for club-sponsored high school sophomores or juniors.
Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at rotarydenimanddiamonds.org.
Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado Week of December 23, 2024
Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado
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 for that speci c date.
Week of December 23, 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 for that specific date
Day and date of observation (2024)
Record precipitation; previous was 0.20 inch in 1969.
The band Whiskey Road will play at the Evergreen Rotary’s upcoming ‘Denim and Diamonds’ fundraiser. D-ROCK IMAGING
Clear Creek Snow Dodgers begins 2025 season taking kids to slopes at Loveland Ski Area
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
At least 120 Clear Creek County kids will descend on Loveland Ski Area Jan. 10 to start Snow Dodgers’ 62nd season of perpetuating generations of passion for locals carving snow-covered mountains.
Clear Creek County Snow Dodgers is an all-volunteer organization started in 1963 with the goal of teaching local kids how to ski and snowboard the mountains, and according to board members it’s stronger than ever.
“It’s such an awesome program and it gives the kids independence, it is just an amazing program and it gets the kids up the mountain they’re not just sitting on their phones,” Snow Dodgers Board Member Ti any Dalton said.
Ti any and her husband Mark Dalton are among four board volunteers for the organization that has touched and taught generations of Clear Creek kids how to gain con dence on the mountain.
STAFFING
Technician (mapping), Recreation Facilities Manager and Senior Planning Administrator will lose their jobs, according to commissioner George Marlin. Employees will maintain a full-time
Some of the organization’s mottos on the website clarify goals and motivation: “Take Risks and Reap the Rewards,” “Be Prepared To Experience New Adventures” and “Overcome Your Fears and Master Your Skills.”
According to state records, Snow Dodgers is one of the longest-standing ski clubs in Colorado and many locals can attest to parents and grandparents who learned to ski with its volunteers throughout the years.
e Dalton family’s son started the program in the 3rd grade. Now 21, they say he had the opportunities that come with this unique local education that opens doors to mountain kids.
“You’re learning to ski. Here in Colorado that’s such a huge thing, then when you get into high school you can get a job at Loveland (Ski Area) or Echo, so it keeps people in the community,” Ti any Dalton said.
e program runs January through March, according to the curriculum. Typ-
status working 32 hours a week and keep healthcare and other full-time bene ts, according to County Commissioner George Marlin, who said the short week for employees is in lieu of wage increases.
“Instead of giving them the raise they deserve, we’re putting them at 32 hours so we’re giving them some time back. at’s basically to defer giving them raises,” Marlin said.
ically 3rd and 4th graders are enrolled in lessons while 5th and 6th graders, who have taken the course, can pair up to take runs of their choice on their own.
According to his letter to commissioners, Hegmann doesn’t really know where he ts in after Jan. 1.
“Does the part-time Coroner need a contract similar to those of the County Attorney and County Manager?” Hegmann asked commissioners in addition to asking if incoming commission members are aware of the changes by the current commission.
Future registration information can be found by emailing snowdodgersclub@ gmail.com or visiting the website at https://snowdodgers.com.
e commission will include two new faces when Rebecca Lloyd from District 2 and Jodie Harman-Bell are sworn in on Jan. 13. Both won in the November election.
ey will replace term-limited commissioner Randy Wheelock and interim commissioner Mitch Houston who was appointed in May following the death of commissioner Sean Wood.
Clear Creek Snow Dodgers at Loveland Ski Area.
PHOTO BY TIFFANY DALTON
After 141 years, a landmark Colorado grocery store is ready to be sold
Four generations of Andersons have run Kneisel & Anderson in Georgetown. But after their sister passed, two siblings are ready for a change.
BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN
e door creaks and in amble a couple of friends, smiling in their beanies and parkas.
“We just wanted to check in,” one of the women says. “We are so glad to see you in here, still doing this.”
Wendy and Smoky Anderson, standing at the same counter of the grocery store their great-grandfather and grandfather opened in 1893, chatter about neighbors and business. e Anderson siblings smile as they talk about their sister, Coralue, who died on Nov. 7, her 87th birthday. e women promise to return soon and head out. It’s a simple interaction and one that has been part of the Anderson family for four generations. Coralue, an avid skier and Georgetown historian, loved those little chats. Even as she lost a touch of her energy in her late 80s, she always had time to catch up and share some stories. For more than 30 years, she was behind the counter at Kneisel & Anderson grocery every day.
“ is store was her life,” says Wendy, who spent many years as professor of Swedish studies at the University of Washington before returning to the home where she was raised in Georgetown. “Skiing, the store and the history of Georgetown. ose were really important to Coralue.”
e loss of their sister has Wendy, 74, and her brother, Smoky, 77, thinking about a change. ey say it’s time to sell the family business and the building built by their great-grandfather, Henry Kniesel, in 1893. Kneisel and his son-in-law Emil Anderson — Smoky and Wendy’s grandfather — opened the Kneisel & Anderson grocery in 1883 and moved it across the street 10 years later. In 1912, the two men bought the hardware store next door.
Smoky and Wendy aren’t going anywhere though.
And now, for the rst time in 141 years, there might not be an Anderson behind the till in Georgetown.
“I can’t imagine where I’d go,” says Smoky, who still skis regularly at Loveland, where, on opening day this season, they draped Coralue’s signature purple ski jacket on the rst chair.
“We both really like Colorado weather,” Wendy says.
“And we like small towns. Georgetown is a really special community,” Smoky says. e two siblings often speak like that, nishing each other’s sentences and voicing each other’s thoughts. ey get quiet as the words of change drift through the store that has anchored not just their family, but the historical integrity of Georgetown.
“We have tried to maintain the store as long as we could,” Wendy says.
Georgetown’s grubstaking grocer Henry Kneisel was a baker from Germany when he landed in Georgetown in the 1870s, working for the Guanella family.
Wendy Anderson, owner of Georgetown’s Kneisel & Anderson store, writes down items on a check-out ticket for a longtime customer in 2020. The family is considering selling the grocery after 141 years. FILE PHOTO BY CHANCEY BUSH
SEE GROCERY, P7
GROCERY
He hired a young man named Emil Anderson, who ended up marrying his daughter, Cora Kneisel. e two ran the grocery store, with the help of their kids, until 1950 when Emil Anderson died. en their son Henry took over, enlisting his kids — Coralue, Henry, who has been called Smoky all his life, and Wendy — to help run the shop.
Smoky used to carry buckets of coal from the pile in the basement to the heating stove in the back of the shop. en Georgetown got natural gas and the family bought a furnace and dropped the ceiling to hide ductwork.
All the Anderson kids went to college and had jobs outside the store. Coralue graduated from the University of Colorado and taught elementary and middle school in Georgetown for 32 years. Smoky was a sales rep for outdoor gear. All three of the Andersons came back to the store in 1993 when their father died.
Not much has changed in the store since it started grubstaking ambitious silver miners in the late 1800s. “ at’s what you get when you have an account and you let people charge and then hope that they come back,” Smoky said.
Supplying miners with tools, food and gear in the hope that they returned to town with precious ore helped the Andersons prepare for hard times. In the Great Depression, the grandparents o ered many lines of credit. e Anderson family helped a lot of their neighbors weather those hard times.
“ ey de nitely let some bills for stressed families slide,” Wendy says, showing o a black-and-white photo of her aproned dad and his grocer brothers standing in front of the store.
Remnants of the olden days are all over the shop, from the scale for weighing gold to the hand-cranked co ee bean grinder in the front window that their dad used to churn out rationed soap. It’s not only relics that linger. e shop only takes cash and checks.
“We still have a ledger,” Wendy says, lifting a well-worn carbon-copy receipt book. “We send out statements once a month to a few people. Once upon a time that was all we did.”
“They are in our DNA here”
In 1966, the National Park Service designated the Georgetown and Silver Plume area as a registered National Historic Landmark District. In the early 1970s, a developer wanted to build more than 50 townhomes on the hillside above town and local o cials denied the proposal, citing the lack of alignment with the historical architecture of the town. e developer sued and the case eventually landed in the Colorado Supreme Court in 1978, which afrmed the town’s ability to preserve and protect its historical character.
Historic Georgetown now owns those lots, as well as more than 4,000 mining claims around the town. e organization — more than 50 years old — has thrived in its mission to protect the historical character of the town’s downtown, issuing grants for easements that protect both facades and some interior features.
Having one family own the same business for ve generations certainly helps in safeguarding historical integrity, says the group’s 14-year executive director Nancy Hale. “ ey are in our DNA here at Historic Georgetown,” Hale says of the family. She is restoring a home once owned by the Anderson family.
It can be a challenge to maintain that historical focus when a building or business in downtown Georgetown changes hands. When a new owner spends big on a historic structure, they might chafe at easements or limitations that narrow avenues for revenue. But those easements and historical preservation can be opportunities, Hale said.
e gambling-funded State Historical Fund has distributed more than $365 million to 5,259 projects — including dozens in George-
‘It was such a kind place to work. It still is. I hope the store stays the same.’
Laura Russette, who worked at Kneisel & Anderson grocery and now works at Stonehenge Gallery across the street
town.
“We have all these di erent mechanisms in place so when a new owner comes in we can show them the opportunities and they too soon become shareholders in the same vision,” Hale said. “We have created an historical ethos here in Georgetown.”
Historical preservation grants — secured primarily to improve the Kneisel & Anderson building’s facade — require that whoever takes over the business to respect the historical integrity of things like the shelves and bins that once held bulk beans, our and sugar. Henry Kneisel had the bins designed to his speci c grocery-store needs when he built the building in 1892.
Part museum, part Scandinavian bazaar
Kneisel & Anderson has become a must-stop shop for anyone seeking hard-to- nd Swedish foods. e store’s coolers have jars of pickled herring and imported cheeses. e shelves have all varieties of Northern European delicacies. ere are also racks of Colorado-made jellies and honeys.
Many shoppers are out-of-towners coming by to nd things they can’t nd even on the internet.
“People stop o when they are driving and they get the cheeses they want. ey stock up on their Honeyville honey, which they can get online but they don’t have to pay for shipping,”
Wendy says.
e store is more than part museum. Coralue was an archivist.
“She saved everything,” Wendy says.
At the end of the counter, there’s a crowded shelf with antique food items — cans of Reese Brand chocolate covered caterpillars, a can of plum pudding, a can of roasted whale meat with a painting of a harpoon gun under the word “seasoned” — with a handwritten note from Coralue that the items are not for sale but “enjoy looking.”
Lining the shelves behind the counter are hundreds of business cards, tucked in a sort of store-long address book. Some of the most yellowed and curling business cards are more than a half-century old, with numbers like “Ohio 212.”
“My dad used that as his Rolodex,” Smoky says.
“ ere’s every kind of profession up there,” Wendy says. “It’s an interesting collection. Sometimes people look up and say ‘what is all that?’”
e Anderson family has had a front seat to the slow and steady death of small retail shops in rural communities. It started with interstate highways speeding drivers past downtowns. en the arrival of big-box everything stores on the edge of downtowns dealt another blow to local retailers. And the steady creep of online shopping has delivered all sorts of goods to front stoops, adding to the struggle of local retailers.
“All that has led to all the little mom-andpops closing up,” Smoky says.
“We hear that story a lot from people out in rural areas,” Wendy says. “Everyone was so excited because they were going to have a job with Walmart. ey have a job, but they don’t have a downtown anymore.”
As the Andersons prepared for the annual Georgetown Christmas Market, the was stocked with fresh lingonberries, potato sau-
sages, Swedish cardamom and limpa breads and all sorts of imported cheeses and jars of pickled sh. e market, held the rst two weekends of December, draws hundreds of visitors to Georgetown and sometimes the line at Kneisel & Anderson stretches out the front door.
“Every once in a while we’ll have to walk along the line and say ‘OK, so we are oldfashioned here. We only take cash or checks. No credit cards or electronic anything,” Smoky says.
Smoky and Wendy would love to nd a buyer of their historic property and business who could continue the specialty food business. But they are open to new ideas for their old store.
Smoky spent many years working as a sales representative for outdoor brands and he sees maybe an opportunity for a gear shop opening in the historic building.
Maybe a ski or bike gear shop can carry the same vision of a community-centered, locally owned business.
“A lot of these old towns have some beautiful outdoor shops in historic buildings. And their communities really rely on those shops,” Smoky says. “Having grown up in this business and also worked as a sales rep … I see those shops getting squeezed by all the big boys and I know how important they are.”
“A walking history lesson”
Laura Russette moved to Georgetown in 2016 after nearly 40 years in Summit County. She spent a few years working with Coralue at the Kneisel & Anderson grocery.
“It was such a kind place to work. It still is,” she says from behind the counter at the Stonehenge Gallery across the street. “I hope the store stays the same.”
Russette spots something outside the shop and dashes for the door. A man is walking his two Labradoodles. Russette reaches into her pockets and o ers them treats and tells the man of course he can bring his dogs into the gallery.
“I hope this place stays the same. Maybe the K&A is not going to be what it used to be,” she says. “I guess we just have to roll with the changes, you know. ey (the Andersons) are the heart of Georgetown.”
Gary Haines steps out in front of his photography studio and art gallery. Henry Kneisel built that building and started his bakery there before moving across the street to open the grocery. Haines talks a bit about leaving his shop on snowy nights with ickering lampposts casting shadows on 150-year-old buildings.
“It makes you feel like you are on a movie set,” he says. “Such a classic historic feel here. Coralue, she was an anchor for us all. Whenever they close they are going to be missed.”
On the sunny sidewalk, Haines recalls movies lmed on the street. A big brawl from Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose” was
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Your inner strength
is always there, even if you can’t
Irecently had the opportunity to drive to Colorado Springs from Denver. As I started down I-25 I was struck by the absolute beauty of the day. e sky was a rich crisp blue dabbed with trails of white telling the story of planes that had recently passed, and clouds, not pu y, more two-dimensional white ink blots that stood alone creating little shapes. In addition to the beautiful sky, I had a perfect view of Pikes Peak. e 14,000-foot mountain was covered in snow and against the blue and white background of the sky, it appeared utterly majestic. is view of Pikes Peak graced my travels south as I passed Castle Rock and continued along. When I started up Monument Hill, I lost sight of Pikes Peak. It made sense that this would happen. Even though I was traveling closer to the mountain, the 7,300-foot altitude of Monument Hill naturally blocked the view. When I got to the top of Monument Hill, I began looking around trying to reorient myself to see Pikes Peak. I could not nd it. No matter how focused I was on nding the snowy behemoth, I could not nd it. It took several minutes before I could see little parts of the Peak again. As ridiculous as it sounds, I panicked a bit when I could not nd Pikes Peak. As I drove along looking out my front and side window trying to nd the mountain, I kept thinking, “I know it’s there, why can’t I see it?” As any of you who have traveled that road know, eventually, I passed the mountains that kept it from my view, and once again could see Pikes Peak. ere was both relief and a feeling of ridiculousness surrounding me locating the mountain. I knew Pikes Peak was always there, but not being able to see it while being so close to it was… unsettling. On the way back to Denver I was re ecting on that experience, and it struck me that my moment of panic was not ridiculous but very human. ere are times when I am searching for my inner personal strength to navigate a di cult time and I lose sight of it, just like I lost sight of Pikes Peak. I can in my heart know that the strength is there, but I just cannot nd it. Losing sight of that strength generates fear for me. It makes me
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see it
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
question my ability to navigate my days. at feeling leaves me okilter.
My guess is that you have also had that experience.
I believe when we nd ourselves searching for our inner strength, we need things to keep us connected to the memory of our power. at reminder might be a diary or a list of milestones, it might be a picture, or even a letter — anything that reminds our core that we have an indomitable strength inside us available to help us take another step. Reminders allow us to persevere even when we cannot see or feel that power. I never really doubted that Pikes Peak was there, I knew it had to be there, Mountains do not disappear! Your strength, your mountain, is the same way. is may be a week when you are struggling to nd your endurance. Don’t waver in knowing that it is there, it is as strong, as dominating as ever. It just might be out of view for a moment. Find a reminder of your strength and keep going. Continuing to move forward will bring you to a spot where you can experience the full power and strength that is within you.
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.
to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
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.
Devil’s Gate meeting: 7 p,m. Jan. 17 Georgetown Community Center 613 Sixth St., Georgetown. “Floyd Hill Archeological Sites”, hosted by Chris Kinneer, from Centennial Archeology. Admission is free, but donations are accepted to help with Community Center expenses.
Adult Dodgeball Tournament: 5-8 p.m. Friday Jan. 24 Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District. Registration is $100. Contact Jessi a jsteele@ccmrd.com.
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
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.
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.
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.
Test sirens scheduled: In an e ort to notify people in the town of Georgetown of
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.
Dental clinics: Cleanings, X-rays, dentures, tooth extractions and more. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid. Sliding scale/low-cost options are also available. No appointment necessary. is is a mobile dentist that comes once a month. Call program manager Lauralee at 720-205-4449 for questions.
Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meetings: Clear Creek Rotary 2000 meets at 7:30 a.m.
Jim Roome
A positive outlook for the new year
It’s no secret that the world has seen its fair share of chaos and confusion in recent times. With constant upheaval, many of us have become conditioned to approach life with a sense of cynicism, keeping our guard up as a natural self-defense mechanism. It’s an understandable response when life throws curveballs, it’s easier to expect the worst and shield ourselves from disappointment.
But what if we chose a di erent approach?
Imagine if, instead of defaulting to skepticism or negativity, we intentionally shifted our initial reactions to focus on the positive. What if we looked for potential and opportunity rather than questioning, challenging, or seeking out aws? is isn’t about ignoring reality or pretending problems don’t exist. It’s about approaching life with trust, abundance, and optimism.
The glass is always refillable
We’ve all heard the debate: Is the glass half full or half empty? Some argue that it’s neither, it’s simply re llable. is perspective is powerful because it reminds us that our outlook isn’t static. We can choose how we see the world and, more importantly, how we respond to it. Choosing to see the glass as re llable requires vulnerability. It asks us to trust again, even when past experiences have left us burned. It means embracing a mindset of abundance, where we believe that goodness and opportunity are not nite resources but are available to us if we’re willing to look for them.
From scarcity to opportunity e shift from negativity to positivity starts with reframing how we perceive change and challenges. Too often, new products, services, or initiatives are met with harsh criticism, not because they lack merit but because the people evaluating them have experienced change fatigue. e skepticism isn’t rooted in the o ering itself but in an emotional exhaustion from adapting to constant ux.
CURRENTS
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.
Sensitive collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly sensitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednes-
WINNING WORDS
James T Bowland August 29, 1969 - December 12, 2024
But what if we approached these situations di erently? What if, instead of immediately looking for what’s wrong, we asked, “What’s possible?” is shift in perspective opens the door to creativity, collaboration, and innovation. It helps us see potential solutions rather than dwelling on the problems.
The courage to be vulnerable
Changing our outlook requires courage. Positivity is not about naivete, it’s about being brave enough to hope, trust, and believe in the possibility of good outcomes. It means lowering our defenses and embracing the idea that not every change or new idea will hurt us. is vulnerability doesn’t make us weak; it makes us resilient. When we choose to trust, we free ourselves from the fear and scarcity that cloud our judgment and limit our potential. Positivity doesn’t guarantee success but fosters the environment needed to grow, learn, and thrive.
A resolution for the new year
As we enter this new year, let’s set a simple yet powerful goal: to adopt a positive outlook. is isn’t about pretending everything is perfect; it’s about choosing to see the good, even in imperfect circumstances.
Here are a few ways to start:
Pause before reacting: When faced with change or challenges, take a moment to look for the potential before responding. Ask yourself, “What’s the opportunity here?”
Celebrate wins, big and small: Acknowledge progress, even if it’s incremental. Positivity grows when we focus on achievements rather than shortcomings.
NORTON, P19
day 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 Je Com911 for emergency dispatch earlier this year.
Jim Bowland, a resident of Lakewood, Colorado, passed away December 12, 2024 at St. Anthony’s Hospital. He is survived by parents, Robert and Janice Bowland, sister Terri Bowland and nephews Miles and Brooks Bowland. Private services are planned.
Please make contributions to Project Angel Heart, 4950 Washington Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colorado 80216. May God bless him on his journey.
Michael Norton
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
new kind of social scene is quietly brewing in the Denver metro area, one that’s less about the buzz of alcohol and more about the calm of connection. Across the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, kava bars are emerging as popular alternatives to traditional bar scenes.
O ering a range of holistic, non-alcoholic beverages, calming atmospheres and a focus on plant-based medicinal drinks, these venues are rede ning what it means to “go out” in Denver’s metro area.
Once a niche concept relegated to tropical destinations like south Florida, where they are widely popular, kava bars are now nding their place in Colorado’s social landscape.
Rooted in the ancient South Paci c tradition of drinking kava for relaxation and social bonding, these bars have become gathering spaces for those seeking refuge from alcohol-infused spaces.
Central to this experience is the tradition of saying
“Bula” before drinking kava. Derived from Fijian culture, “Bula” is more than just a toast. It’s a wish for good health, happiness and a long life.
Many kava bars also o er wellness-centric community spaces, often featuring activities like yoga, meditation sessions and social events, link bingo or trivia, providing new ways for people to connect without the haze of alcohol.
e appeal of alcohol-free spaces is clear. As health consciousness grows, particularly among millennials and Gen Z, so does the demand for spaces that promote relaxation, self-care and authentic connection.
For some, it’s about living a “sober curious” lifestyle; for others, it’s a preference for experiences that prioritize well-being over intoxication. Whatever the reason, the rise of these venues signals a shift in the social habits of Denver area residents, o ering fresh options for those looking to unwind without the side e ects of a hangover.
The Karma House — Lakewood’s spiritual hub
Just past the entrance of the Karma House in Lake-
wood sits several cozy couches ahead of a long bar busy with patrons sipping kava, herbal teas or plantbased beverages like kratom or other adaptogenic drinks believed to help the body resist stress. e space is warm, friendly and packed with the sounds of social chatter, even in the middle of the afternoon.
With a “zero tolerance” policy for alcohol and illegal substances, e Karma House identi es as a welcoming alcohol-free space vs. a sober bar. is distinction re ects its focus on o ering natural, mood-altering beverages like kava and kratom, which, according to research, promote relaxation, focus and pain relief.
“It’s de nitely not a sober bar,” said Deonna Lupola, who is one of the Karma House’s three owners, adding that their goal is to maintain a safe, transparent space for patrons seeking a calm, mindful, alcohol-free experience.
“A lot of people that come here are in recovery. ey’re looking for an alternative place to hang out and get the bar atmosphere without the booze,” she said.
Kava is a plant-based drink made from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant, which is native to the South Pacific islands. SHUTTERSTOCK
CONNECTION
“I’ve been coming here since 2021, and it’s become a vital part of my support system,” said Tanner O’Leary, a frequent patron who is six years sober. “ e community here is like no other. Everyone’s looking out for each other. It’s a place where I’ve found real connections and friendships.”
Operating as a nonpro t, Lupola said the Karma House uses revenue from its beverage sales to support community events, wellness programming and fundraising initiatives. It hosts daily activities like yoga, Reiki and cultural workshops.
Lupola said the owners also prioritize harm reduction and education, o ering patrons guidance on the safe use of plant-based substances. Its “Harm Reduction Hive” teaches customers how to identify and navigate risky situations, empowering them to make informed choices.
Patrons can also attend “Self-Care Sundays” and
TOP PHOTO: Customers at That’s Kava in Englewood enjoy a relaxed hangout where they can socialize, work or play games.
BOTTOM: “Bula” (pronounced boo-lah) is a Fijian word meaning “life” or “to live” and is often used as a toast, similar to saying “cheers” in Western cultures.PHOTOS BY SUZIE
other wellness events o ering practical tools for daily life.
“ e idea is that you have the best tools to succeed each and every day, no matter what obstacles come your way,” Lupola said.
That’s Kava — Englewood’s plant-based social scene
e atmosphere at at’s Kava in Englewood reects its open-minded philosophy. With a tropical motif re ective of kava bars popular in Florida, its brightly painted walls invoke a party vibe meant to welcome people who might initially come in looking for a “regular bar” experience but are curious enough to stay.
Owner Ryan Gieski is quick to state that his place isn’t as recovery-focused as others.
“I don’t care what you do on the weekends, as long as you’re chill when you walk in,” Gieski said. is philosophy ensures that everyone, from those in recovery to those just seeking a new experience, feels at ease in the space.
at’s Kava is designed to be a true social space, not just a beverage counter. As one visitor explained,
“ is place feels like a social hangout. You might see bingo or trivia once a week, but most nights, it’s just a space to chill, work on a laptop or have a conversation.”
Gieski’s place emphasizes conscious consumption, focusing on education and transparency. Sta are well-versed in the properties of kava, kratom and other botanicals, and they actively educate customers on how to make informed decisions.
New patrons are often walked through the di erent types of beverages and their e ects.
“I’m big on education,” Gieski said. “Our bartenders go through days of training to ensure they understand the products they’re serving and how to best help serve our customers.”
e beverage menu is larger than most, featuring not just traditional kava and kratom but also teas and kratom alternatives like velvet bean. Gieski believes the range of o erings showcases the di erent properties of each drink while accommodating diverse preferences.
He is proud that customers can try unique blends incorporating natural spices like turmeric, ginger and black pepper for added health bene ts and improved taste. Gieski also regularly tests his products to ensure they’re free from contamination.
“We tested all commercially available kava in the market and 78% of it came back contaminated,” he said. As a result, he continues to test all of the products he buys and urges consumers to buy from only reputable sources.
at’s Kava isn’t a nonpro t, but Gieski said he doesn’t take a paycheck, and customers regularly raise money for friends and community members in need.
Why are kava bars becoming the new social haven?
Gieski and Lupola believe their establishments o er a sense of community and connection that can be hard to nd in traditional bars.
When Lupola quit drinking, she discovered how much she disliked being around people who were. “ en I found Kava bars,” she said. “And I stopped wanting to go out and party. It was a natural transition.”
Gieski said while there are around seven or eight kava bars in the Denver area, he expects that number to grow exponentially in the coming years.
What’s driving this shift? According to a 2022 report by the Food Institute, the rise of non-alcoholic alternatives re ects broader social trends around reducing alcohol intake and cites improving mental health as the main reason adults are limiting their consumption.
With their focus on mindful consumption and meaningful interactions, kava bars o er a clear solution for those wanting to socialize without the booze.
e market shows no sign of slowing down, either. e global demand for kava root extract is expected to grow from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $4.6 billion by 2031, according to market research. Analysts attribute part of the increased interest to a greater concentration on mental health and wellbeing.
So, whether you’re raising a cup of kava, served in a traditional coconut shell, with old friends or sharing stories with new ones, many say there’s no better way to end the night than with a communal wish for well-being.
Bula!
What is Kava?
Kava is a plant-based drink made from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant, which is native to the South Paci c islands. Traditionally consumed in ceremonial and social gatherings, kava holds signi cant cultural importance in places like Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga. e drink has a long history of being used to promote relaxation, ease anxiety and foster social bonding.
e active compounds in kava, known as kavalactones, are responsible for its calming e ects. Unlike alcohol, which impairs cognitive function, kava induces a state of relaxation and mental clarity without a ecting alertness. is unique e ect makes it an appealing choice for those seeking a mindful way to relax or socialize. Kava is legal in Colorado and is not classi ed as a controlled substance at the federal or state level, but you must be 21 or older to consume it.
Kava doesn’t come without risks. According to the Cleveland Clinic, kava works similarly to alcohol and some anxiety and Parkinson’s medications, and it can be dangerous to combine them. Some components of kava are also known to be toxic to the liver.
Talk to a healthcare provider before trying kava or any other plant-based medicinal drink.
GLASSMAN
LIFESTYLES
AN ADVERTISING SECTION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY
Rely on Specialists to Ensure Your Financial Health
FEATURE OF THE MONTH
By Cindy Lempke Special to Lifestyles
Investing in your children’s education, planning for your retirement, saving for a second home, ensuring your assets are protected if the unexpected occurs, and securing your family’s nancial legacy are impactful decisions requiring a well-conceived strategy. Your nancial health, just like your physical health, deserves the care, attention and expertise of knowledgeable professionals. e collaborative relationship between Robert & Associates, LLC certi ed public accountants, and the Savvy Advisors wealth management team o ers clients the full spectrum of nancial guidance – from the preparation of annual tax returns to business start-ups, to the creation of a customized, multi-faceted investment portfolio and outlining a nancial legacy plan.
Savvy Advisors – Combining Technology with the Personal Touch
A forward-thinking FinTech company headquartered in New York, Savvy was co-founded in 2021 by Ritik Malhotra. Ritik’s vision was to create a technology platform that would not only enhance operational e ciency, but also give advisors the freedom to focus most of their time on serving clients.
Senior Wealth Management Advisor, Cindy Alvarez, opened a Savvy o ce in Evergreen in November, with plans to add a Littleton o ce in 2025. Joining her team are Janelle van Meel, a seasoned advisor with more than 25 years of industry experience, who advises clients on investment strategies across both public and private markets; Evan Coats, a Tax Specialist, who works closely with clients to develop tax-saving strategies; Mitchell Gerschick, a Wealth Manager who leads the o ce’s nancial planning e orts, ensuring clients receive a comprehensive plan, operational support and access to expert resources; and Hillary Peterson, Client Service Manager, an invaluable resource for money movements, establishing new accounts and handling operational needs.
Alvarez and her team are dedicated to nurturing client connections and aligning their nancial roadmaps to help them meet immediate and long-term goals. “Human interaction is still important when it comes to wealth management,” says Alvarez. “ ere is no replacement for client conversations with an advisor who can educate them, allay their fears, and share in the pursuit of their dreams and goals.”
Alvarez was attracted to Savvy because of its boutique client service model and the rm’s robust support of its advisors. With advisors across the country, Savvy promotes collaboration and the sharing of best practices among advisors. Savvy’s partnerships with asset custodians
Robert & Associates, LLC
Photos by Andrea Flanagan Photography
FINANCE
From Page 12
Charles Schwab and Fidelity make it convenient for new clients with existing accounts with these entities.
“Joining such an accomplished and dynamic team has only strengthened my commitment to o ering tailored solutions and fostering long-term relationships with the families and businesses we serve,” added Alvarez.
A Solid Professional Relationship Bene ts Clients
While Alvarez leads an o ce with a new rm, her professional collaboration with Susanne Robert and Robert & Associates, LLC remains unchanged.
“Our relationship with Savvy is ‘the right t’ for our clients and our teams,” said Susanne C. Robert, CPA. “Together we evaluate each client’s nancial goals and tax situations to determine the best options for each client’s risk/reward
pro le, while minimizing tax burdens. A good example of this interaction occurs when we have the opportunity to help clients take advantage of alternative investment strategies.”
For accredited investors (individuals earning $200,00 annually or $300,00 combined income with a spouse over a consecutive two-year period) Cindy may recommend the option of Alternative, or Private Investments. ese investments, including private equity, real estate, art, commodities and venture capital are options for creating a more diversi ed portfolio rather than solely relying on returns from the stock and bond markets.
“Private investments give clients the choice of placing their money into more speci c industries or geographic areas that align with their interests,” said Alvarez. “Investing in private markets can provide investors the risk/reward balance they’re seeking, which can allow them to reinvest capital gains, and o ers tax bene ts not otherwise available through public markets.”
Please see FINANCE, Page 17
Clients of Robert & Associates bene t from the expertise of two CPAs – Susanne C. Robert and Kelly Haley.
Photo by Andrea Flanagan Photography
Attention Homeowners…
Brewster Says A Home Equity Line of Credit Might
Answer for Debt Consolidation or Home Improvements in this New Year
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
For over thirty years, Colorado Foothills native and Mortgage Broker Grant Brewster of Edge Home Finance Corporation has been providing his customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. If the recent gi -giving holiday season has le you strapped for funds, call Grant to discuss how a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), might help ease your nancial burden.
A HELOC, a type of loan that allows homeowners to borrow against their home equity, works similarly to a credit card in that it provides a line of credit up to a certain limit, from which you can borrow, repay, and borrow again. Equity is the di erence between the current market value of your home and your outstanding mortgage balance.
“Whether you have high-interest credit card debt, need education/home improvement monies or need cash for unexpected expenses, a HELOC loan o ers exibility and relatively
low borrowing costs,” say Grant Brewster. “It can be a useful nancial tool, but it’s important to borrow responsibly and be mindful of the risks associated with using your home as collateral.”
Conveniently located at Flow eory Coworks, 3540 Evergreen Parkway, contact Grant Brewster today (720-668-4183/grant. brewster@edgehome nance.com/www. grantbrewster.com) for more information about HELOC loans and for all your nancing needs.
Any Lab Test Now® O ers Private and A ordable Medical Testing
By Jo Ann M. Colton Special to Lifestyles
Any Lab Test Now® of Lakewood at 7650 West Virginia Avenue, Suite C o ers uninsured/self-pay individuals medical tests that are private/a ordable and convenient. e lab provides the doctor’s order; no insurance
needed or ever accepted. With thousands of service options, the facility can accommodate your speci c need , including Single or Bundle Nutritional B12 Injections, DNA, TB, A1C, and STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing.
STIs (HIV/Syphilis/Gonorrhea/ Chalmydia…) are prevalent throughout the
country due to increases in substance abuse tied to unsafe sexual behavior, decreased condom usage, ongoing social/economic conditions, and reductions in local/state STI services. Sexually transmitted diseases are treatable, and many are curable. However, if le untreated these infections can cause serious health problems.
“Many people with STIs are asymptomatic and are unaware they have an infection.” said Lakewood franchise owner Drew Scarbrough, who moved to Colorado from Florida where he worked as a Veterinary Doctor. “If you are concerned about STIs, make an appointment with our lab to be tested as soon as possible.”
Most Any Lab Test Now® tests take less than 15 minutes; many results are ready within 24-72 hours. For lab hours/test information/fees and appointments, contact Any Lab Test Now® of Lakewood (720-543-2280 / https//www.anylabtestnow/lakewood-80226).
Your Home Has A New Year’s Resolution Too!
Do you have goals for your home this year? Do they include warmth, efficiency, aesthetics, AND saving you money? Here are the top 5 goals our customers achieve with a new fireplace, stove or insert from Mountain Hearth & Patio!
More heat and less spent on heating bills.
Today’s gas or woodburning hearth appliances are designed to be the most efficient ever, with more heat coming into your home while using less fuel. Gas is the most cost-effective source of heat for your home, and a new high-efficiency gas-fired hearth appliance will pay for itself in the long-term by reducing the amount of fuel you use to heat your home. If you have a lot of cordwood sitting around, a new high-efficiency EPA-Certified wood burning fireplace, stove, or insert will heat your home without relying on your conventional utilities.
Changing fuel for convenience.
Our most common project is to convert
an outdated inefficient wood burning fireplace to gas. Many of our customers are switching to the convenience of a gas-fueled fireplace, stove, or insert. With the push of a button, the fireplace turns on or it can be thermostatically remote controlled to keep your room consistently comfortable. You can even control your thermostat temperature or heat-circulating blower from your couch.
Improved safety and air quality.
New EPA-Certified wood burning units burn efficiently and cleanly, reducing creosote buildup and risk of a hostile chimney fire. The key to that efficiency is a combustion air control, which slows the burn of wood, saving fuel. If your existing wood fireplace isn’t EPA-Certified, you are throwing money away on wasted wood and a drafty appliance.
Newer gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts are also safer than previous models because of Direct Vent technology, which brings air from outside to fuel the flames,
and exhaust combustion byproducts out a separate channel, so there is no chance of carbon monoxide or soot entering your home from these appliances.
Create a centerpiece for your home!
Today’s hearth appliances have a wide variety of design options to complement any style. They offer nearly endless options for customization, such as choices for log sets or glass bead burner media, traditional to contemporary firebox panels, and choices of metal finishes on the fronts.
New fireplaces come in nearly any shape and size and can be installed even where there was no fireplace before. If you want extra heat in your bedroom, TV room, basement, or addition, give us a call to discuss your project!
Perfecting and Protecting what you have.
Does your living room currently have a drafty, inefficient open wood burning fireplace? You can seal out the cold and bring heat into your home by updating it with an
efficient gas or woodstove insert. If you’re happy with your fireplace but want to stop the draft, we can replace the conventional damper; or we can help you design and install a new set of doors that will help retain heat, save money on energy bills, and update the look of your fireplace.
Lastly, protect your investment and your home with proper annual maintenance. Our technicians are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the National Fireplace Institute. Their expertise can help you to make the most of your hearth appliance and keep it running efficiently for years to come.
For 2025, make your home’s beauty, safety, warmth, and cost savings a priority! Give us a call today at 303-679-1601, email Office@MtnHP.com, or visit our showroom at 7001 Highway 73, Evergreen. You can also learn more about our energy-saving products at www.MtnHP.com. Happy New Year from Mountain Hearth & Patio!
Tax implications of alternative investments is an area of expertise for Robert & Associates who advise clients on how their speci c investment will impact their tax picture.
A Full Service Certi ed Public Accounting Firm
With more than 30 years of public accounting experience, Robert & Associates provides guidance to a variety of clients – small businesses, larger corporations, and individuals at every stage of their nancial circumstances. Clients can expect to bene t from the expertise of a well-educated team that prides themselves on delivering excellent customer service.
“Our goal is to fully understand your nancial needs so we can be your go-to resource both during tax season and throughout the year,” said Robert.
“We distinguish ourselves by having two CPAs on our team. Each tax return is reviewed by both of us before it leaves our o ce – we think this extra layer of accountability truly sets us apart.”
A Trusted Partner for Small Business and Individuals
For current or prospective business owners, Robert & Associates can reduce administrative burdens by helping to establish business enterprises in the most tax-advantaged situation, preparing business tax returns, and providing hands-on accounting services.
Individual clients seeking to reduce their tax burden o en work with both Robert & Associates and Savvy Advisors. e Robert & Associates tax projections provide valuable insight to Savvy Advisors for recommending investment strat-
egies to o set that client’s taxable income. is model is particularly helpful to clients experiencing or anticipating a major nancial change due to the start-up or sale of their business, an inheritance, or a signi cant loss.
Two Women-Led Businesses Making a Mark Susanne Robert and Cindy Alvarez are committed to running their businesses according to the highest level of integrity, realizing they are helping to set the standard for women-owned rms in the nancial industry.
“It’s important to me to maintain my integrity and ethics in all of my interactions,” said Robert, a member of the Mountain Area Women in
Business Hall of Fame. “I want to be a role model for my daughter, my granddaughter, and the young women considering the accounting eld. It means a great deal to me personally and professionally.”
“I believe in a culture that celebrates diversity, and Savvy is particularly focused on supporting more female-led rms across the country,” said Alvarez. “Women make up 33% of advisors in the
recommendation.
nancial services industry1. I am honored to be part of this growing minority and look forward to helping expand this pool through education and mentoring the next generation.”
To learn more about Savvy Advisors, go to www.savvywealth.com or email cindy.Alvarez@ savvyadvisors.com. To contact Robert & Associates, visit www.robert-associates.com
1https://www.primerica.com/public/White_Paper_ Primerica_Financial_Security_Monitor_September_2024.pdf
Alternative investments, hedge funds, and private placements involve a high degree of
and can be illiquid due to
on transfer and lack of a secondary trading market. ey can be highly leveraged, speculative and volatile, and an investor could lose all or a substantial amount of an investment. Alternative investments may lack transparency as to share price, valuation and portfolio holdings. Complex tax structures o en result in delayed tax reporting. Compared to mutual funds, private funds are subject to less regulation and o en charge higher fees.
Savvy Advisors, Inc. (“Savvy Advisors”) is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All advisory services are o ered through Savvy Advisors. Robert & Associates is not a liated with or related to Savvy Advisors. Savvy Advisors does not provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your tax and/or legal counsel for speci c tax or legal questions and concerns.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A womanizing US president. Gin-drinking, poker-playing, skirt-chasing Cabinet members. And a plot from the inside to usurp control of the Navy’s oil reserves. Wild and juicy stuff this. And all of it a true chapter of America’s history.
There may not be another US scandal that is so heavy with corruption and criminality that weighs so lightly on our collective consciousness as the Teapot Dome Scandal. From 1920 to 1922, power-hungry politicians and corporate tycoons boldly schemed to steal the nation’s newest energy resourcel. In so doing these crooks put a black mark on the pioneering work of those who gave birth to Wyoming’s incredible bonanza.
With a deft researcher’s hand and the heart and attention of a creative writer, Constance Bierkan has written a rst-of-its-kind ctionalized recounting of what led up to this nearly forgotten nugget from the past, the Teapot Dome Scandal. Like No Place on Earth is a spirited coming-of-age story set in Wyoming at the start of the madcap Roaring Twenties and the birth of the oil industry. As much a love story as it is a historical deep-dive, Like No Place on Earth will be irresistible to book clubs and history buffs alike.
Dustin Swenson and Brock Anderson focus on providing Robert & Associates’ clients with responsive service and accurate results.
Photos by Andrea Flanagan Photography
Savvy Advisors team member Janelle van Meel is a seasoned advisor with more than 25 years of industry experience.
Practice gratitude: Regularly re ect on what you’re thankful for. Gratitude shifts our focus away from scarcity and toward abundance.
Encourage others: Be a voice of support for those around you. Positivity is contagious, and encouraging others helps create a culture of optimism.
Finding the good in the world
Choosing positivity doesn’t mean ignoring the bad; it means not letting it de ne us. It’s about recognizing the goodness, opportunities, and potential that coexist with the challenges. Focusing on the good makes us more likely to
nd solutions, build stronger connections, and live a more ful lling life. As you enter this new year, challenge yourself to see the glass not as half empty or half full but as endlessly re llable. Look for the good, embrace opportunities, and trust in the possibility of positive outcomes. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we live a life viewed through the lens of positivity, it is a life lled with potential, a resolution worth keeping, and one that will make it a better-thangood life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
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lmed in the alley “right here,” Haines says. Danny Glover lmed some scenes for “Switchback” in the town’s historic downtown. John Denver starred in “ e Christmas Gift,” which was lmed in town in the 1980s.
e producers of the John Denver movie didn’t like the facade of the Trading Post, so they paid to cover the building with old wood, giving it a more rustic feel. at same old wood is up there, peeling and curled. China Tipton bought the Trading Post business three years ago and she acquired the building one year ago. She’s thinking about working on a grant to replace the weathered wood with something more historic.
Tipton joins Haines on the sidewalk across the K&A. She’s got stories about Coralue, too.
“She was a walking history lesson. Everything she said was so fascinating,” says Tipton, retelling a story shared by Coralue
about her as a teenager walking alongside a grocery-delivering panel truck driven by her dad in a snowstorm, staking out the edge of the road on a steep with ags so they could make it back home. “It’s hard to quantify just how much that family has contributed to this town but I know it was a lot.”
Wendy and Smoky are melancholy about stepping away from a role they have held for decades. ey hope they can nd someone who can honor the traditional path followed by so many in Georgetown. It’s a path their family helped clear.
“People, they are just amazed when they do get in here to town, what it’s like, and they just can’t believe that it’s still like it is. It’s like what they saw in the movies, or when they think of small towns,” Wendy says. “And you know, hopefully that’ll be bene cial to us, to be able to keep that going without succumbing to the real fast development.”
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
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Umpires must earn tournament berths, too
Committee picks umps based on team neutrality, schedule availability
BY STEVE SMITH
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Teams that qualify for the state baseball tournaments each spring must pass a series of tests, namely playoff games.
According to George Demetriou, the baseball rules interpreter for the Colorado High School Activities Association, umpires follow the same type of script.
“We have a playoff test, which is a slightly more difficult test than the regular test umpires have to take for membership,” he told CHSAA’s baseball committee this fall. “To be eligible, they have to achieve 90% on that test and be an umpires association member in good standing .. meeting requirements and attending the master clinic.”
Once the list of eligible umpires is in place, then it’s time for nominations and recommendations from area directors. After a committee screens that list to make assignments, then comes the question of neutrality.
“We try to avoid having umpires do games from schools that the regulars see during the regular season,” Demetriou said. “The big exception to that is Denver. If it’s two Denver schools in a game, we don’t see that as a neutral-
ity conflict. If it’s a Denver versus nonDenver school, then we wouldn’t have umpires from either area working the game.”
Availability
Postseason tournaments start on Fridays, which makes the list of available and qualified umpires somewhat smaller.
“We’ve had Friday games for many years because of the double-elimination format,” Demetriou said. “It’s a difficult day to get umps. Most of the umpires have a full-time job. They either have to take time off from work or they aren’t available. We’ve been able to manage through the years. If we add many more Friday games, that will be a challenge. We also have to take into account the travel time associated with that.”
Demetriou said adding more Friday playoff games isn’t a fatal flaw “but it’ll definitely be a challenge.”
“With the regionals, especially on a Friday, we have pretty much tried to use local umpires. We have not followed the strict neutrality standards that we do for the state tournament,” he said. “We don’t have the numbers to do that. If there are four schools at a Denver site, the umpires will almost certainly be from Denver. Then you will end up with Denver umpires in a game between a Denver school and a non-Denver school. We have not had any issues with that throughout the years.”
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, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, 02/20/2025, 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 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
Bids for the construction of the Project
be
until 2:00 PM local time on Thursday, January 30, 2025 by means of a PDF copy uploaded to the Prospective Bidder Submittal Folder assigned by the County to each registered prospective Bidder.
Bids received by the submittal deadline will be publicly opened and read at 2:30 PM local time via Zoom. A Zoom link can be found in the Bidding Documents.
The Project includes the following Work:
• Base Bid – Major rehabilitation of approximately 3.3 miles of the upper (northern) portion of Fall River Road. Pavement rehab consists of approximately 1.2 miles of asphalt pavement reconstruction and approximately 2.1 miles of full-depth reclamation; followed by 5-inch HMA overlay. Other salient features include resurfaced turnouts, recycled asphalt shoulders, pavement markings, new valley inlet and culvert, construction stormwater management, survey, and traffic control.
• Add Alternate #1 – Road signage installations along approximately 9.2 miles of Fall River Road.
Bids are requested for the following Contract: RC 25-01 Agreement Between Owner and Contractor for Construction Contract (Stipulated Price)
Obtaining the Bidding Documents Information and Bidding Documents for the Project can be found at the following designated website: https://www.clearcreekcounty.us/bids.aspx
Prospective Bidders must register as a plan holder via email to receive a link to the Prospective Bidder Submittal Folder, Project Construction Plans and Specifications, and invitations to the mandatory pre-bid meeting and bid opening: Email scanada@clearcreekcounty.us; subject line RC 25-01 RFB.
Prospective Bidders are urged to sign up to receive a text message or email when new Bidding Documents are periodically uploaded to the designated website such as addenda, reports, and other information relevant to submitting a Bid for the Project by clicking “Sign up” at the top of the webpage.
All official notifications, addenda, and other Bidding Documents will be offered only through the designated website and the Prospective Bidder Submittal Folder. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than the designated website or Prospective Bidder Submittal Folder.
Mandatory Pre-bid Conference
A mandatory pre-bid conference for the Project will be held on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM via Zoom. Bids will not be accepted from Bidders that do not attend the mandatory pre-bid conference.
Instructions to Bidders
For all further requirements regarding bid submittal, qualifications, procedures, and contract award, refer to the Instructions to Bidders that are included in the Bidding Documents.
This Advertisement is issued by: George Marlin, Chair Board of County Commissioners
Legal Notice No. CCC 026
First Publication: January 9, 2025
Last Publication: January 30, 2025 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant
Public Notice
NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT ACCESS LIMITED CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN OWNER AND CONTRACTOR FOR RC 24-03 STEEP-SLOPE IMPROVEMENTS FOR FALL RIVER ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT (STIPULATED PRICE)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
Umpires confer with Pomona coach EJ Mapps and Mountain Range coach D.J. Yeager in this 2021 file photo. Umpires have to earn the right to be at state playo and championship games.
PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
LEAP ayuda a los residentes elegibles de Colorado a pagar una parte de sus gastos de calefacciòn de invierno.
