Denver Herald Dispatch March 21, 2024

Stormwater pipes, water service lines seeing upgrades and improvements

20.

Historic Denver seeks landmark designation for El Chapultepec site

BY ALAN GIONET, CBS NEWS COLORADO

Ninety one years after it opened and four after it closed, Historic Denver is seeking a landmark designation for the site of the old El Chapultepec jazz and blues nightclub at 20th and Market in Lower Downtown.

“ e cultural signi cance of this building is extremely well documented and has been so for many, many years,” said John De enbaugh, president and CEO of Historic Denver. “We also know that a lot people are incredibly passionate about it.”

It comes amid word that developer Monfort Companies is seeking to tear the building down after saying it has structural issues that make the idea of keeping the existing building unaffordable.

El Chapultepec’s rich history includes decades as a club catering to the Mexican population of the LoDo area, with people lined up down the block, seeking to get in.

“When I took it over it was beautiful. e mariachis and stu would come in and stroll along to every booth,” said former owner Jerry Krantz in a 2008 interview with CBS Colorado.

But causing tra c detours, business losses during the process

BY NATALIE KERR

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Infrastructure in the United States was recently rated a C- by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which conducts an infrastructure assessment every four years. e middling grade re ects that infrastructure like drinking water and

stormwater pipes are in fair condition, but showing signs of deterioration and vulnerability to disaster.

Areas of Denver with particularly old water transportation systems or that are ood-prone can be even more susceptible to emergencies, which is why Denver Water and the City of Denver are making consistent investments into upgrading and replacing water management systems. But these projects come at the cost of disruptive construction projects that impact foot and car tra c on major roads like Colfax Avenue, Colorado Boulevard and 14th Avenue, temporarily disrupt-

ing surrounding businesses and residents.

Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is currently in phase two of a three-part plan to upgrade existing stormwater pipes on 14th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard with larger, higher capacity pipes to reduce ooding in City Park.

DOTI expects the project to cost a total of $16 million and is funding it with Denver residents’ regular stormwater bills, said Nancy Kuhn, DOTI’s director of communications.

Krantz died in 2012 and his family continued to run the bar until it closed. In the 1960s it converted from mariachi to jazz one night after an immigration raid.

“ e immigration came and they said you couldn’t bring any more Mexican music,” said Krantz. e rst jazz act was Big Daddy Ron Ford and there was still a crowd. e bar transitioned to jazz and Krantz became known as the owner of the best jazz bar in the West, even appearing on the Johnny Carson Show twice. e list of jazz and blues greats is long.

SEE LANDMARK, P5

Local designer makes a name on the mountain

Construction to upgrade City stormwater pipes progresses on 14th Avenue between Jackson Street and Harrison on Feb.

PHOTO BY NATALIE KERR

SEE STORMWATER, P6

Colorado Community Media owner purchases printing press, o ers lifeline to local news

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Colorado Community Media’s two dozen newspapers will get a muchneeded lifeline in the form of a printing press, allowing it to bring printing needs in-house while reducing costs and providing a longer-term solution for other publishers along the Front Range.

e National Trust for Local News, which owns Colorado Community Media, purchased the press after raising $900,000 in grant funding toward the project. e donations came through the Colorado Media Project and its coalition of funders: the Bohe-

mian Foundation, Gates Family Foundation and the Colorado Trust.

Amalie Nash, head of transformation for NTLN, said the hope is to start printing CCM’s newspapers on the press, located in northeast Denver, by the end of May. By summer, the Trust plans to o er printing services to other newspapers seeking a more a ordable solution.

e e ort to buy the press began after Gannett Publishing Co., which owns the USA TODAY Network, announced it was closing its plant in Pueblo last August. With few places left to turn, more than 80 Colorado publications that relied on the Pueblo press, including those at CCM, scram-

bled to nd alternative solutions.  “We were faced with a decision point and had to gure out where to print instead,” Nash said. “So we started seeking bids and trying to gure out how we were going to continue to provide print products that people want.”

CCM wasn’t alone. e Colorado Media Project, a nonpartisan philanthropic initiative dedicated to supporting and sustaining local news, surveyed publishers impacted by the Gannett press closure and found that one publication was forced to close. Several others were wrestling with whether to go digital-only, and at least three publishers of multiple papers opted to consolidate titles.

In October, e Colorado Sun reported that the ndings of a working group on the future of printing in Colorado, published by the Colorado Press Association, Colorado News Collaborative and the Colorado Media Project “underscored the blow of the Pueblo closure and highlighted the nearly exhausted printing capacity statewide and ‘unsustainable’ cost increases. e report voices concern that continuing those trajectories could lead to the demise of a ‘sizeable number’ of publications.”

Nash said CCM ultimately chose to contract with e Denver Post for printing, but did not consider it a long-term solution.

“Since the National Trust for Local News purchased Colorado Community Media in 2021, our printing costs have gone up 60%, which was obviously very signi cant for an operation of this size,” said Nash, adding that “we

started having discussions around these larger commercial printers closing and the fact that there aren’t very many options in the Front Range. So, we asked: what if we came up with an option. What would that look like?”

NTLN began researching, talking to funding partners, and putting together a plan to buy a press.

“It’s heartening to think that we have an opportunity that helps us regulate our press costs better and that we have a real opportunity to help the media ecosystem in that way,” CCM Publisher Linda Shapley said.

While the print newspaper and magazine market has steadily declined since the mid-2000s, it’s still projected to earn $123.5 billion in the U.S. this year. Many communities still lack reliable internet access, and some people continue to prefer printed news, according to Nash.

And getting a paper copy to commemorate an event is still meaningful for many. Recently, parents whose children were featured in a bilingual newsletter dedicated to Commerce City reached out to Shapley, asking if there were printed copies available.

“You can show the story on your phone or a computer, but it’s just not the same,” she said.

At the same time, CCM has focused on its digital transformation, relaunching its websites last fall and introducing new newsletters. Shapley said it’s important to give people news in all the formats they want it.

“As much as people talk about how print is going away, the fact of the matter is that it’s still here, and it needs support,” Shapley said.

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The National Trust for Local News, owner of Colorado Community Media, is aiming for a May start to printing its newspapers. COURTESY OF IMPRESSIONS WORLDWIDE

Colorado Community Media’s two dozen printed newspapers will be printed from a heavy-duty printing press recently purchased by the National Trust for Local News, which owns Colorado Community Media. The Trust purchased the press after raising $900,000 in grant funding toward the goal.

PHOTO BY KRISTEN FIORE

10 things you need to know about the proposed RTD changes coming in May

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Colorado Regional Transportation District is proposing some major changes to routes and schedules for the rest of 2024. It unveiled these proposed changes at a series of public meetings March 5-7 to get public feedback on the proposal, which RTD plans to implement in May.

Here’s what you need to know about the proposed changes.

1. Construction and improvements in key areas are a ecting most of the changes RTD Community Engagement Manager Brandon Figliolino explained that the root of the proposed changes will be two construction projects. e rst is the coping panel project and the other is the reconstruction of ve “at-grade” crossings in downtown Denver.

“ e rst is our continued work on the coping panel project. is is a two-year project that began in

April of 2023 and is essentially repairing the caps on retaining walls along the I-25 corridor,” Figliolino explained. “During this time, tracks, or trains, rather, must be single-tracked during the work areas to allow for work to happen in that right of way.”

Figliolino said half the work on the coping panel project has been done. However, RTD needs to get the remaining retaining walls done so that regular service can resume as scheduled in September 2024.

“ e other major rail project that is going to be impacting our service is the downtown rail reconstruction project,” Figliolino said. “Starting in the summer of 2024, the rst of four phases of work will begin to reconstruct other areas of the rail line. is rst phase that’s going to impact us in the summer of 2024 is the reconstruction of ve at-grade crossings along corridors downtown.”

SEE RTD, P4

What’s Behind the Buzz About ‘Indoor Air Quality’ & ‘Sick Building Syndrome’?

I remember decades ago, back in New York City, first hearing the term “sick building syndrome.” It had something to do with the chemicals from materials such as new carpet outgassing negatively affecting the health of office workers and home occupants.

More recently, we began hearing about “indoor air quality,” an issue that was addressed by HVAC and other vendors.

Next we started hearing about “volatile organic compounds” which was the name given to those chemicals that were out-gassing not just from carpeting but even from the paint applied to your walls. Merchants started advertising “low-VOC” products, not just paint and carpeting, that had less or none of the chemicals which could be harmful to human health.

In recent years, Americans and others became aware that plastic is not being recycled nearly enough, and in the past year we discovered that microplastics are even in bottled water. Fish in the ocean, it appears, have now consumed so much plastic that micro plastic is even in our sushi. Add that to reports of mercury contamination. But I digress. This is a real estate column, not a political column, and not a nutrition column, so let’s talk about the “healthy home movement” and how it’s expressed by different home builders and renovators.

ever a gas burner is on, not just when your food is smoking. And let’s not forget the ever-present risk of home explosion in a home plumbed with natural gas. Now, that would be unhealthy!

That’s quite a list of health-impacting hazards added to the out-gassing from carpeting and wall paints of volatile organic compounds.

Since some of these hazards, unlike lead pipes and lead-based paint, are still legal, there’s a space in the housing market for builders who go to great lengths to reduce any and every possible hazard that could contribute to an unhealthy home. I’ll mention a couple below.

home cleaner.”

ERVs and HRVs are easy to install in new construction, but difficult to install as a retrofit, because they require the installation of extensive new ductwork of their own. Indeed, introducing such an appliance might be impossible in many homes. In such cases, an air scrubber would be an ideal solution, because it is simply installed within existing ductwork.

It has all culminated in what we know as the “healthy home movement.” Some home builders now promote the homes they build as healthy, not just efficient.

I appreciate this focus on making our homes healthier, especially for those with compromised immune systems.

Flint Michigan’s 2014 crisis involving lead in the water drawn from the Flint River and leaching from that city’s lead pipe service lines brought that issue to our consciousness and saw cities all around the country, including Denver, invest in replacing lead service lines in their older housing stock. Nothing epitomizes an unhealthy home quite as much as when the water from its faucets poisons those who live there, especially the children.

It was back in 1935 — before even my oldest sibling’s time — that DuPont introduced the advertising slogan “Better Living Through Chemistry,” and we all remember that one-word advice to Benjamin Braddock in the 1967 movie, “The Graduate” — “Plastics.”

Founded in 1992, the National Center for Lead-Safe Housing reflected the awareness of more wide-ranging in-home hazards when it changed its name to the National Center for Healthy Housing in 2001. (Its website is www.nchh.org )

One very serious home health hazard that was not recognized until 1986 was toxic black mold. Its scientific name is stachybotrys chartarum. Mold spores are all around us, including in our homes, but black mold can kill. The public became more aware of it following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As the waters receded from homes, black mold soon covered the walls that had been underwater or experienced water intrusion.

In the real estate business, we are used to inspecting for lead and mold, but also for radon gas (which can cause lung cancer) and asbestos, which can be in drywall from China and in popcorn ceilings. It’s even in some of the glues that have been used to lay vinyl flooring.

Just within the last year, there has been new attention to the hazard of methane and carbon monoxide emissions from gas cooking ranges. You are advised to always run the exhaust fan (assuming it’s ducted to the outdoors, not just recirculating through a filter) when-

Price Reduced on 2-Bedroom, 2-Bath Arvada Condo

$335,000

Increasingly, home builders in America (and elsewhere) are taking to heart the need to look more deeply at the components and materials they put into the homes they are selling.

In the profiles of homes featured in the Metro Denver Green Homes Tour last October, there was frequent mention of Heat (or Energy) Recovery Ventilators (HRV or ERV). The best of these devices not only condition fresh air for temperature as it is brought into the home to replace air being exhausted, they also test for high levels of carbon dioxide (which is considered a pollutant at high levels), and also for VOCs in the home’s air.

From studying high performance homes including those in the green homes tours (both Denver and Boulder), I personally view an HRV, ERV or even a CERV (which contains a heat pump), an essential appliance in any modern home intended to be both energy efficient and healthy.

A fellow cruiser just told me about the air scrubber which he installed in his house. He reported that he and his wife felt the difference in just one day. I googled the phrase “air scrubber” since I hadn’t heard of this appliance, and they do exist as either an inline unit for your forced air ductwork or free-standing if you don’t have ductwork (such as in a home with hot water heat).

I have not seen a lot of progress among Denver area home builders when it comes to sustainability, so I’m not real hopeful for progress in addressing indoor air quality. When I represented a buyer in Jefferson County last year, I attended the meeting at which upgrades were discussed. All the homes were being outfitted with high-efficiency gas furnaces and A/C units. An upgrade to a heat pump system was simply not available.

Builders are also fighting laws which would require all-electric homes — that is, no natural gas lines serving new subdivisions. Such laws are being passed in other states or cities.

The US EPA has a program called “Indoor airPLUS” which sets a standard for achieving a healthy home by addressing all the contaminants mentioned above. Colorado-based Thrive Home Builders builds only Indoor airPluscertified homes and has won the EPA’s Leader Award eight years in a row. They are currently building homes starting at $449,900 in Broomfield, Lone Tree and Denver’s Loretto Heights. Call me or one of my broker associates below if you’d like us to show you those homes and represent you in a purchase.

Meritage is another Colorado builder of Indoor airPLUS-certified homes, but I was unable to get more information.

This week’s topic was inspired by an article I read on Probuilder.com titled “Breathe Easier — Healthy Homes Go Mainstream.” You’ll find a link to it at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com

Archive of Past Columns Is Online

To quote RhoadsEnergy.com’s blog post on air scrubbers, “It removes air pollution, VOCs, surface contaminants, pet dander, odors and dust. It provides a cleaner, healthier and more efficient home. This low maintenance device uses proprietary light waves along with a specialized catalytic process to keep your

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of itself.” —Anonymous

According to Figliolino, the rail and bus line adjustments due to construction are to keep rider inconvenience to a minimum.

“ e reason why we are doing these projects, for these times speci c closures is to help minimize the inconvenience to travelers and keep our system in a state of good repair,” he said. “It improves the safety and reliability of the system for our customers.”

2. The standard adjustments will be made to adjust for school closing for summer

“So typically, in May we adjust some of our routes to account for schools not being in session or for lower demand,” said RTD Senior Planner/Scheduler Maux Sullivan. Sullivan said the following routes will be adjusted:

• DASH, the Boulder/ Lafayette via Louisville bus route

• SKIP, the Boulder/Lafayette via Arapahoe bus route

• 11, the Mississippi Avenue route

• 20, the 20th Avenue route

• 24, the University Boulevard route

• 30, the South Federal Boulevard route

• 51, the Sheridan Boulevard route

• 65, the Monaco Parkway route

• 73, the Quebec Street route

• 225, the Boulder/Lafayette via Baseline route

Sullivan said these changes are proposed “to account for outdoor events and school not being open during summer.”

“ ese are kind of just our more

minor schedule adjustments,” Sullivan said. She went on to say that other routes will see minor adjustments to allow for driver rest times and as a result of performance changes.

3. Changes to the Evergreen and Platte Valley Flex rides

“Our ex rides in Evergreen will be combining into one singular service area,” Sullivan said. “ e Platte Valley Flex ride will be taking on a more traditional ex ride service.”

Sullivan showed the proposed adjusted route for the Platte Valley Flex Ride route.

4. More free rides downtown thanks to construction

According to Sullivan, the Free Mall Ride runs every 4-5 minutes between stops but will go to every 10 minutes. e Free Metro Ride program will be reinstated.

Sullivan said the reduced mall ride service is to accommodate the reinstated metro rides. She said the reason for the changes is to accommodate downtown construction.

“So, for the free metro ride, we’re proposing reinstating it and not just during the peak periods weekday as it usually used to operate, but actually all day, seven days a week,” Sullivan said. “ is is really to allow greater exibility during the downtown rail reconstruction project. So that customers have other alternatives to reach their destination from Union Station into other parts of downtown.”

5. The 0L route will increase to accommodate construction delays and detours

Sullivan has good news for the riders of the 0L South Broadway

bus route.

“We’re proposing introducing all-day service on the zero L again to really account for the disruption that’s anticipated with the downtown rail reconstruction project,” Sullivan said.

6. 116 X will be reduced due to low ridership

“Route RX will be reduced due to low ridership consolidating the current afternoon trips into one trip that will depart Civic Center Station at 6:10 p.m.,” Sullivan said.

7. Expect rerouting and reductions of service at the H, E and D lines

“With the coping panel project and the downtown rail reconstruction project there are major impacts to rail,” Sullivan explained. “So, the D line will be routed into Union Station during this time and the service span will be adjusted to from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays. And then on the weekends, 5 a.m. to 2 a.m.”

Sullivan explained that the E Line will have reduced service.

“So, it’s proposed that the E line would be every 60 minutes and then that service span would be the same as the D line,” Sullivan said.

She explained that the decision came from the RTD’s tracking of service in the summer of 2023. It was determined that reliable service was most important to E Line customers.

“So this is in response to make sure that we can provide a reliable schedule for customers throughout the project,” Sullivan said. e H Line will be reduced to a 60-minute frequency and rerouted due to construction projects, according to Sullivan.

“So, service on the H line would

be rerouted to Denver Union Station and then it’s proposed that the frequency would be every 60 minutes.”

8. Route 43 will serve as an A Line alternative route during the peak of the construction delays

“We’re directing customers to use route 43 which runs parallel to the L line corridor during this time,” Sullivan said. “And then for the N line, we’re proposing extending the service on Saturday evening, so one additional southbound trip at 11:13 p.m. and an additional northbound trip at 11:56 p.m. due to ridership demand.”

9. All light rail lines will be adjusted to match the modifications on lines directly affected by construction “ e service span change that’s proposed is to match the other light rail lines and allow for a greater maintenance window. So that work can be done overnight,” Sullivan said.

10. ‘Zero Fare for Free Air’ continues through August 2024

Figliolino explained that the “Zero Fare for Free Air” program will continue as planned through August 2024. e program allows free ridership for students aged 19 years and younger.

“All that is required is a valid ID to prove that you are 19 years of age or younger. So, a driver’s license or a student ID works for all of that,” Figliolino said.

ese are all proposed changes, o cials stressed. Nothing is set yet. To send your feedback and to get more information on the proposed changes, call 303-299-2004, email service.change@rtd-denver.com or go to RTD-Denver.com.

e walls were lined with photos of famous players and performers. ey would cram into the small space for the love of the music.

“I mean we’ve had the entire Harry Connick Jr. big band. ey were sitting on the bar playing. ey were sitting on the edge of a booth playing,” said Krantz’ daughter Anna Diaz, outside the 130-year-old building. “It’s a little emotional. It’s like standing outside, I think of our childhood home, but not having the keys.”

Glass is broken and windows are boarded. e interior was gutted by a tenant who took over after her family closed up. e old bar and booths are gone. No one seems to know where.

e interior wall behind the bar that was supporting was ripped out – all without proper permits.

“I’ve heard stories about what happened in there. But the current owner has never released an engineering report to us, setting out exactly what the issues are,” said De enbaugh. “And they also bought the building in that condition.”

El Chapultepec is in the LoDo Historic District, but the building, unlike the one that houses the Giggling Grizzly next door on 20th, also purchased by Monfort, is not currently considered historic. It was never considered a character contributing building, which is a recent category in the establishment of historic value.

Redevelopment plans shared by Monfort Companies show the building that houses the Giggling Grizzly remaining, while the space housing El Chapultepec being torn down and replaced. Current designs call for a patio with structure over it. Monfort Companies did not reply to a CBS

Colorado inquiry, but the Downtown Denver Partnership has been supportive of Monfort’s plans.

“We appreciate Monfort’s thoughtful, innovative approach to proposed plans for this site,” said the DDP in a statement.

“We’re kind of in the middle watching it unfold,” said Diaz. “As a business owner, I can understand their angle that ... the repairs are numerous and di cult and expensive so it would make sense from that angle. As a Denverite and an obvious Chapultepec lover ... it’s kind of heartbreaking and I can absolutely understand Historic Denver’s angle of it being a landmark preservation.”

Monfort Companies does not carry a reputation as a developer that ignores historic preservation.

“ ey’ve actually done a wonderful job keeping historic fascades; building behind. Which allows them to deliver the product they need within,” said De enbaugh.

But he says they have rebu ed Historic Denver’s e orts at working to keeping the building’s exterior intact. Historic Denver is being joined by former Denver councilperson Elbra Wedgeworth and musician Ron Bland in applying for historic landmark status that would prevent its removal.

“I don’t want us to be at opposite ends of the spectrum,” said De enbaugh. “ ere are so many examples in Denver where the existing building has been retained to some degree and new structure has been inserted within. If you only look at some of Monfort’s own bars, which are fantastic.”

Authorizing the designation is up to city government, with several hurdles to clear before it would get a nal vote from city council.

is CBS News Colorado story runs as part of a news sharing agreement with Colorado Community Media.

Independently, Denver Water is in the midst of an e ort to replace a ve-mile-long, 130-year-old cast iron pipe underneath Colfax Avenue from Broadway to Yosemite Street with a more reliable PVC pipe system. While that construction is going on, Denver Water will also use the opportunity to replace lead service pipes in the area, with residents’ approval. is project is part of Denver Water’s goal to replace 80,000 feet of water distribution pipes per year.

To that end, Denver Water will invest $1.9 billion into the water supply over the next 10 years as part of its capital improvements program, which includes other water-related projects as well, like reservoirs and water quality research. ese projects are funded by customers’ regular water rate payments, bond sales, cash reserves, hydropower sales and fees paid when new homes and buildings are connected to the water system, said Jimmy Lythe, spokesperson for Denver Water.

Water rates increased in 2024, to about $18.40 per month from $17.90 per month in 2023.

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Both projects are expected to last until January 2025, with complete and partial road closures and detours required for non-local tra c, and some short term water-shuto s as Denver Water connects the new pipes to the existing system.

DOTI stormwater construction

DOTI plans to have 14th Avenue

from Jackson Street to Harrison Street fully closed until April, directing drivers headed east to take a detour along 17th Street. As that phase wraps up in April, tunneling beneath the easternmost lanes of Colorado Boulevard, and moving south on Colorado between 13th Avenue and 14th, from May until September.

To protect workers and pedestrians traveling on Colorado after tunneling begins, DOTI will close the easternmost lane of Colorado and install a new eight-foot long sidewalk and amenity zone, Kuhn said.

“We’ve done a lot of work on the one that’s currently underway, making sure that that’s tweaked properly, and really trying to prevent cut through tra c, which the neighbors don’t appreciate,” Kuhn said. “You’re trying to get people o 14th that don’t need to be on there. We’re constantly looking at it, I think it’s in the best place it’s going to be right now.”

All construction updates will be posted to DOTI’s website, and interested stakeholders can sign up for weekly updates by lling out DOTI’s sign up form or emailing info@jacksonstreetstorm.com.

Workers at National Jewish Health, which is located directly next to the construction area, now have to walk down to Colorado Boulevard and 14th Avenue to get between the hospital’s main campus and the parking lot, rather than cut across 14th.

But because the construction only a ects one block of 14th, it is ultimately not very disruptive, NJH sta said.

PVC pipes that will soon be connected to Denver Water’s below-ground water system lay on Columbine Street near Colfax Avenue on Feb. 20.

PHOTO BY NATALIE KERR

SEE STORMWATER, P7

STORMWATER

pacity in the area stems from remnants of an old creek that used to ow through the area, known as the Upper Montclair Basin, which stretches from City Park to Fairmount Cemetery. is area has been prone to ooding since the early 2000s, and is currently a high-priority area for DOTI, Kuhn said.

Other projects to reduce ood risk have included creating more permeable surfaces that absorb water and constructing a detention area in City Park that can safely ll with stormwater runo .

“When we look at old geological type maps, there was a history of a past creek there that still wants to ow,” Kuhn said. “Now we’ve developed over it, so we’re basically retro tting, going back and building a better stormwater system for the area.”

Colfax Avenue construction

Denver Water plans to move west along Colfax Avenue in three block increments, and is currently operating on the section from Columbine Street to Detroit Street, and from Syracuse to Spruce streets. As Denver Water replaces this main pipe, it will also replace lead pipes that connect residences and businesses to the central water system with copper pipes.

As Denver Water progresses down Colfax Avenue, it is publishing online information on its website and the online site Nextdoor, sending out mail notices and going door-to-door to alert people to potential tra c disruptions from lane closures and water shuto s as they connect the new pipes, Lythe said.

“Our crews are also really great at working to accommodate any access issues, or parking concerns or anything,” Lythe said. “We try to be as accommodating and exible as possible because we know construction is so impactful and there are so many things that can come up that you don’t expect.”

Olga Lozada, a worker at Ranch House Cafe on Colfax and Syracuse, said that business has been heavily impacted

by the construction, and that a water shuto on Sunday, Feb. 25 made them shut down for an entire business day on what is usually their highest-earning

e restaurant sta is also having to nd alternative routes to work, as the bus can’t access stops on the south side of Colfax, and drops them o way down the street instead. To try to generate more business, they put signs in their windows to remind customers that they are open, Lozada said.

“It’s bad, (but) that’s all we can do for now,” Lozada added.

Denver Water expects water shuto s to only last about six to eight hours, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Lythe said. To try and help minimize disruptions, Denver Water has dedicated sta to engage with the a ected communities, providing information and helping businesses communicate with their employees and customers about detours or alternate routes.

e construction workers who are present every day of construction have been very helpful in answering questions about how long construction will last, said Adrian Madrid, who works at State-Wide Lock and Safe on Colfax and Roslyn Street. But even so, walk-in business is down by at least one-third, and regular customers can’t park in their parking lot anymore, Madrid said.

Madrid has also seen pedestrians, many of whom are elderly, crossing Colfax in dangerous areas because of the impact of construction on sidewalks.

Madrid hopes construction will wrap up soon, but isn’t very concerned about declining business because they were able to prepare before construction began.

“We took precautions, so we should be OK,” Madrid said.

For any lead pipe replacements in the area, residents and businesses have to respond to Denver Water’s outreach, consenting for workers to come into the building, shut o the water temporarily, and put in new pipes. Denver Water suspects that there are about 60 lead service lines in the ve-mile area, but tests the water to con rm it is lead before starting the replacement process, Lythe said.

e process typically takes about eight hours to complete, and then water

users are encouraged to run their water to ush any debris buildup that could have occurred during replacement or connection to the main pipes, Lythe added. Customers are also encouraged to continue using water lters for up to six months after water line replacement as a precaution.

Exposure to lead causes signi cant health problems, particularly in children, for whom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say are not safe at any level of lead exposure. Lead in drinking water has been found to cause behavioral problems, developmental delays, hearing problems and anemia in children, and cardiovascular issues, kidney problems and reproductive issues in adults, according to the EPA.

Denver Water has been operating its Lead Service Line Replacement Program since 2020, and estimates that between 64,000 and 84,000 properties may use lead service lines, which were commonly installed in the 1950s.

e other construction on Colfax is more preventative to avoid any main breaks by upgrading the infrastructure before it becomes a problem, Lythe said. Denver Water chose to pursue this construction now before construction begins on the East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project.

“Since that’s coming up, we wanted to work with them to get in and get our pipe replaced so that, after that project is done, we don’t have to get back in and dig up the street that they just spent that time replacing,” Lythe said. “We wanted to get in and get out before that comes and that was kind of kind of the onus to get to get this whole stretch done right now.”

e Bus Rapid Transit Project is a major bus project from the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Regional Transportation District that will create three sections of bus rapid transit taking riders along East Colfax Avenue from Denver Union Station to Colfax Station in Aurora. It is expected to start construction in 2024 and wrap up in 2027.

ough the construction is disruptive, these investments are positive for the community as it provides more reliable infrastructure and better water quality. Hopefully, communication between Denver Water and the community will help keep major disruption to a minimum, Lythe said.  “ is project in particular, it’s a very good example of exactly what we do with the water rates,” Lyhte said. “It’s our water rates at work every day. We’re being as good of partners as we can possibly be in the community and being good stewards of this resource — which is the most important one in the world.”

Call

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Independent.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.

Denver Herald-Dispatch (ISSN 1542-5797)(USPS 241-760)

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PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT DENVER, COLORADO and additional

POSTMASTER:

Workers at National Jewish Health say that the disruption from construction is minimal, and that getting to work is still relatively easy.

PHOTO BY NATALIE KERR

Ranch House Cafe is experiencing less business and had to place a sign in the window to remind customers the restaurant is open during construction. It did, however, have to close for an entire day on Sunday, Feb. 25 because of a construction-related water shuto .

PHOTO BY NATALIE KERR

Conflict over ‘living history’ flares at Bent’s Old Fort

BY KEVIN SIMPSON THE COLORADO SUN

As a former high school and college history teacher, John Carson loved to see the reactions when he made his entrance into the plaza at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site on horseback.

With authentic looking clothes and moccasins evoking the persona of an 1830s hunter-trapper, Carson for 14 years researched and playacted living history of the era as a park ranger and interpreter, igniting in visitors — kids especially — a keen interest in the region’s past.

“From the very rst day, Bent’s Fort has been known as a dang good living history site, where folks could visit and get an idea of what life would’ve been like here in the middle of nowhere in the 1830s and ’40s,” says Carson, 67 and retired from reenactments. “ e place would come alive.”

Now, under a new superintendent only months into the job, Bent’s Old Fort has become the ashpoint of local controversy over potential changes brought on by the site’s badly aging infrastructure, by reconsideration of the role of livestock and, perhaps most pointedly, by shifting perception of the value — and limitations — of living history practices that have enticed participation by many volunteers.

Public concern has intensi ed as word of changes at the site spread in the wake of an independent con-

sultant’s report that recommended new and more e cient ways to tell the fort’s story, especially regarding the use of living history.

Superintendent Eric Leonard, who began overseeing Bent’s Old Fort as well as Colorado’s Sand Creek Massacre and Amache national historic sites last summer, says he under-

stands the connection many folks — mostly volunteer participants — feel with the park’s living history element.

“But I think the nuanced realization here is we’re at a point now where relying on it as the only tool is not really sustainable,” he says. “It has a lot of built in costs, and it doesn’t reach as many people as we really have an obligation to.

“Bent’s Old Fort is an extraordinary American story,” he adds. “And I think what everyone in these conversations has in common is that people are passionate about it, and they want to tell the story. ey want the park to succeed.”

Trimmed-back winter hours and reduced access to parts of the fort already had raised concerns. Talk of reducing the living history aspect has generated more calls, letters and social media chatter — and even moved some public o cials to stress the importance of living history and ask the Park Service to reconsider any changes.

For instance, State House Rep. Ty Winter and Sen. Rod Pelton wrote a letter to the National Park Service expressing concerns shared by constituents that have “stirred unease among those who hold the Fort dear.” It added that removing living history elements “may compromise the immersive experience that has set Bent’s Old Fort apart.”

For Carson, whose great-grandfather, the frontiersman Kit Carson, frequently visited the fort as a hunter employed by the Bent brothers, the pushback underscores the strong connection many in southeastern Colorado feel to the historic site.

“Quite frankly, I won’t walk on the place as it’s being run today,” Carson says. “A lot of folks still associate me with Bent’s and it’s embarrassing to be associated with the place as it’s run now. e attitude would de nitely have to make a 180 before I’d even think about going back up there.”

Bob Kisthart, shown in this March 6, 2024 photo, is a living history volunteer at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site near La Junta, Colorado. MIKE SWEENEY SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN

SEE CONFLICT, P23

HOLY WEEK & EASTER WORSHIP at St. Luke’s UMC

Looking for Jesus in All the Right Places

PALM SUNDAY MARCH 249:30 & 11:00am

Featuring excerpts from Jesus Christ Superstar: MAUNDY THURSDAY & GOOD FRIDAY MARCH 28 & 29 - 7:00pm

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church 8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch 80129 303-791-0659 stlukeshr.com

EASTER

MARCH 316:30, 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00am

Just

Irony is the juxtaposition of one conceptual proposition with a directly contrary reality, like a “vegetarian butcher” or something that’s “seriously funny.” Or the swift enactment — during Sunshine Week — of a new state law that lets members of the Colorado General Assembly discuss and formulate public policy outside of public view.

You heard that right. Legislators and Gov. Jared Polis chose the very week in which journalists and transparency advocates annually celebrate federal and state open-government laws to essentially exempt the state legislature from much of the Colorado Open Meetings Law, rst initiated by the voters in 1972.

e open meetings law declares it is “the policy of this state that the formation of public policy is public business and may not be conducted in secret.”

Our state’s appellate court judges have recognized the underlying intent of the statute is to ensure that the public is not “deprived of the discussions, the motivations, the policy arguments and other considerations which led to the discretion exercised by [a public body].” e law is meant to provide “the public

VOICES

when you thought trust in government couldn’t get any lower

Steve Zansberg and Je Roberts

access to a broad range of meetings at which public business is considered; to give citizens an expanded opportunity to become fully informed on issues of public importance, and to allow citizens to participate in the legislative decisionmaking process that a ects their personal interests.”

We acknowledge that some provisions in the 52-year-old law required updates as they pertained to the business of the state legislature. It’s not easy to comply with a mandate that meetings concerning public business between two members of a legislative chamber must be open to the public, with minutes “taken and promptly recorded.” But Senate Bill 24-157 was rushed, and some organizations including the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition were excluded from the sponsors’ stakeholder process. Our suggested amendments after the bill’s introduction were ignored.

e bill, signed into law by the governor just a day after nal passage, goes too far and will undermine public con dence in the legislature’s actions.

e new law encourages and legalizes legislators engaging in an endless series of sub-quorum discussions of pending bills and amendments, via emails, text messages, phone calls or in-person meetings, without providing notice to the public or the keeping of any minutes of such policy-making conversations. In other words, the public will be left in the dark about “the motivations, policy arguments and other considerations” around legislation that a ects them directly.

Don’t worry, elected o cials tell us, because the emails, text messages, etc. exchanged between lawmakers are accessible, after the fact, “pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act.” at’s what the newly passed law says. But here’s the catch: CORA declares that all communications by, or “assembled for” any state legislator that “relates to” the drafting of bills or amendments are not public records at all. So, there’s no need for legislators to hold onto, much less to make public, those electronic written communications, because they are not public records.

It is safe to assume that more than 90% of all future discussions of potential bills, amendments, appointments, resolutions, rules, etc.

Spring into a healthy headspace

Each spring, I get the itch to give my home a serious deep cleaning, declutter the unnecessary items accumulated throughout the school year, and organize everything. Turns out, decluttering your brain is just as important as organizing your home.

Here are some of our favorite tips for a healthier headspace this spring.

1. Start journaling

Keep a journal of your thoughts, worries, fears and upsets. Research shows this is highly e ective in allowing them to release from your mind.

2. Drop a bad habit

Pick an area in your life that has an impact on your mental health. For many of us, this might be diet or exercise. Make an e ort to drop the habit and replace it with a healthier option. Instead of lazy Sundays (which are totally great in our book), maybe switch to lazy Sunday afternoons after a Sunday run. Or instead of hopping on your phone to scroll rst thing in the morning, open your journal or meditate.

3. Tackle projects you’ve been putting o

We all have a mental (and physical) list of projects we need to tack-

in both chambers of our state legislature will occur outside of public view. Not only will such policies be far more likely to be the product of backroom wheeling and dealing, but even ordinary non-tainted policies will rightfully be subject to suspicion and skepticism by the general public.

Forty-one years ago, Colorado’s Supreme Court held that legislative caucus meetings must abide by the open meetings law, stating that the act was “designed precisely to prevent the abuse of secret or star chamber sessions of public bodies.” By exempting the General Assembly from a transparency law applicable to every other public body in the state, legislators have greatly reduced the level of public trust in that institution and cast a veil of secrecy over whatever legislation is  produced.

Ironic for sure that this happened during Sunshine Week. And a sad day, of any week, for the people of this state.

Steve Zansberg is president of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. Je Roberts is executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition.

le. Kick o your “mental health spring cleaning” by writing down all of the things that you’ve been putting o – like scheduling the gutter cleaning and window washer you have had on your list for two seasons, or nally going to the dermatologist. A shameless plug: send that list to TULA and let us take care of those projects for you. We promise it feels just as satisfying to cross them o your list when someone else does them for you.

4. Focus on positive relationships

We all have people in our lives that we love, but with whom we don’t have the healthiest or most enjoyable relationships. Instead of spending time prioritizing those people, consider dedicating your time to positive friendships and relationships.

5. Digital detox I have heard this a few times and in a few di erent ways, but the way it really stuck for me was when I heard someone say, “hey, think of it

this way – what do you do or what does 99% of tech troubleshooters tell you to do when a computer or electronic device isn’t working correctly?” e answer is power cycle of course (which is just a fancy way of saying turn it o and turn it back on). Once in a while, we need to do the same. Get o your phone, your computer, social media, etc. and truly recharge. It can be a few hours, a day, a weekend, or even longer if you can do it. It is magical and you may even forget why you were so attached to your devices in the rst place.

6. Get outside

Open the shades rst thing in the morning. Take your work meetings on a walk. I don’t know about you, but I feel very strongly that all meetings don’t have to be video anymore just because we got accustomed to that after the last few years of backto-back virtual meetings. Walk and talk and spend your lunch break outside. Enjoy those extra hours of sunlight in the evening to do something outside – or simply eat your dinner outside. We started going on TULA walk meetings, and I believe we cover more than we do when in front of our computers. Regardless, one thing is for sure, a little dose of Vitamin D and fresh air, no matter when you can t it in, will do wonders.

7. Shift perspective

Accept that you’re not perfect, and neither is the world around you. Look closer at the moments of progress and joy instead of the ones that bring you anger and frustration.

8. Get back to gratitude

One great way to ignite a bit of a release and promote a healthy mind is to take some time to focus on everything you have to be grateful for. You can do this in a number of ways. I personally use a gratitude journal because I like being prompted to think about things that don’t always immediately come to mind. But you can simply dedicate time to make a daily list or incorporate it into your family rituals. This is a common dinner question for us (though admittedly, we definitely could be more consistent). However you practice gratitude, there is no doubt that if you spend more time thinking about all you have to be thankful for, there is less space to stress over things you don’t have or don’t have control over.

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway are Denver residents and co-founders of TULA Life Balanced. Learn more about their business at tulabalanced.com.

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway

In the grand tapestry of human endeavor, few threads are as vital and vibrant as teamwork. It’s the symphony of collaboration that elevates us beyond our individual limitations, enabling us to achieve feats that would otherwise be impossible. Whether in the realms of sports, business, or society at large, the essence of teamwork weaves its magic, transforming aspirations into achievements, and dreams into reality.

At its core, teamwork embodies the essence of unity in diversity. It’s about bringing together individuals with varied backgrounds, skills and perspectives, and harnessing the collective genius that emerges from such diversity. In a team, each member is like a

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The power of teamwork

unique instrument in an orchestra, contributing their own notes to create harmonious melodies. Just as a solitary instrument may produce beautiful sounds, it’s only when combined with others that the true symphony unfolds.

One of the most compelling aspects of teamwork is its ability to amplify strengths and mitigate weaknesses. In a well-functioning team, each member brings something valuable to the table, whether it’s expertise in a particular domain, creative thinking, leadership skills,

Support future generations by phasing out new oil drilling

As a grandparent, I’m concerned about what the future holds for my grandchildren’s generation. How will climate change and pollution impact their lives? What can I do to help?

e good news is that there are practical things each of us can do to make a di erence. For example, I will be encouraging my state legislators to support S24-159, the “Mods to Energy and Carbon Management Processes” bill. It would phase out new fracking and oil drilling in Colorado by 2030, and would be a significant step towards ensuring a safer, healthier future.

Why is this bill so important?

• Improving our health. Phasing out new fracking and oil drilling will reduce harmful pollution from oil and gas extraction. Fossil fuel pollution is linked to premature deaths, heart and lung disease, neurological issues and gastrointestinal problems. It accounts for a major part of our ozone problem. Phasing out fracking will bene t our health, both now and for generations to come.

worse unless we take action now. is bill would help slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas.

Please contact your state legislators and tell them you support this bill. Type “Colorado Legislator Lookup” in your search engine and it will take you to a page where you can get names and contact information.

Gail Nordheim, Denver

Help save mountain lions and bobcats from trophy hunting and fur trapping

I am a graduate of Denver East High School and my husband comes from a farming family in Rocky Ford. As natives from very diverse parts of the state, we equally love and appreciate Colorado’s wildlife.

or sheer determination. By leveraging these diverse strengths, teams can tackle challenges with a multifaceted approach, devising innovative solutions and adapting to unforeseen obstacles with agility.

Moreover, teamwork fosters a culture of support and camaraderie that sustains individuals through trials and tribulations. When faced with setbacks or adversity, it’s the collective spirit of the team that provides solace and encouragement, propelling members forward with renewed determination. In times of triumph, it’s the shared joy of achievement that magni es the sense of ful llment, binding team members together in bonds that transcend mere professional association.

We’ve been joining other citizens, out every week gathering signatures for a ballot measure to ban trophy hunting mountain lions and fur trapping bobcats.

• Slowing climate change. Colorado is already seeing the e ects of climate change, including excessive heat, drought and res. ese threaten our economy, safety, and quality of life and will get much

Whether it’s at a school track meet, walking in Wash Park or at my beloved neighborhood co ee shop, I nd that 99% of the folks I approach do not know about this ugly, dirty little secret of feline trophy hunting and fur trapping in Colorado.

It’s crazy to think that trophy hunters are today allowed to pay $8,000 to guarantee a head and hide of our mountain lions. ese are native

animals who have done nothing wrong and hurt no one. Out tters sic a pack of dogs into nature to nd any random lion; GPS signaling dog collars bring the shooter over to kill the cat once it is stuck in a tree with nowhere to run.

It’s really hard to watch the videos online posted by trophy hunters, but I suggest everyone do this to see what this is really all about.

Fur trappers live-trap and bludgeon bobcats to death, then skin them to sell their pelts to Russia and China.

Kittens are being orphaned, as Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists report, “research in Colorado and elsewhere shows mountain lion kittens can go 12 days or more before seeing their mother return.” Letting babies starve to death is just not OK by any civilized and modern standard of wildlife ethics.

Consider the realm of sports, where teamwork is not just a means to an end but an ethos unto itself. In team sports like soccer, basketball, softball or football, victory hinges not only on individual skill but on the seamless coordination and synchronization of every player on the eld. Each pass, each block, each sprint is a testament to the collective e ort of the team, where success is shared and celebrated by all. e legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson once remarked, “ e strength of the team is each individual member. e strength of each member is the team.” is sentiment encapsulates the essence of teamwork in sports and beyond.

SEE NORTON, P17

CPW has o cially stated their position as “neutral” on this speci c measure. Once recreational fun killing ends, CPW will be empowered to handle individual cats who (rarely) get into trouble. is is the only true way to manage lions. Selectively.

California has not allowed this activity for 50 years. It is time we did the same.

Our main opposition is the Colorado Trappers and Predator Hunting Association, backed by Safari Club and members who think lions and bobcats exist to kill for their amusement and cash.

Coloradans have a real chance to be good stewards of nature and stand up for the wildlife of Colorado. Please join me. We have to get 125,000 signatures by July. Learn more at catsarenttrophies.org.

Julie Marshall, Denver

Littleton-area fashion designer starts unique skiwear business

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Anna Tedstrom was raised in Vail and grew up skiing and doing outdoor activities with her brothers and friends. ose adventures sparked an idea to design unique ski wear, so she started Hoohah, a clothing company where people can nd bright and colorful skiwear adorned with owers, hearts and other designs.

“When I moved to Colorado, I missed the outdoor activities, so I started bringing my girlfriends from Florida and Chicago out on ski trips to Vail,” said Tedstrom, who now lives in the Littleton area. “ en I had the idea about getting into the outdoor industry and wanted to learn more about fashion.”

Becoming a fashion designer

She started the process by attending a fashion design school at Parsons School of Design in New York City. “I studied product design because I wanted to make camping gear or backpacks and tents,” Tedstrom said.

Tedstrom said she was interested in the technical aspects, so she started making furniture, then took a detour into toys and worked for Mattel. From there, she started working for Restoration Hardware in San Francisco.

But Tedstrom still dreamed of designing clothes, so she started working for a company called Marine Layer in San Francisco, a California casual clothing company where she worked as a technical designer with the factories and took on a job as a product developer.

Models wear ski bibs and snow jackets designed by Anna Tedstrom.

PHOTO RYLAND

COOL COUTURE

“I was working on the t and the construction of all of the garments for both the men’s and women’s lines. I was really trying to learn a lot about outerwear and also met with manufacturers,” Tedstrom said.

A skiwear line is born

When she went on ski trips with friends, Tedstrom said her friends were intimidated by skiing, so she started wearing her mom’s old onesie ski wear with tight legs and fringe.

“Skiing became more about getting out and having a good time dancing and chatting on chairlifts. It didn’t matter how long we were out there or how many runs we did. My friends were distracted by my out t and wanted to go vintage shopping,” Tedstrom said.

Tedstrom said when she and her friends went vintage shopping, they created fun ski out ts; some had stains and holes or didn’t have fringe, so they added more fringe.

“We started upcycling them, retro tting them and sewing them to t better. If they had a hole, I would sew it closed or make massive ower patches to put over the holes and stains, giving them a new life and a new personality to make them fun,” Tedstrom said.

When the girls wore them, Tedstrom said people would stop them on the slopes and ask where they got the out ts.

“ ey would say, ‘I want one.’ So I started making some custom pieces for people,” Tedstrom said.

Under the ski suits they were upcycling, Tedstrom said they had a black eece lining that she didn’t particularly like.

“I thought, I can’t wear a black eece under this fun out t. I’m going to start making some eeces, which would be easier to sell as well,” she said. “I started making eece long-sleeve tops and then eece bra tops as well.”

Tedstrom began selling her unique ski and activewear at markets and pop-ups. She also started manufacturing bibs with more sizes and colors.

“I started manufacturing our Sunnyside bibs and this year I actually was able to make 300 of them. We are growing little by little,” Tedstrom said.

Hopes for the future

Tedstrom said she’s working on getting her business to work independently and support itself. It takes a lot of money to manufacture, especially outerwear.

“ e big goal for me is to be able to sell out of all my ski wear so I can make more. I would love to have a retail shop,” she said. “I do pop-ups all over Colorado, and I’ve started to do some in in Utah and California.”

She dreams of having a unique retail shop so people can enter and immerse themselves in the Hoohah world. Tedstrom said she would love to eventually be able to ship worldwide.

“It’s de nitely a long road ahead, but before we get there, little by little, I’m trying to grow slowly and intentionally right now; I’m bootstrapping this business, and I don’t have any investors,” Tedstrom said.

How did Tedstrom come up with the Hoohah name?

“I was skiing with my sister-in-law, and I had to pee while we were riding on the chairlift so she said, ‘You’re going have to go in the woods and get your Hoohah cold,’ and I laughed. I thought I needed to reclaim this name,” Tedstrom said.

To view and order Anna Tedstrom’s unique clothing, visit hoohah-us.com or look for @hoohah_us on Instagram.

Models wear snow pants and jackets with fringe designed by Anna Tedstrom.

PHOTO RYLAND LOVVORN

Colorado lawmakers want more parents to get child care aid

BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Colorado helps about 17,000 lower-income families pay for child care each year through its child care subsidy program. at’s only a fraction of the families eligible for assistance, and yet there are millions of dollars left on the table every year.

eresa Ramirez, a single mother in Fort Collins, can attest to one reason why. Although she submitted her annual renewal paperwork early, a lag in getting it processed forced her to quit working for weeks after her baby’s subsidy was canceled.

Now, lawmakers are considering a bill that would overhaul the program, making it easier for families to access, boosting aid for some families, and making it more attractive for providers who accept subsidies. e bill would also cover full tuition for child care employees with kids in child care regardless of family income — a major bene t given the industry’s chronically low wages.

House Bill 24-1223, sponsored by three Denver area Democrats, will be heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee on March 12.

e proposed improvements to Colorado’s subsidy program — ofcially called the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program or CCCAP — come at a time when many families are struggling with the cost of living and some child care providers are raising tuition to cover their expanding costs. While lawmakers and advocates say it’s high time for xes that allow more families to get

subsidies and entice more child care providers to accept them, one of the bill’s co-sponsors said the price tag could be large. State legislative sta have not yet released the bill’s scal note, a detailed analysis of how much it will cost.

Kyle Piccola, vice president of communications and advocacy at Healthier Colorado, said he’s pleased the state is taking a “big holistic approach” to the child care subsidy bill.

intimidating. at can lead parents to skip it even if they need the help.

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s 64 counties use less than 75% of their subsidy dollars annually and this year, the program is on track to have up to $7 million in leftover funding, according to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

“It’s underutilized,” Garcia said.

More aid for families and incentives for child care providers

e bill would make a number of changes required by newly released federal rules aimed at reducing the cost of child care and some changes that are Colorado speci c. Key provisions of the bill include:

Limiting parent co-pays to no more than 7% of family income, down from the current cap of 14%.

Creating a uniform statewide application that doesn’t ask for extraneous information, such as custody agreements or child immunization

Allowing families to get or continue receiving child care aid for 90 days while their application or renewal paperwork is being reviewed, a provision that will help parents start working immediately and keep children in care.

“It’s a program that de nitely needs improvement,” he said.

Rep. Lorena Garcia, a co-sponsor of the bill, said she’s encountered no opposition to the spirit of the bill, but acknowledged the cost could be a stumbling block for some lawmakers.

“I’m con dent we’ll get it to a place where we’ll get it done,” she said.

Colorado’s $156 million child care subsidy program is funded by the federal government, the state, and counties. It’s available to homeless families as well as lower-income families in which parents are working, looking for work, or going to school. Most families who qualify for subsidies still pay a portion of child care costs in the form of a copay.

Several advocates and providers interviewed said the subsidy application, which is di erent in every county, can be invasive and

Paying child care providers who accept subsidies based on the number of subsidized children enrolled, not on the number of days those children attend. Currently, providers can lose money for days the child is absent above the number allowed by their county.

Making child care employees eligible for full subsidies regardless of their family income.

Overall, the bill aims to better serve families that currently receive subsidies, attract new ones, and incentivize more child care providers to accept subsidies.

is year, nearly 26,000 Colorado children get subsidized care through the program, only about 11% of eligible children, according to estimates from Healthier Colorado. Just over 2,000 child care providers accept state subsidies, fewer than half of the state’s providers.

Colorado’s child care subsidy program is underutilized even as many parents in the state struggle to pay for child care.

PHOTO BY ERIN KIRKLAND FOR CHALKBEAT

SEE AID, P24

Thu 3/21

Featured

Neil Z at Earl's in Park Meadows @ 5pm

Sat 3/23

Wild Faith @ 6pm

Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

Featured

Earls Kitchen + Bar, 8335 Park Meadows Center Dr, Lone Tree

Fri 3/22

René Moffatt Music: Opening For Emily Barnes @ Swallow Hill @ 6pm Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Featured

Emily Barnes @ 7pm

Erik Stucky @ 7pm Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Sun 3/24

C U R S E @ 6pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Moab Photography Trip (Teacher Approval Required)

@ 11pm / Free

Mar 24th - Mar 28th

Valor Christian High School - Academic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Mon 3/25

AP US History Review @ 8am / Free

Mar 25th - Mar 27th

Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Den‐ver

Sam Divine @ 8pm

The Church Denver, 1720 S Alcott St, Denver

Valor Christian High School - Academic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Health @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Featured Featured

PIXEL GRIP

@ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Tue 3/26

Pickleball @ 8am / $25 Mar 26th - Mar 28th

Valor Athletic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

AP Literature and Composition Review

@ 8am / Free

Mar 26th - Mar 28th

Valor Christian High School - Academic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Disc Golf

@ 8:30am / $10

Mar 26th - Mar 28th

Valor Athletic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Wed 3/27

Geology at Red Rock Canyon @ 7am / $10

Mar 27th - Mar 28th

Valor Christian High School, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

ARTS: Pottery @ Platt Park @ 3pm

Mar 27th - May 22nd

Platt Park Recreation Center, 1500 S. Grant St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Teague Starbuck

@ 5pm

The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Littleton

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo Wednesdays - 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm

Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Thu 3/28

ARTS: Mini Picasso @ Harvard Gulch @ 3pm

Mar 28th - Apr 25th

Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, 550 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. 720-913-0654

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm

Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

ARTS: Pop Art Trends @ College View @ 9:30pm

Mar 28th - May 23rd

Denver Parks and Recreation (CGV), 2525 S. Decatur St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Acting Shakespeare: Shakespeare's Forests (10-14yrs) @ 11pm

Mar 28th - May 2nd

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

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CU, CSU applicants get more time

Universities push enrollment deadlines amid FAFSA delays

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Colorado’s two largest universities will push the deadline for students to con rm their enrollment by a month to June 1.

e announcements by the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University Fort Collins follow a di cult Free Application for Federal Student Aid season marred by glitches. e problems delayed when families could apply, and colleges haven’t received the information they use to help families determine if a school’s nancially right for them.

“We are here to support our students,” said Amy Hutton, CU Boulder associate vice chancellor for enrollment management. “We really want to make sure that they have the support and the time they need to make the right decision.”

e U.S. Department of Education switched to a new FAFSA form this year, but the rollout has been slow and problematic. Families and students typically can start lling out the FAFSA in October.

But the federal government delayed the application period this year until Dec. 31 to create a new form. e federal government then announced a delay of student records that schools use to send out aid awards to families.

e Better FAFSA, as it is now known, has been easier and faster to complete. Nonetheless, some students, such as those whose parents don’t have Social Security numbers, have had issues nishing the form.

e federal government has created a workaround for those families.

Typically, about 17 million stu-

dents nationwide ll out the FAFSA; so far, about ve million have completed the form.

Colleges across the state and U.S. began to shift numerous deadlines as FAFSA issues persisted.

Hutton said moving the deadline will give students, especially those who are the rst in their families to go to college or who have highernancial need, more time to consider their nancial options.

e state’s two premier public universities aren’t alone in announcing more exibility for students amid FAFSA delays. Other Colorado public higher education institutions have already announced changes.

For example, Fort Lewis College already pushed its enrollment deadline to June 1. Other schools, especially regional institutions, traditionally are more exible in admissions, but also have changed other deadlines this year, such as registration or when students need to submit housing applications.

Pushing the con rmation deadline is more consequential for larger schools such as CU Boulder and CSU Fort Collins because they compete for a more selective pool of students.

Heather Daniel, CSU Fort Collins director of admissions, said the May 1 enrollment deadline has been like a “national holiday” when students announce where they planned to attend college. Schools use the enrollment con rmation deadline as a way to understand the size of the next year’s incoming freshmen, which helps them plan.

Pushing the deadline by a month also will impact students. e tighter schedule gives them less time to complete pre-enrollment tasks,

“It might mean a quicker turnaround for students to be able to complete next steps, like signing up for orientation, registering for classes, and getting their housing,” Daniel said. “It’s just a matter of adjusting and, most importantly, accommodating students and families through the process. at’s our priStatewide, other schools have tried to nd ways to help families navigate

Metropolitan State University of Denver, which o ers more exible enrollment, has told students it will work with them through FAFSA

Vaughn Toland, MSU Denver chief enrollment o cer, said many of the school’s students apply well into the summer. e school has extendednancial aid eligibility deadlines.

“We’re gonna get this gured out and we’re here to support you,” To-

e school, which is the most diverse Colorado institution and has a high number of students who are the rst to go to college, has tried to communicate it will be exible if students run into individual issues.

Kerline Eglaus, MSU Denver executive director of nancial aid and scholarships, said she wants students to know they won’t get left behind because many deadlines are uid.

“And that’s given them some peace of mind,” she said.

But students should attempt to ll out the FAFSA, school leaders said. e form is the only way students can truly understand their nancial options for school, Hutton said.

“I always recommend students ll out the FAFSA and see what aid is available to them so they can make an informed decision about where they want to attend and their ability to succeed when they do,” Hutton said.

Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

Colorado State University Fort Collins and the University of Colorado Boulder announced they have changed their enrollment confirmation deadline. ELI IMADALI FOR CHALKBEAT

Public defenders say state needs 230 more attorneys

BY BRIAN EASON THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado needs three times the number of public defenders it employs today to meet new workload standards for criminal defense, according to a national study backed by the American Bar Association.

For next budget year, which starts July 1, Colorado’s O ce of the State Public Defender is asking for 70 more attorneys and 58 new support sta , including paralegals and investigators, at a total cost of $14.7 million.

at’s still far less than 230 new attorneys the o ce says it needs — let alone the 700-plus hires it would take to triple current sta ng levels to meet the study’s recommendations.

But even the partial request was enough to shock members of Colorado’s Joint Budget Committee.

“It’s breathtaking,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat who chairs the JBC.

e biggest factor driving the need

NORTON

Similarly, in the corporate world, teamwork is the cornerstone of success in an increasingly interconnected and complex landscape. From startups to multinational corporations, organizations thrive when their employees collaborate e ectively towards common goals. Cross-functional teams bring together experts from different departments to tackle projects with a holistic perspective, fostering innovation and driving growth. Moreover, in an era marked by rapid change

for attorneys is a massive increase in the volume of evidence they must scrutinize in the digital age, a list that includes police dashboard and body camera footage as well as text messages and other electronic media.

All told, attorneys now have 45 times more discovery material to review than they did in 2016, said Megan Ring, the state public defender. at’s left public defense attorneys regularly working 60 to 80 hours a week.

O cials fear the rising workload could raise concerns about whether the state is consistently meeting its constitutional obligations to provide e ective legal representation to defendants at trial.

“We are getting overwhelmed with work,” Ring told the JBC in a December hearing. “ is is an absolute, absolute need.”

During last year’s legislative session, lawmakers approved pay raises for public defenders that agency leaders say has helped make the job more attractive. But raises alone aren’t enough, Ring said.

and uncertainty, the ability to collaborate across boundaries is not just advantageous but essential for survival. Beyond the realms of sports and business, teamwork is also a driving force for positive change in society. Whether it’s grassroots movements advocating for social justice, humanitarian e orts to alleviate poverty, or international collaborations to address global challenges like climate change, teamwork lies at the heart of collective action. It’s the countless individuals working together, each contributing their time, resources or expertise, who have the power to e ect meaningful change and build a better world for future generations.

e national ndings, released in September 2023 by the national bar and the RAND Corporation, underscore the dire state of public defense in Colorado at a time when the state’s Democratic majority is pushing to reduce mass incarceration.

“Excessive caseloads violate ethics rules and inevitably cause harm,” concluded the study.

Not only do attorneys have to review more evidence than they used to, they also have to sta new courtrooms that have opened in recent years.

Additionally, they work closely with those deemed incompetent to stand trial. But while lawmakers and the Polis administration have pushed to increase funding for psychiatric beds to help the state work through its competency waitlist, public defenders say their role in the process has not received enough attention.

“

e state of a airs is that our clients’ constitutional rights are being consistently violated,” said Lucienne Ohanian, Colorado’s chief deputy

However, despite its myriad bene ts, e ective teamwork is not always easy to achieve. It requires trust, communication and a willingness to set aside ego in favor of the greater good. It demands patience and perseverance, as con icts inevitably arise, and consensus may be hard-won. Yet, it’s precisely through navigating these challenges together that teams grow stronger, forging bonds that withstand the test of time.

Teamwork is more than just a buzzword; it’s a fundamental principle that underpins human achievement in all its forms. From the playing eld to the boardroom, from grassroots activism to global diplomacy, the power of

public defender.

e sheer size of the request may be too much for lawmakers to swallow — particularly without an updated state-level study to back up the national recommendations. e budget committee this month put o a decision until after the state’s next revenue forecasts in March, amid misgivings from some budget writers.

Colorado’s public defender sta ng levels may fall short of the resources criminal prosecutors bring to trial, JBC documents suggest.

While district attorneys’ o ces along the Front Range employ more than 580 lawyers, the state had just 380 public defenders working in the region as of November 2022. e public defender’s ofce has around 65% as many attorneys as Colorado prosecutor o ces, even as they defend 70% of all criminal cases and upward of 80% of serious crimes. 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.

teamwork is evident wherever individuals come together to pursue common goals.

I would love your teamwork story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and as we navigate an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, let us embrace the spirit of teamwork, recognizing that together, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone, making this a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

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303-566-4123

Legals

City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE

Date: March 21, 2024

Holders of first mortgages (as shown on the recorded deeds of trust or assignments in the Denver County records) on Units in the Cheesman Towers Condominium are hereby advised of a proposed Amendment to Condominium Declaration for Cheesman Towers Condominium to amend the Condominium Declaration for Cheesman Towers Condominium recorded on April 6, 1984, at Reception No. 043360 as amended, in the records of the Denver County Clerk and Recorder. This notice has been sent by certified mail to first mortgagees along with a consent form and a copy of the proposed Amendment to Condominium Declaration for Cheesman Towers Condominium. A copy of the proposed Amendment to Condominium Declaration for Cheesman Towers Condominium and consent form can be obtained by contacting attorney Kelly McQueeney, 1445 Market Street, Suite 350, Denver, CO 80202, (720) 221-9655.

Legal Notice NO. DHD2055

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024 Published in Denver Herald-Dispatch.

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice

SYNOPSIS OF ANNUAL STATEMENT FOR PUBLICATION

Required pursuant to §10-3-109(1), C.R.S FOR YEAR 2023

FAILURE TO FILE THIS FORM BY MARCH 1 WILL RESULT IN PENALTIES PURSUANT TO §10-3-109(3), C.R.S.:

If any annual report or statement from any entity regulated by the Division of Insurance is not filed by the date specified by law or by rules and regulations of the commissioner, the commissioner may assess a penalty of up to one hundred dollars per day for each day after the date an annual statement or report is due from any such entity.

Corporate Name: Securian Casualty Company

NAIC Number: 10054

Address: 400 Robert Street North St. Paul, MN 55101-2098

Assets: $644,417,933

Liabilities: $430,588,905

Capital and Surplus/Policyholder Surplus: $213,829,028

DIVISION OF INSURANCE CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the Securian Casualty Company , organized under the laws of Minnesota, subject to its Articles of Incorporation or other fundamental organizational documents and in consideration of its compliance with the laws of Colorado, is hereby licensed to transact business as a Property & Casualty insurance company, as provided by the Insurance Laws of Colorado, as amended, so long as the insurer continues to conform to the authority granted by its Certificate and its corporate articles, or its Certificate is otherwise revoked, canceled or suspended.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of my office to be affixed at the City and County of Denver this first day of February 2024.

Michael Conway Commissioner of Insurance

Legal Notice No. DHD284

First Publication: February 29, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice to Creditors

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Stanley J. Weddle, also known as Stanley Weddle, also known as Stan Weddle, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30130

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, July 8, 2024 or the claims may be forever barred.

Jane Langenberg, Personal Representative

7074 Lexington Cir. Brooksville, FL 34602

Legal Notice No. DHD 2038

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Daniel Leigh Smith, aka Daniel L. Smith, and Daniel Smith, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30141

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, July 15, 2024 or the claims may be forever barred.

Charles Lee Wathier

Personal Representative

1403 E. Iris Place

Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103

Legal Notice No. DHD2045

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Martha Rebecca Espinoza, a/k/a Martha Rebbeca Espinoza, a/k/a Martha R. Espinoza, a/k/a Martha Espinoza, a/k/a Martha Rebecca Garcia, a/k/a Martha R. Garcia, a/k/a Martha Garcia, a/k/a Martha Rebecca Chavez, a/k/a Martha R. Chavez, a/k/a Martha Chavez, Deceased

Case Number: 24PR30139

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 21, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Shirley A. Anaya, Personal Representative

c/o Rutherford Law Center 8795 Ralston Road, #115, Arvada, CO 80002

Legal Notice No. DHD2047

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Barry K. Wallace, Deceased

Case Number 2023 PR 616

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City

and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 15, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Donna G. Wallace, Personal Representative

8015 E. Byers Ave. Denver, CO 80230

Legal Notice No. DHD3011

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Michael Calascione, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR030268

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 21, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Name of Person Giving Notice: Timothy Michael Calascione, Personal Representative

c/o Katherine Fontenot, Esq., Attorney for Personal Representative Robinson & Henry PC 7555 E Hampden Ave, #600 Denver, CO 80231

Legal Notice No. DHD2052

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of ALYCE MARIE BRAMER, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30155

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday July 15, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Julia M. Bramer, Personal Representative 3946 Saint Johns Avenue, #1006 Jacksonville, FL 32205

Legal Notice No. DHD2043

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notices

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

In the Matter of the Estate of: RONALD EUGENE CRAMER, aka RONALD E. CRAMER, aka RONALD CRAMER, aka RON CRAMER, Deceased

Case Number: 2023-PR-31504

All persons having claims against the Above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Denver County, Colorado on or before Monday, July 22, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Dated this11th day of March, 2024.

NANCY LEE BAKER-CRAMER

Personal Representative to the Estate

1245 S. Wolff Street

Denver, CO 80219

Phone: (720) 987-8244

Legal Notice No. DHD2051

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Rebecca Jean Saxton, Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 030096

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 14, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

John Nicoll

Co-Personal Representative 3331 Thistlebrook Circle Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

Gabriel Nicoll

Co-Personal Representative 21845 E. Ninth Place Aurora, CO 80018

Legal Notice No. DHD289

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

PUBLICATION PURSUANT

TO§ 15-12-801, C.R.S.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Betty Jane Monaghan, a/k/a Betty J. Monaghan, a/k/a Betty Pappenheim Monaghan, a/k/a Betty P. Monaghan, a/k/a Betty Monaghan, Deceased.

Case Number: 2024PR30162

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, on or before Monday, July 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Katz, Look & Onorato, P.C., Personal Representative

1120 Lincoln St., Ste. 1100 Denver, CO 80203

Legal Notice No. DHD 2042

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Sesaria Patsy Flores, aka Sesaria P. Flores, aka Cesaria P. Flores, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30192

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday July 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Tamra A. Palmer

Attorney to the Personal Representative

c/o 6060 Greenwood Plaza Blvd #200 Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Legal Notice No. DHD3020

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Audrey B. Medina, also known as Audrey C. Medina, also known as Audrey Medina, also known as Audrey Bertha Medina, Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 03011

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 14, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Suzanne E. Gillmore_and Lorraine E. Ferstle

Co-Personal Representatives

c/o Pearman Law Firm

4195 Wadsworth Blvd Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Legal Notice No. DHD294

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Wilhelmina G. Goldsborough, aka Wilhelmina Goldsborough, and Willy Goldsborough, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30170

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on

or before Monday, July 22, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Roland P. Middelraad

Personal Representative

6590 E. Bethany Place Denver, Colorado 80224

Legal Notice No. DHD2048

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Patrick Anthony King Dizon a/k/a Patrick King Dizon a/k/a Patrick Dizon a/k/a Patrick A. Dizon

a/k/a Patrick A. K. Dizon, Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 30073

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 15, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Joyce Del Rocio Dizon

Personal Representative

2921 Fulton Street Denver, CO 80238

Legal Notice No. DHD292

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Vera Durfee, Deceased

Case Number: 24 PR 84

Allpersonshaving claimsagainstthe above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City andCountyofDenver,Coloradoonor before July 14, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Charles Durfee, Personal Representative

882 Sunridge Place Erie, CO 80516

Legal Notice No. DHD2044

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

JOHN A. LUND, aka JOHN ALAN LUND, aka JOHN LUND, aka JACK LUND, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30276

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 22, 2024 (date)*, or the claims

may be forever barred.

Cheryl Penny, Personal Representative

4540 E. 24th Street

Casper, Wyoming 82609

Legal Notice No. DHD2050

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of CHARLES PATRICK SZYMCZAK, a/k/a CHARLES P. SZYMCZAK, a/k/a CHARLES SZYMCZAK, DeceasedCase Number: 2023PR31341

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 21, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Mary Lynn Brinks, Personal Representative

1983 South Washington Street Denver, CO 80210

Legal Notice No. DHD2049

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of: Claire Ludlam Pitko, a/k/a Claire L. Pitko, a/k/a Claire Pitko, a/k/a Claire Natalie Ludlam, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30210

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 21, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Rose Mary Zapor, Esq.

Attorney to the Personal Representative

7475 W. 5th Ave Ste 202 Lakewood, CO 80226

Legal Notice No. DHD2054

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Irene N. Heider, a/k/a Irene Nannette Heider, a/k/a Irene Heider, Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30193

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the

CONFLICT

Backlash over changes to the park comes amid a broader reconsideration of museums, landscapes and public spaces as vehicles for employing living history, with new attention paid to perspectives that have previously been underrepresented, and sometimes represented by white actors playing other racial roles.

And while there’s common ground on issues like improving representation among all cultural groups, the uncertainty and concern many locals feel about the direction of the fort comes from connections dating back to childhood.

Linda Bourne, 74, grew up with the fort. She was in seventh grade when she rst visited the site, which at that point was “nothing but a eld with a foundation.” Over time, she saw the fort’s reconstruction, which further spurred her interest and eventually led her to invest time in training to become part of living history events — learning the speech patterns of the period, the dress, every detail to portray rst a laborer and later a cook.

“I’ve always wanted to know what was in the past,” Bourne says. “So to

me that just brought it to life. And I wanted to share it, because it is an important part of who we are.”

Leonard understands the ties that bind so many to the site and says there will always be a place for living history. e question is just the best and most sustainable way to present it.

“A broad observation about living history is that the people most interested in how it functions are the people that participate in it,” Leonard says. “ e general public will come as an audience member, but the sausage making around it is not necessarily something that they’re particularly interested in.”

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site sits just north of U.S. 50 east of La Junta, marking the structure rst built in 1833 as a nexus for commerce along the Santa Fe Trail by brothers Charles and WIlliam Bent and Ceran St. Vrain. It stood as an isolated permanent settlement not under control of Mexico or Native Americans, and did brisk trade with the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, largely in bu alo hides.

“It’s a borderland where, often for historic purposes, we try to draw hard lines,” Leonard says. “ ose lines were very fuzzy at the time. During the period of its operation, this was a very uid landscape of culture, sovereignty and com-

Public Notices

City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, July 22, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

RICHARD P. HEIDER

Personal Representative

3255 S. Saint Paul Street Denver, CO 80210

Legal Notice No. DHD2053

First Publication: March 21, 2024

Last Publication: April 4, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Richard Carlson, a/k/a Richard H. Carlson, a/k/a Richard Hogarth Carlson, Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 30046

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 28, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

/s/ David F. Steinhoff

Estate of Richard Carlson

c/o Stephen G. Carlson & Diane E. Vyhnalek, PRs

Attn: David F. Steinhoff, Esq.

Solem Woodward & McKinley, P.C. 750 W Hampden Ave, Suite 505 Englewood, CO 80110 dave@solemlaw.com

Legal Notice No. DHD291

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of JANET S. SITZMANN

aka JANET SUSAN SITZMAN

aka SUSIE SITZMANN , Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 30252

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to pres-

merce.”

It also served as a staging area for explorers and U.S. Army detachments before a cholera epidemic prompted William Bent to move his operations, eventually to the location known as Bent’s New Fort near the current town of Lamar.

Although the original fort was destroyed in 1849, the site came under National Park Service control in 1963. Eventually, the fort was reconstructed with the aid of historical depictions and diaries — a project that aligned with the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, as well as Colorado’s centennial celebration.

Leonard notes that at the time of the reconstruction, living history was relatively new and “cutting edge,” and was mentioned in the fort’s 1975 master plan. By the 1980s, he adds, the fort embraced living history as the primary tool in the site’s storytelling toolbox.

But as the gatherings of reenactors evolved into social events that produced what he describes as “legendary stories” around alcohol use and weapons, the program adopted some stringent standards. For instance, the participant manual for a 1987 event covered 125 pages of policy, procedure, logistics and historical background.

Challenges remained, particularly around the recruitment of non-

‘From the very first day, Bent’s Fort has been known as a dang good living history site.’

John Carson, descendant of the frontiersman Kit Carson

white people to ll critical roles reecting the cultures that converged at the fort. Issues also emerged on a national scale. At Antietam National Battle eld in Maryland, Leonard notes, a federal court case over a female volunteer who was denied participation as a Civil War soldier in a re-enactment changed the dynamics of living history. She took the NPS to court and won.  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.

ent them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 14, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Donald W. Knoop

Personal Representative

4302 W. Union Avenue Denver CO 80236

Legal Notice No. DHD293

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Maureen Walsh, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30200

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, July 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Eldon E. Silverman, Personal Representative

334 South High Street Denver, Colorado 80209

Legal Notice No. DHD2039

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of BEVERLY MARIE MOORE, aka BEVERLY M. MOORE, aka BEVERLY MOORE, Deceased

Case Number: 2024 PR 30191

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 14, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Myles Moore

Personal Representative

c/o Katz, Look & Onorato, PC 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 1100 Denver, CO 80203

Legal Notice No. DHD290

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Antonio Felipe Salazar, a/k/a Tony Phillip Salazar, a/k/a Tony P. Salazar, a/k/a Tony Salazar, Deceased

Case Number: 2023 PR 30040

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 7, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

John G. Salazar

Personal Representative

1526 S. Sherman St. Denver, CO 80210

Legal Notice No. DHD247

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Eileen R. Lerman, Deceased

Case Number: 23PR31554

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 21, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Alisa Lerman, Personal Representative 1107 Lancaster Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Legal Notice No. DHD2046

First Publication: March 14, 2024

Last Publication: March 28, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Benita Marie Guzman, a.k.a. Benita M. Guzman Deceased

Case Number: 2024PR30047

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 8th, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Douglas Guzman, Personal Representative 3238 Arapahoe Street Denver, CO 80205

Legal Notice No. DHD2036

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of JANET K. TAYLOR, a.k.a. JANET KILGORE TAYLOR, a.k.a. JANET TAYLOR, Deceased

Case Number: 24PR30108

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before July 7, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Brian Ward, Personal Representative c/o Werth Law LLC, P.O. Box 808 Brighton, CO 80602

Legal Notice No. DHD286

First Publication: March 7, 2024

Last Publication: March 21, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch ###

21, 2024

3

What parents and providers are saying Ramirez, who lives with her four children in Fort Collins, described CCCAP subsidies as a lifeline that allowed her to work starting when her youngest child, 13-month-old Sarai, was six weeks old.

Ramirez brings home about $1,300 a month from her work cleaning houses. Her co-pay is $4 a month at e Family Center/La Familia, a family resource center that runs a highly rated child care program in the northern Colorado

city. Her daughter loves it there, she said.

But when Ramirez lost her subsidy for a few weeks after her renewal application stalled, she had no choice but to bring Sarai home and decline all cleaning jobs. It’s the kind of wrinkle the subsidy bill could help x.

Under the bill, such cancellations would be averted by giving families what’s called “presumptive eligibility,” essentially a 90-day grace period in which subsidies would start or continue while o cials review applications or renewals.

Ramirez said anything in the bill that streamlines and strengthens the application and renewal pro-

cess will make a di erence for families like hers.

Corinne Bernhardt, executive director of Young Peoples Learning Center in Fort Collins, said the plan to give full subsidies to employees will help about a quarter of her 25 sta members. It will also make it easier to hire new employees amid industry-wide labor shortages.

e center’s current sta discount for child care isn’t always enough to get quali ed candidates with young children in the door, she said.

“To have to say, ‘Well, we can give you a 50%-o discount, but it’s still going to cost you $1,500 a month to bring your kid here, but we’re only

going to pay you $17 an hour,’ a lot of people are like, ‘OK, I guess I’m just going to stay home,’” she said. Bernhardt said she also likes the provision requiring that providers be reimbursed based on enrollment instead of attendance because it will reduce administrative hassles for her sta .

Overall, she believes by making much needed improvements to the state’s subsidy program, the bill will help Colorado’s economy.

“Parents can’t go into the workforce, if they can’t nd child care,” she said.

Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.

A LETTER TO OUR READERS AND ADVERTISERS

To our loyal supporters,

We’re excited to tell you about a major expansion of our Colorado operation. We are launching a printing press to serve our publications, along with many other newspapers across the Front Range.

is unique project is a crucial step toward stabilizing our costs and ensuring you can continue to receive our news in all the ways that you want.

When the nonpro t National Trust for Local News purchased our 23 news brands in metro Denver in 2021, no one imagined we’d establish a new printing press. Our focus was squarely on digital transformation e orts that have included relaunching our websites and adding a series of new news products in the communities we serve.

However, rapidly rising costs associated with printing and distribution le us and many other publishers across the Front Range in a perilous position. While we know digital is our future, we also know many of our subscribers and advertisers still greatly value the printed newspaper, especially in areas where digital access may be limited.

Funds from the Colorado Media Project, Gates Family Foundation, Colorado Trust, and Bohemian Foundation enabled us to purchase a community printing press and secure a facility in Denver to begin operating it. We’re excited to kick o soon, with our newspapers set to be printed starting in May. We’ll bring on other publishers by the summer.

e new press should allow us to lower manufacturing costs – for ourselves and for other small local publishers – that will stabilize the bottom line and ultimately lead to reinvestments in our reporting resources and digital expansion. We’re strengthening our own business while supporting our fellow publishers.

We believe every community deserves a strong local news source. Your continued support fuels our passion and drive to innovate, adapt, and thrive in an ever-evolving media landscape. Together, we are shaping the future of local journalism in Colorado and beyond.

ank you for being part of this exciting milestone with us.

Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro CEO National Trust for Local News

Linda Shapley Publisher Colorado Community Media