Denver Herald Dispatch April 25, 2024

Plan to quadruple property taxes on short-term rentals fails

Senate Bill 33 was voted down 6-1 in the Senate Finance Committee

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

A bill that would have quadrupled the property taxes on many homes o ered as short-term rentals in Colorado was rejected in a Colorado Senate committee, marking at least the third time in recent years that such a proposal has failed at the Capitol.

Senate Bill 33 was voted down 6-1 by the Senate Finance Committee during the bill’s rst hearing, an outcome that came after months of loud opposition from vacation rental owners and companies like Airbnb and Vrbo.

e only “yes” vote on the measure came from its main sponsor, Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat. e measure proposed taxing shortterm rental properties at the state’s commercial rate if they are rented to vacationers for more than 90 days a year — regardless of whether they are someone’s primary or secondary home. In 2023, the property tax assessment rate for lodging properties was 27.9% compared with the 6.7% residential property tax assessment rate.

Hansen o ered an amendment that would have rewritten the measure to block hotels and motels from being converted into short-term rentals and to study the broader issue. at, too, was rejected by the committee.

Senate Bill 33 seemed to have a better shot at passing than its predecessors because it was drafted by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy and Task Force, an interim panel. Measures drafted by interim committees typically pass because of the extra scrutiny they receive.

committee hearing was continuously delayed as Hansen tried to nd a path forward for the measure.

But, ultimately, the opposition proved too great.

Short-term rental property owners, who showed up in force at the Capitol to oppose the bill, said that if the legislation passed they would be forced to sell their homes or reduce their rental nights to avoid the legislation’s 90-day threshold.

“ is new bill … unfairly and discriminately singles out STR owners,” Kristine Lee, who owns a short-term rental in Summit County, testi ed Tuesday night. “You see us as a cash cow.”

Lee said in reality she’s not making much money on her rental property as nightly rates decrease as demand wanes. She recently had to give up

SPEAK OUT!

Proponents of the measure saw it as a way to level the playing eld between hotels and vacation home rentals, which are taxed at much lower rates than commercial properties. It would also generate more money for schools and local districts, which are funded by property tax revenue. Some high-country hotels have converted into privately owned short-term rentals in recent years, which proponents contend has reduced local government property tax revenues.

Moreover, some see short-term rentals as a key driver of housing costs and availability in resort towns, which are increasingly una ordable to Colorado residents.

e state estimates there are 24,100 short-term rentals in all of Colorado that rent more than 90 days a year.

“To the extent that we allowed businesses to be taxed at the lower residential level, we lose out on potential funding to support K-12 education,” Meghan Raynes Matthews, director of government a airs for the Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, testi ed Tuesday night. “Senate Bill 33 closes a loophole.”

Even Gov. Jared Polis has expressed support for taxing residential properties used as short-term rentals at the same rate as hotels, though he didn’t speci cally endorse Senate Bill 33 as the way to do that.  e short-term rental taxation conversation isn’t over at the Capitol this year.

House Bill 1299, introduced by Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, as a gentler alternative to Senate Bill 33, is still pending. It would impose the commercial property tax rate on properties o ered as short-term rentals but only when they belong to a person or business that owns at least two other homes.

House Bill 1299 is awaiting its rst committee hearing in the House, scheduled next week. It’s unclear if that measure will move forward given that Senate Bill 33 has failed.

e legislature is expected to debate broader changes to the state’s property tax code. at may include a provision or provisions charging higher taxes on people’s second or subsequent homes.

is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

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Dozens of short-term rental advocates gathered Feb. 6, 2024, at the Colorado Capitol in opposition to Senate Bill 33.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

Transition homes planned for Westminster, Lakewood

The homes will not house sex o enders at least for the next two years

BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Besides Northglenn, Westminster and Lakewood are among cities in the metro area that will soon open Mental Health Transitional Living facilities – group homes that drew the ire of Northglenn residents for housing convicted sex o enders.

A MHTL home is currently open in Littleton.

Northglenn protests from residents and local o cials prompted the Department of Human Services to amend their plans for the transitional facilities. DHS dropped the proposal to place sex o enders in the facilities and to allow only residents deemed nonviolent.

No registered sex o enders will be housed at any MHTL homes, at least for the rst two years of the program, said Mark Techmeyer, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Human Services.

“To ensure this program is successful for both communities and clients, we are engaging in a two-year pilot

admissions process, in which the goal will be to admit those individuals who are most likely to safely transition to the MHTL Homes,” Techmeyer said via email.

e homes will not admit populations with a lower likelihood of succeeding in the homes, “…Including individuals with a recent history of eloping/escaping from other treatment facilities, individuals with any recent assaultive behaviors, individuals with behaviors that require restraints or seclusions, any behaviors that may require a locked facility, as well as registered sex o enders,” Techmeyer said.

Improvements in Laundry Machines Is Unending. Introducing Heat Pump Dryers

Over the last 20 years, I have listed many homes on the MLS, and when doing so it’s important to list the energy and water-saving appliances of the home in the MLS. Advertising a “high efficiency washer and dryer” became more and more common.

But now there are three generations of high efficiency that I can think of.

20 years ago, high efficiency meant front-loading. This reduced the amount of water needed compared to the old top-loading washers. New detergents were introduced for them.

Then, unexpectedly, a top-loading machine with no agitator took the title. Who knew that you could clean clothes that way? The washing machine saved water because it sensed the amount of clothes in the machine and adjusted the water use accordingly.

But what about the clothes dryer? Over the years you really could only choose between gas dryers and electric dryers, although I loved to point out the “solar dryer” in the backyard — a clothesline for drying clothes outdoors.

Meanwhile, it has always bothered me

how much hot air a dryer exhausts to the outdoors in the dead of winter instead of using that heat inside the house. An analog solution to that is the indoor lint trap. It is filled with water which traps the lint, and the warm air is exhausted into the room. The device is typically used when a vent to the exterior of the house is unavailable, but you might choose to use one because you want to capture the dryer’s heat instead of sending it outdoors. Remember, too, that the air which your home exhausts must be replaced by outside air coming in through cracks, bathroom/kitchen exhaust piping, etc. So you are not only losing that heat in the winter, you are drawing in cold air from outside. There are multiple solutions to this dilemma. In addition to using the lint trap described above (in which case you’ll want to seal the exhaust pipe to outdoors), you can replace your existing dryer with what’s called a condensing dryer, typically using a heat pump instead of gas or traditional resistancebased electrical heating.

A condensing dryer has the ability to keep the heat within your house through

internal processing. It’s also called a ventless dryer. Google it to learn more and to see where you can buy them (everywhere) and what they cost.

Heat pump dryers use less electricity than conventional dryers because they use an evaporator to remove the moisture and then recycle the warm air so they don't have to heat the ambient air again.

Because a heat pump dryer is ductless, you don’t have to worry about lint buildup in the vent pipe, which could lead to a fire. There are 13,000 household fires caused by clothes dryers every year in the U.S.

Because heat pump dryers are ductless, they can be installed in any room. Perhaps you’d like to have one in your walk-in closet or ensuite bathroom.

A secondary benefit is that because heat pump dryers operate at a lower temperature, your clothes will last longer.

You’d be amazed how many older building materials included asbestos. If you disturb asbestos, making it airborne, you endanger the health of yourself, your workers and your children.

Because asbestos doesn’t burn, it was used to wrap pipes and ductwork in older homes, and in other less obvious materials. If your home has popcorn ceilings which you want to remove, you should definitely test for asbestos first.

Asbestos is also present in older adhesives used with vinyl flooring. Older gas fireplaces had inserts made of asbestos. It is also found in older roof shin-

If you want to save space and don’t like stackable washers/dryers, you can buy an all-in-one machine that does both.

TheCoolDown.com offers other suggestions for saving energy and water, and reducing your personal carbon footprint. The single biggest savings is by using cold water unless absolutely necessary.

Also, dryer sheets and fabric softeners, they say, work by adding petroleumbased chemicals to your clothing, which can cause eczema. Dryer balls are a onetime purchase that work better. (We use them.)

We buy detergent in gallon-size plastic jugs, but they suggest buying powder instead since it’s questionable whether that jug, made from petroleum, will be recycled, even if you put it in the your recycling cart.

This article and the one below appeared in last week’s Denver Post column.

gles and siding, in certain Chinese drywall boards, in vermiculite insulation, and in some ceiling tiles.

Although asbestos materials are safe when left alone, disturbing them can be hazardous. See my post of this at http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com for useful links on this topic.

Randi Bazylak (left) and Zach Bazylak protest in Northglenn April 6 over transition homes nearby MONTE WHALEY

Historic steam power plant sits at the nexus of Denver’s changing energy infrastructure

In the midst of adaptive reuse negotiations, remediation work continues as the future of Zuni Generating Station remains unknown

BY MERYL PHAIR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e rusted pipes, walkways and cross beams of the Zuni Generating Station give passersby at the intersection of Zuni Street and West 14th Avenue in Denver a brief look into history. While the steam power plant by the South Platte River is no longer in use, it was once essential to the growing energy needs of Denver’s expanding neighborhoods.

In 2020, the site was selected for demolition by Xcel Energy with plans on installing a new substation, equipment that transmits electricity to consumers. With Denver’s ambitious climate goal to achieve 100% electri cation by 2030, more infrastructure will be needed to accommodate an expanding electric system.

For residents in the nearby Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhoods who are experiencing rapid redevelopment through Denver Housing Authority projects as well as the proposed development of the Stadium District, communities want their voices heard when it comes to redevelopment. Plans to keep the over 120-year-old Sun Valley site alive as a community space have ignited adjoining neighborhoods that advocate for a more sustainable future for the shuttered energy facility.  “ e idea of adaptive reuse is appealing,” said Jeanne Granville, president of the Sun Valley Community Coalition, who said ideas for the space have included everything from a community hub with meeting places and o ces to a public marketplace for local businesses and retailers. “To make it a viable project that also bene ted the community with employment opportunities and community space, it’s going to take some doing and the right partner to make it happen.”

e site would likely only be viable for commercial reuse instead of residential, Granville said, as the residential standards required for a marketplace would need a higher level of decontamination, a process known as remediation.

Considered a sustainable approach, adaptive reuse helps conserve resources and minimizes the environmental costs of constructing new buildings. Locally in Denver, other adaptive reuse projects from old buildings have included REI in Highland, e Source in RiNo, Cerebral Brewing on East Colfax Avenue and Pancratia Hall on the former Loretto Heights College campus.

e Sun Valley neighborhood cur-

rently faces environmental issues such as soil contamination from industrial infrastructure, and community members see the reuse of the power plant as a contribution to the revitalization of the area. Granville said considering the site’s long history with climate justice, reuse could turn an environmental polluter into an asset.

“While the steam plant provided a source of energy for heating and electri cation, there was fallout in the air that people have had to live with for generations,” said Granville. “Xcel wants to be a leader in that space and adaptive reuse could be a way for them to show how they can evolve to embrace more environmentally-conscious practices.”

Amid the push for reuse, the defunct power plant was placed on Colorado’s Most Endangered Places list in February. Compiled by Colorado Preservation, Inc., the organization seeks to preserve historic sites that face a signi cant risk of being permanently lost.

“When we think of preserving places, we usually think of museums or signs that say ‘don’t touch,’” said Katie Peterson, director of Colorado Preservation’s Most Endangered Places Program. “We strive to rede ne this perception of preservation by nding a place for historic resources that meet our constantly changing world.

e Zuni power plant is a great example of that.”

e plant has been a xture of west Denver since March 1900 when Charles F. LaCombe and a cohort of bene ciaries opened the LaCombe Power Plant.

“It’s a Denver monument because it broke the monopoly that Denver Gas and Electric had on the city’s energy infrastructure at the turn of the

century,” said Peterson.  Peterson added that the site is a remarkable piece of history, especially considering the descendants of many of the power plant workers still live in the community today.

LaCombe’s ownership of the electric power plant was short-lived. e plant was sold to Denver Consolidated Gas and Electric Company within a year due to legal and nancial troubles. During the 1910s and 1940s, it underwent several additions to meet growing energy needs and was eventually renamed the Zuni Station. Xcel Energy, formerly Denver Gas and Electric, made use of the plant until

2019 to provide steam heat to downtown Denver.

Granville said ideas for repurposing the site had been swirling since and the community had proposed ideas to Xcel, receiving some interest. When the site was slated for demolition in January 2021, community interest began to form in earnest.

In November 2021, members of Denver City Council in a signed letter requested that Xcel Energy halt the demotion to provide time for conversation within the community about potential uses of the site.

The Zuni Generating Station has withstood 122 years of history in the Sun Valley neighborhood. PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR

The Zuni Generating Station sits at the intersection of Zuni Street and West 14th Avenue in west Denver. PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR

DU awarded 2025 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game

years and 10th overall (an NCAA record) — are set to face the University of Minnesota anksgiving weekend at Ball Arena in 2025.

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e University of Denver’s championship hockey program will host the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game for the third time, according to the school’s athletic department.

e Pioneers — who recently won their fth national title in the last 20

“ e University of Denver is honored to host the 2025 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game and excited to rekindle a rivalry between two of the most storied programs in all of college hockey on the heels of Denver’s 10th national championship,” said Josh Berlo, Denver vice chancellor for athletics and Ritchie Center operations, in a press release. “ e eyes of the college hockey world will be on Denver and Ball Arena over that holiday weekend.”

It’s a rematch between Denver and Minnesota’s 2004 matchup in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in St. Paul. Denver lost 5-2.  e two programs are some of the most decorated in all of college hockey. e teams have combined for 42 Frozen Four appearances, 15 national championships and featured a total of 25 NHL Draft picks on their respective rosters during the 2023-24 season.

Pioneers to face Minnesota at Ball Arena next November SEE

DU is 13-3-1 in the last 17 meetings against Minnesota since the start of the 2007-08 campaign and has a 4139-5 all-time mark against the Gophers in Denver.

e Pioneers have an overall record of 73-94-12 all-time against the Gophers in a series that dates back to Jan. 1, 1951 and are 4-2-1 against their former WCHA foe in seven neutral-site contests.

DU is getting support from its local parent-pro team, the Colorado Avalanche.

“ e state of Colorado has a rich tradition of college hockey and what better way to showcase that than with one the most successful programs in NCAA history, the University of Denver, taking on another powerhouse,

A ordable Connectivity Program is ending soon

Colorado is working on alternatives to a discount internet program

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

An extra $30 a month may not mean much to most people, but to Kathryn Beerline, a Lakewood resident, the monthly federal subsidy that has paid for her internet service has helped her save money to buy a 15-year-old used car for herself so she could give her even older vehicle to her son.

e subsidy ends in May when funding for the A ordable Connectivity Program is expected to run out. While supporters, including the White House, are scrambling to get Congress to extend the program, internet providers and ACP customers have to nd alternatives. Beerline said she switched this week to Comcast’s least expensive service, at $9.99 a month for 50 Mbps down, which is half the speed she’d received under ACP but one-third the price, which she’ll now pay. She’s grateful for the extra assistance.

“ACP has been paying my $29.99 bill every month and it has been a tremendous boost as I am a single

mom,” Beerline said in an email when she rst learned that ACP was ending in February. e $30 means a lot to someone like herself “who chooses not to ever eat out, get a Starbucks and only treat myself and my son to seeing a movie at a theater maybe two to three times/year so I can put the only extra (money) left after paying bills into savings.”

Beerline is one of the estimated 251,506 Colorado households enrolled in the program. at’s 1 in 9 households in the state and 23 million households nationwide, according to the Federal Communications Commission. While a proposal in Congress has gained momentum to use $7 bil-

Cultivating Community Health &

lion to extend ACP funding through the end of the year, the bipartisan bill doesn’t have enough support yet.

“Nearly half of the households that are in ACP are military families. About a quarter of them are seniors. And because of the programs, so many of those folks are able to pay a small reasonable, a ordable price for internet and for people who are low income, a lot of them are able to access it for free. at’s a big deal and it is something that we ought to make sure is maintained,” said Jon Donenberg, a deputy director on President Biden’s National Economic Council.

GAME

the University of Minnesota,” said Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland. “ e U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame weekend is always a special event and the Avalanche and Ball Arena are proud to be a part of the festivities.”

Tickets for the game start at $25.Visitdenverpioneers.com for information updates on presale and other ticket packages, including premium seating and suites.

e date and time of the 2025 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game will be announced following the NHL schedule release.

PROGRAM

Colorado searches for alternative

Colorado o cials have been scrambling to nd an alternative should ACP end. In January, when it awarded $113.5 million to 27 mostly rural projects to build better ber-based broadband, the Colorado Broadband O ce required internet providers to include a low-cost option equivalent to or better than the ACP.

An even larger amount — the previously announced $826.5 million that Colorado is getting from the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program — is set to be doled out later this year. State o cials have been working with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to gure out if they could add a low-income requirement. at nally appears to be moving forward, said Lauren Francis, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Broadband Ofce.

“After working on several drafts with NTIA, we intend to go with the requirement that providers o er a low-cost broadband service rate not to exceed $50, if the ACP subsidy is no longer o ered by the federal government,” she said. She added that the NTIA hasn’t approved Colorado’s proposal yet. And it is unlikely there will be a state solution by May, when ACP funding runs out.

“ e loss of this program will de nitely have impact,” Francis said.

ACP grew out of federal COVID-19 relief aid to help low-income households pay for internet service during the pandemic, which decimated school attendance and made remote learning a challenge for students with limited or internet access. Initially, the amount was $50 a month as part of the Emergency Broadband Bene t. ACP replaced EBB in January 2022 and cut the amount to $30 a month. Households on tribal lands received $75 a month.

Both programs were open to residents already eligible for other government-assistance programs, such as Medicaid, food stamps or free and reduced school lunch.

But neither broadband program ever attracted the majority of eligible users. Early on, internet providers criticized the challenges of getting customers enrolled while digital divide advocates said there was no funding for outreach.

ose issues were addressed in the ACP rollout, which still had mixed results. Only about one-third of Colorado’s eligible 761,000 households are enrolled in ACP. Some potential customers worried about what happens when the money runs out. But ultimately, more than 250,000 enrolled in Colorado.

In Colorado, ACP enrollees are largely outside the Denver area, which has the second highest number of participants, according to FCC data. e state’s 3rd

Congressional District has the highest, with more than 51,292 households enrolled and 18% of the community, according to FCC data.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who represents CD3, said she doesn’t support additional spending.

“We are approaching $35 trillion in debt and the federal government ruins nearly everything,” she said. “I don’t think that more federal subsidies towards projects like that are what’s our necessity right now.”

Donenberg, who advises Biden on economic policy, said the president’s hope is that there is a permanent program and this could buy Congress more time to gure out what that could be.

“

e president has indicated in his budget for this year that we would like to see a long-term, sustainable funding solution here for maintaining the program, because I think what we learned during the pandemic was that access to a ordable and reliable high speed internet wasn’t just a pandemic problem, it is an American problem,” he said.

“ is is a requirement really for participation in the economy and for e ective participation in the society.”

Colorado Sun reporter Sandra Fish contributed to this story.

This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.

The Denver Pioneers compete against the Colorado College Tigers at Ball Arena in Denver last January. TYLER SCHANK/CLARKSON CREATIVE P

The University of Denver’s championship hockey team was awarded the 2025 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game. The Pioneers will play the University of Minnesota at Ball Arena next November. Above, the Pioneers play against the Colorado College Tigers at Ball Arena in Denver in 2023.

C.OURTESY OF MORGAN ENGEL/CLARKSON CREATIV

ere was also concern from the community that remediation would continue to the point where the building could no longer be repurposed, Granville said.

Xcel agreed to pause any work that would impact the structure of the property, altering its original remediation plan. While negotiations continue between the city and community stakeholders, remediation does as well.

“Folks will still see work being done on the plant as well as the property just south of the building itself and that’s to bring the property to industrial use grade as was approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC),” said Grace Lopez Ramirez, Xcel’s Denver area manager. “By remediating to industrial use and not impacting the structure, we’ve focused more on the surgical abatement, mainly of the removal work of asbestos.”

Remediation work will continue through the summer, but as far as a longer timeline for what’s next, things are still left to be determined. While the community backing for adaptive reuse is strong, the site faces signi cant challenges in being re-

stored to a community function, said Ramirez.

For example, Lopez Ramirez said, there are logistical challenges such as the north wall of the old historic building that engineers have said will be complicated to maneuver a crane necessary to remove the turbines at the top without damaging the structure. e south wall, which is all equipment, presents an additional hurdle in removing that equipment without impacting the wall’s structure. Giant turbines also sit in the basement and considerations for how to remove those without damaging the building would need to be made. Since the city was built up around the plant, considerations would also need to be made for the nearby RTD light rail tracks, the South Platte River and the tra c congestion any construction on the plant would cause.

“We’re the utility company so our role is not necessarily to further develop the property,” said Lopez Ramirez.

Xcel has only been approved by the PUC to bring the plant to an industrial grade, and the company’s costs are socialized within its customer base throughout the state of Colorado. “Any additional cost to remediate the property would need to be borne not by our Xcel Energy customers, but by whoever would like to reuse the

building,” said Lopez Ramirez.

Despite the challenges, conversations continue and questions about funding and a development partner remain. Xcel is still considering its options.

“Our conversations continue with the city and community stakeholders,” said Lopez Ramirez. “We want

to be good neighbors and do right by the community. We heard loud and clear that they’d like to see community bene t come from the property but that’s a big umbrella and there’s a lot of di erent options that are still viable for reuse.”

ENERGY

One example may be to reuse the property for thermal energy, which a team of graduate students from the University of Colorado Boulder recently won an award for researching.

HOMES

E orts continue from the community as well. A letter sent to Mayor Mike Johnston and Denver City Council in November 2023 – signed by more than 30 community partners – urged the City and County of Denver to exercise its right of rst refusal to pursue taking ownership of the Zuni Steam Power Plant under Xcel Energy’s Franchise Agreement and work with the community

to identify a potential development partner.

With recently being named one of Colorado’s most endangered places, there’s hope more can be done. e listing by Colorado Preservation, Inc. won’t provide any additional protection but the interest from historic preservation organizations, including signi cant advocacy from Historic Denver, provide more leadership

and information about the process of preservation.

“It validates the community’s belief that adaptive reuse is the way to go, and these buildings have a real historical signi cance and value to the community,” said Granville. “We’re looking forward to working with the city and the larger community to envision a commercial and community use for this building.”

is year there are three homes planned for Colorado Springs, three in Lakewood, two homes in Northglenn, two homes in Denver, two homes in Pueblo West and one home

Techmeyer said it is a programwide policy that no sex o enders, even if the program is expanded to include them after this two-year pilot, will be housed within 1,000 feet of a school.

in Westminster. One home is currently open in Littleton.

Techmeyer did not say exactly where the homes will be located. DHS is currently reaching out to the cities involved to “ensure partnership with each community,” he said.

Security has also been posted at the Northglenn facility – located at 11255 and 11275 Grant Drive – as there have been threats and concerning messages aimed at the homes.

“We expect the security needs to decline and don’t expect to have outside security at the homes full-time,” Techmeyer said.

JUNE 13-16, 2024

Shopping H FOOD H EXHIBITS H MUSIC H RIDES H FAMILY FUN FREE ADMISSION

PARKER’S FAVORITE WEEKEND!

FUN THINGS TO DO:

• Enjoy your Favorite Festival Food

• Shopping Marketplace

• Music on Four Stages

• Street Performers

• Carnival Rides for the Whole Family

• Free Kids Crafts

• Silent Disco – Dance, Dance, Dance!

• Get Dizzy in a Water Bubble

• Bungy Jumping

• Jump and Slide on the In atables

• Nurf Terf Battles (Nurf version of Paintball)

AIR ACADEMY CREDIT UNION

EAST MUSIC Stage – Live Music ALL Day

Friday 8 pm – 10 pm Sisters of Rock

Saturday 8 pm – 10 pm

Shelvis and the Roustabouts

Sunday 6:30 pm – 8 pm

Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts

THURSDAY, JUNE 13

1 pm – 10:30 pm: Carnival Only

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

Fri 1 pm – 10:30: Carnival

Fri 4 pm – 10:30 pm: Fesival

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Sat 10 am – 10:30 pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

Sun 10 am – 8:30 pm

MAIN STAGE – Live Music ALL Day

HEADLINERS:

Friday, June 14 presented by 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm: Kory Brunson Band

Saturday, June 15 presented by 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm: Wash Park Band

Sunday, June 16 presented by 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm: That Eighties Band

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

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CARNIVAL RIDES & GAMES: presented by

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TICKETS FOR INDIVIDUAL RIDES

Food, Beverage & Ride Tickets may be purchased at Festival Ticket Booths.

CORE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Community Stage – Entertainment ALL Day supported by Allegro Music

Parker Days Festival is brought to you by the Parker Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation

A passion for a forgotten plot

Weld County man asks for help with a little, neglected cemetery

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Bill Knox, 93, grew up in the Vollmar neighborhood in Weld County, just northwest of Fort Lupton.

Knox said his parents had a ranch there, and he went to school with kids who lived in Vollmar and its surrounding areas. ey all went to the little Vollmar schoolhouse, which has since been converted into a home, he said.

One thing that always caught his eye was the little cemetery there, the St. Francis Vollmar cemetery. Still living in the area, Knox still thinks about it and visits it often.

His goal now, before he passes, is to help save and preserve this historic cemetery.

“Every time I’d go by it, it bothered me that most of these tombstones are covered with sand up to three feet deep,” Knox said. “I would like to clean that somehow up before I pass away.”

e cemetery is an acre and a quarter with about 35 to 40 people buried there. He said he started to look in on the cemetery ve years ago but started to research it two years ago. It’s set between Weld Country Roads 21 and 23 west of Fort Lupton.

Information about the plot is hard to come by, he said.

“I looked up the deed at the Weld County Assessor’s o ce. e last time it was deeded was in 1926, and the St. Francis Vollmar Association

ran it. I traced it back; it may have been null and void in the 1940s,” Knox said.

Knox has since taken over the deed and the association name at the cemetery. He’s now looking for people who grew up in the neighborhood – or the descendants of those that did. He asks that anyone who knows about the cemetery and who might have relatives buried or simply someone

who has the resources to help him preserve it, to call at 970-372-0759.

“It’s just a shame that the cemetery is neglected,” Knox said.

Long neglected

It’s always been a tough plot, he said. He remembers growing up during the Depression.

“During the Depression, the sand storms practically covered the old cemetery there,” Knox said.

Knox said the cemetery contains 100% Spanish buried plots, and it should be dedicated to uncovering and preserving that history.

“It was all the Spanish people that lived in Vollmar,” Knox said. e people buried there, he gures, are the ones who helped the community grow by laboring in the sugar beet factory, cleaning beets. e area was a huge supplier to Great Western Sugar’s factory in Brighton. And although the factory remained in operation until 1977, he thinks Vollmar’s association ended in the late 1940s.

Little o cial history

Knox said he called many people, including Weld County Genealogy, but has yet to learn about the cemetery. Getting information about the plot has been a challenge.

Bill Knox standing at the entrance of the St. Francis Vollmar cemetery located between Weld County Roads 21 & 23.

Three unidentified people were buried, and more people were next to them, with their graves covered by weeds and sand. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

SEE PLOT, P12

GOP blocks legislature from asking voters to let victims of child sex abuse from past sue their abusers

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Republicans in the Colorado Senate blocked the legislature from asking voters to amend the state constitution to let victims of child sex abuse from decades past sue their abusers even if the statute of limitations has run out.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, which would have sent the question to the November ballot, needed a supermajority of support to pass the chamber. It failed by a single vote.  Democrats hold a 23-12 advantage in the Senate, one vote shy of a supermajority. Democrats were united in favor of the resolution. No Republicans would join them, citing concerns about the constitutionality of the measure and how it could bankrupt institutions like churches and school districts.

Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, said Tuesday in a speech on the Senate oor he couldn’t vote for the resolution.

“I do not take this vote lightly,” he said. “In some ways it’s the hardest vote of my legislative career. My heart breaks for those who were so wrongly and horribly injured. And my vote is cast in defense of the constitution and legal principles each and every one of us, and future generations as well, rely on in protection of our civil society.”

Republicans wanted to amend the resolution to let victims only sue their abusers and not the institutions that may have allowed the abuse to happen.

Democrats argued that voting in fa-

vor of the resolution should be easy.

“Why are we wanting to limit justice for someone who was abused as a child?” asked Sen. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat and a main sponsor of the resolution.

e resolution was brought this year in response to a Colorado Supreme Court decision in June striking down a provision in a bipartisan 2021 law that gave victims of child sex assault dating back to the 1960s for whom the statute of limitations had run out a three-year window to sue their abusers and the institutions that allowed their abuse.

e court ruled the law, Senate Bill 88, violated a provision in the constitution prohibiting the General Assembly from reviving a claim for which the statute of limitations has run out.

e statute of limitations used to give child sex abuse survivors in Colorado six years after they turned 18 to le legal action. Most child sex abuse survivors wait decades before revealing their abuse.

e Colorado Sun in 2020 pro led a man who waited until he was 45 to reveal that he had been abused as a child by a priest who was a constant gure in their lives. “When I look back, the reason I didn’t say anything is because I didn’t want to hurt my family,” the man, Neil Elms, said.

( e six-year limitation was repealed in 2021 through the passage of Senate Bill 73, a second measure, but the change only applied to current and future cases.)

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 was aimed at overcoming that con-

stitutional hurdle. And proponents of the measure introduced it with the expectation that the Republicans in the Capitol who backed Senate Bill 88 would vote for the resolution. Senate Bill 88 passed the Senate 33-3.

It quickly became clear that wouldn’t happen, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 languished in the chamber for months as one of its main sponsors, Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat, tried to secure a Republican vote.

e resolution was brought up for debate this week even though it remained unclear if it had enough support to pass.

Danielson told e Colorado Sun earlier this month that she was committed to bringing the resolution up for a vote in the Senate before the end of session May 8.

“I’m putting them on the record,” she said of the Republicans who have refused to back the measure. “ ey’re

In asking Republicans Wednesday to vote for the resolution, she warned them about consequences if they didn’t.

“ is is a legacy de ning moment,” she said in an impassioned speech on the chamber’s oor. “And although you make like to determine how this vote will be perceived, you cannot. e public gets to decide how this vote will be perceived.”

Democrats hold a supermajority in the House, and Danielson said the resolution should have been able to easily clear that chamber if she had been able to get it out of the Senate.  Ballot measures changing the state constitution require the support of 55% of voters to pass. 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.

The Colorado State Capitol Building. PHOTO BY ERICA BREUNLIN/THE COLORADO SUN

“ e records for the cemetery were in the Londeen Mortuary in Fort Lupton, but it burned down years ago, and all records burnt with it,” he said. “ ey buried most of the people.” Knox also called the Archdiocese Catholic Church in Denver to see if they had a record of the cemetery, but representatives there said it didn’t belong to them.

Dr. Holly Kathryn Norton, Director of the O ce of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, State Archaeologist, and deputy State Historic Preservation O cer at History Colorado, said they did not have a record of the

cemetery in their database, nor was it listed on popular sites such as Grave Finder.

She lives nearby and plans to visit it and see what she can learn.

“ is cemetery is only 30 minutes from my house, so I’ll make a point to get out there and record it, as well as see if we can locate any additional information on it and contact Mr. Knox,” Dr. Norton said.

Patricia Carmody with the Colorado Historic Cemetery Association, which provides resources to preserve and protect historic Colorado cemeteries, said Mr. Knox must map and record the graveyard before touching and cleaning it.

“On our site, we list several resources and books on how to preserve cemeteries,” said Carmody.

Cute Pets

coming soon!

grave at

Francis Vollmar cemetery that someone has decorated with flowers. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD A grave marker at Weld County’s St., Francis Vollmar cemetery that identifies the person buried there as Virgil.

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Thu 5/02

Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 4pm Denver

Marty Isenberg: Wes Anderson Playlist live at Dazzle @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver

THE GRAY HAVENS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR with Joel Ansett @ 7pm

The Girl Cous: Esme Patterson & Sean Hayes w/ Cous @ 8pm Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver

Fri 5/03

Chris Milam: Orchid South TourDenver @ 8pm Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver

Sun 5/05

Adam Bodine @ 10:30am Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver

Db.boutabag @ 8pm

Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver

Tue 5/07

Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 4pm Denver

Felukah @ 8pm

Kayla Ruby @ 9pm

BridgeWay Church, 5201 E War‐ren Ave, Denver

Hi i'm ghost @ 8pm

The Church, 1160 Lincoln St, Denver

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Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Denver

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Blind Guardian @ 7pm Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver

Hannah Jadagu @ 8pm

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

Jesse McCartney @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver

Wed 5/08

ivri @ 8pm

Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Yot Club @ 8:30pm Bluebird Theatre, Denver

In the dynamic world of sales, assertiveness reigns supreme as a de ning trait that separates the good from the great. However, assertiveness alone is not enough. Successful sales professionals embody a diverse array of traits that elevate their performance and foster lasting relationships with clients.

Among these, professionalism, industry knowledge and expertise, follow-up, empathy, customer-centricity, and equal business stature stand out as pillars of success.

First, professionalism lays the foundation for trust and credibility in sales interactions. Salespeople who exude professionalism convey reliability, integrity, and competence, thereby instilling con dence in prospective clients. ey understand the importance of punctuality, proper communication, and ethical conduct.

VOICES

Professionalism, assertiveness and aggression in sales

follow-up demonstrates commitment, responsiveness, and dedication to customer satisfaction.

Empathy, often hailed as the cornerstone of e ective communication, holds immense sway in sales interactions. Sales professionals who empathize with clients’ challenges, aspirations, and preferences forge deeper connections and foster genuine rapport.

fostering mutual trust and transparency.

In the realm of sales, the line between success and failure often hinges on the approach taken by salespeople. While assertiveness is celebrated as a key trait, it’s essential to di erentiate between professionalism, assertiveness, and the stereotypical aggression often associated with salespeople.

Coupled with professionalism is industry knowledge and expertise, indispensable assets that empower salespeople to navigate complex landscapes with nesse. By staying abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and product developments, sales professionals position themselves as trusted advisors.

Follow-up emerges as another crucial trait in the arsenal of successful salespeople. Beyond the initial pitch or meeting, diligent

Customer-centricity lies at the heart of successful sales endeavors. Sales professionals who prioritize customer needs over quota-driven agendas cultivate loyalty, advocacy, and repeat business. By placing clients’ interests at the forefront and delivering value-driven solutions, salespeople not only secure deals but also build enduring partnerships grounded in mutual respect and bene t.

Embracing the concept of equal business stature empowers sales professionals to engage with clients as strategic partners rather than mere vendors. By demonstrating respect, con dence, and a collaborative mindset, salespeople elevate discussions to a peer-to-peer level,

WAssertive salespeople learn to strike a balance between con dence and respect in their approach. Assertiveness involves advocating for one’s o erings and recommendations while still acknowledging and respecting the autonomy and preferences of the client. Assertive salespeople are adept at articulating their value proposition, overcoming objections, and guiding clients through the decision-making process. ey exude con dence without resorting to manipulative tactics or pressure.

In contrast, the stereotypical aggressive salesperson employs highpressure tactics, coercion, and manipulation to close deals at any cost. Aggression is characterized by a win-at-all-costs mentality, disregard for client boundaries, and a transactional approach to sales. Aggressive salespeople prioritize short-term gains over long-term relationships, often leaving a trail of

disgruntled clients in their wake. Ultimately, the key di erence between professional, assertive, and aggressive salespeople lies in their approach to client interactions and relationship-building. While professionalism and assertiveness foster trust, collaboration, and mutual respect, aggression erodes trust and undermines the foundation of sustainable business relationships. By embodying professionalism and assertiveness, salespeople can navigate the sales landscape with integrity, con dence, and empathy. We have all had some level of interaction with salespeople, and we all probably have horror stories from our awful experiences with the less than professional salesperson. As always, I would love to hear your stories and experiences at gotonorton@gmail.com. And if we nd ourselves in sales or working with salespeople, when professionalism coupled with the right amount of assertiveness is present, it really will create a better than good purchasing experience for everyone.

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.

Benchmark Takes ’The Road to Lethe’

hat does it mean to be a true ally? Like many people, Denver playwright Je rey Neuman found himself pondering this question following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the ensuing Black Lives Matter movement.

“I always thought of myself as a really strong ally, but I began to wonder what does true allyship mean and look like,” Neuman said. “I started thinking about how I could tell a story about this and kept feeling the pull of Greek mythology. When you’re thinking about white saviors, what white saviors are more problematic than the Greek gods?” at’s how Neuman came to write “ e Road to Lethe,” which makes its world premiere on Friday, April 26 at the Benchmark eatre, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood. e show runs through Saturday, May 18, with performances at 8 p.m. on ursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

women and they hire a black man to assemble what’s

Audiences don’t need to be familiar with the myth to connect to the story, which explores issues of systemic racism and white saviorism in a thoughtful and challenging way. And while it may sound very heady and heavy, there is also humor and a tender heart beating beneath it all.

“What theater does so powerfully is allows audiences to go on a journey and move their perspective from seeing someone as ‘the other’ to putting them in the actor’s shoes,” Hart said. “ eater is an amazing tool for sparking increased empathy, which audiences are able to feel viscerally, instead of just intellectually.”

alchemical about the theatrical collaboration process. I’m creating a blueprint for a structure that may not look how I thought it would in the end.”

One of Hart’s favorite things about theater is its ability to create and foster conversations, and she believes “ e Road to Lethe” will leave audiences with plenty to discuss.

“I want people to have conversations about how ordinary interactions can be much more than what they seem on the surface. I also hope they think about language and how we treat each other,” she said.

“I think this show really wants us to get together by showing how far apart we currently are.”

For information and tickets, visit www.benchmarktheatre.com/.

and will feature “a mix of Passover traditions and relevant readings, songs and prayers to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community.”

Get tickets at https://www. jccdenver.org/portfolio-items/ queer_seder/.

Comedy fans ‘Can’t’ miss Daniel Sloss in Denver

In my estimation, real comedy legends do more than just chase punchline after punchline. Scotland’s Daniel Sloss is one of the best out there right now because not only can he have you in hysterics, but he’s also interested in humanity and connection. His specials — like “Dark” and “SOCiO” — are true examples of how great modern comedy can be.

Directed by Betty Hart and featuring Arthur McFarlane III, eden origin, Jennifer Condreay, Christine Kahane and Barbara Porreca, the show is based on “ e Judgement of Paris,” also known as “ e Golden Apple,” a famous story in Greek mythology, but given a contemporary twist. It follows what happens when a mysterious Amazon package arrives at the home of three white

Watching a play he’s written come to life for the rst time is a profound experience for Neuman and he enjoys being part of the collaborative process, while at the same time giving the director, actors and designers plenty of room to create as they see t.

“Every single production of your play is going to look and feel different,” he said. “ ere’s something

JCC Denver hosts Queer Seder e holiday of Passover is one of the most important events on the Jewish calendar, one that brings people together to celebrate the Jewish people’s escape from Egypt.

e Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St. in Denver, is using the holiday as an opportunity to bring in even more of the community with a Queer Seder from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.

According to the provided information, the seder will be led by local Rabbis and LGBTQIA+ leadership,

Sloss is bringing his latest show, “Can’t,” to the Paramount eatre, 1621 Glenarm Place in Denver, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. Buy tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Mission Ballroom

Not many musicians can deliver searing wordsmithing and true classic rock musical chops album after album, but Alabama’s Jason Isbell has an uncanny ability to do this with almost every release.

Clarke Reader

150 minutes

The reminder I got from my doc to get 150 minutes of weekly exercise was a wakeup call. By my standards, I had been slacking. Oh, I’d get in workouts here and there, but not on a regular, dedicated regimen. I could feel the results in my body, and it was beginning to a ect my frame of mind. I was increasingly feeling tighter in both, which, in my belief, are indistinct from each other. e reminder from my doctor, who specializes in sports medicine, prompted me to think about how I primarily used to get my cardio-vascular workouts: running.

I had abandoned running over a considerable time ago because I had thought it was putting too much stress on my system. But that really wasn’t the case. e truth was I was rationalizing, justifying giving up something that was becoming increasingly strenuous. I had begun to look at running as a chore rather than a delight, and as a result, I was becoming sedentary, less active, in short, lazy. “Wow!” I thought as I mulled over my doc’s point. I turned my computer o , slipped into my running attire, laced up my shoes and headed out the door.

A few weeks later, a New York Times article extolling the bene ts of exercise and how it can strengthen the brain reinforced something that had been taking root in my mind: Due to my rediscovered running routine, I was not only feeling stronger physically but also sharper mentally and more upbeat emotionally. at validated for me the evidence that shows regular moderate —150 minutes per week — exercise has salutary bene ts not only for the body but also for working memory and other executive functions. e reason is believed to be movement increases the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are necessary for being attentive to tasks and information gathering. And regular exercise is proven to help increase mood-enhancing serotonin and dopamine, which is the

Last year he and his band, the 400 Unit, released “Weathervanes,” one of 2023’s best albums, full of storytelling that both moves and invigorates.

In support of the album, Isbell and the 400 Unit will be stopping by

READER ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

JERRY FABYANIC Columnist

reason that despite aching muscles, we tend to smile after a hard workout. At least I do.

Another bene t of regular exercise is increased blood ow delivers vital molecules to the brain. ey in turn act in concert with a hormone called B.D.N.F. — brain-derived neurotrophic factor — which is essential for creating synapses between neurons. One expert called B.D.N.F fertilizer for the brain. at is especially important for seniors to understand given how the brain, including the hippocampus that controls memory and mood, shrinks with age. Evidence shows those su ering from dementia have decreased size in their hippocampus. Exercise can mitigate or counteract that decline.

Following on the heels of reading that article, I read another about the dearth of reading among American adults. I couldn’t help but see a correlation between the two pieces.

According to a You.gov poll, 54% of Americans read one book in 2023, which means almost half read none. at was especially true among those without college degrees with nearly 60% saying they didn’t read one. e good news is, however, that among those who have read at least one, the gap between college and non-college graduates in the number of books they read was considerably narrower.

Book — novel — reading, though, might not be an accurate measure of literacy. Friends and other readers have shared with me they like reading essays like this because they nd them thought-provoking, yet not lengthy or time-consuming to ingest. And therein lies the holy grail to a sharp, agile mind into elderly years: a nutritious diet supplemented by daily exercise both of the body and of the brain by reading works that challenge and strengthen those synapses and neurons. Acting in combination, they create fertile

the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. in Denver, at 7:30 p.m. on ursday, May 2. A venue of this size is a great place to see someone like Isbell, so purchase tickets at www.axs.com.

Clarke Reader is an arts and entertainment columnist for Colorado Community Media. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

ground where worthwhile thoughts can take root and thrive. After all, why till and fertilize the soil if you’re not going to grow some luscious vegetables or gorgeous owers in it? ere are, of course, many who are incapable of regular, outdoor exercise. Despite their diminished physical capabilities, many of them still undauntedly push on and do what they can within the con nes of their limitations. On the ip side are those who self-sabotage by refusing to get up and get out. en they wonder why they ache and su er so many ills. e same is true about those who pollute their minds by ingesting mind-altering nonsense,

primarily through cable, the internet, and social media. No wonder they often become neurotic, uptight, short-tempered, and socially myopic. Garbage in, garbage out.

Imagine how much better we’d be as a culture and society if everyone, or at least more than 54%, dedicated themselves to a minimum of 150-minute regimens of both mental and physical exercise, the kinds that don’t make your blood pressure rise but, instead, cause you to smile when you’re done.

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

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not be submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

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Our ‘Columbine at 25’ project

Last week, our newsroom released the rst part of our two-week series “How Columbine changed us.” It looks back on the 25 years since the tragic shooting at Columbine High School, where two armed students took the lives of 13 people before ending their own. e narrative often repeated in the media focuses on the killers and victims, but, as we reported in week one, it overlooks Columbine’s journey of

recovery, resilience and triumph. In week two, we touch on the issues of safety in “How Columbine changed response.” In the aftermath of Columbine, schools across the country have increased security measures. ese include classroom doors that lock from the inside, single-point entry systems, security cameras, metal detectors, scanners and drills. And, rst responders have changed how they communicate.

Our biggest nding is that the de ning aspect of Columbine is not the shooting, but the response of the community. It is the indomitable spirit that has emerged and evolved at the school and surrounding area since 1999. is spirit is evident in the school’s Day of Service, held every April 20, the anniversary of the shooting. As teacher Mandy Cooke, a survivor of the 1999 incident, puts it, “We have turned that day into some-

thing so positive… making sure that our current students know how to be better humans in the world, instead of this awful, tragic thing that happened to us.” us, inclusive school culture is perhaps the most critical way Columbine changed us.

View the whole project online at coloradocommunitymedia.com/ columbine-at-25.

– Michael de Yoanna and Kristen Fiore, editors

The Columbine High School yearbook, one of many points of pride for students and the community and part of the culture that those close to the school say is also a part of what makes it safer. COURTESY OF KELLEY KELLOGG

BY HALEY LENA AND SUZIE GLASSMAN

Today, it’s common across the country for children as young as 4 and 5 to participate in active-shooter drills and shelter-in-place lockdowns about as often as they take standardized tests. at includes the Je erson County School District, where Columbine High School resides.

e Columbine of today has classroom doors that lock from the inside and a single-point entry for students, sta and visitors. It’s equipped with many visible and invisible ways to prevent and/or limit the impact of a mass-scale emergency, a kind that had not been on the national radar before the mass shooting.

While many people may believe school security is about physical barriers and policing threats, those working in the building today, including principal Scott Christy and social studies teachers Sam Bowersox and Je Garkow, say safety at Columbine is also about culture. As a result, the sum of those safety measures is far greater than the parts.

“Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe, and teachers can’t teach if they don’t feel safe. And so it’s everything. It’s incredibly important,” said Christy. “I think Columbine is the safest school in the world. My hope is that sta and students don’t think about what happened 25 years ago. ey see it as they see their school as a home, a place that they’re proud to be a part of, and a place that they know that they’re loved and cared for.”

Still, security has changed since the April 20, 1999 shooting.

John McDonald wasn’t at Columbine that day, but like countless others, his life was forever changed by the tragedy. Nine years later, he became the executive director of school safety for the Je erson County School District, including Columbine, and, since moving on, has continued to work to make schools safer.

“I hate to say good came out of it,” said McDonald. “But what came out of (the Columbine shooting) was the commitment to protect kids.”

Before the tragedy, school o cials and security o cers focused on the potential dangers outsiders might in ict on their buildings. Overnight, they had to shift their thinking to consider that students could be threats, too, and how that might impact school safety plans.

Doing so took its toll. Between 1999 and 2008, the school district had multiple executive directors of school safety.

“ e job was di cult,” said McDonald, who held the position for 14 years starting in 2008. “It was overwhelming for people.”

McDonald, who is now the chief operating o cer for the National Council of School Security, was rec-

ognized internationally as the architect of the Columbine High School security and emergency management plan.

In April 1999, with no incident command structure in the district, school security consisted of a handful of cameras outside the school and a few school resource o cers. ere was a disconnect with local law enforcement agencies, who were unfamiliar with the insides of the school, critical information that would be useful for saving lives during an incident.

According to a 2018 Federal School Safety Commission report, there was a rush by leaders across the country to add security o cers and speed up response times, among other measures. Security experts also began considering how students, who often hear rsthand about planned attacks or suicidal ideations, might help tip them o . As a result, the Colorado Trust awarded a $375,000 grant to establish the anonymous 24/7 hotline Safe2Tell.

It’s di cult to know precisely how the immediate security changes impacted students. Walking into Columbine in August 1999, Kelley Kellogg said she didn’t focus on the added security or the changes to the school other than being relieved that the library where the majority of the deaths occurred had been walled o .

Instead, she felt the typical nerves and excitement of any student on their rst day of high school. As a freshman, she hadn’t been there on the day of the shooting, but she knew

several classmates who had, including one whose sibling had died.

“Mostly, we didn’t talk about it, even my friend who’d been directly impacted,” said Kellogg. “But I felt incredibly safe. Everyone was super vigilant and protective. Frank DeAngelis (the principal at the time) and all of the teachers took such good care of us, shielded us from the media attention and made us feel loved and cared for.”

A 2021 Students’ Reports of Safety and Security Measures Observed at School published by the National Center for Education Statistics indicated four measures became more prevalent in the ensuing years, from 2009 to 2019.

Students saw an increase in the use of one or more security cameras, a locked entrance or exit door during the day, student identi cation badges and security guards or assigned police o cers.

e sitting Je erson County School District Executive Director for the Department of School Safety, Je Pierson, said that in addition to more alarmed doors, secure classrooms, and vestibules to check identi cation, more information and security is coming with added cameras and security guards.

“I think it sends a message to our kids and our parents that we’ve got an additional set of eyes that are highly trained individuals watching out for and keeping an eye on what’s going on in our buildings,” said Pierson.

Six years ago, McDonald hired Pierson as the district’s director of

safe school environments. In this role, he focused on enhancing partnerships between schools, district leadership, and the Department of School Safety, seeking to establish a more proactive approach.

Before taking on this role, Pierson was the principal at Standley Lake High School in Westminster and trained in federal and police safety and policing programs. Pierson said having rst responder training and the lens of an educator has helped him break down barriers to how schools should operate.

Far more than the enforced wearing of student IDs and the additional patrol cars posted outside, Kellogg said safety came from a sense of belonging.

“I feel like everyone just kind of tried to get along,” she said. “Because even though this really tragic thing happened, I felt like we were a part of a family. Kids are kids, and stu still happens, but I felt like everyone tried their best to take care of each other.”

Evolving approach to safety and security

McDonald noted that school districts across Colorado struggled to create cohesive security plans until 2008, when state lawmakers passed a law creating the Colorado School Safety Resource Center “to assist schools in preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies and crisis situations and to foster positive learning environments.”

Columbine High School Principal Scott Christy stands on April 4 outside the Frank DeAngelis Community Safety Center in Wheat Ridge. He spoke to reporters there as part of the Je co Public Schools “media day” in connection with the 25th anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Communications problems led to state’s now-robust radio program

Colorado’s interoperable radio communication system for first responders has undergone continuous build-out over the past 25 years since Columbine. More commonly known as the digital trunked radio system (DTRS), this “system of systems” connects firefighters, law enforcement and other responders across a network of radios, both handheld and vehicle-mounted. While it has seen its share of problems from inconsistent funding to technology glitches, Larkspur Fire Protection District Fire Capt. Chad Campagnola says he’s confident in the system and in its ability to perform in the event of a large-scale emergency.

After more than 25 years of build-out, Colorado’s Digital Trunked Radio System has made a di erence, first responders say

BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY DGRIGSBY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In the years before the shooting at Columbine High School, Colorado had already started to address challenges within its radio communications system for rst responders. Primarily directed at helping rural and mountainous towns mitigate dead spots in coverage, these e orts were a promising step forward, particularly during wild res, when aid spanned multiple jurisdictions.

But on April 20, 1999, when more than 40 separate agencies descended upon Columbine High School, communication broke down.

As police, re and medical personnel responded to the shootings that took 13 lives, radio frequencies overloaded because so many di erent agencies were all

trying to talk at once.

At one point, radios had become so useless that messengers on foot had to relay critical information between agencies, as then-chief of the state Fire Safety Division Kevin Klein told e Denver Post in 2011.

“Go back to Columbine — different responding agencies on different radio systems that couldn’t talk to each other,” Klein told the Post. “You had paralysis in the initial phase of the incident. We had to use runners to go back and forth to talk about what we’re going to do.”

But a quarter of a century later, many rst responders say that challenges aside, the state’s Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS) has made a di erence.

Experts describe DTRS as a “system of systems” that connects re, law enforcement, medical, military and federal assets with a net-

work of radios, antennas and specialized software patches to bridge gaps between newer hardware and legacy equipment.

And even school districts can be part of the DTRS system.

“Any agency within the state can go to the system and connect with any other law enforcement or rst responder group that is on the scene of a critical incident,” Jacki Kelley, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheri ’s O ce, said of the DTRS.

Fire Capt. Chad Campagnola said the Larkspur Fire Protection District has been a part of the state’s DTRS systems since Douglas County transitioned to it in the early 2000s.

Campagnola, who has been with the department since 1992 and styles himself as the “district radio guy,” said that although the DTRS system added more capabilities for his team, the early roll-out was not without frustrations.

As in most jurisdictions, Campagnola cites the standard funding and technology challenges as the most troublesome.

Not only is the radio expensive,

but there are also fees for each radio to be on the system and for certain types of software upgrades. However, with more than two decades of build-out complete, Campagnola says he’s con dent in the system and feels it has evolved into a dependable asset that can help save lives and protect property.

Prior to DTRS, Larkspur had often experienced radio communication di culties due to its local geography and terrain.  ings are much better now.

“It’s de nitely an improvement from 24 years ago,” said Campagnola. “It’s also an improvement from two years ago. In our district speci cally, Douglas County has added more (radio) towers in the past ve years and that’s made an impact, especially for responders in the southern part of the county, as it a ects not just re but law enforcement, but roads and bridges, and the Douglas County School District — anyone operating within the DTRS coverage area.”

PHOTO

BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

PROGRAM

The Columbine Commission Report

Nine months after the Columbine massacre, then-Gov. Bill Owens signed an executive order creating the Columbine Review Commission in response to public outcry for answers. e 10-member board, chaired by retired Colorado Supreme Court Justice William H. Erickson, was charged with identifying lessons learned and how those lessons could prevent future tragedies.

e Columbine Review Commission Report was released in May 2001, nearly a year and a half later.

Anger and accusations ensued in the days after the report’s release as parents, school o cials and others demanded answers, saying the 174-page report completely “glossed over” the events that led up to the attack and failed to properly investigate police response.

e commission o ered its recommendations but made no requirements for mandatory implementation. e commission was disbanded after its report was released, further infuriating the public.

However, among the commission’s top recommendations was the need to improve communications and, as a byproduct, more coordination among emergency response agencies. It recommended continuing development of the Digital Trunk Radio System.

Speci cally, the Columbine Commission recommended that “agencies in parts of the state not yet within the statewide system receive funds for the purchase of TRP 100 or similar systems, enabling them to be available in the event of a serious catastrophe in any part of the state.”

While much has changed since 1999, improving the rst responder radio system has been di cult in the decades since. e challenge in building out — and sustaining — Colorado’s interoperable communication system seem to be consistent among agencies and falls into three distinct buckets: funding, planning, and training.

Colorado amply followed up with heavy investment in the DTRS program.

Putting a nger on exactly how much has been invested in Colorado’s DTRS program year-to-date is complicated as multiple sources of funding have been and continue to be employed. A  2016 memo from the Colorado Legislative Council provides an insight into the program’s early nancial history, nearing $250 million at the time.

But piles of money aside, what most didn’t realize is that this project would be far more than just buying new radios and issuing them to rst responders.

Building a statewide interoperable radio system would include the construction of multiple antenna

towers — some of them in hard-toget-to mountainous terrain — to bridge growing technology gaps between new and legacy systems. State technology experts would also have to identify and manage radio frequencies, as well as convince jurisdictions to collaborate and share resources.

Legislation to provide interoperable communication funding for schools

In 2011, more than 10 years after the mass shooting, then-Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law Senate Bill 11-173. e bill addressed the lack of interoperable communications between schools and rst responders during an emergency. It augments the Colorado School Response Framework, created in 2008, to improve school crisis response by clarifying that interoperable communications are included in a school district’s school safety, readiness, and incident management plan.

Senate Bill 18-158 created the School Access for Emergency Response program, which provides schools with grant funding to purchase interoperable communication hardware and software, pay for equipment maintenance and provide training. e goal was to facilitate “seamless communications between existing school communications systems and rst responder communications systems.”

e state placed the SAFER program within the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and initially funded it with a $5 million transfer from the Department of Public Safety for

the 2018-19 scal year. Subsequent years were funded by State Public School Fund transfers through July 1, 2023.

Colorado’s O ce of Information Technology currently oversees the state’s public safety communications network and the DTRS.

But even with millions in local, state and federal dollars invested in the DTRS program, completing — and sustaining — a statewide interoperable radio system still has a few bugs.

While most emergency management and public safety experts say the state’s system has improved dramatically and local governments are more organized and collaborative since the Columbine shooting, there is still work to do. Other jurisdictions have a similar take.

e Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce — an early adopter of DTRS, joining Douglas County and Arapahoe County in the program in the late 1990s — was among the rst to arrive on the Columbine scene in 1999.

e agency understands, rsthand, what can go wrong when rst responders are unable to communicate. Brad Ingermann, a commander with the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce Patrol Division, said that while the state’s DTRS still has its challenges, his agency is far better o than it was at the time of the Columbine shooting and now clearly believes it has an interoperable radio system that works.

“While large-scale incidents such as Columbine are far more common than they used to be, they are

still very rare compared to events such as wildland res,” he said.

As Ingerman points out, wildland res can quickly spread across multiple jurisdictions and require a medley of rst responders and mutual aid partners — all arriving on the scene and many operating on di erent radio systems and channels.

DTRS helps solve this.

It does so by connecting rst responders by the use of pre-coordinated channels assigned to both day-to-day and emergency operations. Speci c talk groups are allocated based on responder function and assignments, freeing up channels and organizing incident information among multiple agencies and partners.

Hardware alone does not create interoperability

But interestingly, over the past 25 years, much of the federal dollars made available to states and local jurisdictions initially went toward the purchase of equipment hardware: things like handheld radios, car radios, repeaters, antennas and tower systems.

Some experts in the eld recall “radio spending sprees” to purchase the 800-MHz radios — quickly spending grant money to avoid getting caught up in product shortages and back-order delays.

Fran Santagata, a retired U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulatory analyst and former Douglas County emergency manager, said the same was true for Colorado.

Mobile data terminals or MDTs as they are known, are computers used in vehicles operated by fire, law enforcement and other fields to connect mobile units, such as this fire engine operated by the Larkspur Fire Protection District, to a central dispatch or communications center.

PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

A Day of Service: Columbine teacher assists with reshaping narrative

BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Every day Je rey Garkow frequents the halls of his alma mater.

Garkow graduated from Columbine High School in 2006 and now works there as a social studies teacher.

He is one of the rst people to help reshape how the school honors the 13 lives taken on April 20, 1999.

Prior to 2017, the school wouldn’t hold classes on April 20.

“My experience with April 20 on the professional side of things was that it was just a day o ,” Garkow said. “I think that was hard for a lot of people, especially for the sta who were here on April 20, 1999.”

So, in 2016, Garkow said he and other Columbine educators decided to reimagine the day o and launched Day of Service.

“ is, I think, is kind of giving us the chance to control the narrative a little more about what Columbine has been through and what we are now,” he said.

e rst Day of Service was held in 2017. Garkow said about 400 students volunteered to participate. Last year around 1,500 of the school’s 1,700 students participated in the event.

Students, alumni, sta and community members participate in various projects on the Day of Service including volunteering at nursing homes, spending time at animal shelters, cleaning up parks, working with younger students in the district and cleaning up the campus.

In 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed a proclamation declaring that Colorado will observe a Day of Service and Recommitment on April 20 each year.

Over the years, more alumni have gotten involved with the day and even planned their own versions of the event at other schools or their places of employment.

Frank DeAngelis, former Columbine principal, said people have participated in the Day of Service from beyond the state — even as far away as Tanzania.

“It’s stu like that that I think is so important,” he said. “Because here’s the thing. ere are kids now that weren’t even born, but there’s certain messages — kindness, saying thank you … How do we make the world a better place?”

Mandy Cooke, a Columbine High School employee and survivor of the shooting, said the Day of Service reects the school’s current attitude of moving forward with hope.

“We have turned that day into something so positive,” she said. “And that is what I am most proud of — is making sure that our current students know how to be better humans in the world, instead of this awful, tragic thing that happened to us.”

For Garkow, the best aspect of Day of Service is the reactions from students who he says have loved participating in the celebration and carry that impact long after they graduate or leave.

“It’s just a really cool thing to hear students talk about that and how

much of an impact that made on them and how much they continue to want to do that now,” Garkow said.

Garkow was in fth grade at Governor’s Ranch Elementary School on April 20, 1999. All he really remembers is learning the impact that day had on the community.

Sometimes students ask him about the shooting and Garkow said he is as open as possible with them and does his best to answer their questions.

“ ere is so much misinformation online and on social media or on ReddIt or in news articles about our school and the culture of our school that I think students pick up on,” Garkow said.

Garkow feels protective of his students. He feels they should not have to answer to people who are curious about the school.

“What responsibility do our kids have to own that story when they weren’t even alive during it?” Garkow said. “I think a lot of our kids have a di erent take on it now because they didn’t experience any of it.”

As a student himself, Garkow didn’t fully comprehend what had happened but did witness how tightknit the community became.

“I came into the school already as a kid with a lot of pride in seeing what the community did after that and seeing how the community responded,” Garkow said.

He said DeAngelis became the center of that community in many ways.

“I think so much of why we are

the community we are today is because of Frank,” Garkow said. “ at guy absolutely gave up everything for himself to take care of the community and made sure every kid felt valued and welcomed.”

Garkow said DeAngelis later hired him to teach at the school. He worked with DeAngelis for a few years before DeAngelis retired.

“I absolutely love being in the school,” Garkow said. “ ere’s 20plus alumni who I think work in the building and I think that speaks a lot to the strength of the community (and) how much the school means to people.”

Garkow said the community of the school feels almost like a family.

“I think it’s rare to work in a place where so many of the people you were with are just dear friends,” Garkow said. “It’s pretty rare that I feel like I’m coming here just to work.”

Garkow works with a lot of his own former teachers.

“( ey) are mentors and friends and people who I hope I can model myself after as an educator just because they meant so much to me when I was a student here,” Garkow said.

Garkow said he hopes more stories about where the school is now are told rather than only re ecting on the past.

“ ere is so much tragedy but there have also been so many beautiful moments that’ve come out since, that I think it gives a much better picture of who we are now and where we are as a school,” Garkow said.

Social studies teacher and alumnus at Columbine High School, Je Garkow stands at his old locker from his time as a student. Garkow has pride in the school, which he shows each year at the school’s Day of Service on April 20. He assists with coordinating the event and feels it reshapes the narrative of Columbine as a school and community. PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY

PROGRAM

“But equipment alone doesn’t create interoperability,” she said. “ ere is a speci c element of coordination and planning required, as well as training. Prociency and comfort in using the equipment are just as important.”

For most jurisdictions, Larkspur included, a signi cant portion of their daily radio tra c occurs over the DTRS, as designed.

But, as Santagata suggests, many rst responders tend to be more comfortable with their daily comms channels than they are with their emergency channels.

“I think the DTRS got built out, the towers have helped tremendously, and all of the training has helped, but I think we still struggle at every event with the lowest common denominator, which is the individual rst responder only being

SECURITY

Additionally, the Standard Response Protocol, created by the I Love You Guys Foundation, was released in 2009 and is now used by countless districts across states. e guidelines made a di erence for the school district because they were an “emergency prepared, not emergency scared program” that everyone understood.

Columbine today

On a bright Tuesday morning, mere days before spring break, the energy at Columbine is relaxed and playful. e school’s 1,668 students walk the halls with ease, chatting with friends and making their way to class.

ey aren’t worried about potential threats or the possibility of something terrible happening. at’s because safety is baked into the very fabric of the school’s culture, and the students know it, explains Columbine SRO Eric Ebling.

Columbine is the only school in Je erson County with two SROs, Ebling and Dan Wonner, who have been there since 2017 and 2019. SRO Joella Gallegos works at one of the feeder middle schools and communicates constantly with Ebling and Wonner. Because of its storied past, Columbine also has more unarmed campus supervisors than others in the Je erson County School District.

Yet, safety doesn’t come only from the number of o cers.

“It’s people. It’s communication, and it’s philosophy,” said Ebling. “It’s not mind-reading technology or drones. e only reason we can make this work every day is with the mindset that everyone’s job is safety and security. Security is not just Dan (Wonner) and me, the sheri ’s o ce or even campus security. If you’re on this property, your job is safety and security.”

Pierson adds that “culture is one of the biggest mitigators.”

“If you have a culture that embeds

comfortable using the frequency they use day to day,” she said. “Almost every after-action report usually has a paragraph — or a chapter — on how communications broke down.”

“I think there’s de nitely truth to that,” said Campagnola. “Dealing with, like, a uni ed command with three agencies where we are, we are very comfortable with our primary work zone or operational zone.”

But Campagnola notes the solution to that is not just the responsibility of the individual radio user.

He said agency leadership also plays an important role in developing good muscle memory for users, looking at the bigger picture and developing relevant training exercises to reinforce those skills.

For the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce, DTRS training for its personnel begins as early as with new recruits in the county’s law enforcement academy and continues with day-to-day use as the recruit

enters the force, and with annual exercises that help reinforce radio competency.

“But we are a think-outside-ofthe-box agency,” said Jacki Kelley, spokesperson for the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce. “We have an initial plan and a backup plan, but as you know, emergencies don’t always go the way you plan or the way you train.”

But as communities continue to expand and population density increases, more funding will obviously be needed to support and maintain the state’s program.

Overall, most users seem to agree the DTRS system has made a di erence.

Is it perfect?

Not really.

“But I think it’s all good,” said Campagnola. “Like, I have no complaints about anything with our system. We’re continually improving it as a county and as a state, which is allowing for better interoperability.”

safety, connections, knowing your student by name, strengths and needs and making sure they have a reporting mechanism for when they hear or see something, those things are easy to implement, and they’re free,” Pierson said.

Columbine sophomore Madison Price sees the school’s security measures but also feels safe because, like Kellogg, who graduated long before her, there’s a sense that everyone in the school is dedicated to taking care of them.

“I do feel safe at school,” Price said. “ ere’s people here to protect us.”

Today, the district’s Department of School Safety, which has over 100 security sta working round the clock,

continues to work directly with law enforcement and speak with other districts. It established a group of school safety administrators who meet once a month to discuss hot topics and are also part of a group that gives feedback to legislators.

Part of the culture is balancing the ne line between having too much of a physical environment that creates a prison-like mentality and keeping the physical presence there while maintaining a calm, inclusive and safe atmosphere.

“It has to be completely controlled internally,” said Pierson. “Which means student voices, teachers’ voices, parents’ voices, all those stakeholders have to be completely

involved and not just involved but invested in what looks like a safe school environment.”

e measures in place at Columbine are “night and day from what the security measures were back then,” said Pierson. “But our job is to continue to stay up with the times and keep our buildings as safe as they can be.”

e Columbine tragedy forever changed school safety and security measures as we knew them. Yet, the one thing the massacre couldn’t change was the unbreakable spirit of the Columbine community, which continues to embody former principal DeAngelis’ rallying cry: “WE ARE COLUMBINE.”

Hand-held radios, like this one, help first responders communicate with each other not only on a day-to-day basis but also during emergencies. This is thanks to significant investment by local, state and federal entities into Colorado’s interoperable radio system over the past two decades. DEBORAH GRIGSBY

Je Pierson, who serves as Je erson County School District’s director for the Department of School Safety, stands on April 4 outside the Frank DeAngelis Community Safety Center in Wheat Ridge. He spoke to news reporters there as part of the Je co schools “media day,” held in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

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