Mike Johnston reflects on first year as Denver mayor
BY ISABEL GUZMAN
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Two issues to sum up Mike Johnston’s rst year as Denver mayor are homeless encampments and migrants. His rst year was marked by sweeps of the former and managing tens of thousands of unexpected immigrant arrivals.
In a year, Johnston reports progress. Denver has sheltered 1,600 people living on the streets, part of an initiative that has declared homelessness a state of emergency for the city. By the end of this year, Johnston aims to up the number of people housed to 2,000.
Also, in his rst year, Johnston has addressed an in ux of 30,000 migrants, many from Venezuela, he said during his State of the City address in July.
Despite challenges, Johnston continues to love his role.
“ e bene t is you can have a real impact on things that matter in people’s lives every day as a mayor,” he said.
Johnston spoke a few days after his address in a conversation that touched on the above issues and more, including crime, anti-war demonstrations on the Auraria campus and the local economy. e interview below has been slightly edited for context and clarity.
Question: What haven’t you accomplished yet that you thought you would have by now?
Johnston: So, our shootings and murders are down about 30% already this year. ose are things we really wanted to accomplish and we are making progress but are never done.
We still want to focus on the broader challenge around a ordable housing in Denver. We know that housing is the single most expensive thing for families and more and more families are getting pushed out of the city because they can’t a ord to stay. is is why we
‘We are making progress’
focus so much energy on this opportunity for a ballot measure this November that would allow us to bring in the resources we need to actually bring on the number of affordable housing units.
Context: Johnston’s administration has proposed raising Denver’s sales tax by 0.5% to raise $100 million annually to help pay for a ordable housing projects, according to e Denver Post. e proposal would raise the city’s overall tax rate from 8.81% to 9.65%. City Council members halted the measure from moving further on Wednesday, July 24, saying that it lacked speci c details.
Q: How do you manage mayoral duties while also being a father and husband?
Johnston: e bene t is everything I do is within 10 miles of my house. And then a lot of the time,
my kids will come to community events with me. We’ve been working parents through most of our careers, so my wife and I are a bit used to it.
Q: Earlier this year, pro-Palestinian protesters launched an encampment on the Auraria campus. You arrived hours after the first arrests had been made to encourage protesters to take down the tents. What was going through your mind while you were there? Have you dealt with protests before?
Johnston: I’ve certainly dealt with protesters before. I was a school principal and I had students who would have issues they were concerned about and I always feel like the best thing to do is to go and listen, gure out what people want and wherever they may be common ground.
Actually, I brought my daughter with me on that visit to the Aura-
ria encampment. And so I thought I should just go and listen. I got to talk to the university presidents and get all their feedback to see how we could work together. I think that in the end of that, we came to a really great resolution that I credit the Auraria campus for.
A lot of campuses had much more di cult, much more violent, much more divisive events. I thought it turned out to be a place where people listened to each other and got to a resolution that both sides I think felt good about and that’s a credit to them.
We’re very proud of the fact that we have had peaceful protests in Denver almost every week since October. ey’ve been productive. People have been heard and we’ve carried on our business throughout the city.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston delivers his State of the City Address at the Paramount Theatre in Denver on July 22, 2024.
PHOTO BY ISABEL GUZMAN
Seniors Over 70 Should Consider Downsizing Into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home
Regular readers know that I’ve written about this topic before, but it bears repeating. Just last week a reader called me about listing their home and helping them to buy a smaller, easier to maintain home.
Most agents would welcome this opportunity to have two paydays from a single client, but I’m different, because Rita and I were in a similar situation two years ago and chose another path, and we’re glad we did.
your “golden years” and travel, there’s the added stress of securing your home and handling yard maintenance and snow removal in your absence, so your home doesn’t look like you are on vacation.
We sold our 4,000-squarefoot home and moved into a 1,200-square-foot apartment. A recent study showed that this is a trend among us Baby Boomers.
Homeownership has a lot of costs, responsibility and tasks. The costs include rising property taxes which you will want to appeal every two years, plus rising insurance costs which can’t be appealed. For many, HOA dues and special assessments are an added burden.
Also, just as you might want to enjoy
Condo ownership at least offers a lock-and-leave situation, but still entails those other expenses. Rental relieves you of all the above.
I still recommend home ownership for non-seniors, because it is a proven strategy for wealth accumulation. Indeed it is the appreciation from our owned real estate which set Rita and me up for retirement far more than our earned income.
As one of my fellow Realtors is fond of saying, “If you have too little real estate or not enough, I’m here to help you!”
Fortunately, most seniors over 70 probably own their home free and clear, which means that selling their home can produce a lot of cash to invest in annui-
Kudos to Wendy Renee, Loan Officer Extraordinaire
Last week, I had a double closing that was only made possible by the diligent work of our in-house lender, Wendy Renee of Fairway Independent Mortgage. I can’t go to press this week without describing her work to you!
As happens now and then, I “doubleended” a listing, selling it to an out-ofstate buyer who was unrepresented. This was an investor who has purchased 18 homes and had her own lender, but that lender couldn’t perform and two subsequent lenders failed her, until the last one said we’d have to move the closing to August 15th instead of July 31st. The problem was that my seller was under contract to buy her replace-
ment home on July 31st, and the seller of that home couldn’t postpone the closing because of the contract they had on their replacement home.
So I introduced the out-of-state buyer by phone to Wendy, who said she could meet the deadline — and she did!
Making that possible was the fact that Fairway has every lending function inhouse. She issued disclosures on day 1, got underwriting approval on day 2, sent the Initial Closing Disclosure on day 3, and got the appraisal transferred and a Clear-to-Close on day 7. The loan proceeds were wired on day 7 so we had them for closing at 8 a.m. on day 8.
Thanks, Wendy. You’re amazing!
List With Me & Get Totally Free Local Moving
It has long been my practice — and that of some of my broker associates — that if you hire me to list your current home and to purchase your replacement home, I will not only reduce my commission for selling your current home but provide totally free local moving using our company moving truck (similar to a large U-Haul) and our own moving personnel. We also provide free moving boxes and packing paper/bubble wrap.
using traditional moving companies, you know that our totally free moving can save you thousands of dollars, even for a move within the metro area.
ties or CDs which could well provide enough monthly income to compensate for paying rent. A quick calculation can tell you whether your money will in fact outlive you, when that invested income is added to your Social Security and other income. That was the calculation that Rita and I made.
The question then arises, where can I rent an apartment that suits my needs? Should I go into a 55+ “independent living” complex or a regular rental?
A 55+ community may suit you, especially if you’re a widow or widower or otherwise single, because it can provide much-wanted companionship with its many activities. Some such communities offer “continuous care,” meaning that if you suffer a health setback, you can switch to assisted living, nursing home care and or even memory care without having to move to another com-
munity. I recommend Jenn Gomer from CarePatrol, 720-675-8308, who will interview you about your needs and wants and help you find the right 55+ community for you. She found the complex that Rita and I selected, although we have since moved to a regular rental closer to my office. You pay nothing for her services. She is compensated by the community which you end up choosing,
Are Real Estate Agents Overpaid?
Here’s some data cited by Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman at a conference last week: Seventy-seven percent of agents haven’t made a sale this year, slightly worse than the 70 percent average seen in previous years. Of the agents who do make a sale, more than half earn less than $50,000 a year, and nearly a fourth make $100,000. More than a third of agents have to work a second job just to be able to stay in real estate. (from Inman News)
Trusts Are Another Tool for Leaving Home to Heirs
On July 25th, I wrote about title issues, especially when it relates to leaving a home to your heirs. With input from attorney Dan McKenzie, I wrote about the use of beneficiary deeds and life estates.
A reader asked, “what about trusts?” So I asked Dan to address that topic, and he sent me the following:
Trusts offer several advantages over beneficiary deeds and life estates. Like those two options, a properly funded trust avoids probate. Unlike those two options, however, it also allows your chosen trustee to step in and manage the property during an incapacity event, which is a more significant risk than death at any point in your life. Also, trusts allow you to control things over a few steps and can include instructions on handling things during the various phases of occupancy.
For example, if I want to leave a house to my two kids at my death, I could do that with a beneficiary deed, and that would avoid probate. However, the two kids would become equal co-owners, with no obligation to
each other or any way to resolve disputes about the property. If the property is passed to them through a trust, you can specify as many details as you want in the trust agreement about who is in charge: how costs will be split, decisions will be made, disputes will be resolved, etc.
Similarly, a trust can allow someone to live in the house for some time but ultimately direct where that house goes after a particular event. This is very common when one spouse brings a house into a second marriage. The spouse who does not have an ownership interest often wants assurance that they can stay in the house if they survive the house's owner. But the house's owner wants assurance that, ultimately, this significant asset will pass to their kids, not their step-kids.
A trust can include all the instructions about handling that, such as who is responsible for the maintenance, upkeep, insurance, and taxes during the surviving spouse's occupancy. A life estate doesn't give you a way to provide so much instruction.
Just pack and unpack. We will even pick up your flattened boxes and packing materials after you unpack!
If you have ever priced moving costs
I bought our first moving truck in 2004. We replaced it with a newer truck (above) in 2016. I calculate that we’ve saved clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in moving costs over the years.
Real Estate lists and sells residential properties across the Denver metro area. Jim
Context: e pro-Palestinian encampment lasted nearly a month on the Auraria campus before protestors voluntarily dispersed on May 17. e day after the encampment began, about 40 arrests were made by Denver police of protestors who refused to leave. Later that day, Johnston arrived on campus to meet with police and university o cials and asked protestors to take tents down, per campus policy.
On May 18, one of the protest organizers, Denver Students for a Democratic Society, said in a statement that the encampment stood as a testament to the strength and determination of students to support Palestinian liberation. On the same day, Auraria Campus of Higher Education said, “We hope this will end more than three weeks of unauthorized occupation that has increasingly escalated into dangerous activities, taken signi cant time, resources, and dialogue with student protesters to resolve, and has pulled us away from our academic mission and goals.”
Q: Did you ever attend protests in college?
Johnston: I did. I went to some of the early protests around the Iraq War and then there were issues on poverty, childcare and educational quality. I know this was a very volatile issue for which there were very strong feelings on both sides. Although, I would say it was not as mobilizing an issue at the time. ere is a real moment of activism now that I think the younger generation has really led. I think our job as educators or sometimes as mayors is to give people space to have those conversations and have them safely.
Q: Is it challenging to represent all the diverse opinions and voices that make up Denver?
Johnston: One of the things I like about this job is that it’s a nonpartisan job. You don’t represent a party, you represent all of the people. e nice thing is there generally aren’t real partisan approaches to solving homelessness or public safety or a ordable housing. ey’re not necessarily political issues. ey’re pragmatic ones. I try to get as much direct feedback in person as opposed to from social media — social media can be a much di erent echo chamber. It’s not representative of where most of the city is. I try to do town halls and public events and I’ve done more than 100 now over the rst year. I think that’s the school
principal in me, I have a pretty thick skin so I don’t mind people being upset or giving me hard feedback. I’d rather know what they’re upset about and try to x it.
–
e interview ended there, before we could ask about migrants. During his State of the City address, Johnston said Denver has housed the most people faster per capita than any city in the country over the past 12 months, “You will not see a single tent… in all of downtown Denver, because all those people who were living on these streets are now living indoors in dignity.”
e mayor concluded during the address, “Finding a way to reverse the economic impacts of a global pandemic on our city center is hard,
replacing cycles of violence with centers of joy is hard, living on the streets in a tent in a freezing Denver winter is hard, leaving everything you have and walking 3,000 miles with a nine-year-old to an unknown future is hard, and nding the resources and strategies to bring on enough housing to keep a growing city a ordable is hard, but if there is one thing we’ve learned in the past year, it is that the single hardest problem we will ever face, is the belief that we can’t solve these problems at all.”
is story runs via e Metropolitan, which is the student newspaper for Metropolitan State University of Denver. Isabel Guzman is the 2024 summer reporting intern for Colorado Community Media.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (front) takes a selfie with Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson (right), Colorado Springs Mayor Blessing
“Yemi” Mobolade (2nd from right) and others attending a reception at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
COURTESY LAUREN SIMPSON
SPONSORED CONTENT
This summer, take simple steps for be er air
It’s another hot, sunny, bluesky day in Denver. The air is still and looks clear! Despite the beautiful day, you may feel irritation in your throat or a tightness in your chest while out walking the dog, at the park, riding your bike, or on an afternoon run. Your asthma may also be acting up.
This is likely the impact of ground-level ozone: the Front Range’s most pressing air quality problem each summer. We can’t see or smell it, but this pollutant accumulates the most on hot and sunny blue-sky days, reaching its highest levels in the afternoons and evenings.
While ozone serves an important purpose high up in the atmosphere — protecting us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation — at ground level, high concentrations of ozone are unhealthy. Ozone makes it difficult to breathe, increases our susceptibility to respiratory infections, and exacerbates respiratory ailments such as asthma.
High ozone levels affect all of us. Even if you are healthy, ozone can impact the cells in your lungs during and after exposure, like
sunburn, and repeated exposure over time can lead to reduced lung function. The people at higher risk of exposure or more sensitive to this air pollution include the elderly, those with respiratory conditions, outdoor workers, outdoor athletes, and especially children, whose lungs are still developing.
Where does this air pollution come from? Ground-level ozone is not directly emitted from any source. It forms in the air when two chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), react in the sunshine and heat of summer days. These chemicals are called ozone precursors, and they are released into the air from emissions made by our gaspowered vehicles, gas-powered lawn equipment, and oil and gas production across the Front Range.
Both colorless and odorless, ozone is different than wildfire smoke, tiny particulate matter called PM2.5 or PM10, and the visible Denver “brown cloud” of years past. However, ozone can combine with other air quality issues, and is sometimes referred to as “smog.”
While air quality in the region has greatly improved in the past half century, ozone remains a pressing issue to our health and environment. But as our gas-powered vehicles and gas-powered lawn equipment contribute to its formation, we all have the power to reduce ground-level ozone in the Front Range each summer!
First, sign up for ozone alerts. Visit SimpleStepsBetterAir.org to sign up for emails or text “BetterAirCO” to 21000 to receive air quality alerts on your phone. When the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) forecasts a high ozone day, the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) will send you a timely text or email to let you know.
On high ozone days, protect your health by avoiding outdoor exercise or heavy exertion between noon and 8 p.m. Still want to get outside? Plan ahead and spend time outside in the morning, or later in the evening, when ozone levels will be lower.
Second, reduce your emissions! Take some Simple Steps for Better Air: Skip two car trips per week by carpooling, combining
errands, or taking the bus or the light rail to get where you need to go. Don’t forget: youth ride for free on RTD! For shorter distances, leave the car at home and walk, ride a scooter, or your bike or e-bike.
Fuel up your car after 5 p.m. to avoid releasing emissions during the heat of the day. Skip idling your car: instead, roll down the windows and turn off the engine while waiting in parking lots or lines. Consider a low- or zeroemissions vehicle, like an electric vehicle (EV), when it’s time to purchase a new vehicle.
Mow the lawn after 5 p.m. if you still use gas-powered equipment. Even better, upgrade your old gas lawn mower, trimmer, or leaf blower to a new electric one with a 30% state discount at participating retailers this year!
And if your job can be done remotely, work from home at least one day a week and eliminate your commute altogether.
Taking these timely, simple steps in the summer improves our Front Range air quality, our health, and our ability to enjoy the outdoors! Visit SimpleStepsBetterAir.org for more information about how to reduce your ozone impact this summer and help your community breathe easier.
City’s ‘Feast in Denver’s Nature’ experiment restarted July 20
BY ERNEST GURULÉ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
One of summer’s greatest pleasures is dining al fresco. In part, it provides a break from the blistering summer heat and from preparing meals in a hot kitchen.
Now, in a two-part trial run under the auspices of Denver Parks and Recreation, dining al fresco in the parks is a real option.
e rst session ran through July 17. e second runs July 20 through Aug. 31.
“We wanted to space it out,” said DPR’s Stephanie Figueroa. By kicking things o early in the summer and ending at the end of August, Figueroa said “we’re catching both ends of the summer.”
e sites for the pilot program are Washington Park at East Kentucky and South Downing, Commons Park at 15th Street and Little Raven Street, and Paco Sánchez Park at West 12th and Knox Court.
Washington Park’s schedule includes Wednesdays from 4-8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m.
At Commons Park, trucks are permitted ursday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.
At Paco Sánchez, food trucks are permitted for business on Wednesdays from 4-8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (except for Aug. 3).
Figueroa said that the idea for the program, “Feast In Denver’s Nature,” came about after talks with
the various communities. When it appeared to make sense – other cities have been doing it for years – the city invited vendors to apply and obtain a permit, a $300 investment.
e history of food trucks is long. But over the last several years their evolution has been meteoric. e factory parking lot and construction-site staple food trucks, often referred to as “roach coaches,” where one can buy sandwiches and co ee still exist, but they stand in stark contrast to many modern food trucks. It may be considered the culinary contrast between Henry Ford and Elon Musk.
Figueroa said vendors who applied for the program feature fare ranging from Haitian cashew chicken to Mississippi cat sh and ribs to Asian fusion potstickers and shrimp. Of course, there are other menus, as well as more traditional summer o erings of ice cream cones and sundaes.
WeChef Kitchen, John Prom’s food truck, o ers a mostly Cambodian are with its menu. Beside cooking up cream cheese wontons and Asian street tacos, Prom has improvised with snacks aimed at a more American palate, like his Korean bulgogi meatballs. Same thing with his tacos.
“Instead of a Spanish taco we do a Chinese taco,” he explained. It looks basically the same as a conventional taco, but features Chinese spices. Prom, whose family is
Cambodian and who cooks while his son and daughter take orders and also cook, has found success with his hybrid menu.
Running a food truck was a nobrainer for Prom. Unlike his extended family, he wanted no part of traditional brick-and-mortar.
“ is is a lot cheaper than having a restaurant. I didn’t want to work seven days a week,” he said. He added he’s also strictly a “seasonal guy.” When cooking season’s over, Prom waxes up the snowboard, his other passion.
Figueroa said that when summer is over, DPR will evaluate how the pilot o ering has gone. e rst session experienced what Figueroa described as a few bumps in the road. When customers didn’t arrive in numbers that made it worth their while, some food truck operators left to nd business elsewhere.
“We’ll have surveys,” she said, and DPR will talk with both vendors and consumers. en, DPR will determine whether permits for food trucks in Denver parks will continue into the city’s future.
Customers line up to enjoy the o ering from John Prom’s WeChef Kitchen parked at Commons Park. Commons Park is one of three Denver parks participating in the city’s food-truck permitting experiment.
PHOTO BY ERNEST GURULÉ
Denver’s experiment with permitting food trucks for operation in city parks includes Washington Park. Look for trucks like Hibachi House near the basketball courts, on the South Downing Street side of the park. COURTESY OF DENVER
The projects address flood risk and restoration to improve the health and accessibility of the river
A section of the South Platte River in Grant Frontier Park — one of the proposed development sites in the Trail Improvement Plan.
PHOTO BY NATALIE KERR
Car enthusiasts talk about illegal street racing after Bandimere’s closure
BY VICTORIA CALTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
It’s Saturday night on southbound Interstate 25 near Castle Rock.
Cars rip through the lanes as drivers build adrenaline for a midnight car meet. A light blue Audi cuts diagonally from the right lane into the far left one. Two white Type R Hondas tail the Audi so close that all three of their taillights merge into a single stream. At about 9 p.m., the cars pull into abandoned parking lots and ll them with the sounds of grumbling engines and spooling turbochargers. ere, car enthusiasts socialize about what is hidden under the hood and who they want to roll race in Mexico.
Police roll through the lot, ashing their red and blue lights to signal the high risks of speeding in the streets. ese night scene car enthusiasts, for the most part, shrug it o and make their way back onto the streets, pushing their modi ed cars to the limit. Money, pride and winning fuel their passion to race.
Colorado State Trooper Cody Crowder said the streets are the wrong place for these gatherings.
“Speed is still among the top contributing factors to fatal crashes within our state,” Crowder said. “We have also noticed a rise in rearms-related charges associated with the street racers, including multiple shootings occurring during these races and roadway closures.”
After police o cers arrive, these enthusiasts quickly roll out to a new meet-up location, launching their vehicles from the on ramp back onto I-25. Some chase after each other through pockets in tra c. Others block the lanes by ashing their hazards. Once the highway ahead appears clear, the street racers send a signal ashing their hazards or honking their horns three times. Within seconds, they’re o — foot to the oor, feeling the force of being slammed into their seat. e night car scene in the Front Range is growing in popularity as the number of drag strips within the metro area drops to zero. Many people who love the rush of speeding down a quarter-mile straight lane used to take their cars to Bandimere Speedway in Morrison.
But following Bandimere Speedway’s 65th anniversary in 2023,
the family announced the track’s closure, creating a void for racers who called the track home and the police o cers who used to encourage street races to take their cars to the track. Last October, Bandimere Speedway hosted its nal Test and Tune event. Supercars, muscle cars, European and Japanese imports, professional dragsters and even family sedans completed their last passes at Bandimere’s under Mountain.
Police records from the Report Illegal Colorado Street Racing website — which is run by six city and district attorney’s o ces, six county sheri ’s o ces and 26 police departments in Colorado, including the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Information Analysis Center — show that statewide, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, there were 325 complaints from Colorado residents alleging illegal street racing. at’s 73 less than the year before, in 2022, when 398 complaints were led about street racing. Although the overall reports of street racing in Colorado decreased, the number of reports in cities connected to the winding stretch of I-25, including Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, saw an increase.
Legacy of Thunder Mountain
In 1958, John Bandimere Sr. purchased land in Morrison, where he and his family planned to carve a drag strip out of the side of a mountain. For 65 years, the strip was lled with smiling spectators as they watched ashy muscle cars, colorful funny cars, unique imports and stockbody family sedans and SUVs line up in the eight staging lanes preparing to race their vehicles.
Car enthusiasts could not get enough of shrieking tires, burning rubber and the echo of roaring engines bouncing o the mountain rivaling the sound of thunder.
“We would go almost every weekend because it’s so cheap and super, super fun,” said Caden Ellerington, director of the CU Car Club in Boulder. “It’s fun because (I) can bring whatever car I drive to school and go racing.”
Most members of the CU Car Club are current students and alumni of the University of Colorado Boulder, but the club is open to all car enthusiasts who want a fun, safe place to enjoy car culture. Despite the name, CU Car Club, the group is not a liated with the University of Colorado.
Ellerington grew up in a car family that restored classic cars and mo-
torcycles, went on trips o -roading their vehicles and racing their daily drivers and sports cars at Bandimere. Last summer, Ellerington started inviting members of the CU Car Club to Test and Tune Nights at the speedway to share the excitement of racing at the track before its closure. His biggest regret was not going to the track sooner and more frequently before the announcement.
“I think that the reason why street racing is so popular is because we’re all cheap,” Ellerington said. “We don’t have any money.”
ere are other drag strips in Colorado, but none are close to the metro area. Pueblo Motorsports Park and Julesburg Dragstrip are a long haul away. e money for gas to get to PMP, and another charge on racing fuel, can cost about $114, including racer entry fees, putting it out of reach for many metro-area drivers.
Nightlife: Colorado car culture
Lamborghini Huracans and Dark Horse Mustangs are rare. at’s because most street racers pick low pro le vehicles with a supercharger that is easy to tune.
The hand of Debbie Bandimere as she packs up old photos and stories about Bandimere Speedway in preparation for their move to a new track location in April.
PHOTO BY JANE THOMPSON / CU NEWS CORPS
“It’s not just turning your carburetor and putting the bolt-on (aftermarket performance parts) that you bought in a magazine anymore. It’s a lot of going through the computer,” said Ellerington.
With many modern vehicles, modifying your car to increase horsepower is a plug and play process. Data mapping is done through tuning companies that have crafted speci c programs to train a car’s electronic control unit into producing the most power with or without the installation of performance parts.
“I’m so intrigued by them and just their intelligence, and their knowledge as technology has changed,” said John “Sporty” Bandimere III, a professional drag racer and executive team member at Bandimere Speedway.
For example, a blacked-out Cadillac street raced fellow enthusiasts a quarter mile at a time from Colorado Springs to a new meet location closer to the Denver area. e car was quick from a rolling start, but if needed, it could blend into tra c even quicker when passing speed traps on the highway.
“ e adrenaline for me… just trying to get that adrenaline rush again,” said Raymond J., a night scene car enthusiast who drives a 2014 Chevrolet SS. “Racing is like one of the closest things to it.”
Younger car enthusiasts who experiment with the night scene gravitate towards German or Japanese imports because of the speed, they’re easy to work on and quick on the street. Many of the enthusiasts wished to remain anonymous, but were willing to go by their nicknames.
“Rest in peace Bandimere, we need another race track, a better one,” said D Boost.
Some street racers preferred Street Car Takeover events at Bandimere Speedway where they could do what’s called roll racing, rather than begin from a dead stop as seen in traditional drag racing. PMP and Pikes Peak International Raceway host roll racing events, but many street racers prefer a nearby highway rather than traveling to Pueblo or Fountain for a few passes at a crowded track.
“If you’re doing it on the highway, in Mexico, you’re doing it at like 60 miles an hour, and then somebody counts down to three… you’re basically going like 60 to 160, so it’s a little bit of an adrenaline rush,” Raymond said.
Raymond described how the culture has changed as more enthusiasts are interested in producing the most horsepower possible in their vehicles, rather than racing or joining nightlife activities for the thrill of it. Winning and making money o the nightlife has become more of a regular practice than when Raymond rst got into the night scene.
“ ere’s more of a stigma around that, especially with street racing... People are idiots and cars are dangerous,” Ellerington said. “ ere’s de nitely a di erence between the day-time (car meets) and the nighttime ones.”
Day scene: Colorado car culture e Bandimere family cared about
fostering a community-driven track where spectators and drivers could enjoy the speed in a controlled and safe environment. e Bandimeres hosted programs to educate young drivers about the dangers of being behind the wheel, as well as providing them with a track where they can reach high speeds in the manner of seconds.
“ e automobile is the most deadly weapon you can own,” Sporty Bandimere said.
Rather than trying to outlaw racing or bog down the youth with hefty nes, the Bandimere family worked to provide the public with a place to race and enjoy the car scene. Take it
to the Track: Test and Tune Nights, with the assistance of the Colorado State Patrol, created a space for the public to race.
Debbie Bandimere, the Nitro Knockouts crew chief, found it bene cial to host these weekly Wednesday night race days so people would not take their need for speed to the streets.
“We got ahold of the Colorado State Patrol and said, ‘hey do you want to partner with us, and we can create this Take it to the Track program … where we can try and keep the kids o the street,’” she said.
Colorado State Troopers were provided with $5 o coupons for
Test and Tune Nights at Bandimere Speedway to give to teens who were stopped because of speeding. State Troopers promoted a safe and controlled environment where people, especially youth, could race their cars rather than having to pay hefty nes for speeding on the highway.
“I’m extremely hopeful they will open again. I think Colorado needs that, especially, the metro area really needs a drag strip,” Ellerington said. is story was created by students at the University of Colorado-Boulder’s News Corps. Colorado Community Media participated in the process that helped bring this story to light.
John Bandimere Jr., owner of Bandimere Speedway, prepares for a meeting in April.
PHOTOS BY JANE THOMPSON / CU NEWS CORPS
Caden Ellerington stands next to his car at a Louisville car meet.
Tiny Town: A little time capsule of Denver’s past
A miniature post o ce, library, movie theater — along with a very little newspaper, the Tiny Town Tribune — bring childlike wonder to all
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Colorado may not look much like it did in 1915, but on one shady creekside grove in the Denver foothills, replicas of the Centennial State’s bygone landmarks pay tribute to what once was.
Tucked along an unassuming highway exit o US 285, Tiny Town has survived the test of time. Whether by luck, dedication or sheer willpower, the family-friendly outpost harkens back to a simpler time — one of the mountainside mines, universally beloved attractions, a miniature train that travels a circuit around the park, and $5 outings.
e park has had its share of rough patches. Floods, res andnancial turmoil have nearly spelled the end for the beloved roadside stop, but each time, those who love Tiny Town — of whom there are many — have found a way to keep the park alive.
“It will always be here for kids,” Park Manager Elvira Nedoma said. “Always.”
How Tiny Town began e story of Tiny Town begins with George Turner. e founder of a moving company in Denver, Turner bought his family a vacation home just outside the plot of land that Tiny Town occupies today.
In 1915, Turner’s 10-year-old daughter became gravely ill. As she was unable to withstand the pollutants of the outside world, Turner sought to bring the world to his ailing daughter.
At the time, shipping companies relied on wooden crates to transport goods. When Turner and his workers were idle, they would pass the time painting the crates to look like miniature houses and structures. It is from this pastime that
Tiny Town was born.
Originally a small collection of a few miniature buildings — some of Turner’s original houses can still be found at Tiny Town, and are housed in an area of the park known as ‘Turnerville’ — the park has grown into a sprawling collection of more than 150 replicas.
e Arvada Flour Mill, Bent’s Old Fort, White Fence Farm, Meyer Hardware and Robbins Flour Shop are just a few of the many notable Colorado landmarks that dot the park’s landscape.
Turner sold the park in 1927, shortly after his daughter succumbed to her illness. It was purchased by a man named John Ross, who proclaimed in his will that “Tiny Town is never to be sold; it’s here for the children.” e park has stayed in the Ross family for four generations and isn’t likely to change hands anytime soon.
Seasonal workers and volunteers
Maintenance at the park is undertaken by a loosely organized bunch of seasonal workers — Tiny Town is only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day — and a handful of volunteers. Nedoma said all the miniatures are donated, and the folks who donate them are supposed to help with the upkeep, though many simply don’t.
“( e person who donates the miniature is) supposed to maintain them, but they get maintained
for two years, and I never see (the person) again,” Nedoma said. “So, I’m stuck with all these houses, you know? I don’t know about people sometimes. If you built something, you think you’d want to maintain it.”
Nedoma — a welcoming presence draped in gold and black jewelry who spends most of her time manning Tiny Town’s concession stand, her sharp blue eyes beaming when little ones shyly request a serving of ice cream — personally oversees the maintenance of the park where she has worked for the past 25 years.
Initially drawn in after seeing houses with aging coats of paint, Nedoma said she lives nearby and couldn’t sit idle and allow the park to fall into disrepair. She started out as the park’s rst-ever female engineer and transitioned to running the concessions and overseeing the park’s general comings and goings three years ago.
“You know the guys; they want to play train all the time,” Nedoma said. “ ey don’t want to x the houses. e houses were getting
icky, and I started with painting the caboose. en I put the paintbrush down (to become park manager).”
Nedoma doesn’t seem interested in considering Tiny Town’s place among its fallen comrades in the Denver metro area. She thinks Lakeside and Elitch Gardens cost too much and don’t o er the entertainment value they once did.
In that regard, Tiny Town stands alone — where else can you spend a day with the family for $5 a person? e concession stand’s prices harken back to a time before in ation made the cost of dining out untenable for most. In many ways, Tiny Town is a portal to a simpler time, while also being an ethereal oasis unto itself.
“It is magical for the kids,” Nedoma said. “Half of them cry when they have to leave. All (kids) need is a train ride and ice cream and they’re happy. It’s magical for me to come here every day. Not one day has been the same.”
O ce of the world’s teeniest, tiniest newspaper: The Tiny Town Tribune.
Tiny Town Park Manager Elvira Nedoma at the park’s concession stand, which she runs. PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN
SEE TINY TOWN, P11
The Tiny Town train
Tiny Town’s train is perhaps its best-known attraction. Running seven days a week — with a real coal engine on weekends — the miniature Royal Gorge locomotive is manned by volunteer engineer Brent “Bigfoot” Ohlson, who calls the gig “the best job I ever had.”
“And it’s volunteer work, so there’s no money to screw it up,” Ohlson said through a thick white beard that encircles the majority of his face.
Trains run on their own time — they depart when there are enough folks in line.
“We’re not very punctual in this small town,” Ohlson said. “It’s kinda got that countryside laidbackness.”
e park is now old enough that when three-generation families visit, they all bring their own unique Tiny Town memories.
Nedoma said people who visited the Tiny Town as children now bring their own children or grandchildren.
“I mean, it’s so memorable,” Nedoma said. “ ere isn’t any place like this.”
e park isn’t winding down anytime soon, either. In 2011, a man came forward and said he had a collection of original George Turner miniature houses and wanted to donate them to the park.
Nedoma and her team determined that the miniatures were authentic; they belonged to the original set George Turner built for his daughter. After being refurbished, the houses were added to the Turnerville row.
Family-friendly prices
As for the price of entry, Nedoma said the park remains nancially solvent thanks to the sheer volume of vis-
itors it gets, and has no plans to raise the admission cost anytime soon.
“ at’s what (Tiny Town) was meant to do,” Nedoma said. “So that everyone can enjoy the park. It’s hard to believe (that we can keep the prices so low). But we are busy.”
Even on a day when the Quarry Fire decimated the nearby landscape and lled the air with smoke and particulates, youngsters and their families admired all corners of the park, from the train loop to the playground at the end of the rows of miniatures.
ere were no children crying, no adults scolding. Just pure joy and happiness all around, secured by a train ride, an ice cream cone and a miniature world full of wonder and imagination.
While Lakeside and Elitch Gardens struggle to stay sta ed and close handfuls of rides every sum-
mer, Heritage Square is a fading memory, and Meow Wolf charges 10 times Tiny Town’s entry fee for an out-of-this-world sensory overload, the small park outside Morrison might just be the most quintes-
sentially “Colorado” attraction the area has left.
Nedoma, Ohlson, and the rest of the Tiny Town team will continue spending their summers ensuring that it stays that way.
White Fence Farm no longer exists, but its replica at Tiny Town is one of the park’s best-known attractions.
PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN
A “Save Tiny Town” sign instructs young folks to treat the miniatures with care.
The climb, the journey, the dream
On a crisp, clear morning in a small village nestled at the foot of a grand mountain, a young person stood gazing up at the towering peak. eir eyes sparkled with wonder and ambition. e mountain, majestic and imposing, seemed to whisper promises of adventure, challenge, and triumph. A young person imagined themselves scaling its rocky face, reaching its snow-capped summit, and standing tall against the vast sky. To them, the mountain was more than just a physical entity; it symbolized all the dreams and goals they hoped to achieve in life. ey dreamed of becoming a renowned explorer, a person of wisdom and courage who would travel the world and uncover its hidden secrets. ey imagined the mountain as the rst of many they would climb, each representing di erent aspirations: the knowledge they would gain, the skills they would master, and the character they would build. eir heart swelled with anticipation as they pictured themselves standing atop various peaks, looking out over horizons of endless possibilities.
WINNING
Years later, a gure stood at the summit of that very mountain. eir hair was streaked with gray, their face weathered by time and experience. It was that same young person, now a grown adult, who had indeed climbed many mountains in their life, both literal and metaphorical. ey looked down at the village below, where they had once stood as a young child, full of dreams and ambition. e journey from that day to this had been long and arduous, lled with trials, triumphs, and lessons learned. ey remembered the early days of the climb, the initial excitement mixed with the daunting realization of the challenges ahead. ey recalled the steep inclines that tested their endurance and the rocky terrains that required careful navigation. ere were times when the path was clear, and progress was swift, but there were also moments of doubt when the way forward seemed obscured by fog and uncertainty.
Along the way, they encountered many fellow climbers. Some became lifelong friends, sharing the journey, offering support during the toughest stretches, and celebrating the victories together. They also met those who chose different paths or gave up on the climb altogether, reminding them of the importance of resilience and the courage to keep moving forward. Standing there, they understood that life is a continuum of experiences. Some, like their younger self, stand at the base of their mountains, filled with dreams and aspirations. They look up, hopeful and determined, ready to embark on their journeys. Others are in the midst of their climb, navigating the ups and downs, enduring the grind, and pushing through challenges with grit and perseverance. Then there are those who, like our young dreamer now, have reached their summits and look back on their paths with gratitude and reflection, appreciating both the struggles and the triumphs that have defined their journeys. Each stage is vital and valuable. The dreams at the base inspire us to begin our journeys. The chal-
Flenges in the middle teach us resilience and fortitude. The reflections from the summit offer wisdom and perspective. The only true failure, our dreamer thought, is to look up at the mountain and then walk away, abandoning one’s dreams and goals out of fear or doubt.
Ultimately, life’s mountains are not just about reaching the top. They are about the courage to start, the perseverance to continue, and the wisdom to appreciate the journey. Whether we are at the base, the middle, or the summit, we are all part of this beautiful continuum, each step a testament to our dreams, our efforts, and our triumphs. I would love to hear the story of your climb at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can look back on our own climb with pride and gratitude, it really will be 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.
CinemaQ celebrates its sweet 16
or Keith Garcia, artistic director of Denver Film’s Sie FilmCenter and founder of the CinemaQ LGBTQ+ lm festival, the most rewarding thing about hosting the annual event is every time he thinks the festival might be unnecessary, he’s reminded of its importance to the community.
“People still need to come together, see a lm and talk about it,” he said. “It’s a crucial respite from the daily world to tell stories and have a good time together.”
e “sweet 16” of the CinemaQ Film Festival, presented by William LaBahn, runs at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave., from ursday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 11. is year’s festival features 14 lms, running the gamut from hilarious comedies like opener “My Old Ass” to incisive documentaries such as “Any Other Way: e Jackie Shane Story.”
“Some of the larger festivals can be really overwhelming, so we like
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.
• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.
• Letters must be no longer than 400
COMING ATTRACTIONS
the idea of keeping it light with 14 options,” Garcia said. “ is allows audience members to nd what speaks to them from di erent stories. Not every lm is for everybody, but we make sure there’s a lm for everybody.”
A new feature of the festival this year is the BLQ (Black Lives Queerly) program, a result of a partnership with Black Pride Colorado that aims to produce more screenings of lms that focus on Black queer stories. As part of this programming track, the festival will include an Aug. 10 panel that will feature a discussion and Q&A by creatives from multiple disciplines as they share their experiences navigating a creative world as a Black queer creator, according to provided information. ere will
words.
• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative in-
also be a BLQ mixer event following the panel.
Another highlight of the festival is the CinemaQ Marketplace, which will be held at Sie from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11. e market’s aim is to uplift locally-owned queer small businesses, who will be selling everything from handmade art and artisan soap to upcycled clothing and tarot card readings.
No matter what lms audiences decide to explore, they’re certain to leave with new perspectives on the world and a renewed appreciation for the importance of celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.
“For all the lms we consider, we look at vision, visibility and voices. We try to select lms for the festival that represent all three in fresh and unique ways,” Garcia said. “ e best part of CinemaQ is that it offers a platform for people to see themselves in lm. I hope audiences identify and are challenged by the characters they see and want to have
formation about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.
• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.
• Please don’t send us more than one let-
a conversation afterwards.” For the full schedule and tickets, visit www.denver lm.org.
Troubadour comes to The Alley Bryan Bielanski, a rising singer/ songwriter based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, writes the kind of tunes that just stick with you. His recently released album, “Bryan’s Super Happy Fun Time 3,” takes inspiration from rock legends like R.E.M. and Tom Petty and creates a style that’s both familiar and uniquely his own.
Bielanski is stopping by e Alley, 2420 W. Main St. in Littleton, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, and it’s a great venue for the warm, welcoming music he specializes in. Find more information at www.littletonalley.com/.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.
ter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.
• Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs or Google Docs, please.
• Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are.
Clarke Reader
Local briefs: RTD reports copper wire being stolen, and other noteworthy news bites
various career pathways and training opportunities through interactive exhibits, captivating speakers and the opportunity to y the skies above Denver on a ight simulator. Secure free tickets to the event at: adworks.org/event/air-n-space-apalooza/
Denver Metropolitan DUI Task Force checkpoint results
On July 26, the Lakewood, Arvada and Denver police departments
conducted joint multi-jurisdictional DUI checkpoints at three di erent locations. In total, 656 vehicles were contacted during the checkpoint operation. irty-eight drivers were evaluated for drug and/or alcohol inuence, and 14 drivers were arrested for DUI. e Lakewood checkpoint made two arrests; Arvada, three; and Denver, nine. For speci c information related to each checkpoint, contact the public information o ce of each jurisdiction.
Multiple recent cases of stolen copper wire are impacting RTD’s rail services
e Regional Transportation District is reporting multiple cases of copper wire theft near track signals, switches and rail crossings. Five instances of copper wire were stolen along light rail alignments in the last week.
Most of the theft has taken place along the R Line, which runs between Peoria Station in Aurora and Lincoln Station in Lone Tree. Each incident has resulted in signi cant impacts to light rail service. RTD is also investigating multiple cases along the A and G commuter rail lines.
RTD is asking customers and the public to report any suspicious behavior that they may observe on or near the system’s tracks.
For more information, visit rtddenver.com/news-stop or call 303.299.6000.
Arc Thrift Stores’ Children’s Clothing Sale
Arc rift Stores’ annual one-dayonly Children’s Clothing Sale takes place on Aug. 9 during regular store hours, which are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All children’s clothes will be priced at 99 cents. Shoes are not a part of this sale. e sale takes place at all 35 stores across the state. To learn more, visit arcthrift.com.
Increased protections for human remains: Coroner qualifications go into e ect
Two laws pertaining to coroner quali cations to ensure high standards of Colorado’s death investigators go into e ect.
HB24-1254 continues the regulation of nontransplant tissue banks, updates standards of practice, and prohibits compensating a funeral establishment for human remains.
HB24-1100 requires a county coroner in a county with a population over 150,000 to either be a death investigator certi ed by and in good standing with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, or be a forensic pathologist certi ed by the American Board of Pathology.
7th annual Swim Across America
Swim Across America’s Denver open water swim takes place on Aug. 17 at Chat eld Reservoir in Littleton. Hundreds will be diving to make waves to ght cancer for the swim’s local bene ciary, Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Many of the swimmers are cancer survivors or are swimming for a loved one impacted by cancer. is year, two of the survivors swimming are ultra marathon swimmer Sarah omas, who is a breast cancer survivor; and 17-year-old Garret Rymer who is a survivor of spinal cord cancer.
To date, the Denver swim has raised $1 million and supports three research projects at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
To register for the swim, visit swimacrossamerica.org/denver.
Plane Pull Fundraiser at Denver International Airport
DIA is hosting the annual Smile Generation Special Olympics Plane Pull on Aug. 24.
Teams from across Colorado will compete for the fastest time to pull a 167,000 pound United plane 12 feet across a tarmac. e event will include exhibits, vendors, food and entertainment. Proceeds will help the Special Olympics of Colorado to provide year-round training, health screenings and leadership programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Colorado.
Check-in is at 9 a.m. and the event begins at 10 a.m. To register, visithttps://specialolympicsco.org/ planepull/.
Air N Space-A-Palooza
Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Development Center is partnering with local industry partners to bring STEM career opportunities within aerospace and aviation together. e Air N Space-A-Palooza event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 3 at Wings Over the Rockies, 13005 Wings Way in Englewood. e event invites attendees to learn about opportunities for employment within STEM industries from 25 businesses. Attendees will have an opportunity to explore
A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross and volunteer
Let’s come together to celebrate the beauty that our local communities have to o er.
SHARE YOUR TRAIL
TALES
5K is a new event that celebrates Colorado’s walking/running trails within our local communities.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Clement Park–Littleton
Our 5K Run/Walk will mark the culmination of members sharing their stories about the great places they go for a run or a walk.
Silverdale Trailhead
Three Sisters Trail
The Regional Transportation District is experiencing thefts of copper wire, especially along the R Line that runs from Aurora to Lone Tree. SHUTTERSTOCK
A CLEAR MESSAGE
Denver deaf and hearing interpreters explain importance of communication
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Using uid hand gestures, expressive facial expressions and precise body language, sign language interpreters in the Denver metro area facilitate clear communication for individuals uent in American Sign Language.
eir skillful use of visual communication bridges linguistic gaps and enhances accessibility across a wide range of contexts and environments.
“Basically anywhere that a deaf person goes where communication needs to happen and where the ADA protects them from discrimination, I am there,” said Rae Rose, local interpreter and owner of Rose Sign Language Interpreting.
‘An instrument of fairness’
When Rose was a child she had a conversation with a member of the deaf community that changed her life.
“We were playing and there was a bit of a communication breakdown where she had a great idea but none of us were getting it and this woman, who was studying to be an interpreter came over and…she just interpreted our conversation
and left,” Rose said. “I was like ‘I want to do that.”’ So, Rose became an American Sign Language Interpreter.
It was in college that she interpreted for the rst time and felt she had chosen the right path.
“It was probably two sentences (but) I was like ‘Oh man, oh man,”’ Rose said. “I had put all the pieces together and they had their conversation and I did it and it was nothing to anybody but I was over the moon.”
Rose founded Rose Sign Language in 2009 and it “facilitates communication between people who sign and people who don’t sign.”
Whether at a doctor’s o ce or while riding a pool noodle during a swim lesson, Rose signs in a myriad of environments including medical, education, behavioral and kids sports.
“It takes a lot of creativity and a lot of di erent strategies to make those lessons visually successful but also working with deaf kids I have a lot more options,” Rose said. “I love seeing any of my consumers start at one place and end in a di erent place having achieved a lot.
at’s one of the best parts of my job.”
Rose runs the day-to-day operations of her business and helps connect other interpreters
Colorado native and deaf sign language interpreter Jennifer Salaz with her sister, Victoria Ulibarri, whom she said encouraged her to become an interpreter. COURTESY
MESSAGE
with those who need the services.
“I am a very big-picture person,” Rose said. “So I love seeing all the pieces t together and I love doing it better. I saw some great things as a new member of the eld but I wanted to reproduce and put my own sparkle on it.”
Along with providing interpreting services, Rose said her company is also big on advocacy and education. “We’re able to provide members of the hearing company a chance to learn ASL from a deaf person,” Rose said. “ is is a deaf person sharing their culture, their birthright.”
For Rose, the aspect of interpreting that intrigued her was “the fairness of it.”
“As a white woman with my allotted amount of privilege, to be able to be an instrument of fairness is worthwhile and to make it easy for as many people and as many organizations as possible to create fairness and create equity…that’s important,” Rose said.
Filling in the gaps
For Colorado native and deaf sign
language interpreter Jennifer Salaz, one of her favorite and most impactful times signing was when she interpreted for a deaf high school student.
Salaz explained as a deaf interpreter she is able to ll in the gaps and expand on things for those whose native language is American Sign Language.
“ e student was having an indepth conversation about a serious (topic),” Salaz said. “ ey were writing back and forth in the previous class with a di erent interpreter because the student didn’t feel comfortable. at wasn’t successful.”
However, after she began interpreting for the two students, Salaz said the conversation was successful for both parties as they could better communicate.
“ ey were able to have a genuine peer-to-peer conversation with the con dence that their information was safe and both walked away feeling excited to have a conversation with each other without…paper,” Salaz said.
In her capacity as a deaf interpreter Salaz said she works directly with deaf students who’ve immigrated from other countries and her work allows “for better access to communication and understanding for these students.”
“It’s my language (and) being able to teach others that have moved from other countries is amazing,” she said. “Watching them nally able to communicate with a language they can use and call their own is very inspiring.”
The right register
Similar to Rose, Salaz also provides interpreting services in medical settings.
“ is is important because sometimes the hearing interpreter uses the wrong register, not serious or too serious depending on the situation, or uses words that the deaf consumer doesn’t understand,” Salaz said.
Rose said the way she interprets ASL depends on her consumer. It’s important to ensure they understand what is being said.
“English has its own variations, its own dialects, its own accents. Everybody’s got their own level of uency with English,” Rose said. “Same with ASL or any sign communication.”
As a deaf woman, Salaz said, she herself relies on interpreting services and has experienced misrepresentation “time and time again” including an experience when her daughter was taken away from her
because she was “misrepresented by a ‘skilled’ hearing interpreter.”
“All because the interpreter didn’t understand me or their ego was too big to ask for clari cation,” Salaz said. “Because of this, I want to support the deaf community as they do have to experience the same injustices.”
Salaz said her sister encouraged her to become a deaf interpreter and become involved with the community to help prevent similar issues from happening to others.
The future
Salaz said interpreting in general is important for both hearing and deaf people and she describes the deaf community in Colorado as large.
However, Salaz said many members of the deaf community grow up in hearing families and it can be isolating because of the communication barrier.
“I am one of six kids, and if my sister, who can uently sign, doesn’t attend a family event, I’m lost,” Salaz said. “I feel like most of my deaf friends have the same experience…I explain this because having the community is like having an additional family that shares the same experiences. Being able to share experiences, talk about life and communicate that is key.”
is is something she thinks interpreters need to carry with them as they venture into the world.
“I hope that interpreters would put their egos aside and realize this is about their work and not them,” she said. “ ey are amazing people and the deaf community welcomes them. We just want a clear message to be produced for all of us.”
Rose said she hopes for increased equity and recognition that everyday people can do something to make a di erence.
She encourages hearing people to see interpreters as an awareness that there are deaf people in the same space as them who need to or enjoy frequenting the same environments as them.
“Everywhere that you see an interpreter there maybe just think ‘I didn’t know there were deaf people in my town. Cool. Maybe I should learn a little ASL,”’ Rose said.
Rose,
“connect,”
PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY
Deaf sign language interpreter Jennifer Salaz signing at Denver Comic Con. Salaz said in her role as an interpreter she ensures her deaf consumers understand exactly what they’re being told in a conversation with a hearing person.
COURTESY OF JENNIFER SALAZ
Experts o er tips to reduce danger of air pollution in Colorado
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Colorado’s breathtaking scenery and high elevation o er both allure and challenges, particularly when it comes to air quality. As the state’s diverse landscapes — from urban areas to remote mountain retreats — face varying levels of pollution, understanding how to keep air quality high, or improve it, becomes crucial.
“Protecting air quality is one of Colorado’s top priorities,” said Leah Schleifer, spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “Some of the air pollution issues impacting Colorado are ground-level ozone pollution and particulate matter pollution.” e department’s Air Pollution Control Division works to inform people about the health dangers of particulate irritant and ozone pollution.
“Particulate matter is a respiratory irritant,” she said. “It can also cause cardiovascular issues due to its extremely small size. When inhaled, ne particulate matter can get deep into the lungs, and in some cases, the bloodstream.”
Schleifer said the smaller the size of the matter the more impactful
it can be to someone’s health. Additionally, she explained there are symptoms of short-term exposures to unhealthy levels of ozone pollution, such as coughing and chest pain.
“Long-term exposure has been linked to a variety of poor health outcomes, including lung and cardiovascular disease,” Schleifer said.
“Whether a person will experience health impacts from air pollution depends on how much is in the air and how long they breathe it in.”
Schleifer said the division has various programs to address air pollution and help protect the health and safety of Coloradans.
ese actions include the following:
• O ering nancial support for schools, businesses, and local governments to purchase clean vehicles such as electric school buses.
• Adopting a new rule that will expand access to zero-emissions cars.
• Adopting new measures to increase the availability of zero-emission trucks.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings. is year, the division is looking at options to propose more measures to reduce ozone pollution in the state.
“ e division created the Nitrogen Oxide Reduction Steering Committee, which is currently working on recommendations to reduce air pollution emissions from upstream oil and gas operations that form ground-level ozone,” Schleifer said.
Residents can sign up for air quality alerts so they know when air pollution is the highest.
Additionally, there are other sources of information. For example, the Sheridan Library — which is a branch of Arapahoe Libraries — is now o ering air quality monitors known as AirBeam3, which are palm-sized, portable air quality monitors. Patrons can check them out at 3425 W. Oxford Ave.
“Participants can collect air quality data, review ndings and contribute to a crowd-sourced air quality map of the Sheridan community,” said Cameron Bowen, Arapahoe Libraries facilities coordinator. “ ey can also learn how to improve the air quality in their home. For example, they can use an exhaust fan while cooking or learn how to get home weatherization assistance.”
Schleifer said in addition to monitoring the air, people can reduce their contributions to air pollution as well through many di erent ways.
ose methods include “biking, carpooling, or using clean energy sources and electric equipment rather than gas-powered when possible.”
“Our ozone pollution and your health website and the Simple Steps Better Air website provide more details on ways you can take action,” Schleifer said.
More information on the Sheridan Library program can be found at arapahoelibraries.org.
New motorcycle law allows for riding between lanes
But only when tra c is stopped
BY JUSTIN GEORGE THE COLORADO SUN
A Colorado law that went into e ect Aug. 7 will allow motorcycles to ride between lanes past cars — but only if tra c has stopped. Riders must make sure lanes are wide enough to allow them to pass safely, and they are limited to 15 mph when overtaking stopped cars.
Motorcycles cannot pass using the right shoulder, and they cannot move in the opposite direction of tra c in the lanes. e new rule aims to reduce congestion by allowing riders to move up at stop lights and during tra c jams, while decreasing the chance for motorcycles to get rear-ended. California and Utah are among states that allow motorcycles to ride between lanes under some circumstances. e American Motorcyclist Association endorses the practice,
saying it gives motorcyclists an “escape route” from being rear-ended. An Oregon transportation study found it also prevents air-cooled engines from overheating by keeping motorbikes in motion. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalistowned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state. e Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bitesize fact-checks of trending claims.
An air quality tester o ered by the Sheridan Library. COURTESY OF ARAPAHOE LIBRARIES
Dan Townsend has been riding motorcycles for roughly three decades. A new Colorado law will allow motorcyclists to ride between lanes past cars when tra c is stopped. FILE
Thu 8/15
Sat 8/17
Jaenga - Denver Rooftop Party! @ 3pm Club Vinyl, 1082 N Broadway, Denver
Spaceman Bob @ 7pm Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver
Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833606-6777
Health & Beauty
Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258
Attention oxygen therapy users! Discover oxygen therapy that moves with you with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. Free information kit. 1-866-4779045
Miscellaneous
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable pricesNo payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189
Become a published author
We want to read your book!
Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo. com/ads
Miscellaneous
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-9486176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts!
Free brochure! Call 1-888489-3936
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer.) Offer ends 8/25/24. Call 1-844-501-3208
Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833399-3595
Water damage cleanup: A small amount of water can cause major damage to your home. Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!
Wanted
Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398
Do you love being a part of your local community helping businesses grow? If you like to talk to people we want to talk to you!
We are currently hiring for a local Marketing Engagement Specialist in the Golden area!
Doodle Puppies Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com
COUNTY COURT, DENVER COUNTY, COLORADO
Court Address: 1437 Bannock Street Denver, CO 80202 720/865-7840
Case No.: 2018C57706 Div.:175
Autovest, L.L.C., Plaintiff Vs. SABRINA MARIE NELSON, Defendant
REVIVER BY PUBLICATION NOTICE TO DEFENDANT/JUDGMENT DEBTOR
THIS MATTER coming on before the Court upon the motion of the Plaintiff styled “Motion for Revivor of Judgment,” and the Court having read said motion and now being duly apprised in the premises, NOW THEREFORE
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Clerk of this Court shall, and is ordered and directed to, issue to Defendant, SABRINA MARIE NELSON , the “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)” requiring said Defendant to show cause within 14 (fourteen) days from the service of such Notice, pursuant to CRCP 354(h), if any she has, why the Judgment heretofore entered in this matter on August 20, 2018 shall not be revived with like force and effect.
WHEREAS, Plaintiff has moved this Court pursuant to CRCP 354(h) to revive the Judgment entered in the instant matter on, August 20, 2018 NOW THEREFORE
IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED, that Plaintiff, Autovest, L.L.C., shall have and take of defendant, SABRINA MARIE NELSON Judgment in the instant matter on this date with like force and effect as on the date the Judgment was entered heretofore on August 20, 2018. Defendant(s) shall show cause within fourteen (14) days from the service of this “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)”, if any the Defendant has, why the Judgment heretofore entered should not be revived with like force and effect.
Attorney for Plaintiff
Legal Notice No. DHD 3198
First Publication: July 11, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Notice to Creditors
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Harry R. McFarland, a/k/a Harry McFarland, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR169
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 11/25/2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Erin Breen, Personal Representative c/o Timothy J. Parks 1999 Broadway, Suite 1400 Denver, CO 80120
Legal Notice No. DHD 3218
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of DARRELL G. HAMILTON, ALSO KNOWN AS DARRELL HAMILTON, Deceased Case Number 24PR30803
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the PROBATE COURT OF CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO, on or before November 25, 2024 or the claims may be forever barred.
Wei Nien Huang, Personal Representative 675 N. Clarkson Street Denver, CO 80218
Legal Notice No. DHD 3217
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Thomas Brady, also known as Thomas P Brady, and Tom Brady, Deceased Case No: 2024PR030752
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or tothe Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before 11/26/2024, or the claims may be
forever barred.
Rita E. Clarke, Personal Representative 12 Stephen Dr. Bristol RI 02809
Legal Notice No. DHD 3215
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Sheila K. Fein, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30745
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 November 25, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jeremy S. Fein, Personal Representative 801 S. Ellipse Way Denver, Colorado 80209
Legal Notice No. DHD 3219
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Hilde Leontine Noe, a/k/a Reinhilde Leontine Noe, Deceased Case Number: 24PR30719
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 November 25, 2024 , or the claims may be forever barred.
Annemarie N. Frisz
c/o M. Carl Glatstein, Esq. Glatstein & O'Brien, LLP 2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 350 Denver, Colorado 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3220
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024
Publisher: Douglas County News-Press
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Nelson Whitaker Wagner, Jr., a/k/a N. Whitaker Wagner,
a/k/a Whitaker Wagner, a/k/a Whit Wagner, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30820
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 12/08/2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jonathan S. Wagner, Personal Representative c/o Carleton H. Hutchins 1999 Broadway, Suite 1400 Denver, CO 80202
Legal Notice No. DHD 3231
First Publication: August 8, 2024 Last Publication: August 22, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of JOSEPH J. MCMAHON, aka JOSEPH JAMES MCMAHON, and JOSEPH MCMAHON, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR030837
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 December 6, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Leanne W. McMahon
Personal Representative 1768 S. Jasmine Street Denver, CO 80224
Legal Notice No. DHD 3226
First Publication: August 1, 2024 Last Publication: August 15, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Robert A. Weinberger, a/k/a Robert Alan Weinberger, a/k/a Robert Weinberger, a/k/a Rob Weinberger, a/k/a Bob Weinberger, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30868
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 December 9, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Margaux Star Weinberger
Public Notices
Personal Representative
5462 N. La Casita Drive Tucson, AZ 85718
Legal Notice No. DHD 3230
First Publication: August 8, 2024
Last Publication: August 22, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Ruth D. Klein, a/k/a Ruth Dunbar Klein, a/k/a Ruth Klein, a/k/a Ruth Elaine Dunbar Klein, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR030847
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 December 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
James L. Wolfli
Personal Representative
23741 Robertson Blvd Chowchilla, CA 93610
Legal Notice No. DHD 3233
First Publication: August 8, 2024
Last Publication: August 22, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Douglas M. Berger, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30735
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 12/01/2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Debra K. Berger, Personal Representative c/o Carleton H. Hutchins
1999 Broadway, Suite 1400 Denver, CO 80120
Legal Notice No. DHD 3227
First Publication: August 1, 2024
Last Publication: August 15, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
Denver Probate Court City and County Building 1437 Bannock St. Room 230 Denver, CO 80202
In the Matter of the Estate of:
DONALD RAY BAIN, a/k/a DONALD R. BAIN, a/k/a DONALD BAIN, Deceased
Attorney: 3i Law, LLC
Klaralee R. Charlton #45086
2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
Tower 1, Suite 10000 Denver, CO 80222
Phone Number: (303) 245-2100
E-mail: kcharlton@3ilawfirm.com
FAX Number: (303) 245-2108
Case Number: 2024PR30761
NOTICE OF HEARING WITHOUT APPEARANCE PURSUANT TO C.R.P.P. 24
****** Attendance at this hearing is not required or expected. *******
To all interested persons:
A hearing without appearance on Petition for Formal Probate of Will and Formal
Appointment of Personal Representative (name of motion/petition and proposed order) is set at the following date, time, and location:
Date: August 29, 2024
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Address: 1437 Bannock St. Room 230, Denver, CO 80202
***** IMPORTANT NOTICE*****
Any interested person wishing to object to the requested action set forth in the attached motion/petition and proposed order must file a written objection with the court on or before the hearing and must furnish a copy of the objection to the person requesting the court order. JDF 722 (Objection form) is available on the Colorado Judicial Branch website (www. courts.state.co.us). If no objection is filed, the court may take action on the motion/ petition without further notice or hearing. If any objection is filed, the objecting party must, within 14 days after filing the objection, contact the court to set the objection for an appearance hearing. Failure to timely set the objection for an appearance hearing as required will result in further action as the court deems appropriate.
Sherry Choi, c/o 3i Law 2000 S. Colorado Blvd, Tower 1, Suite 10000 Denver, CO 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3224
First Publication: August 1, 2024
Last Publication: August 15, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE
TO CREDITORS
Estate of A Daniel Fox, (also known as Dan Fox), Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30573
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 November 25, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Brian Musell on behalf of Cynthia Plunkett.
Personal Representative 3801 E. Florida Ave. Ste. 725 Denver, CO 80210
Legal Notice No. DHD 3221
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Charles Angelucci, a/k/a Chuck Angelucci, Deceased Case Number 2024PR30882
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the 0enver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before September 21, 2024 or the claims may be forever barred.
Irvin Borenstein, Personal Representative 7200 S. Alton Way, Suite B 180 Centennial CO 80112
Legal Notice No. DHD 3232
First Publication: August 8, 2024
Last Publication: August 22, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Peter Sebastian Nellhaus, a/k/a Peter S. Nellhaus, a/k/a Peter Nellhaus, Deceased Case No. 2024PR030800
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, December 2, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Stephanie Angelo, Personal Representative c/o Brian Landy, Attorney 4201 E. Yale Ave., Suite 110 Denver, CO 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3225
First Publication: August 1, 2024
Last Publication: August 15, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Bruce R. McGrath, aka, Bruce Richard McGrath, aka Bruce McGrath, Deceased Case Number 2024PR30704
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 Denver County, Colorado on or before November 25, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Personal Representative: Michael F. McGrath PO Box 1284 Englewood, CO 80150
Legal Notice No. DHD 3216
First Publication: July 25, 2024
Last Publication: August 8, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of David Gonzales III, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30695
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver on or before November 30, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dated July 23, 2024
CURTIS LAW FIRM, LLC
10333 E Dry Creek Rd, Suite 210 Englewood, CO 80112 720-263-4600
/s/ Cory M. Curtis Cory M. Curtis, #40549
Legal Notice No. DHD 3228
First Publication: August 1, 2024
Last Publication: August 15, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Jack Donald Edinger, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30821
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 December 1, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jeffrey M. Villanueva, #10001 Attorney to the Personal Representative 700 Colorado Blvd., #347 Denver, Colorado 80206
Legal Notice No. DHD 3229
First Publication: August 1, 2024
Last Publication: August 15, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch ##
