Plant an Oasis grows biodiversity, community in Washington Park
Local rewilding project creates jobs for refugees through collaboration with African Community Center
BY MERYL PHAIR
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Avi Stopper walks out into his yard and watches a hummingbird feed from a red trumpet-shaped Zauschneria ower. Evolving together in the dry Colorado environment, the native plant and its pollinator are a feature in Stopper’s yard through the e orts of Plant an Oasis, a community group in West Washington Park
working to revitalize the neighborhood’s unused grass spaces with native plants.
“We call it ‘beverage in hand maintenance,’ which is you don’t just have your yard, but you really enjoy it as your piece of nature,” said Stopper, whose experience with community organizing led him to head the project. “A great way to do this is to take a cup of co ee out in the morning, pick a weed here, water a plant there and appreciate the garden’s growth and changes.”
By activating unused yard space, Plant an Oasis is transforming the urban neighborhood into a landscape of native plants, bene ting yard owners, passersby and the wider community. In time, plants attract native pollinators like bees, butter ies and birds to en-
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 14
hance biodiversity in the area. eorganizationwasinitiallyformed by Deb Lebow, known a ectionately across West Washington Park as the Resident Mayor of Plants. Lebow’s reputation as a gardener had many in the neighborhood wondering how they could similarly revitalize their yards.
Lebow approached Stopper about her idea to form a volunteer initiative in the community to help neighbors replace unused grass and weeds with native plants. After recruiting volunteers and a neighbor with available yard space, the group got to work on their rst project, leaving signs encouraging anyone interested in the initiative to get in touch.
Denver Water’s system stressed by Monday usage
Utility asks customers to consider shifting weekly lawn schedules
BY JERD SMITH THE COLORADO SUN
Denver-area homeowners and businesses, in their race to start their automatic sprinklers at 5 a.m. on Mondays, are putting unprecedented stress on Denver Water’s delivery system, threatening its supply of locally stored, treated water.
Roughly 80% of the utility’s 1.5 million customers have watering systems that can be set and then left for the season, but too many are going o at 5 a.m. at the start of the week, a period that has become the witching hour for Colorado’s largest water utility.
In response, it is asking, nicely, that more people shift from the Monday, Wednesday and Friday summer watering schedule, and use the Tuesday, ursday and Saturday slots instead.
Greg Fisher, manager of demand planning and e ciency, said the trend has been emerging for several years, as climate change drives summer temperatures higher and automated watering systems have become the norm.
“Our pretty educated guess is that when people buy a new irrigation controller the default is Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m, and that is when we see our max hours,” Fisher said.
HIGH ALTITUDE, HIGH STAKES
Mountain emergency response teams are on the scene P12
A volunteer presses fresh soil around a new planting during a Plant an Oasis work day.
COURTESY OF PLANT AN OASIS
Hip-Hop, EDM, Funk & Soul
The Denver DJ School builds a sense of community through music
BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
At 15 years old, Mario Rodriguez found himself at a house party hosted by proli c American hip-hop and breaking group Rock Steady Crew. Local artist Hen-G was DJing the event.
Rodriguez was fascinated by DJ Hen-G, completely enamored by the emotion he evoked with his music and his elaborate electronic setup. Noticing Rodriguez’s interest, HenG encouraged him to try the turntables, leaving them overnight to use.
Rodriguez didn’t sleep that night and then spent all day DJing until Hen-G returned. It was at that moment in 1993 that Mario Rodriguez knew that honing his skills at the turntable was his life’s calling.
Since 1993, Rodriguez, now known as DJ Chonz, has worked to cultivate his passion for DJing.
At 17 years old, Rodriguez became well known within Denver’s hip-hop scene after winning a local radio DJ competition. He subsequently competed and won several regional and national competitions, paving the way for him to share the stage with mega stars like Dr. Dre, Eminem, e Roots and Snoop Dogg. He later hosted shows for KS107.5 (KQKS-FM), a popular Denver Top 40 radio station.
In 2018, along with DJ Staxx, DJ Chonz founded the Denver DJ School, an organization that empowers and teaches youth and adults the art of DJing. Since its inception, Denver DJ School has taught over 5,000 students interested in DJing and podcasting.
e school currently has eight instructors specializing in DJing, scratching, music production and podcasting. ey teach 20 to 25 weekly classes at their North Denver location, with its teachers also providing lessons to more than 200 students at Lake Middle School during the school year.
“I always thought a DJ school was a great idea, especially for DJs like me who want to stay connected to the scene without constantly being in clubs,” DJ Chonz said. “As an instructor, sharing my passion for music with aspiring DJs is incredibly rewarding. It’s just as ful lling as being in a nightclub
“ e Denver DJ School is an outlet for my students who do not have an outlet to express themselves,” DJ Chonz continued. “Additionally, I wanted to challenge myself and prove that I could build something after many setbacks.”
e school’s student population varies wildly, drawing in people from all backgrounds, ages and walks of life.
“Our students come from diverse age groups and backgrounds, ranging from 8 to 62 years old. ey are doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, reality TV show stars and professional DJs, all who want to level up with our master classes,” explained
Student Mia Reyes, a 16-year old sophomore who attends Denver North High School, has been taking classes since she was in sixth grade with both DJ Chonz and DJ Nes. Since a very young age, Reyes has been exposed to all types of music. Her father is a musician, inspiring Reyes with his musical talents. It was her father who encouraged her to take DJing classes.
“ e Denver DJ School is special to me because it’s given me so many
when they hear a certain song motivates me to keep going.”
To both DJ Chonz and Reyes, the school is ultimately a place for bringing artists together and building a diverse and thriving community.
“We are building a sense of community through the art of music. Our school welcomes you regardless of your preferred genre – hiphop, EDM, funk or soul,” DJ Chonz said. “Growing up, I spent time at a hip-hop shop called Casa Del Funk,
where I absorbed music and culture. I want our students and customers to experience that same sense of belonging and inspiration when they
“We are always here to support you, even after you complete the Denver DJ School program,” DJ Chonz added. “We often give our recent graduates DJing opportunities to get paid for what they learned, thus recouping their investment. We also book established DJs working in the industry with our clients, such as the Ameristar Casino, ompson Denver Hotel, Elitch Gardens and more.” Learn more about DJ Chonz and the Denver DJ School at djchonz. com and denverdjschool.com.
DJ Chonz (left) poses with a student after their course completion.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENVER DJ SCHOOL
ADVERTISEMENT
Here Are the Work-Arounds That Will Keep Sellers Paying Buyer Agents’ Commission
The biggest work-around is Section 29 of the state-approved (and mandated) Contract to Buy & Sell, shown at right.
As shown below in this week’s (and last week’s) featured new listing, many ads, brochures and websites for listings will now contain the notice that “Seller offers __% compensation to buyer brokers.”
Absent that offer, however, the buyer can use Sec. 29.1 of their purchase contract to specify the compensation paid by the seller to their agent. This is where the offered compensation, such as for the listing below, is to be inserted — or, if none is offered, the buyer’s demand for compensation is inserted.
amendment to their buyer agency agreement setting the commission rate at 2% and writing that amount in Sec. 29.1 of the purchase contract. Or, they could decide to write 2.5% in Sec. 29.1 anyway and see if the seller will sign it. If the seller counters the offer, changing it to 2.0%, if the seller wants to accept the counterproposal, they can still amend the buyer agency agreement before signing the counterproposal.
Of course, the buyer might like his broker so much, that he or she will offer to pay the extra 0.5%, although that would be unusual. As I wrote last week, I’ll be surprised if many (or any) buyers end up paying anything to their broker.
wants to sell her or his home is going to deny any compensation to buyer brokers and that you can defer the conversation about adjusting the buyer compensation until the buyer is ready to make an offer of a house they want.
One complication of this strategy is that the buyer will have already signed a buyer agency agreement with his or her broker, stating the commission amount, if any, that the buyer is willing to pay, and if the seller falls short of that percentage or dollar amount, the buyer must make up the difference.
But, not to worry — there’s a simple workaround for that. At any time during the term of the buyer agent agreement (called the “Exclusive Right-to-Buy Listing Contract”), it can be amended by mutual agreement of the buyer and his or her broker.
Let’s say, for example, that the buyer has signed a buyer agency agreement with 2.5% as the promised compensation to their broker. A seller has offered 2.0%. In discussion prior to writing the offer, the buyer might negotiate an
The opposite scenario could be true. The buyer may have signed a buyer agency agreement in which the rate is 2.5%, but the seller has advertised that they will pay 2.8%. The rule is that the buyer’s broker can’t accept more than is specified in their signed agreement with their buyer. No problem — amend the buyer agency agreement to 2.8% before writing the offer. However, if there’s a bidding war, the buyer and broker might decide to write 2.5% into their offer, hoping that competing offers will include 2.8% for their buyers’ brokers.
Buyers will likely say upfront that they don’t want to pay a dime (or more than a nominal amount) to the broker representing them in their home search.
The smart broker (which, of course, includes all Golden Real Estate brokers) will point out Sec. 29.1 and quote this article saying that it has become a “buyer’s market” and that no seller who
3-BR Patio Home in Lone Tree Golf Community
$695,000
Meanwhile, a broker wanting to represent a buyer needs to be confident enough of the value he or she provides to the buyer to say that they won’t work with that buyer unless they agree to some minimum compensation for that value. For me personally, I would put that minimum at a minimum of 2.0%, given the value every buyer gets from
me — knowledgeable, experienced representation and negotiating skill, use of our free moving truck, free moving boxes and packing materials, and team members at their disposal from our inhouse handyman, cleaning personnel, loan officers, inspectors and more. All of us at Golden Real Estate are aware of the value we provide to our clients, both buyers and sellers, and we look forward to serving both with the skill that we know we have. If you want proof, click on the “Testimonials” tab at www.GoldenRealEstate.com. We look forward to earning your good review!
Broker Associate Austin Pottorff Specializes in Land
Personally, I prefer to work one-onone with buyers and sellers, as do most of my broker associates. But Austin Pottorff is different. He loves to find owners of larger parcels of land and help them sell to one of his many buyers, some of whom are developers looking for sites to build multi-family neighborhoods.
Earlier this year, with a little help from me, Austin sold a commercial property in Golden (Mountain Muffler, at 2200 Ford Street) to a developer. He currently has three land parcels under contract, one in Pleasant View, and two in Arvada, and he has three
active listings, including a veterinary hospital on three acres at 9251 N. Wadsworth Ave. for $2,490,000, an 8acre parcel on the I-70 south frontage road in Wheat Ridge for $6,000,000, and another land parcel elsewhere in Jefferson County.
If you have land you’d like to sell or are looking to buy land, give Austin a call at 970-281-9071, or email him at Austin@GoldenRealEstate.com
Austin’s fellow associates and I are impressed at the quality of his work identifying such land opportunities and even creating aerial videos of them as part of his marketing strategy.
This Column Is Now Published on Substack
Everything you read in this ad each week is published in blog form (with extra content and active hyperlinks) at http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com and comes to you by email automatically each Wednesday.
I’m also publishing a political column you might like. Find it, too, in blog form at http://TalkingTurkey.Substack.com
Rita and I are on a transatlantic cruise during August and September. Read my continuing travelogue at http://WhereAreJimandRita.Substack.com.
I have free cell and email throughout, so feel free to reach out to me anytime.
Enjoy maintenance-free living in the quiet community called Masters Park. This townhome at 9444 Southern Hills Circle is being sold by its original owners, who purchased the home 25 years ago. You’ll like the updated kitchen and primary suite with its updated 5-piece bathroom and its spacious deck overlooking the green space behind. As you will see on its website, this home has been tastefully decorated including, for example, the walls of the powder room painted by a local artist in a bamboo theme! It’s a friendly community too, with get-togethers Monday evenings in the gazebo next to this home. The golf course is behind the homes across the street! Some furniture is available for purchase outside of closing. Look for the list with prices on the coffee table. Visit www.LoneTreeHome.info for interior and exterior photos, floor plans, a narrated video walk-through and an aerial video. Greg Kraft will be holding it open on Saturday, Aug. 31st, 11 to 1, or call 720-353-1922 to request a showing. Note: Seller offers 2.8% commission to buyer’s broker.
303-525-1851
Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates:
PLANT OASIS
“People started to put in requests which began to radically exceed the amount of volunteer capacity we had, even though the volunteer list had gotten quite large,” Stopper said.
Previously involved with a refugee resettlement organization called the African Community Center (ACC), Stopper reached out to gauge interest in the rewilding project among recent arrivals to Denver. Plant an Oasis has since provided job placement opportunities to refugees, many of whom came to the United States from Afghanistan. e program has provided several with long-term employment, while others have used the opportunity as a bridge to employment more suited to their skill sets. Stopper said the program has been especially helpful in providing refugees with an opportunity to interact directly with American consumers and homeowners.
To further build community, the organization leads neighborhood walks to observe completed projects and it conducts about two volunteer projects a month.
To request service, homeowners ll out a form on the Plant an Oasis website and a representative gets in touch to discuss the project. On the day of the project, a volunteer or refugee crew prepares and constructs the plot, adds mulch and begins planting. For volunteer crews, homeowners pay for materials. When a refugee crew is on site, costs include labor.
Plants are selected based on garden plot factors such as shade and access to water. Native plants like drummond’s catch y, fringed sage and black eyed susan are frequent picks. e organization also prioritizes low-impact gardening, relying on mechanically powered tools only when necessary, and rarely moving soil and rocks overturned in the gardening process.
Native plants in urban gardens provide wide ranging bene ts, from improving the mental and physical health of community members through consistent access to nature, to providing habitat and food for pollinators, which in turn, provides for bigger animals like birds and squirrels.
Urban green spaces such as the ones Plant an Oasis creates also help reduce water use by increasing storm water retention, and they provide relief from the urban heat island e ect where more densely populated areas experience a higher degree of heat.
Native plant rewilding brings back plants that were growing in the area long before Denver was established.
“In a highly arti cial urban environment, to have wild spaces that make it possible for people to have their own little bit of nature in their front yard is a transformative experience,” Stopper said. “In Denver, everyone gets in their cars or hops on a bus to get into the mountains to access nature. What’s remarkable about this is it’s possible to have your own little bit of nature when you step outside your front door.”
e organization attempts to make its projects nancially accessible to as many people as possible. To keep costs at a fraction of traditional landscaping, Plant an Oasis focuses on the West Washington Park neighborhood, with a few projects on the periphery.
“What the project aspires to be in the long term is a massive city-scale rewilding project,” Stopper said. “We’re developing a model that can be replicated in other geographies in the city.”
To get involved with Plant an Oasis, visit www.plantanoasis.org.
Neighborhood volunteers take a break from their work in West Washington Park.
Native plants grow into full bloom as a result of e orts by Plant an Oasis.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PLANT
Transplanted boreal toads now breeding
Colorado is helping the endangered toads make a comeback
BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado wildlife o cials are celebrating some long-awaited good news — the mountain toads are making tadpoles!
For seven years, biologists have been toting tadpoles to high-elevation bogs and ponds in a massive e ort to save the inch-long boreal toad. And for the rst time at a mountain wetland above Pitkin, they’ve discovered that those transplanted toads are making their own babies in the wild.
“It’s a really big deal,” native aquatic species biologist Daniel Cammack said in a Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release.
Boreal toads, which live in wetlands around 11,500 feet and spend their winters buried under multiple feet of snow, have been dying o at a rapid pace across the Rocky Mountain states. A fungus that infects the toad’s skin with a cluster of spores, then bursts and spreads through the water to other toads, is to blame.
Colorado biologists have been trying to stop the fungus by dipping the tiny toads in a wash nicknamed “purple rain” and have been taking new tadpoles from a hatching center in Alamosa and dropping them in wild ponds.
is summer, when Cammack went to check on his transplanted toads above Pitkin, northeast of
Gunnison, he found they were reproducing, a discovery that Colorado Parks and Wildlife called “potentially game-changing.”
Cammack’s team has been bringing tadpoles to the wetland since 2018, which is about the length of time it takes for a female toad to reach reproductive age.
e state wildlife agency has stocked about 20,000 tadpoles at the Pitkin bog, most of which began as eggs that were collected from the backcountry and raised to tadpoles at the Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility in Alamosa. In 2022, biologists threw in 570 tadpoles from the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.
Before the relocation e orts, there were no boreal toads at the Pitkin bog.
“Everyone who has been involved in this project has poured their heart and soul into it,” Cammack said, calling it a “really special day.”
Now, biologists will watch to see if the tadpoles turn into toadlets and then into adult toads. It will become only the second place in Colorado where transplanted toads have had tadpoles that grew into toads. e rst is near Cameron Pass, outside of Fort Collins.
Boreal toads are the only high-elevation toad in the Rocky Mountains and are an endangered species in Colorado. ey live at elevations from 7,500 to 12,000 feet, just below treeline, and hibernate beneath the snow for six to eight months of the year. Researchers say that when the toads are stressed, they release a secretion that smells similar to peanut butter. e toads were once abundant,
even sitting under Buena Vista lamp posts at night in the 1960s to feast on insects that swarmed to the light, according to historical articles reviewed by CPW. en the fungus came, killing o thousands of the tiny creatures in the 1980s and 1990s. e fungus — Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis— is blamed for the death of amphibians all over the world, including in Australia, Asia and South America.
Aquatic biologists say the toads lived in Colorado before humans and are an important part of the high-elevation ecosystem, where they eat bugs and serve as food for snakes, birds and weasels.
In Colorado, some transplanted tadpoles have received antifungal bacterial baths before they are packed into plastic bags and released into mountain bogs and ponds. e wash is called “purple rain” because of its lavender tint.
In one project, University of Colorado researchers injected boreal toads with either a spot of pink or green dye, visible through amphib-
ian skin when they held a toad up to the sunlight. Green-spotted toads got the antifungal bath, while pinkspotted ones did not. en they tried to capture the toads the following summer, searching for them in a pond above Buena Vista, to see whether they were infected with the deadly fungus.
A “Boreal Toad Recovery Team,” which includes biologists from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, has been working to save the toads for 20 years.
“ e boreal toad is a truly unique and resilient amphibian,” said Cammack, calling the discovery of the new tadpoles a monumental day in his career. “We are up at 11,500 feet, at timberline practically. ey gut out big winters covered by multiple feet of snow and experience only three to four months of warm growing season.”
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.
A yearling boreal toad gets a shower after being found in an alpine wetland above Buena Vista in 2019.
PHOTO BY NINA RIGGIO/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN
Water use has become so high at that time that it threatens Denver’s supply of locally stored, treated water. If it isn’t changed, Fisher said, it could mean the utility will have to upgrade its delivery system and increase the amount of treated water it keeps stored for daily use.
In ornton, the surge in Monday morning water use by its 165,000 customers is also a concern, said Emily Hunt, the fast-growing city’s water resources manager.
“We de nitely notice the really heavy peaks,” Hunt said. “Our system can handle it right now, but we have to keep an eye on it because your plants and your pumps are working that much harder. It can be really challenging.”
And it’s not likely to change anytime soon, as Colorado’s summers see increasingly hot temperatures.
“Climate models unanimously show our summers are getting hotter, and along with warmer temperatures we are seeing moisture in the soil and under landscapes is being pulled out more quickly,” said Peter Goble, a climatologist with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University.
“With that, it stands to reason that irrigation demand would increase if you’re trying to keep the same amount of acres green as before,” he said.
Castle Rock has some of the strictest lawn watering rules in the state, and that partly explains why it has been able to manage the new peaks
in demand, said Mark Marlowe, director of Castle Rock Water.
For instance, the city only allows its homeowners to water every third day. Businesses are allowed to water three days a week.
“ e whole reason Castle Rock developed watering days originally was because our infrastructure was
not big enough to allow everyone to water on the same day,” he said. “To be fair, if we had everyone water on the same day we would have the same problem as Denver.”
Across the state in Grand Junction, despite record-breaking heat this summer, the Ute Water Conservancy District has been largely stress free when it comes to peak water demand. It is the area’s largest water utility and serves about 80,000 customers.
“We’ve seen some increased temperatures,” said Larry Cleaver, the utility’s manager. at’s because unlike many newer water systems, Ute forces its customers to use untreated water from old irrigation canals to soak their lawns so that it doesn’t have to treat and deliver drinking water to homes. Residential developments are built with this two-pipe system.
“But generally we’re doing ne,” he said.
As summer slides into fall, more hot weather is in the forecast, ac-
cording to Goble, and that’s not encouraging water managers.
Denver Water’s Fisher said climate change will continue to create weather extremes and challenge communities’ ability to manage their water supplies during hot summers.
He’s hoping a large number of Denver customers will reset their watering systems and embrace the Tuesday, ursday, Saturday schedules so the utility doesn’t have to spend millions of dollars upgrading its pipes and expanding treated water storage.
“ e great news is that for us to avoid those infrastructure costs, this is an easy x,” he said. is Fresh Water News story is a collaboration between e Colorado Sun and Water Education Colorado. It also appears at wateredco. org/fresh-water-news. 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.
Lawn sprinklers working just after sunrise in the Park Hill neighborhood on Aug. 16 in Denver.
PHOTO BY KATHRYN SCOTT/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN
Adams County distributing bug repellant to combat West Nile
It will be available in Westminster, Denver
STAFF REPORT
As more communities across the Front Range report instances of West Nile virus, Adams County is stepping up e orts to help people avoid the disease and the mosquitos that help spread it.
e Adams County Health Department will be distributing free cans of insect repellent that contain Picaridin at its clinics beginning Aug. 28. e o ces are located at 1401 W. 122nd Ave. #200, in Westminster, and at 7000 Broadway Suite 400, in Denver.
Picaridin is an odorless, nongreasy insect repellant developed as an alternative to DEET, which can be harmful to plastic items such as sunglasses and clothing. Picaridin doesn’t irritate the skin or damage plastics, according to the county, and can be used on children older than two months old.
e health department also plans to give out the repellant at community outreach events throughout the end of summer and into the early fall. More information is available at the health department’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X pages.
Colorado reported its rst human case of West Nile virus in 2024,
a woman in Arapahoe County, in June. Since then, the disease has been reported in Denver and Colorado Springs. Boulder County reported its rst human case of West Nile virus in Longmont on Aug. 20. e virus was rst detected in mosquitoes in Adams County in July. August and September are traditionally the two months with the highest number of people catching West Nile virus from bites of infected mosquitoes. In 2023, Colorado had 634 reported human cases. Colorado had 51 deaths in 2023. West Nile virus can strike healthy
Homeowners should install or repair screens on windows and doors and empty standing water around their homes at least once a week. at includes bird baths, portable pools, tires, planters and pet water dishes.
Standing water that cannot be drained — such as ponds, ditches, clogged rain gutters and puddles— should be treated with larvicide “doughnuts” that can be purchased at hardware stores.
More information about West Nile Virus can be found on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s West Nile virus webpage.
people of any age and can cause neurological impairments and swelling in the brain for those who get a severe case. People should seek medical attention if they notice symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, tiredness, rash, confusion, nausea and vomiting.
Adams County Health also urges anyone outside to take several precautions, such as limiting activities outdoors at dawn and dusk when the mosquitoes are most active. ey should also wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and socks and should spray their clothing with insect repellent.
EchoStar in ‘constructive’
financial talks as it reports more losses
BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
EchoStar Corp., which merged with DISH Network earlier this year, reported an 8.8% year-over-year loss in revenue in its mid-year 2024 nancial results.
e company reported a total revenue of $7.97 billion for the six months ending June 30, compared to $8.74 billion in the same period a year ago.
e loss continues a trend for the company, which reported year-overyear losses at the end of 2023 and in its rst quarter 2024 nancial reports.
e company, which is headquartered in unincorporated Douglas County, also has an o ce near downtown Littleton.
DISH Network, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corp., has laid o more than 700 Colorado employees since November.
In its second quarter, net Pay-TV subscribers decreased by approximately 104,000, compared to 294,000 in the year-ago quarter. e company closed the quarter with 8.07 million Pay-TV subscribers, including about 6 million DISH TV subscribers and 2 million SLING TV subscribers, according to the recent nancial report.
e quarter showed a decrease in net DISH TV subscriber losses due to a lower DISH TV churn rate, o set by lower gross new DISH TV subscriber activations, Echostar stated in the report.
LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com
e company reported a loss in its broadband net subscribers.
In the report, EchoStar president and CEO Hamid Akhavan said the company focused this quarter on “making improvements in our go-tomarket approach for retail wireless.”
e company saw a small loss in its retail wireless subscribers this quarter, but noted that many of these were losses of government-subsidized subscribers, including A ordable Con-
nectivity Program subscribers.
“Excluding the impact of net losses of government-subsidized subscribers, EchoStar added approximately 32,000 retail wireless subscribers in the second quarter,” the report states. Some economic analysts are predicting bankruptcy for the company, potentially by the end of the year.
In the report, Akhavan said the company is “in constructive discussions to address necessary nancing.”
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Independent. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline
Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Infected mosquitoes carry the West Nile virus and Colorado residents are encouraged to take preventative measures this summer as it gets hotter.
SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
EchoStar Corp., which merged with DISH Network earlier this year, recently released its mid-year 2024 financial results. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
MSU Denver program boosts retention
‘Pathways to Possible’ o ers a resource to help students stay in college
BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Elijah Anderson o ered some tips to incoming rst-year Metropolitan State University students during their visit to Denver’s Auraria Campus: Familiarize yourself with the campus buildings before your rst day, organize your schedule eciently, and take advantage of campus events.
e students are part of a pandemic-era program called Pathways to Possible that has proven so successful the college will continue funding it through the university’s budget after federal COVID relief money runs out.
“It was really nice being able to give them advice,” said Anderson, 19, a second-year student who spoke to the incoming students as part of a ve-person welcome week panel. “I remember being in their shoes.”
Leaders at MSU Denver say P2P, as the program is called, has been invaluable since the pandemic in helping students with the most challenges — such as students of color, those from lower-income backgrounds, and rst-generation college students — stay in college and some day graduate.
About 80% of students in P2P have stayed in college from one year to the next, said Melissa Cleaver, the program director. at rate is well above the school’s and national average of about 67% and 68%, respectively.
Originally launched in 2021 with $2.38 million from Gov. Jared Polis’ Response, Innovation and Student Equity fund, the program’s success in helping students has earned it a permanent spot in MSU Denver’s o erings — which doesn’t always happen with grant-funded programs.
However, due to the expiration of the federal money, the school has tapered down to only 125 students selected this year – down from
about 200 last year – as it funds the program on its own, said Cleaver. ere’s more demand than funding available, with more than 700 students applying this year, she said.
e program now costs about $1.1 million to operate annually, according to a school spokesman.
“I would like to see it grow. I don’t know what the next steps are or how the model will change,” Cleaver said.
“I know it’s helping our students.”
P2P functions as a coaching network with a small scholarship incentive.
e program also provides support in ways that are di erent from some scholarships.
ere are few application requirements. Students must have recently graduated from a Colorado high school, been accepted to MSU Denver, and face more challenges than other students.
Students can earn up to $500 a semester by participating in the pro-
gram, but the success of students depends most on success coaches, or sta that help advise students, Cleaver said.
e coaches act as a guide to answer questions such as how to structure their schedules, manage time, pick a major, or what to do if they fail a class. Students are required to meet with coaches at least twice per semester and attend a career event.
ey also get leadership development opportunities.
e program does not require students to maintain a certain GPA level, Cleaver said. She wants students to turn to their coaches when they need help instead of being embarrassed that they’re struggling. e majority of the students might have other life challenges going on that keep them from being successful, she said, such as needing food and transportation or balancing multiple jobs and school.
“We’re not going to shame you,”
she said. “We’re going to keep working with you.”
Anderson said his rst year went smoothly thanks to P2P. Coaches helped him especially when he wanted to declare a minor and on the days where he felt less motivated.
Anderson wants to get a degree in business management, and his coaches helped him decide on a minor in computer information systems with a concentration on human resources management.
He said he’s learned a lot thanks to the support, and hopes incoming rst-year students know that going to college is a “learning journey.” Some days might be easier than others, but thanks to P2P, the hard ones aren’t so bad.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.
Elijah Anderson, center right, classmates and MSU Denver sta talk to incoming first-year students on Aug. 7.
PHOTO COURTESY OF POLINA SARANA/MSU
Fairmount Cemetery to hold ‘Fur-Ever Pet Fest’
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Losing a family pet can be di cult, which is why Fairmount Funeral Home is holding its annual “Fur-Ever Pet Fest” for a second year in a row as a way to help families grieve and honor their beloved dogs, cats and other pets.
“ e loss of an animal companion and pet family member is a very emotional time,” said Karna O’Neil, manager of Fairmount Family Pet Loss Care.
e free three-hour event – starting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 8 – will include food, dog boutiques, crafts and a pet blessing.
ere will be double the amount of vendors at the pet fest compared with last year. e 30 vendors will have everything from treats to custom bow ties on display.
O’Neil said the event is a way to bring the community together as well as businesses that support the animal community.
food products and toys.
e funeral home also holds monthly pet walks where a pet can get a treat and take a walk with their owner around the cemetery.
Fairmount provides pet cremation,
loss grief support and memorial ceremony options for pets ranging from ferrets to dogs.
“We’re excited to be able to provide the service for the community and be able to now serve the entire fam-
you with your fur-baby.”
More: e event will be held at 430 S. Quebec St., Denver. For information, call 303-399-0032 or email at petlosscare@fairmountcemetery. net.
New girls flag football program arrives for Denver-area youth league
Oct. 14,
Elementary-8th grade
girls can participate in startup e ort
Fresh o its recognition as an ofcial sport for high school girls in Colorado, ag football is now on its way to girls in the elementary and middle school age groups in the Denver metro area through a youth sports league.
“ is initiative aims to empower girls through sports, fostering a competitive yet supportive environment that will prepare them to play in high school now that girls ag
Arapahoe Youth League — an organization that covers students in Denver, many parts of Arapahoe and Douglas counties, south Jefferson County suburbs, and Elbert County — is o ering a free “learn to play” program for girls who want to participate in ag football.
Despite the league’s regular boundaries, ag football is open to girls from around the metro area.
“For this program, we will take everyone regardless of the location,” said Craig Randall, president of Arapahoe Youth League. If sign-up numbers grow large, the organization will seek more eld space. e program will run for three Sundays in September “with the ultimate goal of starting a recreation-
al/competitive league in fall 2025,” Randall said.
e learn-to-play days will be open to girls from elementary through eighth grade, according to the youth league website.
“ e three days will be skills and drills, kind of like a football combine,” and they could also include practice games, Steinke said.
e program’s location was still to be determined but could take place in Highlands Ranch, Randall said. It’s slated to run from 8-10 a.m. Sept. 15, 22 and 29.
Regular registration is open until Sept. 10, according to the website.
More: See the registration page at tinyurl.com/AYLFlagFootballSignup.
football is a CHSAA sport,” Mark Steinke, president of the Castle Rock-area Raptors Athletics, said in a statement.
CHSAA is the Colorado High School Activities Association.
Years ago, Je co Public Schools, Denver Public Schools and Cherry Creek School District started work to o er a pair of girls ag football “pilot” — or startup — seasons in 2022 and 2023 with the hope that the game would become an ocially recognized sport, according to CHSAA. at goal became a reality after the CHSAA Legislative Council voted 57-9 in April to make girls ag football a sanctioned sport starting with the 2024-25 school year. Now, the sport is ltering down to a program for younger girls. e
Arvada West junior Sara Walker makes some downfield moves after matching a catch during the girls flag football state championship game against Cherry Creek on Saturday,
at the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO
Pet owners can bring their friendly dogs and cats to Fairmount Funeral Home, Cemetery and Crematory in Denver on Sept. 8 for its second annual “Fur-Ever Pet Fest.” COURTESY OF KARNA O’NEIL
Colorado farmers aren’t to blame for higher food prices
According to a recent study by Purdue University, eight of 10 consumers say they have felt food in ation over the past year. While the rate of retail food in ation has slowed to about 2.2%, as compared with 4.4% a year ago, consumers are undoubtedly feeling the cumulative e ect of COVID-era in ation. It is logical to assume that rising food prices are due, at least in part, to farmers receiving higher prices for the food they raise. As a fourthgeneration farmer, I can tell you that the prices farmers receive are not the problem. For example, wheat today is $2 per bushel lower than it was in 2022, and corn is $3.50 per bushel lower today than in 2022. I can also tell you that beginning with the COVID years, we saw huge increases in our costs to produce food, but these costs pale in comparison to what our own lawmakers have done to harm Colorado agriculture.
ree years ago, the Colorado General Assembly passed and Gov. Jared Polis signed into law Senate Bill 87, also known as the Agricultural Labor Rights and Responsibilities Act, or ALRRA. is law contains sweeping changes for ag employers, including
Sthe requirement to pay overtime. Produce farmers earn nearly all their annual income in just a few months, requiring farmers and their employees to work very long hours in summer. Farm employees in all but a few states are exempt from overtime.
ALRRA changed this for Colorado farmers, who now pay employees overtime after 56 hours during peak season. To those not familiar with the realities of farmwork, it seems logical to pay farm employees overtime pay, but this new ALRRA provision is harming the farmer and the employee. Most farmers do not have the nancial margin to pay overtime and must either hire additional employees or cut back on production. Many Colorado ag employees come to Colorado under temporary work visas, a federal government program referred to as H-2A. e acute shortage of domestic farm workers has led many farms — large and small — to hire foreign workers through this program. H-2A em-
ployers pay federal government fees as well as the employee’s round-trip travel, housing and transportation during their time in the United States. Required by the H-2A program, Colorado employers this year will pay their H-2A employees a minimum of $16.63 per hour.
anks to the passage of ALRRA, these foreign workers are no longer able to maximize their earnings while away from their families. Most farm employees will have their work weeks limited to 56 or fewer hours during peak season, as compared with up to 80 hours they may have elected to work in the past. At $16.63 per hour, employees are seeing thinner paychecks, some as much as $400 less gross pay per week.
e rising cost of equipment, fertilizers, seed, packaging and other things farmers must buy to produce food and onerous laws such as ALRRA are causing net farm incomes to fall.
Another alarming statistic from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
e number of farms operating in the U.S. fell by 141,733 farms between 2017-2022. Colorado during this time lost 2,837 farms or 7.3% of its farmland.
Farmers love to grow your food, but we are tired. We are tired of over
regulation. We are tired of lawmakers with no understanding of agriculture passing laws that hurt our ability to make a living. We are tired of consumers thinking that rising food costs mean farmers are making more money.
Fortunately, the water and the farmland we (and the bank) own have value. If we are unable to make a living raising food, it might make more sense for many farmers to sell, but where will that leave Coloradans accustomed to Rocky Ford melons, Pueblo chiles, Olathe sweet corn, Palisade peaches and so much other food they love?
Don’t blame the farmer for high food prices, but I ask you, who is to blame when there are no more farmers to grow food for Coloradans?
Chuck Hanagan is the president of the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and worked for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Colorado for 34 years. He was born and raised on the family’s Hanagan Family Farms near Swink. is column was originally published in e Colorado Sun, and was printed in Colorado Community Media newspapers through a news sharing agreement.
Curating family mealtime with ease
chools are back in session … and with that comes a shift toward more routine. It is no secret our lives have become busier than generations before. ere are more challenges and distractions than ever (hello, smartphones and seemingly endless activities), which can prevent us from meeting at the table for time together as a family. e ritual of family mealtime has declined by more than a third in the last 20 years, despite research demonstrating its bene ts. Children who share regular meals with their family perform better academically, struggle less emotionally and enjoy closer relationships with parents. Here are some suggestions for easing your family back into the mealtime habit:
Turn o the devices
It’s no surprise that etiquette for a proper place setting does not include a spot for a smartphone. If there is one time in the day to set your phone in a basket or simply power it o , it is during dinnertime. Try to nd at least 15 to 30 minutes to set aside technology and engage wholeheartedly with your family.
Remove mental clutter
Consider if there is mental clutter you bring with you to the table. Wrap up lingering work communication, send something from your task list to TULA or take a 5-minute pre-dinner
meditation break to clear your mind. We can’t truly connect until our minds are clear and free.
Set achievable goals
Take a baby step in the right direction. is could be as simple as turning the TV o during meals or decid-
ing on two family meal times per week. Once you accomplish a small goal, scale up to something more. Remember the phase your family is in. Children will grow and mature. It won’t always be a dinnertime circus, but it’s never too early to encourage good habits.
Prep ahead
After a long day of work, caring for children – or both, the prospect of preparing a meal can be overwhelming. I don’t know about you, but when 4 p.m. rolls around, I’m my least energetic self. e kids are usually wound up, our house feels like chaos and I am sometimes on the brink of sensory meltdown. If you know this is how your evenings go, consider regular slow-cooker meals or dinners prepared in the morning or over the weekends. My favorite – freezer-to-slow-cooker
meals – combines the two. Dump your bag of frozen ingredients into the slow cooker and voila! Once kids are older, plan a menu for the week together. en you’re sure to have options everyone will enjoy.
Cook together
If you have the energy to cook in the evening, set aside time to cook with your children. Embrace the mess. A helper not only lightens the workload but also gives your child ownership over the meal. When picky eaters see, touch and feel the ingredients, they’re more inclined to learn about and try new foods. If the mess is too much for you or if it feels like your child is slowing down the process, involve them in simpler tasks like setting the table or peeling carrots.
Serve meals family-style
Mealtime discontentment can come from stressing about what our kids will or will not eat. Consider lowering your expectations and trying family-style or a deconstructed meal. Children love autonomy. Invite them to pass bowls of food and even a child-sized pitcher for serving their own beverage. is gives your child the freedom to choose what they want to eat and takes the pressure o of forcing your child to eat. If you have a super picky eater, include a few wholesome staples you think they’ll select. At our table, this might mean fruit, carrots or
even a healthy(ish) peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Incorporate a dinnertime conversation ritual
In our family, we take turns saying something nice about a family member. Another popular format involves each person sharing a “highlight” and “lowlight” from their day, sometimes embellishing with a “bu alo” for that funny, weird or interesting thing that happened. Conversation rituals are a great way to boost self-esteem and family connection.
Hopefully these tips can help you enter the dinnertime scramble from a place of ease. e most important mindset with any change to your family routine: grace, grace, grace. If your carefully curated plan implodes one night, that’s okay. Sometimes our job as parents is to survive, surrender and mitigate stress. Especially when our children are young, we cannot expect perfection. Having everyone at the table for ve minutes might be a huge win. Try again the next night. And remember: as long as you remain dedicated to trying, there will be many fun, connected and memorable meals ahead.
Megan Trask and Cody Galloway are Denver residents and co-founders of TULA Life Balanced. Learn more about their business at tulabalanced.com.
Megan Trask and Cody Galloway
‘Discovering Teen Rex’ shows power of exploration
The story of the “Discovering Teen Rex” exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is in many ways a dream come true for many young dinosaur fans all over the world.
ree such young fans — 8-yearold Liam and 11-year-old Jessin, and their 10-year-old cousin Kaiden Madsen — were fossil-hunting in the Badlands near Marmarth, North Dakota, when they found some large bones in a sedimentary rock formation, according to provided information. ey then reached out to their father’s high-school classmate, DMNS paleontologist Dr. Tyler Lyson, who had grown up in the same area.
Lyson and a team from the museum came out in the summer of 2023 and discovered the bones were from a juvenile Tyrannosaurs Rex. After a long and careful excavation process, the bones were removed from the rock and brought to the museum at 2001 Colorado Blvd., and became the focus of the “Discovering Teen Rex” exhibit, which runs through Jan. 31, 2025.
“ e museum has collected a handful of miscellaneous T. rex
FCOMING ATTRACTIONS
fossils over the years, but this will be the most complete fossil in the collection,” said Natalie Toth, chief fossil preparator at DMNS and part of the excavation team. “It’s so special that these almost teenaged boys found this teenage rex.”
one on our team as we work on this. Any time we can pull back the curtain and show how we work on fossils is a great opportunity.”
In addition to the fossil prep lab, the exhibit features a wide array of dinosaur fossils, including Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, from the Museum’s collection that add some context to the work going on and to the animal the paleontologists are studying.
e story was captured on lm and featured in the new 40-minute documentary “T. REX,” showing on the Museum’s giant-screen In nity eater.
For the exhibit, visitors will get a look at the fossil prep lab, where they can watch as a team of paleontologists clean, preserve and study the T. rex fossil. ey’ll see discoveries being made as more and more of the remains are unearthed and studied.
“I love paleontology so much, so to be able to share it with kids and see it through their eyes is just great,” Toth said. “ at enthusiasm the kids have is shared with every-
What makes the nd particularly exciting is that so few adolescent T. rex fossils have ever been discovered. By studying the young T. Rex, scientists have the opportunity to learn how the animals grew and developed.
While there’s still a lot of learning ahead, the aim of “Discovering Teen Rex” is to get people of all ages, but especially children, interested in exploring the landscape around them. You never know what you might stumble upon.
“We hope it inspires kids to put down cell phones and dig around,” Toth said. “Denver and the American West provide access to such amazing landscapes that are worth exploring.”
For more information, visit
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Hozier at Fiddler’s Green Ireland’s Hozier is a rare thing in the modern pop landscape—a singer/songwriter who connects with audiences because of his simplicity. Ever since his breakthrough single, “Take Me to Church,” he’s placed a premium on songwriting and connecting with listeners, rather than reworks and spectacle. Recently, he’s had another huge moment with 2023’s, “Unreal Unearth,” and the new single “Too Sweet.” In support of the album, Hozier will be performing at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. in Englewood, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30. He’ll be joined by Allison Russell, a fantastic musician in her own right, who blends folk, blues and spirituals to stunning e ect.
Get tickets for what should be a great show at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader is an arts and culture columnist. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
The joy found in continuous learning
or many, this time of year signals the return to classrooms, the sharpening of pencils, and the eagerness accompanying new beginnings. Children and young adults, from kindergarten to college, embark on their educational journeys, their minds open and ready to absorb new information. But as we watch them head o to school, it’s crucial to remember that learning is not just the domain of the young. Continuous learning is a lifelong journey, one that we should all embrace, regardless of age.
Clarke Reader WINNING
Continuous learning often gets pigeonholed as something required for professional development or career advancement. But this perspective is limiting. Learning isn’t just about gaining new skills to improve our job performance or secure a promotion. It’s about expanding our horizons, delving into intriguing subjects, and growing as individuals. It’s about the joy of discovery, the thrill of master-
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ing something new, and the satisfaction of pushing our boundaries. Books, articles, and essays are windows into other worlds, o ering perspectives that challenge our own and ideas that expand our thinking. Reading is a cornerstone of continuous learning because it allows us to engage with the thoughts of others, both past and present. Whether diving into a novel, exploring a historical account, or dissecting a scienti c paper, reading can ignite our imagination and deepen our understanding of the world around you.
In today’s digital age, learning through watching has never been more accessible. Documentaries, online courses, and educational vid-
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eos o er visual learners a dynamic way to absorb information. From understanding complex scienti c concepts to exploring new cultures, watching can be an engaging and effective learning method.
Watching others navigate challenges, solve problems, or create something new can be incredibly instructive. We can learn a great deal from their successes and failures and apply those lessons to our own lives.
Perhaps the most powerful form of learning comes through doing. When we engage directly with a task, project, or challenge, we internalize the knowledge in a way that theoretical learning alone can’t achieve. Whether picking up a new hobby, experimenting with a recipe, or building something with our hands, doing so requires us to apply what we’ve learned, re ne our approach, and adapt when things don’t go as planned.
We inevitably face setbacks when we try something new, especially outside our comfort zone. We might make mistakes, encounter obstacles, or feel like giving up. But these moments are where the most profound learning occurs. Each time we get knocked o balance, we can reassess, recalibrate, and try again.
A crucial part of continuous learn-
ing is the willingness to laugh at ourselves along the way. Learning isn’t always a smooth process; it’s often messy, frustrating, and humbling. But when we approach it with a sense of humor, recognizing that mistakes are a natural part of the journey, we make room for growth. Laughing at ourselves doesn’t mean we don’t take our learning seriously. Perfection isn’t the goal. e goal is progress.
As children head back to school this season, let’s remember that their journey mirrors our own. Whether through reading, watching, or doing, and with a healthy dose of humor along the way, we can keep our minds sharp, our spirits curious, and our lives rich with the joy of discovery.
I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we embrace the opportunities to learn, both within our comfort zones and beyond them, knowing that each step forward is a step toward a fuller, more informed, and yes, a better than good and more ful lling 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.
HIGH STAKES
What it takes to perform a mountain rescue
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Colorado’s mountains are nature’s playgrounds. Tourists from all over the world and Colorado residents alike escape to the extreme terrain for skiing, hiking, climbing, biking and more — but what happens when something goes wrong?
Several specialized and highly trained mountain emergency response teams — many of them volunteers — constantly work and train together to be ready to perform a mountain rescue.
Alpine Rescue, Central City Fire, Clear Creek EMS, Clear Creek Fire Authority, Flight for Life and Evergreen Fire/Rescue are a few of the agencies that respond when the worst happens in the unforgiving terrain west of Denver.
As a group they must be ready for anything,
anywhere, anytime. And they are, according to Field Director for the Alpine Rescue Team Herb Dorn.
that
“We
“We love what we do. It’s crazy. Almost half our members are probably tenured for over 20 years. So there’s a deep love for what we do and the mission that we try to accomplish and we’re all volunteers,” Dorn said during a recent multi-jurisdictional exercise in Idaho Springs.
Based in Evergreen, Alpine Rescue has been providing search and rescue to Gilpin, Je erson and Clear Creek County since 1959.
“Search and rescue” is a very simpli ed term for what Alpine’s 50-70 highly trained mountain rescuer volunteers are capable of accomplishing, according to its mission statement.
According to the national Mountain Rescue Association, Alpine is one of 13 state agencies accredited in several rescue types including technical rock, avalanche, technical rope, he-
licopter and wilderness search.
“We do everything; we do avalanches, we do ski … 14ers, we help with swift water, search and rescue, a little bit of everything,” 15-year veteran/volunteer Dawn Wilson said after assisting in pulling a crash cart and live “victim” from a 500-foot ravine o Center City Parkway during training in Idaho Springs.
veteran/volunteer
At Wilson’s side were several members of the Clear Creek Fire Authority and EMS who routinely train with Alpine and other agencies to draw on each other’s specialties, capabilities and equipment. In the moment, a cohesive response saves seconds and lives, according to CCFA assistant chief Jeremy Jones.
“We gure out what works and what doesn’t in training so we can x it so we don’t experience those hiccups or delays when it’s time critical,” Jones said.
On average, CCFA responds to more than 1,400 emergency calls from eight re stations throughout 347.5 square miles of Clear Creek County every year with 55 volunteers,16 fulltime re ghters and at least four seasonal wildland re ghters, according to department statistics.
It serves the municipalities of Empire, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Silver Plume and the unincorporated lands of Clear Creek County.
In a vehicle crash, re or rollover, CCFA members are rst responders and assist EMS with preserving and saving lives.
It has been providing swift water rescue for 51 years and was one of the rst of its kind in Colorado, according to Jones.
“Life safety is our rst priority; victim life safety and your own,” Clear Creek Training Captain Don Koogle told a training crew in Dumont recently.
CCFA covers the municipalities of Empire, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, and Silver Plume and the unincorporated lands of Clear Creek County.
Helicopters play crucial role
Bright orange and yellow Flight for Life helicopters are often seen at some of the most critical scenes where the helicopter, its on-board paramedic and ight nurse can bring life-saving equipment and supplies to the backcountry or at altitude to e ect rapid extrication, according to parent company Air Methods. e air crews often work and train side-byside with other mountain rescue teams like CCFA and Alpine, according to Flight Nurse Libby Brewster.
“We participate in the trajectory of care in a di erent way. EMS or Alpine makes contact with the person initially, they call us, we participate in the transport, then they get to the hospital,” Brewster said during a recent training exercise in Clear Creek County.
re authority. Before they didn’t really work all that well together and weren’t on the same agreement, but now EMS has trained backcountry personnel that they can send in and so we’re all working a lot more cohesive than we did prior,” Special Services Commander Seth Marquardt said.
e sheri ’s department is in charge of overseeing all backcountry rescue operations, including avalanche, search and rescue or injured hikers in the county, according to Seth Marquardt.
“ e sooner we can get on scene and get a team into the eld the better because these rescues can last hours. Time is of the essence when they’re in the backcountry whether it’s an avalanche or an injured hiker whatever the case is,” Marquardt said.
and equipped at a professional level, they just won’t be getting paid for it. at’s the di erence,” Einar said.
Volunteers in Evergreen receive 10 months of training and classroom work, largely on Mondays and Saturdays. After the successful end of training and state testing, the volunteer candidate will be certi ed as a Level 1 re ghter in Colorado.
“We’re asking you to put yourself at some risk to serve your community, and if that appeals to you, it’s probably one of the most rewarding activities that you’ll ever encounter,” Einar said.
“We are always ready,” Wilson said about volunteering, and “after a while it becomes like a family, you just depend on each other.”
It’s a di cult job to do and see. Rescuers say they see the worst of bad, but at times some good can make it worthwhile.
“It becomes taxing sometimes, (but) the worst of the worst which is o set a little bit by seeing the good things in life,” Jones said.
RESCUE
e changes in attitude toward multi-jurisdictional assistance and cooperation between agencies started when incoming Clear Creek County Sheri Matt Harris took ofce in January, according to Marquardt.
Volunteers are the critical key to success
Nearly every area emergency service relies heavily on trained volunteers, as most are manned with signi cantly more volunteers than paid sta , and Evergreen Fire/Rescue is no exception, according to Evergreen Risk Reduction Coordinator Einar Jensen.
“Our volunteer re ghters live in Evergreen,” Einar said.
Evergreen Fire/Rescue covers both Je erson and Clear Creek counties and currently has only 75 of the 100 volunteers needed to run operations e ciently, according to Einar.
“When we talk about wanting more volunteer re ghters we also need to make sure the people that are applying know that they will be trained
Relying on and communicating with teammates or other rescue crews who experience and witness the same tragedies is critical for your own mental health, Jones said.
“ ere is a lot of e ort on the part of responders to properly manage those images and experiences to avoid long-term PTSD issues,” Jones said.
Most rescuers said there’s an important reason to do this taxing, dangerous and sometimes ugly job. ey are there to help the injured, the same way they hope someone will be there for the people they love.
“Everybody goes into this eld to help people you’ve never met in your entire life and may never see again because we always hope if it’s someone we love who is in danger or at risk, somebody will come help them,” Jones concluded.
“We bring critical care to the patient. ere’s a lot of stu we can do that maybe the ambulance can’t, and we’re also able to y in a bunch of stu (equipment) so these guys don’t have to hike in as much stu , I mean they’re still going to because they like it,” Flight for Life Paramedic Jace Mullen said, laughing.
Mullen and Brewster were standing side-by-side with at least four other rescue crews during a recent training exercise. No matter the agency, no matter the speci c skill sets, everyone has a common goal to protect life, Brewster said.
“When we have really, really sick patients and we’re all able to take really great care of them and bring them an advanced level of care to the scene and start doing the things a hospital would do in the rst two minutes and the patient has a really good outcome, it’s impactful,” Brewster said.
Relatively new to the “combined e ort approach to recovery/rescue,” the Clear Creek Sheri ’s Department said new agreements with other agencies will change the way the department trains and it expects to be working closely with Alpine Rescue.
“Recently we’ve rewritten our policies and agreements with Alpine, EMS and the
A gurney waits as rescuers pull a “victim” in a crash cart up the side of a mountain during multi-jurisdictional training in Idaho Springs.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Clear Creek Fire Authority swift water rescue in action after a truck went into Clear Creek in Idaho Springs. COURTESY
Flight for Life lifts o during a rescue training exercise in Idaho Springs.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
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NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the proposed budget for the ensuing year of 2025 has been submitted to the Colfax Business Improvement District ("District"). Such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at UMB Bank, 1635 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80218 and via Zoom. Information regarding public participation by videoconference will be available at least 24 hours prior to the meeting and public hearing by contacting Sandy Brandenburger, by email at sandy. brandenburger@claconnect.com or by telephone at 303-265-7883.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an amendment to the 2024 budget of the District may also be considered at the above-referenced meeting and public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District. A copy of the proposed 2025 budget and the amended 2024 budget, if required, are available for public inspection at the offices of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to final adoption of the 2025 budget and the amended 2024 budget, if required, file or register any objections thereto.
COLFAX BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
By: /s/ Anna Jones, District Manager
Legal Notice No. DHD 3242
First Publication: August 29, 2024
Last Publication: August 29, 2024
Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Denver Herald-Dispatch
Misc. Private Legals
Public Notice
TO: JULIA M ARMSTRONG : You are notified that you have 10 days after publication for this notice of levy to file your claim of exemption with the District Court of Denver County, 1437 Bannock, Room 256, Denver, CO 80202 in Case
2019CV33943 entitled: WELLS FARGO
BANK, N.A. v. JULIA M. ARMSTRONG
$401.51 garnished at USAA Federal Savings Bank, 10750 McDermott Fwy, San Antonio, TX 78288.
Legal Notice No. DHD 3244
First Publication: August 29, 2024
Last Publication: September 26, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Notice to Creditors
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Pamela Z. Varga, aka Pamela Ann Zajak Varga, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30899
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Probate Court for the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before December 31, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Elliott Francis Zajak Varga, Personal Representative
Patrick R. Thiessen (40185) Frie, Arndt, Danborn & Thiessen P.C. 7400 Wadsworth Blvd., #201 Arvada, Colorado 80003
303/420-1234
Attorney for Personal Representative
Legal Notice No. DHD 3241
First Publication: August 22, 2024
Last Publication: September 5, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Jackie Wayne Zobrist, a/k/a Jackie W. Zobrist, a/k/a Jackie Zobrist, a/k/a Jack Wayne Zobrist, a/k/a Jack W. Zobrist, a/k/a Jack Zobrist, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR030878
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 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Colorado Estate Planning Law Center
Personal Representative 6870 W. 52nd Avenue, Suite 103 Arvada, Colorado 80002
Legal Notice No. DHD 3247
First Publication: August 22, 2024
Last Publication: September 5, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Teruo Okuno, a/k/a Ted Okuno, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR030690
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, December 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Candace Okuno, Personal Representative 93 Carriage Hill Circle Southborough, MA 01772
Legal Notice No. DHD 3246
First Publication: August 22, 2024
Last Publication: September 5, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Thomas Brown Welborn, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR030830
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 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dated August 13, 2024
/s/ Cory M. Curtis Cory M. Curtis, #40549 Attorney to the Personal Representative
CURTIS LAW FIRM, LLC 10333 E Dry Creek Rd, Suite 210 Englewood, CO 80112 720-263-4600
Legal Notice No. DHD 3245
First Publication: August 22, 2024 Last Publication: September 5, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of RICHARD L GIBNEY, a/k/a RICHARD LEE GIBNEY, a/k/a RICHARD GIBNEY, a/k/a DR. RICHARD L GIBNEY,
a/k/a DR. RICHARD LEE GIBNEY, a/k/a DR. RICHARD GIBNEY, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30759
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 24, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Edith Hill Gibney, Personal Representative 3401 E. Floyd Drive, Denver CO, 80210
Legal Notice No. DHD 3239
First Publication: August 15, 2024
Last Publication: August 29, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Howard Eugene Watson, aka Howard E Watson, aka Howard Watson, Deceased Case Number: 24PR392
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 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kent Watson, Personal Representative 17501 Hill Way, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Legal Notice No. DHD 3236
First Publication: August 15, 2024 Last Publication: August 29, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Gigi Stone Hooker, a/k/a Gigi S. Hooker, Deceased Case Number 2024PR030914
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Probate Court of the City & County of Denver, Colorado or on or before Monday, December 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Tracey A. Hooker, Personal Representative 414 S. Gaylord St. Denver, CO 80209
Legal Notice No. DHD 3248
Public Notices
First Publication: August 22, 2024
Last Publication: September 5, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of CHARLES ALLEN DUBREE, AKA CHARLES DUBREE, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30594
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 29, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jonathan P. Shultz, Atty for Personal Representative
19751 E Mainstreet, Suite 200 Parker, CO 80138
Legal Notice No. DHD3247
First Publication: August 29, 2024
Last Publication: September 12, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Carlene Tidwell, Deceased Case Number: 24PR45
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 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Deidra R. Batts
Personal Representative 5090 Worshester Street Denver, Colorado 80239
Legal Notice No. DHD 3245
First Publication: August 29, 2024
Last Publication: September 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The Estate of Michael George Zemcik, a/k/a Michael G. Zemcik, a/k/a Michael Zemcik, a/k/a Mike G. Zemcik, a/k/a Mike Zemcik. Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30645
All persons having claims against the above-named Estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court. Denver County, State of Colorado on or before December 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Raymond Joseph Zemcik, Personal Representative 1416 Aris Drive, Erie, PA 16505
Legal Notice No. DHD 3235
First Publication: August 15, 2024
Last Publication: August 29, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Lloyd Leonard Rich, a/k/a Lloyd L. Rich, a/k/a Lloyd Rich, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30754
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 123, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
The Estate of Lloyd L. Rich
Carol Ann Waugh, Personal Representative 2030 East 11th Avenue, Apt 1208 Denver, CO 80206
Legal Notice No. DHD 3240
First Publication: August 22, 2024 Last Publication: September 5, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Christina L. Kerscher, a/k/a Christina Longfellow Kerscher, J. Christina Kerscher, and Christina Kerscher, Deceased
Case Number: 2024PR30891
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to:
Denver Probate Court City and County of Denver, Colorado 1437 Bannock Street, #230 Denver, CO 80202
on or before December 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
David K. Kerscher
Personal Representative c/o Law Office of Byron K. Hammond, LLC
4500 Cherry Creek Drive South, Suite 960 Denver, CO 80246
Legal Notice No. DHD 3250
First Publication: August 22, 2024
Last Publication: September 5, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Max Wayne Schroer, a/k/a Max W. Schroer, a/k/a Max Schroer, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30749
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 15, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Donna Schroer, Personal Representative c/o Mollie B. Hawes, Miller and Steiert, P.C. 1901 W. Littleton Blvd. Littleton, CO 80120
Legal Notice No. DHD 3238
First Publication: August 15, 2024
Last Publication: August 29, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of LINDA RITA KELL, a/k/a LINDA R. KELL, a/k/a LINDA KELL, a/k/a L. A. KELL, a/k/a L. KELL, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30915
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before Monday, December 30, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Renate Tomsic, Personal Representative 2128 Dodd Street Blaine, WA 98230
Legal Notice No. DHD 3246
First Publication: August 29, 2024
Last Publication: September 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS PURSUANT TO § 15-12-801, C.R.S.
Estate of Patricia Agnes Higgins Green, aka Pat Green , Deceased Denver County Case Number: 24PR30822
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, CO on or before December 31, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jody Duvall, counsel for Personal Representative, Alice E. Green Coan, Payton & Payne, LLC 103 W. Mountain Ave., Suite 200 Fort Collins, CO 80524
Legal Notice No. DHD 3251
First Publication: August 29, 2024 Last Publication: September 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch ###
