Arrupe Jesuit breaks ground on campus expansion project
BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG
Since opening in 2003 with a student body of about 60 students, Arrupe Jesuit High School has been looking to expand its campus and welcome more children to its educational opportunities.
About 20 years later, the school now has more than 400 students and has grown some of its major programs, but Arrupe Jesuit isn’t stopping there. With new expansion and renovation projects underway, the school hopes to grow its enrollment to more than 500 in the next two years.
“I propose to you this morning that Arrupe Jesuit High
School is the living, breathing, ever-expanding example of the di erence that hard work, informed by an Ignatian worldview, can make in the life of a community,” said Michael O’Hagan, president of Arrupe Jesuit, during an Oct. 23 groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
Arrupe Jesuit is building a 25,000-square-foot addition to the north of the existing school, and they will relocate the school’s main entrance to improve school security and enhance the operational efciency.
e extension includes a new gymnasium, locker rooms, an expanded tness center and student support
o ces. Renovations to the existing structure will include adding at least 8,400 square feet for classrooms and student activities.
e school also wants to expand the teacher workroom and cafeteria, in addition to other projects that are intended to increase student enrollment.
Arrupe Jesuit is spending $27.6 million on its expansion and another $13.2 million to renovate the existing school.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Craig Zoellner, chair of the Arrupe Jesuit board of trustees, said the projects are important to keep the school not just
New life coming to East Colfax hotel Developers
hope to reopen by end of 2025
BY ERNEST GURULÉ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
For anyone taking a trip down memory lane in Denver, there’s no better place than Colfax Avenue.
It’s not only the longest continuous street in the United States, stretching nearly 50 miles from end to end, but also a corridor that tells the most interesting stories.
Like so many businesses on this eastwest stretch across metro Denver, Colfax has seen countless cycles of boom and bust. One living testament to these economic spikes sits at 3015 E. Colfax Ave. e address once belonged to the Rockbar, a joint where the music ran the gamut from 1970s-era disco to every sound that followed. Above Rockbar was a motel, one that saw its nal days were less a good life lived than a cry for a merciful ending.
Decay had more than snuggly wrapped itself around the once popular go-to nightspot and cost-friendly stop for travelers. Transient squatters had become its rent-free tenants. e place had the patina of blight. But that is about to change.
growing but functioning efciently.
“I’m sure you’ve all heard through the course of this campaign about the shortcomings of the school and its current state, which are numerous,” Zoellner said.
“Classes in stairwells, changing for athletic events in locker rooms, substandard science labs, no place for students to gather. So this project is really about needs, not wants. e students, through their achievements over these last 20 years, have proven that they deserve more and they want more. e faculty deserves more and needs more.”
Brian Toerber, president of Inspire Investment Group, said his organization broke ground in June to revamp the motel. Toerber and his partners, along with the city of Denver, have put the pieces in place and work has begun on the All Inn Hotel, a boutique hotel scheduled to open “the fourth quarter of 2025.” e Inspire Group purchased the property in 2016, thinking at the time it would begin its new life as micro-apartments. But the city saw it as something else. Denver government o cials wanted a hotel in an area that desperately needed a presentable, a ordable and safe dwelling for visitors. ey also wanted a magnet they hoped might entice other new businesses to drop anchor.
e property is within minutes of a number of high-tra c seasonal sites and historic neighborhoods, including City Park Golf Course, e Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center.
This image shows the planned student gathering areas as part of the Arrupe Jesuit High School expansion project.
COURTESY IMAGE
Nursing home industry wants Trump to rescind sta ng mandate
BY JORDAN RAU KFF HEALTH NEWS
Covid’s rampage through the country’s nursing homes killed more than 172,000 residents and spurred the biggest industry reform in decades: a mandate that homes employ a minimum number of nurses.
But with President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the industry is ramping up pressure to kill that requirement before it takes e ect, leaving thousands of residents in homes too short-sta ed to provide proper care. e nursing home industry has been marshaling opposition for months among congressional Republicans — and some Democrats — to overrule the Biden administration’s mandate. Two industry groups, the American Health Care Association and LeadingAge, have sued to overturn the regulation, and 20 Republican state attorneys general have led their own challenge.
Consumer advocates, industry o cials and independent researchers agree that the incoming administration is likely to rescind the rule, given the rst Trump administration’s “patients over paperwork” campaign to remove “unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome health regulations on hospitals and other healthcare providers.” Among other things, Trump aided the industry by easing nes against homes that had been cited for poor care.
“ e Trump administration has proven itself really eager to reverse overreaching regulations,” said Linda Couch, senior vice president for policy and advocacy at LeadingAge, which represents nonpro t elder care providers. “We think it’s got a pretty good chance of being repealed, and hope so.”
Issued in April, the sta ng regulation requires nursing homes to have registered nurses on-site around the clock — something that the industry has endorsed — and to maintain minimum numbers of nurses and aides. Four in 5 homes would have to increase sta ng. e requirements would be phased in, starting in May 2026.
Even before the election, many experts and activists had doubts that the rule would be e ectively enforced, given the poor results in states that have imposed their own minimums. In New York, California, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts — states with the most robust requirements — many homes remain below the legal sta ng levels. Governors have given many homes reprieves, and other homes have found that paying penalties costs less than the increase in payroll for additional sta .
e federal government estimates the average annual cost over a decade to meet the Biden mandate would be $4.3 billion a year, a 2% increase in expenses, though the changes do not include increases in federal Medicare or Medicaid payments.
“Sta ng is everything in terms of nursing-home quality,” said R. Tamara Konetzka, a professor of public health sciences at the University of Chicago. While the rule’s e ectiveness was uncertain, she worried that repealing it would send the wrong message. “We would be losing that signal that nursing homes should try really hard to improve their sta ng,” she said.
Advocate groups for nursing home residents, who had criticized the Biden administration rule for not requiring even
“We’re hoping the president-elect will come in and take a look at the science and data behind it and see this really is a modest reform.”
Sam Brooks, director for public policy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
higher sta ng levels, have since pivoted and are trying to protect it.
“We’re hoping the president-elect will come in and take a look at the science and data behind it and see this really is a modest reform,” said Sam Brooks, the director for public policy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpro t. “We’d be devastated to see it fall.”
e Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment. e Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment, but in a court ling it argued that nursing homes should be able to reach the required sta ng levels.
“ ere is more than enough time to identify, train and hire additional sta ,” the Biden administration wrote.
e quality of care in the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes and the lack of adequate sta ng for their 1.2 million residents has been a concern for decades. Inspection reports continue to nd homes leaving residents lying in their own feces, su ering severe bedsores and falls, contracting infections, choking on food while unattended, or ending up back in a hospital for preventable reasons. Some nursing homes overuse psychotropic medications to pacify residents because they do not have enough workers to attend to them.
Leslie
Frane, executive vice president of the SEIU, the Service Employees Inter-
national Union, which represents health care workers, said in a statement that “far too many nursing home owners will not do the right thing and invest in workers without oversight and binding regulation.”
e nursing home industry says many homes cannot a ord to increase their workforces, and that, even if they could, there is a scarcity of trained nurses, and not enough people willing to work as aides for an average $19 an hour. A registered nurse earns $40 an hour on average in a nursing home, less than what they could make at a hospital, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
e Biden administration noted in its court ling it was planning to spend $75 million to recruit and train more workers, and that there were more than 100,000 workers who left nursing homes during the pandemic and could be lured back if salaries and working conditions were better.
How many nursing homes could a ord the increased cost remains a mystery because of weaknesses in the government’s requirements for nancial transparency. About half of homes lose money, according to their reports to Medicare, but some nursing home owners grow rich through clandestine maneuvers to siphon pro ts into their own pockets.
Last month, owners of Centers Health Care, one of New York state’s largest
nursing home chains, agreed topay $45 millionto settle allegations by Attorney General Letitia James that they diverted $83 million intended for resident care to themselves during the pandemic.
Maryellen Mooney, a spokesperson for the Centers Health Care chain, which denied the allegations, said in a statement that Centers was “committed to fully implementing the settlement terms, including a signi cant investment in resident care.”
About three-quarters of nursing homes are for-pro t. e industry, though, highlights the most sympathetic examples: rural nonpro t nursing homes like Kimball County Manor & Assisted Living in Kimball, Nebraska. Its sta ng levels for registered nurses are 40% below what the new rule would require, federal data shows.
Sarah Stull, Kimball’s administrator, said recruitment had always been challenging and that temporary nursing staing agencies charged more than double what she paid her own sta .
“We had to pay $65 for a nurse aide during covid, and that’s insane,” she said. e government estimated that about a fourth of the nation’s nursing homes would be eligible to apply for hardship exemptions if there were a documented shortage of nurses and aides in their communities compared with the national average.
But Nate Schema, the chief executive of the Good Samaritan Society, which runs 133 nonpro t homes mainly in the rural Midwest, estimated that only seven would be likely to qualify for a hardship waiver.
“Philosophically, they sound great,” he said. “But in practicality and how they’re put together, they won’t do much for us.” KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Consumer advocates, industry o cials and independent researchers agree that the incoming administration is likely to rescind the rule, given the first Trump administration’s “patients over paperwork” campaign to remove “unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome health regulations on hospitals and other healthcare providers.”
Media Coverage
of Denver’s Real Estate
About this time each month, the media updates readers and viewers on Denver’s real estate market, based on the “market trends” report released by the Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR), based on data from REcolorado, our local MLS.
The headline last Friday in the Denver Post was, “Metro Denver home sales tumble in November, taking prices down with them.”
When I worked for daily newspapers, the reporters did not write their own headlines. That was left to the copy desk, which I also worked on for awhile. So, remember to read the whole article and not just the headline!
Market Can Be Confusing or Even Misleading
below. Second, the statistics are based on month-to-month movement, which is not seasonally adjusted like other statistics. So, look at the two charts I printed at right to correct for those two flaws in the coverage.
However, headlines are what most people rely on, leading to a “conventional wisdom” about any given topic.
There are two problems with that headline. First, you need to know that the statistical report for “metro Denver” is based on statistics for an area that is more rural than urban or metropolitan, as I explain
Year-over-year, the number of sales is way up, and although the median closed price for detached single-family homes is down a little from October, it’s actually up fractionally from the prior November. The median closed price for the attached homes is actually up significantly from a year ago and up slightly from October.
DMAR’s statistics for condos and townhomes in its 11-county area were way off from the statistics based on a 25mile radius of downtown Denver. DMAR reported that the median price of attached listings was down 1.2% from November 2023, but you can see that it’s actually up quite a bit — 15.4%. The number of closings was up 51.4%.
According to DMAR, the number of
What’s the Statistical Definition of ‘Metro Denver’?
People often want to know, “How’s the real estate market?” That question is answered each month by the Denver Metro Association of Realtors using data from the Denver MLS, which is REcolorado. But they define “metro Denver” as the 11 counties that touch on the metro area. That map is at left. It would be just as easy to gather statistics (as I do) based on a 25-mile radius of downtown Denver, shown at right. The yellow circle on the left map approximates the 25-mile radius that I use.
active listings was up 39.3% from October 2023. In the 25-mile radius, they were up only 30%. These are just some exam-
Last week’s newsletter from our friends at Alpine Building Performance was on this topic, and some of the descriptions below are from them, but I have added my own content and edited theirs.
Brick or Stone Veneer - It has been decades since builders actually built brick or stone structural walls. Nowadays, homes are almost always wood frame with only a veneer of brick or stone. And that “stone” is usually “cultured stone” (example at right), which is made from concrete with additives to create the look of real stone and molded into different shapes. It’s fun to look at a wall and see if you can find where different shapes are repeated.
Composite Decking - Trex was probably the original brand name for this product, which is a mostly petroleum product. Its first version over 25 years ago was gray and not very wood-like in appearance. It also was prone to sagging if your joists were more than 12 inches apart. Now Trex and its several competitors make versions which look quite wood-like. I like TimberTech’s line.
Balcony vs. Deck - A balcony is technically a structure that does not have exterior stairs to the ground level and can only be accessed from the interior.
Fiber Cement Siding - If you own a tract home built since, say, 1990, and you think you have wood siding, you quite likely have fiber cement siding that looks like wood.
James Hardie® dominates this product line with their “HardieBoard.” This exterior cladding is made from a mixture of cement, sand, water, and cellulose fibers. In addition to wood, it often mimics stucco or masonry, offering superior resistance to moisture, pests, fire, and weather. Fiber cement is a popular siding choice due to its affordability and benefits.
Flatwork - Refers to horizontal surfaces made from materials like concrete or pavers, including sidewalks, driveways, patios, and slabs, providing functional and decorative flat surfaces in outdoor spaces. It is not structural! It is slab-on-gravel, and if the earth under it is not properly prepared, it is prone to settling, which is fixed by “mudjacking,” a process in which a concrete slurry is pumped through 4-inch holes in the concrete to raise it. Your basement and garage floors are probably slabs on gravel. I am particularly fond of “stamped concrete,” which is typically colored and can resemble flagstone.
EIFS - (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) is also know as “artificial stucco.” It’s a multi-layered exterior wall cladding that provides insulation, waterproofing, and a customizable finish. It typically consists of an insulation board, base coat with fiberglass mesh, and a decorative finish coat often referred to as synthetic stucco. While EIFS has a bad reputation for moisture issues, it can be a great product IF it is installed properly.
that
knowledgeable about and experienced in all the
living entails, whether it be well-
mitigation, or whatever.
ples of how much stats can vary based on the urban/rural mix of DMAR versus looking at a 25-mile radius of Denver.
EXPANSION
O’Hagan said the school will lay the foundations for the new science wing and the gymnasium with the expectation of completing the buildings by Christmas of next year. After the school occupies the new addition, work will begin on the renovation of the current building, which is expected to be completed in September 2026. e project is part of the school’s “Lead the Way” campaign that was initiated in 2018 by its board of trustees and school leadership, which gathered input from focus groups composed of sta and faculty, students, parents, alumni and donors, according to documents from Arrupe Jesuit. Denver City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval also attended the ground-
breaking ceremony and o ered a few stories of her own education experiences.
Sandoval also said Arrupe Jesuit is an important institution in the North Denver community because it helps many Latino students.
“Maybe (one of Arrupe’s students) will become a councilperson,” Sandoval said.
“Maybe one of them will be the mayor. Maybe one of them will be our rst Latino president. Let’s imagine a world where Arrupe thrives, where these students thrive and are able to give back. And I ask you, the future generation, when you’re asked, when you’re called upon by your community, please show up like I did because it matters, and you matter to us.”
According to Arrupe Jesuit, the average family income of its students is just more than $46,000. e school stated since 2003, all of its graduates have been accepted to at least one college or university.
HOTEL
Toerber, a fellow who understands property development, said he knew nothing about hotels, but he has since learned volumes and will be watching the progress of what one day soon will blossom into a 54-room hotel, with a ground- oor restaurant and retail space that will hit the sweet spot both for its location and price point.
Toerber said he predicts the newest addition to Denver hotels will “appeal to leisure and business travelers looking to experience the local community.” Opening-day rates, he guessed, will be around $200 a night.
Lining up investors for Toerber’s project proved as challenging as any undertaking he’s experienced, he said. e place, when he rst spied it, had barely a whi of potential. Some investors got cold feet. Another led for bankruptcy. e project screamed more dead on arrival than return on investment. And then, he sighed, there was Covid.
To launch the project, Toerber met
numerous times with the city, and despite not getting a unanimous greenlight from Denver City Council, he did get approved for $3.5 million from the city’s tax investment funds. e city council was divided, with opposition standing rm on spending the money on housing.
Council members who favored opening the purse strings prevailed, citing “a ordable retail” that might sprout up.
An outdoor pool that will open for community members to use also may have sweetened the pot.
Because Toerber originally saw the project as micro-apartments—something he had experience with—and not a hotel, his learning curve has been steep, certainly steeper than he had expected.
“To be honest, it’s taken several years to understand,” he said.
To get up to speed, the Denver developer’s schooling involved, “lots of phone calls, meetings with hospitality companies…it took a few years.”
But after numerous stops and starts, redirection and total replanning and, of course, the bankruptcy of a potential lender, Toerber thinks it’s all been worth it. “It’s going to bring a lot to the community.”
Students from Arrupe Jesuit High School stand Oct. 23 in front of the site of this school’s expansion and renovation project.
Bill Fortune, a major donor to Arrupe Jesuit High School, gets a hug Oct. 23 during a groundbreaking ceremony for the school’s expansion and renovation project. PHOTOS BY ERIC HEINZ
FROM PAGE 1
COURTESY PHOTO
State to enforce Express Lane violations
Roadside detection system will flag those crossing
solid lines
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Colorado Department of Transportation is cracking down on drivers that cross the solid lines of Colorado’s Express Lanes ahead of the new year, as penalties for breaking Express Lanes rules will soon take e ect on the I-25 South Gap, I-70 and U.S. 36 corridors.
Douglas County recently shared that the Express Lanes Safety and Toll Enforcement Program — which is managed by a government-owned business within CDOT — will be implementing advanced roadway technology to identify drivers
entering and exiting Express Lanes outside of designated areas.
e roadside detection system pinpoints vehicles weaving over solid white lines in Express Lanes using sensors, cameras and software.
e system was rst introduced in Colorado last year on the I-70 Mountain Express Lane corridor and has since expanded to the C-470 and North I-25 Express Lanes. “ is technology has already reduced violations by 80% in the corridors where we’ve developed it,” Tim Hoover, a CDOT spokesperson, said in a statement. “ is means accidents avoided and lives saved.”
A warning period began on Dec. 1. is means drivers on the I-25 South Gap from south Castle Rock to Monument, on I-70 between I-25 and Chambers Road, and on U.S. 36 between Federal Boulevard
and Table Mesa Drive will receive a warning for entering or exiting the Express Lanes outside of designated areas.
is enforcement will start with a 30day grace period, during which warnings will be mailed to the registered address of the vehicle.
e warning period will end on Jan 1, which is when violators will receive nes known as civil penalties. According to the state, civil penalties for violating the Express Lane rules will start at $75 if paid within 20 days. If the ne is not paid within 20 days, the ne increases to $150.
Over the years, CDOT has seen that weaving over the solid lines between Express Lanes and the general purpose lanes cause crashes as drivers may not anticipate other vehicles to suddenly cross over the lines in front of them, forcing them to react quickly, according to CDOT.
e release from CDOT said that this behavior “signi cantly increases crash risks due to the speed di erential between vehicles in the Express Lanes and those in the general purpose lanes.”
Vehicles should only enter or exit Express Lanes at clearly marked points where there is signage and dashed lines.
According to CDOT’s website, a dashed line may be paired with a solid white line on some Express Lane corridors. In those cases, the driver can only enter the Express Lanes if they are closest to the dashed line. If the solid line is on the driver’s side, they cannot cross.
“More than 90% of drivers using Express Lanes follow the rules and don’t cross the solid lines,” Hoover said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the small percentage that do weave endanger themselves and everyone else.”
First class seating on Frontier Airlines? Here it comes
BY SARAH MULHOLLAND CPR NEWS
Frontier Airlines is making a play for luxury travelers.
e Denver-based budget carrier is introducing rst-class seating as part of its e ort to revamp its operations and reach new customers. e new seating will roll out next year along with free seat upgrades and unlimited free companion seating for the most frequent iers, Frontier said in a statement.
“Travelers should expect more from
their airline and, in 2025, Frontier will deliver as we continue our transformation into the most rewarding airline in the sky,” said Barry Bi e, CEO of Frontier Airlines, in the statement. “We’ve listened to customers, and they want more — more premium options, like rst-class seating, attainable seat upgrades, more free travel for their companions, and the ability to use miles on more than just airfare.” e changes are a departure for an airline that is known for its rock-bottom fares and no-frills service. Frontier, along with other budget carriers, is struggling
to compete with big airlines. Frontier had a reputation for nickeland-diming customers with fees that added substantial costs to the fares advertised. Last year, a class action lawsuit led in Florida alleged Frontier gate attendants earned bonuses for charging people additional baggage fees at the gate, among other things. Frontier has since added multiple pricing tiers that included things like checked bags.
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
Open enrollment is here: Discover affordable options from Anthem in Colorado
BY MATT PICKETT
We all want good health, both for ourselves and for our families. That’s why we center many of our choices around improving our health and well-being. Now that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace open enrollment period has begun, it’s time to start exploring the best plan for you and your family. ACA Marketplace health plans are specifically for those who do not have access to an employer-sponsored health plan and do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.
To ensure you have health coverage beginning in 2025, it’s important to start focusing on finding a plan that meets your needs and your budget. Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, is where you will enroll when you’re ready. Selecting a health plan can feel like a daunting task, but Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado (Anthem) can help you choose the right one for you. Anthem has been in Colorado for 86 years and is the only health benefit plan available in every county in the state.
Benefits are more affordable than you may think Anthem’s health plans offer different options for care, and your premium and deductible will depend on the plan you choose. Our website outlines the available options based on coverage needs and pricing for individual and family plans. It’s important to remember health plans cover preventive health care—such as mammograms, colonoscopies, regular check-ups and other important services—at no cost to consumers. Chronic health conditions that negatively impact quality of life and significantly increase healthcare costs can often be prevented or managed through these early detection screenings.
You may also be eligible to receive additional financial help through ACA subsidies, which can help lower or eliminate monthly premiums and decrease out-of-pocket costs. In fact, nine out of 10 people nationwide can save on the cost of health coverage through these subsidies.
The high cost of no benefits
Forgoing healthcare coverage might seem like a cost-effective alternative; however, out-of-pocket costs and unexpected hospitalizations add up quickly. Uninsured individuals often face unaffordable medical bills when they do seek care, which can lead to medical debt and other forms of financial instability. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 62% of uninsured adults report having medical debt. Uninsured adults are more likely to face negative consequences due to health care debt, such as using their savings, having difficulty paying other living expenses, or needing to borrow money.
Nearly 1 In 12 U.S. adults owe medical debt, and almost 67% of all bankruptcies in America are tied to medical issues, whether due to the high costs of medical bills or the loss of income after taking time off from work. We understand inflation is still challenging for many household budgets, but securing healthcare coverage now may really help you save money in the long run.
Next steps
Anthem offers decades of experience and knowledgeable support to help people create a path to better health and wellness. We can be a resource to help you through this process, regardless of what health plan you eventually choose. Call us at (833) 2361058 or visit our website to easily compare the available plans as you determine what will best work for you and your budget. Then visit Connect for Health Colorado to enroll. Be sure to enroll by December 15 for coverage to begin January 1 or enroll by January 15 for coverage to begin February 1. Get ahead of the new year by exploring Anthem health plans today.
Matt Pickett is the President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado.
Your di erence is your strength: Sue Seserman and ‘Epilectra’
BY TEAGUE VON BOHLEN
When Washington Park resident Sue Seserman had her rst seizure, it sure didn’t feel like a positive thing. Seserman describes the experience as “out of the blue,” made even more so when the second seizure happened later that Spring. And then again in the summer. After a lot of monitoring, her doctor nally diagnosed her with epilepsy.
And Seserman turned that diagnosis — eventually — into an opportunity, one that could ght social stigma around disabilities and empower those who nd they have them. It’s a tall order, admittedly. Maybe one that requires heroics. Super-heroes, even. is is how Seserman came up with the idea for her new graphic novel “Epilectra” (available now at local bookstores and online), which tells the stories of a superhero and her friends who nd their powers through their conditions: the titular Epilectra has epilepsy, of course. ere are super-friends of hers with cerebral palsy, too, and autism and type-one diabetes and endometriosis. Doubtlessly there are heroes with similar stories and other conditions waiting to be introduced — Seserman is already planning a second book.
“I’ve always been a writer,” Seserman said. “Writing has always been what I’ve done, no matter what job title I’ve had.”
And she’s had a lot of interesting jobs in her long career. She worked as the only woman on a sports marketing team of ve men at Edelman Worldwide in Chicago. When her husband’s job took them to California, she secured an enviable position as director of public relations with LucasArts Entertainment, the computer gaming company owned by lmmaker George Lucas and his Star Wars empire (no pun intended).
“People always tell me how much fun it must have been to work there, and it was,” Seserman recalls. “But the work itself was insane — media relations and tours, press releases, sell sheets, a quarterly company magazine, conference planning and execution, speech writing — but so was the camaraderie.”
Seserman said she’s especially fond of the holiday parties, which were weird and wonderful.
“I still have a picture of myself with Chewbacca on my fridge,” she laughed.
Seserman, who served as editor-in-chief of the LucasArts magazine e Adventurer for a time, wasn’t far a eld from the comic book genre to begin with — but Seserman says it was her daughter who suggested turn-
ing the idea Seserman had been percolating on into a graphic novel.
“She thought about a comic book,” Seserman said, “and that got me thinking. e idea in the end seemed too big for just a comic book, so I decided on a book-length graphic novel series.”
e book has been out since the summer and has received nothing but ve-star reviews on Amazon. Meanwhile, she’s at work on book two while she enjoys her Platt Park home, enjoying her Sweet Cow Ice Cream and dinners at Sushi Den. But she says it’s the “intangible spirit of the neighborhood” that most inspires her, a “feeling of acceptance that exists regardless of age, gender, or orientation.”
Or, more applicably to her graphic novel, any sort of physical challenge.
“One of the things I’m most proud of with ‘Epilectra’ is that it’s not a how-to book on disability,” Seserman says. “It’s more intuitive than that. More subtle and also more speci c. I wanted the story to speak to everyone. I wanted to share with readers how these characters transform their disabilities into super-abilities. e super-team in the book has a motto: ‘Your di erence is your strength.’ at’s really the key to the message I’m trying to send to my
readers, especially young readers. ere’s nothing holding you back from becoming the superhero you can be. Nothing at all.”
“Epilectra,” book one, is available nationwide now and at Sue Seserman’s website at epilectra. com.
Amid fear, trans students and families plan for Trump
BY WELLINGTON SOARES CHALKBEAT
On the Saturday after the election, Cheryl Suydam headed to an impromptu meeting of parents of trans kids. e gathering was called by the local chapter of PFLAG, an advocacy group that supports LGBTQ+ people and their families, to discuss their feelings after American voters elected a president who ran on an openly anti-trans platform.
“Every single person in that room was absolutely terri ed,” Suydam said.
Suydam and her husband are the parents of three daughters, including a 15-year-old who is transgender. ey live in Asheville, North Carolina, a more progressive community in a state that is less so.
About two dozen parents seated around a living room discussed changing their children’s legal names while they still could, starting medical treatment while it was still available in other states, and moving to more welcoming communities.
“It was cathartic to connect with others living this same experience and feeling the need to mobilize in some way,” Suydam said.
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports, ban gender-afrming care for minors, investigate whether such care should be available even to adults, roll back the Biden administration’s Title IX changes that gave transgenders students more legal protections at school, and punish schools that teach what Trump calls “leftwing gender insanity.”
“Teachers are wondering: What resources will I be able to use to keep kids safe? And that’s not just LGBTQ kids, but all students,” said Scott Miller, co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus of the National Education Association.
Students and teachers in Republican-led states that have passed anti-trans laws have experience resisting those laws, said Craig White, director of Supportive Schools at the Campaign for Southern Equality — and they have lessons for people in the rest of the country if the federal government pushes those policies into more states.
Many anti-LGBTQ+ policies are vague, leaving room for districts and teachers to take a more supportive approach and for students to keep exercising their free speech, White said. Activists are also contesting those laws in the courts.
Since Trump’s election, White said he has been overwhelmed with calls from people who want to organize.
“My weeks have not just been doom and gloom,” White said. “Within just a couple of days, I’ve seen people turning towards energy and activism and organizing. I have not even been able to keep up with the number of people contacting me and saying, ‘Okay, we’re ready to take action. What do we do now?’”
Students move to secure documents, treatment before inauguration
In Texas, Mandy Giles works supporting families of trans children. Since the election, she’s received many messages expressing fear and seeking advice.
“Parents of trans kids and young adults have been scared for a long time in Texas, but there has been a feeling that there was some level of federal protections that now may be going away,” Giles said.
She runs a monthly support group in Houston. e rst meeting after the election had the most attendees ever — but at least half of the families in the meeting said they will be moving out of state soon.
“Some families have been with us since the beginning,” Giles said. “We had some tearful goodbyes because we knew we wouldn’t be seeing each other again before the end of the year.”
In North Carolina, Suydam has found support locally despite hostile state laws. e state has restricted discussions of gender and sexuality in elementary schools, banned gender-a rming care for minors, and barred transgender youth from competing in middle, high school, and college sports.
“It’s an incredible community,” Suydam said. “As soon as my daughter came out, we contacted the school, and they quickly started using her preferred pronouns and name.”
Her daughter, whose name she asked to withhold to protect her privacy, started hormonal therapies before state legislators passed a bill in 2023 to ban gender-a rming care to minors. e law allowed minors who already were under treatment to continue. But her daughter had to stop swimming after legislators passed a law that students can only join sports teams for the genders they were assigned at birth.
“She used to be a competitive swimmer and has only competed as a female,” Suydam said. “Since these laws were passed, she has stopped because they gave people the freedom to talk openly against trans athletes. So, it never felt safe to talk to her teammates or the parents of the teammates about the fact that she was trans.”
A publication of
e family is preparing for the coming months. “I’m actively updating all of her documentation to re ect her name and gender now and in the next few weeks while I still can,” Suydam said.
Trump’s election means that any hopes of federal protection to counter state laws have disappeared. People are thinking about how they can protect themselves and their family members, advocates said.
Ben Cooper is an attorney based in Columbus, Ohio, who has provided free legal advice at a legal aid clinic for LGBTQ people since 2016. Since the election, he said he’s seen more people rushing to get their names and gender markers changed in legal documents. is type of change is regulated by state law, but advocates fear the Trump administration may adopt policies that a ect federally issued documents like passports.
“My advice is: If you’ve been thinking about adjusting your documents, then there’s no time like the present,” Cooper said.
Milo McBrayer, 17, who identi es as transmasculine and queer, is also considering fasttracking his documents before Trump takes o ce.
“I am also thinking of going out of state to start gender-a rming care,” said Milo, who also lives in Asheville. “Because of North Carolina’s ban, I didn’t plan to do it before I turned 18, but now I don’t know if my ability will go away after Trump takes o ce.”
Milo said that he has also become more active in local groups that support trans people “as a way of building a stronger support system.”
One of those is the Pansy Collective, a group of LGBTQ+ artists, who recently organized a “bug-out bag” workshop. e workshop covered information about how to be safe and what to bring if you need to escape quickly, whether that’s eeing a natural disaster such as Hurricane Helene or moving across state lines to access gender-a rming medical care.
“ e workshop was mostly about reducing anxiety by providing educational resources,” said Riley, an organizer with the group who asked that his last name not be published.
Bullying a major concern for transgender youth
Last year, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey estimated that 40% of students who identify as transgender or who are questioning their gender identity su ered bullying at school. Advocates worry the election may exacerbate hostile environments in some schools.
According to the Movement Advancement
Project, 25 states have no speci c protection for LGBTQ+ students in their anti-bullying laws, and two states — Missouri and South Dakota – actively ban schools from including LGBTQ+ students in their anti-bullying policies.
Even in states such as North Carolina where students have some protections from bullying, ensuring that schools respect the law is not always easy.
“In my old school, people just had the audacity to yell slurs at you walking down the hallway,” said Milo, who transferred to a charter school for his senior year. “And even though I was being bullied pretty heavily, the school refused to do anything about it because it was about me being trans. And that has turned into a political issue, not a human rights issue.”
In his new school, e Franklin School of Innovation, he feels much more comfortable and has found community among other queer students.
Even in liberal states like California, trans students and their families can have di culties. Juliet Stowers is an elementary school teacher in Orange County, California, and the parent of a 16-year-old trans girl. She said that it is not rare to hear anti-trans rhetoric in her district, and many parents complain about the presence of trans kids in schools.
“Some days, it can be debilitating,” she said. “Trump is saying that we, as teachers, are offering hormones or performing surgeries when we have to pay for the pencils in our classrooms.”
Stowers said she’ll continue working in the community to support other educators, parents, and kids.
“My daughter is terri ed, but I’ve been telling her, ‘Don’t worry, there are many people ready to ght. We are ready to ght,’” she said. Across the country, Milo feels similarly.
“I felt very failed by the adults in my country,” he said of the election results. “So, I have been spending a lot of time grieving. But I have also been trying to do a lot of community work by helping my friends as much as I can, sharing resources to cope with this situation, and talking about it openly.”
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
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Since Trump’s election, organizers say they have been overwhelmed with calls from people who want to organize. SHUTTERSTOCK
Finishing strong and starting stronger
As the year draws to a close, it’s natural to re ect on how we’ve spent the past months and prepare for what lies ahead. is time of year holds a unique rhythm, one that challenges us to nish strong while simultaneously setting the stage to start the new year even stronger. In my career, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside individuals who exemplify an unwavering work ethic. eir example serves as a reminder that the choices we make in these critical weeks can set the tone for short- and long-term success. When it comes to year-end productivity, people tend to fall into three categories. First are the “hibernating bears,” who mentally check out, believing the end of the year is a time to coast. ey avoid new challenges, choosing to “wake up” in January, often starting from scratch.
tegic action.
At the other end of the spectrum are the “eager beavers” who work tirelessly, maximizing every moment. ese individuals are determined to squeeze every bit of opportunity out of the year while positioning themselves for a solid start to the next.
Somewhere in between are those who nd balance, resting and recharging while also seizing pockets of productivity. ey understand the value of entering the new year refreshed yet prepared, blending thoughtful re ection with stra-
How often do we set resolutions in January, particularly around tness, only to face the harsh reality of starting cold? Imagine if we began today, taking small steps toward our goals and gradually building strength and endurance. By January’s arrival, the initial hurdles are behind us, and we’re miles ahead of where we would have been. is principle applies equally to professional endeavors. For those in sales, the last month of the year is a critical period, yet it’s often underestimated. e hibernating salesperson may believe their prospects are too busy or disinterested during the holidays. But this mindset ignores a key truth: when we snooze, we lose.
On the other hand, the eager beaver salesperson sees the holiday season as an opportunity. ey know that creativity and persistence can turn December into a month of signi cant wins. Whether it’s closing deals, setting up January meetings, or identifying personal and professional growth areas, they stay proactive while others are idle.
Here are some practical strategies to nish strong:
Focus on Follow-Up: Revisit leads and opportunities that may have gone quiet earlier in the year. e end of the year often brings a sense of urgency for decision-makers trying to nalize budgets or achieve annual goals. Get Creative with Outreach: Use the holiday season to connect personally. Sending thoughtful messages or small
Htokens of appreciation can keep you top of mind and build goodwill.
Set the Table for January: Book meetings now for the start of the new year. Prospects and clients often plan ahead, and securing time on their calendars ensures you hit the ground running.
SEE NORTON, P9
Letters from Miss Jill: What school can be
ave you ever walked into a historic building and felt transformed? Did you happen to notice the architecture of your high school at the time? Did it a ect you? Maybe some of us become more aware of these details and how they shaped us, or not, through the passage of time.
I recently had the pleasure of exploring the physical spaces of North High School, North Denver’s “home-base” high school, through a meticulously curated tour. e architecture of American schools has transformed a lot through the decades. It seems during the midcentury, architecture was in uenced by practicality and the a ordability of building materials. A functionality perspective dictated the modernism trends of the time, causing some of those schools to appear a bit bland compared to those constructed in previous decades. is Beaux Arts design of North, originally constructed in the early 20th century, seems to breathe educationally inspired stories through its octagonal black-and-white-tiled oors and murals of its original lobby. I was really taken with the grandeur of the building and wondered, Did it make the students feel special? Did it inspire a desire to gain knowledge and do great things?
As my steps echoed through the hallways, I approached the decorative wrought-iron railings of the staircase and took a moment to gaze out the large windows to an expansive view of downtown Denver. I secretly wished I could’ve
inhabited such a gorgeous building during my own high school years. e schools I attended as a kid, and even many as a teacher, resembled more a prison than a hall of learning. Architecture can wield power over our mood, overall well-being and the trajectories of our lives. is idea was validated in a 2023 Psychology Today article, “How Architecture A ects Our oughts, Mood, and Behavior,” highlighting the relationship between humans and the environment.
Writer Danish Kurani, founder of an architectural rm that designs spaces for education, stated, “Some places make us feel smarter or healthier, and some places make us miserable. But every place is exerting some in uence on us. at’s because architecture is the container for our lives. e shape we give to architecture is the shape we give to our lives.”
My rst teaching job was at 1301 Quebec St. in east Denver. is large, highceilinged, red-brick building housed one of Denver’s very rst kindergartens and became a longtime home for Stanley British Primary School. I wrote about the rst time I entered this school in my memoir: “ e aesthetics of this old building seemed to complement the activities of the children. Groups of students constructed magni cent block buildings in a spacious hallway adjacent to a grand
staircase that reached up to lofty ceilings.” e classrooms were spacious and I recall windows that reached up to those tall ceilings with sunshine streaming in, adding to a happy and productive ambience for the children.
e physical environment is one important thing. A great school also embraces a philosophy of support, community and even a sense of tradition.
My years at Manning Junior High in Golden are lled with memories of walking through windowless, locker-lined and dimly lit hallways of a cinder-block building.
However, the student population and teachers were a vibrant bunch, perhaps neutralizing the e ects of those dark hallways. e redeeming physical feature of the school was a quad in the center of the building that acted like our own outdoor plaza and let in some natural light to the cafeteria. However, at the time I attended, only the oldest students, the ninthgraders, were permitted to hang out in the quad, a privilege we looked forward to during our tenure there.
North High School indeed values its legacy as demonstrated by glass cabinets lled with pictures, trophies and even a collection of historic science equipment. I was impressed to learn that at one time the school boasted its own telescope for a class one science teacher helped procure through a program with NASA.
My tour guide that day, from the class of 1966, was a proud alum who knew much about the school’s history. North
is proud of its alumni who have gone out into the world over the years to accomplish things, large and small, from scienti c breakthroughs to surviving active military service. Some have come back to teach at their alma mater. As far as an administration, I don’t think I have ever met such a dedicated crew.
I was also happy to learn that students’ merit was considered not just on academics, but also on positive social interactions, which is so important in our social media-heavy environment these days. is attribute is held high through the school’s scholarship program.
Not all of us are fortunate enough to go to school in a beautiful, historic building, but we can endeavor to search for and create more positive physical environments. It’s all in the details. Like paying attention to lighting or choice of furnishings or wall color. Like a home, a school can re ect our beliefs and purposes, and, yes, cherished history. Brandishing bits of the past, however long ago, emotes a sense of pride and belonging.
When you look for schools for your child keep these ideals in mind or, if anything, help foster a positive learning environment with your child’s school. Take inspiration next time you drive by North High School.
Jill Carstens taught for 30 years and now enjoys writing about that time here and in her recently published memoir, “Getting Over Vivian.” Find out more at www.jillcarstenswriter.com.
Mental health: The Sway Test can help unlock healing
Despite out-of-pocket costs and long waits for appointments already being a statewide issue, the truth is the citizens of northwest Denver are blessed to have more therapy options per capita than almost anywhere else in the state of Colorado.
From a glut of private practitioners to culturally responsive clinics such as Clinica Tepeyac (not to mention the free, 24-7 Colorado Crisis line, accessed by dialing 988), mental health help is there for those who seek it out.
at’s important because as we head into the holiday season and the winter months, mental health and wellness is more important than ever. Yet many folks don’t know there are simple techniques we can try in the privacy of our own homes to explore our own psyches and develop insight. One of my favorite techniques to do so is called the Sway Test.
e Sway Test was developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, an author and expert in
After a trip along the coast of Lake Michigan, I became intrigued by lighthouses and spent some time learning about these amazing torches. ey have existed for centuries; the Egyptians created the rst lighthouse 2,300 years ago. ey come in di erent shapes and sizes and can be seen in stunning places. Lighthouses must be nearly indestructible, give direction to the voyager, and protect vessels from unseen dangers lurking just below the water’s surface. e three most important parts of a lighthouse are the type of light used to attract attention, the location of the lighthouse protecting ships from danger, and the foundation upon which the structure is built.
As I read more about these buildings, I thought about how, in our sometimes complicated and downright confusing world, we as human beings need lighthouses, something or someone to give us direction and protection from unseen dangers. ree questions helped me wrap my head around the idea of lighthouses in our lives.
What light shines for you in a way that you will never miss? Is it family, friends, mornings? Is it the promise of health or maybe just the comfort of knowing things will work out? Whatever the light, it must catch your attention no matter how dicult the situation or how big the storm. What is your lighthouse protecting
GUEST
Re ect and Plan: Take stock of your wins and lessons from the past year. Identify areas for growth and create a roadmap for development in 2025. Maintain Balance: Rest and recharge when needed. Burnout won’t serve you well in the long term, so nd moments to relax and refocus while staying productive. e way you nish this year directly impacts how you begin the next. Just as athletes maintain conditioning during the oseason, professionals who stay engaged in December enter January with momentum. ey’ve already overcome the inertia
COLUMN Erin Olyer Rohlf
the eld of energy psychology. Dr. Nelson’s theory is that there is intelligence within our entire body, not just our brain. He developed a technique from his years of clinical experience as a chiropractor who expanded into the eld of holistic medicine. e Sway Test is a method of gathering information from our subconscious mind, and it is very easy to learn and does not require the assistance of anyone else. To do the Sway Test, you simply must be able to stand on two feet.
Here’s how: Start in a standing position, feet rmly planted and shoulder-width apart, being sure not to lock your knees, and with your arms by your sides. Let go of all conscious thoughts and close your eyes if you are comfortable doing so.
You’ll notice it’s impossible to actually stand still—your body typically sways almost imperceptibly. en make a statement: When you vocally make a positive
true statement, your body will begin to sway noticeably forward, Nelson’s theory being that a gentle sway forward represents a true or correct statement, while a gentle sway back on your heels represents a negative, untrue or incongruous statement.
Try this experiment: Take the Sway Test stance and make a statement you know to be true, for example your name. If your name is Alex, for example, and you say, “My name is Alex,” your subconscious mind knows the statement to be true and you’ll sway forward gently because your body is drawn to congruence and truth. Try it again with a false name, and you should feel your body begin to sway backward within a few seconds. Your body’s response time will shorten the more that you practice this phenomenon. e most challenging form of this testing of our subconscious mind is that it requires our conscious mind to give up control for a few moments allowing our
Lighthouses in our lives
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
body to respond innately. We can implicitly trust the wisdom of our subconscious mind to help inform decisions large and small.
While it’s not a crystal ball, the Sway Test could be useful in a wide range of scenarios, like whether to enroll in a class, rekindle a friendship or pursue a side gig. It’s particularly useful in exploring the murky world of emotions, which often drives us to engage in behavior that’s befuddling. May the Sway Test hold the answers to the emotions or subconscious thought patterns that are presenting barriers to you achieving the goals that you seek? Plant your feet, ask your questions and let your body’s sway speak.
Erin Olyer Rohlf is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), professional therapist and founder of Denver Couples Clinic. Call her at 720-644-1400 or nd her at www. denvercouplesclinic.com to learn more or to suggest ideas for future columns.
you from hitting? Are your dangers discouragement, fear, anger, disappointment, or does something else present a greater peril? Knowing the dangers you are avoiding lets you know your lighthouse is in the right spot. e goal of your lighthouse is to catch your attention when you venture too close to the rocks that can hamper your journey. What is the foundation upon which your lighthouse is built? Is it faith? Is it family? Is it friends? Or is it some combination of all of these and a few other things? ere are all sorts of stories of lighthouses failing. ere is even a top 10 list of most endangered lighthouses published by MapQuest Travel. Most lighthouses that fail do so because of issues with the foundation. As the ground under the lighthouse erodes the structure cannot stand. It is only with a strong base that the lighthouse accomplishes its goal. At rst glance, it may seem strange for a column about encouragement to suggest you think about lighthouses, but in introspection, we sometimes nd the greatest treasures. Taking time to think about this idea allows you to celebrate the supports and protections surrounding you. It also allows you to look for ways to create the
type of support you need if it is not there. If you take time to think about this idea of a lighthouse, I would love to hear about the supports surrounding you. As always, I hope that you will nd inspiration in my words and share those words of encouragement with those who need it. I would love to hear from you as you nd helpful morsels in these columns and as you nd ways to encourage those around you. I can be contacted at jim.roome@gmail.com.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.
that plagues those who wait until the clock strikes midnight to get started. Let’s commit to nishing this year with intention and enthusiasm. Let’s maximize every opportunity, nurture every relationship, and embrace the chance to improve. And when the new year arrives, let’s start stronger. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we nish strong and start even stronger, 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.
Jim Roome
Anthony Dominguez and Nate Harner have worked plenty of jobs and some have been ful lling. Dominguez was a medical caregiver and Harner is a musician in Fort Collins.
But both men were caught a little o guard by the accolades heaped on them after they started installing Christmas lights this fall for Humbug Holiday Lighting. e north metro company’s motto is “All e Magic Without e Hassle” and people are more than joyful to let Humbug take the complicated and sometimes dangerous task of hanging Christmas lights out of their hands.
“People are just so happy to see us,” said Dominguez, who recently carefully lined up a string of colorful lights outside a home in north Broom eld. “ ey are so grateful ... it just seems what we do makes people smile.”
“One customer was so happy for what we did for them, she baked us a plate of cookies,” Harner said. “I have never seen that before.” is is Humbug’s rst year in the Christmas lighting business, and owner Brad Goins said he is still dealing with the joy he is spreading.
“I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would,” Goins said. “ ey are all just so incredibly excited to see us. It’s just something super special for them.”
As of late November, Humbug had serviced 60 homes. Most are in the north Denver metro area, but Goins thinks the company’s reach will soon stretch further south and beyond.
“ is business is going to grow. ere is such a demand,” he said.
Natalie — the Broom eld homeowner — said she and her family have hung Christmas lights for the past 15 years. is year, her husband announced he no longer wanted to take the risk.
“He’s afraid of heights, and he didn’t want to do it anymore,” she said.
Natalie, who asked that her last name not be used, contacted Humbug, which relies on online marketing as well as signs planted on the side of roadways to advertise their services. “ is is so great. You guys are great,” Natalie told the Humbug crew. “... e best part is that no one has to be hurt.”
Goins said worries over safety usually prompt people to call for his company’s services. It has led to the overall growth of the Christmas light industry in Colorado and elsewhere, Goins said.
“People call and say, ‘You really do this?’” Goins said. “A lot of people still don’t realize we’re out there.”
A typical installation may take up to four hours and the price tag to let professionals handle the work also widely varies, according to Goins and other light installers contacted by Colorado Community Media.
A two-story home may cost about $500 to decorate, especially if it has been tted for lights before. Some larger and more elaborate homes may cost a few thousand to t.
But many homeowners and businesses are more willing to pay for the installation just so they can forgo the hassles of hanging their own lights.
“When we do it, that means for homeowners there is no more climbing ladders or untangling lights. Who wants to do that during the holidays?” Goins said.
Most of the people who call for professional light installers are wives who no longer want their husbands climbing ladders and potentially hurting themselves, said Chris Rhodes, co-owner of Window Genie, which hangs Christmas lights in Arvada, Brighton, Denver, Eastlake and Wheat Ridge.
Brad Goins of Humbug Christmas Lights uses a pole to decorate a tree with Christmas lights. PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY
LIGHTS
e company just nished decorating a home in Greenwood Village for “a few thousand dollars,” Rhodes said.
“A lot of guys say ‘Oh no, I can do it. I can do it,’” Rhodes said. “ e wives are saying ‘Well, let’s get someone else to do it.’”
A generational shift is also fueling the growth of professional Christmas cheer installers, Goins said.
Baby boomers are aging out of stringing lights, especially for homes that are more than one story, he said.
“ e generations after baby boomers are more than willing to let someone else do it for them,” Goins said. “Plus, they want to do something elaborate, something they can be proud of.”
Humbug professionals consult with homeowners before they start work on a home, Goins said.
“Professionals create a stunning and customized lighting design tailored to your home’s unique architecture,” states the Humbug website.
Humbug workers do the installation, takedown and storage.
“Licensed, insured, and OSHA-certied technicians ensure the job is done safely, reducing the risk of accidents,” according to the Humbug website.
“ e company uses commercialgrade lights and materials that are more durable and brighter than standard store-bought lights,” Goins said.
Some homeowners bring out their own lights and o er to let Humbug use those instead, Goins said.
“We always say no,” he said. “ ey almost always have some lights that are broken and need to be replaced.”
Humbug will also adjust or repair their display as needed to keep their house displays looking ideal, he said.
“We take a lot of pride in what we do and we want to make our customers happy,” Goins said.
Many of Window Genie’s 100 or so Christmas light customers are those who already use the company’s window cleaning services, Rhodes said.
Christmas light installation is the second most lucrative part of the business, said Rhodes, adding that by anksgiving the company is done with Yuletide services.
“It’s become a big part of our business,” Rhodes said. “We get customers coming back every year, wanting the whole Christmas treatment.”
Window Genie — based out of ornton — installs LED lights, programmable RGB lights and remote-controlled lights, Rhodes said. e company also o ers a three-year, no-worries warranty on all maintenance and storage of customer lights. Window Genie’s methods are more meticulous than the typical “Uncle Bob” approach of just wrapping up lights in a haphazard manner and tossing them into a corner of the basement or work shed, Rhodes said.
Each customer’s strand is carefully wrapped up and includes a small map that informs installers where each light goes next year, Rhodes said.
Window Genie also carefully screens employees for their ladder skills, he said.
“If we see someone white knuckle a ladder, we won’t use them,” Rhodes said. FROM PAGE 10
The Humbug Holiday Lighting crew of Nate Harner, owner Brad Goins and Anthony Dominguez pose before starting work on a house in Broomfield.
PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY
Anthony Dominguez of Humbug Christmas Lighting helps put up a string of holiday lights.
PHOTO BY MONTE WHALEY
CCM owner starts printing press operations in Colorado
National Trust for Local News facility hopes to o er a ordable option for newspapers
Colorado Community Media’s 25 weekly and monthly newspapers are now being printed at e Trust Press, a commercial printing facility in northeast Denver launched by the National Trust for Local News to address the skyrocketing costs of producing local news in Colorado. Printing costs for CCM’s newspapers have risen more than 60% in the past two years. After the Gannett-owned printer in Pueblo closed in the summer of 2023, the nonpro t National Trust for Local News — which owns Colorado Community Media — began looking for more long-term and a ordable solutions. e project to stand up a new printing facility, named e Trust Press, spanned nearly a year.
“We’re excited that this path-breaking idea is nally a reality in Colorado,” said Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO and co-founder of the National Trust. “Print newspapers are still valued, particularly in rural and underrepresented communities. We are proud to launch this affordable and sustainable printing solution that will strengthen local and ethnic news organizations across Colorado.” e new press plans to begin printing dozens of other local and ethnic newspapers in the new year. e Trust Press is estimated to save local publishers at
least $500,000 in 2025 compared to existing printing options, according to the National Trust.
e Trust Press was made possible by philanthropic support from the Colorado Media Project, Bohemian Foundation, Gates Family Foundation and e Colorado Trust. e National Trust is continuing to fundraise to support the Trust Press, with roughly $700,000 remaining to reach the project’s overall goal of $1.7
million.
“Gates Family Foundation is grateful for the partners that rallied to make this new printing solution possible,” said omas A. Gougeon, president of Gates Family Foundation. “While the future of news is digital, a local and a ordable way to support print publications is an essential bridge to that future. We hope that this press will support smaller, local publishers on the Front Range in a way that is
more a ordable, more mission aligned, and more supportive of the local news ecosystem in Colorado.”
e centerpiece of the Trust Press is a four-tower DGM 430 Press purpose-built for the smaller print runs that most local independent publishers now demand. e printing facility has already created ve full-time jobs, with more expected in 2025.
“We have heard from so many local publishers here in Colorado who are struggling to nd an a ordable printing solution, and I am excited to serve them at the Trust Press,” said Kevin Smalley, director of the Trust Press. “We have a great team and rst-rate facility in place. We’re already printing 100,000 copies per week and will soon o er a ordable printing services that support a wide range of publications and the communities they serve.”
Smalley, previously vice president of operations for e Daily Gazette in Schenectady, New York, joined CCM earlier this year to oversee the stand-up of the new press facility. Publishers or commercial printing customers interested in the Trust Press are encouraged to email printing@coloradocommunitymedia. com for more information.
Colorado Community Media, the nonpro t a liate of the National Trust for Local News, operates two dozen weekly and monthly publications in and around the Denver metro area. e National Trust, founded in 2021 in Colorado, owns and operates more than 60 newspapers across Maine, Colorado and Georgia — critical sources of community news that serve nearly 40 counties and some ve million people.
The centerpiece of the Trust Press is a four-tower DGM 430 Press purpose-built for smaller print runs.
LINDA SHAPLEY
Sun
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Health Actuary - Associate I (Mercer Health & Benefits, LLC; FT; Denver, CO –Telecommuting/hybrid work sched may be permitted w/in commutable dist from worksite, in accordance w/ co policies). Mng client projs that focus on employers’ health benefits strategies, incl financial projections, carrier selection, plan dsgn optimization, employee contribution setting, IBNP valuations, benchmarking, well-being initiatives & renewal negotiations. RQTS: Bach deg or foreign equiv in Actuarial Sci, Math, or rel + 5 yrs of exp in job offered, as Actuarial Cnsltnt, or rel. 5 yrs exp must incl: Applying actuarial expertise & general analytical skills to dvlp customized pricing & valuation models. Must possess ASA or FSA designation. Base salary range: $152,339$169,000/yr. Determined on case-by-case basis by factors such as exp, skills, training & edu. Role may also be eligible for performance-based incentives. We offer competitive total rwds pkg incl health & welfare benefits, tuition assistance, 401K savings, other retirement progs & employee assistance progs. APPLY: https://careers.marshmclennan.co m using Keyword R_291033. EOE
Associate - Urban Designer Sasaki Associates has an opening for Associate - Urban Designer in Denver, CO to conceptualize and diagram alternative concepts and analyze and ensure project compliance with regulatory requirements. Requires Master’s in Architecture, City planning or related field (will accept foreign equivalent) + 3 yrs as an Urban designer or related occupation performing urban planning and design. Will accept a Bachelor’s + 5 yrs. Hybrid position - Must report to the Denver office 3 days/week. Salary $87,000-$97,000/yr. Send resume to Betty Davidian at bdavidian@sasaki.com. Ref job 22223.20.2.
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Notice to obtain title- The following
1) VIN 2G4WS52JXY1154928 2000 Buick Century,
M1 Towing lot address 2810 W 62nd Ave Unit B, Denver, CO 80221, 720-364-1160 is applying for title.
Legal Notice No. DHD 3379
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
District Court Denver County, Colorado 1437 Bannock Street, Room 256 Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: (303) 606-2300
Plaintiff(s)/Petitioner(s):
CONSUMERS CREDIT UNION
v.
Defendant(s)/Respondent(s):
SEDRA NICHOL FREDRICK
Attorney: Deanne R. Stodden, Messner Reeves, LLP 1550 Wewatta St., Suite 710 Denver, CO 80202
Phone Number: (303) 623-1800
FAX Number: (303) 623-0552
E-mail: dstodden@messner.com
Atty. Reg. #: 33214
Case Number: 24CV32503: Div. 280
SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S):
You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint [petition] filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 * days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint [petition] may be obtained from the clerk of the court.
If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint [petition] in writing
within 35* days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint [petition] without further notice.
This is an action: to obtain an Order of Possession and Writ of Assistance directing the Denver County Sheriff’ to take possession of the 2017 Infinity Q50 identified as VIN Number JN1EV7AR2HM832721a.
Dated: November 26, 2024
/s/ Deanne R. Stodden
Attorney for Plaintiff(s)/Petitioner(s)
Legal Notice No. DHD 3378
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: January 9, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Notice to Creditors
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Christine A. Hoyt, also known as Christine Ann Hoyt, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31356
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, April 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
David A. Hoyt, Personal Representative 214 Mohawk Drive Boulder CO 80303
Legal Notice No. DHD 3376
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Thomas Henry Buch, aka Thomas H. Buch, aka Thomas Buch, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR031321
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 April 5, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jeremy Buch, Personal Representative c/o
2000 S. Colorado Blvd. Tower One, Suite 10000 Denver, CO 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3366
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of: MYRTLE M. IRESON, also known as MYRTLE MARIE IRESON also known as MYRTLE IRESON, also known as MYRT IRESON, Deceased Case Number: 24PR454
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kristin BorfitzPersonal Representative 1831 E. Center Avenue Denver, CO 80209
Legal Notice No. DHD 3362
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: December 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Joseph Patrick Hadley, Deceased Case Number 2024PR031270
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 April 5th, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Meryl Love, Personal Representative 914 Lakecrest Drive Seneca, South Carolina, 29672
Legal Notice No. DHD 3370
First Publication: December 5, 2024 Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of NANCY M. BEARDSLEY,
ALSO KNOWN AS NANCY MARIE BEARDSLEY, AND NANCY BEARDSLEY, Deceased Case Number 2024PR31236
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Larry R. Beardsley
Personal Representative 2791 S. Vance Way Denver, CO 80227
Legal Notice No. DHD 3359
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Diana Ruth Jones, aka Diana R. Jones, aka Diana Jones, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR031002
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Shannara Quissell
Personal Representative 9725 E. Hampden Avenue #305 Denver, CO 80231
Legal Notice No. DHD 3358
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Ruth M. Felker, a/k/a Ruth Margaret Felker, and Ruth Felker, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31299
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims
Public Notices
may be forever barred.
RaeLynn Litten
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 3360
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of David Lewis Pincus, a.k.a. David L. Pincus, a.k.a. David Pincus, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30953
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of DENVER County, Colorado on or before Monday, April 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Pamela Jane Beck
Personal Representative 6715 Forbes ave Van Nuys, California, 91406
Legal Notice No. DHD 3380
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of William Richard McDonald, also known as William R. McDonald, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR031156
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required tn present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before April 05, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kathleen M. Chaten
Personal Representative
2892 South Newport Street Denver, CO 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3367
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Wayne Glenn Castor, Deceased
Case Number: 24PR31329
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 April 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Darlene Yengich
Personal Representative 12127 Josephine Street Thornton, Colorado 80241
Legal Notice No. DHD 3373
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Larry D. Rasmussen, a/k/a Larry Dean Rasmussen, a/k/a Larry Rasmussen, a/k/a Lawrence D. Rasmussen, a/k/a Lawrence Rasmussen, Deceased
Case Number: 2024PR30764
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, April 7, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
/s/ signature on original in office
Joseph H. Lusk, #33948
c/o: BOATRIGHT, RIPP & LUSK, LLC
4315 Wadsworth Blvd. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Ph: 303-423-7134
Legal Notice No. DHD 3368
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Stephanie Ann Staton, aka Stephanie A. Staton, aka Stephanie Staton, aka Stephanie Ann Rankin, aka Stephanie A. Rankin, aka Stephanie Rankin, aka Stephanie Ann Snowden, aka Stephanie A. Snowden, aka Stephanie Snowden, aka Stephanie Ann Rankin Staton, aka Stephanie A. Rankin Staton, aka Stephanie Rankin Staton, Deceased
Case Number: 2024PR31371
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 February 24, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Christopher Staton
Personal Representative 467 N. Humboldt St. Denver, CO 80218
Legal Notice No. DHD 3369
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Paul Richard Aaker, Deceased
Case Number: 2024 PR 31245
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 April 7, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kay Aaker, Personal Representative 18 Eastwood Dr ive Orinda CA 94563
Legal Notice No. DHD 3371
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Margaret Elizabeth Leighton, also known as Margaret E. Leighton, Margaret Leighton, and Beth Leighton, Deceased Case Number 2024PR030841
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to Angela Denise Wright c/o Hedberg Law Firm, LLC, 5944 S. Kipling Parkway, Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80127; or to:
The District Court of Denver, County, Colorado on or before March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Angela Denise Wright, Personal Representative c/o Hedberg Law Firm, LLC Brian Hedberg, Attorney for Angela Denise Wright 5944 South Kipling Parkway, Suite 200 Littleton, CO 80127
Legal Notice No. DHD 3361
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: December 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of James R. Jackman, a/k/a James Robert Jackman, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31317
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, located at 1437 Bannock Street, #230, Denver, Colorado 80202, on or before April 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Beth Harmon-Jackman, Personal Representative c/o Kathryn T. James, Esq. Folkestad Fazekas Barrick & Patoile, P.C.
18 South Wilcox Street, Suite 200 Castle Rock, Colorado 80104
Legal Notice No. DHD 3381
First Publication: December 12, 2024 Last Publication: December 26, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Mary Elizabeth Burns, Deceased Case Number 24PR031284
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, April 7, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
John M. Burns
Personal Representative 6054 S. Dudley Way Littleton, CO 80123
Legal Notice No. DHD 3372
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of HERBERT J. ROTHENBERG, a/k/a HERBERT ROTHENBERG, a/k/a H.J. ROTHENBERG, a/k/a HERBERT JAY ROTHENBERG, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31310
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Molly Anne Rothenberg
Personal Representative 445 Jackson Street Denver, CO 80206
Legal Notice No. DHD 3364
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Last Publication: December 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Joanne Marie Edwards, Deceased Case Number 2024PR31348
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 April 14, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Terry Lee Edwards
Personal Representative 19720 E. Flora Place Aurora, CO 80013
Once Upon a Hilarious Night at the Arvada Center
The holiday season is about more than just Christmas trees, snow and twinkling lights. It’s also about family, loved ones and nding ways to spend time together. at same truth applies to holiday theater, which the Arvada Center is channeling in its production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
“ is is the kind of show that is written for kids of all ages to laugh and get, while at the same time there’s another layer that adults can enjoy,” said Mathenee Treco, who plays Sir Harry in the production. “ e togetherness and fact that it’s a show for everyone is what makes it feel like a holiday show.”
Directed by Kenny Moten, “Once Upon a Mattress” runs at the center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., through Sunday, Dec. 29. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. on Wednesday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
e classic musical is a hilarious ri on “ e Princess and the Pea” fairy tale, with Prince Dauntless’s (EJ Dohring) outspoken Queen mother and silent King father decreeing that no one in the kingdom may marry until their son nds someone to wed. e leading contender seems to be the awkward Winnifred the Woebegone from the swamp (Aléna Watters), but can she pass the test?
“ is is one of the most classic musicals of all time — it literally jump-started Carol
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Burnett’s career,” Treco said. “What we’ve done is up the ridiculous factor of the show. Someone described it as Monty Python’s version of the mu-
“ ere are so many genius shows out there that I wish were produced more and were seen by more people.”
on Sunday, Dec. 15.
Clarke Reader
One of the most interesting things about doing a show with roots that go so far back is nding ways to modernize the telling of the story, Treco added, with the cast and crew exploring ways to handle things that wouldn’t be written the same way anymore.
For Treco, doing the show means more than just performing in a holiday show — his connection to the Arvada Center goes back years, so being here for “Once Upon a Mattress” feels like a real homecoming.
“ e Arvada Center gave me my equity card and they’ve always been very supportive of me,” he said. “I love the rehearsal process here and building a community within the show.”
While the main aim is to entertain audiences and give them something fun to enjoy the holiday season, Treco also hopes the show inspires people to try more theater they may not be familiar with.
“Everyone who sees the show may not have heard of it before, but we hope they come away pleasantly surprised,” he said.
All the details are available at https:// arvadacenter.org/events/once-upon-amattress.
‘The Nutcracker’ Returns to PACE Center
Some holiday traditions are timeless and one with the longest history is the staging of “ e Nutcracker” ballet around Christmastime. ose looking to see the classic story this year will want to head to the Parker Arts, Culture & Events (PACE) Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., to see the Denver Ballet eatre take to the stage from ursday, Dec. 12 through Tuesday, Dec. 17. Performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. “ e Nutcracker” is set at a Christmas Eve party and follows a young girl named Clara who goes on a magical adventure to the Land of the Sweets. Featuring toptier choreography and a score by Tchaikovsky, it’s a performance that shouldn’t be missed.
More details at https://parkerarts.org/ event/the-nutcracker/.
JCC Hosts Third Annual Latkes and Lights Event
e Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center’s (JCC Denver), 350 S. Dahlia St., Latkes and Lights Hanukkah event is back for its third year, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
e annual event includes two latke competitions, a craft fair featuring local vendors, live music, Hanukkah games, and more. According to provided information, attendees can taste latkes from restaurants like Ash’Kara, Latke Love, Zaidy’s, Rosenberg’s, all of whom are competing for the Golden Latke Award. ere will also be vendors selling goods and fresh pita and olive oil tasting from Challahrado Hearth. For more information and tickets, visit www.jccdenver.org/portfolio-items/ latkes-and-lights/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Allman Betts Family Revival at the Paramount Theatre
Unfortunately, they just don’t make bands like e Allman Brothers Band anymore. But while Duane and Gregg Allman and guitarist Dickey Betts are no longer with us, the next generation is carrying on. Devon Allman and Duane Betts host the annual Family Revival, which provides the opportunity to celebrate the band’s music and pulls in some of the best performers in blues, country and rock. e revival is coming to the Paramount eatre, 1621 Glenarm Place in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18. is year the band and its guests will be performing music from the Duane Allman 1970s era and the 1990s comeback era with two amazing sets.
Trail of Lights shines bright for the holidays at Chatfield Farms
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For those seeking holiday magic, the Trail of Lights at Chat eld Farms is lighting up the season with a dazzling display of sparkling lights. Now in its 16th year, the event welcomed more than 50,000 visitors in 2023, cementing its place as a favorite destination for families and holiday enthusiasts across the region.
“ is year, we have over a million LED lights strung throughout the trail, all supporting our sustainability mission,” said Erin Bird, associate director of communi-
cations for the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Installation begins each October after the Pumpkin Festival wraps up, continuing until the opening in late November.
“We reuse many of the decorations year to year, and we always try to bring something new — whether it’s a feature tree in a new color or a completely fresh display,” Bird said.
e feature tree, which glows in a di erent color each year, has become a highlight for returning visitors. As far as which colors they choose, Bird said, “It’s just the whim of the team.”
“We know there are a lot of people who
Public Notices
Legal Notice No. DHD 3377
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Last Publication: December 26, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Judith M. Hill, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31298
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Robert Zimmerman
c/o M. Carl Glatstein, Esq. Glatstein & O'Brien, LLP
2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste 350 Denver, Colorado 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3363
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Joyce Adelaide Bishop, aka Joyce A. Bishop, Deceased Case Number: 24 PR 594
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 March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
come back every year, so we like to make it a fresh experience,” Bird said. is year’s additions include a massive illuminated Christmas tree sculpture and interactive displays like the music-synced treehouse play area.
Bird explained that guests can stroll a mile-long loop or take a shorter route. On select nights, the Holiday Market o ers local crafts, gifts, and specialty foods, adding an extra layer of festivity.
According to Bird, the Trail of Lights isn’t just about holiday cheer. It’s part of a broader e ort to highlight Chat eld Farms’ year-round appeal. From its July
Lavender Festival to the Pumpkin Festival in October and year-round wildlife viewing, the farm provides outdoor experiences for every season.
“ ere’s something special here, whether it’s seeing the gardens come alive in the spring or catching a glimpse of migrating birds,” Bird added.
Running through Jan. 5, the Trail of Lights invites visitors to bask in the season’s glow while enjoying a quintessential Colorado experience. Tickets and additional details are available on the Trail of Lights website at www.botanicgardens. org/events/special-events/trail-lights.
Personal Representative PO Box 261280 Lakewood, Colorado 80226
Legal Notice No. DHD 3357
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Last Publication: December 12, 2024
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Daniel James Starzy, a/k/a Daniel J. Starzy, a/k/a Daniel Starzy, and Dan Starzy, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31360
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 April 5, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jo Ellen Whitpan
Personal Representative
c/o Law Office of Byron K. Hammond,
LLC 4500 Cherry Creek Drive South, Suite 960Denver, CO 80246
Legal Notice No. DHD 3365
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Last Publication: December 19, 2024
Kim Cerrone
