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Zoning rules face changes Elbert County commissioners to vote on proposal in May By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media
Elbert County resident Rob “Poppy” Parker, left, and his son, Ryan — two of the three stars of the new reality TV show, “BrainStormers” — watch the premiere episode at The Viewhouse in Centennial with more than 100 friends and family members.
A NEW VIEW OF ELBERT COUNTY Area residents Ryan Parker, Bill LeVasseur and Rob “Poppy” Parker, the three stars of the new reality television show, “BrainStormers,” watched the premiere episodes on The Weather Channel March 22 with more than 100 friends and family members at The Viewhouse in Centennial. The show follows the men as they help inventors finish their creations by using a little bit of ingenuity. The show is based in southern Elbert County.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS MICHLEWICZ
POSTAL ADDRESS
Parker resident Bill LeVasseur laughs with his neighbor, Lily Vonesh, during a premiere party March 22 for LeVasseur’s new reality show, “BrainStormers,” on The Weather Channel. More than 100 friends and family members attended the party at The Viewhouse.
ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)
OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. GE T SOCI AL WITH US
P LE A S E R ECYC L E T H I S C O PY
Funding in place for water study Board grant puts county over top for program By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media
Elbert County has cleared the final funding hurdle for conducting a countywide water study. On March 18, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) awarded the county a $120,000 grant to fund the second of two water projects designed to measure and assess the deep-water aquifers that provide the majority of water to Elbert County’s residents. The county has budgeted $20,000 to meet a matching requirement for the CWCB grant that will be used to analyze data obtained from a U.S. Geological Survey well monitoring network. Also partially funded by CWCB grant money, the well-monitoring network began targeting existing, eligible wells within Elbert
County last fall and, in February, began measuring water levels in a minimum of 30 existing wells that extract water from the local aquifers. The county plans use the data generated from the volunteer monitoring network and assessed by the study to provide guidance to develop a water master plan. The plan is expected to consider the existing water supply and water supply projections, in order to manage options and to estimate the costs of providing infrastructure for the population growth and economic development expected in the county in the coming decades. “These are components of a much bigger picture. There is a lot going on with regard to the issue of water in this county,” said District I Commissioner Robert Rowland at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on March 25. “I’m dedicating myself to making this a priority. To get as much information as possible to the public about the Denver Basin water future. The majority of Elbert County
overlies several of the FrontRange’s aquifers, collectively known as the Denver Basin, which extends north from Colorado Springs to Greeley. District III Commissioner Larry Ross, who also spoke on the subject at the BOCC’s March 25 meeting, expressed his appreciation to the members of the allvolunteer Water Advisory Committee for their work. “Thanks go out to all those folks who participated in grant writing and all the effort that went into this,” Ross said. The county intends to hold periodic meetings to keep the public apprised of the progress of the well monitoring and the subsequent water study. The dates for the public meetings will be posted on the Elbert County website at elbertcounty-co.gov. The 15-member CWCB is appointed by the governor and was created to provide policy direction for water issues in eight major areas including water conservation, water information and water supply planning.
What began as an ongoing effort to formalize Elbert County’s business practices has evolved into what could be a first step in overhauling the county’s zoning laws, which have been described by many as challenging. In December, the Board of County Commissioners directed the Elbert County Planning Commission to create and submit bylaws for its approval. After much public rancor over the content and approval process, the county commissioners directed the planning commission to make recommendations regarding Part I of the Elbert County zoning regulations as they pertain to the planning commission. The effort resulted in proposed changes to Part I developed by the planning commission in conjunction with Kyle Fenner, director of community and development. The changes were unanimously approved on Feb. 10 by the planning commission and presented to the BOCC by Fenner at a public hearing on March 25. “The planning commission has turned this over, tried it on, and unburied everything there is to unbury,” Fenner told the county commissioners as a prelude to her presentation. Though the county commissioners did make some changes, adding specificity to some regulations and removing language they felt might be too limiting to others, the document remained mostly intact by the end of the session. One minor change was a clarification to benchmarks in the approval process to document the progression of an application and to make the process more transparent. “The intent was to never have the impression again that the planning commission was delaying the process or not being diligent in pursuing an amendment to the Elbert County Zoning Regulations,” Commissioner Larry Ross said during the discussions at the March 25 public hearing. The wording in the latest draft establishes a 60-day window from the date of application for the planning commission to make its recommendation. If the commission needs more time after 60 days, they may grant themselves a 60day extension by a recorded vote that Zoning continues on Page 7
Kyle Fenner, director of Elbert County Community & Development Services, presents proposed zoning law changes at a March 25 public hearing. Photo by Rick Gustafson
2 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Minimum-wage proposals pass committee Legislation would grant authority to local governments By Amy Woodward
awoodward @coloradocommunitymedia.com A House committee passed two minimum-wage bills last week. House Bill 1300 proposes to reinstate local governments’ authority to increase minimum wages. House Concurrent Resolution 1001 proposes to increase the minimum wage, by voter approval. The increase would be a little more than $1 an hour every year starting in 2017 and would end at $12.50 by 2020. What you need to know: Prior to 1999, local governments in Colorado had the authority to set minimum wage laws in their jurisdictions. In 2006, voters approved Amendment 42 to raise the minimum wage to $6.85. The state minimum wage is now $8.23, driven upward by inflation. Advocates cite numerous studies on both sides of the argument over the impact of higher minimum wages. These arguments center on various economic theories. Some groups argue that increasing the minimum wage will hurt jobs and kill small businesses, while supporters argue that better wages will help build the economy and help citizens out of poverty. Studies surrounding local control and higher wages often use San Francisco, New Jersey, the California city of San Jose and New Mexico as points of interest. House Bill 1300 Vote: 6-5 Heard by House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Sponsored by Rep. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, and Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora “In Colorado, cost of living differs wildly between our state,” Moreno said. “There are places that are much more expensive to live than others … I think it’s a universal value that people who work in an area should be able to afford to live there as well.”
Protesters assembled on the steps of the State Capitol on March 23 to ask for higher wages before a House committee convened to hear two bills related to minimum wage hikes and allowing for local governments to set its own minimum wage in excess of the state’s hourly wage. Both bills passed out of a House committee. Pictured above from left to right; Andrea Merida, Jason Justice and Reno Yakavetta who are members of 15 Now Colorado, an advocacy group for higher minimum wages. Photo by Amy Woodward Views from opposition: “Unquestionably, all minimum wage laws interfere with right of contract between an individual and an employer — it takes the choice away,” said Patrick Boyle, lobbyist for the Colorado Competitive Council, an affiliate of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
hard get paid for what they do,” said Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood.
Views from supporters: “I think this bill is about two issues, one is justice and one is democracy,” said Dianne Thiel of Denver. “The state can set the floor of a minimum wage but it needs to be up to the local communities to do right by the people living in their community.”
Comments from fast food workers: “It’s honestly hard to really live out on your own with just $8.23 an hour,” said Andrew Olson, a Sonic employee. Olson testified that after working 38 hours for two weeks his check came to $68, after taxes and other deductions.
Views from local representatives: “The most local area these decision can be made is between the employer and the employee,” said Rep. Patrick Neville, RFranktown. “I think it’s fair that people who work
Views from opposition: “We know the impact that an increase on this would have on both employees and businesses in Colorado -- it will cost jobs and close businesses,” said Sonia Riggs, president and CEO of the Colorado Res-
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House concurrent resolution 1001 Vote 6-5 Sponsored by Rep. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City and Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora
taurant Association and on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association.
Views from supporters: “Although raising the minimum wage would benefit both men and women, it would disproportionately impact women,” said Michelle Webster, manager of policy and budget analysis at the Colorado Center on Law & Policy. Webster reported that women account for 47 percent of the labor force in Colorado, yet nearly 52 percent of the female workforce would see a rise in income by increasing the minimum wage. “We need an economy that works for everyone in Colorado, and very simply, raising the minimum wage makes good on the promise of work as a pathway out of poverty and spurs economic growth.”
Elbert County News 3
April 2, 2015
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4 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Assisted-living center riles neighbors Town and HOA attorney says group is protected by state statute By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @colorado communitymedia.com The conversion of a single-family home to an assisted-living facility for seniors has caused an uproar in a Parker neighborhood. Renovations on the home on Grouseberry Way in Challenger Park Estates began in January. A month later, the door to the three-car garage was removed and walled off, to the surprise of neighbors. The workers told them the house was being turned into an assistedliving center. Challenger Park’s homeowners’ association hired an attorney, who told an agitated crowd of residents during a March 12 meeting that there were no legal avenues to stop the group from moving in. The attorney, David Firmin, issued a letter to the homeowners four days after the meeting, saying there would be “no likelihood of success” if the HOA filed an injunction because “the courts have almost universally ruled against associations which objected to group home uses.” “We predict that any lawsuit against the group home would likely lead to a countersuit by the group home’s owners for injunctive relief to allow the home, Fair Housing discrimination charges and claims for attorney fees and damages,” the letter says. Stacey Nerger, a community development planner for the Town of Parker, said there were no grounds on which to deny the building permit, which was issued Feb. 12 after the contractor filed an application. The zoning for the home was not changed, but the building code designation went from an R-3, which allows for five or fewer occupants, to R-4, which allows for between six and 14 residents. Challenger Park Estates is zoned as planned development, and a group home would normally require a special review, but certain groups, including seniors, are protected by state statute, trumping any laws in Parker’s town charter, Nerger said. The law also covers the mentally ill and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The assisted-living facility will have six
Challenger Park Estates residents Steve Jewell, Denise Volz and Erik Heimerdinger stand outside a house on Grouseberry Way that is being turned into an assisted-living center. Neighbors are upset about possible impacts. Photo by Chris Michlewicz bedrooms, allowing for up to eight residents. The town will issue a certificate of occupancy once the center receives its state license, Nerger said. The name of the company that wants to operate the assisted-living center was not listed in public documents and a contractor working on the house said he did not know the name of the operator. Property records show the home is owned by a limited-liability company named after the Grouseberry address. However, Douglas County recorded a quit-claim deed in the name of Charles and Debra McKenney last October. Neighbors were surprised that such a change would be allowed to take place in a subdivision. A group home run by a substance abuse counseling center caused controversy when it moved into Rowley Downs last fall, and the issue is still being sorted out. Its parent organization did not follow review procedures, but Parker has given the sober-living
center time to comply. Steve Jewell, who lives on Coltsfoot Drive around the corner from the still-under-construction assisted-living center, said it was he and a few neighbors who tipped off the Challenger Park HOA to the changes. They are concerned about several potential impacts to their neighborhood, including an influx of emergency vehicles and trucks that deliver medical supplies like oxygen tanks, congested on-street parking due to visitors and staff, and the incompatible look of the home’s façade compared to surrounding residences. “I’ve lived here since 2002 and I’ve never seen anything in our neighborhood like this,” Jewell said. Although the group cannot be denied a place to live, it must still follow architectural requirements and covenants established by the Challenger Park Estates Homeowners’ Association. The owners submitted an architectural review application earlier this month,
but it was denied by the HOA board, which sent a violation letter to the homeowners and threatened fines if architectural standards are not met. The assisted-living center will not be allowed to exceed the maximum buildingheight restrictions in Challenger Park Estates and must follow rules for setbacks. The homeowners have the right to change the garage to bedrooms. “There is nothing in the town standards that says it has to have a garage,” Nerger said. Homeowners in the neighborhood have placed signs in their front yards promoting a Facebook page dedicated to fighting the opening of the assisted-living center. It had 64 “likes” as of March 20. The senior-living center has already gone through the proper channels and, aside from inspections and issuing the certificate of occupation, the matter is out of the town’s hands, Nerger said.
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April 2, 2015
Parker police wearing cameras
Pilot program will help determine which devices are best By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com
The Parker Police Department is the latest law enforcement agency to test out body-worn cameras on patrol officers. The department planned to launch a two-month pilot program March 26 with cameras mounted on five officers on a patrol shift in an effort to “remain transparent and continue to maintain the public’s trust,” said Parker Police Chief David King. While the body cameras have been in the news in recent months due to clashes involving police officers from across the country, the “conversation has been going on for a few years” at the Parker Police Department, said Lt. Chris Peters. Five Panasonic cameras were purchased in April 2014 with the intention of rolling out the pilot program last summer, but software issues caused a year of delays. Now the department is ready to test equipment capabilities, review policies and procedures, test data storage and retrieval, and deterdmine redaction and case law when it comes to public access. “When we find out which product will work best, we’re planning on outfitting -every patrol personnel, including the sersgeant,” Peters said. That’s at least 37 cameras that could, in part, help restore public confidence in law enforcement and eliminate most questions about how events transpire when officers s interact with the public. “These will really help illustrate the moment,” Peters said. “The video will show what led up to each decision.” There is little argument that the cameras will be a game-changer in law enforcement. With a camera recording every move and eevery word, there could be a resulting difference in how officers and the public conduct ethemselves, Peters said. Video evidence will also clarify contradictory versions of events during court cases.
Parker police Sgt. Steve Tarr models one of the department’s new body cameras in the center of his chest. The agency is launching a two-month pilot program March 26 to determine which cameras are the best fit. Photo by Chris Michlewicz All footage will be archived for at least 200 days and videos used as evidence in criminal cases will be stored for a minimum of two years in a secure cloud-based system. Body camera users will not have access to the recordings and will be unable to delete, redact or edit the videos. The cameras have already proven their worth in certain criminal cases for the Lone
Tree Police Department, which launched its program in 2013. “These are a tool used to document events. They protect officers and citizens, assist the DA’s office when they have to prove a case, and this information can clear people of wrongdoing,” said Lone Tree Police Chief Jeff Streeter. “They can see what we see and hear what we hear and make
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Elbert County News 5 LEGISLATORS INTRODUCE BODY-CAMERA BILL Introduced on March 17, House Bill 15-1285 would establish a body-worn camera grant program to award grants to law enforcement agencies to purchase body-worn cameras and to train law enforcement officers on their use. If passed, the bill would create a fund to receive gifts, grants and donations. It also would establish a study group appointed by the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety to study policies and best practices on the use of body-worn cameras, including the duration that footage is stored and who has access to the video.
their own determination on whether that assists in the case.” The agency purchased 45 Taser Axon body cameras for $28,000 and every officer wears one during his or her shift. Officers are instructed to turn the devices on when they contact a suspect, whether for a traffic infraction or a more serious crime. The Parker Police Department will confer with Lone Tree police to determine whether the Taser Axon devices are effective and less expensive. Either way, the department will be wearing body cameras in the foreseeable future. “That’s what people are expecting with technology now that it’s here,” Peters said. “The public deserves and wants accountability not just for police officers, but for people they’re interacting with.” The Parker police paid $13,000 for the five Panasonic cameras, accompanying software and storage space, which accounts for much of the costs. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is opting to wait for policies and procedures to catch up before making a significant investment in body cameras. Public information officer Ron Hanavan said there are too many unanswered questions about privacy and how the cameras can be used. “We need to look at the pros and cons. They can be a valuable tool, but we need to ensure that if we implement this program, we look at all of the legalities and costs,” said Hanavan, who noted that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office employs 120 deputies.
6 Elbert County News
Y O U R S
OPINION
April 2, 2015
&
O U R S
Humor month sounds like 30-day sentence I’m not kidding: April is National Humor Month. I’m ready. I have a brand new set of “A something walks into a bar jokes.” I plan to watch as many “Seinfeld” reruns as possible. I hear that Adam Sandler, quite simply America’s funniest man, has a new movie coming out in April. I wonder if that was planned to coincide with National Humor Month. By now you know that I haven’t said anything here that was true, except that April is National Humor Month. Every month has its share of these observations that most of us don’t observe, and probably don’t even know exist. I observe humor each and every month, or at least I try to. I didn’t know why April was singled out. Maybe because of April Fools’ Day? Or maybe because April 15 is you-knowwhat, and someone thought we could use a little additional humor in our lives. But my taxes have been done for two months, so that doesn’t really make any difference to me. I have the answer. And I was (mostly) right. It was founded in 1976 by a comedian I have never heard of: Larry Wilde. He said, “Since April is often bleak and grim and taxes are due on the 15th, it can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Besides it’s the only month that begins with All Fools’ Day, a day which has
sanctioned frivolity and pranks since the 1500s.” T.S. Eliot said that “April is the cruellest month,” but he and Wilde weren’t living in Colorado. Maybe Pennsylvania. Colorado will be just as glamorous as it always is, year around. Did you notice any increase in humor in your life in past Aprils? I haven’t. I think that every month that has a new ISIS video in it is a little crueler. Or an airplane crash, a natural disaster, or the release of a new Adam Sandler movie. I know I can find humor whenever I need to. Dickens, Letterman, politicians announcing for the presidency when the election is a year and a half away. The zeal of the women who are on home shopping channels amuses me. I have a collection of Gary Larson cartoons. “Bringing Up Baby,” starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant works too. But I can’t remember the last time that
I consciously sought out humor. If I am in the dumps, a joke-of-the-day isn’t going to get me out. As I have said, what is or isn’t funny is as subjective as art and music and literature. And the food at IHOP. But this has me a little concerned now. I write far more columns than my editor can use each month, and it’s up to him which ones he selects. He will run five columns in April. What if he were to select five downers? And if you do know that April is National Humor Month I might be in hot water with you. I’ll take my chances. April always signals the start of Major League Baseball, and that can’t be bleak and grim. Usually it’s not until July when the wheels begin coming off of your favorite team. Easter. Buddha’s birthday. And for some: 4/20. My father died in April. I can’t talk with my sister on April 23, because I know we would never make it through the call. Harry had a great sense of humor, and I always try to remember that. So maybe that’s how I will observe National Humor Month from now on. And just to be thankful that perhaps some of my father’s sense of humor made it down to me.
Bible. Again, for me there is no better way to begin each day. It is also the last thing I read before going to sleep. I enjoy listening to positive audio programs where I can learn something new or reinforce a message I had heard before. And I also love reaching out to friends and associates who I know are extremely positive. Their stories of success coupled with their optimistic outlook on life are contagious and they fire me up. So what are you listening to? And who are you listening to? Where are the inputs in your life coming from? There is one source that you may not have considered before. The best and most reliable source of positive influence and optimistic input you can ever receive will come from yourself. That’s right, you can control the input simply by the positive messaging you give yourself throughout the day. Now remember, when we feel good about ourselves, when we feel better, our performance in all areas of our lives improves.
Now some will laugh or disregard the power and importance of positive self-talk. But think of it this way, who believes in you more than you do? I mean when you stop and think about it, you are brilliant and beautiful, you are gifted and gorgeous. You are a winner, you have a mission of success, and there is nobody that can tear you down. You are a champion who has survived the challenging seasons of life and have come through each one smarter, stronger and tougher than you were before. Take the time to write down the 10 most positive and productive affirmations that you can think of that describe you as a person. Make copies and hang them on your bathroom mirror, on your refrigerator, on your desk, in your car and anywhere that you can see them on a daily basis. Say them aloud, read them and reread them often. Your input directly impacts your output, and when people see these wonderful attributes pouring out of you, you will become a beacon and magnet for others who want a little piece of positivity in their own lives. How about you, are you filling your ears, your mind and your heart with the good stuff? I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we manage our input to maximize our output, it really will be a better than good week. Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.
Time to stand up and defend Medicare Part D Despite some heated political rhetoric from around the country, Colorado seniors know that the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is affordable and is working, even for older men and women in the lowest income bracket. At the Colorado Gerontological Society, we see firsthand how seniors struggle every day to make ends meet on a fixed income, and how Medicare Part D has provided a life line that seniors’ health literally depends on. We are calling on Coloradans to stand up for this vital program that has achieved so much for our older citizens. The record of success that we have seen with Medicare Part D is frankly rare for a government program, and something that we all should be proud of. Part D repeatedly comes in under budget. For three years in a row, the Congressional Budget Office has reduced its 10-year budget
forecast for Part D. Total Part D costs are 45 percent less than the initial CBO 10 year projections. This program is saving seniors money and saving our government money. Not only does the program work, but seniors like it. Today, more than 450,000 Colorado seniors are enrolled in the program, which allows them to choose from 34 different private plans, some of which
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For the best output, try some good input What are you listening to these days? Better yet, who are you listening to? Have you ever noticed that when we fill our minds with positive thoughts, productive ideas and upbeat music, we tend to feel better and perform better in all areas of our lives? And conversely, when we tend to get caught up in gossip, negative talk and the bad attitudes of others, we don’t feel very good and our performance suffers as well. The good news is that we are the ones in control of what we listen to and who we listen to. We can make the decision to surround ourselves with positive influences and optimistic people or we can choose to invite pessimistic people and negative influences into our lives. I know that sometimes we cannot avoid sadness or difficult situations. We all experience seasons of life that will bring us down from time to time. But I can assure you that the more we are grounded in our positivity, the better we will be at dealing with those challenging or difficult times. Now some people, believe it or not, thrive on negativity or the problems of others. They feed off of the negative energy and want everyone else around them to be miserable too. And that is why it is important to monitor our input because it directly impacts our output. When we put the good stuff in we get the good stuff out. For me, I love starting my day reading positive material, so I always begin with a devotional reading and spend time in the
A publication of
cost as little as $12.60 a month and have no annual deductibles. That is a recipe not only for success but for high levels of satisfaction. According to the 2013 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, 94 percent of seniors who use Medicare Part D are happy with their plan. Part D has surpassed expectations in both improving seniors’ access to affordable medicines and containing healthcare costs for all taxpayers. Part of this is due to its competitive structure. That’s good news because Colorado has one of the fastest aging populations in the country. Like millennials, baby boomers are flocking to Colorado. According to the Colorado Commission on Aging, between 2011 and 2021, Colorado will experience a 54 percent increase in residents over the age of 60. Colorado’s Medicare spending is Doherty continues on Page 7
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Columnists and Guest Commentaries The Elbert County News features a limited number of regular columnists, found on these pages and elsewhere in the paper, depending on the typical subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News. Want your own chance to bring an issue to our readers’ attention, to highlight something great in our community, or just to make people laugh? Why not write a letter of 300 words or fewer. Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Elbert County News 7
April 2, 2015
Expanded snow tire requirement passes toughest test Senate committee approves measure, but with reservations By Kristen Wyatt Associated Press
A bill to require all motorists to use snow tires or chains during snowy months on Colorado’s major mountain highway has passed its toughest test in the state Legislature. The measure cleared the Senate Transportation Committee 5-0, but not before the committee chairman and other Republicans on the committee expressed doubts about how effective the requirement would
EDITOR’S NOTE: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. Send listings to calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com. No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a space-available basis.
Events
LENTEN FISH Fry
THE KNIGHTS of Columbus will have a fish fry from 4:30-7:30 p.m. every Friday in Lent in Brownstein Hall at Ave Maria Catholic Church in Parker. Fried fish, baked fish, nuggets, cole slaw, fried or baked potato, mac and chees, and dinner rolls are available. Iced tea, lemonade and coffee are free. Cost is $10 for ages 12 and older, $5 for ages 5-12, and free for children younger than 5. A family rate of $29 is offered. Homemade desserts are available. Take out and drive through are also available by calling 303-522-5602. BASKETBALL SKILLS Clinic DOUGLAS COUNTY High School basketball coach Earl Boykins, former Denver Nuggets player, along with his coaching squad and players, will present a basketball skills clinic for boys and girls in grades 3-8, from 6-8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, from April 1-29, at Douglas County High School, 2842 Front St., Castle Rock. A portion of proceeds benefit basketball programs at Douglas County High School. Players will be grouped by age/ skill level. Registration available online at http://
be in improving jammed Interstate 70. “The largest problem here is volume,” not drivers with improper tires, said Sen. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction. And the head of the committee, Sen. Randy Baumgardner, warned he may try to change the bill when it gets to the Senate floor. “This piece of legislation may be a step to help, (but) I don’t think it’s the end-all, be-all,” said Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs. Senators did change the bill to say the requirement would be in effect when designated by state transportation officials, instead of November through May. The measure has already passed the
House. Commercial vehicles like trailers are already under strict chain rules during winter and early spring. The requirement has the backing of Colorado’s Department of Transportation and State Patrol, as well as commercial trucking groups and Colorado’s ski resorts. “Accidents cost mountain communities hundreds of thousands an hour,” said Patrick Byrne, lobbyist for Colorado Ski Country USA. If signed into law, the bill would require drivers to carry tire chains unless they have four-wheel drive and all-season tires. Violators could be charged $132, with a possible $500 enhanced penalty if their
chain violation results in the closure of a travel lane in one or both directions. The requirement would be in effect from Morrison in the east to Dotsero in the west, a stretch of about 125 miles. “It’s a shared responsibility,” said Greg Fulton, president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, which represents commercial truckers. Fulton argued that motorists with improper snow tires damage the economy not just by blocking skiers trying to get to mountain resorts, but by blocking the shipment of goods on one of the nation’s major east-west thoroughfares. “The cost is too great not to act,” Fulton said.
THINGS TO DO
boykinsbasketball.com, or onsite on the first day of the clinic.
EASTER EGG Hunt MORE THAN 52,800 candy-filled eggs, along with
prizes such as bikes and iPods, will be up for grabs for children 12 and younger at an Easter worship events Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5, at Mammoth Heights Elementary School, 9500 Stonegate Parkway, Parker. Worship times are 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. April 4, and 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. April 5. The kids experience will feature bounce houses, video games, popcorn, cotton candy, face painting and more. Five weekend getaway prizes will be given away - one at each of the five events. Visit www.thrivechurch.com/ easter-at-thrive.
MARCHING BAND, Color Guard ALL STUDENTS interested in joining the Elizabeth
High School marching band and color guard in 2015 should attend at mandatory meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 6, in the band room at the high school. The meeting will cover season schedule, cost and next year’s show concept.
CAREGIVERS SUPPORT Group SKY CLIFF Adult Day Center in Castle Rock is starting a Caregivers Support Group on Tuesday, April 7. All caregivers are invited from 10-11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the center. Sky Cliff also offers other support groups, including the Stroke Victor’s
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documents the reason for the extension. Following 120 days, any extensions must be presented to and approved by the BOCC. One change that did not surface was a reduction of the number of seats on the planning commission. As the draft stood when the commissioners adjourned, the number remained at nine, despite rumors circulating that Commissioner Robert Rowland might push for a reduction to five. The current draft not only holds the membership of the planning commission at nine but also formalizes the appointment process, codifying the county commissioners’ right to nominate members from a pool of any eligible county residents without regard to the district in which they reside. The BOCC
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already growing at an annual rate of nearly 9 percent. This trend is certain to accelerate as our population grows and ages. The good news is that Part D is part of the solution. Affordable drug coverage and proper medication adherence improves health and helps slow Medicare’s overall spending growth. Costly procedures and hospital visits are less common when patients take their medications as prescribed by their physician. Part D has helped save Medicare about $1,200 a year per patient in medical spending unrelated to prescription drugs. In the past decade, we’ve seen exciting new treatments for cancer, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, cystic fibrosis, lupus, hepatitis C and many other devastating diseases. These breakthroughs promise to dramatically improve the health of seniors while reducing the economic costs of many debilitating conditions. Many new medicines are being researched and developed right here in Colorado. Despite Part D’s undeniable popularity
Support Group, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second and last Saturday of each month, and the Evening Stroke Victor’s Support Group, from 6:30-8 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. Contact Sue Parson at the center for information on the stroke victor groups. Go to www.skycliff.org or call the center at 303-814-2863.
PUTTING DOWN Roots LEARN THE basics for planting and care of a tree chosen for Elbert County microclimates and take it home to plant. The “Putting Down Roots” seminar, hosted by Elbert County Master Gardeners, is from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at Frontier High School, 589 S. Banner St., Elizabeth. RSVP at 303-621-3162. Cost is $10. DEEP SPACE Comedy DEEP SPACE Theatre presents Comedy Night shows that feature improve, stand-up comedians, videos and more. The shows run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 10; and Friday, May 1, at 11020 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker. For these shows, reserve a table for your party, and then you bring your own dinner (or order from a local restaurant). Water and soda will be available for purchase. Call 720-675-7932. ELECTRONICS RECYCLING THE PINES & Plains Libraries Foundation plans its second electronics recycling event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Elizabeth
unanimously agreed to strike the language restricting district residency requirement for nominees as well as added a provision that nominees must be individually approved by a majority vote of the county commissioners rather than voted on as slate. The new regulation also establishes a formalized process for removing a member of the planning commission. While the BOCC agreed that some formalization was necessary, they voted 2-1 to remove some specific language regarding oral warnings and written notifications. Larry Ross, District 3, cast the no vote, desiring to retain the provisions. At the end of the proceedings, County Attorney Wade Gateley recommended the BOCC postpone its vote to ensure the amended language was properly reflected in a new draft. Barring any major change in position of a commissioner, the BOCC appears likely to pass the regulations as amended at a public hearing scheduled for May 8.
and success, some in Congress are looking to change the program in their push to cut the budget. Over the past several years, some lawmakers have proposed changes to Part D that would save little money, while destroying a market-based structure that has kept the program’s costs repeatedly under budget. Of particular concern is a proposal to weaken the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy program, also known as “Extra Help.” This proposal would require seniors, many below the poverty level, to pay more for brand name medicines. Losing Extra Help would be burdensome for low-income seniors and increase out-of-pocket costs for many people. Simply put, Medicare Part D is one government program that is popular and saves money. Let’s protect what works. Our leaders in Washington shouldn’t let today’s political battles get in the way of something that benefits the health of Colorado’s seniors today and for decades to come. Eileen Doherty is the executive director of the Colorado Gerontological Society (www. senioranswers.org), a statewide not-forprofit organization dedicated to the support, guidance, education and dissemination of information to seniors, their families, and elder care practitioners.
Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Blue Star Recyclers will receive your TVs, audio/visual equipment, computer monitors & towers, laptops, printers, fax machines, scanners, stereo equipment, and batteries. Net proceeds from recycling fees and cash donations collected during the event will go to support the Pines & Plains Libraries Foundation. For a full list of material that will be collected during the event, visit www.bluestarrecyclers.com. Call 303-6463792.
SPRING FLING Craft Fair PONDEROSA HIGH School plans its annual craft fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at 7007 E. Bayou Gulch Road, Parker. More than 100 Colorado artists, crafters and specialty vendors will offer a wide selection of gifts including hand-crafted jewelry, gourmet food, home décor, textile crafts, skin care, ceramics and more. Admission is free. FREE LEGAL Clinic A FREE legal clinic for parties who have no attorney is open from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St., Elizabeth. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain processes and procedures for all areas of civil litigation, including family law, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law, small claims, veterans issues and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Help offered on a first-come, first-served
basis. Clinics are offered the second Tuesday of each month; future clinics are offered May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8.
COMMUNITY BLOOD Drive WALMART IN Elizabeth will host a Bonfils community blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at 2100 Legacy Circle, Elizabeth. For information, or to schedule an appointment, contact Bonfils Appointment Center at 303-363-2300 or go to www.bonfils.org. CHAMBER ANNUAL Events
ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce is planning its annual events, starting with the ElizaBash street festival on Saturday, June 6; the golf tournament on Friday, July 31; the Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 31; Olde Town Christmas on Friday, Dec. 4. Vendors and sponsors are needed; contact www.elizabethchamber.org for details about participating. PROHIBITION CASINO Night ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce plans its first Prohibition Casino Night on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Spring Valley Golf Course. The event includes a poker tournament, casino games, dancing and a silent auction. A portion of proceeds will benefit Elbert County Coalition for Outreach, which provides assistance to families in need. Contact www.elizabethchamber.org.
In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. Private 303-566-4100 Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com
8 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Report finds continuing racial disparity in pot arrests Total arrests fall after legalization, but blacks charged at higher rate By Kristen Wyatt
Associated Press
The legalization of marijuana in Colorado hasn’t solved the racial disparities in enforcement that drug-policy reformers had hoped to end, with blacks still far more likely than whites to be charged with pot-related crimes, a new report says. The report, issued last week by the prolegalization Drug Policy Alliance, showed that marijuana arrests in Colorado all but stopped after voters made the drug legal in small amounts for those 21 and older. But the report noted continuing racial disparities involving the marijuana crimes that remain, including public use and possession in excess of the one-ounce limit. The study examined drug arrests in all 64 Colorado counties for two years before and two years after legalization in 2012. The total number of charges for pot possession, distribution and cultivation plummeted almost 95 percent, from about 39,000 in 2010 to just over 2,000 last year.
Even after legalization, blacks were more than twice as likely as whites to be charged with public use of marijuana. Blacks were also much more likely to be charged with illegal cultivation of pot or possession of more than an ounce. “Legalization is no panacea for the longtime issues that law enforcement had with the black and brown community,” said Art Way, Colorado director for the Drug Policy Alliance. Still, the overall drop-off in arrests is good news for minorities, said Tony Newman, also of the Drug Policy Alliance. “Despite the unsurprising racial disparities, these massive drops in arrests have been enormously beneficial to people of color,” Newman said. The analysis did not break out data for Colorado’s largest ethnic minority, Latinos. That’s because data comes from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, which does not tally numbers for Latinos. One of the region’s top officials for coordinating drug enforcement, Tom Gorman of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, insisted that officers are not racially profiling pot users. “Racial disparities exist in other laws.
What does that mean, that homicide law, rape laws, weapon laws are racist? There are other factors going on here that we need to address,” Gorman said. After legalization, racial disparities did ease somewhat for marijuana distribution charges. Blacks accounted for about 22 percent of such arrests in 2010 and around 18 percent in 2014. The arrest data got a mixed response from the regional head of the NAACP. “The overall decrease in arrests, charges and cases is enormously beneficial to communities of color who bore the brunt of marijuana prohibition,” Rosemary Harris Lytle said in a statement. “However, we are concerned with the rise in disparity for the charge of public consumption and challenge law enforcement to ensure this reality is not discriminatory in any manner.” In 2014, the year Colorado’s recreational marijuana stores opened, blacks were 3.9 percent of the population but accounted for 9.2 percent of pot possession arrests. For illegal marijuana cultivation, the disparities didn’t just persist. They got much worse. In 2010, whites in Colorado were slightly more likely than blacks to be arrested
for growing pot. After legalization, the arrest rate for whites dropped dramatically but ticked up for blacks. In 2014, the arrest rate for blacks was roughly 2.5 times higher. The Drug Policy Alliance did not conduct a similar analysis in Washington state, which also legalized pot in 2012. But racial disparities appear to have persisted there, too. Last September, Seattle’s elected prosecutor dropped all tickets issued for the public use of marijuana through the first seven months of 2014 because most of them were written by a single police officer who disagreed with the legal pot law. About one-third of those tickets were issued to blacks, who make up about 8 percent of Seattle’s population. A researcher who did not work on the Drug Policy Alliance report, sociologist Pamela E. Oliver of the University of Wisconsin, said the numbers reflect greater law enforcement attention paid to blacks. “Black communities, and black people in predominantly white communities, tend to be generally under higher levels of surveillance than whites and white communities, she said in an email, “and this is probably why these disparities are arising.”
State legislators move to standardize testing labs Different facilities producing different results By Kristen Wyatt
Associated Press
Colorado is moving to establish another marijuana first: the first government standards for marijuana testing. A bill approved by its first committee in the state Legislature last week would create statewide laboratory standards for the state’s 18 pot-testing labs. Currently the labs are certified by state
health authorities, but they don’t have uniform rules for testing pot for potency, homogeneity and contaminants, as required by state law. Lab owners say they need the standards because different labs now produce very different results. Existing pot tests generally just look for whether the drug is present, not how strong it is. “In most industries there are long-established processes,” said Ian Barringer, owner of a pot-testing lab called RM3. “However, for cannabis, like most of the industry, we’re making up the rules as we go along.”
The labs can currently be used by licensed marijuana producers. The bill was amended to remove lab access by private individuals and industrial hemp growers, now covered in separate bills still pending in the Legislature. A separate bill advanced March 26 in a Senate committee would allow industrial hemp growers to use the labs, too. Colorado currently allows farmers to grow hemp, marijuana’s non-intoxicating cousin, but only if the plants fall below a threshold for the plant’s intoxicating ingredient, THC. However, the farmers can’t take their plants to a lab to make sure
they’re meeting the standard. The testing bill creates what’s called a “reference library,” a standard set of protocols for testing pot. The lab owner said the state need to “essentially referee all of the methodologies that we’re using.” “We all understand the need to reveal the special sauce we’ve been using ... to further the industry,” Barringer said. The bill now heads to a separate committee before consideration by the full House.
Lawmakers unhappy with new fracking rules Complaints include possible drilling project delays By Kevin Freking
Associated Press
Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the House have found something in common: Many have issues with the Obama administration’s new regulations requiring companies that drill for oil and natural gas to disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. Republicans say the new regulations, announced in March, will delay new drilling projects and take marginal lands out of production. Democratic lawmakers say the regulations are so mild that they won’t change current operating standards. The lawmakers’ complaints were aired last week during a House subcommittee hearing called to review the Bureau of
Land Management’s budget for the coming fiscal year. Bureau Director Neil Kornze said fracking is taking place in 32 states, and the new federal regulations were aimed primarily at those states with limited or no regulation of the practice. He projected that the new regulations would increase costs by about $11,000 per well. “We think the confidence that this brings to the American public, and the protection it brings to groundwater and other resources, we believe it’s worth it,” Kornze said. The new rule will take effect in June. It also updates requirements for well construction and disposal of water and other fluids used in fracking, as the drilling method is more commonly known. The rule has been under consideration for more than three years, drawing criticism from the oil and gas industry and environmental groups alike. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said he
wished the rule would only have been applied to states that aren’t regulating fracking. He said states such as his are already doing a good job of ensuring the environment is not harmed. Lamborn pointed out that the oil and gas industry has projected the regulations would cost far more to comply with than what the government has projected. Those additional costs will discourage the industry from drilling on federal lands, which would eliminate jobs and drive away federal revenue. The new rule has drawn heavy criticism from some states where fracking is common. Wyoming filed a legal challenge and petitioned the federal district court in Wyoming to review the regulation and determine whether it should be set aside. The state claimed in its challenge that the rule exceeds the Bureau of Land Management’s jurisdiction and unlawfully interferes with the state’s hydraulic fracturing regulations.
Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., said complaints were overblown. If the state laws regarding fracking are stronger than the new federal rule, and many of them are, the state law wins out. He said he would challenge the industry to point to requirements in the federal regulation that they don’t already have in place. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said the regulation was so lax it was like requiring the auto industry to ensure that every car has a steering wheel and a brake pedal. “This rule does absolutely nothing,” Grijalva said. Fracking involves pumping huge volumes of water, sand and chemicals underground to split open rocks to allow oil and gas to flow. Improved technology has allowed energy companies to gain access to huge stores of natural gas underneath states from Wyoming to New York but has also raised widespread concerns about whether it leads to groundwater contamination and even earthquakes.
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Elbert County News 9
April 2, 2015
Craig LeGrotte paid for a view of nature when he bought his home at 3258 Fernleaf Court in 1998. Now, he has a view of Castle View High School and the North Meadows Extension. Photos by Mike DiFerdinando
Castle Rock faces concerns over growth Town grapples with identity amid business, population surge By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com
When Craig LeGrotte looks out from the back deck of his Castle Rock home, the view he sees is different than the one he paid for in 1998. What was then open space — an amenity that added a $12,000 premium to his lot — became Castle View High School and, more recently, the western end of the North Meadows Extension that connects to Santa Fe Drive. “All this was hillside,” said LeGrotte, standing behind his home at 3258 Fernleaf Court. “The hill probably went up about 10 feet higher than the buildings, and where the school is was all dirt. It was beautiful. There was no street. There was a dirt road. It was field and flowers.” When the school was proposed in 2003, LeGrotte and his neighbors fought hard to protect their views and argued their case to town council and the school board. Then, in the past year, the North Meadows project ate up 5 n feet of his property line. LeGrotte is one of a growing number of residents to voice concern over the rate at which the town is growing. o In 1990, Castle Rock was home to 8,612 people — a small town by most standards. By 2000, the population had more than doubled to 20,224. e Today, the town’s population is more than 56,000 and estimates show it nearly doubling again to 100,000 by 2030.
Small-town feel?
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The development of the new million-square-foot Promenade at Castle Rock between I-25 and U.S. Highway 85 has been at the center of the growth debate in recent months. Some in Castle Rock view the project as a sign of unchecked growth. Others say it is the result of market demand in the area. s “I moved here a little over a year ago and have really liked h the small-town vibe and I really don’t want to lose that,” said tKerry Garrison, owner of Multicopter Warehouse in downtown Castle Rock. “A huge mall and more people is not always a good thing. The city leaders seem to know how to run a small town, but running a big city can be very different. More people usually means more traffic, more crime and more problems.” A major theme highlighted by the Promenade debate has been the role of open space in the community. Chapter 8 of the Castle Rock Comprehensive Master Plan notes “town residents value having open space, trails and neighborhood parks in close proximity to their homes.” The town has set aside 5,475 acres of open space. Castle Rock owns nearly half. Private open space makes up 1,500 acres and Douglas County open space comprises the rest. Resident Linda Van Nostrand worries about the loss of this space as growth proliferates. “Castle Rock can retain its uniqueness and be the special place that it is by not having another mall that will be a hot spot for 18 months to two years max — and then commence in the decline of patrons like all other malls in the nation,” Van Nostrand said. Van Nostrand and Keith Lattimore-Walsh are circulating a petition for referendum to stop the development of the mall. They have until April 13 to collect 1,945 signatures and force action by town council on the matter. If enough signatures are collected, council could then choose to either overturn the ordinance approving the Promenade or put it to a town vote. LeGrotte points out that many residents don’t realize the town and county owned open space can be used for any public building. A school, library, police station, fire station or even government building can be built on open space. “People should know that if they pay a property premium like I did to back next to open space, that is typically a temporary status that will change,” LeGrotte said.
View of the “soundproof wall” that is supposed to shield Craig LeGrotte’s backyard from noise. The wall was built as part of the North Meadows Extension that now spills out onto the road behind his home.
Push, pull of growth While many residents say they wish to slow development, new residents keep flooding into town. “My view of it is that our secret is out,” said Kevin Tilson of the Castle Rock Economic Development Council. “Castle Rock is a special place to live.” According to Tilson, the rise in population and development are market driven and as more people move to the community, more access to shops, goods and housing is needed. “I know many people moved here hoping that they were going to be the last people coming into Castle Rock and that we would just close the door,” Mayor Paul Donahue said. “But it’s not going to happen that way.” In 2013, the town updated its Vision 2020 plan to become a vision of 2030. During that process, 500 individuals participated in multiple community workshops and an online survey that asked about community preferences. The survey found 85 percent of respondents considered it important or very important to conduct daily business — be it work, shopping, medical or entertainment — within the town. And in answer to the question, “Should the town’s goal of seeking a balanced mix of commercial and residential growth be carried forward?” 91 percent said yes. Town officials say they are following residents’ mandate.
Those yet to come The 166-acre site between Highway 85 and I-25 where the Promenade is being built was annexed into Castle Rock in 1987, along with land that is now the Outlets at Castle Rock and The Pines at Castle Rock apartments. The area has been zoned for commercial development since the annexation. Those approving of the Promenade argue the town has been strategic by developing one large multi-use facility rather than allowing the land to become a series of strip malls or broken-up parcels of development. “The town limits of Castle Rock are zoned and set to have a population of about 100,000 ” Donahue said. “And that’s going to happen in the next 20, 30, 40, 50 years. It’s going to grow.” LeGrotte said he and many longtime residents feel they are being pushed out to make room for the population that will come in the future. “We moved to Castle Rock to get away from the city lights and they followed us here,” Legrotte said. Now, LeGrotte is leaving town. He and his family are building a new home in Larkspur, where they hope to find the quiet that originally drew them to Castle Rock. “We’re just tired of it,” LeGrotte said. “We’ve owned property down there for a long time and just decided to build. We actually back up to open space down there.”
10 Elbert County News
S O U T H
Exhibit
LIFE
April 2, 2015
M E T R O
Colorado artists share landscapes in new exhibit
gallery Joan Miro show at Denver Art Museum will run through June 28
Elements 5280 Gallery, 5940 S. Holly St., Greenwood Village, presents a show called “Landscapes of the West” by seven wellrecognized Colorado artists through April 8. Included: Don Hamilton, Doug Martin, Ed Zorensky, Kent Lemon, Leon Loughridge, Lorenzo Chavez, Susan McCullough. 303804-5280, elements5280.com.
By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe @coloradocommunitymedia.com For the last 20 years of his life, Spanish painter Joan Miro (1893-1983) found a home on the island of Mallorca, where he could unpack and relate to his earlier paintings that had been packed away during World War II and after. He lived through difficult times — the Spanish Civil War, World War II throughout Europe and Franco’s 40-year dictatorship in Spain, which the artist opposed. In Palma, Mallorca, he was able to paint again and to create a number of highly original cast bronze sculptures, which often incorporated items he had collected on the beach. “I painted in a frenzy, so that people will know that I am alive,” he said. It is this energetic, late-in-life work — about 50 pieces created between 1963 and 1981 — which make up the bright, witty “Joan Miro: Instinct and Imagination.” The new exhibit runs through June 28 in the Gallagher Family Gallery on level one of the Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building. Gwen Chanzit, curator of modern and contemporary art at the DAM, spoke at a press preview about the artist’s inclination to carry home found objects and incorporate them into his sculptures: mixing spoons, fondue forks, metal forms, old doll parts and more went into assemblages that were cast in bronze by the lost wax method. “Keep looking,” Chazit advised — there are extra stars and other objects to be found on the backs of the sculptures. The Miro exhibit is organized by the Seattle Art Museum and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid. It has been shown at the Seattle Art Museum and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. While his painting style is well known worldwide, Miro’s sculptures have rarely traveled outside of Europe. He was born in Barcelona and started art classes at an early age. In 1920, he went to Paris, where artists from across the world were working and exchanging ideas. He started painting in Surrealist style and created a number of prints. His work was very influential on the
Call for vendors and artists
The Highlands Ranch Concert Band is planning its 10th annual Music Arts Festival for May 16 and 17 and seeks artists and vendors for this event, which raises funds so the band can present its free concerts through the year. The event will also celebrate local bands — jazz, swing, concert and symphonic — in ongoing concerts from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 16 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 17 at Civic Green Park, 9370 S. Ridgeline Blvd. in Highlands Ranch. For information, visit hrmafestival.org or contact Randy, 303-8057404.
Seeking crafters and artisans Joan Miro, “Paysage/Landscape” 1974.Acrylic paint and chalk on canvas, 96” X 67.” Courtesy photos
IF YOU GO “Miro: Instinct and Imagination” will be exhibited at the Denver Art Museum until June 28. It is included with regular admission. See denverartmuseum.org. An exhibition catalog, published by Yale University Press, is available in the museum gift shop. American Abstract Expressionists who were working in New York after World War II — and on artists worldwide. Visitors can look for favorite images in paintings and sculptures: women, birds, stars, for example — and children will be delighted by the whimsy and bright colors. Allow time to watch the short, three-minute video at the back of the gallery, “Miro: Theatre of Dreams,” to see him manipulate thick strokes of paint with a brush and with his fingers — straight from the tube. A related seminar on May 7 is called “Creative Aging.” There will also be related creative activities in the studio across the hall from the Gallagher Family Gallery. Check denverartmuseum.org for information.
Joan Miro, “Woman Entranced by the Escape of Shooting Stars.’ 1969. Acrylic paint on canvas, 76” X 51.”
The 44th annual Littleton Friends of the Library/Museum Craft Fair is scheduled for Oct. 3 and the call for artists is out. “Handcrafted by crafter only.” For an application or more information, contact Sherry Kling at the Littleton Museum, skling@littletongov. org.
Authors’ fest set
The Colorado Authors’ League coordinates with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in an all-day “Genre Fest” at Front Range Community College, 3645 W. 112th St., Westminster, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 11. Author David Morrell will present a workshop on “How to Write Bestselling Fiction,” followed by breakout sessions by successful writers in their genre: mystery, romance, sci fi/fantasy, young adult, short stories, children’s books. Registration includes lunch and a copy of Morrell’s latest book, “Inspector of the Dead.” Cost: $70 members, $90 non-members on the websites coloradoauthors.org, rmmwa.org and rmfw.org.
`Spring Serenade’
Joan Miro, “The Warrior King,’ 1981. Lost-wax casting, patinated bronze, 48” x 24” x 15”.
The Ivy Street Ensemble with the Up Close and Musical string orchestra, conducted by Eric Bertoluzzi, will present “Spring Serenade” at 2 p.m. April 11 at Hampden Hall, Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway. Tickets: $20/$15/free under 18. 303-806-8196, englewoodarts.org.
Nuevo Tango music
The Austin Piazolla Quintet will play Nuevo Tango music at 7:30 p.m. on April 10 at Hampden Hall, 1000 Englewood Parkway, in the Starlight Rhythms Series, presented by Englewood Arts Presents. Tickets: $20/$15/ free under 18. englewoodarts.org, 303-8068196.
Glass in Golden
“A Passion for Glass” opens at Foothills Art Center, 809 15th St., Golden, on April 3, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. It will include 100 objects from collections of seven Colorado collectors, with examples from America, Europe, Australia and Japan. Lecture series, workshop, lecture in April. See: foothillsartcenter.org.
Opera based on Bard
“Woman and Bird” 1968 Lost-wax casting, patinated bronze. All are xhibited at the Denver Art Museum in “Joan Miro: Instinct and Imagination.” All from Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.
“The Merry Wives of Windsor,” an opera by Otto Nicolai based on Shakespeare’s comedy, will be presented by the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver April 16-19 at the Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday ($11-$30). NewmanTix.com, 303-871-7720.
Elbert County News 11
April 2, 2015
Thriller author to visit library 10th book in series portrays intense international chase
ABOUT STEVE BERRY
By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe @coloradocommunitymedia.com Writer Steve Berry has published his latest Cotton Malone thriller. The 10th book in the series sends his retired Justice Department agent on a chase to Venice and Croatia on the trail of a rogue North Korean who hopes to throw the U.S. into economic chaos. Berry will appear at 7 p.m. April 9 at a Tattered Cover-sponsored event at the James H. Larue Highlands Ranch Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch The exciting story stems from a littleknown incident from U.S. history—Berry’s special niche. Andrew Mellon, one of America’s richest men, makes an offer to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which cannot be ignored, despite the president’s intense dislike for his secretary of the treasury. Published just in time for income tax day, the book would offer a perfect escape after one assembles all those dreaded numbers and sends them off. Writer Paul Larks has come across Mellon’s material suggesting that the nation’s income tax laws may not be legal — that the ratification of the 16th Amendment was not conducted properly in some states, then covered up by political figures … Lark’s book has fallen into the hands of the sinister, exiled North Korean Kim Yong
Steve Berry’s deep knowledge of American history lies at the heart of each novel. A passion the former attorney shares with his wife, Elizabeth, has led them to create a foundation called History Matters, devoted to historic preservation. They have raised more than $800,000 to save historic treasures across the country. Steve Berry, a Georgia native, graduated from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, was a trial lawyer for more than 30 years, and held elective office for 14 of those years, serving as a Camden County commissioner in Georgia. Berry will appear at 7 p.m. April 9 at the James H. LaRue Highlands Ranch Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch. Registration necessary due to limited seating: douglascountylibraries.org or 303-791-7323.
Author Steve Berry will introduce his latest thriller, “The Patriot Threat” at the James H. LaRue Library.
Jin, who sees an opportunity for political clout and acquires copies of sensitive documents — carried in a black satchel that changes hands many times in the course of a 24-hour chase from Venice to Croatia by land, sea and air. The scene shifts between the European chases and tense events in Washington that eventually involve the U.S. president and competitive agents from the Justice and Treasury departments, including a few Superwoman types. (One can almost envision a possible movie, with chases through dark streets and leaps from buildings,
boats and trains …) An actual painting in the National Gallery — Mellon’s gift to the nation — enters into Berry’s intricately devised network of clues, as do codes, a crumpled piece of paper from Mellon’s hand and assorted red herrings strewn along Cotton Malone’s path. Berry’s extensive knowledge of American history is a connecting thread across continents in all of his novels. It’s interesting in this book how 21stcentury technology kicks in as a tool for a colorful cast of agents from various back-
Steve Berry’s latest, “The Patriot Threat,” has a character who asks, “what if the Federal income tax is illegal?” Courtesy photos
grounds. Not only are they physically superior, but super-savvy about what’s available to them today. Berry’s latest thriller is the 10th in the Cotton Malone adventures, which have been translated into 40 languages in 51 countries .
Southern Concepts Announces Growth Plan and Calendar of Events Gains Valued Board Members For a complete list of South Metro Denver
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bourbon Brothers Holding Corporation (OTCQB:RIBS) announced that in an effort to fuel the Company’s growth plan and further focus the brand, the Company has changed its name to Southern Concepts Restaurant Group, Inc. (“SCRG” or the “Company”). During 2014, the Company increased sales by 145 percent and ended 2014 with revenues of approximately $5,144,500 versus $2,099,000 in 2013. The Company reported total assets of $4,473,600 with $1,182,100 of the current assets being cash or cash equivalents. Moreover, the Company ended 2014 with net assets of approximately $2,140,700. “I couldn’t be more excited about the growth opportunities for Southern Concepts,” said Mitchell Roth, SCRG President. “We are anticipating a number of restaurant openings this year and the launch of a new fast casual concept.” Southern Concepts Restaurant Group will be opening its second Southern Hospitality Restaurant and Bar in Lone Tree, Colo. in April, and its growth will not stop there. Before the end of 2015, Roth expects the Company to open at least two more Southern Hospitality fast casual locations in the Denver
and Colorado Springs market, and as many as two units per quarter in 2016. “Fast casual has been the fastest growing segment in the restaurant industry for five consecutive years, and outpaced traditional QSR and casual dining five to one during 2013,” said Roth. “This concept is in line with the tremendous resurgence of barbeque, leaving us with an opportunity to gain immediate market share.” Southern Concepts Restaurant Group is expecting very strong average unit volumes in its fast casual concept. “Management is projecting average unit volume sales of $1.8 million in its fast casual stores with more than 20 percent in store-level net income,” said Roth. In addition to the Company’s name change and projected growth, the SCRG Board of Directors gained two new members, Mr. Mitchell Roth and Ms. Jane Norton. Mr. Roth joined the Company in 2013 and has been the driving force in developing the fast casual iteration of Southern Hospitality, including crafting the Master Licensing Agreement through which the Company will operate its fast casual units. Mr. Roth is primarily responsible for corporate development, including capital raising, contract negotiation, real estate development, and strategy.
Prior to joining SCRG, Mr. Roth worked at the investment-banking firm Laidlaw and Company, Ltd. in New York City. Mr. Roth received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance and Economics from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Ms. Norton is the founder and General Manager of Norton & Associates LLC consulting firm, established in 2012, to advise clients in areas such as government/public policy, non-profits, education, aerospace, emergency preparedness, healthcare, and the military. She served in the administrations of Presidents Reagan and Bush as Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1988-1993; and in the cabinet of Governor Owens as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment from 1999-2002. In 2002 she was elected Colorado’s 46th Lieutenant Governor and served until January of 2007. Ms. Norton currently serves on the Valor Christian High School Board of Education since February 2013 through the present, Colorado Uplift Executive Committee since May 2013 through the present, John Templeton Foundation International Board of Advisors since July 2014 through the present, Citizen Advisor to the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership since 2013 through the present, and is a Fellow with the Centennial Institute since 2011 through the present. Ms. Norton earned a Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction in Health Sciences from Colorado State University in 1976, a Master of Science degree in Management from Regis University in 1999, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree from Colorado Christian University in 2011. For more information about Southern Concepts Restaurant Group visit www.southernconcepts.com.
Chamber events visit our website www.bestchamber.com or call 303-795-0142.
Monday, March 30 Doing Business in China Seminar 3:00 – 5:00 pm - SMDC WhippleWood CPAs Conference Center 2154 E. Commons Ave. Suite 342, Centennial Monday, March 30 Voices of Experience Speaker SeriesDoug Jackson, CEO of Project C.U.RE. 6:00 – 7:30 pm, The Newman center for the Performing Arts 2344 East Iliff Ave., Denver Friday, April 3 Littleton Business Coalition Community Breakfast 7:30 – 9:00 am – Arapahoe High School Library 2201 E. Dry Creek Road, Littleton
What can South Metro Denver Chamber do for you?... Find out at SMDC: ReImagine 2015 We invite you to explore what SMDC has to offer on Friday, April 10th from 3:30 – 6:00 pm at the Chamber offices (2154 E. Commons Ave, Suite 342, Centennial. Located at the Streets of South Glenn). This event will highlight NEW and existing committees and initiatives designed to support our member’s efforts to grow and
prosper in today’s exciting business environment. This will be a great opportunity to RECONNECT with your colleagues at the Chamber offices. The Chamber provides numerous opportunities for our members to gamin visibility and leadership experience. We encourage you to explore and engage with
the Chamber Community. Food and drink will be provided, so please join us for a chance to reconnect and REIMAGINE your business with the Chamber in 2015. Please RSVP to Hillary Klemme at, Hklemme@bestchamber.com
12 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Review: `While We’re Young’ finds insight, laughs in aging By Jocelyn Noveck
Associated Press
It’s safe to say there aren’t a lot of movies out there about reaching middle age gracefully and happily. And how could there be? The only thing worse than getting old, as the saying goes, is the alternative. But at least we have the movies — the good ones, anyway — to make us laugh about this fraught, undignified experience. And few recent films have done it better than Noah Baumbach’s deliciously sharp and touching “While We’re Young.” It seems apt indeed that Baumbach’s star here, Ben Stiller, is 49 in real life — the age at which one finally, truly cannot deny having, SOMEHOW, reached middle age. In a minor but hilarious exchange, Stiller’s 40-something character, Josh Srebnick, is told he has arthritis. Surely, Josh protests with utter guilelessness, it’s not “arthritis arthritis” — it’s some other kind. “It’s arthritis, and usually I only say it once,” the doctor replies. Josh is a documentary filmmaker
who’s been working on the same project for a decade, about a subject so dense and academic and boring we can’t explain it here. He’s married to Cornelia (Naomi Watts, doing some of her best work in years), who also works on documentaries, assisting her father, a legendary documentarian played by the wonderful Charles Grodin. You may think that’s enough documentarians for one movie, but you’d be wrong: the film’s dream casting also includes Adam Driver as Jamie, a 20-ish, ambitious documentarian-wannabe. While the Josh-Jamie dynamic will be essential to the film’s ruminations on aging, “While We’re Young” is also about a marriage. The wrinkle for Josh and Cornelia is that they don’t have kids, at an age when babymaking — particularly in baby-centric Brooklyn — is the chief activity of all their friends. Alone at home, Josh and Cornelia speak defiantly (and unconvincingly) of the advantages of baby-free life. “We could go to Paris tomorrow if we wanted to!” she says. He agrees, while noting — with
middle-aged practicality — that it would be hard to get the best airfares at such short notice. One day, the free-spirited Jamie and his pretty wife, Darby (Amanda Seyfried), attend a class Josh is giving, introducing themselves as big fans of his previous film. Josh is flattered of course, and soon he and Cornelia are dining with the younger couple. One dinner leads to more. The older folks become intoxicated with the youngsters’ free-wheeling, impossibly hip lifestyle. The details here are delicious. Darby makes artisanal ice cream, and does hip-hop aerobics. For fun, the couple explores abandoned subway tunnels. Their hipness has reached such an advanced state that they’re totally retro: They watch old VHS tapes, play board games, use typewriters; Jamie even speaks like someone out of a 1950s novel, beginning sentences with “Say ...” Josh and Cornelia, in contrast, scan their iPads constantly, watch shows on Hulu and check texts every minute. When, at one point, the foursome can’t recall the word “marzipan,” Josh and
Cornelia reach for their devices. “No,” says Jamie, with the serenity of a monk. “Let’s just NOT know what it is.” The plot thickens when Jamie seeks Josh’s help on his own documentary, an enticing topic he seems to have simply stumbled upon. But soon, the thorny ethics of Jamie’s endeavor will emerge, and Josh will begin to wonder whether he’s been played for a sucker. A terrific climactic scene at an awards dinner — a multi-generational ideological confrontation — is both funny and disturbing, as Josh discovers that the rules by which he’s always lived may have changed without his ever noticing. The ending is somehow uplifting — Josh may not have won his battle against aging, but it feels like a truce is in the air. And in Baumbach’s hands, the battle has, at least, proved highly entertaining. “While We’re Young,” an A24 Films release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America “for language.” Running time: 94 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.
WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK? Want to know what clubs, art exhibits, meetings and cultural events are happening in your area and the areas around you? Visit our website at www.coloradocommunitymedia.com/ calendar.
Redeemer Church Sunday, April 5 • 10:30am Meeting at Parker Core Knowledge www.redeemerparker.com
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Elbert County News 13
April 2, 2015
Writer explores sadness at core of family history Nordhaus book has roots in haunted house
ABOUT HANNAH NORDHAUS Hannah Nordhaus started out as a journalist and is the author of “The Beekeeper’s Lament,” which was a Colorado Book Award finalist, PEN Center USA Literary Award finalist and winner of a National Federation of Press Women Award. She studied at Yale University and the University of Colorado at Boulder, lived various places and settled in Boulder, where she lives with her husband and two children. She will meet with readers at Tattered Cover, Colfax, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, at 7 p.m. April 8 (303-322-7727, tatteredcover.com).
By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe @coloradocommunitymedia.com As she grew up hearing family stories, Colorado writer Hannah Nordhaus became aware of a dramatic history surrounding her great-greatgrandmother, Julia Staab. Many readers will be familiar with the classy La Posada hotel (“place of rest”) in Santa Fe, located not far from the Cathedral and the Plaza. Nordhaus has just published “American Ghost: The True Story of a Family’s Haunted Past.” She will appear at the Tattered Cover at 2526 E. Colfax Ave. at 7 p.m. on April 8 to read from her book and discuss her adventures in writing it — and to sign copies. The La Posada was originally the Staab House, built by prominent German Jewish Santa Fe businessman Abraham Staab for his young bride, Julia. In the 1970s, a janitor in the bythen-hotel was mopping up late at night when he saw a dark-eyed woman, with white hair and a long black dress, standing by the fireplace, silently. Other incidents followed — some of the sort attributed to a poltergeist: gas fireplaces turned off and on, vases of flowers were moved, bar glasses flew off the shelf and Julia Staab’s second-floor bedroom was especially prone to happenings. Employees were convinced that a ghost resided there — an unhappy, restless ghost — Julia Schuster Staab. Hannah Nordhaus, skeptical of ghost stories at the start, writes in an interview that her interest in her great-great-grandmother intensified after she found a history written by her great-aunt Lizzie on dusty shelves in the house her great-grandfather had built in the mountains east of Santa Fe. “Lizzie told tales of sadness and madness and forbidden love, of drug addictions and suicide, inheritance and disinheritance, penury, family feuds, brother against brother … There was more to Julia’s story than just a ghost in an old hotel …” Hours and days and weeks and years of research and travel ensued as Nordhaus followed different aspects
of Julia’s half-a-century life (she died in 1896) — from young German bride who arrived on the frontier and bore eight children to sad, mentally ill older woman, subject to the imprecise medical care of her day. Research in old newspapers and journals allows Nordhaus to paint a colorful picture of 19th-century Santa Fe, with its bright sun, entrepreneurial citizens such as Julia’s husband (who was not judged there for being a Jew), few or no supportive companions for Julia — with the possible exception of the garden-loving archbishop (Willa Cather’s model for “Death Comes for the Archbishop”). How close was that relationship, Nordhaus asks. Julia came, as a young bride in an arranged marriage, from a German town called Lugde in Germany, where she frequently returned with her children for visits to her large family — and to take the waters of the spa nearby. Nordhaus and her German-speaking mother visited there and elsewhere in Germany in tracing Julia’s story. The reader learns about the status of Jews in Europe and America, as well as the status — or lack of it — of even well-to-do women. The flavor of early Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Trail contrasts with polished European locations Julia sought. From accounts written by her daughter, Bertha, one senses the desperate loneliness and depression Julia felt despite receiving what was viewed as the best available medical treatment — for “female problems” and depression — in Germany, where the top doctors were found.
Book cover for “American Ghost” by Colorado author Hannah Nordhaus. Courtesy photos Following Nordhaus’ prolonged search for a ghost and a better understanding of her family history might lead a reader in similar directions. At the back of the book, she has compiled a section of “Notes on Sources” as well as a lengthy bibliography. The book is an interesting read for a Western history fan, although I feel it might have benefited from additional editing. Published in March by Harper Collins, “American Ghost” should be widely available in the area — and would add interest to that next trip to Santa Fe, as one attempts to imagine it in Julia’s day.
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14 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Metro Creative Services
A
ccording to the National Sleep Foundation, changes in sleep patterns are a part of the aging process. Many people experience difficulty falling asleep and then staying asleep as they age, and that difficulty can make men and women over 50 feel more tired during the day.
But even though difficulty sleeping may be a part of aging, that does not mean men and women over 50 cannot take steps to improve their sleeping patterns. For example, certain snack foods may help to improve quality of sleep, especially when these foods replace less healthy snacking options. While men and women over 50 should always consult with their physicians before making any changes to their diets, the AARP notes that the following are a handful of snack foods that promote better sleep. • Almonds: Magnesium is a mineral with muscle-relaxing properties, and almonds contain enough magnesium to help men and women get a better night’s sleep. A small amount of almonds before bed might be enough to make falling and staying asleep easier. • Bananas: Much like almonds, bananas provide a substantial amount of magnesium. Bananas also contain the amino acid tryp-
tophan, which many people associate with Thanksgiving turkey. While tryptophan might be most often associated with the sleepiness people feel after eating a holiday meal, it also has been linked to better sleep quality, so a banana shortly before bed might be just what you need to fall and stay asleep. • Cheese and crackers: One more traditional snack may just help you get a better night’s sleep. Cheese and crackers contain tryptophan and carbohydrates, which can induce a better night’s sleep and help you fall asleep sooner. • Cherries: Cherries contain the sleep hormone melatonin, and the AARP notes that recent studies indicated that participants who drank tart cherry juice on a daily basis fell asleep more quickly and slept longer and better than participants who did not. • Hummus: The primary ingredient in hummus is chickpeas, which are loaded with tryptophan, folate and vitamin B6. Folate has
proven especially beneficial to older men and women who need help regulating their sleep patterns, while vitamin B6 helps the body regulate its clock. • Peanut butter: Peanut butter is another snacking item loaded with tryptophan. Spread some peanut butter on a carbohydrate, whether it’s a slice of toast or some crackers, before going to bed, and you may enjoy a better, longer sleep. • Walnuts: Like cherries, walnuts contain melatonin, which can contribute to a longer, more restful night’s sleep. Walnuts also can help regulate stress, which is a leading cause of sleeping difficulty. Many men and women experience difficulty sleeping as they age. But the right foods may just help combat such problems and help men and women get a more adequate night’s sleep.
Elbert County News 15
April 2, 2015
SPORTS ROUNDUP Baseball Hood River Valley (Ore.) 8, Elizabeth 4 - Jackson Wherry and Tyler Hagerman notched two hits and a run scored apiece, but the Cardinals fell on March 26. Dusty Lawson came on in relief of starting pitcher Wherry to toss 4.2 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits with three strikeouts. Elizabeth 9, Goldwater (Ariz.) 5 Stuart Eurich, Dusty Lawson, and Tyler Hagerman each drove in two runs and Willie Weber scored three times to lift the Cardinals to a comeback win on March 25. Weber added two steals and Eurich stole a base in an active day on the basepaths. Eurich added to an impressive day by earning the win, in complete game fashion, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while striking out six and walking six on the mound. Elizabeth 5, Joy Christian (Ariz.) 1 Ryan Schaeffer drove in three runs and
Grant Simon went the distance on the mound for the Cardinals in their win on March 24. Simon gave up four hits and five walks with two strikeouts and added two steals and a run scored on the bases. Horizon Christian (Ore.) 8, Elizabeth 2 - Elizabeth was limited to five hits as they dropped their first contest of the season to out-of-state opponent Horizon Christian on March 23. Stuart Eurich and Zach Pedrick scored the only runs of the game for Elizabeth and Sean Herr notched the only extra-base hit finishing 1-2 with a double and a strikeout. Kiowa/Simla 14, Evangelical Christian 1 - Mitchell Bates struck out seven and gave up a run on two hits in four innings of work on the mound to lead the Cubs to a doubleheader sweep of Evangelical Christian on March 21. Skeet Ericson smacked two doubles in a 3-3 afternoon driving in four and scoring three times in the win. Kiowa/Simla 17, Evangelical Chris-
tian 4 - Kiowa/Simla scored 12 times in the bottom of the fourth to claim a home win over Evangelical Christian in five innings on March 21. Maclain Smiley drove in a game-high five runs with a double and a homerun. Smiley earned the win on the mound lasting all five innings and giving up five hits and no earned runs while striking out seven. Kiowa/Simla 15, Elbert 4 - The Cubs took advantage of five Bulldogs errors to post eight unearned runs in a home win on March 20. Cody Norris drove in three runs and scored four times in a 3-3 showing at the plate. Matt Thieman led the Cubs with four hits and four RBIs on the day. Elbert’s Colton Musson and Ross Millard each finished 1-2 with a RBI and a run scored in the loss.
Boys Track and Field
Lamar Invitational - Kiowa (10th), Simla (DNP) - Kiowa placed 10th out of
26 teams in Lamar at the Lamar Invitational on March 21. Kiowa’s Wyatt McKnight recorded the best finish of the day with a runner-up finish in the 400m. TJ Daughenbaugh finished in a tie for third in the high jump and the 4 x 200m relay team also finished in third. Kiowa also received a fourth-place finish from the 4 x 400m relay team.
Girls Track and Field Lamar Invitational - Simla (12th), Kiowa (14th) - Simla placed 12th and Kiowa placed 14th, out of 27 teams, at the Lamar Invitational on March 21. Kiowa did pick up a win in the meet by taking the 4 x 800m relay. The 4 x 400m relay team placed fourth as the only other top five finish for Kiowa. Simla took fourth place in the 4 x 100m relay and the 800m sprint medley.
AREA CLUBS Ongoing
DOUGLAS-ELBERT COUNTY MUSIC TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION meets at 9 a.m.
every first Thursday at Parker Bible Church, between Jordan and Chambers on Main Street. All area music teachers are welcome. Call Lucie Washburn, 303-814-3479.
THE ELBERT COUNTY SHERIFF’S POSSE is a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. For more information or a membership application, go to http:// www.elbertcountysheriff.com/posse.html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.
THE ELIZABETH FOOD BANK , 381 S. Banner in Elizabeth (next door to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church) needs to let the public know that we are available to help anyone who needs food. The hours are Friday 12:30-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11:30 a.m. Other times by appointment.
LAWYERS AT THE LIBRARY, a free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney, will be offered from 6-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Everyone will be helped on a firstcome, first-served basis. MYSTERY BOOK CLUB meets at 9:30 a.m. the
first Saturday of each month at the Simla Public Library. The group enjoys talking about a variety of mystery authors and titles. We also periodically host a Colorado author during our meetings. Everyone may join us, and registration is not required. Visit the Simla Branch of the Elbert County Library District at 504 Washington Avenue, call 719-541-2573, or email farabe@elbertcountylibrary. org.
THE OUTBACK EXPRESS is a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local
Governments is open and available to all residents of Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties and provides an economical and efficient means of travel for the fourcounty region. Call Kay Campbell, Kiowa, at 719- 541-4275. You may also call the ECCOG office at 1-800-825-0208 to make reservations for any of the trips. You may also visit http://outbackexpress.tripod.com. To ensure that a seat is available, 24-hour advance reservations are appreciated.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS meets from
10-11 a.m. and from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays in the Sedalia Room at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 2100 Meadows Parkway, Castle Rock.
SENIORS MEET in Elizabeth every Monday at 11 a.m. for food, fun and fellowship at Elizabeth Senior Center, 823 S. Banner St. Bring a dish for potluck on the first Monday of each month. Other Mondays, bring a sack lunch. Bingo, games and socializing. New leadership. Call Agnes at 303-883-7881 or Carol at 303-646-3425 for information. THERAPEUTIC RIDING. Promise Ranch Therapeutic Riding in Parker offers free therapeutic riding for
crossword • sudoku
GALLERY OF GAMES & weekly horoscope
developmentally disabled adults and children. Scholarship money is available for Douglas County residents to provide 10 therapeutic riding lessons. Call 303-841-5007 or visit www.promiseranchtherapeuticriding.com.
SKY CLIFF ADULT DAY CENTER SUPPORT Groups: Stoke Victors meets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second and last Saturday of each month. Lunch is provided. Contact Sue Parson, 303-814-2863. Evening Stroke Victors meets from 6:30-8 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. Cookies and coffee provided. Contact Sue Parson, 303-814-2863. Caregivers Support Group meets from 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays. All groups meet at Sky Cliff Adult Day Center in Castle Rock. Contact Sky Cliff at 303-814-2863. Visit www.skycliff.org.
VFW POST 10649 meets monthly at 8:30 a.m. the first Saturday of every month at 24325 Main St., Elbert. Go to http://www.vfwpost10649.org. Contact Alan Beebe at 303-435-2560 for questions.
SALOME’S STARS FOR RELEASE WEEK OF MARCH 30, 2015
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) An unexpected problem should be handled as quickly as possible so that it doesn’t cause too much of a delay. Someone who knows what you’re facing could provide needed advice. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) An unsettling situation seems to be taking forever to be resolved. Fortunately, your Bovine aptitude for patience is strong this week, so you’ll be more than able to wait it out. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Taking a stand against an uncalled-for situation involving a friend or co-worker isn’t easy, but somehow you’ll rise to the challenge and do it. Rely on advice from someone you trust.
crossword • sudoku & weekly horoscope
GALLERY OF GAMES
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) There are still some questions on all sides that need to be dealt with in order to allow hurt feelings to heal. Get your workplace tasks done early so that you can devote more time to loved ones. LEO LEO (July 23 to August 22) Consider a new spring makeover that will show all you Leos and Leonas in your best light. A new hairdo and some fashionable new clothes can help put a fresh glow on your image. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Some stormy, emotional weather can blow up in the workplace when an irate co-worker has strong words for you. But if you believe right is on your side, you’ll be able to ride it out. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Creating more balance in your life is especially important now so that you’re not distracted when you get into projects that will make demands on both your physical and mental energies. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) As much as you enjoy being right when others are not, show your generous side by offering to use what you know to everyone’s benefit. This way, you gain admirers and avoid resentment. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good week for the Archer to aim at healing relationships. Whether it’s at home, at work or among your friends, get everyone to set things straight and make a fresh start. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Although you like things done your way, this is a good time to listen to ideas from others. You might even find yourself agreeing with one or more of their suggestions. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Aspects favor positive action to reclaim your ideas from someone who might want the glory without doing any of the work. Expect to find many people rallying to support you. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might feel uneasy about taking that step forward at work or in your private life. But who knows better than you that while treading water keeps you afloat, it doesn’t get you anywhere. BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of creating positive attitudes and making people feel good about themselves. © 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
16 Elbert County News
April 2, 2015
Teen named to regional, state orchestras Castle View’s Jonathan Hoe began playing bass as child By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com It can be hard to determine the moment when one gains proficiency over a craft. But for Castle View High School sophomore Jonathan Hoe, it’s vivid. “The biggest moment was when I made Western States Honor Orchestra,” said Hoe, 16. “That’s a pretty high-level thing. Only me and one other student from
Castle View made it. I think four students from Castle View have made it in the past.” For Hoe, who began playing the bass in fifth grade, this school year has been marked by the culmination of years and hours of work — he practices 45 minutes a day. In addition to being named to the Western States Honor Orchestra, he was also part of the Douglas County and All-State orchestras as well. To be considered for positions in prestigious state and national high school orchestras, musicians must submit a recording of themselves playing a preselected piece of music that will demonstrate proficiency as well as a live audition.
“The recording part is just in my own home so it’s not as intimidating,” Hoe said. “But the auditions, like the Western and state (competitions), you have to go into a room with two or three professors of bass, and that’s a real scary process.” For his mother, Diane, there are no concerned-mother jitters before Jonathan’s performances. “He knows what he’s doing,” she said. Hoe said that he mostly plays and studies classical music and the work of those he admires, like bass player Gary Karr. He’s not of fan of jazz — which he jokes is out of character for a bass player. “I’ve tried (to write my own music), but it takes a high level of thought to do,” Hoe
said. “A lot of kids think that they can because they feel the music, or whatever, but it doesn’t quite work like that. You have to understand a lot of technicalities and theory.” Hoe said he hopes to earn a college scholarship to play in an orchestra but is unsure whether or not he wants to pursue music after that. He is considering a career in medicine. And what’s on the teenager’s iPod? “Classical music,” Hoe said, “There’s so much complexity compared to modern music where they play the same chord over and over again. There’s a lot people don’t see about music.”
School sees value in student-guided learning Advanced-placement Lights Academy flips normal classroom model By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com It’s an idea that’s just crazy enough to work. Bucking the traditional classroom model — it’s part of a new wave of thinking, and Lutheran High School in Parker appears perched at the crest. Rather than an instructor assigning specific parameters and assessing schoolwork, students are being given a lead role in determining their educational future. There are few standards or rules, and the teens enrolled in Lights Academy get a head start in their career field of interest. The advanced-placement program uses accelerated, project-based learning experiences to help students figure out their direction after high school. Lights Academy taps into the expertise of college professors and business leaders in various industries, exposing students to different working environments and job duties. The flexibility of Lights Academy is per-
haps its greatest asset. Oftentimes, the juniors and seniors involved in the program have a specific career in mind, and they build their own curriculum, set their own goals and even decide how they want to be graded. The belief is that by engaging and empowering the students in their learning, they will take more ownership of their future. At times, however, the teens discover that they are not cut out for a job or simply don’t like it. Such early realizations can ultimately save money that might otherwise be spent on college tuition for a major that is eventually changed. Exploring different possible careers can help undecided students narrow down their choices. “Some have jumped around topically to explore everything from environmental science to business to nonprofits to world issues,” said David Black, a teacher and friend of principal David Ness who built the Lights Academy program from the ground up before rolling it out this school year. Administrators learned about the previously-unseen learning gap the hard way when a student, seeing there were no options, left Lutheran High School to pursue activities and experiences that would prepare him for being a doctor. School leaders took a collaborative approach with “intentional conversations”
EVERY MORNING MY HUMAN SHAVES OFF HIS FACE FUR, HE’S FUNNY LIKE THAT. —TUCK adopted 05-04-11
about the need for such learning opportunities, and Black stepped in to guide students toward broadening their skill sets, Ness said. The teens are encouraged to ask tough questions to get the answers they want. They come up with a driving question that steers the line of inquiry. “That process is absolutely essential, and a lot of times that’s what gets left out in the classroom,” Black said. The program is still in its infancy, but has proven its worth to the point that next year Lutheran High School is introducing three more academies centered on STEM learning, the arts, and mission and ministry, respectively. Lights Academy is purposely vague in its focus to let students find their passion. “We wanted something that would connect the students with the gifts that God has given them,” Ness said. Although the application process to get into Lights Academy is rigorous, Lutheran High officials can modify the students’ schedules to make sure they are not overburdened with extra work. The last class period of each school day is dedicated to the academy, as are block periods. Before the public debate over immunizations intensified earlier this year, senior Hannah Kakac was pouring herself into extensive research. She drew her own conclu-
sions about the net benefit of vaccinations and presented her findings to the class. Separate proposals on how to solve parking issues at the school and what to do with undeveloped land owned by the school were also produced by other students. Junior Nathan Holdridge said the class is “teaching me how to question the world around me and how to speak intelligently about topics I had previously not understood.” Black will do his own fourth-quarter project alongside his students, following similarly loose guidelines, and they will have the chance to grade his performance. “I’m still an authority, but I’m hopeful they will see me more as a learning partner, working with them to help them achieve goals, as opposed to the traditional teacherstudent hierarchy in the classroom,” Black said. Jan Hoener, an English-as-a-secondlanguage teacher at Lutheran, said she is impressed by the way the 14 students in Lights Academy have taken the initiative to better themselves through knowledge. “We see so much potential in our students, so through our academies, we want to give them the opportunity to realize their potential to make a greater impact in their community today and in their world tomorrow,” she said.