June 4, 2015 VOLUME 120 | ISSUE 18 | 75¢
ElbertCountyNews.net E L B E R T C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Grads bid farewell to Elizabeth High 158 seniors honored as rain mostly stays away By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media Though low clouds threatened rain throughout most of the ceremony, only a brief sprinkle fell on the 158 seniors graduating from Elizabeth High School and the friends and family who filled the football stands to honor their accomplishment. During the May 23 ceremony, faculty praised the Class of 2015 for its dedication and academic achievements, including $3.1 million in college scholarships, honors grade point averages, and members admitted to the National Honor Society, Thespians and Tri-M Music Honor Society. In his welcoming remarks to the graduates and families, Rod Blunck, acting principal of Elizabeth High School, spoke of the future, but also of remembrance, encouraging his students to remember where they had come from, to remember the people who supported them along the way. Elizabeth continues on Page 5
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Hats fly after Elizabeth High School’s commencement ceremony May 23. Photo by Rick Gustafson
Kiowa Class of 2015 saluted for talents 25 seniors hear advice at commencement rite By Rick Gustafson
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PL E ASE RECYCLE T HI S C OPY
Special to Colorado Community Media Put graduating high school seniors together for a commencement ceremony and there is bound to be some advice offered before it is over. For the 25 graduates in the Kiowa High School Class of 2015, the advice included challenges, motivation and humor. Superintendent Jason Westfall hit on all three veins in his opening remarks. “The question you should be asking yourself right now is not, ‘Who’s going to let me?’ Rather the question is, ‘Who’s going to stop me?’” Westfall said. “Challenge the orthodoxy. Just because something has been done a certain way for eons doesn’t mean it’s the right way of getting it done. And third, this one’s from my mother: Remember when you are out in the world, you are searching for your soulmate, not your cellmate. Finally, the best helping hand you’ll ever receive is right at the end of your own arm.” Commencement speaker Donnie Gabehart reiterated Westfall’s challenges by telling the students to never say never, and he reinforced the notion that a single person can make a difference.
The Kiowa High School Class of 2015 prepares to enter the next phase of their lives during the commencement ceremony at the school’s gym May 24. Photo by Rick Gustafson Gabehart illustrated his point by citing his own election as the mayor of Kiowa, an election decided by a single vote, his own. Both the valedictorian and salutatorian used their speeches to recognize the special talents and
diversity of their classmates. Valedictorian Jessi Dodge acknowledged her fellow graduates by taking them and the assembled family and friends on an imaginary class trip to the South Pacific. In Dodge’s account of their
fictional trip, the class becomes stranded on a tropical island, but in their predicament, they thrive, using their individual talents to prosper until their eventual Kiowa continues on Page 5
2 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
Young filmmakers honored for PSA Video on dangers of texting while driving wins coveted award By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media A horn blares. Metal is crushed. Glass shatters. The emergency call comes in, and first responders roll to a head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup. Paramedics work to stabilize the drivers. The SUV’s passenger is pronounced dead at the scene. All the while, the cameras are rolling. Though incidents like the one described above occur often enough in Colorado, this particular crash is fictional, a scene from the short film “Eyes on the Road,” which was produced by members of the Elizabeth High School Film Club and on May 21 won the Audience Choice Award at the Colorful Colorado Film Festival for Youth. The Colorful Colorado Film Festival for Youth is the largest of its kind in the state and is sponsored by the Colorado Film School. The festival also honors films in the categories of best animation, commercial, comedy, drama, horror, experimental, documentary and music video. “I was thrilled that the kids made it,” said Dan Marcus, math teacher and the film club’s faculty adviser. “There were so many films that didn’t even make it.” Elizabeth High School freshman Ben Humphrey and six fellow filmmakers produced the one-minute, 29-second public service announcement about the dangers of texting while driving. Humphrey enlisted help from the Elizabeth Fire Department, where his father volunteers. “He took it upon himself to go in there and meet with Chief (T.J.) Steck to go over his idea for a story, and he had the fire department on board,” said Marcus. “I was really impressed that this freshman took the lead on that.” “Eyes on the Road” was one of eight films made this spring by the fledgling film club, which began its existence last winter. Before January, most of the students had no formal filmmaking experience other than creating videos on their own. Marcus, who has been an educator for 38 years, is officially retired, but teaches college
The public service announcement “Eyes on the Road” received the Audience Choice Award at the Colorful Colorado Film Festival for Youth, held at the SIE Center in Denver on May 21. From left to right are Megan Kelly (editor), Meagan Tracey (makeup, writer), Kayla Mulkin (director, special effects), Chloe Peterson (writer), McKenna Eddy (producer, writer), Michael Brend (cinematographer, writer), Dan Marcus (instructor) and Ben Humphrey (producer, cinematographer). Courtesy photo prep algebra at the school part time. He was the adviser to the film club at Aspen Academy, where a public service announcement produced by two of his students about eating disorders, “You are Beautiful,” caught the attention of producers from NBC’s “Today” show, which ran a three-minute segment featuring the film and its message in December 2013. After becoming aware of Marcus’ film club experience and television appearance, students at Elizabeth High School approached him about starting a film club there. Marcus took the fall semester to become better acquainted with his new school, but he agreed to advise the club as a volunteer beginning with the winter semester. “I was thrilled with their interest level,” Marcus said. “They were all gung-ho about it. I had 20 kids that signed up and committed to 12 straight Saturdays. They came in every Saturday morning from 9 to noon and soaked up
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anything I could teach them.” One of the biggest hurdles the club faced early was a lack of resources. The new program was lacking basic filmmaking equipment such as cameras, tripods and editing software, but on their own, the students came up with enough equipment to work on their films. Marcus divided the students into individual groups and transitioned to the role of mentor as they went on to produce public service announcements. “I wanted their first piece to be a PSA,” he said. “I’ve always been a big believer in that. You have to make a film that is going to help society, that has a message, that’s going to impact people.” “Eyes on the Road” appears to have done just that, receiving 2,061 online votes for the Audience Choice Award, and focusing attention on the issue of texting and driving, the
leading cause of teen deaths in the United States. There has already been a lot of interest in keeping the film club going in the coming school year, and in addition to his returning members, 30 students from the incoming freshman class have signed up for the club. Marcus has big plans for them. “My goal for them next year is NFFTY, the National Film Festival for Talented Youth. It’s phenomenal, one of the best film festivals for high school students from all over the world. It’s the premier festival,” he said. The National Film Festival for Talented Youth is a nonprofit venture and the world’s largest and most influential film festival for emerging directors, showcasing work by filmmakers aged 24 and younger. All eight films produced by the Elizabeth High School Film Club this year are available online at www.elizabeth.k12.co.us/FilmClub.
Elbert County News 3
June 4, 2015
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June 4, 2015
The Orion crew module is moved by a crane after a splash-down in the Pacific Ocean. Photo by NASA/Cory Huston
Parker man plays big role in space launch By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com With a sense of wonder still well intact, Shane Roskie thanks his lucky stars for getting to live out his childhood dream everyday. The Parker resident and 30-year veteran at Lockheed Martin admits that he still pinches himself on occasion. It’s easy to see why. He played a lead role in the December launch of the Orion Spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
What he did As the Orion launch conductor, it is his job to make sure every guidance, control and instrumentation system has been correctly
tested and configured before a launch takes place. “I’m the person that gives the final ‘go’ to the launch director to proceed with a launch,” Roskie said, referring to the person who conducts the actual countdown. Along with a team of engineers, he then reviews flight data and makes any necesRoskie sary changes to the design before the next launch. He is already working on Orion’s second mission — known as exploration mission 1, or EM1 — which could happen as early as 2018.
The mission
The objective of the unmanned December launch was to test the critical systems on the craft and determine whether major components are working properly. That includes, for example, an analysis of the heat shield’s performance upon re-entry, the functionality of
the guidance system and the capsule’s capability to withstand a splash landing. The ultimate goal of Orion is to “push the technological envelope” for the United States and, ideally, shuttle astronauts on missions to and from Mars, said Roskie, whose title is Orion test engineering and operations senior manager. It’s important for today’s students to gain the knowledge necessary to carry space travel into the future, he said.
Friends, family and fun stories
Roughly five months after his return to Colorado, Roskie finally had a chance to settle down and catch up with old friends. He spent the better part of last year in Florida making preparations, and several months back and forth before that. He’s glad to be back, and his loved ones are glad to have him. Reggie Fontenot, one of the many friends at a May 16 party thrown in Roskie’s honor, said he was eager to hear stories from his friend and view behind-thescenes photos and videos. Mostly, he wanted
to mark more than two years of hard work, which culminated in a career milestone for Roskie. “He’s just such a low-key guy, a ranch boy from Wyoming,” Fontenot said. “He never gives himself credit.” Roskie, 57, said he was “astounded” by the national and international support for the Orion mission, including encouraging notes from retired scientists, teachers and NASA execs. The local support, he said, was particularly touching.
Living out a dream
Roskie grew up watching the Apollo missions play out on television and knew early on that he wanted to work in aerospace. He said he thoroughly enjoys his job and is thankful that people recognize its worth. “It still gets me excited,” Roskie said. “It’s a very tough, demanding, complex industry, but the rewards are enormous — if everything works right. This one (Orion) flew perfectly.”
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After successful mission, Shane Roskie celebrates at home with friends
June 4, 2015
Elizabeth
QUOTES FROM THE VALEDICTORIANS
Continued from Page 1
“Please remember while it is free, the most distinguished place in a home to have your picture is on the refrigerator,” Blunck said. “Always remember to hold yourselves to a higher standard than you hold others. As you leave to make your imprint on the world, remember to call home often, because the people that you’re leaving will miss you each and every day.” Following his remarks, he honored the 2015 valedictorians, the school’s highest academic honor. Blunck presented each of the seven seniors who achieved a GPA of 4.0 or higher with an eagle statuette and then yielded the podium for each to make brief remarks. Before accepting the class on behalf of the district to receive diplomas, Superintendent Douglas Bissonette expressed his gratitude to the community for its support of the graduates, the school and the district. “Public education is the bedrock of a republic. The support that comes from citizens that contribute to the schools when they pay taxes, volunteer their time, or choose education as a profession makes an incalculable difference in the lives of every child in our school,” he said. r Bissonette congratulated the graduates on their hard-earned success and thanked the families for the opportunity to teach the students of the district. “Elizabeth School District is deeply e proud of the quality and dedication e of our teachers, our counselors, our s administration and staff. They have worked very hard so that these students can meet their graduation requirements and be prepared for the challenges and opportunities of our changing world.” Bissonette also recognized a graduate with a long family history in Elbert County and invited Kayla Kagan to the n platform. Kagan was acknowledged as d a fifth-generation graduate from Elizal beth High School and presented with a plaque in recognition of her family’s legacy. “We are tremendously proud that you have followed in the footsteps of four generations and have become the first of the fifth generation of your family to complete your secondary education at Elizabeth High School,” Bissonette said. Following the presentation of diplomas and the recessional, the graduates gathered inside the school to say farewell before leaving to attend their own celebrations.
Natasha Breakall: “I will remember Stewart Eurich’s Senior Jam sessions on Fridays, the selflessness of Veronica Case displayed as she gave up her Prom Queen crown to Sydney Hanes, and the kindness that Brooklyn Anderson continuously gave to all.”
Paige Baldwin: “Courage is the ability to make life-altering decisions and to try again when you fail the first time. Failure is invariable, but what a person does after they fail serves as the true mark of their character.”
Kaylyn Radtke: “Fear is one of the most significant things we can experience, because it sharpens us, challenges us, and allows us to embrace uncertainty… The truth about high school and fear, and really the rest of life is that you’ll only really figure it out by living through it.”
Caelyn Rittenhouse: “Doing our best to matter, to affect the most lives for good is much more important than being remembered ever could be… Fame is temporary, but mattering lasts forever as long as there is an ocean for us as drops to make ripples in.”
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Kate Melman: “Failure and success is a matter of perspective, and if we choose to use failure as a source of growth and motivation to keep moving forward toward our goals, then is it really a loss… Hard work and determination will often beat talent.”
Alec Saville: “Relish your youth, though it may be hard to believe that our hyper-metabolisms and our ability to sleep endlessly will not last forever. In fact, the next time you hear another speech like this, the opposite may be happening to you.”
Kiowa High School valedictorian Jessi Dodge speaks to the crowd during the commencement ceremony at the school May 24.
www.COLORADOSURFACE.com
Elbert County News 5
Aaron Stone: “I want to challenge all of you to chase your glorious dreams despite the naysayers. Be grateful for the good times in your life and celebrate them. Help those in need, because you never know when you will be in the same situation, and lastly push through those hard times life throws at you.”
Kiowa Continued from Page 1
rescue. She closed by expanding on advice offered by adventurer Jeff Johnson. “‘The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t even think to ask.’ I wish you a journey full of answers and a lifetime full of questions,” she said. Dodge received a four-year scholarship to the University of Missouri at Columbia, where she will study photojournalism and anthropology. Salutatorian Spencer Pierson shared Dodge’s sentiments of gratitude to the class and faculty. Pierson thanked the school’s faculty for
their support and their commitment to students, and expressed his appreciation to parents and family. To his fellow classmates, he recognized their diversity. “In our small bunch there are aspiring computer programmers, veterinarians, boat mechanics, photojournalists, nurses, cosmetologists, power-line mechanics, psychologists and some people who still aren’t sure what they want to do, including yours truly,” he said. “This uniqueness, this diversity of our class was created by the incredible learning environment that Kiowa had to offer.” Pierson received several scholarships and will attend the University of Colorado in Boulder this fall. Collectively, the Kiowa High School Class of 2015 received just over $330,000 in scholarships.
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6 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
Community rodeo quite a ride Event held a week before the Stampede By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media Local cowboys and cowgirls gathered at Casey Jones Park Stampede Grounds in Elizabeth for the annual Elizabeth Stampede Community Rodeo on May 30. All events were open to anyone willing to pay the entry fee and climb on the back of PRCA or PBR stock for bull and saddle bronco riding. The open competitions also included barrel racing, team roping and a hide race. A free concert featuring the music of Carlos Washington & the Steel Horse Band followed the competitive events and presentations to the winners. Team ropers took home purses of up to $234. The original community rodeo began in 1937 and was organized by the Elizabeth Commercial Association. The annual event ultimately evolved into the Elizabeth Stampede. In 1988, the Stampede became a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event, which eventually filled the weekend with professional rodeo competitions and did not allow time for the amateur rodeo. In order to continue the tradition of amateur competition, a separate community rodeo was created in the 1990s and is held annually the weekend leading up to the Elizabeth Stampede. The event is free to the public. The Elizabeth Stampede opens June 5 with the PRCA XTreme Bulls Rodeo and closes on June 7 with rodeo performances and the coronation of the 2016 Stampede Royalty.
ELIZABETH STAMPEDE COMMUNITY RODEO RESULTS Barrel Racing - Youth 1st Jessica Crawford Barrel Racing-Novice Horse 1st Kristen Myers Barrel Racing-Novice Rider 1st Haley Pavlick Barrel Racing-Open 1D 1st Kelly Schnaufer Barrel Racing-Open 2D 1st Tawna Upchurch 2nd Karen Carter Barrel Racing-Open 3D 1st Kristen Myers Barrel Racing-Open 4D 1st Kelli Riggs Team Roping 12 point 1st Eric Martin - header / Squeak Musgrove heeler Team Roping 10 point 1st Justin Hood - header / Ryan Velgersdyk heeler Team Roping 8 point 1st Julie Atkinson - header / Bret Boswell heeler Team Roping mixed-over 50/16 & under 1st Dale Atkinson - header /Tim Baum - heeler
B Elizabeth Stampede Queen Nadia Postek presents the colors May 30 at Casey Jones Park. Photo by Rick Gustafson
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Elbert County News 7
June 4, 2015
Cheaper gas comes with a price Hopes for economic boost haven’t panned out as expected By Christopher S. Rugaber
Associated Press
If there was one thing most economists agreed on at the start of the year, it was this: Plunging oil prices would boost the U.S. economy. It hasn’t worked out that way. The economy is thought to have shrunk in the January-March quarter and may barely grow for the first half of 2015 — thanks in part to sharp cuts in energy drilling. And despite their savings at the gas pump, consumers have slowed rather than increased their spending. At $2.74 a gallon, the average price of gas nationwide is nearly $1 lower than it was a year ago. In January, the average briefly reached $2.03, the lowest in five years. Cheaper oil and gas had been expected to turbocharge spending and drive growth, more than making up for any economic damage caused by cutbacks in the U.S. oil patch. Consider what Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said in December: Lower gas prices, Yellen declared, are “certainly good for families. ... It’s like a tax cut that boosts their spending power.” Other experts were more direct: “Lower oil prices are an unambiguous plus for the U.S. economy,” Chris Lafakis, an economist at Moody’s Analytics, wrote in January. So what did they get wrong? It turns out that the economic effects of lower energy prices have evolved since the Great Recession. Corporate spending on drill rigs, steel piping for wells and railcars to transport oil has become an increasingly vital driver of economic growth. So when oil prices fall and energy companies retrench, the economy suffers.
The drilling boom that erupted in 2008 has boosted U.S. oil production nearly 75 percent and natural gas 30 percent and made the United States the world’s largest combined producer of oil and natural gas. Energy production contributes about 2 percent to economic output, up from less than 1 percent in 2000. Yet in recent months, industry activity has dropped more sharply than predicted. “So far, it is fair to say that we have been hurt more than helped,” Lafakis acknowledges now.
Cutbacks ripple outward During their policy meeting in April, Fed officials grappled with the changing impact of cheaper oil, according to minutes of the meeting released in late May. Several policymakers said the economic drag from drilling cutbacks could be “larger and longer-lasting than previously anticipated.” They also worried that the weakness in consumer spending, despite cheaper gas, suggested that Americans might generally be more reluctant to spend than assumed. Some economists are reconsidering assumptions they use to forecast the economy. “The benefit of lower oil prices is less pronounced than, say, 10 years ago,” says Jim Burkhard, a researcher at IHS Energy. “You’re taking a big engine of economic activity and cutting it sharply.” Lafakis and many others still expect consumers to spend much of their savings from cheaper gas, powering faster growth in the second half of the year. Economists say it can take up to six months for people to spend unexpected windfalls. But any gains won’t likely be enough to counter the anemic start to the year. Moody’s Analytics expects the economy to expand just 2.6 percent this year, down from an earlier forecast of 3.3 percent. (The downgrade is also due in part to a stronger U.S. dollar, which has depressed exports.)
For families, the drop in gas prices was an unexpected gift. The government has estimated that cheaper gas will save a typical household $675 this year. Yet still scarred by the recession, many remain reluctant to spend freely. Analysts also note that Americans are less likely to spend extra money if they think the gain is temporary. “Consumers have been very reluctant to spend (savings from cheaper gas), because they view that as fleeting,” says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. com. Consumer spending rose at an annual rate of just 1.9 percent in the first quarter, compared with the previous quarter’s 4.4 percent. Much of the cash saved at the gas pump was put away: The U.S. savings rate reached its highest point in more than two years. Walmart and Target have confirmed that their sales aren’t getting much lift from cheaper gas. For Vince Cimilluca, a 28-year-old video editor in Edison, New Jersey, lower gas prices haven’t changed his finances much. He’s struggling to pay $800 a month in student debt while saving for a home. He’s seen gas prices gyrate and doesn’t trust they’ll stay low. “The extra money that I have, I save,” Cimilluca says. For the economy, the technological breakthroughs that allowed the energy industry to power growth now help explain the slowdown. As the 2008-09 recession ended, companies used hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to unlock underground reserves. Oil, at $100 a barrel or more, made such efforts profitable. Jim Burkhard of IHS Energy estimates that U.S. and Canadian energy companies increased investment in production from $98 billion in 2005 to $363 billion last year. U.S. oil and gas jobs nearly doubled to 537,000. In addition, jobs were added at steel mills, at sand pits to process sand for fracking and at
restaurants and service companies in areas with newfound oil and gas fields, like North Dakota and Pennsylvania.
Sudden reversal
But the industry’s breakneck growth was thrown into reverse by a 50 percent drop in oil prices from June through January. CEO Doug Suttles of Encana Corp., a Canadianbased driller that operates in the United States, says the pullback in drilling “happened more rapidly than I’ve seen in 32 years.” As recently as December, Suttles says, experts had forecast that the number of rigs would drop by a third in the spring from a year earlier. Instead, it’s plunged by more than half, according to Baker Hughes, an oilfield services firm. That’s led companies like U.S. Steel to temporarily close factories that make the steel pipe used in oil wells. Texas-based Superior Silica Sands, which makes fracking sand, has canceled the building of a factory and has slashed capital spending plans. Investment in wells and production facilities collapsed nearly 50 percent last quarter, the government says, and cut the quarter’s annual economic growth by three-quarters of a percentage point. Goldman Sachs estimates that three jobs will be lost in other industries for every position shed by energy companies as laid-off workers spend less. That trend is painfully evident in Texas, which lost 25,400 jobs in March, the most since 2009. Many were in mining, which includes oil and gas. But most of the losses were indirect: As laid-off workers cut spending, retailers cut 6,600 jobs. Cheaper gas has hardly been a comfort to Orlando Garza, 34, who lives near Corpus Christi, Texas, and was laid off from his job in February as a well site leader. “I’ve had to cut back tremendously,” Garza says. “I tell my kids, `I don’t have a job, so I can’t buy it.’”
Beer battle could head for ballot in Colorado Craft brewers fear effect of change in grocery law By Ivan Moreno
Associated Press Local brewers and liquor stores are bracing for another push to allow Colorado grocery stores to sell wine and higher alcoholcontent beer, a move opponents see as a threat to the craft beer industry. The debate has played out many times in the state Legislature, but this time it’s moving toward the 2016 ballot for voters to decide. Although no paperwork has been filed yet,
a group with backing from grocery chains has started drumming up support through Facebook and an online petition to change Colorado’s Prohibition-era liquor laws. Brewers, meanwhile, have created a special beer dubbed “Keep Colorado LocALE,” a pale ale made with state malts and hops to be served at local tap rooms. The brew is intended to be a conversation starter about the looming battle. Colorado is among five states where gas stations, grocery stores and convenience stores are only allowed to sell beer with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent. However, grocery chains are allowed one liquor license to sell wine and stronger beer, but they can only do that at a single store.
Utah, Minnesota, Kansas and Oklahoma are the other states that restrict the sale of stronger beer to liquor stores. Supporters of a ballot initiative argue that the goal is giving consumers more options when shopping for alcohol. But liquor stores warn that if the law changes, they will be squeezed out. That, liquor stores argue, will hurt craft brewers, who will have less shelf space at grocery stores, which will be inclined to carry more big-brand beers. “The system would then favor a very few, select breweries,” said Tim Evon, the head brewer at Dry Dock in Aurora. Rich Coolidge, a spokesman for Colorado Consumers for Choice, the group working on a ballot initiative, dismissed the notion that
Collecting change to make a difference Staff report The Parker Task Force kicked off a fundraising campaign May 16 in conjunction with the May food drive. Parker Task Force volunteers stopped by local stores to appeal to the public to help with the Spare Change Challenge. The task force, which serves underprivileged families in Douglas and Elbert counties by providing food and support services, is asking the community to save spare change and donate it to help pay for the nonprofit’s new building near South Parker Road and Longs Way. Change may be taken to the task force office, 20118 East Mainstreet Unit D, or to First Bank on South Parker Road in Parker.
craft brewers would lose space at grocery stores. He said many are eager to put Colorado brews on their shelves. “If you visit a grocery store in one of the 40-some-odd states that sell real beer and wine, guess what you’ll find? A massive selection of the world’s most popular craft brews, including a long list that are brewed right here in Colorado,” he said in a statement. Evon said Colorado’s current liquor laws have allowed craft brewers to thrive. “Before I was a brewer, I was a beer nerd, and me and every beer nerd knows that Colorado is the epicenter of craft beer in this country,” he said. “And there’s good reason for that, and this law is a huge part of that.”
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8 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
VOICES
LOCAL
Reading helps you stay at top of game So the other day I saw a statistic that caught my attention: “Data shows that the population between the ages of 19 and 30 have only read one book in the past 12 months, and that book was Facebook.” Now obviously this is not true — it was just someone trying to make a point and having some fun with our addiction to social media. However, we all know there is a little truth in humor sometimes, and I could also sense the presenter’s sadness over what he perceived as a decline in the reading of books. With such immediate access to information, it is so easy to find links to articles, magazines, blogs and other short-form content that we can see how some may feel like books are getting the short end of our attention span. For some of us, time compression can be an issue. Many of us have such a hard time keeping up with our job, multiple jobs, kids, spouses, chores and our workouts that we must seek bite-sized information to scratch our reading itch. So when we couple timemanagement issues with a need for instant gratification and shorter attention spans, it is easy to buy into the position that the reading of books has fallen way down on the priority list. There is a distinction. No one is saying that people aren’t reading anymore; the truth is, we are creating and consuming information at an unbelievable and faster rate than at any time in history. It is just that the perception for some people is that even with e-readers,
iPads, tablets and smart phones, we have forgotten just how important it is, and how awesome it is, to simply read a book as we get caught up in social media, games and other apps. The summer is upon us, and I know for many of you this is the time where you get Michael Norton a lot of your reading in, WINNING specifically books. And although I enjoyed the WORDS presenter’s comedic and satirical approach to people not reading as many books as they should, I would say that many of us still enjoy a good book, especially on the beach or on vacation somewhere. For me, I always have a book in my hand, whether I am on an airplane for a business trip, in the mountains, or on a beach anywhere. And I typically alternate between the types of books I read, which include faith-based, business, history, biography and even fiction from time to time. And even though I do believe most of us still enjoy reading a good book and include it as a part of our overall personal or professional development or simply because we have a love of reading, I have seen a shift away from reading while I am traveling. It seems that lately I see more people playing games
on their devices or they are consumed with working while on the airplane as opposed to reading. I used to love when I would look around the airplane and see the majority of people with their heads down and reading a book. As a matter of fact this is where I used to get great ideas and recommendations for the next books I would be reading. What are you reading these days? Are you reading mostly online articles, blogs and posts? Are you more of a newspaper or magazine person? Are you someone who prefers and enjoys audio books? Or maybe you are someone who just can’t get enough information and takes advantage of books as well as all of the other media listed above. Zig Ziglar was a voracious reader, and probably had a lot to do with my own reading habits and inspiration. Zig used to say it this way, “Every day I read the newspaper and the Bible, this way I know what both sides are up to.” I would love to hear all about your reading habits and any suggestions and recommendations for books that I might read this summer. And if you would like my reading list, please send me an email at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we include reading in any way shape or form, 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.
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Look at the time — it’s time for a change
Circulation Manager SHARI MARTINEZ
It wasn’t love at first sight. Or second, third, fourth or fifth. Maybe 10th. She says that I frowned at her, the first time I saw her. I say I squinted. There is a big difference. I was just about to give an oil painting demonstration. She looked like someone who was on her way to a State Farm seminar. That’s why I squinted. I was very suspicious. Of course, I have improved this narrative several times in the years since we met. Now I get a fever when she pulls up in the driveway. I have never been around someone I have this much in common with, except myself. It’s uncanny. Even though we have a startling number of opinions and preferences in common, about things like comedy clubs, Wal-Mart and Pearl Bailey, lucky for her she is not a replica in disposition. She is kind and patient and tolerant. A good friend once said that he was glad there is one of me, “But I am glad there are not two of you.” I have to admit that I would have a difficult time being around me, if I had a choice. As it is, that’s me in the mirror every day. I prefer my dog to most people, and generally feel like I need to be visited by three ghosts, and be unscrooged. But this is not a love story. It’s a reminder,
We welcome event listings and other submissions.
Craig Marshall Smith
QUIET DESPERATION
I guess, to myself and to anyone who might be in the same boat, to be honest about yourself. And to be willing to change. That’s one of the hardest things to do, and generally it cannot be done without help. Another very hard thing to do is to ask for help. When was the last time you asked for help? Other than
with opening a pickle jar? Henry David Thoreau, who gave this column its “Quiet Desperation” title, said, “Things do not change: We change.” I think I need to make a few more. My father quit smoking overnight. He smoked all the way through World War II, and for years and years after that. At the time I didn’t think quitting was a big deal. Everyone smoked back then. Maybe you are old enough to remember Arnold Palmer carefully placing his cigarette on the green before putting in the television commercials promoting his favorite brand (L&M’s).
The warnings and consequences of smoking weren’t all over the place when my father quit. If I had known, I would have congratulated him right then. That took years. The changes I think I need to make won’t be noticed, probably, by anyone else but me — and that will be enough. I am an old dog, and I know it. But my life in a virtual Thoreau cabin gives me plenty of time to contemplate, so maybe I can do this. Changing some things is easier than others. In baseball, there is a “change-up pitch.” The pitcher simply throws with the same release as a fastball, but actually throws with less velocity, hoping to confuse the hitter. Some politicians have changed their positions from one day to the next. In Woody Allen’s little-known film “Zelig,” Allen takes on the characteristics of anyone he is around. If he is around black jazz musicians, he becomes a black jazz musician. If he is around baseball players or physicians, he comes a baseball player or a physician. It happens immediately I won’t be able to make the changes I am talking about just by hanging around with people I admire and respect. Like the girlfriend I mentioned. Or maybe I will. Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.
Don’t shoot the piano player Language, its meaning and the way it travels about, has always been fascinating to me. And Colorado may claim its share of the responsibility for coloring some of that language. For example, during his 1883 tour of the United States, the world-renowned author Oscar Wilde reportedly noted a sign hanging in Leadville saloon. “Don’t shoot the piano player; he is doing the best he can,” it read. The phrase became a colorful western variation meaning roughly the same as “Don’t kill the messenger.” Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) liked the reference so much he adopted it in some of his lectures, but neither Wilde nor Twain claimed it was theirs originally. Though it has no known Colorado origins, everyone understands what you are talking about when you use the phrase, “rule of thumb.” It is a rough measure, a general policy and universal guideline. But if you look hard enough, you will likely find an argument on the origins of that
phrase. A commonly repeated story harkens back to English common law and determines the diameter of the stick allowed in wife beating: “If a stick were used, it should not be thicker than a man’s thumb.” English Judge FranRob Carrigan cis Buller made a public statement to that effect RESTLESS in 1782, resulting in NATIVE public outcry, satirical newspaper cartoons and his legacy forever being attached to the statement biographically. Thumbs, in fact, were used to gauge a lot of things. Tailors once thought, “Twice around the thumb is once around the wrist.” People held up their thumbs to measure distance on the horizon, and as a personal favorite, brew
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masters stuck a thumb in the batch to determine temperature and readiness. In the Internet age, tracing a phrase back to the original source can be very tricky. I once mentioned a saying that multiple references placed responsibility for in the hands of Hopi elders in Oraibi, Arizona. The saying: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Shortly after referencing that in a magazine piece, Bertha Parker, press officer for the Hopi Tribe, contacted me and asked if any tribal elders had said that to me directly. “A reporter asked me to verify the statement and I have been unable to do so,” said Parker. “I haven’t been able to pin it down and have checked with religious and traditional leaders. Not each and every individual. The portion you attribute to Hopi seems to be something Hopi may say, but the rest of the poem is far from the manner Hopi speaks,” she said. Carrigan continues on Page 9
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June 4, 2015
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Events
SUMMER READING
ALL PINES & Plains Libraries branches will begin their 2015 summer reading program Every Hero Has a Story, which explores all kinds of heroes, including superheroes, community heroes and animal heroes. All programs are free and open to children of all abilities. For a full calendar or to sign up for the reading program, visit www. pplibraries.org or stop by any of the branches. Call 303-646-3416, 303-621-2111 or 719-541-2573 for information. MAGICIAN, SHOWROOM Star THEATRE OF Dreams presents Jeff McBride at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at 735 Park St., Castle Rock. Reservations required;
Elbert County News 9
THINGS TO DO
buy tickets online at tickets.amazingshows.com or call 303-660-6799. Go to www.AmazingShows. com.
ELIZABETH STAMPEDE Rodeo ELIZABETH STAMPEDE presents A Colorado Rodeo Legend from Friday, June 5, to Sunday, June 7, at Casey Jones Park, Elizabeth. PRCA Xtreme Bulls performance is at 7 p.m. June 5. PRCA performances are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 6, and 2 p.m. June 7. The Elizabeth Stampede has been named the PRCA Small Rodeo of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Tickets are available at www.ElizabethStampede.com or call 303-646-0308.
torney is open from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 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 July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8.
STREET FAIR, Car Show
FREE LEGAL Clinic
VENDORS ARE needed for the seventh annual Kiowa Street Fair, planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 27. Live music featuring Billie Owens, vendors, games, informational booths and more are planned. In conjunction with the Street Fair will be a car show to benefit the Elizabeth Veteran’s Memorial. Booth cost for the Kiowa Street Fair is $20 per 10-by-10 space, Contact Michelle at 303-621-2366, or moeser@ townofkiowa.com.
A FREE legal clinic for parties who have no at-
ELBERT DAY Festival
ELIZABASH STREET Festival MORE THAN 5,000 festival-goers attend
the annual ElizaBash Street Festival, planned for Saturday, June 6, on Main Street in Elizabeth. The day begins with the Stampede Rodeo Parade, then the street is cleared for the festival including arts and crafts, food, live music and other fun activities.
HAVE FUN in the country at the Elbert Day Festival, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, on Elbert Road between Colorado 86 and 84. Features include country breakfast, beer garden with lunch, evening meal, pancake race, art booths, craft/food vendors, live music by Barry Ward, Jack O’Roses and more. A parade, old time games for all ages, antique cars, petting zoo, pony rides, roping, 5K run/walk and more. Call 303-648-3692 or email elberttowncommittee@ gmail.com. SUMMER CAMPS ELIZABETH SCHOOL District offers a number of camps this summer. Hang Ten Summer Camp runs through Aug. 19, and is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information or to sign up, contact Rachelle Small, 303-646-6718 or rsmall@esdk12.org. Camp activities include crafts, science, field trips and more. Youth softball camp is designed for kindergarten to eighth-grade students (in the 2015-16 school year). Offense and defense are covered July 1314; July 15-16 is for pitching and catching. Participants can sign up for one or both sessions. A high school softball camp for incoming ninth- to 12th-graders who plan on playing at
Elizabeth in the fall. Camp runs Aug. 10-14. Contact Coach Steve Biller at 720-480-2680 or steve@mlbe.ne for information on any of the softball camps. Go to www.elizabeth.k12.co.us.
CHAMBER ANNUAL Events ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce is planning its annual events, including 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.
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 first-come, 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 four-county 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 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 Wednesday of each month. Lunch is provided. Contact Sue Parson, 303-814-2863. Evening Stroke Victors meets from 6-7:30 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. Hilltop Social Club has been an active women’s club in the Parker area since 1921. We meet the second Thursday of each month at noon at the Hilltop Schoolhouse at Flintwood and Democrat Roads. The ladies have maintained the schoolhouse since 1954 for community use, and the preservation of the history of the Hilltop area. For more information please call Be at 303-841-4581, or Fran at 303-841-9655.
MILESTONES Education Rachael Lee of Elizabeth was named to the spring 2015 dean’s list at Northwestern College. Lee is a senior nursing major at Northwestern. She is the daughter of Dean and Bonnie Lee of Elizabeth. John W. Zimbelman of Elizabeth graduated in May with a master’s degree in public affairs, public management, from Park University. Sara Holden of Kiowa, a recent graduate of Fort Lewis College, presented senior research at the conference for the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geology Society of
Carrigan Continued from Page 8
“Hopi is not insulted or upset. The poem refers to swimming etc. No rivers here. Swimming in foot high mud or clay of gray color,” she noted in an email. “We appreciate the thoughtfulness and
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America. Holden’s presentation, “Geochronologic Evidence for the Timing of Precious Metals Mineralization in the Bessie G Mine, La Plata Mountains, Colorado,” was coauthored by faculty mentor David Gonzales. Holden’s degree is in geology. Ashley N. Baker of Kiowa graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kansas Wesleyan University. Bailey E. Volock of Kiowa graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from Oregon State University.
the mention of Hopi in a positive manner. I really am trying to find out who wrote the balance of the poem. It would not surprise me to learn that someone has taken a Hopi statement and added other versions.” Of course I told Bertha that I was sorry if the reference was incorrect. “No offense taken,” she graciously replied. Other than that, I don’t what to say, except perhaps “Don’t shoot me (the piano player), I am doing the best I can.”
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10 Elbert County News
LIFE
LOCAL
FA I T H H E A LT H CU LT U R E FA M I LY FOOD
June 4, 2015
Local pastors help volunteers from Casa Unida Foundation host a vacation Bible school for children of a mountain village in Nicaragua. The VBS includes a number of fun events and is used as a means of sharing the Christian faith with the children and their parents. Photos by Tom Munds
Using faith to lend a helping hand Churches, organizations reach out beyond walls By Tom Munds
tmunds@colorado communitymedia.com Volunteers stock shelves in an Englewood church to distribute food to about 150 families a week. A Christian organization in Lakewood brings together people from throughout the metro area to build classrooms and dig wells in rural Nicaraguan villages. These are just two of the countless faithbased programs in the Denver metro area that spread the Gospel while helping those in need. “I feel we are blessed to be able to help the people of rural villages, and they are so appreciative of all we do,” said former Englewood business owner Bill Caldwell, who has traveled to Nicaragua. “The smiles on the faces of the adults and children of the villages more than compensate me for anything I do while I am there.” The Denver metro area counts more than 1,000 churches, most of which provide outreach programs that help those across the street, across the country or around the world. Kevin Ross, director of Missions and Outreach at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, said outreach is important to the church and to the faith. “Outreach is all about sharing the love of Christ,” he said. “The method of outreach depends on who we are serving.” He said Cherry Hills recently organized 3,000 volunteers for the Love in Action event that worked on 127 projects, including doing repairs on the homes of seniors and helping with neighborhood cleanup in inner-city areas. “We also reach out across the world. We will have 15 or 20 teams go on trips this summer to a number of locations,” he said. “Again, the focus is sharing the love of Christ and helping the people of the area. In Mexico, that can be sharing the love and helping the poorest of the poor, while in central Europe that can be making disciples in the most atheistic part of the world.”
Fighting hunger locally Mosaic Church in Englewood, an evangelical Protestant church, focuses on the people in its neighborhood. Once a week, about 30 volunteers stock and then open the doors of its food bank. Along with distributing food, volunteers also give away Bibles and let clients know they will pray with them if asked. “They pick what they will use,” said Englewood Mayor Randy Penn, who volunteers at the food bank. “They can choose from bread items, snacks, fruits, vegetables and meat. A typical individual will take $50 to $75 in grocer-
Everyone’s hands grasp a shovel or the handles of a wheelbarrow on this work-and-witness trip to Nicaragua organized by the Casa Unida Foundation. The all-volunteer foundation enlists people to pay their way to travel to Nicaragua to help mountain villagers by building schools and churches, and by sharing their faith. ies home from here.” Some volunteers originally came to the bank to pick up food. “A friend told me about the food bank, and I came here as a client about eight years ago,” Amber Douglas said. “Things got a little better for me, so I volunteer to help out here at the food bank any way I can.”
Taking faith abroad Casa Unida Foundation, an all-volunteer Christian organization based in Lakewood, organizes what many denominations call workand-witness projects in Nicaragua. “We work with pastors who identify the projects that are needed to help the residents of rural villages in the mountains of northern Nicaragua,” said Bob Moore, foundation president and a former Littleton businessman. “We reach out to people who live in villages with no running water and no electricity. Those who do get jobs make about $2 a day, so they could never raise the money to build classrooms, community buildings, drill a well or put in the pipes to bring in safe, treated water from the nearby city. So we organize a trip, raise the funds for materials, and go down and lend a hand.” Volunteers also share their faith by working with local pastors to host vacation Bible school sessions for hundreds of children. Casa Unida Foundation has organized trips to Nicaragua once or twice a year since 2003.
It chose Nicaragua because it is the secondpoorest country in the western hemisphere, Moore said. The average education level in Nicaragua is fifth grade. Volunteers pay their own expenses. A typical two-week trip costs $1,800, which pays for airfare, lodging and food, and the rest of the money is used for building materials. From the capital of Managua, volunteers then take a three-hour bus ride north to the city of Somoto.
Digging in to work Once in Somoto, the group piles into the back of a large truck for the trip to the work site. “All construction is brick, and the work is hard,” Caldwell said. “These are villages with no electricity and no running water. The water is hauled from the well, and the cement is mixed in batches on the ground.” Despite the hard physical work, Caldwell said it is difficult to explain the joy and satisfaction he feels being part of a work-and-witness trip. Douglas County resident John Benton, who also joined the foundation for one of the trips to Nicaragua, feels the same way. “I had no idea what to expect, and I quickly found out it is hard work, which was a change for me since I work in an office,” he said. “But it was such a great trip. I loved the people, I loved sharing my faith and … it was such a wonderful, heart-warming and uplifting experience.”
Amber Douglas separates items for the clients coming to Holy Cow Food Bank at the Mosaic Church in Englewood on May 21. Douglas first came to the bank to pick up food. Now she is a volunteer helping others.
Elbert County News 11
June 4, 2015
Equine theme comes to botanic gardens Horse sculptures will remain through middle of October By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@colorado communitymedia.com As one walks into the Denver Botanic Gardens/York Street, “Charlo,” the most recently created Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture (2015), appears to be happily munching on surrounding vegetation, while nearby, “Ahulani” (1991) is reclining and relaxing. Both are included in American sculptor Butterfield’s 15-piece bronze “herd,” which is spending the summer at the DBG — located individually throughout the gardens’ acreage in beautiful settings. The exhibit opened May 23 and will remain in place through Oct. 18. Some sculptures, such as “Lucky,” are named for the artist’s own horses, and others, such as “Red Forest,” are named for places of significance to her. All are life-sized or larger-than-life, and involved some careful digging for underground supports and a crane to set them into the assigned locations. “Red Forest,” for example, is tall and powerful-looking — and carefully, tightly placed in the densely planted rose garden, which almost seems like a bizarre sense of humor was at play. He is named, Butterfield said, after the forest near Chernobyl in the Ukraine, where the disastrous 1986 nuclear reactor explosion turned the needles red on the surrounding evergreen trees. “We need to remember these things,” she commented. She received an MFA from the University of California-Davis in 1973, already focused on horses — in contrast to the conceptual art her peers were creating. She shaped them with sticks, mud, metal and wood at first, but these found materials did not offer the permanence she sought, so she began casting the individual pieces she collected in bronze and then welding them together. They show the different bark textures and forms of their particular source, enhanced by patinas painted on with a brush. Chemicals in patinas give a range
“Storm Castle”2012, Deborah Butterfield, bronze. The original wood came from a pond near Butterfield’s Montana home. Courtesy photo of subdued colors. She has focused on horses for 30 years and all but one in the exhibit are made from bronze. “Luna” (1992), lounging by a pool at the far west side of DBG, is made from found steel, welded. During a May 22 press preview, she described the sources of her wood for some sculptures. “Storm Castle” is composed of driftwood-looking pieces salvaged from a pond near the Hawaiian winter home she and he husband maintain in addition to a primary residence/ranch in northern Montana. The foundry where she now casts and assembles her works is fairly new, in Walla Walla, Washington — and is the largest in the U.S. today, she said. Walla Walla Foundry’s website lists a number of prominent sculptors among its clients. She builds a scaffolding first and slowly assembles the cast bronze branches and sticks, first at the hips and shoulders, then the heads. She tries to make each one approachable. “I want people to be able to kind of crawl in to the horse — to be in the
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woods with them,” she said. She spoke with special affection about “Lucky,” which is loaned from the Denver Art Museum collection and was modeled on her own deeply loved horse, which just died. It is a relaxed, relining form. “He liked to cuddle up like this and have someone sit and pet him,” she recalled, citing Wallace Stegner’s novel, “Angle of Repose”, as a way of describing reclining horses. He is set in a gravel area, raked in circular pattern like a Kyoto, Japan, garden that Butterfield remembers. When talking about the large “Silver Bow” and the reclining “Cascade,” near the orangery, she veered into a short lecture about how everyone used to depend on horses. And about the personalities of horses: “Like cats, they’ve decided to hang out with us …” According to the gardens’ CEO Brian Vogt, “this is a year when we are celebrating the Great Plains and similar steppe ecosystems around the world. There is no more iconic animal of the steppe than the horse.”
IF YOU GO • “The Nature of Horses” is at the Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver, through Oct. 18. Sculptures are loaned by Butterfield (“Hawai’i”) and museums, galleries and private collection. One can self-tour by paying the general admission or one can arrange for a special, docent-led exhibition tour on Saturdays and Sundays for $14, non-member (includes admission), or $7, member — or a family, child-oriented tour on June 27, 28; July 11, 19, 25, 26; Aug. 16, 29, 30; Sept. 19, 20 at $26 adult/child combo ($14 member/child combo and $7-$13 additional person.) Information: botanicgardens.org. • On June 11, July 9, Aug. 13 and Sept. 10, explore the sculptures with a curator from 9 to 10 a.m. ($15/ $10 member.) • On Aug. 5, Butterfield will speak from 6 to 8 p.m. ($15, $10 member.)
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12 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
Water-garden group readies annual sale Littleton’s Hudson Gardens will be the site for the Colorado Water Garden Society’s annual plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 7. The gardener will find new plants and knowledgeable staff with advice, information — and photographs of blooming plants. The assortment will include tropical and hardy water lilies, and marginals, bog plants, floating plants and pond critters, according to CWGS publicist Jim Arneill of Centennial. Admission to Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, is free. For information: Vicki Aber, 303-423-9216 or colowatergardensociety.org.
Camera club talk set
“The Photographer’s Guide to Colorado’s National Parks and Monuments” will be Bob and Cindy Maynard’s subject when they speak to the Englewood Camera Club at 7 p.m. June 9. The guidebook provides location-specific details for intermediate to experienced photographers. Award-winning photographer Bob Maynard founded Colorado Plateau Photo Tours in 2009 and has been exploring Colorado’s Rockies and the desert Southwest since 1969. Cindy Maynard is a naturalist and writer. The Englewood Camera Club welcomes guests. Meetings are at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 6400 S. University Blvd., Centennial. An in-house photography contest is held following each monthly presentation.
Summer concert time
Free summer concerts are back in Littleton and Englewood. Littleton Museum’s Wednesday night free concerts continue at 7 p.m. June 10, with Slopeside rock band. Location: 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. Lawn seating — bring the family, picnics, blankets, chairs. Englewood’s free Thursday-evening Sounds of Summer concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. June 11 at City Center Englewood Amphitheater, 1000 Englewood Parkway. Bring a picnic and lawn chairs.
Reminder to crafters
There are still openings for crafters and
Sonya Ellingboe
SONYA’S SAMPLER
artisans at Littleton’s annual Friends of the Library/Museum Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 3 at Ketring Park. It’s the 44th year and annual shoppers are many. For application and information, contact Sherry Kling, 303-795-3950, skling@littletongov. org.
Sensory-Friendly Summit
From 1 to 4 p.m. on June 16, Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree, will sponsor a Sensory-Friendly Summit to discuss ways of serving those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, autism and sensory processing disorders. Keynote speaker will be Benjamin Endsley Klein, assistant director and sensory friendly adaptor of the Broadway production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” Information and reservation: Kathy Denzer, LTAC, 720-509-1010, kathy.denzer@ cityoflonetree.com.
Bemis Library events
Littleton’s Bemis Library has a couple special events on tap: Pan for Gold at Bemis will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. June 13, as the Gold Prospectors of the Rockies will teach families how to pan for gold in water troughs set up on the lawn of the library at 6014 S. Datura St., Littleton. Free. Then Pamela Kiss from Discover Down Under will give a presentation on New Zealand’s mountains, fjords, thermal regions, tropical islands and adventure touring opportunities from 7 to 8:30 p.m. June 16. Free. 303-795-3961.
Get crafty at Woodlawn
The Etsy Mile High Craft Club will celebrate Etsy’s global craft party on June 6 at Craft Scraps in Littleton’s Woodlawn
The Colorado Water Garden Society will hold its annual plant sale at Hudson Gardens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 7. Water lilies, marginals, bog plants and more. Photo by Jim Arneill. Shopping Center, 1500 W. Littleton Blvd. From noon to 5, a new paper craft will be introduced each hour, with a cost of no more than $2 each. (Craft Scraps has added workspace and offers workshops for adults and children.)
Flood memories Castle Rock and Littleton will note the 50th anniversary of the June 16, 1965, flood that devastated parts of the south metro area. The Castle Rock Historical Museum will host a panel discussion on the flood, which had a crest that proceeded down Plum Creek and headed for Littleton and farther along the South Platte River. The museum program will be at 7 p.m. June 11 at the museum, 420 Elbert St., Castle Rock. A related exhibit of photos and headlines is on exhibit at the museum. Then on June 16, Littleton will note the anniver-
RidgeGate Summer 2015
Your summer calendar of fun starts here.
Yoga in the Park It’s time again for sunset salutations. Join RidgeGate, South Suburban Parks and Recreation and the Lone Tree Recreation Center for free Yoga in the Park classes in Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. In case of storms, class will be cancelled. Tuesday, June 30, 6:30-7:30pm Tuesday, July 28, 6:30-7:30pm
Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes on a variety of topics. Hikes are free to the public – registration is required at ridgegate.com/events. Thursday, June 4, 6:30-8pm — Botany Hike Saturday, June 13, 9:30 -11am — Happy Kids, Happy Hikes Sunday, June 21, 7- 8:30pm — Celebrating the Solstice Saturday, July 18, 8:30-10am — Morning Birdwatching Hike
Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center RidgeGate sponsors Lone Tree Art Center’s Tunes on the Terrace – an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life. Check out the full schedule and buy tickets at lonetreeartscenter.org. Saturday, June 20, 8-10pm — Dan Treanor’s Afrosippi Band featuring Erica Brown Saturday, June 27, 8-10pm — Jazz Vocalist Kathy Kosins Friday, July 10, 8-10pm — American Roots and Celtic Soul band Switchback Saturday, July 25, 8-10pm — Comedian Sam Adams, opening band Rachel and the Ruckus
Walk Concerts Enjoy this series of concerts with free live music, food trucks and activities. It’s all happening in Prairie Sky Park, courtesy of South Suburban Parks and Recreation. Enjoy vendors, entertainers and art activities from 5- 6pm, with live music starting at 6 and continuing until 8pm. Thursday, June 18, 5-8pm — The Parlor Pickers - Old Americana Folk Thursday, July 16, 5-8pm — Jeff Scroggins & Colorado - Bluegrass
Schweiger Ranch Events
ridge gate.com
Jazz on the Green Highlands Ranch Concert Band will perform “Jazz on the Green — Swingin’ into Summer” at 6:30 p.m. June 13 at Civic Green Park, 9730 Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch. The free program will include swing and big band music. Information: hrconcertband.org.
HAVE AN EVENT?
Guided Nature Hikes
A M O R E N AT U R A L A P P R O A C H T O N E W U R B A N I S M.
sary combined with Aspen Grove’s Family Movie Night — appropriately “Singin’ in the Rain.” The South Platte Park staff will conduct hikes along the river, starting at 7 p.m., and will demonstrate with its River Table. There will be a bounce house and face painting. South Platte Park has been collecting flood memories and photographs at the Carson Nature Center. (Story coming June 11.) For information: 303-7301022. A new book, “Visions of the Flood,” will be available soon.
Among RidgeGate’s cultural facilities is the 38- acre historic Schweiger Ranch, which hosts a variety of events throughout the year in partnership with The Liniger Building at CU South Denver (formerly The Wildlife Experience.) Learn more at ridgegate.com. Saturday, June 6 — Geocaching & Navigation Workshop with CU South Denver Saturday, June 15 — Archery Workshop with CU South Denver Saturday, July 18 — Archery Workshop with CU South Denver
To submit a calendar listing, send information to calendar@ coloradocommunitymedia.com.
Elbert County News 13
June 4, 2015
Action star can’t save us from cheesy moments ‘San Andreas’ isn’t an art film, but it’s fun
ABOUT THE MOVIE “San Andreas,” a Warner Bros. release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America “for intense disaster action and mayhem throughout, and brief strong language.” Running time: 114 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
By Jocelyn Noveck Associated Press
It’s sure been a rough year for Hollywood. First there was the stinging Sony hacking scandal. And now we have the humbling image of the Hollywood letters themselves toppling to the ground, as most of California is pulverized by an earthquake — make that earthquakes, plural — in “San Andreas.” If those letters toppling sounds like a pretty obvious image, well, duh. Everything in “San Andreas,” which stars Dwayne Johnson and his amazing musculature as a powerful-yet-sweet rescue pilot, is obvious, over-the-top, and occasionally laugh-out-loud cheesy. But really, you weren’t expecting Ingmar Bergman, were you? Summer’s upon us, and you could do worse than watch the undeniably appealing Johnson try to save the day while uttering the silliest dialogue imaginable. Plus, if you live far from the West Coast, there’s the juicy
schadenfreude factor — though we can count on the inevitable sequel (“San Andreas 2: Eastward,” perhaps?) to fix that. The movie, directed by Brad Peyton, declares itself proudly from the start. We begin as a winsome blonde lass drives her car off the road and finds herself dangling on a cliff. Ray Gaines of the LAFD to the rescue. With an easy, calm smile, Ray ( Johnson) finds a way to total his helicopter yet scoop the lass to freedom. But we soon learn that there was one major failed rescue in Ray’s life that haunts him every day. In fact, it destroyed his marriage to Emma (Carla Gugino), who, as we meet her, is about to move in
with her new fiance, a smarmy real estate developer named Daniel (Ioan Gruffudd, in a truly thankless role). Meanwhile, Emma and Ray’s daughter, 19-year-old Blake (Alexandra Daddario), hitches a ride to San Francisco with her mom’s beau and asks why he never had children. Gazing at a plan for his latest skyscraper, he says: “I guess I never had kids because I was too busy raising these.” And that, dear reader, is what we mean by cheesy writing. But then calamity strikes. And we do mean calamity. Anything this movie can do once, it does twice, no, many more times. And so, just for example, twin earthquakes begin pummeling both Los Angeles, where Emma is, and San Francisco, where Blake is, almost simultaneously. This all a huge shock (pardon the pun) to everyone except one man: a geologist at Cal Tech, Lawrence (Paul Giamatti), who predicts much of the mayhem, but can’t get anyone to listen. Giamatti brings all his nervous energy, but can’t do much to liven up lines like: “This is NOT good.” He’s accompanied in many scenes by Archie Panjabi as a TV reporter who, if we’re not mistaken, doesn’t remove her stilet-
toes once, even when taking cover from the Big One. But back to Ray, because, while this movie is prepared to kill off thousands of people in seconds, it cares deeply, as does Ray, about those close to Ray. In fact, it’s better not to wonder why this professional rescue pilot is spending the entire film saving his family. Wipe that distracting thought from your brain! Once Ray has saved Emma from a crumbling rooftop in LA, it’s up to San Francisco, home of the famed Golden Gate Bridge — er, make that former Golden Gate Bridge. It’s time to save Blake, who’s at least lucky enough to have hooked up with a shy-sexy-sweet British guy, Ben (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), and his annoying little brother (Art Parkinson.) This rescue mission includes a tandem parachute jump into a baseball diamond. “It’s been a while since I got you to second base,” Ray says to his wife. Yes, he really says that. But wait: We forgot the tsunami! Well, it’s that kind of movie, where so much happens that you can forget the tsunami part. But remember, you weren’t expecting Bergman, right? So roll with it.
CURTAIN TIME Gangsters and gamblers
“Guys and Dolls,” based on “The Idyll - of Sarah Brown” by Damon Runyon, with book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows and music by Frank Loesser, will be produced June 12 to 28 by Highlands Ranch-based Performance Now Theatre Company at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood. Kelly Van Oosbree is director. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets: $18 to $35, performancenow. org or 303-987-7845.
Play by Ephron “Lucky Guy” by Nora Ephron plays in a regional premiere June 12 to July 5 at The Edge Theater, 1560 Teller St., Lakewood. John Ashton directs. It’s the story of journalist Mike McAlary in New York. Performances: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Tickets: $26, theedgetheater.com, 303-232-0363.
Marriage laws “Unmarried in America” by Colorado
playwright Kristin (K.D.) Carlson plays through June 21 at Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. Directed by Wendy Moore. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays and Saturday, June 20. Tickets: $28/$24 advance, vintagetheatre.com, 303-856-7830.
New by Shirley and Dubac “VODDVILLE,” a new comedy by comedians Dave Shirley and Robert Dubac, plays June 5 to June 20 at the Avenue Theater, 417 17th Ave., Denver. It’s about the process of creating a comedy show in a digital world. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets: $20. 303-321-5925.
performances. (Summer day camps available.)
town Littleton. Nick Sugar is director. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays,
Transylvania Station “Young Frankenstein” by Mel Brooks continues through June 14 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St. in down-
Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 7. Tickets: $23-$42, townhallartscenter.org, 303-794-2787.
RED ROCKS CONCERTS
For a mountain weekend Creede Repertory Theatre, 124 N. Main St. in Creede, is a beautiful weekend destination with a very professional theater season that builds through the summer — celebrating its 50th year. “Guys and Dolls,” “Our Town,” “August: Osage County,” Ghost Light” and “I Love St. Lucy” are on the program. See: creederep.org or call 719-6582540 for information on dates and
June 11
June 21
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.
THE #1TB IN W THE HEEATLES #1 BEATLESSSHOW HOW IN THE ORLDWORLD Summer Seaquest anchors VBS Sea Explorers in God’s Word as they follow the famous fleeing prophet Jonah, tracing his roundabout journey to repentance to discover life-changing truths about the Savior he points to.
JUNE 8-12 • 9AM-12PM Cost is $10 per child for 5 days of incredible fun! Sponsored by Redeemer Church To register call 303.841.6211 or email churchoffice@redeemerparker.com Vacation Bible School is held at Parker Core Knowledge Charter School 11661 N. Pine Drive • Parker, 80138
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1964 The Tribute
August 27
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14 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
T-Bone Steaks with Dad’s Steak Rub
Using the proper grilling technique
T
FAMILY FEATURES
his year, recognize dad with the gift he’s really looking forward to receiving — a feast fit for a steak-loving king shared with family and friends. Fire up the grill and serve up robust, savory cuts, such as Omaha Steaks T-bone or Rib Crown selections for your Father’s Day celebrations. The T-bone is a thick cut to give you more bone-in strip and butter-tender Filet Mignon for even the heartiest of appetites, while the Rib Crown is carved from the most prized part of the Ribeye and is known for exceptional marbling, flavor and tenderness. Both cuts are grain-fed, aged to perfection and flash-frozen to capture freshness and flavor. Omaha Steaks make the perfect gift, so you can confidently ship them directly to your favorite fellow or grill them up for him at home. For more steak recipes for your Father’s Day celebration, visit www.omahasteaks.com.
Make it a memorable day
This Father’s Day, give your dad a gift that ignites his love of grilling. The T-bone and Rib Crown cuts from Omaha Steaks offer up big, meaty portions every guy would be happy to receive. While you’re honoring your dad, be sure to visit www.RemarkableDads.com for quotes, stories and other Father’s Day inspiration.
T-Bone Steaks with Dad’s Steak Rub
Rib Crown Steaks with Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 4 Omaha Steaks T-Bone Steaks 2 tablespoons cooking oil Dad’s Steak Rub (see recipe) Thaw steaks overnight in refrigerator or quick thaw by placing sealed steaks in sink with water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Prepare rub recipe. Heat grill on medium. Blot dry steaks with clean paper towel, then brush each side with cooking oil. Generously season both sides of steaks with rub. Grill steaks to desired doneness. For medium rare steak, grill for about 8 minutes on first side and 6–7 minutes on second side.
Prep time: 60 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes Servings: 4 4 Omaha Steaks Rib Crown Steaks 2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 tablespoons Dad’s Steak Rub (see recipe) Roasted Root Vegetables (see recipe) Thaw steaks overnight in refrigerator or quick thaw by placing sealed steaks in sink with water for 15–30 minutes. Prepare rub and vegetables. Heat grill on high. Blot dry steaks with clean paper towel, then brush each side with cooking oil. Generously season both sides of steaks with rub. Grill steaks to desired doneness. For medium rare steak, grill for about 5 minutes on first side and 3–4 minutes on second side. Serve each steak with vegetables.
Dad’s Steak Rub Yield: 1/2 cup 4 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper 1 tablespoon coarse dehydrated onion flakes 1/2 tablespoon coarse dehydrated garlic 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon whole dill seed 1 teaspoon dried whole thyme 1 teaspoon whole cumin (toasted and crushed coarse) 1 teaspoon whole coriander (toasted and crushed coarse) Combine all and mix well. Store in air tight container or zip lock bag for up to 6 months. Note: To prepare cumin and coriander, toast by placing in dry pan over medium heat, shaking pan about 2–3 minutes until seasonings start to brown. Crush using bottom of pan on cutting board or with mortar and pestle.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes Total time: 60 minutes Servings: 4 2 pounds mixed root vegetables (carrots, red beets, yellow beets, turnips, celery root, baby purple potatoes, baby gold potatoes) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Heat oven to 400°F. Wash and peel root vegetables. Cut into even size wedges about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on foil lined sheet pan. Roast for 30–40 minutes or until all vegetables are done, stirring once half way through cooking time.
KNOW WHEN YOUR STEAK IS DONE Interior Color
Touch
Internal Temperature
Surface Appearance
Rare
Completely red all the way through
Feels very soft
120° to 130°F
Beads of bright red juices barely begin to form on edges of steak
Medium Rare
Red center with pink edges
Feels soft and spongy
130° to 140°F
Red juices form on surface
Medium
Pink in center with brown edges
Offers resistance to touch
140° to 150°F
Abundant pink juices on surface
Medium Well
Mostly brown, slightly pink in center
Feels slightly firm
150° to 160°F
Brown and pink juices on surface
Well
Brown all the way through
Feels very firm
160° to 170°F
Juice, if present, will be brown
For exceptional steaks every time, incorporate these tips from Omaha Steaks Executive Chef Karl Marsh. 1. Clean and heat your grill on high. 2. Blot dry any moisture using a clean paper towel, and then lightly oil the steak before you put it on the grill. This helps the searing process and prevents sticking. 3. Season your food before grilling, preferably with Omaha Steaks seasonings. 4. Sear the outside of steaks when grilling. This really helps with the flavor and juiciness. 5. Use tongs or a spatula to turn your meat on the grill. Using a fork can damage and dry out the meat. 6. Cover your grill as much as possible during the grilling process. This helps to lock in the grilled flavor and will help prevent flare-ups. 7. Keep a spray bottle with water handy to douse any unexpected flare-ups. 8. Use the 60/40 grilling method. Grill for 60 percent of the time on the first side, then grill 40 percent of the time after you turn over the food. This will give you an evenly cooked product. 9. Place your cooked product on a clean plate. Never place cooked product on the plate you used to transport the raw product to the grill without thoroughly washing it first. 10. Allow your steaks to “rest” for 5 minutes between cooking and eating. This will help retain moisture when you cut into them.
Elbert County News 15
June 4, 2015
Coloradans honored for superb writing 10 are recognized at annual dinner, gala
in Greenwood Village and includes Colorado Center for the Book.
By Sonya Ellingboe
List of awards
sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com Ten Colorado authors were chosen by judges from a list of 36 finalists for recognition at the annual Colorado Authors’ League awards dinner/ceremony on May 8 at the Courtyard Marriott-Denver in Cherry Creek. Preliminary judges were members of the Southwest Writers, based in Albuquerque, who named 36 finalists — more than the expected 30 — because of the superior quality of the entries, they said. A Lifetime Achievement Award was given to best-selling adventure/thriller writer Clive Cussler, while last year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner, 103-year-old poet Lois Beebe Hayna, won in the poetry category for her latest book “Lagniappe.” (She was able to attend.) The Authors Advocate Award went to Margaret A. Coval and Josephine Jones of Colorado Humanities, which has its office
• Poetry — Lois Beebe Hayna, a longtime Colorado resident who now lives in Montrose, Michigan, for “Lagiappe,” her latest book of poems. • Feature articles — Denny Dressman of Arapahoe County won for “Next on the Tee: Lewis and Clark” in Avid Golfer magazine. • Essays — Ellen Nordberg of Louisville won for “The Ambivalent Mother” in Flatirons Literary Review. • General nonfiction — Mary Taylor Young of Castle Rock won for her “Rocky Mountain National Park: The First Hundred Years,” published by Farcountry Press.
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By Sonya Ellingboe
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sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com The National Endowment for the Arts, in the present round of funding to art nonprofits, will make 1,023 awards totaling $74.3 million nationwide. NEA Chairman Jane Chu said “the NEA is committed to advancing learning, fueling creativity and celebrating the arts in cities and towns across the United States, including Colorado …” Included in that amount is over $2.5 million to Colorado art projects, according to a recent release from Colorado Creative Industries, which will distribute $693,700 to state programs. Grants include: Colorado Creative Industries, $693,700; Western States Arts Foundation, with its office in Colorado, $1.65 million; Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, $25,000; Crested Butte Music Festival, $10,000; Central City Opera House Association, $15,000; Clyfford Still Museum, $25,000; Lighthouse Writers Workshop Inc., $20,000; Metropolitan State University of Denver, (arts education), $10,000; New Dance Theatre Company, $20,000; National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, $20,000; University of Northern Colorado (arts education), $35,000; and Vail Valley Foundation (Vail International Dance Festival), $30,000. The NEA promotes opportunities for people across the nation to experience arts and exercise their creativity in partnerships with each state.
• Creative nonfiction — Julene Bair of Longmont won for “The Ogalalla Road: A Memoir of Love and Reckoning,” published by Viking Penguin. • Children’s — Lydia Gil of Centennial won for “Letters From Heaven,” published by Arte Publico Press. • Young adult — Linda LeBlanc of Westminster won for “No Summit Out of Sight,” published by Simon and Schuster. • Short fiction — Sharon Cairns Mann of Denver won for “Pockets,” published in Progenitor Art and Literary Journal of Arapahoe Community College. • Mainstream fiction — J.M. Mitchell of Littleton won for “The Height of Secrecy,” published by Prairie Plum Press. • Genre fiction — Denver author Mark Stevens’ third novel in his Alison Coil series, “Trapline,” was the winner, published by Midnight Ink.
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crossword • sudoku
GALLERY OF GAMES & weekly horoscope
SALOME’S STARS FOR RELEASE WEEK OF JUNE 1, 2015
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your Aries self-esteem level is high, as is your impatience to see more action come your way in the workplace. Good news, Lamb: It could start to happen sooner than you think. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Changing things now could upset a lot of people. But if you feel you’re acting because you believe it’s the right thing to do, others will understand and even come to support you. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A change of mind might not necessarily be a change of heart. You still want to go ahead with your plans, but you might see a better way to make them happen. So go for it.
crossword • sudoku & weekly horoscope
GALLERY OF GAMES
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) An old business dispute could re-emerge and possibly affect upcoming negotiations. Consider opening up the situation to include suggestions from others on both sides of the issue. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Some Leos and Leonas might find it somewhat difficult to get their ideas accepted or even considered. But that’s only for a while. Things will soon return to the way you like them. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The pace seems to be slowing down from the hectic on-the-job run you recently enjoyed. But be assured that you’re still in the race to pick up new workplace-related goodies. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Seasonal changes create opportunities for busy Librans. However, be sure to balance your workload with your personal life so that you don’t overdo it on one end or the other. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A former critic could make a surprise turnaround and become a supporter. But if your Scorpion sense suspects a questionable motive, who are the rest of us to doubt it? SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Data on a new project seems less than dependable. But it might turn out to be just the opposite. Consult with someone who knows how you might best be able to check it out. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Capricorneans face many decisions this week, with the Sea Goat’s kids rating high on the consideration scale, especially regarding vacations and upcoming school matters. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Showing that you care is what Aquarians do so well. It’s your very special skill. And this week, you’ll have several chances to show off that gift for a very special person. Good luck. PISCES (February 19 to March 21) That streak of Piscean wariness should serve you well this week should you be among those who come up against a slippery character offering a fishy deal with nothing to back it up. BORN THIS WEEK: You have an artist’s sense of how to help others see, as you do, the beautiful things about the world. © 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
16 Elbert County News
June 4, 2015
PONDEROSA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2015
MUSTANGS ‘OFF TO GREAT PLACES’
Ponderosa High School graduate Benjamin Kossik demonstrates the joy that most seniors feel on graduation day. Daniel Klehm acknowledges his cheering section at Ponderosa High School’s commencement ceremony May 19 at Sports Authority Stadium.
Derik Mango is greeted by thunderous applause as he exits the field. Mango had surgery for a knee injury that occurred during this lacrosse season. Ponderosa High School’s Class of 2015 braved high winds and cold weather during its commencement ceremony May 19 at Sports Authority Stadium in Parker. Flags were rigid and caps tumbled from the heads of grads, who chased them down before quickly getting back in formation. The class of 2015 is taking a cue — and borrowing a quote — from Dr. Seuss, who wrote: “You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way.”
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