BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Less than a month out from Election Day, current and former local election o cials met in Douglas County to contest claims of voting security problems after a barrage of allegations raised by Colorado’s 2022 Republican candidate for governor, Heidi Ganahl.
Ganahl’s e ort to push those claims is “a reckless attempt for attention,” said Matt Crane, a Republican who is a former Arapahoe County clerk and recorder.
Clerks act as the top election o cials for their counties, and the Douglas and Boulder clerks showed up alongside Crane to speak in Highlands Ranch about voting security following Ganahl’s bevy of claims that partly focused on Douglas County. e former candidate said the voting system could be exposed to unauthorized remote access, but clerks disputed that concern.
“Our o cials have been patting us on the head, telling us everything is ne; everything is not ne, and how would they even know?” Ganahl said in a recent post on the Rocky Mountain Voice, a conservative outlet that she founded.
At the news conference, two weeks after Ganahl took aim at Douglas County, the local clerk announced a new e ort to ensure condence in the election system.
“Douglas County will be providing a live stream of the surveillance (feed) at each of our 21 drop boxes throughout this election,” Douglas Clerk Sheri Davis said.
e public can view the 24/7 live stream of the video surveillance via the drop box locations page on the county website at douglasvotes.com.
“And remember, elections are run by people from right in your own community who make sure the process is secure and that your vote counts,” Davis, a Republican, said in a statement after the news conference.
Clerks began mailing ballots on Oct. 11 to registered voters for the November election. Overseas and military voters’ ballots were sent out by Sept. 21, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce.
Here’s a look at what clerks had to say about Ganahl’s claims.
‘Unauthorized access’ concerns
Voters who follow the news may be familiar with the question of whether voting systems can be hacked or misused via the internet.
SCHOOL OF CHOICE Special pull-out section
Elizabeth Schools make cuts to balance budget
‘Fiscal exigency’ declaration clears path for changes
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Near the end of the Sept. 23 Elizabeth School District board meeting, Board President Rhonda Olsen moved to declare a “ scal exigency,” based on Superintendent Dan Snowberger’s recommendation. “Fiscal Exigency” is the statutory tool used in Colorado to allow
districts to balance budgets after the year begins, explained Snowberger.
“So we’ve incurred a lot of unexpected, signi cant expenses over this last year. Some of them carried forward from last year to this year and then we have a bunch of new ones this year,” Olsen explained.
“Just to give you a few examples, we have the well failure at Singing Hills, which was quite a bit of money, we had the water tower repair at the middle and high school, we had a long-overdue re alarm retro tting at the middle school, we had a large legal settlement related to a three-year-old case at the
high school, and we’ve also had substantial operational cost increases for insurance and curricular implementation, although very much needed, at EMS.”
e board directed Snowberger to nd up to $500,000 in budget reductions within 14 days. Olsen clari ed that the reductions have the “least impact as possible on student learning, on the curriculum we’re trying to implement, and the teacher/professional development and support …” Snowberger said that the district
The Elizabeth School District has declared a “fiscal exigency” after incurring what Superintendent Dan Snowberger called “a lot of unexpected, significant expenses.” PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
National movement aims to create inclusion for all children, but some criticize it
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNTIYMEDIA.COM
A jack-o’-lantern candy bucket is an essential when it comes to trick-or-treating. And through the years, the di erent colored candy buckets have taken on speci c meanings with a goal to bring awareness to various medical conditions. However, some of the movements have gained criticism.
e idea of inclusion was the premise of the Blue Bucket for Autism , which stems from 2018 after a parent posted on Facebook that her autistic son would be trick-or-treating with a blue bucket. It ignited a national movement.
Movements aimed at bringing awareness are wonderful, said Keri Sawyer, a child therapist and owner of Bloom Child erapists in Parker. But parents shouldn’t feel like they have to take part, she added.
“I don’t think that at any point a child or their parents should feel like they need to have a speci c color bucket or disclose any speci c information about their child in order to receive empathy and acceptance,” said Sawyer.
While the movement was created to promote awareness for trick-or-treaters with autism and those who are nonspeaking, some say that children shouldn’t have to “advertise” their medical diagnosis just to be included fairly.
“If our children could thrive on good intentions, then the blue ‘autism’ Halloween buckets would be a wild success,” said Brittany Yarbrough, a Littleton mom. “Unfortunately, that’s just not how it works.”
Yarbrough understands the challenges as her son has motor planning di culties and hypotonia, a condition that causes decreased muscle tone.
Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability and impacts one’s social interaction, communication skills and cognitive function. It a ects one in 36 children, according to the National Autism Association. While autism varies person to person, about 40% of children with autism do not speak.
Elizabeth Bennet, a psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, said Halloween can be di cult for a lot of people for various reasons, including it being a change of routine or it creating social anxiety.
While she believes the idea of the colored buckets movement can be helpful to raise awareness for certain medical conditions or disabilities, she doesn’t think that trick-or-treaters
should have to carry some sort of marker that identi es their diagnosis in order to have the same access that every other child does on Halloween.
“In my imaginary ideal world, everybody has awareness that we don’t know each other’s whole story, and that people can behave di erently for a lot of di erent reasons, and that we don’t get to set expectations for other people,” said Bennet. “We don’t live in that ideal world yet.”
Jessica Vestal, whose son is nonverbal and has trouble per-
forming tasks, has watched as adults have told her son, “no candy until you say trick-ortreat!”
“Whether they are unable to say trick-or-treat, have to use an AAC device, have no way to say it at all or are carrying a specially-colored pumpkin, each kid deserves to participate in something fun,” said Vestal.
Both Vestal and Yarbrough believe the movement was created with good intentions, but wonder why there needs to be a color-coded system to be accepting and inclusive of all abilities. Yar-
brough added that displaying a child’s diagnosis has the potential to increase the risk that the child will be mistreated or bullied.
“I love when people choose to sit at the end of their driveway to hand out treats, since narrow walkways and steps to the front door are di cult to manage for those in wheelchairs or (those who have) mobility issues,” said
Having worked with neurodivergent children, Sawyer has had parents ask her about the different colored buckets. She said it should be more about“if they would like to, not that they should have to — and let the child lead on that decision.
Similar to Bennet, Sawyer hopes that people answering doors will answer with empathy and a willingness to be accepting of all individuals and use Halloween as a time to show kindness to
For three consecutive years, Sawyer participated in the Town of Parker’s Trunk or Treat event because she enjoys the opportunity to allow families to have a little more control of the environment. She appreciates the inclusivity that the rst hour of the event is sensory-friendly because it creates a safer and more accessible environment.
Whether a family chooses to carry a blue bucket to raise awareness of autism or if they feel uncomfortable with it, Sawyer encourages letting the child lead on how they want to do Halloween.
“ ere’s no wrong way of doing it,” said Sawyer. “So having a good time within your child’s capacity is really important.”
Other color meanings
Children may carry a di erent colored bucket because it’s their favorite color. But, these colors have taken on meanings. For example, pink for breast cancer awareness and red for driving under the in uence.
In 2012, after facing challenges due to having epilepsy, a young boy in Connecticut wanted to raise awareness for the medical condition. He decided to paint a pumpkin purple and his family shared it on Facebook. With more than 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the country, the initiative soon gained national recognition and the Epilepsy Foundation launched the Purple Pumpkin Project.
Colored pumpkins can also be seen on people’s front porches to indicate to trick-or-treaters and their families that it is an inclusive home. Besides the traditional orange pumpkins, another common color to see is teal.
e Teal Pumpkin Project was created to promote food safety and inclusion of those who have food allergies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 children have a food allergy. erefore, having options other than candy helps children feel included. Non-edible treat ideas include Halloween erasers, novelty toys, vampire fangs, spider rings and bouncy balls.
e Food Allergy Research and Education nonpro t organization provides a map of houses that have non-food treats as well as free printable signs, ideas for nonfood treats and facts about di erent types of candy. ese can be found at tinyurl.com/5eac8f4c.
The di erent-colored Halloween candy buckets have taken on new meanings over the years in hopes to bring awareness to various medical conditions and diagnoses.
SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Blue Halloween candy buckets available at stores across the metro area. The Blue Bucket for Autism movement was started in 2018 and has gained national attention; however, some criticize it. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
A Sign of the Times: Zillow Shows Climate Risk Data for All Active Listings
I was as shocked as anyone to hear that Asheville, North Carolina, had been devastated by flooding from Hurricane Helene. It is over 300 miles inland from the Atlantic coast and on the western slope of the Appalachian mountain range. It is 2,100 feet above sea level.
To those of us who comfort ourselves that we are in a haven from climate change, this should be a wake-up call.
Zillow heard that wake-up call and recently introduced a “Climate Risk” assessment for all active listings on its website. At right are charts you’ll find if you search on Zillow for my listing at 48 Lang Street in Twin Lakes, Colorado, at the eastern foot of Independence Pass. I’m only showing the Flood risk map, but there are comparable maps for Fire, Wind, Air Quality and Heat risks by clicking on the buttons you see at the top left of the map.
younger home shoppers, who are driving the market. The median age of today's home buyer is 39, and first-time buyers make up 50% of all buyers. Millennial and Gen Z shoppers who comprise 54% of all home buyers are most likely to consider a climate risk when determining where to shop for a home. Across generations, a majority of shoppers reported taking into account at least one climate risk when looking for their next home.”
Although 86% of Millennials are likely to consider climate risks when searching for a home, the average for all groups is 83%, with Baby Boomers the lowest at 70%. Bottom line: it’s a big concern for everyone, and we need to take notice.
“Climate risks are now a critical factor in home-buying decisions,” said Skylar Olsen, chief economist at Zillow.
It was a year ago last month that Zillow released a report stating that “A clear majority of prospective buyers in each region of the United States consider at least one climate risk when shopping for a home.” In the Midwest the percentage was 77% and in the West it was 90%.
Such risks were of least concern, surprisingly, to prospective buyers in the South, including Florida, but I suspect that may change after recent hurricanes.
The Sept. 2023 report continued: “Climate risks are a major concern for
The data source for Zillow is First Street, which provides climate risk data across multiple industries, including government, banking, and insurance.
First Street’s analysis of the destruction caused by August’s Cat-1 hurricane Debby found that 78% of flooded properties were outside FEMA’s flood zones.
According to Zillow, “First Street is the standard for climate risk financial modeling (CRFM) working to connect climate change to financial risk. First Street uses transparent, peer-reviewed methodologies to calculate the past, present, and future climate risk for properties globally, and makes it available for citizens, industry and government.”
Don’t expect to find climate risk data for your home on Zillow, unless it is cur-
Price Reduced on 2-Bedroom Winter Park Condo
rently for sale. However, you could look for a nearby home that is for sale and find your home on the maps such as the one above.
Years ago, I learned couple important things about flood insurance. First, for water damage to be covered by regular homeowners insurance, the water can’t hit the ground before entering your house. If the water hits the ground first, it is considered flooding and is only covered by flood insurance.
However, even flood insurance does not cover a finished basement. It will cover anything in your basement, such as a furnace and water heater, that serves the above-grade floors, but it will not cover below-grade walls, floors or furnishings.
available on Zillow’s iPhone app and on the Zillow website, with Android availability expected early next year.
Take Pictures of Your Home Before the Snow Falls
Even if you don’t expect to put your home on the market this winter, it’s a good idea to have exterior pictures of your home and yard which the grass is green and the leaves are on the trees. If you have trees which blossom in the spring, make a note to take a picture then too.
“Life happens,” and it’s good to be prepared to show your home at its best.
NAR: ‘Make Your Listings Shine Online’
With ski season just around the corner, don’t miss your chance to make this fabulous condo at 693 Wapiti Drive your home in the mountains. Full of natural light, you'll delight in the open concept living and dining area with windows that showcase the beautiful views. The kitchen features hickory cabinets, an island and granite countertops. There is also a pantry/laundry room on the main floor. Additional features of this unit include a gorgeous moss rock fireplace, a skylight and a private balcony with stunning views of Byers Peak. All bathrooms have granite countertops with hickory cabinets, and the two full bathrooms, including the primary ensuite, have tiled floors and bath. Both bedrooms have double closets. There is an oversize garage with a large locked room for plenty of storage. No more scraping snow off your car! This condo is tastefully furnished and has reasonable HOA dues. Experience the great outdoors just outside your door with a walk down to the beautiful Fraser River for a hike or bike along the river trail that takes you up to the Winter Park Resort or take your rod for a little fly fishing! You'll also be just a short walk from downtown Fraser, which is bustling with shops, restaurants and bars. In addition, just steps away is the free Lift bus line which will take you to concerts in Hideaway Park, skiing & summer activities at Winter Park Resort and all of the events, restaurants & entertainment Winter Park offers. Take a narrated video tour at www.GRElistings.com, then call David at 303-908-4835 to see it.
Golden Real Estate’s Broker Associates
Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) had a newsletter item that caught my attention.
Covid had, of course, increased the importance of making listings more attractive to potential buyers who might not be able to visit the home in person.
The newsletter article pointed out that, just like work-at-home, buying without seeing a home in person is still a thing.
It quoted a 2022 survey of 1,000 homeowners by Lending Tree which showed that 47% of them bought without an in-person tour of the property.
We already know that the vast majority well over 90% of buyers begin their home search online and only call an agent when they want to see a home. During Covid, that meant in some cases a FaceTime tour of the home by a showing agent. (We were “essential workers.”)
Americans got so used to Zoom meetings and working virtually during Covid that many of them still prefer Zoom meetings, and that translates into wanting to see a home virtually before making an offer.
What the article failed to mention was
that most of those buyers probably did attend the professional inspection of the home after going under contract, but the fact remains that a good online presence is what got that home under contract.
The article mentioned some of the technological tools, in addition to FaceTime, which have allowed listing agents to dramatically improve the online presentation of their listings, thereby allowing buyers to feel comfortable with submitting an offer prior to seeing the listing in person.
Matterport’s interactive still photos linked to a floor plan was one of those technologies. It allows a person, with their computer mouse, to rotate each still photo 360 degrees and even look at the ceiling and floor.
What wasn’t mentioned, and shocked me by its absence, was the mention of narrated video tours, which my broker associates and I create for every residential listing! What could be more useful than being able to walk through a home with the listing agent describing all its features basically simulating an inperson showing?
Climate risk information is currently
Proposed development goes before Elbert commissioners
BY NICKY QUINBY
e Elbert County commissioners will hold a special meeting on Oct. 24 at 10 a.m. concerning the proposed subdivision Elbert County East, a Craft Companies development beginning at the intersection of Kiowa-Bennett Road and County Road 174. e meeting was originally scheduled on Sept. 25 but was postponed.
On Aug 22, the Elbert County Planning Commission recommended approval to the Board of County Commissioners by a vote of 4-3 for the EC East Planned Unit Development Rezoning, with the same vote for the EC East Preliminary Plat. e formal application for the Planned Unit Development was submitted in February while the Preliminary Plat Application was submitted in May.
Elbert County Director of Community and Economic Development Marc Dettenreider said the project will be built in phases over at least 20 years. “EC East will be developed following the Conservation Community requirements,” Dettenreider shared, “providing a minimum of 50% open space, clustered neighborhoods, with a maximum of 2,450 dwelling units, 48.2 acres of Commercial Services, and 49.2 acres of Industrial Uses at full build out. e EC East project will provide 645.1 acres or 50% private open space that will be open to the public.”
Tim Craft of Craft Companies says EC East will gradually take shape over about 25 years, projected to start in 2028, and will o er a broad range of home types “to meet the county’s housing needs, and will be home to teachers, re ghters, law enforcement o cers, small business owners, and veterans, the very people Elbert County needs to remain in the county.”
EC East will encompass 1,290 acres, with over 50% of the acreage dedicated to open space with trails and amenities open to all Elbert County residents.
Craft believes the development will “create a foundation to establish jobs and sales tax revenue to keep the county healthy and thriving and will enable Elbert County residents to spend their money in Elbert County instead of Douglas County. By keeping this money in the county in addition to expanding the revenue base, residents will have access to better schools, safer roads, greater medical and rst responder services, and much needed services for Elbert County that don’t exist today.”
Citizens have expressed numerous concerns about the development.
The Elbert County East Preliminary Plat map available from the Elbert County Community Development Project Pipeline. The Board of County Commissioners was set to hold a Special Meeting on Oct. 24 at 10 AM to discuss the development and potentially make a final determination about whether or not the development will move forward.
Debbie Ullom, longtime Elbert County resident and local real estate broker, feels that there isn’t really a need for the new in ux of homes. “As a Realtor, there are plenty of homes to buy and sell in Elbert County,” she said. “... I will repeat there is no infrastructure in the Kiowa area to support this potential population increase. Current impact fees may give money to buy re equipment but not the sta to run it. Schools are not in a position to absorb and meet the needs of an additional 200 students let alone 2,000.”
Craft says they will support the current and future Kiowa School District by adding value and preparing for the EC East students who will join the school district over the next 20 years by, at the request of the school district, giving cash (in lieu of land dedication) to pay for the required land as well as adding an additional school site.
Elbert County resident Jill Duvall has similar concerns, noting “it is out in the middle of nowhere; nothing like it surrounds the proposed development so it is not compatible with neighboring
properties. It’s 11 miles from the nearest services which will make response time, should there be an emergency, problematic.”
Duvall added: “ e developer claims that he has water rights to supply the 2,500-plus homes. However, we don’t know that the water supply will be adequate to add this number of new homes without negatively impacting the existing Elbert County residents who utilize the same Denver Aquifer Basins for our water. ere should be a requirement, by the county, for developers to provide a certain percentage of their water from renewable sources.”
Craft says water for EC East will come from the Denver, Arapahoe and Laramie-Fox Hill aquifers and wells servicing EC East will be drilled through the “saturated thickness of the aquifer to minimize the risk of potential interference with neighboring residential wells.”
Craft went on to say that EC East will certify a 300-year supply of water that is veri ed and approved by the state.
Duvall also feels that the develop-
The Elbert County East Planned Unit Development image from the Elbert County Community Development Project Pipeline. The Conceptual Master Plan shows a conservation community with 50% open space while focusing commercial, retail and non-residential uses along KiowaBennett Road. The development will include commercial, industrial, and approximately 3,000 single family detached/attached lots.
ment’s formal approval is being rushed ahead of two Elbert County commissioners leaving o ce after November’s election: “ e rush to approve this, along with two other high density subdivisions (Moorstead and Elbert County West), in the nal three months of two of the commissioners’ terms raises serious questions as to the motives of these commissioners.”
e Town of Kiowa recently led a lawsuit against the Kiowa Water and Wastewater Authority, centering on the alleged illegality of Craft sitting on the Board of Directors. Craft resigned from the board at the Aug. 13 KWWA Board meeting. For more information about Elbert County East, visit elbertcountyeast.com. e EC East Planning Commission Hearing was held on Aug. 20 and is available at tinyurl.com/3ca59ha5. Visit tinyurl.com/y98u3tk6 to view the Elbert County Community Project Pipeline. Upcoming hearings and land use agenda items can be found at elbertcounty-co.gov/170/Project-Map-andPipeline-Report.
Information on upcoming Planning Commission and BOCC meetings, including agenda packets, is available at elbertcounty-co.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes.
IMAGES FROM ELBERT COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Arrests made in Douglas County cold case of missing woman
Kimberly Bell of Franktown was last seen in 2019
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Five years after the disappearance of Franktown-area resident Kimberly Bell, the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce has announced the arrests of two people allegedly connected to her apparent death.
In August 2019, Bell — who was 51 at the time of her alleged murder — was reported missing by her sister, according to the sheri ’s o ce. Bell was last seen in late July 2019 in the Denver metro area and had been living with her sister, according to the o ce.
Sheri Darren Weekly on Oct. 15 announced the arrests of Javier Martell, 30, and Jennifer Bremer, 38. e o ce listed Martell with charges of rst-degree murder and Bremer with charges of being an accessory to a crime, along with alleged identity theft.
Martell goes by Alex, and Bremer is also known as Jennifer Beasley, Weekly said.
Weekly’s o ce believes that Bell, Martell and Bremer were in Bell’s vehicle at the RTD Lincoln light rail station in the Lone Tree area when Martell allegedly attacked her. Law enforcement believes he ultimately killed her in the area where the vehicle is believed to have been driven, roughly around Park Meadows Drive and Station Way, Weekly said.
Bremer turned herself in to authorities earlier this month, around the same time that Martell was arrested, according to the sheri ’s o ce.
“We arrested Martell at the 7-Eleven at Hilltop (Road) and Parker Road, where he was working,” Weekly said. e sheri said he couldn’t comment on what led his personnel to be able to arrest Martell.
For a long time, authorities didn’t have enough evidence to make an arrest, Weekly said.
“We’ve never found Ms. Bell’s (re-
information about the case or knew Bell, Martell or Bremer around July 2019, the sheri ’s o ce wants to know. e public can call 303-660-7528 or email coldcasetips@dcsheri .net. To the people who knew victims of
other Douglas County cold cases, Weekly said their loved ones are not forgotten.
“We are actively working additional cold cases that have taken place in Douglas County over the past 50 years,” Weekly said.
For more information on Douglas cold cases, see tinyurl.com/DouglasColdCases. e Douglas County Cold Case Unit is responsible for investigating unsolved homicides, sexual assaults and missingpersons cases.
Kimberly Bell was reported missing in 2019, according to the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
“We can confirm through purchase order records and written confirmation from the Douglas County clerk’s office that there are indeed wireless networking cards installed in their voting system computers that could be used to expose the voting system to unauthorized remote access,” Ganahl said in the post.
Asked about access to the election system, Davis said there is a number of voting equipment pieces that have Wi-Fi capability throughout the state, but they’re disabled.
“It would require physical access of two different teams to enable that — one is the secretary of state, and one is Douglas County,” Davis said, arguing it would be impossible for the connection to be turned on.
The nearby Jefferson County clerk’s office recently weighed in on the question.
“No vote counting machines in Colorado are connected to the internet,” Sarah McAfee, a spokesperson
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for the Jefferson clerk’s office, has said.
She added that “in larger counties that have multiple vote counting machines, these machines may be networked together, but it is a closed network, not accessible from outside the room the equipment is housed in.”
She cited a Colorado election rule that can be found at tinyurl.com/InternetConnectionRule.
County elections offices transmit results to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, McAfee said.
“I believe it’s accurate to say that every county has at least one, but probably not more than two … internet-connected computers that are used to upload election results,” McAfee said. But “these computers are never connected to the counting machines or the closed network the counting machines may be a part of. They do upload the results file from the counting machines through an internet connection to the secretary of state’s office.”
But even if the internet connection to the state election office were somehow tampered with and unofficial election results reporting to the public were affected, the original voting results file would still be intact, McAfee said.
“Vote counting and election cer-
tification would not be impacted by any disruption to election night results reporting,” McAfee said.
Eye on ballots
Ganahl also focused on the idea that ballots could be used improperly.
“Based on what we have discovered in our analysis, we are very concerned that drop boxes are ripe for foul play with inadequate monitoring,” Ganahl said in the post.
Fraudulent ballots would come up invalid because of how they’re tracked, Jack Twite, Douglas County’s deputy of elections, has said.
“We use that barcode that’s on your return envelope — it’s one per voter per election and never repeated,” Twite has said. He added, “And if somebody made copies of those envelopes and tried to put them back, if we receive two, only one gets counted.”
And ballots still go through signature verification as a guard against fraud, according to a recent presentation put on by election staffers in Golden.
For more information on concerns surrounding election security, see Colorado Community Media’s recent story at tinyurl.com/ElectionDeepDive.
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At the lectern, Douglas County Clerk Sheri Davis speaks at an Oct. 10 news conference next to a ballot drop box (not pictured) in Highlands Ranch. Behind her, from left, stands Kregg Lilly, who has served as an election worker; Molly Fitzpatrick, Boulder County clerk; and Hayle Johnson, Jackson County clerk. Matt Crane, the Colorado County Clerks Association director, also spoke at the event, along with Ed Brookes, who has also served as an election worker.
PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Join us this Halloween for a hilarious night of laughs and debauchery!
7:30PM • PACE CENTER
Multi-platinum recording artists bring their anthemic hit single “Best Day of My Life” and other favorites to the PACE stage.
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7:30PM • PACE CENTER OCT31
Boebert, Calvarese make their cases to CD4 voters
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Voters in Colorado’s 4th District will decide in November whether to send U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert back to Congress or elect her challenger, Democrat Trisha Calvarese.
e district, which covers 21 counties on the Eastern Plains, Douglas County and north of Denver, is largely Republican. It is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, a Republican, who was elected to the seat in a June special election, where he beat Calvarese in a landslide.
Boebert beat ve other Republicans in the June primary after moving from the 3rd Congressional District, which she currently represents.
e Douglas County News-Press spoke to both Boebert and Calvarese about how they would represent their constituents in Washington.
is would be Boebert’s third term in Congress and Boebert has faced criticism for not having passed much legislation into law. But Boebert is proud of her track record thus far, pointing to the appropriations and amendments she has passed. “ ese are pieces of legislation that I otherwise wouldn’t have jurisdiction to in uence so the open oor amendments let me give a Colorado voice to those bills,” Boebert said.
Boebert said she is already working with o cials in the 4th District to nd legislative solutions to local issues, such as her recently-introduced bills to x zip code issues and to require more hiring checks at massage parlors to try to prevent trafcking.
Calvarese would be a rst-time legisla-
tor, but said her experience working with the National Science Foundation and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFLCIO) gives voters a taste of how she would represent them.
During her time with the AFL-CIO and the science foundation, Calvarese worked on the In ation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Bill and the CHIPS and Science Act, which funds research and manufacturing of semiconductors.
“ ose are all bipartisan laws and I’m not even in Congress yet,” Calvarese said.
Economy
When it comes to addressing a ordability, Boebert said one of the rst things she would like to see is cuts to government spending, such as getting rid of green energy subsidies and defunding the recent expansion of the Internal Revenue Service.
Boebert also advocated for deregulation
and investment in energy production in Colorado, such as natural gas and oil.
“ ose two things (cutting spending and energy production) coupled together do provide a solution for a booming economy,” Boebert said.
Calvarese said she would work to bring public-private partnerships to the district that support economic development and support legislation to protect against
Democrat Trisha Calvarese and Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert are running to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. The candidates spoke to the Douglas County News-Press about the economy, immigration and water. LEFT: COURTESY OF TRISHA CALVARESE. RIGHT: PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY
Trisha Calvarese vastly outraised Lauren Boebert in contributions, but national PACs remain on sidelines in sign of expected GOP victory
BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
In the 4th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert was vastly outraised last quarter by her Democratic challenger Trisha Calvarese.
Calvarese reported raising about $2.7 million in July, August and September, spending $1.5 million during that period and starting October with about $1.3 million in cash. Her biggest expense during the quarter, $1.1 million, was advertising.
She ran one TV ad in which she talked about her experience providing endof-life care to her parents. “We can’t let Lauren Boebert’s cruelty win here,” Cal-
price- xing.
“ at’s how we’re going to lower prices – we build it locally and develop locally,” she said.
In addition, Calvarese said she would support farming subsidies to help reduce the cost of food and legislation to reduce the cost of health care.
Immigration
Boebert takes a no tolerance stance on illegal immigration, having introduced the Build the Wall, Deport em All Act, which would expedite deporta-
varese says in the 30-second spot.
Another ad run by Calvarese featured Danielle Robinson, whose husband, Keith, a military veteran who deployed to Iraq, died from lung cancer in 2020. Robinson blasts Boebert in the ad for voting against the PACT Act, which expands bene ts for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.
“She even heckled when Keith was honored at the State of the Union,” Robinson says. “My family deserved better. So did the veterans she voted against.”
In a statement to e Colorado Sun, Boebert explained her decision to vote against the measure: “ ere was no funding mechanism for this gigantic investment, and, even worse, this bill lacked
tion, remove birthright citizenship and fund the border wall.
Boebert supports Douglas County’s lawsuit against the state over laws that prevent law enforcement from working with federal immigration agencies and said she would be in favor of federal legislation to ban sanctuary cities and reform the asylum process.
“I do not believe (asylum-seekers) should be released into the interior of our country until their asylum has been approved,” Boebert said.
Calvarese said she believes in immigration reform and would have voted for the bipartisan immigration bill introduced in February, which would have funded immigration agencies and changed the asylum process.
a plan for sta ng resources to handle the increase in cases which has led to an even further backlog of cases. is tragically hurts all veterans. Just last month, the VA Department had to be bailed out because of shoddy management and unrealistic promises from politicians.”
e 4th District, which stretches across the Eastern Plains into Douglas County and Loveland, is considered a Republican stronghold. But Calvarese has parlayed Boebert’s national unpopularity among Democrats into a major fundraising juggernaut powered by donors giving smaller amounts.
Boebert, by comparison, raised $532,000 during the quarter, spending $513,000 and ending September with
In addition, Calvarese said she supports adding pathways to citizenship and expanding visas for workers.
“As long as there are people that can be exploited for their documentation status in the workforce, it hurts everybody,” she said. “So we need to get those folks who’ve been here contributing to our society out of the shadows,on a pathway to citizenship and into the system.”
Water
$549,000 in campaign cash. Much of her spending went toward advertising and consulting.
Boebert has been running two TV ads: one touting her work for veterans and the other boasting about her positions on the economy, oil and gas and women’s sports, speci cally her opposition to transgender people competing in them.
Nevertheless, no super PACs are spending on the contest in an indication that national Democrats and Republicans think Boebert is likely to win the race.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
One thing that Boebert and Calvarese have in common is they both oppose the proposal to pipe water from the San Luis Valley to Douglas County. Both have spoken in favor of protecting water in Colorado and supporting water storage projects.
Boebert pointed to her bipartisan Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act, which funds water projects and sh protection programs, as one example of her e orts.
“I will always work for more water storage in the west,” Boebert said.
Calvarese highlighted her work on the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which she worked on during her time at the AFL-CIO. She also pushed back on Boebert’s support of water projects, noting Boebert voted against the Infrastructure Bill even though it included money for water projects in her district. “You don’t play games with water,” Calvarese said.
Merchants throughout downtown Parker see benefits of Wine Walk
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNTIYMEDIA.COM
As the wine poured for the hundreds that ocked to downtown Parker on Oct. 11, many saw it as a fun night out. But the merchants participating in the Wine Walk saw the vibrancy of the town come back to life.
“We really felt it that year when Wine Walks were not allowed,” said Melissa Foley, owner of Poor Richard’s Book Shoppe. “We are very pleased they are up and running again.”
Like Foley, for many of the downtown Parker merchants, the news of the Wine Walks being shut down in 2023 was disappointing, as it was a way for them to be seen and connect with the community.
Wine Walks have a long tradition in Parker. ey occur every month during the summer. But after the rst Wine Walk last year, a complaint was led with the state Liquor Enforcement Division and weeks later, the Wine Walks were shut
More than a fun wine event
down inde nitely.
Amongst many, Rep. Anthony Hartsook, the representative for House District 44, which includes Parker, was surprised by the state’s decision. He told the Parker Chronicle last August that he was going to get involved to nd out what happened and nd a solution.
Almost a year later, Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 24-1156 into law, enabling the Wine Walks to occur again. e bill, named the Chamber of Commerce Alcohol Special Event Permit, updated regulations to align with supporting businesses while ensuring they adhere to safe laws.
With the new law having gone into effect this August, the Parker Chamber of Commerce was only able to hold three Wine Walks this year.
“We grossed about $45,000 total from the three events,” said T.J. Sullivan, the chamber of commerce’s president and CEO. “Fair to say that it was a nice boost to the chamber following a year without them.”
What the Wine Walks mean to merchants
Holding a customized wine glass in one hand and a map in the other, participants were led from one business location to
another. With some tucked away on small streets or a couple stories up in Victorian Peaks, in some ways, the event is like a scavenger hunt.
“It’s hard to nd me unless you actually look for me,” said Jennifer Henderson, nurse practitioner and owner of GLO Wellness. “ is gives me that opportunity for them to see me.”
GLO Wellness was among the 14 merchants to participate in this year’s events. Newer to the community, Henderson opened the medical spa last year to help empower patients to feel con dent in their skin.
With her business located on the second oor of Victorian Peaks, there are some turns to take to get to her o ce. Often having to give patients directions over the phone, Henderson saw Wine Walks as an opportunity for people to know where she is located as it’s not easily seen from South Pikes Peak Drive.
“Plus, meeting your provider in person for the rst time with no pressure is nice,” said Henderson. “You get to see me on a personal level instead of a provider.”
number of people come through who wouldn’t normally come through.”
For other businesses like Cinderella Ranch Boutique and Poor Richard’s Book Shoppe, the event allows people to learn about the business — particularly those who may have never known the business is there or don’t ordinarily come to downtown Parker.
Cinderella Ranch Boutique is a women’s clothing store that is woman-owned and operated. Sandy Clement, the owner, said people are still discovering the shop, despite being part of the community for 11 years.
e boutique has participated in the Wine Walks every year since the store opened. Clement thought back to the rst year when she thought it would be OK to work alone when hundreds of people ooded in.
“Since then, we learned this is kind of a big deal,” said Clement.
Now, Clement said it takes about ve people to handle the guests coming in. Not only is it a great shopping night for the store, but the exposure brings people back, Clement said. She added that people missed having the light-hearted event last year and she believes it made more people participate this year.
Across from Victorian Peaks, tucked away is St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. It might be strange to think that a church takes part in the Wine Walk events, but as church member Judy Shoemaker said, they serve wine every Sunday.
“People would stop at the double door and look in,” said Shoemaker. “Now people feel free to go in.”
e church began participating in the events a few years before the COVID-19 pandemic because they realized that most people — even those living in Parker — didn’t know the church was centered downtown.
Shoemaker said about 400 people come through each time, listen to the music in the sanctuary and relax in the courtyard.
“It’s helped us be more out in the community,” said Shoemaker. “We’ve had a
Foley has kept the hundreds of purple tabs from participants in a crystal jar. Previously owned by her father, the small bookstore has participated in the Wine Walks for years and they serve as the bookstore’s primary and most e ective way of advertising.
e event introduces people to the store, said Foley, and they make a pro t. e store o ers a buy one get one free “Wine Walk Special,” which helps decrease its overstocked inventory while giving people an incentive to buy more books.
“For us, it’s very worth it,” said Foley.
Rep. Anthony Hartsook, the representative for House District 44, which includes Parker, helps pour wine for participants. Hartsook was the primary sponsor of the House bill that enabled the Wine Walk event to take place again. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
More than 2,000 people participated in this year’s Wine Walk events, averaging between 400 to 500 people per month. About 45 volunteers assisted with the events.
Douglas County’s George Teal still says he’s an Operation Desert Storm veteran despite pushback
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Four years ago, then-Douglas County commissioner candidate George Teal saw backlash for describing himself as a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 military response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in the Middle East.
As he runs for reelection as a commissioner this year, that title is still on his campaign website.
“He is a Veteran of Operation Desert Storm,” the site says.
But Teal served in Germany at the time, a sticking point for members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, who have expressed concern that Teal’s description is a misrepresentation of his service.
“He did not go to Iraq. He did not go to Kuwait,” said Jesse Eastburn, a leader with the VFW Colorado branch, who said Teal would not have received the related medals.
“If he did not receive those, he is not a Desert Storm veteran. Period. And that is the way every veteran is going to look at (it),” Eastburn said.
Teal says he was deployed in support of Desert Storm. He points to a letter of commendation he says he received.
“It is with great pride that I take this opportunity to commend you on your performance of duty while deployed to Europe in support of Operation Desert Storm,” says the letter, which is signed by Lt. Col. Dean O’Neil and names Teal.
‘Misrepresentation of his service’
In 2020, a Colorado VFW o cial took issue with Teal’s description of himself as a Desert Storm veteran, writing a letter addressed to Castle Rock Mayor Jason Gray.
Before taking a Douglas commissioner seat, Teal served on the Castle Rock Town Council.
“Please be advised that Castle Rock Town Council Member George Teal’s membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has been terminated due to ineligibility,” wrote David Stone, who was a state commander for the Colorado VFW. “I respectively request that the reference to VFW membership be removed from Council Member Teal’s bio found in the Castle Rock Sta Directory.”
Stone added: “I am also concerned that his characterization of service as ‘a veteran of Operation Desert Storm’ is a misrepresentation of his actual service.”
Speaking to Colorado Community Media, Teal acknowledged that he was not in Iraq or Kuwait, or the Middle East in general, during Desert Storm. His service at the time involved provid-
ing a counterterrorist security force for the military community in the area of Frankfurt, Germany, according to Teal.
“My Army Reserve unit was in active service,” Teal said.
He said he did not serve in a combat zone during Desert Storm and did not serve in combat during his military service in general.
“I never earned the combat infantry badge,” Teal said, adding: “I’ve never claimed I did.”
“I’m very proud of the service that I did do,” Teal added.
Asked about how the description on his campaign website could be misleading, Teal said: “If I was a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm, the word ‘combat’ certainly would have gotten in front of that title.”
On why his website still features the description, Teal said: “ at came out of talking with a lot of my fellow veterans from that unit that deployed … a lot of us have stayed in contact.”
‘Cut, clear and dried’
For Eastburn, whether Teal was in combat isn’t the main issue — rather, it’s the location of his service.
A person does not necessarily have to be a combat veteran to be eligible for VFW membership, Eastburn said.
“You have to be a veteran of like a speci c war,” said Eastburn, whose formal title is state adjutant/quartermaster for the VFW Department of Colorado.
Even without combat, if someone was in Iraq or Kuwait, they would receive the related medals and be considered a veteran of Desert Storm, Eastburn said.
If Teal had done the same service that he did in Germany, but in Iraq or Kuwait, he would be eligible for the VFW, Eastburn said.
“You can be in support of an operation, but that doesn’t mean that you necessarily were a part of that campaign,” Eastburn said, adding: “ ere are a lot of National Guard Army that were deployed Sept. 12 (2001) in the United States. ey are not eligible for the VFW because they were activated in support of the global war on terrorism the day after the 9/11 attack … (but) did they go to Afghanistan? No.”
“It’s very cut, clear and dried,” Eastburn added.
Teal said he thinks the recruiting practices of the VFW when he joined around 1997 or 1998 are not the same practices of today.
Regarding his recruiters, “I believe they honestly thought that I met quali cations that were present or were about to be adopted by the VFW,” Teal said.
“I told them point blank, ‘Look, I served in Germany,’” Teal said, adding: “ ey
said don’t worry about that.”
“ ey heard about me, I think, from knowing my parents in Greeley. ey were from the Greeley post. ey found me. ey called me,” said Teal, who said he was in Greeley on a family matter. “ ey took me out to lunch. ey were very keen on me joining.”
He thinks VFW members’ perceptions at the time were that “we need to get more kids in, or this organization is going to die.”
“ ere was no idea that 9/11 was only a few years away and then we were going to have 20 years of ground con ict,” Teal said.
“We’re working on building a veterans hall here at the (county) fairgrounds, and I’m meeting at least once a month with the leader of the VFW post here in town,”
Teal said. “And there’s no way (he would look at) my service and say, ‘Hey, I bet we can get you in.’”
ere’s 20 years’ worth of people to recruit now, Teal said.
e VFW of the United States is a nonpro t composed of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces, its website says. Its mission is to foster camaraderie among U.S. veterans of overseas conicts; to serve veterans, the military “and our communities”; and to advocate on behalf of all veterans, the site says. About his service, Teal said: “I went where the Army sent me.”
“All that has earned me is the title of Desert Storm veteran — nothing more, nothing less,” Teal said. “And I don’t expect anything more.”
George Teal
Feeling election stress? Here’s how to stay calm amid political tensions
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If you’re feeling stressed about the upcoming election, you’re not alone. Mental health professionals are seeing a spike in election-related stress, with concerns ranging from political divisions to uncertainty about the future.
“I’m hearing and seeing people who are anxious and stressed about what’s going to happen,” said Randi Smith a psychology professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “ ere is a general sense of uncertainty and fear among some that things are going to fall apart to such a degree that they are questioning if they can even make plans in November.”
All that election-related distress is negatively impacting the country’s mental health. Results of three national surveys found that close to half of U.S. adults say politics is a signi cant source of stress, citing problems such as lost sleep, shortened tempers and obsessive thoughts. While political anxiety may be unavoidable, especially if you’re surrounded by family, friends or neighbors with opposing views, the good news is that there are practical steps you can take to keep your sanity leading up to and after Nov. 5.
Take screen breaks
Smith said it’s essential to recognize that our social media feeds and the news we tune into tend to reinforce our belief systems.
“ ese belief systems have become increasingly polarized over the last eight or 10 years to the point where we don’t all necessarily live in the same reality, and there tends to be a lot of demoniz-
ing people who don’t share the belief system,” she said.
To avoid catastrophizing about the worst-case scenario if the “other side” wins, Smith recommends setting boundaries around screen time and recognizing when one’s thoughts begin to spiral.
“If you do go online, aim for dispassionate observations rather than heated, front-line engagement,” Smith said.
“Most of all, remember this: Although social platforms give prominence to the most extreme views, most vehement arguments and most radical takedowns,
that’s only because they are controversy aggregators and outrage is their business
“Such outlooks are not necessarily representative of most people’s actual beliefs,” Smith continued.
While it may feel safer to avoid those who disagree with you or express opposing views, Smith said having conversations with others helps us see we have more in common than we think and that exaggerated hyperbolic rhetoric doesn’t re ect the views of most Americans
Also, give yourself the freedom to step away from political discussions and remember what connected you in the rst place. Spending time with family or friends while leaving politics o the table cultivates connection, which is important for our mental health.
“We need to recognize that just because somebody might vote di erently, it doesn’t mean that they’re bad people,” she said.
Connect with your support system
“We should never underestimate the value and importance of social support. If you’re feeling stressed about the political process, nding others with similar viewpoints could be a real comfort,” Smith said.
Yet, be careful not to spend too much time in groups that reinforce our sense of angst.
“We de nitely need the support of other people who are like-minded, especially when the world feels threatening,” Smith said. “But when we nd ourselves
in conversations stuck on the threat of what could happen, it heightens our fear and uncertainty.”
Instead, she says to focus on ways to make a di erence in your home or community and nd ways to create a sense of agency in a world that can seem out of control. at could be nding a cause to support, building relationships with people who are both like and unlike you or taking action within your community.
Find sources of comfort and focus on what you can control
Smith said the rst step in stopping the cycle of catastrophizing is to recognize that you’re doing it and that going down that rabbit hole will be awful and then to nd sources of comfort.
“For some, it might be spiritual or faith-based. For other people, it might be more cognitive, like mindfulnessbased meditation. Certainly, social relationships for almost everybody are really good,” she said.
Smith also recommends nding sources of distraction, like reading a book, going for a hike or watching a movie. While physical activity is great for relieving anxiety and depression, she said it won’t have the same e ect if you’re on the treadmill with headphones on watching MSNB or Fox News.
It’s also not healthy to spend all of our time focused on the results of an election that we can’t control.
Instead, Smith said, “We have to step away from the macro level of the election and think about your values and how you can contribute to sustaining them and improving the things that are important to us closer to home.”
Surveys show election-related stress is at an all-time high. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Kroger’s CEO claims to not think about raising prices
Prosecution case to block grocery merger rests, Kroger starts its defense
BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN
Testifying this week in Colorado’s antitrust trial to block the $24.6 billion supermarket megamerger, Kroger Co.’s CEO Rodney McMullen stuck to his statement made to a local newspaper last year that yes, he’s never thought about how to raise prices.
During the trial in Denver District Court, he shared simple responses to questions asked by Jason Slothouber, a senior prosecutor at the Colorado Attorney General’s office. No, he wasn’t familiar with a Kroger division that studied pricing and found they could raise prices at stores with little competition without losing shoppers. No, he wasn’t familiar with a group of eight City Markets put into a “mountain no comp zone,” where prices were raised. No, he didn’t know this zone was a big part of the state’s antitrust case.
“Kroger has invested in lowering prices for the last 15 years,” he said. “Strategically every year, we would make decisions on continuing to lower relative pricing.”
“In areas where there is competition?” Slothouber asked.
“Across the country,” McMullen responded.
“Well, not in the mountain no comp zones, right?” Slothouber asked.
“I don’t know,” McMullen said. McMullen, who had been sequestered during the trial, had not been privy to earlier testimony in the Colorado vs. Kroger et al, in its third week with closing arguments scheduled for Oct. 24. But so far, lawyers for the Attorney General’s office have laid out their case for the potential harm a merger between Kroger and Albertsons could cause to residents, employees, local suppliers and farmers if it results in store closures. A merger might create “no comp” stores, in addition to those now located in Aspen, Breckenridge, Carbondale, Eagle, El Jebel, Glenwood Springs, Granby and New Castle.
The prosecution rested Monday. But throughout the first part of the trial, grocery executives did have a lot to say about competition as they were questioned. They said their prime competition was Walmart, Costco and Amazon and less so with one another. And those competitors are everywhere, including in some of those eight communities.
The merger creates a national chain with stores in 48 states and ability to use Kroger’s money-saving technology and strategies chain-wide. Kroger, the parent of King Soopers and City Market, also would invest $1 billion to lower prices at the acquired Albertsons stores, which includes $40 million in Colorado.
Meanwhile, the comparatively tiny competitor C&S Wholesale Grocer would buy 579 Albertsons stores, including 91 Albertsons and Safeways in Colorado, for $2.9 billion. C&S, which has about two dozen supermarkets and
a national distribution network, has no plans to close any stores. It’s offering jobs to current Albertsons employees, including Chief Operations Officer Susan Morris, a Colorado State University graduate who got a job at an Albertsons in Littleton at age 16. Morris, who would leave Albertsons with an exit package valued at $30 million, agreed to become CEO of C&S’ new retail arm if the merger is completed.
CEO doesn’t make short-term price decisions
McMullen, who worked at Kroger
while in college and became Kroger’s CEO in 2014, was the first witness to share the grocery stores’ side of the merger. When it was the defense team’s turn again, McMullen elaborated on what he meant by never thinking about raising prices.
He said he reads “every book on retail,” and learned companies that are most successful are those that lower prices over time. Companies newer to the grocery business or expanding to new markets — including Walmart,
A King Soopers grocery store in Denver in January 2022. PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN/THE COLORADO SUN
MERGER
Amazon and fast-growing Illinois-based grocer Aldi — start with lower prices. So, he thinks about the long term. He thinks about lowering prices — not raising them. The day-to-day ups and downs of prices? That doesn’t concern him. That would be the concern of Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s chief marketing officer, testified later that day.
McMullen acknowledged that supermarket prices have increased for customers. That’s not the store’s doing, but inflation, credit card fees and the consumer packaged goods companies that produce the goods who are raising the prices they charge to Kroger.
“SometimesCPGswill do cost increases that we don’t think is justified and it’s the reason why our brands are so important,” McMullen said. If Kroger wasn’t actively trying to lower prices, he said prices at King Soopers and City Market would be closer to Albertsons and Safeway, which are 10% to 12% higher. And Kroger stores are about 3% more expensive than Walmart stores.
But he said he didn’t contradict himself by saying he never thinks about raising prices. He was talking about the basket of goods over time. His goal is to lower the overall cost to shoppers.
“We believe when you look over a 10year horizon, if we try to raise prices or raised relative pricing, we would belike A&Pas opposed to being successful, like an Amazon or a Costco or a Walmart,” McMullen said.
A&P is one of America’s original grocery stores, founded in New York just before the Civil War. Itfiled bankruptcy for the last timein 2015, sold off a number of
locationsto Albertsonsand other grocery companies, as well as shut down stores.
Aitken on Monday afternoon testified that Kroger has no stores without competition. Even areas identified in Kroger’s no-comp mountain zone, other options exist, like a Costco in Eagle, a Natural Grocers in Glenwood Springs and a Whole Foods a half-mile from the City Market in El Jebel. Prices were raised in those areas to offset higher labor and transportation costs, he said.
“We’re a low, low margin business and those additional transportation costs, even housing costs — we have 66 units in the mountains for associate apartments so they can afford to stay up there — those costs are costs we’re looking to recoup,” Aitken said.
Overall prices in those communities are 1.8% higher than other Kroger stores not in the zone while Safeways are 9% more expensive than the low-comp zoned City Markets, he said.
Kroger’s formula: Cost cutting, personalized shopping, alternative profits
Kroger has figured out how to make more money without raising prices. McMullen said they do that by lowering costs. He said Kroger has reduced energy usage by 30% per square foot by doing things like using equipment in stores that generate heat to help heat stores in the winter, or purchasing bags from one place instead of multiple locations.
There are also the value-added products, like selling guacamole instead of just avocados and all the ingredients.
“Obviously, the customer is willing to pay more for that,” McMullen said.
Aitken talked about Kroger’s growing e-commerce business, which includes partnering with Instacart to provide grocery delivery to customers. Almost 30% of its $13 billion e-commerce business is
handled by Instacart, or $4 billion.
But there’s something else that the company began investing heavily in within the past decade: alternative profit businesses.
That includes gift cards, credit cards and targeted advertising, which have “significantly higher” margins than the regular grocery business, McMullen said. Its Kroger Precision marketing business essentially sells access to customers, much like Google and Meta do.
In its most recent annual report, Kroger said 95% of customer transactions were part of its loyalty program. That data feeds its system to create personalized shopping experiences, which includes selling ads to consumer-product companies like Coca-Cola. McMullen confirmed that Kroger doesn’t sell a customer’s personal data to advertisers. But if a customer tends to buy Coke products, they’ll see ads for new products from Coke — not Pepsi.
Yael Cosset, Kroger’s chief information officer, testified Tuesday that the alternative businesses bring in $1 billion in annual profit today. In its most recent quarter, which ended Aug. 17, Kroger reported $33.9 billion, which was the same as the year-ago second quarter. Operating profit improved to $815 million from a loss of $479 million a year earlier.
“All these pillars are a significant source of revenue. They’re in excess of a billion dollars in profit as we stand today,” Cosset said. “They contribute to funding investment … to lower prices and be more relevant on the value side of the experience and invest in wages for our associates who ultimately are responsible for delivering that customer experience.”
This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.
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Colorado to pay Christian graphic artist $1.5 million in legal fees for Supreme Court gay rights case
BY HAYLEE MAY CPR NEWS
A Christian graphic artist who won a national freedom of speech case tied to her refusal to create websites for same-sex weddings will get a $1.5 million payout from the state of Colorado to cover her legal fees.
e U.S. Supreme Court in June 2023 ruled that the state of Colorado can’t apply its AntiDiscrimination Act to force Lorie Smith and her company 303 Creative “to speak in ways that … defy her conscience.”
e ruling ultimately defeated Colorado’s public accommodations laws aiming to ban
discrimination against customers based on sexual orientation. Now, Smith’s lawyers at the faith-based legal advocacy organization, Alliance Defending Freedom, have made the settlement details public.
e total payout is less than Smith originally asked for after the legal victory. Her attorneys cited the long, complex and ground-breaking nature of the case as the reason for requesting $1,969,981 from the state. Smith’s lawyers said the amount would reimburse them for about 2,174 hours of legal work on the case, which visited the 10th Circuit twice before the win.
In a statement emailed on Tuesday, Senior Counsel, Bryan Neihart, with the Alliance
Defending Freedom said, “It is common in civil rights cases for the prevailing party to recover attorneys’ fees and costs. Our clients Lorie Smith and her design studio, 303 Creative, prevailed at the US Supreme Court and achieved a landmark victory—a victory that helps to protect all Americans’ freedom of speech from government censorship and coercion.”
e Colorado Attorney General’s O ce declined to comment on the settlement details.
is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
UK sports betting company bet365 is going in on Denver
bet365 aims to eventually employ 1,000 people at its Denver o ce
BY SARAH MULHOLLAND DENVERITE
A U.K.-based sports betting company has moved into Denver. bet365 announced this week it had opened its new U.S. headquarters downtown.
SCHOOLS
shouldn’t “admire the problem” and come back at the end of the year with an overrun budget. He determined it was early enough in the school year to make immediate changes. In a Superintendent Update to parents and members of the Elizabeth community, Snowberger explained how the district “experienced some unexpected expenses this summer and will be seeing some decline in revenues due to not hitting our enrollment projection this year.”
e district overestimated enrollment by about 30 to 40 students. Snowberger said it’s hard to say what factors led to the change in enrollment. “I imagine there are many factors. Parents are choosing lots of di erent options for educating students.”
e update outlined expenses that contributed to the shortfall, which included:
• Singing Hills Elementary Well Repair — $190,000
• Increased Insurance Costs — $72,600
• Legal Settlement from a 2021-22 Case — $70,000
• Repair of EHS/EMS Irrigation Water Tower — $60,000
• EMS Fire Alarm Replacement — $25,000 more than anticipated
In an updated letter to the community, Snowberger outlined the reduced positions
e online gaming business plans to have 300 employees at the location by the end of this year, according to a joint statement from the company and Colorado’s economic development o ce.
Eventually, bet365 aims to employ 1,000 people at its Denver o ce. e jobs will range from customer service and marketing to software development, nance and legal services. e company is occupying 120,000 square feet at an o ce building on Platte Street. bet365 renovated the space before moving in.
in the district:
• Coordinator of Safety & Security
• Technician in the Technology Department
• Part-Time Courier
• Part-Time Maintenance Technician
• Some Sta ng in the Transportation Department
• Reduced Contracted Services
• Elizabeth Middle School Dean of Students
• Elizabeth High School Health Technician
Additional savings came from combining fourth grade classrooms at Singing Hills Elementary and redistributing a rst-grade class at Running Creek Elementary rather than hiring a long-term substitute to ll in for a teacher’s maternity leave. e district is also looking at sharing resources for “specials” — art, music and PE — between schools starting after fall break.
ese changes resulted in a $516,000 reduction in this year’s budget.
e district added an additional 1% to fund balance at the end of last year but without making cuts, Snowberger said, the District would have to dip into reserves and use up the small savings that exists, which the district feels is unnecessary at this time.
e state requires a minimum 3% fund balance but the district is working toward building a 10% fund balance over the next four or ve years so that unexpected expenses don’t require a drastic response.
ESD Chief Financial O cer Rebekah Brooks explained that the district has tried to prioritize improving salaries and bene ts
Colorado’s Economic Development Commission approved up to $14 million in tax credits over eight years for the company. e credits are contingent upon bet365 meeting new job creation and salary requirements. In addition to Denver, bet365 has o ces in New Jersey, as well as in the U.K., Gibraltar, Malta, Australia, Colombia and Bulgaria. is story is from Denverite, a Denver news site. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.
costs to teachers and classi ed sta within a very tight budget. “As a result,” she said, “we do not have a lot of excess fund balance to use as a cushion. When we get hit with additional expenditures and a loss of revenue, we have to make adjustments to make sure we operate in a scally responsible way.”
When asked if this situation could have been avoided, Brooks pointed to years of lack of funding from the state. is has caused unmatched levels of deferred maintenance on district assets and chronic underpaying of sta , Brooks said.
“We are at a point that we can no longer put o repairs to keep functioning and we must increase salaries more to keep our great teachers. e school districts across the state have been essentially in a bidding war for teachers over the last few years, which puts us at a disadvantage without passing more mill levy overrides like neighboring districts.”
News of nancial trouble comes after ESD attracted media attention for attempting to remove classroom libraries and a member of the district support sta was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a child, not a student within ESD.
e District’s Financial Page is available at elizabethschooldistrict.org/Page/245. ESD Board of Education meetings are available to watch at https://tinyurl. com/3v2u4t82. Meetings take place the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 6 to 8 PM at 634 South Elbert Street.
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
Cottonwood and willow trees will be cut down and removed in coming months at Chatfield State Park reservoir, part of a culling of nearly 3,000 now-flooded trunks that died after a planned reservoir-level increase.
Why thousands of trees at Chatfield State Park are being cut down
The long-planned removal of popular cottonwoods with their bases flooded by rising waters will improve safety and keep dam from clogging
BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
ousands of ooded cottonwood snags poking out of the reservoir at Chat eld State Park are popular with anglers and paddleboarders, but they must come out for boater safety and to keep dam outlets from clogging.
Fans of the much-visited lake park southwest of Denver will see nearly 3,000 trees with their bases currently underwater cut down and trucked away in coming months.
ousands more trees will get the fateful blue paint marks for removal next year.
Why do the cottonwoods and willows have to go?
Rising water levels for the past couple of years (more about that below) have ooded and eventually killed thousands of cottonwoods and willows that were previously o ering shade at the waterline. State and federal ocials knew this would happen when a planned reservoir-expansion project began in 2014.
After letting the public play in and around the dead trunks for a few years, it’s now time for them to go. High winds can easily topple trees made unstable by ooded, rotting roots, endangering boaters or people walking the shore-
line. In winter, the trunks get frozen into ice oes and further destabilized when wind moves the ice.
e fallen trunks, limbs and roots also drift northeast toward the dam and clog outlets for the South Platte River heading into Littleton and Englewood.
Fishing boats love cruising the shadows and cover provided by the dead trees and fallen trunks, while paddleboarders nd them a steering challenge and an exploration opportunity.
“We have enjoyed having the cottonwood and willow trees in the reservoir for the past two years and been pleased by the new recreating opportunities the trees provided our visitors,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Chat eld Park Manager Kris Wahlers said. “We explored all options to keep the trees, but since they did not survive, we have to do what’s best for our visitors.”
Why has the water been rising at Chat eld?
Colorado’s growing Front Range cities and water agencies are always looking for new reservoirs or expanded, innovative storage ideas for water rights satisfying local demands.
Chat eld was nished in 1975 as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TriLakes ood control project that includes Cherry Creek State Park and Bear Creek Lake reservoirs. Chat eld can hold
350,000 acre-feet of water but past water levels have always been a small part of the overall basin. e Chat eld Storage Reallocation agreement in 2014 allows local agencies to store up to 20,600 acre-feet in the ood control pool for municipal uses.
Favorable snow and rain in the spring of 2023 nally allowed the partners to store enough basin runo to reach the extra 20,600 acre-foot level. (An acrefoot can supply the water needs of two to four metro households for a year.)
More precipitation in 2023 and 2024, as well as relatively cool weather during key water use seasons, has left the Chat eld pool at or near the maximum levels, keeping the trees ooded.
Who owns the water at Chat eld?
e Army Corps controls the oodprevention pool. Various water agencies and farm ditch companies see their South Platte River Basin water rights ow through Chat eld. e primary entities taking advantage of the new storage available at Chat eld include Centennial, with nearly 7,000 acre-feet; the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, a farming district, at nearly 4,300 acre-feet; Denver Water at 1,600 acre-feet; and Castle Pines North district at 1,000 acre-feet.
Does losing the trees hurt the park overall?
Losing thousands of highly visible tree trunks from the northern boat ramp all the way down the western shoreline of the reservoir will certainly make an aesthetic di erence for parkgoers. But the mitigation for this year’s big tree cutting began years ago, with plans to replace
the shoreline shade and wildlife habitat with thousands of new trees and shrubs. at planting work began as early as 2018, state parks o cials say, with more than 100,000 new trees and shrubs now in the ground. e state says many of those new groves are already thriving and creating cottonwood habitat.
Tree snags at the waterline can be popular with eagles and other nesting birds, but state o cials say there were no eagle nests established in the areas that must be cut down.
Will the state park stay open during all the lumberjack work?
Yes. e state says impact on visitation and use will be minimal. About 2,700 tree trunks will be removed over the next six months, followed by a second phase in winter of 2025 with about 2,300 more cottonwoods needing to go. Work will begin this fall at the north boat ramp and move south down the western shore of the reservoir.
Helicopters will be used to grab trees that can’t be reached by workers wearing waders, and for winter tree removal for trunks surrounded by ice.
“To lessen impact to park visitors, one day-use area will be closed at a time while ground crews complete their work. Helicopter work is expected to start after anksgiving,” a parks release said. Visitors looking to use a particular area can keep up on closures at the park’s website or social media channels.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL BOOTH/THE COLORADO SUN
VOICES
Embrace wins, learn from losses, avoid mediocrity
There’s nothing quite like the taste of victory. Whether it’s our rst win in youth sports, receiving an academic award, or closing our rst sale, that feeling of triumph is something we carry with us for a lifetime. Our heart swells, our con dence rises, and we can’t wait to share the moment with those closest to us. at rst win, no matter how big or small, often sets the tone for how we approach life, shaping who we become and what we pursue.
Take a moment to think back to the rst time you experienced victory. Maybe it was a childhood moment, like scoring the winning goal in a soccer game, or perhaps it was something academic, like becoming a valedictorian or receiving an award in high school. ese early wins are more than just a eeting feeling of success. ey imprint on us, showing us what’s possible when we work, stay focused, and rise to the occasion. e satisfaction of that win becomes a guiding force, pushing us to seek out more challenges, work harder, and continue striving for success. Once we nd
ourselves in a role that we love, we want to share that sense of accomplishment with others. We feel proud, motivated, and driven because of the wins and the journey that led us there.
But the taste of victory isn’t limited to enormous, life-changing wins. Sometimes, it’s the small victories that push us forward. It could be completing a challenging project, getting promoted for the rst time, or even mastering a new skill. ese moments may not change our lives overnight, but they build momentum, giving us the con dence to keep going and pushing ourselves toward bigger goals. No matter how small, each win reinforces the idea that we’re capable of greatness. at said, the true value of victory isn’t just in the win; it’s also in the losses. Too often, people mistake losing as something negative, something to be avoided at all costs. But the reality is that losing,
when framed correctly, can be just as valuable as winning. Each loss is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. Many of the most successful people in the world will tell you that their greatest lessons came from their failures, not their victories.
e problem arises when we become afraid of losing or, worse yet when we settle for mediocrity. Being lukewarm, neither fully committed to success nor willing to embrace failure, is the most dangerous place. It leads to a hollow, mundane experience in life, where we’re neither pushed to improve nor inspired to chase greatness.
But here’s the truth: I have never met someone who can’t succeed. While it’s true that some people struggle, many eventually nd themselves doing exactly what they were meant to do. ey nd a job, position, or calling that feels like a perfect t, and suddenly, everything clicks into place. e career that may have once felt like a series of losses becomes one of ful llment, purpose, and joy. is is the taste of victory when we
nally nd ourselves where we belong, doing the work we were designed to do.
Ultimately, the taste of victory knows no prejudice. It can come in the form of a small win that propels us forward, a middle-of-the-road success that reassures us, or a transformational victory that changes the trajectory of our lives.
But the key is to remain hungry, driven, and willing to push beyond mediocrity. Big and small wins await those who strive, fail, learn, and rise again. Each of us holds within our hands the seeds of failure or the potential for greatness; the choice is ours.
I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can train ourselves to embrace the taste of victory and defeat, it really will be a better than good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Prop KK will save lives
As Coloradans, we are facing a crisis in mental health, gun violence, and victim services. Domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse calls for help are on the rise, yet funding for critical support programs has been cut drastically. Last year alone, 94 Coloradans lost their lives to domestic violence, the highest number ever recorded in our state. More alarmingly, 86% of those homicides involved rearms, highlighting the deadly intersection between domestic violence and gun violence. Since 2018, federal funding for victim services has dropped by over 75%, leaving shelters and crisis centers underfunded and overwhelmed. Proposition KK is a modest but essential solution to these challenges.
Prop KK, on the November ballot, would create a 6.5% excise tax on gun manufacturers and retailers, raising an estimated $39 million annually. ese funds will go directly toward supporting services for veterans, at-risk youth, and survivors of violent crime. is includes $5 million each year for expanding veterans’ mental health services, ensuring that those who have served our country receive the care and support they need to heal from trauma. Another $3 million would go to increasing access to behavioral crisis response for youth. Additionally, $30 million will stabilize the network of victim support services to ensure a call for help is answered, a shelter bed is available, and a counselor can help them heal. Proposition KK also funds crime and gun violence prevention programs to address the root causes of violence.
is measure is about saving lives, supporting our veterans, and creating a safer future for all of us in Colorado and in Douglas County. As a former prosecutor and responsible gun-owner, I urge everyone to vote yes on Proposition KK this November.
Ilya Lyubimskiy, Castle Pines
Vote for quality of life
If the continued backup on I-25 is a concern to you. If the dwindling water supply is alarming to you. If the lack of parking in the Castle Rock downtown area, which a ects downtown businesses, and parking for longstanding events is disappointing, then it’s time to hold elected o cials responsible for this uncontrolled growth. Finally, the internal streets in Castle Rock were never built for this density.
continue to lower Castle Rock’s ranking among other cities.
US News doesn’t even rank Castle Rock in their top 25 for 2024, yet both Colorado Springs, and Boulder, made the list. In 2021 Castle Rock was ranked 28th in Money Magazine, however in 2024 it didn’t even make the top 50 list. Forbes ranks Boulder and Fort Collins in their top 25 best places to live, however Castle Rock didn’t make the list. Livability.Com survey ranks both Broom eld and Fort Collins ahead of Castle Rock. Finally, USA Today ranks the best places to live in Colorado with Castle Rock at number 13 behind cities such as Grand Junction, Greeley, Longmont, Colorado Springs and Parker.
Please do your homework before casting your vote on November 5th. Our quality of life is being eroded by the current administrations!
Don’t believe Prop 127 opponents
Dave Martin,Castle Rock
I’d like to express my concern that opponents of Proposition 127 are acting dishonorably by posting massive signs that sound like they are for the measure, then tell people to vote the opposite way.
Remember the City Council has approved another 50,000 more residents for Castle Rock. e administration indicates the growth was planned years ago, however they should have held developers responsible for more infrastructure and less density. Why was the massive apartment complex, o of Jerry Street and Wilcox approved? is complex is constantly under construction, and has obviously had money problems. is eyesore is just another example of poor planning by the downtown commission, and the City Council. e City, and County, are hired to maintain the quality of life we all moved here for. It’s time to hold these individuals accountable on November 5th. ere are two individuals on the current Council who try to push back on the uncontrolled development, however the other ve, including the Mayor, continue to vote for all development.
I will vote yes on Proposition 127 for wildlife, and I want to o er gratitude to our Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners who have spoken openly in support of the measure to protect mountain lions and bobcats and lynx from cruelty. ese leaders, which include the only wildlife biologist on the commission, have articulated why voting “yes” on Proposition 127 aligns with best practices in wildlife management. Hunting in Colorado requires adhering to fair chase principles which are violated by methods employed to hunt Colorado wildcats. Chasing down terri ed mountain lions and bobcats with packs of radio collared dogs until these animals are utterly exhausted and then shooting them at point-blank range is not fair chase. Lion hunting out ts guarantee a kill which is akin to a canned hunt again violating fair chase.
Bobcat baiting, trapping, bludgeoning, strangling, and skinning to extract pelts for sale to foreign markets de nes the commodi cation of wildlife violating best practices in wildlife management in Colorado.
I am proud of Colorado Wildlife Commissioners who are stepping into the modern era and endorse balancing animal welfare concerns with wildlife management. A “yes” vote on Proposition 127 safeguards our Colorado mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx from cruel, unethical, and unnecessary hunting and trapping while allowing management to protect people, pets, and livestock.
In the 2023 Castle Rock survey the quality of life, and growth, topped the survey, yet most national publications
Lynn Ackerman, Highlands Ranch
Pushing back on claims
Regarding the 10-10-2024 letter to the editor by Mr. Salanitro:
Did Trump kill the bipartisan immigration bill? Yes. “Unraveling Misinformation About Bipartisan Immigration Bill” — FactCheck.org
“Why House Republicans refuse to vote for Biden’s bipartisan immigration bill” (msnbc.com) and “Lankford Named One of the Most Conservative Senators” — Sen. James Lankford (senate.gov). (Not a RINO as Mr. Salanitro claims) Sen. Lankford, R-Oklahoma, was sent to work on this important bill by his Republican members.
Colorado’s byways
er views, history
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Some might say that what’s important is the journey, not the destination — and if you travel in Colorado, you might encounter roads that are considered “destinations unto themselves.”
ose include a couple of Colorado’s more than two dozen designated byways: signi cant roads that are, for many Coloradans, o the beaten path. Around the state, those roads are marked as byways because they hold archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational or scenic qualities.
“We protect those intrinsic qualities,” said Lenore Bates, who manages Colorado’s byways program.
e routes drive economic activity, too. e roads attract travelers, said Bates, adding that they can be “like a bucket list” item.
“Just like the national parks,” Bates said. People “will arrive just to do that byway.” e routes mark the map around Colorado, with some falling close to Denver and others sitting a longer drive away. Here’s a look at the state’s byways system and information about the roads.
Decades of byways
Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways program works to protect and promote the byways, Bates said.
Nationally, in the 1960s, “there was a lot of interest in outdoor recreation, and then in the 70s, it got put on the back burner,” Bates said.
Colorado’s byways program started in 1989, Bates said.
At the federal level, the National Scenic Byways program was created in 1991. It’s an e ort to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads around the country, according to a federal news release.
ere are 13 of Colorado’s 26 byways designated at the federal level as America’s Byways, which gives Colorado more national designations than any other state, according to the state program’s webpage.
‘Grassroots’ involvement
Each of Colorado’s byways has its own local organization that helps take care of and oversee the roads.
ose groups can fall under other entities, such as a county, a national park or national heritage area, or they could be a nonpro t, Bates said.
“So they’re very grassroots,” Bates said, adding: “A lot of them are, of course, volunteers who have full-time jobs.”
Byway groups might be involved in making updates to outdated resources, a visitor center or a rest area, for example.
“We’re trying to get everything ADA accessible or accessible for people who need visual resources,” Bates said, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
One challenge the byways community faces is updating the kiosks — boards with historical information that people can pull over and read, Bates said.
“Unfortunately, a lot of those stories are outdated, and the language is not always up to current view,” Bates said. “And they might be missing somebody’s story on that storyline — it might be one-sided. So we’re trying to get those stories updated slowly. It’s a huge endeavor.”
“We need to get tribal input and other organizations to give those stories,” she added.
Overall, Colorado’s byways program is managed by a governor-appointed commission of up to 15 members, including representatives from a variety of government bodies, Bates said.
Money for taking care of Colorado’s byways comes from a mix of federal and state government sources, as well as local fundraising, Bates said.
‘All-American’ travel
Some byways get a special designation as an “All-American Road.”
To be highlighted with that title, a byway must meet criteria for at least two of the “intrinsic” qualities that are nationally signi cant and have one-of-a-kind features that do not exist elsewhere, according to the federal byways webpage.
“ e road or highway must also be considered a ‘destination unto itself,’” the webpage says. “ at is, the road must provide an exceptional traveling experience so recognized by travelers that they would make a drive along the (road) a primary reason for their trip.”
Colorado has two All-American Roads: Trail Ridge Road, running between Estes Park and Grand Lake, and San Juan Skyway, which runs in the Durango and Telluride areas.
In general, the last time Colorado designated a new byway was in 2014, when Tracks Across Borders Byway was designated between Durango and Chama, New Mexico, Bates said.
Colorado’s byways include paved and unpaved roads. All of them have access to local recreation, such as trailheads, state parks or national parks, Bates said.
“Some of them have parallel paths on a portion of the corridor — for example, along the West Elk Loop is the Crystal Valley Trail” in the Carbondale area, Bates said.
Some of the byways host cycling events, such as Ride the Rockies, Bates added.
How many byways have you been on?
Here’s a list of Colorado’s byways, their length according to CDOT, and their location, starting with some near Denver.
Lariat Loop: Runs 40 miles through the Morrison, Golden, Bergen Park and Evergreen areas
Peak to Peak: Runs 55 miles between the Estes Park and Black Hawk areas. e route “provides matchless views of the Continental Divide and its timbered approaches,” CDOT’s webpage for the byway says
Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans): Runs 49 miles, winding from the Idaho Springs area to the Bergen Park area. Reservations are required for vehicle entry at Mount Blue Sky. See recreation.gov. e road to Mount Blue Sky is currently closed and is not expected to reopen until mid-2026.
Guanella Pass: Runs 22 miles between the Georgetown and Grant areas. Guanella Pass Road is seasonally closed on or about Nov. 26
Trail Ridge Road at Rocky Mountain National Park: Runs 48 miles between the Estes Park and Grand Lake areas. For up-to-date information on the status of Trail Ridge Road, call 970-586-1222
Alpine Loop: Runs 63 miles, generally between the Lake City, Silverton and Ouray areas
Cache la Poudre – North Park: Runs 101 miles between the Fort Collins and Walden areas
Collegiate Peaks: Runs 57 miles (one way), generally between the Granite and Salida areas
Colorado River Headwaters: Runs 80 miles. “ e route begins at Grand Lake, an old resort town on the shores of Colorado’s largest natural lake, and ends on a gravel road through spectacular Upper Gore Canyon,” CDOT’s website says
Dinosaur Diamond: Runs 134 miles or about 500 miles total in Colorado and Utah, according to CDOT. In Colorado, it goes between the Dinosaur and Fruita areas
Flat Tops Trail: Runs 82 miles between the Yampa and Meeker areas
Frontier Pathways: Runs 103 miles, generally between the Pueblo, Silver Cli and Rye areas
Gold Belt Tour: Runs 131 miles and includes multiple roads between the Florissant and Canon City areas
Grand Mesa: Runs 63 miles, generally winding between the Mesa and Cedaredge areas
Highway of Legends: Runs 82 miles, generally in three legs running from the Walsenburg, Aguilar and Trinidad areas and through the Monument Park area
Los Caminos Antiguos: Runs 129 miles, according to CDOT, generally in the Alamosa, San Luis and Conejos areas
Pawnee Pioneer Trails: Runs 128 miles, generally between the Sterling, Fort Morgan and Ault areas
San Juan Skyway: Runs 236 miles in a loop, generally between the Durango, Cortez and Ridgway areas. e roads go “snaking through the woods in the shadow of impressive 14,000-foot peaks,” CDOT’s webpage says
Santa Fe Trail: Runs 188 miles or about 565 miles total for Colorado and New Mexico, according to CDOT. In Colorado, it runs roughly from the Lamar area to the Trinidad area
Silver read: Runs 117 miles, roughly from the Gunnison area to the South Fork area
South Platte River Trail: Runs 19 miles in a loop roughly between the Julesburg and Ovid areas
Top of the Rockies: Runs 115 miles, generally between the Aspen and Vail areas
Tracks Across Borders: Runs 89 miles or about 125 miles total for Colorado and New Mexico, according to CDOT. In Colorado, it goes roughly from the Durango area past the Arboles area
Trail of the Ancients: Runs 116 miles or about 480 miles total for Colorado and Utah, according to CDOT. In Colorado, it goes roughly from the Four Corners Monument through the Cortez area and past the Yellow Jacket area
Unaweep Tabeguache: Runs 133 miles, generally between the Norwood area and the Whitewater area near Grand Junction
West Elk Loop: Runs 205 miles, generally between the Carbondale and Gunnison areas.
For more details about each byway, see the program’s page on the Colorado Department of Transportation website at codot.gov/travel/colorado-byways.
Fall leaves show various colors in the Guanella Pass byway area on Oct. 12 in the Georgetown area.
PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Douglas County School District updates bullying resources, encourages reporting, emphasizes prevention education
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Douglas County School District is hoping to make it easier for students to report bullying while emphasizing prevention education in schools.
District o cials presented at the October meeting on recent e orts to revamp the resources available to students to guide them through identifying and reporting bullying.
“ is has been a signi cant priority for our sta this year,” Superintendent Erin Kane said.
e recently created Bullying Prevention Task Force has updated the district’s website to have a page dedicated to resources and providing an easily accessible reporting form.
Erin McDonald, executive director of schools for the Castle Rock region, said students are encouraged to report bullying to a trusted adult. But the district also uses Safe2Tell, a statewide reporting system, and o ers the online form for students who don’t feel comfortable reporting in person.
“We want people to go right to the school, the teacher or the administrator to say, ‘I have an issue and I want to report it,’ but sometimes they use Safe2Tell or other reporting forms,” McDonald said.
So far this school year, administrators and sta have been through training on the bullying policy and resources available to students. Presentations on bully-
ing have also been given to students at all schools.
e task force is now working on creating a screener to help administrators determine when a report constitutes bullying and a owchart for how to respond. McDonald said the goal is to provide a consistent response across schools and streamline the process.
“ at way it’s systemwide in how it’s being reported and followed up on responding, and making sure we’re taking
care of the students on both sides,” McDonald said.
Reports that include instances of discrimination or harassment are sent to the district’s O ce of Compliance to be investigated. e district partners with law enforcement on reports that include potential crimes.
e district says discrimination is unwelcome physical or verbal conduct directed at a student because of their race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age
or disability. Bullying is de ned as physical or verbal conduct, marked by a power imbalance, that is repeated and intended to harm.
e district is currently facing a lawsuit from a group of families who allege their students were discriminated against because of their race. Lacey Ganzy, one of the parents suing the district, has asked for a policy speci cally to address hate crimes.
In response to board questions about how the district handles discrimination and potential crimes, Winsor said the district investigates on an individual basis and works with law enforcement and the compliance o ce on those reports.
“With each and every student, you want to understand the nuance of what they’re navigating in their situation,” Winsor said.
Winsor said the district will collect data on the reports, as well as use the Healthy Kids Colorado survey and look at how school-speci c services are utilized to determine how e ective the bullying prevention e orts are.
District o cials expect to see some increase in reports of bullying this year because of the education e orts, but that won’t necessarily re ect a spike in bullying.
“When you have a new reporting system that makes it easier to report, you’re going to get a ood of reports initially,” Kane said.
e district is also in the process of creating a unique survey to track school safety and culture.
Raid at Elizabeth apartment ends with deputy injured, suspect dead
Multiple investigations look at actions following attempt to serve search warrant
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
An Elbert County sheri ’s deputy was injured by gun re and a man is dead after Elizabeth police attempted to serve a high-risk search warrant at an apartment at 175 E. Spruce St. on Oct. 15. e Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce said investigations into the incident are ongoing.
According to the sheri ’s o ce, the deputy who was shot su ered a burn injury from a bullet lodged in his protective vest. Another deputy was slightly injured by splatter from holding a ballistic shield that the suspect shot at least ve times. e suspect in the apartment who opened re on police is dead and has not been publicly identi ed. His autopsy was expected to take place on Oct. 17.
Several investigations are underway, including one by the district attorney’s Critical Incident Team, which is looking into the o cer-involved shooting investigation. e Critical Incident Team determines whether law enforcement o cers acted according to state law regarding use
The Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce is headquartered in Kiowa. A sheri ’s deputy was injured during an Oct. 15 incident at an Elizabeth apartment where town police were attempting to serve a high-risk search warrant.
of force, with the nal assessment in the hands of the district attorney.
Douglas County is conducting a separate investigation into the shooting scene and the actions of the Elizabeth Police Department and Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce during the service of the search warrant.
e Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce will also conduct an internal investigation in the near future to determine whether any sheri ’s o ce policies were violated and whether sta followed established procedures.
An Oct. 15 press release from the Eliza-
beth Police Department describes the events of that day. It says that around 9 a.m., members of the Elizabeth Police Department, with assistance from the Elbert County Sheri ’s O ce and the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce SWAT teams, served a high-risk search warrant at the apartment.
While the search warrant was being served, the male suspect red several rounds from a rearm at law enforcement, striking the ECSO deputy. Deputies returned re and retreated to a safe position. When law enforcement entered the residence, the suspect was found dead.
Outside the Douglas County School District building in Castle Rock. The district is updating its bullying resources, which includes a way to make it easier for students to report bullying while emphasizing prevention education in schools.
PHOTO BY ARIA MARIZZA
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
Thu 10/31
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LETTERS
Republicans are pushing horrible, outrageous lies, hurting vulnerable people. Trump’s lies about FEMA hurt our fellow American families who’d already lost their homes, belongings and family members. His goal: to drive more votes to himself. e victims are afraid to seek help they deserve. He does not appear to care.
Yes, Mr. Salanitro, VP Harris IS better on foreign and domestic policy than Trump. Trump got one thing done in four years (besides golf): a fat tax break for the wealthy. Countries all over the world are praying for a President Harris.
Biden’s economy continues to be the strongest America in 50 years.
Trump’s cognitive decline is far worse than anything claimed about Biden. See “Neuroscientist explains how Trump and Biden’s cognitive impairments are di erent | Opinion” (msn.com). Biden shows signs of aging, but Trump is dementing.
It is far past time to stop these lies and vote (blue) if we wish to save our country.
Adoree Blair Highlands Ranch
Yes on Proposition 127
What is the big deal about making it illegal to use packs of dogs to hunt big game animals in Colorado? A dozen or so dogs chasing elk or deer would guarantee a 100% kill ratio and reduce the need for the present number of Park and Wildlife employees and put meat in the freezer for anyone who wants to buy a hunting license. What a deal. Look at mountain lions. Any lion guide worth his/her salt can guarantee a lion trophy and the hunter doesn’t even have to
cough any money until the cat is in the bag, no pun intended. I would vote no on Proposition 127 if Colorado Parks and Wildlife would level the playing eld and rewrite lion hunting regulations to mirror that of every other big game animal in Colorado. at is not going to happen so I have no choice but to join the non-hunters and vote yes on Prop 127. Where were these non-hunters 20 years ago?
Roy Legg Highlands Ranch
Reforms needed for benefit managers
While I’m grateful that lawmakers are taking the issues patients face at the pharmacy seriously, I hope that candidates for o ce this election will prioritize more aggressive pharmacy bene t manager (PBM) reforms to lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs and preserve future innovation.
I have no doubt that the price-setting efforts of our state’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board are well-intended, but the reality is that they could take away crucial funding for the next generation of medications, treatments and cures. Most importantly, the board can do little to prevent the abusive practices of pharmaceutical middlemen — or PBMs for short.
PBMs, who work between insurers, chain pharmacies and drug manufacturers, have far too much control over when and where patients can receive the treatments they need, as well as how much they pay out-ofpocket at the pharmacy counter. rough a host of anti-patient practices, PBMs pad their pro ts at the expense of Coloradans, often making it more challenging for our state’s patients to manage their conditions.
Perhaps the most o ensive PBM practice is their refusal to pass down the prescription drug rebates intended for customers to help relieve their nancial burden. As anyone
who relies on a medication knows, these savings could be a crucial lifeline, yet PBMs selfishly withhold them to soak up every penny they can.
I know there are a lot of issues candidates are thinking about in the month leading up to the election. However, on behalf of our state’s patients, I urge them to lead the way on PBM reform and ensure patients receive the savings they deserve.
omas Miller Highlands Ranch
Hurricanes and taxes
On the heel of two devastating hurricanes, many U.S. citizens are left without food, shelter, or ways to communicate. Many stories have circulated of heroic activities from neighbors, private businesses, religious organizations, or civic clubs providing service to their fellow citizens. Federal programs have received much less praise and have had their fair share of criticism regarding their inadequate responses. One of the oft-quoted criticisms is that there isn’t any money available for FEMA since the funds have been siphoned into other programs bene ting foreign governments or illegal aliens within our borders. is highlights one of the great tragedies of this hurricane season … the federal politicians’ attitude that U.S. taxpaying citizens are a lower priority than foreign governments and immigrants here illegally.
Aside from the federal elected o cial’s apathy toward its own citizens, the other black eye developing from this hurricane season is the horrible ine ciency of federal programs. At times, FEMA’s bureaucracy created obstacles to private entities who were able to immediately help save lives and deliver aid. is shouldn’t come as a surprise to most of us. oughts of San Francisco’s program to build public toilets for the homeless tallied up to roughly a million dollars. While San
Francisco isn’t known for its ability to eciently get things done, it’s likely that a wellrun municipality elsewhere would still cost more than a private enterprise who isn’t hindered by the bureaucracy our government programs are so commonly known for. e thought of giving more money (by removing current middle-income tax breaks or creating new tax programs) and power to our federal government doesn’t make sense to me. e allure of Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor is a heartwarming sight. But if Robin Hood only passes a nickel to the poor for every dollar she procures from the rich, then maybe we should question if she is a true hero or if she is simply a charlatan masquerading around in tights. Don’t forget the million-dollar toilets in San Francisco ...
It’s no wonder that many of us prefer to cutout the Robin Hood middlemen and prefer to have a smaller federal government where we can spend our own money instead of giving more of it to them to mishandle. Please consider this in the upcoming election.
Mike Giles
Parker
Why does Boebert have fans?
Why are Republicans in Douglas County so blind to the behavior of Lauren Boebert? Is it because Republicans, no matter how bad a candidate may be, vote party line? It is obvious her move from the Western Slope to become a candidate in a heavily Republican district was strategic due to fact her chances of retaining her seat in Congress would not happen there. Lauren has demonstrated poor behavior and disrespect both inside and outside Congress but chances of her losing in District 4 are slim due to voter ignorance.
All 5 through 21 year-old concerns should be directed to the local school district administrator, special education teacher, East Central BOCES (719) 775-2342, ext. 101. The East Central BOCES member schools are: Bennett, Strasburg, Byers, Deer Trail, Agate, Woodlin, Arickaree, Limon, Genoa-Hugo, Karval, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, Arriba-Flagler, Hi-Plains, Stratton, Bethune, Burlington, Liberty, and Idalia.
References: IDEA, Part B, Section 300.125 ECEA CCR 301-8 2220-R-4.01-4.04(4) East Central BOCES Comprehensive Plan Section III Process of Identifying
Legal Notice No. ECN 1562. First Publication: October 24, 2024 Last Publication: October 31, 2024 Publisher: Elbert County News
Notice
District Court Elbert County, Colorado P.O. Box 232, 751 Ute Avenue Kiowa, Colorado 800117
In re the Marriage of: Petitioner: Cale B. Pickrel, Pro Se and Respondent: Kendal L. Pickrel, Pro Se Party Without Attorney: Cale B.
Number: 24DR28
FOR: DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
To the Respondent named above, this Summons serves as a notice to appear in this case.
If you were served in the State of Colorado, you must file your Response with the clerk of this Court within 21 days after this Summons is served on you to participate in this action.
If you were served outside of the State of Colorado or you were served by publication, you must file your Response with the clerk of this Court within 35 days after this Summons is served on you to participate in this action.
You may be required to pay a filing fee with your Response. The Response form (JDF 1103) can be found at www.courts.state.co.us by clicking on the “Self Help/Forms” tab.
After 91 days from the date of service or publication, the Court may enter a Decree affecting your marital status, distribution of property and debts, issues involving children such as child support, allocation of parental responsibilities (decision-making and parenting time), maintenance (spousal support), attorney fees, and costs to the extent the Court has jurisdiction.
If you fail to file a Response in this case, any or all of the matters above, or any related matters which come before this Court, may be decided without further notice to you.
This is an action to obtain a Decree of: Dissolution of Marriage or Legal Separation as more fully described in the attached Petition, and if you have children, for orders regarding the children of the marriage.
Notice: §14-10-107, C.R.S. provides that upon the filing of a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Legal Separation by the Petitioner
and Co-Petitioner, or upon personal service of the Petition and Summons on the Respondent, or upon waiver and acceptance of service by the Respondent, an automatic temporary injunction shall be in effect against both parties until the Final Decree is entered, or the Petition is dismissed, or until further Order of the Court. Either party may apply to the Court for further temporary orders, an expanded temporary injunction, or modification or revocation under §14-10-108, C.R.S.
A request for genetic tests shall not prejudice the requesting party in matters concerning allocation of parental responsibilities pursuant to §14-10-124(1.5), C.R.S. If genetic tests are not obtained prior to a legal establishment of paternity and submitted into evidence prior to the entry of the final decree of dissolution or legal separation, the genetic tests may not be allowed into evidence at a later date.
Automatic Temporary Injunction – By Order of Colorado Law, You and Your Spouse are:
1. Restrained from transferring, encumbering, concealing or in any way disposing of, without the consent of the other party or an Order of the Court, any marital property, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life. Each party is required to notify the other party of any proposed extraordinary expenditures and to account to the Court for all extraordinary expenditures made after the injunction is in effect;
2. Enjoined from molesting or disturbing the peace of the other party;
3. Restrained from removing the minor children of the parties, if any, from the State without the consent of the other party or an Order of the Court; and
