A 56.5-acre parcel of land, tentatively called Gold Creek Commons, bordering the Cimarron subdivision may be potentially rezoned with an eye toward development in the future. Residents of the subdivision, located just outside of Elizabeth, received a notice from David Bourne about the parcel at 2481 Highway 86. Bourne is a representative for the trustees of the Stephen W & Bette M Gibson Charitable Remainder Trust, which owns the property.
e property was annexed by the town in 2007 and is 1.1 miles from town center. An approved zoning plan and planned unit development (PUD) already exists, but after 17 years, with market changes and nearby development, the trustees felt the previous PUD no longer seemed like the best plan for the area. As a result, they’re looking to rezone the property.
A neighborhood meeting regarding potential rezoning and future commercial and residential development took place on Dec. 19 at Elizabeth Town Hall. is type of meeting is a very early step in the process before submitting an application to the town for rezoning.
After the meeting, the trustees will have a pre-application meeting with the Town of Elizabeth, which provides a chance for the town to provide feedback and make recommendations.
Afterwards, the trust will submit their nalized application to the Elizabeth Board of Trustees and present it at a public meeting. e town will then decide whether or not to rezone. If the property is rezoned, then the trust will move forward with platting the property.
Bourne and trustee Steve Gibson were present at the neighborhood meeting to get feedback and share how they’d like to rezone the property and why. Town of Elizabeth sta also attended to take notes.
e entire process will probably take months. In response to questions from the residents present, Bourne said important steps like tra c studies, environ-
Angela Ternus begins term as Elizabeth mayor
28-year resident returns to Town Hall after 2023 recall from Board of Trustees
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
e Town of Elizabeth voted in a new mayor at the end of 2024. In a close race, Angela Ternus received 671 votes for mayor over 624 votes for the incumbent, Tammy Payne. Ternus’ four-year term as mayor began on Dec. 10, when she was sworn in along with members of the Elizabeth Board of Trustees. e new board is comprised of Dave Conley, Shannon Downs, Loren Einspahr, Tracy Hutchins and Michael Schroder.
When asked why she decided to run for mayor, Ternus said she “didn’t care for the decisions being made by the board, their lack of transparency, their spending of taxpayers’ money, and their dismissal of what some town residents had to say at their meetings.” She was also concerned by the lack of discussion during board meetings. “I found this to be worrisome,” she said, “when time and again their decisions were unanimous.”
Ternus has been a resident of Elizabeth for more than 28 years and plans to retire here. “I am a third-generation born in Colorado. My grandfather was born in 1885 in Douglas County and my mother was born and raised in Douglas County on the property my great-grandfather bought in about 1890,” she shared.
Ternus has been involved in town a airs since 2007, when she was asked to apply to be on the Elizabeth Planning Commission by the town administrator at the time. She served on the Planning Commission until 2011 and then applied to ll a mid-term vacancy on the Board of Trustees. In 2012, she lost her seat. In 2015, she was appointed to ll another mid-term vacancy. She was elected to the board in both 2016 and 2020 but, in 2023, a successful recall e ort was mounted against her.
“I did not plan to run again anytime in the near future, if ever,” she said. “I had been `beat up’ for four years on social media and needed a break from being the target. I continued to attend
NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Scam phone callers use threats of arrest warrants
Sheri ’s o ces o er tips to identify scam calls that impersonate o cial agencies
BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In November, Sandy Barber received a phone call from a number she didn’t recognize. When she picked up, a man on the line told her he was an o cer with the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce and that there was a warrant out for Barber’s arrest because she didn’t show up for a court hearing.
Barber, who had recently received news that a loved one had passed away, was already emotionally distraught and became confused about the caller’s claim. She said she hadn’t received any noti cation about a court hearing, but the man insisted that they had mailed a summons to her former address.
“I just kept saying, ‘I don’t understand,’” Barber said. “And he kept pushing me.” e man told Barber she had to go to the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, and that she would be arrested once she arrived. He told her not to hang up the phone and not to tell anyone about the situation.
en, he told her she needed to bring $4,500 in cash and he asked her which bank she was going to withdraw the money from.
“Finally, I went, ‘I’m not talking to you anymore,’” Barber said. “I said, ‘I’m headed to the sheri ’s department and I will nd out what’s going on. I don’t believe you.’”
When the man swore at her after that, she said she knew she had made the right decision.
“At that point, I was absolutely convinced it was a scam,” she said.
Barber, who lives in Aurora, is one of many victims across the metro region who have been targeted by scammers that pretend to be members of law enforcement agencies and convince people they have a warrant out for their arrest. ese scammers will often say the victim missed jury duty or a court date. e scammers also tend to ask victims to pay “ nes” or “bonds” in the form of gift cards, prepaid cards or sometimes cash.
How to spot a scam
Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce Deputy Michael McKnight, who works in the community resource and crime prevention unit, said a caller asking for money on the phone is one way to notice that it’s likely a scam.
“The sheri ’s o ce does not take Visa check cards — we don’t take any form of gift cards, anything like that.”
Michael
McKnight,
Arapahoe County sheri ’s deputy
intentionally try to frighten victims so that they will not question what they are being told, McKnight said.
“ eir whole objective is to put fear into you, because once that fear kicks in, that’s when you start making irrational decisions,” he said. “ ey’re going to do something that immediately is going to frighten the person who doesn’t have the education and knowledge about what goes on and how these things work.”
“ e sheri ’s o ce does not take Visa check cards – we don’t take any form of gift cards, anything like that,” he said. e sheri ’s o ce also does not call people to tell them there is a warrant out for their arrest, he said.
Some scammers will ask victims to go to the sheri ’s o ce, which McKnight said is likely a tactic to get people to meet them in another place to deliver money.
Other scammers tell victims that o cials are going to arrest them at their home unless they pay the ne. is is a huge red ag that a call is a scam, McKnight said, because the sheri ’s o ce does not alert people before arresting them.
“We don’t call you to tell you, ‘Hey, we’re coming to pick you up for a war-
rant,’” McKnight said. “We like to be the object of surprise … We just come get you.”
Deputy Ryan Falkner with the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce said these types of scams are also common in Douglas County. He said the scammers often use real names of o cers or chiefs from the law enforcement agency, and victims should not trust this.
“Anyone can nd these names as our names are public records,” he said. “ is adds to the belief that it is real. e victims sometimes end the call with the scammer, (then) call (the sheri ’s o ce) asking if that person works here, and then call the scammer back, believing it is legit.”
Instead, he said, it is best to hang up and call the sheri ’s o ce directly. Scammers may try to convince victims
that they will be arrested if they hang up, but that is not true, Falkner said.
“It is OK to hang up; it is not a crime,” he said. “You can hang up for any reason under any circumstance.”
If the concern is not xed with a phone call to the sheri ’s o ce, Falkner said to physically go to the courthouse or sheri ’s o ce to inquire about the situation.
“I know that physically going to the courthouse (or) sheri ’s o ce is inconvenient, but it’s much better than losing money without verifying this concern,” he said.
Frightening victims into irrationality
For people who have had little to no experience with the criminal justice system or with law enforcement, scammers often play on this lack of knowledge to make victims believe it’s real. ey also
A Littleton resident named Peter, who asked Colorado Community Media not to publish his last name due to being someone who was targeted for a scam, experienced this when he interacted with a scam caller in August. A person left a message for him, and Peter returned the call and left a voicemail. When the number called back, they told Peter there was a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear in court for jury duty.
“I have no idea how the system works,” e scammer told him he needed to pay a ne to do a handwriting analysis and to also send them a nancial statement. Peter had a feeling the call was a scam, so he hung up and called the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce, who con rmed it was a scam call.
“Anytime someone claims to be from one of these agencies, rather than call that number, the rst thing I should have done in retrospect was … call the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce,” Peter said.
If a person actually misses jury duty, McKnight said, the courts will communicate with that person by mail. e court will also give the person opportunities to make up their jury duty date before they attempt to arrest them.
If a person gives money to a scammer, McKnight said it is di cult to recover the funds.
“ ere’s not a lot of ways for us to really detect or see how any of those go, or where they go to, who they hand it o to,” he said. “Unfortunately, when it happens, there’s not a lot we can do.”
If a person does pay a scammer, McKnight said they should le a police report. But the best way to protect themselves is to be informed and aware about what scams look like, and always check with the real agency when in doubt.
“If they have any questions or something is concerning, they can contact us,” he said. “Even if (scammers are) going to keep doing it, at least we’re doing the prevention side and getting that education out where people can feel con dent in hanging up the phone and calling us and letting us know what’s going on.”
An Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce badge.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARAPAHOE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Scammers target potential victims by phone.
SHUTTERSTOCK
I’ll Say It Again: The Mill Levy Should Be a Required Field on MLS Listings
The dollar amount of property taxes has always been a data field on the MLS, because buyers need to know how much they should expect to pay if they purchase a listing. But that number does not provide context to the home buyer. In other words, how do the taxes for this home compare with the taxes for a home of the same value nearby, across town, or elsewhere in the metro area? The answer is in the mill levy.
A few years ago, REcolorado (the Denver MLS) and other MLSs added a “yes/no” field for metropolitan tax district, but how much does that tax district add to the property taxes for that listing? MLS listings don’t currently have a data field for mill levy.
some counties, including Denver, just give the total mill levy and don’t, as far as I could tell, indicate how much of that mill levy is from a metro tax district.
valuing the home. That cost is literally hidden from the buyer of a home in any metropolitan tax district.
signs to each parcel.
Some metro districts have a zero mill levy, but some metro tax districts have mill levies so high that they double the tax bill for a home compared to a comparable one nearby that is not in that tax district.
A good broker should let a buyer know the premium he or she is paying to buy a home in such a district, but that broker cannot currently get that information from the MLS listing. The broker would have to go to the assessor’s web page for that listing in the county where that home is located and look at the breakdown of mill levies for that house.
Jefferson County provides the breakdown of mill levies by each taxing jurisdiction, but
An example of how much taxes can vary can be found in two Jeffco homes that sold in the last few months. One house in the Mesa Meadows section of Golden which sold for $1,500,000 has a mill levy of 91, like all homes in the City of Golden, which has no metro tax districts. The tax bill for that home is $6,761. Meanwhile, a house three miles to the north in a metro tax district which sold for $972,500 has a mill levy of 165, resulting in a 2024 tax bill of $10,105, a $3,344 difference.
A metropolitan tax district is created to fund the infrastructure (roads, gutters, sewers, water lines, sidewalks, etc.) for a new subdivision. Instead of the developer paying those costs, a bond issue provides the funds for that purpose, and home buyers in that subdivision will be paying an extra mill levy for two or more decades to pay off those bonds.
In the above example, the metro tax district’s mill levy is 70 mills. The owner of that home will pay $100,000 or more over time for the infrastructure costs. In Golden, those costs were paid for by the developer or the city. Yet, an appraiser or real estate broker would not factor that long-term expense when
Does a Seller Say They Won’t Repair Anything?
Every buyer should hire a professional inspector, even if a home is sold “as-is.” That’s a bogus term intended to convey that the seller won’t correct any defects uncovered by the buyer’s inspector. I call it “bogus,” however, because the contract does or should contain an inspection termination deadline, and, even if it doesn’t, the buyer always retains the right to inspect the property.
If your inspector finds a serious issue, you can threaten to terminate because of it, and it’s likely the seller will agree to deal with it rather than lose the contract and start over, in which case he must disclose the newly found issue to the next buyer.
That being said, the seller could still call the buyer’s bluff, especially if the buyer’s agent has given the listing agent the impression that the buyer loves the house and would
not let a few thousand dollars in repairs stand in the way of getting a house they love.
That was the situation with a listing of mine. I had been told that the buyer lost out on a prior listing, and their offer had a clause saying they would beat any competing offer by $5,000. That won them the contract, but my seller (who met the buyers a couple times during showings and inspection) knew how much the buyer loved the property and wouldn’t want to lose it.
Therefore, when the inspection objection included a demand for a 5-figure concession to fix a major health and safety problem that any other seller would have agreed to fix, my seller refused, and the demand was withdrawn.
Remember: getting under contract is only the beginning; inspection is a negotiation, too.
When an appraiser or real estate broker values a home, they look at square footage, lot size, garage, bedrooms/bathrooms — in other words, everything but the tax rate (and the HOA dues) when doing an appraisal or comparative market analysis. Yet, the bottom line cost of owning homes in a metropolitan tax district can be dramatically higher.
That is why I have argued for over a decade that REcolorado should include the mill levy for each listing and not just the dollar amount of the property taxes.
Some counties make it easier than others to find the mill levy. In Jefferson County, the assessor’s website breaks down the mill levy from every taxing jurisdiction. A link provides the dollar subtotals and total.
You can, however, calculate the tax bill from the assessor’s website by multiplying the mill levy by the assessed valuation of the property. The assessed valuation for residential real estate statewide is currently 7.15% of the “full valuation” which the assessor as-
When you purchase a home that is within a homeowner’s association, state law requires that you receive a wide array of documents, financial and otherwise, about that association.
These include, for example, the covenants, the rules and regulations, financial statements, bylaws, budget, reserve study, the minutes of the last six months of board meetings, and the minutes of the most recent annual membership meeting.
The contract to buy and sell a home in Colorado provides deadlines for providing these association documents, objecting to them, and resolving any objections. A buyer can terminate a contract and get the earnest money deposit refunded if he or she is unhappy with what those documents reveal.
For example, the reserves of the association may be insufficient, suggesting that a special assessment is likely. The minutes might reveal issues which are upsetting to some members, or legal action which the association is undertaking, at some expense, to enforce its rules against one or more members. These and other reasons could exist that might cause the buyer to terminate the contract.
Very few listing brokers make those documents available to prospective buyers in ad-
Thus, if your home has a full valuation of $1,000,000, the assessed valuation would be $71,500. That’s the number against which the mill levy is calculated. A mill levy of 100 would compute to a property tax bill of $7,150. It’s called a “mill” levy (from the Latin word for thousand) because it is levied against each thousand dollars of value. Thus, 100 mills x 71.5 = $7,150.
The math becomes complicated when the state legislature says, as it did last year, that $55,000 should be subtracted from the full valuation before calculating the assessed valuation. How much did that reduce taxes? $55,000 of reduced full valuation is worth $3,932.50 in reduced assessed valuation. At 100 mills, that’s worth about $393.25 off the home’s tax bill.
Although giving the total mill levy for each MLS listing would be a great improvement, the best way to inform buyers of the effect of a metropolitan tax district would be to say that there is such a tax district, and to add a separate field to enter the number of mills for that tax district.
vance of going under contract, but why not?
Recently, at an open house, a visitor told our broker associate that in California the questions he was asking about the HOA (such as why the HOA dues are so high) would be readily ascertainable in advance rather than only after going under contract.
When we have been on the buyer side, we have rarely found that a listing agent already has the HOA documents — and answers to important HOA questions — to provide us.
That got us thinking, and the answer came last week when Pam Giarratano, our sales rep at First Integrity Title, brought to our office meeting Julietta Voronaov from Rexera. For a reasonable fee, Rexera provides all those required HOA documents prior to going on the MLS, so we can provide them to interested buyers and their agents.
Currently Rexera’s service is only available through our preferred title company, First Integrity Title. After Julietta’s presentation, our broker associates and I agreed that from now on, when we list a property that is located in an HOA, we will use First Integrity and order the pre-listing package from Rexera.
We look forward to providing complete HOA information in advance from now on for all our listings that are located in a homeowner’s association.
BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG
National Western Stock Show returns through Jan. 26
Another year of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is here and with it comes a variety of rodeos and entertainment.
Taking place through Jan. 26 at the traditional National Western Center, the events draw hundreds of thousands of people to the area.
Paul Andrews, the CEO of the National Western Stock Show, said this is a year of new beginnings.
“We’ve got about maybe a dozen, maybe a little more than that, new vendors in the trade show hall that have some really interesting products that people will enjoy,” Andrews said. “It’s kind of the year of the baby around here. We’ve got lots of baby animals that have been born, and in fact one is the baby Scottish Highland cows that will be here up in our expo hall, and they’re going to be available to take pictures with.”
Andrews said there is also a new baby Clydesdale horse that will be at the stock show. e Clydesdale horses are large creatures who pull the wagons during the rodeos. Andrews said there will be about 130 rodeos throughout the stock show.
So far, Andrews said the early indicators, including ticket sales, show there could be as many as 700,000 people who visit the Stock Show. In addition, there are participants from all 50 states and other countries who will participate in stock show events. is contributes to what the NWSS estimates is a $171-million economic impact in the Metro-Denver area during the 16-day event.
“ at’s only the second time in my tenure that I can say that, and I’ve been here for 15 years,” Andrews said. “Our ticket sales are signi cantly ahead of any other year on this same date. If Mother Nature holds up on the weather for us, and we don’t get some 20-inch snowstorm or something of that, yeah, that will impact ticket sales. We’re feeling very good about (ticket sales).”
A full schedule of events can be found at nationalwestern.com/schedule/.
e NWSS also redid its menu in the steakhouse this year, including the addition of a 48-hour braised short rib “that is as big as my arm,” Andrews said.
“Like always, there’s something new at the Stock Show. But there’s also the same great traditional things that people love,” he added.
About 600 temporary workers were hired this year to enhance the events. Many have been on site since December,
and some will work into February.
CEO change coming
Andrews has been a stalwart of the NWSS for decades. Having been its CEO for 15 years, he’s nally ready to pass the torch to another person.
However, the NWSS has not named a replacement at this time. e organization is going through a national search to nd someone who can ll Andrews’s boots. Andrews said he will stay on as the CEO until the NWSS can nd a replacement.
“I’ll be down here all the time at the next year’s show, and the show after that, and the show after that, God willing,” he said.
Andrews has sentimental value in the things he will miss most as CEO of the NWSS.
“Really, it’s been the smiles that I get to see every day in January,” Andrews said. “I so look forward to watching all the families coming through the exhibits that we have here, seeing the animals in the petting farm where the kids are actually in there with animals.
“I’ll also miss the sta ,” Andrews continued. “I’ve become very close to both our sta and our volunteers, and I can tell you that our sta and our volunteers and our committees and our board are some of the best people on planet Earth, and I will miss them.”
e good news, Andrews said, is that he lives in nearby Arvada, so popping over to the NWSS is just a short drive.
National Western Center upgrades
e National Western Center is in the midst of its largest overhaul since the Stock Show came to Denver in 1906. Although no new buildings are open for this year’s events, the Sue Anschutz Rogers Livestock Center will be open for the 2026 National Western Stock Show.
“We are currently working with the (National Western Center Authority board) and a development partner to build out an equestrian center, hotel and parking
garage,” said Marcy Loughran, the chief communications o cer for the Denver Mayor’s O ce on the National Western Center. “ e current timeline for that is anticipated for either Stock Show 2028 or 2029.”
ere’s also the land known as the “triangle,” an area that includes the Denver Coliseum and several other buildings.
Discussions with local organizations that want to see the land repurposed for housing and other community uses are ongoing. e GES Coalition, a nonpro t that works with the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods, has been trying for years to make use of the land that would bene t the neighboring communities.
Loughran said the city is planning to meet with the coalition and community members in the near future to determine the best uses of the land.
A favorite at the National Western Stock Show is the stagecoach entrance. Pulled by six magnificent horses, this replica is a reminder of how people, mail and goods used to cross Colorado. FILE PHOTO
National Western Stock Show CEO Paul Andrews is stepping down after this year’s events, but he said he will stay at the job until a suitable replacement is found. COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW
DOJ probes bias, harassment claims in Dougco schools
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Douglas County School District is under federal investigation for its response to discrimination, harassment and bullying against students based on race, national origin, religion or disability, as well as its use of seclusion and restraints for students with disabilities.
e Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the district, according to an email sent to families. Representatives from the division will be in Douglas County from Jan 13 to 15 to interview families for the investigation.
It’s unclear exactly what led to the investigation or its scope.
District o cials have not responded to a request for com-
ment. O cials from the Civil Rights Division have not responded to a request for an interview.
e district is being sued by three families for its response to discrimination and bullying of Black and biracial students. e students were targeted in a group chat and called slurs and threatened with lynching.
e district also recently had to review its seclusion and restraint policies for students with disabilities after a complaint was led with the Colorado Department of Education in 2022.
O cials from the Civil Rights Division are hoping to interview parents and students, either in person or via phone or Zoom, about their experiences with discrimination, harassment and bullying in the district. To schedule
an interview, contact investigators at community.dcsd@usdoj. gov or call (888) 394-6317.
“We understand that these are sensitive topics,” the email said.
“Participation of minors is allowed with a signed parental consent form or the presence of a parent or guardian.”
After an investigation, the department can choose to do nothing, enter into a settlement agreement if violations are found, or it can sue a district.
A participant in a protest against discrimination and bullying sits on the lawn of the Douglas County School District administrative building in February 2024. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the district’s handling of bullying, discrimination and harassment claims.
To
To learn more, or to schedule a
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Victim’s mother looks forward after driver sentenced
Boy was killed in crash on Highlands Ranch Parkway
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Outside of a courtroom in the Douglas County Courthouse on Jan. 7, the mother of the 13-year-old boy who was struck and killed on Highlands Ranch Parkway last March held onto her son’s baseball hat as she made comments following the sentencing of the man responsible for her son’s death.
“I can’t say I’m happy, but I am satised,” said Victoria Cegielski. “It’s just a start.”
Just before 7 a.m. on March 6, her son, Alexander “Alex” Mackiewicz, was riding a Onewheel — which is an electric skateboard — on his way to school, excited for the rst day of baseball practice that awaited him later that day. Mackiewicz waited for the signal to cross Venneford Ranch. He had crossed six of the seven lanes before he was struck.
e driver, Ruben Morones, 53, was headed east on Highlands Ranch Parkway when he ran a red light and struck Mackiewicz with his vehicle, a SherwinWilliams van. Mackiewicz was ejected from his Onewheel and landed against the curb and died.
Morones was charged with careless driving resulting in death. He pleaded guilty in late October.
On Jan. 7, County Court Judge Lawrence Bowling sentenced Morones to one year in jail with the possibility of a work release, and to pay a $1,000 ne.
A heart-wrenching crash e courtroom over owed with family members, friends and law enforcement for Morones’ sentencing hearing. Many family and friends were wearing white tshirts with a picture of Mackiewicz on it, paired with the words “Justice for Alex.”
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly was overcome with emotion as he recounted the gruesome aftermath in detail at the hearing.
“(It was) one of the most heart-wrenching crashes I’ve ever seen,” Weekly said, adding he has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years.
While Judge Bowling said he understood Morones had no intention of taking a life that day, the decision for the sentence he imposed was based on avoidability of the crash. He said the evidence showed that Morones did not meet his obligation to slow down when approach-
ing a light, no matter if it was red or green.
Agreeing that it’s a tragic case, the defense claimed it was an accident. ey said drugs and alcohol were not involved, Morones wasn’t speeding, nor was he distracted — rather, it was a matter of unfortunate timing. e defense added that at the moment of the incident, the sun was “just right” and Morones could not see that the light turned red.
But according to investigation ndings of the case, the tra c light was clearly visible — as proven through a photograph that an o cer took in the following days at the same time the incident occurred, in the same lane, approaching the same intersection.
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly watches as Victoria Cegielski speaks to the media about what kind of person her son was.
PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
The Cegielski family civil attorney, Phill Harding, stood in front of the media and spoke about the civil aspect to this case.
‘I ask for forgiveness’
In front of the judge at the sentencing hearing, Morones’ brother-in-law described him as a hard worker who provides for his family. He added that Morones wishes he could take that day back and is traumatized by the incident.
With numerous family members sitting behind him in the courtroom, Morones apologized for what had happened.
“I take responsibility for this accident and I ask for forgiveness,” Morones said through a Spanish interpretor.
The defense asked for probation
A probation pre-sentence investigator report provides the judge with information to help determine an appropriate sentence. In this case, it was suggested that Morones receive supervised probation.
e defense also cited a similar case that occurred in Arapahoe County, during which a 13-year-old boy was struck and killed by a vehicle on the way to school. In April of last year, the woman who pleaded guilty in this case was sentenced to two years of probation and to pay a $1,000 ne after also being found guilty of careless driving resulting in death.
As Morones was compliant with o cers at the scene and throughout the investigation, had a valid license at the time of the incident and accepted responsibility, the defense asked for a period of probation and useful public service.
However, Morones’ previous tra c violations were also a point of contention.
In addition to a conviction of careless driving resulting in injury in 2006, Morones has also had two DUI convictions —
in 2001 and 2010 — for which he received probation.
e defense claimed that these previous o enses do not re ect his driving abilities in recent years, as he has been a delivery driver for Sherwin-Williams for more than four years, spending hundreds of hours on the road.
But learning Morones had another chance at probation, Mackiewicz’s mother disagreed.
“How many chances does he get,” Cegielski said in court. “Because my son didn’t get any chances.”
The work isn’t over e jail time and ne that Morones received are the maximum amount the judge was able to impose for the charge due to Colorado law, but many believe it’s not enough.
“I respect the rule of law,” Weekly told the judge. “You shouldn’t be able to kill someone in this state and throw a penalty on your credit card.”
He added that it is unacceptable to have a penalty that low for taking someone’s life, and that he aims to work with the state legislator to change the penalties — already having started conversations with a local senator.
“ e system is very broken when the most severe consequence for careless driving resulting in death is a $1,000 ne and a year in jail,” Weekly said.
George Brauchler, district attorneyelect for the 23rd Judicial District, agreed the punishment is too low and that there needs to be a law that provides a judge with a greater sanction.
“You can do eight million things in your life to protect yourself from crime, where you work, where you live, the time of day you go out and do things. One thing none of us can protect us from is what takes place on our roads,” Brauchler said.
Victoria Cegielski stands next to Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly following the sentencing hearing of the driver who hit and killed her son.
While speaking to the media after the sentencing, Cegielski said she aims to work with others to make the charge of careless driving resulting in death a felony, as it will put full meaning to what is happening.
In addition to the criminal case, the Cegielski family civil attorney Phill Harding said there is also a civil aspect to this case. He said they are seeking a policy limit demand from the insurance company of the vehicle that Morones was driving, and if it’s not paid within 30 days, they will le a lawsuit.
“We are going after the entity that supplied this killing machine,” said Harding. “If you hire someone with a background like this, then you need to pay.”
‘Alex was my life’
As photos and videos of Mackiewicz were shared on the screens in the courtroom and those who knew him addressed the court, crying could be heard throughout the room.
For Helena Bernal, Mackiewicz’s older sister, March 6, 2024, was supposed to be a normal day. But instead, it’s a day lled with tragedy that broke a family apart, Bernal said.
“One boy died, but his death has killed a piece of all of us,” Bernal said.
Mackiewicz’s father told the judge that he is heartbroken that he will never get to see his son drive his rst car, and that driving a vehicle is a privilege.
“Alex was my life,” he said.
Mackiewicz’s mother recalled the moment she followed her son’s phone to the intersection of the incident, hoping it was all just a dream. She told the judge she is now only left with memories and feels as if she is in her own jail, con ned to a life in misery.
Among the eight individuals who shared their heartbreak over the loss of Mackiewicz, stories about his character were also shared. How he used to pay for other students’ lunches, how he wanted to become an engineer, how he could hit a baseball across the eld, how he befriended everyone.
“He would do anything and everything to make people smile,” said Cegielski. “Often he would take less so people could have more.”
Mackiewicz’s brother-in-law said he will miss his best friend, the older brother who would stand up for him in di cult situations. His father-in-law spoke directly to his late son, thanking him for lling a hole in his heart.
Mackiewicz was also described as friendly and adventurous by his neighbor, and “a sweetheart and tough-cookie at the same time” by a schoolmate’s father. A box lled with letters from Mackiewicz’s classmates and other community members was brought to the judge.
Today, a tree near the site where Mackiewicz lost his life continues to be surrounded by owers. And standing a few feet in front of the tree is a blue memorial sign that urges drivers to slow down and to drive safely.
“Caring, caring, caring. at’s how everybody described Alex, it was just in his nature,” Cegielski said.
The Su ragette’s Murder By Sandy Rustin Directed by Margot Bordelon
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
John Carson takes vacant seat in state Senate
Kevin Van
Winkle
held post in legislature until becoming Douglas County commissioner
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County Republican John Carson unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the board of county leaders in 2024, but he will now represent his area at the state Capitol after winning a seat left open by state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle.
“I wanted to reduce taxes and regulations,” Carson said on why he ran to ll the vacancy in state Senate District 30. District 30 covers a large portion of northern Douglas County, including Highlands Ranch, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Roxborough Park and nearby areas. Carson emerges with a spot in public o ce after Van Winkle beat him in last year’s primary that decided which Republican would face a Democrat in the November election to replace Lora omas as a Douglas County commissioner. omas could not run for reelection because of term limits.
At the time, Van Winkle served as the senator for District 30. Now, as Van Winkle adjusts into his o ce at the county level, Carson will seek to represent conservative values as the area’s new state senator.
e vacancy in District 30 arose amid Van Winkle’s move to the county commissioner role. Van Winkle, also a Republican, had won an election for District 30 in 2022 and had about two years left in his term when he moved to the county position. Carson is expected to serve for that remaining time.
A vacancy committee of local Republicans appointed Carson to the open spot on Jan. 4 in a meeting at the Southridge Recreation Center in Highlands Ranch, Carson said.
ran against Priscilla Rahn — former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party, who also ran in last year’s county commissioner primary against Van Winkle and Carson — and Kim Ransom, a former member of the state House, representing part of Douglas County.
Carson garnered 71 votes to Ransom’s 48 and Rahn’s 17, Carson said.
Carson, a former Douglas County school board president who lives in the Highlands Ranch area, spoke with Colorado Community Media about his priorities for serving in the state legislature.
Talking ‘across-the-board cuts’ and immigration
Carson says he wants to create a statelevel “government e ciency commission” modeled after the group that may
be created in the incoming Trump administration, an e ort to be headed by the wealthy Elon Musk and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.
“Basically do the same thing — go through the state agencies” and “cut the redundancy, waste,” Carson said, adding that he envisions the state commission would be largely made up of Colorado business leaders.
Carson noted the need to cut the state budget “quite a bit” this year.
“We’re looking at a state budget de cit approaching (roughly) a billion dollars, and the state constitution requires a balanced budget, so something’s going to have to happen,” Carson said.
He’d also like to “continue phasing out the state income tax” entirely by 2030, he
“I believe in less government. I believe state government’s gotten too big,” Carson said. “So philosophically, I believe we need to reduce a lot of government.”
Spending went up with pandemic-era programs, which should be among those to be cut, Carson said.
“I think it’s going to have to be acrossthe-board cuts — pretty much everything’s going to have to come down,” he added.
Asked whether the cuts would include education and health care spending, Carson said he didn’t know speci cally, but “it’s not going to be a year that programs are going to be growing, that’s for sure.”
Aside from matters of funding, Carson also wants to require local governments to comply with federal immigration policy.
“I think it’s ridiculous that we’ve got particularly Denver” opposing possible federal immigration enforcement, Carson said.
“ e border has not been secure,” Carson said, adding: “I’m in favor of legal immigration, and that’s the way it should happen, but illegal immigration” is “unacceptable to me.”
Message to the GOP Carson also had a message to Republicans: e party “needs to get more united and stop the internal bickering that’s going on.” e party should “communicate our message a lot better to all of the voters,” Carson said. “We’re spending so much time ghting within the party that we’re not getting that done.”
When asked whether he was referring to the state Republican Party, he said: “I wouldn’t put it in a particular category.” e “leadership of the party at all levels, we’re just spending too much time on internal party matters,” Carson said, adding: “We need to focus outward instead of inward.”
Carson previously served on the governing body of the University of Colorado. As a CU regent, he oversaw a $4 billion budget and four university campuses, he has said.
He also touts delivering “conservative results” as president of the Douglas County school board, noting he helped end the contract with the county teachers union. He expected to be sworn in to the Senate seat Jan. 10. He said he intends to run for election in 2026 for a full four-year term.
About Colorado’s legislature
This year’s legislative session, the four-month part of the year when state lawmakers typically pass bills, started Jan. 8.
The state House is composed of 65 representatives. Those members are elected every two years and are limited to serving eight consecutive years.
The state Senate is made up of 35 senators, who are elected to four-year terms. Each senator is limited to serving two consecutive terms.
For more information on the state legislature, its schedule and proposed bills, see its website at leg.colorado.gov. For maps of the state House and state Senate districts, see tinyurl.com/COstatedistrictmaps.
State might have your money — here’s how to get it back
The Great Colorado Payback has been operating since 1987
is new year, Coloradans have an opportunity to reunite with their missing, lost, or forgotten valuables being held for them by the state.
Also known as e Great Colorado Payback, the state’s Unclaimed Property fund was created in 1987 as a consumer protection program to keep both intangible things, like savings accounts and unpaid wages, as well as tangible items — like gift cards — safe in perpetuity, al-
lowing people to claim their items without time limits.
e physical vault located in the back of the state treasurer’s o ce holds everything from war medals to baseball cards with an active list of more than 7.6 million owners.
e state sends notices of unclaimed property in the mail, but you can also search your name at the website colo-
rado. ndyourunclaimedproperty.com, to learn if there’s something of value that you’ve forgotten or lost.
e treasurer says the fund has reunited Coloradans with more than $750 million in lost property as of 2024. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
Carson
Clucking over eggs? Cage-free law is not to blame for shortage, prices
Continued challenges from avian flu are impacting egg production nationwide
BY ALI LONGWELL SUMMIT DAILY NEWS
e full extent of Colorado’s cage-free egg law has gone into e ect, requiring that all eggs sold in the state come from free-roaming hens.
However, egg shortages and rising prices are due to the continued impacts of the highly pathogenic avian in uenza on producers.
“You may have seen egg shelves bare or purchase limits or prices very high right now with eggs. at is high path avian in uenza having an impact on the marketplace, that is not the cage-free egg law,” said Kate Greenberg, Colorado’s commissioner of Agriculture, at the Jan. 8 Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting. “ ese just happened to coincide at the same time.”
Greenberg added that Colorado’s egg producers have spent the last four years — following the legislative directive to move toward cage-free — coming into compliance. By Jan. 1, all commercial Colorado egg-laying facilities met the requirements of the law.
However, as the law hit, producers in Colorado and the country were hit by avian u and are working back to full operation, she noted.
“We, over the last two months, saw the deepest decline in egg-laying hens because of high-path avian in uenza,” Greenberg said.
Avian u has impacted nearly 10 million domestic birds in Colorado since 2022 and 127 million nationwide, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture. e Colorado outbreak peaked last July and August — with cases in poultry, dairy and humans con rmed — but has continued to have impacts. Greenberg noted that Colorado producers have received around $64 million from the federal government for losses from the disease.
Poultry producers hit by the virus saw 98% of their ocks die within 48 hours once infected, she said.
Part of the challenge with the most recent outbreak is that this strain of the virus “is unlike one we’ve ever seen,” Greenberg said.
Not only did the virus cross over between domestic poultry and dairy cattle but there is no end in sight.
“In the past, it was seasonal. We could say as migrations slow down with wild birds, high-path (avian in uenza) will slow down in domestic poultry. at has not been the case and now with dairy cattle coming on board and being a ected by the virus, it’s a much more variable and unpredictable situation,” Greenberg said.
As a result, this outbreak “put a hit on both the cage-free and conventional supply across the country and we’re seeing price points for both conventional and cage-free skyrocket,” she added.
In its weekly egg markets overview dated Jan. 3, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the u has hit all types of egg productions — caged, cagefree and organic — but that cage-free operations “experienced disproportionate loss” in 2024. Cage-free operations experienced losses of around 56% resulting in “signi cant price impacts for cage-free
eggs,” it added.
2024, the cost of a dozen eggs rose by around 45% from January to November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s daily price report for Jan. 8, the price to retailers for a dozen large white eggs ranged from $6.05 to $6.13 in the region that includes Colorado.
At Western Slope City Market locations — including locations in Summit, Eagle, Gar eld, Grand, Pitkin, Gar eld and Routt counties — the cost of a generic brand of 12 cage-free white eggs was $7.19 on ursday, Jan. 9. According to the City Market website, these locations are limiting the sale of eggs to two cartons per person “due to high demand.”
Safeway locations in Eagle, Summit, Grand and Routt counties had 12 cagefree white eggs listed for $6.99.
Parks and Wildlife Commissioner Marie Haskett claimed that the cost of a dozen eggs soared to $13.49 in Meeker.
With weekly dairy testing and ongoing
On Jan. 1, Colorado saw the full rollout of its cagefree law. However, the change is not to blame for rising costs and supply issues.
work in the state, Greenberg reported, currently, “Colorado is in a good place” in terms of disease prevalence, but that it will take time to recover from the impacts.
“We know it’s tough on consumers, but high-path (avian in uenza) is tough on us all right now,” Greenberg said.
Parks and Wildlife Commissioner Chairman Dallas May, also a cattle and agricultural producer in Lamar, said that this situation is an example of greater challenges facing the agriculture industry.
“I don’t think society realizes the delicacy of our food supply. It only takes one thing like this to take out eggs,” May said.
“As we put more and more pressure on our agricultural industry and producers, it may seem like we’re doing something good in one way, but we’re really hurting ourselves, maybe for the long-term future.”
e Summit Daily News is located in Frisco and covers Summit County. is article is courtesy of Associated Press StoryShare.
A year of reflection and renewal
As the calendar ips to a new year, it’s natural to pause and re ect on the one we’ve just completed. For some, it may have been a year of profound challenge, marked by the loss of a loved one, personal health battles or unforeseen traumas that reshaped the course of their lives. For these individuals, the arrival of a new year may feel like a much-needed turning of the page, an opportunity to leave pain behind and begin anew.
For others, the past year may have been lled with milestones and achievements, victories both personal and professional. It was a year of growth, learning and perhaps even celebration. As joyful as they may be, these moments often come hand in hand with failures and setbacks that taught invaluable lessons. Looking back, the make-up of highs and lows creates a narrative that fuels ambition for the year ahead.
WINNING holds sports,
hope, determination, or a bit of trepidation, one thing is certain: it is a year that holds potential for change, growth, and transformation. e phrase “you’re only as good as your last win” resonates in sports, sales and life. It reminds us that success, while worth celebrating, is eeting without consistent e ort. But it’s equally valid that failure doesn’t de ne us; it’s simply a step along the path to success.
relationships to how we de ne success. It’s an extraordinary opportunity but also demands adaptability and intentionality.
As these changes unfold, they invite us to re ect on our personal goals. What does transformation look like for you? Perhaps it’s focusing on physical health, prioritizing mental wellness, or strengthening your spiritual practice. Maybe it’s developing new skills to stay ahead in your career or embracing the technology that once seemed intimidating.
with loved ones and savoring moments of peace?
Whatever your vision, the blank canvas of the year ahead awaits your brushstrokes. It’s not about predicting what will happen; it’s about choosing how you will respond, grow and create meaning in the days and months to come.
No matter which side of this spectrum you nd yourself on or if your year included a mix of both, the beauty of this moment lies in its promise. We all have a blank canvas, a chance to envision what’s possible in the next 12 months. Whether we approach this year with
As we bid farewell to last year, take stock of what you achieved, what you learned and what you might have done di erently. Did you nd moments of courage? Did you navigate unexpected challenges with grace? Even in the most di cult of years, silver linings or small victories often pave the way for resilience. e year ahead promises not just change but transformation. Technology, particularly advancements in arti cial intelligence, is accelerating faster than we ever imagined. From how we work to connect, AI is reshaping industries and
New year, new strategies
Anew year, a clean slate. I always think of this as a great opportunity to take a new look at everything and make plans for the next 12 months. But then again, I am a planner. If you are not, then this may sound foreign to you, but it may still be worth your while to learn how to build the best strategy for 2025.
Readers have been inundated with news about what to expect under the new president. Investors have concerns about not enough domestic help and therefore rising prices. Business owners are wondering how tari s will a ect their imported supplies and their exports. Taxpayers are in ux about the tax law sunset slated for the end of this year and how to plan for 2026. It is di cult to plan when there are so many unknowns.
Luckily, Mariner’s chief economist, William Greiner, has kept a level head and is holding steady with his economic outlook. is is based on the business cycle and the natural progression expected from the Federal Reserve Board. It does no good to play guessing games about much else until more unfolds. Typical of many campaign promises, the chances of everything being implemented exactly as claimed are very small. We expect that economic growth will slow to 1.5% to 2% in 2025. is is down from the 2.5% to 3% we experienced in 2024, according to Greiner.¹ is view, along with in ation continuing to moderate, is similar to that of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
Powell’s testimony in late December included his forecast that unemployment is expected to go higher in 2025 to the 4.3 percent range. He stated that monetary policy will adjust as things progress. “If the labor market weakens or in ation falls, then we can decrease interest rates more aggressively,” he said.
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
I found it interesting that the last interest rate cut in mid-December triggered a stock market decline. Unfortunately, there was also no Santa Claus rally last year. is is when stocks do well in the last ve trading days of the year and into the rst two days of January. Instead, the markets ended on a sour note with ve consecutive days of decline from Dec. 26 through Jan. 2. However, it was a good year for the history books, with the S&P 500 rising more than 20% in 2024.²
Investors should consider planning for slower economic growth, slightly higher unemployment and potentially falling interest rates and moderating in ation. Develop a plan with your adviser to remain consistent with your investment strategy based on long-term growth potential and short-term interest rate declines. Bond investors should once again be rewarded with rising values as rates fall. Savers may not see their 4% and 5% yields on money markets or certi cates of deposit for a while. at renewal risk will be alive and well when new rates are posted at maturity. It may be time to look at a more productive strategy if this money is not your emergency reserves but keep in mind it is possible to lose money investing in securities.
1.William Greiner: ree Yards and a Cloud of Dust
2. JP Morgan: December FOMC
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.
is could also be the year to deepen relationships with family, friends, colleagues or even yourself. Pursuing personal growth doesn’t need to be grandiose; often, the most transformational changes begin with small, consistent actions.
e start of a new year is a rare opportunity to rewrite the script. It’s an invitation to dream big and act boldly. But it’s also a reminder to pace ourselves, embrace progress over perfection and stay curious about the future.
Ask yourself: What do you want this year to mean? Is it the year you nally take that leap you’ve been hesitating over? Or is it the year you nd solace in the simple joys of life, treasuring time
As we close one chapter and open another, let’s celebrate the resilience that carried us through the last year and the hope that fuels the next. Whether this past year was one to cherish or endure, the road ahead holds promise.
May this be the year of transformation for technology, our communities, and ourselves. What will you make of it? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com. e answer lies in the choices you make starting now. Here’s to the year ahead, your year to re ect, grow, and thrive. And as you do, 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
Mull values in school board race
Are you a family member or neighbor of a child or teen who has a disability? Perhaps they are humans of color? Do they enjoy dressing in articles of nongender-conforming clothing? Maybe the child is happy wearing all-black, yellow, or rainbow-colored out ts? Are we able to share our values in the best interests of children? Are kindness, tolerance, and service your values?
School board races are happening in Douglas County and other school districts this November. It’s time to examine your values as you examine upcoming candidates. I urge you to vote for board members who mirror your conscience. Seating an extreme majority board will harm children. e local groups Moms
for Liberty, CPAN and FAIR are funding and in uencing candidates. Let them show you who they are. A recent photo in Colorado Times Recorder shows Colorado GOP special-initiatives director and El Paso County Moms for Liberty founder Darcy Schoening standing with Colorado Log Cabin Republican and former Denver GOP chair Garrett Flicker as they smile in T-shirts proclaiming “Bring back bullying.” eir values quash kindness, inclusion and service, potentially harming our children. Don’t allow school boards to become bully pulpits.
Katie Barrett, Castle Rock
LETTERS
Truth about ‘book ban’ myth
Recent media coverage has painted a misleading picture of “book bans” in schools, particularly in the Elizabeth School District. However, the reality is far from the sensationalized narrative. e district’s policy isn’t about censorship but about empowering parents to make informed choices for their children’s education.
Parental Choice, not a Ban. e Elizabeth School District implemented an opt-in choice giving parents control over their child’s access to library materials that are considered sensitive. is o ers three clear options for parents: Full access: Allow children to check out any book; Permission-based access: Require permission for speci c books; or Denial of access: Restrict access to certain books entirely. is system is about providing choice, not banning books. Parents have the power to decide what’s appropriate for their children, while ensuring that all students have access to a wide range of materials.
Despite this choice-based option, two parents have led a lawsuit against the district, with support from groups like the ACLU. is raises an important question: Why sue over something parents already have control over? e choice is designed to give parents transparency and autonomy, yet these parents are challenging the very freedom they are granted. e policy allows them to decide what their children are exposed to, making the lawsuit seem unnecessary. If the policy is about empowering parents, why is there such strong opposition from some groups? e controversy may not be about protecting children, but about controlling educational content. When transparency and parental involvement are reduced, it becomes harder for families to make informed choices about their children’s education.
At its core, the Elizabeth School District is about giving parents control and choice, not restricting access to educational resources. By o ering clear options, the district ensures that families can make decisions that align with their values while still maintaining access to materials for all students.
e real issue here is parental choice. e district’s system isn’t a “book ban,” it’s a decision designed to empower parents to make informed choices about
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
their children’s education. Instead of focusing on misguided accusations of censorship, we should embrace this transparency and the choice it o ers families.
Crisy Howell, Elizabeth
I too am an American
I want to thank Adoree Blair for your letter of Jan. 2, 2025. I too, am an American, born and raised in this great country that I deeply love. I have also represented the United States in international sports competition and worn my USA sweats with pride.
I remember a time when both Republicans and Democrats put the needs of our nation rst over political party doctrine. It was also a time when medical science eradicated the deathly scourge of polio and smallpox and saved millions of lives in the process. Yet our new president embraces a vaccine denier for secretary of health and human services.
It was a time when a great Republican president, Ronald Reagan, worked with Tip O’Neill to create legislation that was best for the entire nation. It was also a time when we valued education and science so that millions of engineers and scientists could put 12 of our fellow citizens on the surface of the moon. I long for those days.
I long for those days when our Constitution was treated as the sacred document it truly is and not treated as a local zoning ordinance that needs to be circumvented in order to develop a real estate deal.
Yes, Adoree, I too am a proud American and I thank you for your letter to the Highlands Ranch Herald.
Robert Clarke, Highlands Ranch
Politics both ways
It was interesting to see Elizabeth School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger state his disappointment that a lawsuit had to become a political attack. Didn’t the Elizabeth School Board and District rst start imposing their political views in removing books from the libraries? When will government end imposing their values on individuals? Isn’t it the responsibility of parents to monitor what children read and not biased political leaders? I do not support either side in this con ict but do support compromise. Is it wrong for both sides to sit down and discuss differences while arriving at a compromise rather than making lawyers richer? Isn’t that what we teach children in school to do in resolving their con icts with conict resolution?
Dave Usechek, Parker
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REZONING
mental impact studies and water studies will need to be completed.
e new zoning plan di ers signi cantly from the previous plan. e pre-existing PUD allotted 25.5 acres for commercial use, whereas the new zoning plan only allots for 6 acres.
e bulk of the acreage in the proposed plan would be residential, single-family housing. Another 3.8 acres is set aside for multifamily homes and 7.3 acres of open space. e previous plan was for about 134 houses whereas the rezoning would allow for more, perhaps as many as 195, though the exact number is total conjecture at this early stage.
“ e property was annexed to the town in 2007 and was approved at that time for residential and commercial use. We are just looking to adjust some of those amounts to a balance that makes more sense to where the town is today,” Bourne said.
e property ceded their water rights to the town in 2007 in exchange for the town servicing their utility needs, such as water, trash and electricity. With the town providing water, any homes on the land would not have wells within the same aquifer as those in the Cimarron subdivision.
Community members raised several concerns. Most did not want such close proximity to commercial areas and multi-family dwellings and were worried tra c through the neighborhood would increase. ey expressed a desire that any development mirror their own subdivision and consist of horse properties with larger lots.
Cimarron resident Kathy Davis said it was important to keep an eye on the bigger picture and remember everyone is “playing in the same sandbox.” She also expressed sadness about losing the natural beauty of the open space.
Jenna Jacobson’s property would directly border the potential commercial and multifamily zoned areas. She said the development is “literally forcing me out of my dream home and I have nowhere to go.” Jacobson is also worried about the impact on property values and potential stress on the horses in Cimarron. “... Current plans aren’t compatible with happy healthy horses living next door. ey
MAYOR
can’t take that stress,” she said. Jacobson is also worried the development would decrease her home value.
Bourne said determining the cause of changes in home prices is very complicated.
“Taken in a vacuum, an increase in the supply of homes should lead to a decrease in the overall price. However, most growth occurs in areas where there is an increase in demand, either because of the new developments and the amenities they bring with them, or because of overall market demand that the developments are responding to,” he said.
“In addition, there are macro factors such as interest rates, employment growth and other things,” he added. “In the speci c case of Elizabeth and the county residents in Cimarron, the town has nearly doubled the number of homes over the last 10 years, and in that same period, the value of the homes in the Cimarron development have increased more than 100%.”
e Town of Elizabeth said residents are welcome to come talk to town trustees about the potential rezoning. eir phone number is 303-646-4166 and their website is available at townofelizabeth.org. Bourne can be reached at 949-456-4048 for more information.
both Planning Commission and board meetings as a concerned citizen of the town with the freedom to speak my mind.”
Ternus has several items on her initial agenda as the mayor. Planning a board retreat, reviewing recent property purchases and building better relationships with other government agencies and civic groups all made the list. Ternus has also asked the town attorney to provide information about overturning the prior board’s decision to create town wards. She also hopes to improve transparency.
CORRECTIONS
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Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
“I want to encourage questions and discussion by the board, so that the public can have con dence in the decision-making process and so that it doesn’t look like the decisions have all been made before … the public meetings,” she said. Ternus said she wants to see all citizens of the town treated respectfully, listened to when they speak before the board and given the opportunity to speak.
e town currently has one open seat in Ward 2, which extends from Elizabeth Street down to Tabor Street, south of Highway 86. e board will have to appoint someone in January to ll the position, provided there are applicants.
Ternus’ campaign website is available at angelaternus. com. More information about the e ort to recall her is available at tinyurl.com/y79h6wke as well as tinyurl. com/muuf6emu.
e Town of Elizabeth Board of Trustees meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 151 S. Banner St.
Angela Ternus, the new mayor of Elizabeth, stands outside Elizabeth Town Hall on Banner Street. Ternus has been involved in local politics for decades.
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
Maps detailing the previous zoning plan were available to the public at a neighborhood meeting to gather feedback. The property was previously platted with over 20 acres of commercial space and about 18 acres of residential.
The neighborhood meeting to discuss rezoning 56.5 acres bordering the Cimarron subdivision o of Highway 86 took place on Dec. 19 at Elizabeth Town Hall.
PHOTOS BY NICKY QUINBY
Colorado inflation was less than U.S. overall
State’s numbers for 2024 end year up 2%
BY ELYSE APEL
Colorado reported lower than average year-over-year change in prices in 2024, according to a new report from the state’s Legislative Council Sta .
While the national average at the end of 2024 was 2.7% in ation, Colorado’s was 2%. Colorado in ation was measured us-
At least
ing prices in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan area.
Housing was the biggest reason for the di erence in national and state in ation numbers. While nationally housing made up 1.8% of the contribution to in ation, in Colorado it made up just 0.4%.
at is down signi cantly from the peak in housing in ation in 2022, when overall in ation also peaked in Colorado at almost 10% year-over-year.
at could partly be due to a decrease in home prices in Denver in 2024, down 3% from 2022.
Still, Coloradans are seeing a signi cant
overall rise in costs.
According to a report from the U.S. Senate’s Joint Economic Committee, Colorado ranked number one in the nation for increased costs compared to 2021.
“ e average household in Colorado is paying $1,332 more per month to purchase the same basket of goods and services as in January 2021,” stated the report. “Cumulatively, the average Colorado household has spent $42,079 more due to in ation since January 2021.”
Overall, unemployment rates are beginning to tick up, both nationally and in Colorado, the state’s report found. Down
from the pandemic’s 12%, Colorado’s unemployment rate is currently 4.1%.
Government jobs had one of the highest gains year-over-year in 2024 from 2023, with a 4.1% increase. e only other tracked sectors that ranked higher were “mining and logging” and “other services.”
Real personal income growth in Colorado (2.5%) was above the state’s historical average of 1.7%, but lower than the national average of 2.8%.
Republished from e Center Square, a national news service that is the project of the nonpro t Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
Illegal street racing targeted by state working group
16 arrested and 11
vehicles impounded in street racing operations last year
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
At least 16 arrests were made and 11 vehicles impounded onsite in connection to street racing complaints in Colorado in 2024, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
e Patrol along with several local agencies combined e orts as part of the state’s Street Racing Working Group — or SRWG — to ght illegal street racing in
the state.
e SRWG was created to address the continued problems posed by illegal street racing, according to a CSP news release. “ e dangers associated with illegal street racing, as well as the nuisance of loud engines zipping by neighborhoods late at night brings this issue to the top for many citizens,” the news release states.
e SRWG is made up of law enforcement o cers, investigators, analysts, district and city attorneys, and support sta all aimed at eliminating or drastically reducing illegal street racing. Members include police departments from Federal Heights, Golden, Arvada, Brighton, Commerce City, ornton, Westminster and Wheat Ridge. e Adams and Je erson
County sheri ’s o ces are also members.
In 2024, 1,959 citizen complaints were logged at the SRWG website, reportstreetracing.com, and many more complaints have come into local police dispatch centers directly.
In response to those complaints, the SRWG made six targeted operations in 2024. ose resulted in 506 tra c contacts that resulted in 360 tra c citations issued. ose included 108 for street racing-related charges, 20 for reckless driving, 10 for careless driving, ree DUIs and 130 citations issued for driving at speeds of more than 25 over the posted limit.
e SRWG’s operations also resulted in 16 arrests and 31 public nuisance abatement seizures initiated for street racing
vehicle and 11 vehicles were impounded at the time of contact.
roughout the operations, law enforcement also discovered and seized illegal weapons and stolen vehicles. Additional actions taken included charges for illegal discharge of a rearm, underage consumption of alcohol, illegal drug use and more.
e SWRG will continue its mission in 2025.
“Illegal street racers are on notice that law enforcement is watching with the intention to hold racers and all participants accountable to any crimes associated with the event. In addition, law enforcement will continue to seize cars and bikes, just like pictured below,” the CSP news release states.
Icing on the skate
Local outdoor rinks’ unique features, settings o er something for everyone
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Winter sports reign supreme along the Front Range. While the mountains and foothills o er plenty of places to ski, snowboard, snowshoe and spike-hike, the Denver metro area has opportunities galore to ice-skate and play hockey.
During the winter holidays, several local cities like Denver and Arvada host outdoor skating rinks in shopping centers or town squares. Some are only open through local schools’ winter break, but others remain open through January or February, depending on conditions.
Hours and prices vary, but most rinks o er rental skates or people can bring their own for lower-priced admission.
Although there are plenty of indoor skating options, many skaters prefer outdoor rinks’ atmospheres and open-air conditions. ey enjoy soaking up the sunshine or embracing the cold, depending on the weather.
Lakewood’s Greg Daniels and his three teenage children said skating outdoors is “more fun, more festive.” Also, indoor rinks tend to host more intense skaters, while outdoor ones like e Rink at Belmar are more casual, they said.
Leesa Stone, a former Parker resident, felt likewise. She liked the atmosphere at Parker’s Ice Trail at Discovery Park, with its holiday lights around the perimeter and its open replaces for people to warm themselves.
Plus, at places like Evergreen Lake, people come just to enjoy the views and skate on a real lake.
“We love the beautiful surroundings, being nestled here in the mountains,” Commerce City’s Michael Scanlon said of Evergreen Lake. “It adds to the ambiance.”
Whether they were experts or new to the sport, the skaters said local rinks o er something for people of all ages and experience levels.
“Everyone should try it,” Denver’s Marie Duran said.
And, as her 7-year-old Charlotte added, even if people don’t like skating, most rinks are in locations where people can easily nd other activities, like walking, sledding or shopping.
The Rink at Belmar
e Durans rst visited e Rink at Belmar last year and had fun. So, when Charlotte started asking to go skating this winter, the family returned to Belmar Jan. 2.
e rink, which is presented by Quantum Fiber and made of real ice, is in the middle of Lakewood’s Belmar Shopping District.
sphere and holiday lights.
Maddi Harris and Kian Larson, students at Evergreen High School, were visiting Belmar for a date night and decided to rent skates before their movie. e two had also been skating at Evergreen Lake before. While it has its advantages, they liked Belmar’s festive atmosphere with all the holiday lights and the decorated evergreen tree near the rink.
“I prefer the holiday spirit here,” Larson said.
Evergreen Lake
Lara De Beer was visiting the area from Belgium, and for her last day in town, Evergreen’s Colin Saunder decided they should go skating at Evergreen Lake. De Beer had never skated on a lake before, and Saunder hadn’t been out on Evergreen’s in a while, so Jan. 2 seemed like the perfect time to try out the ice. While the lake is several acres in size, skating is only allowed on a portion of it. e maintained section near the Evergreen Lake House has a large perimeter that skaters can take laps around, as well as about a dozen small rinks people can use to play hockey, practice their skating technique and more.
People can buy tickets ahead of time or purchase walk-up tickets on a rstcome, rst-served basis. Private bookings and skating lessons can also be booked online.
Charlotte, who’s a big roller-skating fan, has enjoyed learning to ice skate. Her mom said the smaller rink is ideal for people like Charlotte who are learning to skate.
Duran also felt that e Rink at Belmar was reasonably priced, wellmaintained and “fun for all ages.”
Daniels estimated he and his family have been coming to the Belmar rink for about 10 years. ey tried to go skating before Christmas, but it was very busy. So, they opted to do their annual skating night Jan. 2 instead.
e family frequently shops at Belmar, and liked how close and convenient the rink was for them and other Lakewood residents.
e Daniels have been to other rinks in the area, like the one at Evergreen Lake, but the Belmar one’s atmo-
Because it is a lake, the dates and hours it’s open is weather-dependent. It was scheduled to be open through at least Jan. 25, when it would host the Pond Hockey Championships, but anyone wanting to visit should call the hotline at 720-8801391.
De Beer and Saunder both enjoyed the pleasant weather and mountain scenery from the lake, with Saunder describing how unique and special it is compared to other rinks around Denver.
“ ere’s no place like it,” he said.
Small outdoor rinks like the one in downtown Denver tend to be crowded, but Evergreen Lake has plenty of space for everyone, he added.
Michael Scanlon and his children, Alex and Isabel, felt likewise, describing how they’ve been visiting Evergreen Lake annually since the late ‘90s. Michael said they love the excitement and energy that seems to be inherent among outdoor skating rinks.
However, he added, he felt like the lake’s seasons were getting shorter as the lake doesn’t freeze over as early in the winter as it used to. It’s also grown so popular that parking can be di cult, he said.
People skate at Evergreen Lake Jan. 2., amid Je erson County’s scenic foothills. Several skaters said the scenery is one of the reasons they enjoy skating at Evergreen Lake. PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
ICE SKATING
He recommended that anyone wanting to visit Evergreen Lake “should get here right when it opens,” because it’s usually less crowded and the ice is in the best condition.
e Martinez family from Colorado Springs also went skating during a day trip to Evergreen.
Lauren Martinez said she appreciated how the rink had plenty of pushable skating aids for children. Her family also enjoyed the nearby sledding hill. Overall, she said, they would be open to visiting it again.
Parker Ice Trail at Discovery Park
Parker’s Josh Blaha and his family had planned to go skating in Denver during the evening Jan. 2. But that rink closed earlier in the evening, so they opted to visit the Parker Ice Trail at Discovery Park instead. It was right down the street and open later, he described.
“It’s nice to have something like this in our backyard,” he said of the ice trail.
Unlike a traditional rink, the Parker Ice Trail at Discovery Park is an ice-covered loop trail that’s about 450 feet around. It’s also not a perfect oval with some sharper corners to keep skaters on their toes.
In the summer, it’s a concrete walkway; but in the winter, sta members cover it with ice that they maintain with a Zamboni. It’s scheduled to be open for the season through Feb. 28.
While his family has been to other outdoor rinks, Blaha said they’re much farther away. Additionally, he thought the ice trail was a good size and didn’t feel too crowded.
Leesa Stone, who lived in Parker for more than 20 years before moving to Utah, was happy that Parker had an outdoor rink of its own.
She’s been skating before at e Pond Ice Rink at Southlands, saying that while she liked the lights at e Pond Ice Rink better, she overall liked the Parker Ice Trail more. She said it felt bigger and like that it was one-way only. Plus, the open replaces and overhead heater at the admissions booth are nice touches, she added.
Avery Jones and her family said the shape was also unique. ey thought it motivated some people to skate faster than they would at a regular rink, while others might go slower.
Like the Blaha family, Avery and Zach Jones said they appreciated having an outdoor skating feature so close to home. ey added that it was the perfect thing to do over the holidays, as it’s a very approachable activity for families.
So, whether it’s a family outing, date night, a casual jaunt to soak up the sun or a serious training session, skaters agree the Denver area is the place to be.
Denver’s Marie Duran, left, skates at The Rink at Belmar Jan. 2. Duran and her daughter wanted to come back after visiting the rink for the first time last year. PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Lara De Beer, far left, and Evergreen’s Colin Saunder skate around Evergreen Lake Jan. 2. De Beer was visiting from Belgium, and Saunder thought skating at Evergreen Lake would be a fun activity for her last day visiting.
Parker’s Avery Jones helps her 5-year-old Rylee as she learns to skate Jan. 2 at the Parker Ice Trail at Discovery Park. The feature, which is a concrete walkway in the summer and is iced down in the winter, is scheduled to be open through Feb. 28.
An employee drives the Zamboni around The Rink at Belmar Jan. 2. The rink, which is scheduled to be open through Jan. 26, is in the middle of the Belmar Shopping District.
BY STEVE SMITH
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Teams that qualify for the state baseball tournaments each spring must pass a series of tests, namely playo games.
According to George Demetriou, the baseball rules interpreter for the Colorado High School Activities Association, umpires follow the same type of script.
“We have a playo test, which is a slightly more di cult test than the regular test umpires have to take for membership,” he told CHSAA’s baseball committee this fall. “To be eligible, they have to achieve 90% on that test and be an umpires association member in good standing .. meeting requirements and attending the master clinic.”
Once the list of eligible umpires is in place, then it’s time for nominations and recommendations from area directors. After a committee screens that list to make assignments, then comes the question of neutrality.
“We try to avoid having umpires do games from schools that the regulars see during the regular season,” Demetriou said. “ e big exception to that is Denver. If it’s two Denver schools in a game, we don’t see that as a neutrality con ict. If
days, which makes the list of available and quali ed umpires somewhat smaller.
years because of the double-elimination format,” Demetriou said. “It’s a di cult
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day to get umps. Most of the umpires have a full-time job. ey either have to take time o from work or they aren’t available. We’ve been able to manage through the years. If we add many more Friday games, that will be a challenge. We also have to take into account the
Demetriou said adding more Friday playo games isn’t a fatal aw “but it’ll de nitely be a challenge.”
“With the regionals, especially on a
WENDELSTEDT HISTORY
The late Harry Wendelstedt took over his umpiring academy from Al Somers in 1977. Wendelstedt had been the chief instructor at the academy for several years.
Wendelstedt umped in the big leagues for 32 years. One of his noted calls came in 1968 when the Los Angeles Dodgers played the San Francisco Giants. Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale was in the midst of a scoreless inning streak (it hit 58 innings) when he hit Giants catcher Dick Dietz with a pitch. The bases were loaded at the time, and the play would have ended the streak.
Wendelstedt, who was working the plate, ruled that Dietz made no e ort to get out of the way of the pitch. Drysdale retired Dietz, and the scoreless inning streak stayed intact.
Orel Hershiser eventually broke the scoreless inning streak record in 1988. – Steve Smith
Friday, we have pretty much tried to use local umpires. We have not followed the strict neutrality standards that we do for the state tournament,” he said. “We don’t have the numbers to do that. If there are four schools at a Denver site, the umpires will almost certainly be from Denver. en you will end up with Denver umpires in a game between a Denver school and a non-Denver school. We have not had any issues with that throughout the years.”
PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Thu 1/23
Emily Rizuto: Have My Heart Tour
@ 6:30pm Wild Goose Coffee, 6399 S Santa Fe Dr, Littleton
Tim Ostdiek: "Telling Stories" Songwriter Showcase @ 7pm Roxy on Broadway, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Danny Grooves
@ 9pm
The Black Box, 314 E 13th Ave, Denver
Fri 1/24
Ryan Hutchens at Culinary Dropout
@ 6pm Culinary Dropout, 4141 E 9th Ave, Denver
Soundularity: 360° Healing Music Journey @ 7pm
Archipelago Denver, 2345 7th St, Denver
Lost Frequencies
@ 9pm / $24.95-$34.95
The Church Nightclub, Denver
Sat 1/25
Caffeine and Chrome – Classic Cars and Coffee at Gateway Classic Cars of Denver @ 9am
Rafa Vidal: almost monday - the DIVE tour @ Meow Wolf Denver @ 8pm
Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Sta‐tion, 1338 1st St, Denver
Mile High Soul Club @ 9pm
Sun 1/26
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 12pm Denver
Sy Smith @ 6:30pm
Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Wed 1/29
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 4pm Denver
Adam Bodine @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Back to the Future - The Musical @ 7:30pm Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, 1400 Curtis Street, Denver
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Help those in need at Parker blood drive
Give the gift of life by volunteering to make a blood donation during the Town of Parker’s next blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 30 at Parker’s Public Works Operations Center at 9045 Tammy Lane. That’s off Hess Road east of Jordan Road.
To set up an appointment time, contact Wendy Reedy at 303-805-3206 or wendyreedy@parkerco.gov.
Apply to need-based scholarship program
The Call to Action Foundation announced the expansion of its scholar-
ship program that will help serve students in additional states in 2025.
The scholarship offers need-based financial support covering the cost of attendance (up to $25,000 annually) for eligible students attending nonprofit, regionally accredited public universities and colleges.
With this year’s expansion, the scholarship program will now be available in six states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada and Utah.
In addition to financial assistance, the scholarship recipients gain access to valuable resources such as mentorship, academic counseling, leadership development, and ongoing personal
and professional support.
The Call to Action Foundation Scholarship Program officially launched on Jan. 1 with the application deadline of 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Feb. 1.
To learn more about this program and to apply, visit www.calltoactionfdn.org.
Irish pipe-and-drum band seeking new members
Ciorcal Cairdre Irish Pipes & Drums, an all-inclusive Irish pipe band based in the Denver metro area, is actively recruiting new members to join its growing community.
The band, whose name means “Cir-
cle of Friends” in Gaelic, invites aspiring pipers and drummers to join with no prior experience needed. All ages 8 and up are welcome, and the band provides private lessons at reduced rates for those eager to get started. With a focus on both music and education, Ciorcal Cairde shares Irish cultural traditions with audiences while welcoming members from all backgrounds. From private events to public celebrations, the band delivers lively, authentic performances that celebrate the spirit of Irish music. Contact Ginger Lagemann at ginger. lagemann@gmail.com or call 813-3895079.
