Readers told us what they want from politicians. Find out what they said on P16
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County voters will decide this November on a $490 million bond to build new schools and maintain existing buildings.
e school board voted unanimously to put the bond on the ballot this year, its third attempt in a row to fund capital needs.
e $490 million bond would not increase taxes if it passes, but if it fails, homeowners will see a decrease in their taxes. e district estimates a decrease of around $73 for the average $780,000 home in Douglas County if the bond fails.
“I think not having a $73 decrease in taxes is worth it to me to get our schools and the capital needs addressed,” board member Kaylee Winegar said. “ is is the best use of our funds. is is scally responsible.”
e district hasn’t passed a bond since 2018 and the money from it has since been spent. Superintendent Erin Kane said the district is facing a building maintenance backlog at $300 million that is growing yearly.
Additionally, the district needs to build new elementary schools to accommodate growing neigh-
and Ridgegate. Students in those neighborhoods are currently being bused to over ow schools.
Kane said maintenance issues and lack of schools have a direct impact on students.
“It will very much impact the performance of our students,” Kane said. “ eir learning environment is incredibly important to their ability to learn.”
Kane has told the board that the bond is the only way the district can a ord to make capital improvements, noting that even if the district sold all of its excess land, the money would not cover a year’s worth of maintenance.
Board member Tim Moore said he thinks it would be worse for taxpayers not to approve the bond.
“I think it would be irresponsible and highly imprudent not to maintain and improve (the district’s assets),” Moore said. “You can hate taxes all you want, and I do, but this is almost a no-brainer when it comes to being necessary and prudent.”
e $490 million plan would cover the construction of elementary schools in Sterling Ranch and Ridgegate, the expansion of Sierra
Middle School and a majority of maintenance projects through 2026.
“I have grandchildren in Douglas County and I want them to go to the same safe buildings and schools that are renovated when they need to be,” board member Becky Myers said.
e school district has three times before approached voters with similar funding packages and failed. at includes last year, when the district asked voters for a $488 million bond to fund maintenance for three years, build three new elementary schools and expand two middle schools. at measure failed with 52% of voters opposing.
Board president Christy Williams said she was hesitant to go back to the voters for a third time, but has been convinced in conversations that the bond is the best plan for the district.
A June poll of 800 presumptive voters found that 60% of respondents would approve a $490 million bond.
“ is one is the one that has kept me up at night,” Williams said. “At the end of the day, when I ran to sit in this seat, I said I was going to do what was best for kids every time. So I think I would be doing a disservice by not putting this on the ballot.”
Douglas County allocates funds to help fight opioid epidemic
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Amid the national opioid epidemic, Douglas County is distributing grant funds to several programs meant to ght the problem locally.
Douglas County Commissioners have allocated more than $1 million to All Health Network, Valley Hope of Parker, Hard Beauty Foundation, Sky Ride Colorado, the Douglas County School District and the Douglas County Community Response Team. e funds are linked to settlements for drug distribution companies allegedly linked to the epidemic.
e county received $1.4 million in 2023 and is expecting to receive up to $2.5 million in 2024. In 2023, 39 Douglas County residents reportedly died from an opioid overdose, up from14 in 2022, according to the Colorado Vital Statistics Program provided by the state health department. Funds are meant to go towards programs for opioid withdrawal management, case management, peer support, youth prevention, transportation, the expansion of the CRT and HEART programs and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder/Medically Assisted Treatment.
Douglas County School District Superintendent Erin Kane speaks to the school board about sta ’s recommendation to put a $490 million bond on the November ballot to pay for new schools and building maintenance. The $490 million bond would not raise taxes.
PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
Douglas County has allocated more than $1 million to fighting the opioid epidemic locally. SHUTTERSTOCK
With the Market Shifting in Buyers’ Favor, Selecting the Right Listing Agent Is Key
Last week, I wrote about what skills and knowledge you should expect your real estate agent to possess. This week, with the shift from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market, I want to write about the importance of selecting the right listing agent.
You’ll probably want to know their level of experience, competence and success in selling homes similar to your own, hopefully within your city or neighborhood.
agents to list their homes? Many, I suspect are friends and family every agent’s biggest “competitor.”
Like you, I monitor the real estate activity where I live. The best way to do that is to ask an MLS member like my broker associates or me to set up a “neighborhood alert,” whereby you receive an automated email from the MLS whenever a home in your area is either coming soon, newly active, price reduced, newly under contract, newly sold, or even newly withdrawn or expired without selling. Send an email to info@GoldenRealEstate.com and I’ll make sure the most appropriate broker associate (or me) responds to set up an alert like that for you.
In my own neighborhood, I’m always astonished how many homes are listed by agents I’ve never heard of. As I write, there are 36 active or coming soon listings within 2 miles of my home, represented by 33 different agents from 27 different brokerages! No agent has more than two listings. And despite practicing real estate here for 22 years, I only recognize the names of 10 of them. This is typical of every city. Where did the sellers find all those different
In some cases, the seller had already gone under contract for their replacement home elsewhere and was convinced by the listing agent of that home to list their current home. If that agent is on the other side of the metro area, that is not the best decision, because that agent will be unfamiliar with your neighborhood, lives far away, and is unable to show the home on short notice, answer questions from buyers, or keep your brochure box well stocked.
Every homeowner, it seems, gets letters or finds a note taped to their door from a broker claiming to have a buyer for their home. That tactic may earn him or her an interview in your home, but I’d bet dollars to donuts that the broker then says, “That buyer found another home, but I’m sure I can find you another buyer if you list with me. Sign here.”
Let’s say, however, that you want to interview listing agents and make a rational hiring decision. Good idea! Let me suggest some questions you might want to ask, some of which might not be obvious or that you know you could ask.
First, however, you need to choose the agents to interview. I suggest basing your search on their location and experience in your neighborhood or city. Second, study their active/sold listings to see (1) their geographic distribution and (2) how well their listings are presented on the MLS.
Since this column is printed in 24
Kim Taylor’s New Listing in Cedaredge
$598,000
weekly newspapers around the metro area, my broker associates and I may not be the best choice based on that first question, but, with my access to the MLS, I can identify the best candidates to interview. Full disclosure: that costs you nothing, but I will get a referral fee if you choose an agent I recommend.
You can also do this on your own by visiting www.Nestfully.com, the consumer-facing website of Denver’s MLS, where you can search for active listings in your area. Click on one or more of them to see how well the listing agent described the home on the MLS. Did they list all the rooms, not just bedrooms and bathrooms, and did they provide dimensions and descriptions of each, or just enter the mandatory fields?
Always keep in mind that the best indicator of how a listing agent will serve you is how they have served previous sellers.
Looking at those listings will answer the most important questions which you’d ask in person, but you won’t have to take their word the truth is there in front of you. You’ll learn, for example, whether they did point-and-shoot pictures or had a professional photographer shoot magazine quality photographs, and whether they created a narrated video tour or just a slide show with music.
Having chosen who to interview that way, ask these questions of those you invite into your home for an interview:
mission same net effect, just reworked to comply with the NAR Settlement prohibiting shared listing commissions.
See whether the agent volunteers that they reduce their commission when the seller doesn’t have to pay the offered compensation to a buyer’s agent. That’s standard with my broker associates and me. If you have to ask for that provision, consider it a red flag. They hoped you wouldn’t ask.
Ask the agent whether he or she will discount their commission if you hire them to represent you in the purchase of your replacement home. That, too, is standard with my broker associates and me.
Hopefully the brokers you interview will have researched the market and will make a well-supported recommendation of listing price. Beware of agents who inflate their suggested listing price so you will list with them.
When setting the appointment, ask the agent to bring a spreadsheet of their sold listings with dates, days on market, listing price and sold price. They can produce that spreadsheet quickly on the MLS. (If they don’t know how, that’s a big red flag!) Here’s an example (mine):
What an ideal location for your new home! This oasis at 24051 Parkwood Lane sits on 2.29 acres at the end of the road, adjacent to farmland, with great views of the San Juan Mountains and the Grand Mesa and it is just minutes from downtown Cedaredge. The 2,352-sq.-ft. home with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, an additional den/office, attached 2-car garage and beautiful wrap-around deck is just the beginning! Outbuildings include a 60’x24’ metal equipment and RV storage building, a 20’x10’ workshop with 120 and 220 volt electric, a 16’x10’ storage shed, a 24’x17’ tractor barn, a chicken coop, and a fenced backyard for your pets. This home was strategically designed to take advantage of passive solar with floor to ceiling windows across the south wall of the living/dining area. A truly amazing place! Come take a look for yourself. If you are new to Cedaredge, it is a very welcoming community with lots to do. Check out Pioneer Town, the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center and the Grand Mesa itself, just 10-20 minutes up the road for outdoor recreationatitsbest.TheGunnisonRiverisjust15minutesdowntheroadforfishing and boating. All in all, it’s a great place to live! Find more details and lots of pictures at www.CedaredgeHome.info, then call Kim Taylor at 303-304-6678 to request a private showing.
What commission percentage do you charge? Keep in mind, there is no standard commission. It’s totally negotiable, and the industry average is in the mid -5’s, not 6%. It used to be that that commission included the co-op commission paid to a buyer’s broker. As I explained in a previous column (which you can read at JimSmithColumns.com), that has been reworked so that the seller offers whatever buyer agent compensation he or she wants, and that amount, if paid, is deducted from the listing com-
That’s to show you what it looks like. If you want to read it, it is bigger at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
whose family has been farming in Cheraw since 1950. “A couple hundred of them, eating those grasshoppers. ey must have told their friends this was a good place to eat.”
For farmers, the best way to deal each
On July 1, a grasshopper sits atop the Clear Creek Trail’s handrail underneath the U.S. Highway 6 bridge.
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
HOPPERS
able level, at least near his house.
Scientists say the grasshoppers are having a banner year in Colorado because the conditions for hatching eggs and growing big insects were ideal. Grasshoppers lay their eggs in dirt, and the pods or “egg beds” remain underground through the winter. e eggs hatch in the spring, and the tiny “nymphs” crawl out of the ground in search of food, according to Colorado State University’s extension services.
If weather conditions are good, and there is plenty to eat, grasshoppers grow for several weeks until they reach adult size — and this summer they are quite large. e insects likely hatched earlier this year because of a mild, warmer spring, and then did not face the kind of cold, wet weather that can kill o newly hatched grasshoppers.
In Denver, gardeners are reporting extra-large grasshoppers and in extra large numbers, popping around yards and chewing holes in the leaves of their lettuce and tomato plants. On the Eastern Plains, their destruction has been spotty — some farms are having to spray pesticides or losing yields to the bugs, while others have had few issues.
For gardeners, experts suggest adding some plants that repel grasshoppers — garlic or chives — or us-
ing garlic to make a natural spray. Another idea is to cover the garden with netting to keep the insects from jumping into it. Get some chickens. Or put up a bird feeder.
While grasshopper eggs are more likely to survive the winter in dry soil, undisturbed by tillage or irrigation, the insects often live longer and grow bigger in irrigated land where there is plenty of foliage.
Farmers, including Bay in Otero County, are on their third out of four cuts of alfalfa for the season, and still keeping an eye on the grasshoppers. Alfalfa is most vulnerable to grasshoppers when it’s just beginning to grow and “they can mow it right down,” Bay said. When the plants are taller, grasshoppers can’t destroy it but can decrease its yield, he said.
At Bay’s son-in-law’s ranch, in the southeastern corner of the state, the grasshoppers hatched early and died o when they were small because there wasn’t enough moisture for them to survive. But Bay has had to deal with two grasshopper hatches, and the second one produced especially big grasshoppers.
He and others were forced to spray, he said, and Bay hired a pilot because the alfalfa was too thick to drive a sprayer through it. “Once you spray them, it pretty well kills them,” he said. “You have to watch it real close — you can spray one batch and another batch could hatch.”
Farmers also can scatter an insecticide called EcoBran, which grasshoppers will eat and die. en other
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grasshoppers, which are cannibals, will eat the dead grasshoppers and die, too. But this is “hit or miss,” Bay said, because if the grasshoppers have other things to eat — say, alfalfa or lettuce — they likely won’t eat the wheat bran laced with the chemical carbaryl, which is toxic to insects.
Ranchers have little recourse, since their grazing land is so vast. eir cattle just get less to eat when grasshoppers are rampant.
It’s just all part of the season for farmers and ranchers, Bay said. “I gamble every day,” he said. “You gamble with the weather. You gamble with the bugs. So I don’t much like to go to Cripple Creek.”
On the bright side for hunters: e doves are thick this year thanks to grasshopper abundance, and dove
Two grasshoppers navigate through insectdamaged leaves of a lilac bush on Aug. 29.
hunting season starts this month.
Bay is optimistic lately, as he nishes the latest cut of alfalfa and moves on to cutting the sorghum, that the grasshoppers will run out of things to eat and fade out. e Arkansas River, which supplies his irrigation water, is getting low now at the end of summer. And it hasn’t rained much lately on the plains.
Bay will also keep hoping for black birds or more doves, the “most awesome” natural control for insects.
“But you can’t order a ock of birds to come in,” he said. “It’s a luck thing.” 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.
IT’S PATIO FURNITURE REPAIR SEASON
PHOTO BY
DANA COFFIELD THE COLORADO SUN
Citing migrant policy, town explores suing Denver
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Town of Castle Rock has ocially decided to explore legal action against its neighbor, Denver, citing the city’s so-called sanctuary policies aimed at helping migrants.
At the suggestion of Councilmember Max Brooks, the town has directed its attorney to look into all legal options to ght Denver’s approach to incoming migrants.
Brooks, who is running to represent Colorado House District 45, said Denver’s response to the more than 40,000 migrants who arrived in the city within the last year is inadequate and negatively impacting surrounding communities. He didn’t cite any speci c example.
e council said the town would collaborate with any other communities seeking to bring legal action against Denver.
“We must unite in our refusal to continue paying for Denver’s unsustainable sanctuary policies,” Brooks said. ere is no legal de nition for what constitutes a sanctuary city, but the
term is typically applied to municipalities that enact services and legal protections for immigrants. Denver does not have a speci c sanctuary city policy, but it does have laws that prevent its police department from coordinating with federal immigration agencies to share immigration status or detain people over their status.
Texas’ Republican governor has supported the busing of migrants arriving at the southern border to Democratrun cities across the country that have been welcoming to immigrants, including Denver.
ere have been isolated concerns in the metro area about migrants and crime, but police have said they do not believe the problem to be widespread.
Brooks said concerns about migrants are not a “fabricated issue.” He added that multiple residents have reached out to him with concerns about Denver’s policies and its implications for communities around the metro area.
Recently, the Denver and Aurora police departments released statements acknowledging isolated incidents involving the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Aurora city o cials have also asked to have some apartment buildings declared a criminal nuisance over reports that gang members are harassing residents. e Aurora police have stationed a task force at the buildings to monitor for gang activities.
Taylor Temby, public information ofcer for the Castle Rock Police Department, said they are unaware of any issues with foreign gangs or migrants in town.
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly said in a statement that there are no con rmed connections between crime in Douglas County and foreign gangs. He noted that the sheri ’s o ce recently arrested four Colombian and Venezuelan nationals in relation to car thefts.
“We cannot con rm any ties between foreign gangs, like Tren de Aragua, and serious crimes committed in Douglas County,” Weekly said. “However, criminals are not always forthcoming with their identities or their gang a liations. We have investigated and arrested several Venezuelan and Colombian foreign nationals in recent weeks.”
Weekly said his message for criminals is that they are not welcome in Douglas County, regardless of their ethnicity or gang a liation.
“We have been in contact with law enforcement throughout the metro area,” he said. “I am being aggressive and proactive and have already reassigned resources so criminals don’t think they can target Douglas County.”
In 2019, the state legislature passed a statewide prohibition on law enforcement arresting or detaining people because of immigration status, as well as sharing that information with federal entities.
Douglas County, along with several other counties, is suing the state over the 2019 law, alleging the law has made communities less safe.
Castle Rock looked into joining that lawsuit, but the town does not have legal standing to do so. Instead, the town council passed a resolution to support the county’s lawsuit.
Castle Rock and Douglas County have also passed a law to prohibit unscheduled passenger dropo s, in an attempt to prevent migrants from stopping in the county.
crimiin their law metro aggressive reasdon’t County.” a enforcebeas federal several over made that letown support County unan stop-
RTD launches cadet program to train transit o cers
Program allows students to earn college credit while exploring police work
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Fulltime college students interested in becoming police o cers can get on-the-ground experience in law enforcement through a new program with the Regional Transportation District.
RTD is launching a new Transit Police – or RTD-PD – cadet program for full-time college students in the Denver metro area pursuing a criminal justice or related degree.
Police cadets will gain insights into the day-to-day work of an o cer in a transit police environment while potentially earning a three-hour credit for most college programs, according to an RTD news release.
Johan Sherpa, a senior at Metro State University studying criminal justice, started as RTD-PD’s rst police candidate on July 22 and is
CommonSpirit
expected to be with the agency for six months or more to complete the program, RTD said in a written statement.
An Emergency Management police cadet role is also available, and the agency is reviewing applications to ll that position.
RTD Deputy Chief Steven Martingano created the program for students to learn about the agency and explore the public safety eld.
“ e program dedicates time and resources to make sure someone knows what they’re coming into when considering being an o cer,”
Martingano said in the news release. “Police work is more of a calling and a passion.”
Sherpa learned about the RTD police cadet program through his uncle, who is a part of the Golden Police Department. Sherpa said he is looking forward to potentially shadowing or riding along with RTD-PD o cers on patrol and recommended anyone interested in being a police cadet to come into the role with an open mind.
“I’m looking forward to learning
as much as I can and I’m glad to be here,” said Sherpa in the news release.
RTD’s cadet program provides specialized training for skills essential to pursuing a career in public safety including video investigations, integrated security, cyber security and police dispatch communications. Police cadets can get a “head start” for an o cer role, states the news release.
“If a cadet wants to join our department, they already have the condence to come in and understanding of the work to quickly complete eld training,” said Martingano in the news release.
Martingano is aware of the impact of a police cadet program. Without his year-and-a-half experience as a New York Police Department police cadet, “I might never have applied to be an o cer.” Martingano originally intended to pursue a degree in accounting. “It’s a job that I’m passionate about,” he added about his work as an o cer and deputy chief.
RTD is hiring two detective positions in addition to the emergency
management police cadet role, according to the news release. e agency continues to add sta to reach a minimum of 96 o cers on the force by yearend. Martingano noted that a college degree is not a requirement for joining the RTD-PD police. Visit the Transit Police Careers page to apply for open roles.
Big Chili would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support at this year’s Big Chili!!
State Farm - Brian Himmelman
DCMC Driveway Restoration
Sayler & Sons Excavating
Coldwell Banker
ROI Fire & Ballistics Equipment, Inc.
Asphalt Artistry
Clear Creek Cidery
ep Wealth Solutions
Evergreen National Bank
First Bank, Evergreen Branch
Himmelman Construction
Tommy Knocker Brewery/Coors US Bank
Foothills Auto & Truck Parts/NAPA
Senor Gordon’s
Keller Williams Foothills Realty
Alpine Peaks Team
Altitude Electric
Brookdale Pinehurst Park
Dastardly Deeds
Evergreen Metropolitan District
Life Care Center of Evergreen Platte Canyon Little League
Robert & Associates, LLC
Cactus Jack’s
Colorado Community Media
Jesse James, CPA
Tuscany Tavern
Rocky Mountain Bottled Water
Mountain Safe Exterior
Evergreen Liquors
Johan Sherpa, a senior at Metro State University, is RTD’s first Transit Police cadet. PHOTO COURTESY
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Arrests in Cougar Run incident reap passports, more
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Detectives have arrested two people suspected in a vehicle trespass and theft late last month outside of an elementary school in Highlands Ranch. e suspects, 24-year-old Reese Bilyeu and 27-year-old Devon Lynn Ashley, were arrested on Sept. 3 at a hotel near East Union Avenue in Denver, the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce con rmed ursday.
On the morning of Aug. 27, deputies were sent to Cougar Run Elementary School on Venneford Ranch Road in Highlands Ranch to investigate a report that someone entered a vehicle. Personal items were allegedly stolen from the vehicle while the owner’s 9-year-old son was inside. e boy was not harmed. e victim’s computer and bag with personal items were taken.
After the alleged theft, deputies say, the suspect proceeded to get into the passenger seat of a black SUV, which drove away. e victim’s credit card was then used around 7:12 a.m., just moments after the incident at the King Soopers at Highlands Ranch Parkway and University Boulevard.
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Bilyeu, who was armed with a handgun and carrying ammunition, was arrested in the hotel lobby after an investigation by the Douglas County IMPACT team. Ashley was apprehended shortly after, near a stolen Toyota RAV 4 that was
NEWS BRIEFS
Centennial earns Metro Vision Award for Livable Streets Program e Denver Regional Council of Governments recently awarded the City of Centennial with the Metro Vision Award for the city’s Livable Streets Program. Centennial’s Livable Streets Residential Collector and Right-Sizing Roadway Program was one of eight Metro Vision Award recipients. is prestigious award highlights a commitment to excellence, innovation and collaboration in creating safer, more accessible streets for everyone. For more information on the 2024 Denver Regional Council of Governments awards celebration, visit DRCOG’s website.
Castle Rock native serves aboard Navy warship in the Pacific Northwest Petty O cer 2nd Class Brandon Austin, a native of Castle Rock, is serving aboard the USS Barry, a U.S.
Navy warship homeported at Naval Station Everett, Washington. e ship is currently in a Seattle shipyard undergoing routine maintenance. Austin graduated from Douglas County High School in 2012 and he joined the Navy 12 years ago. Today, Austin serves as a retail services specialist.
To read the full story from the Navy, visit https://navyoutreach. blogspot.com/2024/07/castle-rocknative-serves-aboard-navy.html.
Colorado Creates provides 125 grants to arts organizations across the state Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Creative Industries Division of the Colorado O ce of Economic Development and International Trade announced that 125 arts organizations across 33 Colorado counties have been awarded $909,000 in Colorado Creates grants. ese grants will
help organizations and communities create art and cultural activities by providing general operating support. Grantees receive funding for two years, totaling $1,818,000 in awards over the funding period. Research from the National Endowment for the Arts suggests that rural counties with arts organizations have experienced increased population growth and higher household incomes than rural counties without performing arts organizations.
Colorado State Patrol is asking the public for feedback e Colorado State Patrol conducts a public survey every two years to learn the public’s answer to the simple question: “How are we doing?” e online survey is open until Sept. 20. Visit www.cspsurvey. com to complete the survey.
Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce found suspects in a vehicle trespass incident that took place at Cougar Run Elementary School. COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFFÂS OFFICE
BY YESENIA ROBLES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Colorado might ease SAT graduation requirement after big drops in high school math scores
Colorado may lower the passing score on high school math tests many students use to meet graduation requirements, the latest potential fallout from test scores that fell dramatically this year.
Without such a change, it’s possible graduation rates could drop for the Class of 2025, Colorado Department of Education officials told the State Board of Education.
To graduate from high school in Colorado, students must show proficiency in English and math. Using SAT scores is the most common way that districts offer students to meet that requirement,
2024 Series
since the test is already administered to students in their junior year; ninth and 10th graders take the PSAT. But officials couldn’t say how many students were relying on the test result to meet the graduation requirements this year.
The proposed change the State Board is considering would lower the minimum passing score on the math portion of the SAT from 500 to 480. Without that change, officials say the percentage of students who can use their SAT score to meet graduation requirements will drop from 45% in 2023 to 39% with these results. That means about 3,400 students might be looking for a last-minute alternative to meet graduation require-
ments before May.
If the board agrees to lower the passing score to 480, it would mean 45.5% of students who took the test could use the score to meet their graduation requirements, roughly the same as last year.
State Board members started
Thursday’s discussion hesitant about the idea of lowering the bar for graduation, but ultimately their comments leaned in favor of the change. Education department staff are continuing to gather
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High school graduates celebrate by tossing their mortarboard caps in the air during their graduation ceremony.
Colorado nurse: exposure to screens can harm health
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Tempted by social media, streaming services and video games, it’s nearly impossible for people, young and old, to escape the screens of their digital devices. Research has shown how time on phones, tablets, and big screens can have a negative e ect on the body.
at’s why AdventHealth Nurse Practitioner Jill Hefti-Breed works with parents and children on solutions to reduce screen time — and to be safe while visiting cyberspace.
“Technology is an amazing thing,” said Hefti-Breed. “But it’s just nding the balance to help our kids continue to be social, healthy, interactive beings.”
In spring of 2023, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory concerning the e ects social media use has on youth’s mental health.
“Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment,” Murthy said in a statement. “And for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends.”
Murthy said he is often asked by parents if social media is safe for their kids. ere is not enough evidence to say it’s safe, he said, but there is growing evidence that so-
cial media is associated with harm, particularly to mental health.
Pair that trend with the fact that children 11-17 years old have increased their screen time an average an hour a day since the pandemic, according to a recent study from the National Library of Medicine. Children in that age group have increased their screen time up to seven hours in a few years.
e COVID pandemic, which included lockdowns and virtual classes at many schools, was an accelerator for screen time use for people of all ages.
“I think it turned not only kids, but it turned adults to staying inside and doing more online,” said Hefti-Breed.
A Pew Research Center report published in January found about 41% of U.S. adults reported being online “almost constantly,” and for those between 18-29 years of age, the rate was even higher: 62%.
Hefti-Breed talks with kids and their parents about how social media has bene ts, but also understands the pitfalls, including negative e ects on mental health, physical health and overall safety.
“People just don’t understand the power of their kids with that phone,” said Hefti-Breed.
Brain development and overall health
e brain’s prefrontal cortex manages one’s mood, memory and judgment. Just as alcohol and drugs a ect the development of
the cortex, so does using a phone, said Hefti-Breed. It’s concerning in young people because the brain isn’t fully developed until the midto-late 20s, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
“Studies show they shouldn’t even have social media before the age of 15 because they don’t have the understanding to be able to di erentiate that that’s not important,” said Hefti-Breed. erefore, giving them access to sites and parts of the internet they mentally cannot comprehend affects their focus, social skills and sense of self worth. And being on the phone or computer for hours on end establishes a certain threshold for being judged and limits their ability for con ict resolution.
It can also become addicting. e ding of a noti cation sends endorphins to the brain that says you have to check it, said Hefti-Breed. Having the phone in the room at night is tempting for kids and adults and can disrupt the quality of sleep.
When Hefti-Breed talks with kids during their physicals, she asks them how long they spend on their phones or video games and how much time they spend walking. e answers typically range from three to four hours behind the screen and zero time walking.
“You get consumed and all of the sudden, time goes away and all you’ve done is be sedentary, scrolling through your phone, so you’re not getting the endorphins that you would get from exercise,” said Hefti-Breed. “You’re not giving your heart a good workout, you’re slowing your metabolism, putting yourself at risk for weight gain, and decreasing cardiac stamina.”
She added that algorithms can be harmful to mental health as it can feed information about subjects like depression or eating disorders, which is why she speaks to parents about putting parameters on content and not introducing a phone until it’s needed. If parents feel a phone is needed, she says to refrain from allowing them to have social media.
“If you don’t have the brain maturity, it can lead you down a hole of depression and anxiety or just feeling worthless about yourself,” said Hefti-Breed. “ ey don’t understand that even an apple looks perfect from one angle with a bite
taken out of the back.”
The Digital Futures Initiative
Kids today tend to live in a world of likes and dislikes. Hefti-Breed described them as “digital natives.”
Originally created to teach in schools, Hefti-Breed formed a nonpro t, Digital Futures Initiative, with her husband. It works to empower parents and communities with information and resources to help guide today’s digitally connected youth.
e tools and training programs are utilized by school resource ofcers and media teachers across Colorado, including Douglas County. It is also used elsewhere in the country and in several other countries. ere are even parent academies to show parents how to keep an eye on their children and how easy it is, for instance, for kids to hide things on their phones that parents should know about.
Centered around the idea of safe and judicial use of phones and computers, the website helps adults instruct kids and teens on more responsible internet and device usage as well as manage challenges that arise. She also takes on myths, such as it is safer for children to stay inside rather than play outside.
“Worry about your kids’ safety because they’re going to probably run into more predators online than they ever will outside,” said HeftiBreed.
Online concerns involve cyberbullying, harassment, identity theft, child exploitation, cat shing, swatting, distracted driving and drug tra cking or use.
e website has a guide to apps and websites, which describes the purpose and the potential danger of each one. Other resources include proactive parenting plans, family device agreement, tech controls for parents, protecting children’s phone content and more.
With easy access to social media and the internet, Hefti-Breed understands that adults cannot simply hide youth from it.
“What we just want to do is help them to be able to have the understanding and to now look for acceptance through online measures,” said Hefti-Breed.
More: Hefti-Breed has provided free downloads to resources at www.d now.org/downloads/.
more data about the impact, and will ask the State Board to vote on the proposal next month.
Joyce Zurkowski, the Colorado Department of Education’s chief assessment o cer, has been sharing concerns about the SAT scores with the State Board for months as preliminary results were previewed by state school o cials. Final school and district level results were recently released.
Compared to 2023, the percentage of students who met or exceeded expectations on math tests dropped for students in grades 9-11. (Colorado doesn’t test 12th grade students.) Scores fell across all student subgroups.
Among 11th graders, the percentage meeting expectations dropped to 31.1% this year from 35.2% in
2023, and it’s down from 39% in 2019. In the reading and writing portion of the tests, some student subgroups’ scores improved; o cials are not considering changing the required passing score — 470 — for that portion of the test.
Zurkowski has said that while it is possible some of the drops in math scores re ect drops in learning and student abilities, it’s likely that some of the decline is due to changes to the SAT, which went fully digital for the rst time last year. It’s not possible to distinguish how much of the change in scores is due to each factor, she said.
Students who were in 11th grade last spring and took the SAT for the rst time digitally might have been expecting that their performance on the PSAT the previous year would be predictive of their scores on the SAT in 11th.
“ ey were, I’m going to suggest, surprised when that prediction did not work out the way they were ex-
pecting it to work,” Zurkowski said. “I would encourage you to keep that in mind”
Lisa Escarcega, a State Board member, said the 3,400 students who could be forced to nd an alternative way to meet graduation requirements if the board doesn’t lower the cut score is a “signi cant” number.
“It’s much larger than I thought,” Escarcega said.
Instead of reaching certain SAT scores, students can meet graduation requirements to show mastery in math or English by earning passing scores on certain concurrent enrollment classes, doing capstone projects, or earning speci c industry certi cates. ere are also a number of other tests students can take.
Not all districts o er all options however, and state o cials worry that some students’ options now could be limited.
e state may also consider taking more time to work with the Colorado
Commission on Higher Education and institutions of higher education to come up with a new cut score that represents the same level of prociency as previous cut scores. But ofcials said that may take years. Only around a dozen other states use the SAT for all students as an annual test the way Colorado does. But education department sta will share data next month on how Colorado’s score drops compare to those other states.
Colorado o cials also spent the summer evaluating whether the lower high school SAT scores would be valid for use in this year’s school and district ratings. e state ultimately determined they will be used. e preliminary ratings will be available soon.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.
REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE
The power of a di erent kind of fantasy
Ah, the start of another Fantasy Football season is upon us, and there’s a buzz in the air! It’s that magical time when we, the managers of our own imaginary franchises, gather to draft the ultimate all-star teams. We pore over stats, analyze player projections, and argue the merits of sleeper picks. It’s all part of the thrill of building our dream lineup, lled with the most pro cient players at each position. And with a little bit of luck and a favorable draft order, we might even snag some of our favorite players from our favorite teams.
WINNING
e joy of Fantasy Football lies in the game’s simplicity and connection to the action on the eld. Players earn points in so many ways: rushing and receiving yardage, touchdowns, eld goals, extra points, interceptions and more. We tally up our points each week and compare them against other teams in our league. It’s pure, exhilarating math: e team with the most points wins. But what if we could take that same excitement and apply it to something beyond football? What if we created a di erent kind of “Fantasy” league?
Imagine a league where we each choose 12 people, not based on athletic prowess, but on how they con-
tribute to making the world better. ese all-stars earn points not for touchdowns or rushing yards but for acts of kindness, compassion, bravery, and positivity. Points are awarded whenever they lift someone up, provide a helping hand, or spread joy. Simple acts, like giving hope to someone feeling lost, o ering a listening ear to a friend, or showing unconditional love and forgiveness, would score big in this league. Like in Fantasy Football, we would track these points throughout the season. We could celebrate those who drop o food for a needy family, pick up litter from the sidewalk without hesitation, or smile at a stranger. ese are the gamechangers of life, the people who make our communities better and our world brighter.
e beauty of this “Better than Good Life Fantasy League” is that it would remind us of the real champions among us, the everyday heroes who often go unnoticed but whose actions make a profound impact. Picture the draft: Who would be your rst-round pick? Would it be
the neighbor who always volunteers at the local food bank or the friend who never fails to o er a shoulder to cry on? And here’s a humbling thought: Would someone else draft you into their top 12?
In the end, like in Fantasy Football, it’s all about building the best team. But in this league, the stakes are much higher, and the rewards far greater. It’s about celebrating the best in all of us and striving to improve daily.
Yes, there is much to do in this world, and sometimes, it can feel overwhelming. is could leave us questioning what impact our small gestures and actions can actually
Thave on this world. As Jana Stan eld sings in her song “All the Good,” “I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do,” we need all the good that we all can do. I would love to hear what that means to you at gotonorton@gmail.com. When we can all do just a little bit more, 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.
September could be turning point
his could be a pivotal month for our economy. Will the rst interest rate cut since the COVID-19 pandemic be announced this month?¹ Turning to October, what will third-quarter earnings look like? What about projections for the last quarter of the year? Whatever happens in the next few weeks may paint the picture for the history books for all of 2024.
Investors may be wondering how to navigate all the economic news that is likely to ood our eyes and ears in the coming months. Oh, and
don’t forget, there is also an election.
We may have forgotten that many thought the rst interest rate increase in March 2022 after the pandemic would throw the economy into recession. Remember that the 10 rate hikes that followed were designed to curb in ation, much of which was caused by clogged supply chains and other
shortages that sent prices up. Headlines over the last two and a half years have often been about a “soft landing.” In other words, could the Federal Reserve pull o interest rate hikes without dampening economic growth to the point of recession? Well, so far we have made it all the way through the interest rate hiking cycle with no recession. Now Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is talking about beginning to lower interest rates now that in ation is under control. He may also see indications that the housing market and the job market have cooled o a bit.
I caution investors to be prepared for stock market volatility when rates do start to go back down, even though we should think that would fuel the economy in a positive way. e reverse psychology that often plagues the stock market could be based on the theory that if we need to cut rates, the economy must be worse o than we think. Do not base long-term decisions on the mindset of less-educated investors or try to follow the herd. You and your advisor can rise above the
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Leaders should back school bond
Our Douglas County Board of County Commissioners and Douglas County elected o cials are expected to facilitate healthy, thriving communities. is includes neighborhood public schools. Neighborhood schools improve the quality of life and home values. e last time a school was built was in 2010. ink of our exploding population! e bond, 5, can only be used for building construction or renovations. ese plans and costs are available for inspection by the public. Furthermore, plans are legally binding documents to assure taxpayers that money is spent as promised.
Neighborhood schools, quality teachers, and up-to-date buildings are the mark of an excellent school district. Neighborhood schools foster a community enjoyed by all, including households without children. Everyone bene ts from in-
KUMMER
noise and look at the fundamentals to make a good strategy going forward.
Fixed income investors who have been enjoying nicer interest rates recently will also be in for a change as interest rates decline. While your income may be reduced, it is most likely that your bond values will increase. Work with your advisor in determining what term is best for you
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:
• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.
• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.
• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
creased home values when schools are built. Additionally, this bond approval restructures the district’s debt, so there is no tax increase. If the bond fails, a $1 million home will see its tax reduced by $94, a paltry sum when considering the positive bene ts of your yes vote for 5.
I believe Douglas County electeds, if they are truly invested in bettering our neighborhoods, need to give their full-throated approval of this bond. Our city and countywide leaders must speak up loudly and con dently that passage of 5 is the right thing for exponentially growing Douglas County. eir refusal to weigh in on such a crucial component of community satisfaction is cowardly.
Vote yes on 5, and insist your representatives consider the people of Douglas County and support 5 with vigor.
Katie Barrett, Castle
Rock
during this pivot on rates by the Fed. ere may be a good reason why the 10-year Treasury is paying less than a two-year bond. is is giving us a peek into the future of where rates are expected to be. So, beware when you try to reinvest that shorter-term bond in two years. You need patience with both the equity and the xed income side of your portfolio during these exciting times.
1. Forbes: Federal Funds rate history
Patricia
Kummer is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.
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• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.
BY THE COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA NEWSROOM
In recent months, we asked readers to take surveys asking what they think candidates for political o ces should focus on as they compete for their votes. e top answer from Colorado Community Media readers across the metro area sounded like something from a civics class: “democracy and good government.”
Our readers said they want the candidates to focus on solutions, even if it means compromises.
As Lisa Anne Bresko, a self-described moderate and business owner from Evergreen, told us, democracy and good government are foundational if our leaders are going to solve the many pressing problems facing our communities.
“I feel there’s very little respect and no more compromise,” Bresko said.
“It’s ‘My way or no way’ on a lot of topics. at’s not the way to run a country or get anything done. I feel all of the name calling, the pointing of ngers, the disinformation
about the people you’re supposed to be working with toward common goals is hurting the ability to get things done.”
More than 400 (and counting) Colorado Community Media readers have lled out our Voter Voices surveys using links in our newsletters and stories or QR codes from newspapers and yers. Our reporters and editors have been using the results to help form the questions we ask politicians in the two dozen Denver-area cities, towns and suburbs we cover.
We are partnering with 60 newsrooms across the state in this endeavor. Overall, there are some 6,000 responses.
In the surveys, voters are asked to rank their top three issues among 13 categories, revealing their importance. e surveys also allow voters to elaborate in their own words on what they think candidates should focus on.
Additionally, our Colorado Community Media reporters reached out directly to many survey
respondents of all political persuasions to speak to them about their surveys and more. We also went into the community to connect with younger voters, an underrepresented category in the data.
More than 37% of our readers who took the survey cited democracy and good government as their top issue. More moderates and liberals cited it as a top issue than conservatives, but the surveys revealed that it is an important issue regardless of political inclination. Readers’ other top issue was the economy and cost of living, which was cited more by conservatives as their No. 1 issue, yet readers across the political spectrum said it was a top issue.
Phillip McCart, a liberal from Littleton, told us that candidates should focus on ways to help people who are struggling. One way candidates can do that, McCart said, is to work to reduce housing costs by creating more housing density.
Colorado Community Media’s newsroom has already used the results of the Voter Voices surveys we have received so far.
During the primaries, we incorporated readers’ concerns about democracy and good government and the economy into questions we asked Republican and Democratic candidates for Congress in our primary forums for Colorado’s 4th District. e forums were co-sponsored with the League of Women Voters Colorado and KUNC public radio.
We plan to do the same for more forums we’re co-sponsoring this fall.
And, our Question and Answer surveys of candidates, which are widely read in print and online ahead of the November elections, will include Voter Voices-inspired questions and themes.
We also got to speak directly to voters and our reporters were met with appreciation in their e orts. is is just the start. We intend to keep the conversations with you going and we’re looking for ways to localize our connections with survey respondents. Watch for that.
Readers also told us they appreciated the opportunity to elaborate on their views and see our journalists as advocates for getting their voices into the process, given our unique access to leaders and candidates.
We have more work to do in terms of outreach, especially when it comes to younger voters and another category underrepresented in our results – people of color. Watch this space for future stories about them as we consider Voter Voices a starting point.
VOTER VOICES
“Housing costs are destroying the hopes and dreams of everyone,” McCart said.
at view was echoed many times in the surveys we gathered. For instance, one moderate Je erson County voter — who wished to remain anonymous — wrote in her survey, “We have a severe lack of a ordable and workforce housing in the metro area, and it is not improving.”
Evergreen resident Norm Sherbert, a conservative on scal issues and moderate on others, told us that everyone, regardless of income, should be concerned that many people across the metro area are struggling.
“I think it a ects us all,” he said. “I see it in my utility bills, the price of gas, grocery bills — and it just keeps climbing.”
Sherbert worries that the Social Security system might not be intact for future generations and believes strong, bipartisan leadership is needed to
tackle such problems. He is not impressed by President Biden or the Democratic and Republican nominees for president, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
“I’m not a Trump fan, and I’m surely not a Biden or Harris fan,” Sherbert said. “It’s a shame we do not have the candidates out there that can really make something happen in the country. I hope we come back to the center and realize it’s not the candidates that are going to drive this country, it’s the issues and how they’re solved.”
Similar views were espoused around our coverage area, which spans from Fort Lupton, Brighton and Commerce City in the north to Je erson County in the west, Idaho Springs in the mountains, Arapahoe and Douglas counties in the south, and Parker and Elbert County in the east.
About half of the readers who responded to our survey consider themselves moderate. About a quarter identify as conservative and another quarter as liberal. About 60% of re-
spondents are women and 40% are men.
Many readers told us that partisanship has become a never-ending soap opera – with sides squaring o against each other leaving compromises, and the potential solutions to long-standing problems, in the dust. Many shared a feeling that the country has an urgent, almost desperate need for candidates who will talk about issues, especially divisive ones, calmly instead of attacking and dismissing each other. e stakes, readers say, are just too high given a long list of concerns, from crime to climate change to in ation to immigration to national security. One of the most eye-opening insights from readers is their disdain for grandstanding by candidates, bitter attacks and empty promises.
Michael Wilson, a 65-year-old conservative in Je erson County, said he would like political candidates to talk about what they will do if they are elected.
“I don’t need to hear them try to run down their opponent,” Wilson said. omas Gibbons, a
moderate who lives in the Highlands Ranch area, said property taxes, local crime and reducing gun violence are important to him, but the problems associated with them can’t be solved if elected leaders are not focused on good governance.
“Elected o cials must nd a way to work together in bipartisan cooperation,” said Gibbons.
Littleton resident Porter Lansing, who identi es as liberal, said he would like to see candidates address the wealth gap between the metro area’s richest and poorest residents, citing concerns about unemployment and in ation. Lansing, who is 70 and disabled, said he lives mainly on his Social Security income.
“Everything’s so expensive, and everything’s going up,” he said. “I don’t want politicians to forget people way down here just because we don’t have money to contribute to their campaigns.”
It’s not just Coloradans who feel the government must improve.
VOTER VOICES
Across the country, positive views of political and governmental institutions are at historic lows, according to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. Many Americans say they are underwhelmed by candidates and 28% of Americans express unfavorable views of both the Democratic and Republican parties, the highest share in three decades of polling, with a comparable share adding that neither party represents their interests well.
In Voter Voices surveys, newsrooms across Colorado received strikingly similar ndings to ours, with good government and the economy coming out as top issues, closely mirroring the results of our readers. Other important issues cited by survey respondents included the environment, climate and natural resources, immigration and abortion.
e vast majority of respondents identi ed as older than 45. at prompted Colorado Community Media to reach out to younger people directly. A reporter and our summer reporting intern used social media to promote the Voter Voices survey on Instagram, tweeting on X and even texting friends and colleagues for help reaching more voters in their 20s and 30s online and in person. Many of the younger voters shared the same concerns as older voters, particularly regarding good government and the economy.
Ben Warzel, 25, of Littleton, was at a Denver restaurant as he expressed frustration over how can-
didates attack each other.
“(Candidates) can have their little pageantry, but we know that they’re not really doing anything,”
Warzel said. “It’s just becoming dangerous, the people that we’re having to choose between.”
Some young people spoke about the intersection that the high costs of college and wages play out in their lives.
“I would like to see candidates talk about pay wages, especially with degrees and the cost of college,” a 24-year-old Voter Voices respondent from Arapahoe County who wished to remain anonymous wrote. “I think the cost of college is becoming una ordable even for people who are more well o .”
“Cost of living has not gone down at all over the years,” a 24-year-old respondent to our survey wrote.
Joshua Glenn, 28, of Aurora, said he hopes candidates will focus on a raft of issues — from the economy to the safety of all Americans.
“I would like candidates to focus on climate issues, economic future, abuse of power and the environment,” Glenn said. “Social justice is very important to me as well. As an African-American, and a contributing member of society, I want to feel safe in all parts of the country.”
Kamara Maxie, 24 of Denver, said the cost of living and abortion are the most important issues she wants candidates to address this election. Maxie also said gun safety is an issue that candidates should address.
“I believe having legal guns is important for protection reasons, however, I don’t think we should have weapons of war,” Maxie said.
ere were also familiar divisions among conservatives and liberals. For instance, many conservative readers, like Eric Tyrell, who lives in Douglas County, cited immigration and tax policy as important issues. He would like to see candidates close the southern border and cut government spending.
“Government is too big and is still getting bigger every year,” he said.
Meanwhile, many liberals, like Kathy Mendt in Adams County, said abortion policy is important.
“Politicians need to keep their laws o women’s bodies,” Mendt said.
She also wants to see candidates who care about the environment.
“How willing are they to address climate change?” Mendt said.
Mary Wylie, an Arvada voter who identi es as a liberal, said climate change is a pressing problem.
“I think climate change is essentially the ballot, depending on who ends up winning the presidency and has control of the government,” Wylie said.
Many survey respondents have similar litmus tests for candidates. For instance, they want to know: Does a candidate support the overturning of Roe v. Wade? Does a candidate support U.S. funding for Israel? Does a candidate believe that Donald Trump won the 2020 election?
Our readers also listed a hodgepodge of local issues. ey included inadequate roads and cell phone “dead zones” in Je erson County, a desire to see more conversation around local control issues, the e ects crime has on businesses and how safe people feel in certain parts of the metro area, among other issues.
And, some said perceptions of communities as conservative or liberal doesn’t provide an accurate re ection of reality.
“Douglas County is a red county, but it’s growing a little more blue, especially where I live in northern Highlands Ranch,” Alex Miller, a 60-year-old Highlands Ranch man who identi es as a liberal, told us. “Based on the yard signs in the last election, my neighborhood had as many Biden signs as Trump signs. I think it’s a mistake to write o the county as lost to Republicans.”
Candidates can improve by focusing on the issues instead of attacking each other, many survey respondents said.
“ e negativity and the bashing, I think, is just very divisive and drives us further apart,” Wylie said.
Jane Dvorak, a moderate from Je erson County who listed democracy and good government as top concerns, said, “ e lack of respect for di ering opinions/ideas is scary.”
“It’s time to take a hard look at how we talk to each other, make decisions and what is best for the whole, not one person/group,” Dvorak wrote.
To voters like C. Michael Litzau,
a 65-year-old moderate Adams County voter, the integrity and ethics of political candidates matters as much as their stance on issues.
“What has their experience been like working with groups during di cult circumstances, and how do they resolve con icts?” Litzau said. “A priority for my evaluation of candidates for elected o ce is their ability to act civilly, even in a time of disagreement.”
RESULTS
A big next step for us will be to work with groups of survey respondents to create a Voter Voices Citizens Agenda for our newsroom that helps guide our every interaction with public ofcials and candidates for political o ce.
Until then, tell us what we’re missing by adding your voice to our Voter Voices survey. Here’s the link: https://tinyurl.com/ mv6jxw7w or scan our QR code below with your phone.
Our door is always open.
Michael de Yoanna, editor-in-chief
Thu 9/12
Homestead Elementary
@ 1:45pm / $645.25 Sep 12th - May 22nd
Homestead Elementary School, 7451 S Homestead Pkwy, Centennial. 515-7080433
Beppe Gambetta @ 6pm
Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver
R.O. Shapiro
@ 7pm
Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Den‐ver
Luke Hendrickson Music @ 7pm
The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, Englewood
The California Honeydrops @ 7pm
Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
Fri 9/13
The Tailgate Tavern Presents Lies Or Lullabies @ 6pm
Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
Jay_Martin @ 6:30pm Rocker Spirits, 5587 S Hill St, Littleton
The War and Treaty @ 6pm
Paula Fuga @ 6pm
Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W Florida Ave, Denver
Sat 9/14
The Lull Band: Little Jam Concert Series @ 4:30pm
Sterne Park, 5800 S Spotswood St, Little‐ton
Lolita Worldwide: Movimiento Music Series @ 6pm D3 Arts, 3614 Morrison Rd, Denver
Gareth Reynolds @ 6:15pm Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village
The Nu Wav Band: The Nu Wave Ultimate 80s Experience @ 8:30pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo Wednesdays - 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm
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Julian Lage @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, Englewood
Rolling Hills Fun Run @ 7:35am / Free-Free 5756 S Biscay St, Aurora
Face Vocal Band: Tunes for Trails @ 5:30pm
Philip S. Miller Park Amphitheater, 210 E Wolfensberger Rd, Castle Rock
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Thu 9/19 Calendar
Answering your questions about voting security
A
look
at the election process as November balloting approaches
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With a whirlwind of claims about election security swirling since the 2020 election, it’s no wonder that some Colorado voters are feeling a bit skeptical about the fairness of the process. But before those doubts take root, remember that the folks tasked with handling your ballots are the same ones you might bump into as you run your errands. ey’re “the people that you’re standing next to in line at the grocery store,” said Tom Skelley, a spokesperson for the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s O ce, the team that oversees elections in that county. Skelley recently spoke at a Denverarea gathering of county elections sta ers in an e ort to get ahead of the suspicions by some voters in recent years surrounding voting processes. Some of those suspicions stem from misinformation — and some voters may simply not be familiar with how the process works. at’s where the election sta ers working for clerks, who are elected o cials and typically Republicans or Democrats, come in. ey provided an up-close look at ballot counting processes and election security
in Colorado.
ey gathered at the Je erson County elections facility in Golden to give a tour of the rooms where ballots are processed. ey spoke about how they keep the list of registered voters up to date and how the vote tallies are done. In the weeks after Election Day, though the winners are often apparent, teams are still working to o cially con rm the results in a rigorous process.
Here’s a look at what counties had to say ahead of the November 2024 election, along with information from the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce — the state’s lead elections agency.
How does your ballot get counted?
In Colorado, the way elections run is standardized in state law and in rules issued by the secretary of state’s o ce. All Colorado counties are required to abide by those laws and rules.
Among other standards, one common theme is the involvement of bipartisan teams — Democrats and Republicans working together to carry out the process.
“No one person is ever alone with a ballot,” a Je erson clerk’s explainer sheet says. “We do everything in teams, and speci cally bipartisan teams, to ensure the security of voters’ ballots and the entire election process.”
For example, in Je erson County, here’s how your ballot moves from
the drop box to be tallied:
• Teams of mixed partisanship collect ballot envelopes in sealed bags and deliver them to the election facility
• Envelopes pass through a large sorting machine to verify voters’ signatures, and envelopes that need special handling are separated
• Signatures that can’t be automatically veri ed by the sorting machine are reviewed by trained election workers. Ballot envelope signatures
are compared to signatures in voter les
• For signatures that can’t be veried — either because they’re missing or don’t match — voters are contacted and asked to “cure” their ballot by sending proof of identi cation
• Shortly after 7 p.m. on Election Night, the rst round of uno cial results is posted online, followed by
Sarah McAfee, a spokesperson for the Je erson County Clerk and Recorder’s O ce, stands in front of a ballot envelope sorting machine during a gathering of Denverarea county elections sta ers. The Aug. 26 presentation at the Je erson elections facility in Golden provided an up-close look at the ballot counting process and election security in Colorado.
PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
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later updates.
After 7 p.m., when polls close, is when results are rst seen — even by the county clerk’s sta , according to the secretary of state’s o ce.
Sometimes those early tallies of votes, as they’re released, o er a skewed picture of the results. A clearer picture emerges as more updates of the tally are posted online during Election Night and, in close races, into the next day(s).
On camera
Pursuant to a Colorado election rule, cameras record all areas where the election management software system is used at least 60 days before Election Day to at least 30 days after, according to the Colorado County Clerks Association.
( is year, ballots for the No-
vember election are expected to be mailed to voters starting Oct. 11.)
For counties with 50,000 or more registered voters, cameras also record all areas used for signature veri cation, ballot opening tabulation, and storage of voted ballots at least 35 days before Election Day through at least 30 days after, the association’s website says.
Many counties have cameras recording year-round, the association says.
e presentation in Golden on Aug. 26 involved Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas and Je erson counties.
“ ere’s badge access that limits what rooms anyone can get in,” Skelley, with Arapahoe County, said.
Does internet security factor in?
Voters who follow the news may be familiar with the question of whether voting systems can be hacked.
“No vote counting machines in Colorado are connected to the in-
ternet,” said Sarah McAfee, a spokesperson for the Je erson County clerk’s o ce.
She added: “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.”
County elections o ces transmit results to the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce, 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. ey do upload the results le from the counting machines through an internet connection to the secretary of state’s o ce.”
But even if the internet connec-
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tion to the state election o ce were somehow tampered with and unofcial election results reporting to the public was a ected, the original voting results le would still be intact, McAfee said.
What about inaccurate voter registration?
You may have heard concerns about voter registration issues. How do o cials guard against those?
Several mechanisms are at play, including cross-checking death records, updating addresses and more. If a voter on the rolls dies, o cials receive information from the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment.
Earlier this year, Douglas County detailed how its elections o ce also gets notices from the state Department of Corrections for people who are imprisoned because of a felony conviction. In Colorado, it’s illegal to
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register to vote or to cast one while in prison on a sentence for a felony.
Moving to a new home can also trigger changes to voter registration.
When “you update through the National Change of Address registry to the U.S. Postal Service, we receive that information,” Jack Twite, Douglas County’s deputy of elections, has said. “In addition, any undeliverable o cial election mail that is returned to us will result in an update to the voter’s registration as well. We inactivate that registration.”
Colorado also participates in ERIC, or the Electronic Registration Information Center, a partnership across many states to help maintain accurate voter rolls. It’s aimed at identifying voters who appear to have moved from one state to another and voters who have died.
What about people without U.S. citizenship? is year, politicians have stirred up concerns about noncitizens and voting.
Often, voting is tied to having a driver’s license or other Colorado identi cation card.
But a person who does not have a driver’s license, state-issued ID or Social Security number may still register to vote, according to Colorado’s voter registration form information. Asked about the ID requirements, McAfee said: “ e very large majority of Colorado voters are registered at the DMV or online, where their citizenship is con rmed through government-issued IDs, such as
passports, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses. ose that aren’t still have to show ID, which could be any of the valid forms of ID, but everyone must sign an a davit swearing the truth of their application.”
Knowingly lying on that a davit would be perjury, said Jack Todd, a spokesperson for the secretary of state’s o ce.
At the top of Colorado’s voter registration form is the question, “Are you a citizen of the United States?” and the instruction, “If you answered ‘No’, do not complete this form.”
e form also says: “Warning: It is a Class 1 misdemeanor to swear or a rm falsely as to your quali cations to register to vote.”
Federal lawsays, generally, that “it shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the o ce of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner.”
e law also says: “Any alien who has voted in violation of any Federal, State, or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation is deportable.”
( e term “alien” means any person who is not a citizen or national of the U.S. e Associated Press Stylebook, a guide for journalists, has advised against using the term “alien” except in quotations.)
Anders Nelson, a spokesperson for Arapahoe County, noted that people applying for citizenship who attempt to vote put themselves at risk of legal punishment and could complicate or end their pathway to citizenship.
Todd said.
e state also checks the full list of voters against data received by the Colorado Department of Revenue daily, and federal Social Security Administration monthly, Todd said.
“In scenarios where there are questions about an individual’s citizenship, the (state) sends a letter to that individual informing them that it is a felony for noncitizens to cast a ballot in a Colorado election and that they must withdraw their voter registration if they are not a citizen,” Todd said. “ is happens on an asneeded basis.”
Cases of suspected voter fraud are reported to district attorney’s o ces for investigation, Todd said.
Every month, the secretary of state’s o ce receives a list from the Colorado Department of Revenue of all the people who have been given a “Not Lawfully Present” or “Temporarily Lawfully Present” driver’s license, Todd said.
“People who have been given these licenses are not citizens, generally speaking,” Todd said. “We compare that list to the statewide voter registration database (SCORE). If there are matches to any of the individuals with NLP/TLP licenses, we then lter those names through SAVE, which at times will con rm that an individual has achieved citizenship status.”
“SAVE cannot tell us conclusively whether someone is not a citizen, as that database is only updated with the latest information provided by either the individual or a wide variety of government agencies partnered with the federal government,”
McAfee, with Je erson County, pointed to analysis by the libertarianCato Institute think tank, which has calledclaims about widespread noncitizen voting fraud “bogus.”
Other fraud concerns e presentation in Golden also touched on the fear of what some call “ballot harvesting” — e orts to collect voters’ ballots and drop them o .
If someone puts a bunch of ballots into a drop box, do those count? A key question is whether the ballots are valid or not.
Fraudulent ballots would come up invalid, Twite has said, because of how they’re tracked.
“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 veri cation as a guard against fraud, according to the Golden presentation.
Colorado to boost cash-for-clunkers program
The
program helps income-qualified buyers purchase a new EV
BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado is boosting its popular cash-for-clunkers EV buying support by nearly 60% with a $9 million fund for 2024-25, after retiring more old, dirtier cars than expected off the road during the first year. The state exhausted $5.7 million for the first year of the fund, which helps income-qualified buyers with an extra $6,000 rebate at the cash register if they turn in an older car when buying a new EV. Turning in an old car and buying
a used EV can bring an exchange rebate of up to $4,000.
Stacked with other federal, state and utility EV rebates, the extra state boost can cut the cost of some EVs by far more than half.
Formally dubbed Vehicle Exchange Colorado, or VXC, the program pulled 879 old or emissionsfailing vehicles from highways in the year beginning Aug. 31, 2023, state officials said in a release.
“Expanding the use of electric vehicles is an important part of our work to improve air quality and achieve our climate goals, and we look forward to seeing this funding support more Coloradans,” Gov. Jared Polis said in the release.
“The way Coloradans have embraced this program shows the momentum the EV market is having in Colorado, and we’re ex-
tremely excited to continue building on its success with additional funding,” said Colorado Energy Of-
fice Executive Director Will Toor.
The program issued a total of 1,301 rebates from old car exchanges in the first year, and consumers redeemed 68% of those vouchers. That was more than six times the number of rebates the Colorado Energy Office expected to provide, state officials said. The second shot of $9 million is for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, running through June 30, 2025.
The total two-year funding of $14.7 million has come through the Community Access Enterprise. It is overseen by the energy office, and paid for through a retail delivery fee that began in 2022.
This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.
An electric vehicle plugged into a Tesla charging station. PHOTO BY SUZIE GLASSMAN
Elizabeth-area operation brings quality vegetables to appreciative customers
BY COURTNEY BAKOS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Grace and Willy Kelley, along with Grace’s parents, Joy and Allan Morton, who proudly co-own and operate the thriving local Further Up Farms in Elizabeth, are making a tremendous impact on the local community.
After starting with a small garden and selling produce at the Backyard Market in Black Forest, Further Up Farms is expanding operations to further serve residents. “We’re only in our third season of planning, but our growth has been tremendous,” said Grace.
e Kelleys have introduced a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program, providing fresh, pesticide-free vegetables to families across Elbert County. “It’s basically a veggie subscription,” explained Grace. “Folks prepay for it and come pick up their weekly share of veggies. is year we have pickup locations at Black Forest and at the farm in Elizabeth.”
is success story is built on hard
Further Up Farms fills a need
work and dedication. While farming is a full-time job in itself, most of the farm’s workers also juggle other jobs, making their farming a true labor of love.
Willy Kelley with Allan Morton spend their days tending to the crops, managing the farm’s aquaponics system, and ensuring everything operates smoothly. eir hands-on approach contributes signi cantly to the farm’s success.
Meanwhile, Joy serves as the farm’s chief nancial o cer, expertly managing the business’s nances and ensuring long-term stability.
“Fridays are our busiest days,” Grace explained. “ e whole family comes together to harvest, wash, and pack vegetables for the market and the CSA pickups.”
e farm’s mission is to provide the community with the highest quality produce. “It’s incredibly ful lling to know that we are feeding hundreds of people each week with nutritious vegetables,” said Grace.
“Many parts of Elbert County are food deserts,” Grace explains, “which means there is limited access to fresh, healthy food. We want to change that by providing local families with fresh, sustainably grown vegetables.”
Further Up Farms’ participation in food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC also allows them to help
those struggling to a ord fresh food.
“We always feel behind,” Grace admittted, “no matter how many hours we put in. Especially when it comes to weeding. And the ground squirrels have become a huge issue that year, damaging a lot of our crops.”
e Kelleys have found what really makes the Elizabeth community special is its strong sense of connection and support. “People here talk — when they nd something they love, they tell everyone!” Grace shared. Word of mouth has been a powerful force, bringing in many new customers through the enthusiastic recommendations of patrons. e community’s deep appreciation for local products is evident. What touches Grace the most is the way their customers have become more than just clients; they’ve become friends. Many of their Elizabeth CSA members regularly volunteer their time to help with harvesting, washing, packing and weeding, a testament to the close-knit support-
ive community. “We couldn’t be more grateful,” said Grace, re ecting on the relationships they’ve built.
Looking toward the future, the Kelleys plan to build a mobile farm stand to reach even more customers. For more information about their operations, visit furtherupfarms. com.
Vegetables from Further Up Farms.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FURTHER UP FARMS
Garlic from Further Up Farms, located near Elizabeth.
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