Guardians of safety and well-being
Heroes Gala honors first responders who help address community’s mental health crisis
Home insurance in state among most expensive
BY TAMARA CHUANG
THE COLORADO SUN
is may come as no surprise to homeowners, but the cost of Colorado’s homeowners insurance is the eighth highest in the nation, according to Bankrate, a nancial services company that tracks all sorts of monthly bills.
At an average of $266 per month or nearly $3,200 a year, premiums are higher here than in states such as California ($121) and New York (144), as well as neighbors Arizona ($172), Utah ($104), New Mexico ($169) and Wyoming ($131).
Blame extreme weather, hail damage and wild res for our lofty rank, said Shannon Martin, Bankrate’s insurance analyst and a licensed insurance agent. But diving a little deeper, Martin also cited how policies are structured by states, the rising cost of homes, and something called “social in ation,” a term used by the insurance industry to describe the impact beyond regular economic in ation.
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
From law enforcement, re rescue, members of the armed forces and military veterans, the event honored local heroes, including those involved with nonpro t organizations that have a hand in aiding the community.
“Tonight we honor all of those heroes who serve our community,” said Douglas County Sheri Darren
After a year that involved dangerous res, numerous thefts, drug busts and the loss of life, rst responders across Douglas County were recognized for their actions at the second annual Douglas County Community Foundation Heroes Gala. e event, which drew hundreds of attendees, took place on Sept. 13.
Weekly during the event. “To include the vital partnerships.”
Located at the exclusive Signature Aviation private jet hangar at Centennial Airport, the event included the opportunity for attendees to get an up-close look at the variety of vehicles, aircraft and tools used to assist the community during emergencies.
“ at’s the increase in lawsuits and the amount of payouts from the lawsuits,” Martin said. “Public opinion has changed on who’s really liable for these actions and how much money you should get in a lawsuit. … It’s impacting how policies are rated and how much they cost.”
A 2023 analysis by the Colorado Division of Insurance found payouts have increased in recent years causing insurers in Colorado to lose money on the premiums collected. And premiums for the average homeowner increased 51.7% between January 2019 and October 2022. e
Cpl. Grant Collins of the Lone Tree Police Department and Mental Health Clinician Sophia Lind of the Douglas County Community Response Team were awarded with the Law Enforcement Hero of the Year award.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Colorado holds the most patents in its regional group
State also has the most by women inventors
BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN
By opening a regional o ce in Denver 10 years ago, the U.S. Patent and Trademark O ce is ful lling a mission to better reach inventors where they live.
e Rocky Mountain Regional Ofce in Denver, the second of ve to open outside of the Washington, D.C.-area headquarters, has seen a steady growth of patents from residents within its nine-state jurisdiction. Colorado, the most populated of the nine, holds the most patents in the regional group, as well as the most by women inventors.
“ ere’s a hotbed here around Denver,” said Kathi Vidal, director of the whole patent o ce who was in town for the 10-year anniversary.
“ e data shows that once you have women patentees, you tend to have more women patentees. But it’s also spreading out into other areas.”
In Colorado, 23% of 53,000 patent holders in the past 10 years were women, compared with 13% nationwide. Other states in the district may be smaller but also have higher rates, like North Dakota, which had 300 patents in the past decade and a 19% women’s participation rate.
ere’s still room for growth. And Molly Kocialski, director of the regional o ce for eight of the 10 years, said it’s more about showing up in communities not used to having a federal o cial visit — and listening. She said USPTO employees now number 400-plus today in the region from 29 a decade ago. And she and her team spend a good chunk of their time traveling around Colorado and the other eight states. And when they reach out, they continue to build on that relationship.
“In the places where we have been able to have the conversation … we’ve seen amazing rewards,” Kocialski said. “Like in Montana. From the rst time I was there until now, we’ve seen a 5X increase in the number of women patent inventors. (It’s) being very intentional about how we talk about who participates in the innovation economy, making sure that obstacles and barriers aren’t there.”
Vidal, a long-time intellectual pat-
ent attorney in Silicon Valley with a degree in electrical engineering, said that the agency had looked into the low rate of patents among women inventors. ey found that women were opting out of the process, be it from discouragement, the expense or other reasons.
“So even once we get women to the door to do all the great work, women opt out at a higher rate,” said Vidal, who joined the patent o ce in 2022.
“We’ve been trying to identify those issues and then solve them.”
One x? Welcome letters. In the past, she said, “ ey’d get a ling receipt and the next thing they get is a rejection. And you can imagine, if that’s your welcome to the system, it’s not going to seem like something that’s warm and friendly and make you want to continue on.”
e welcome letter provides an introduction to the inventor ecosystem, resources and patent tracking. All lers get the welcome letter, not just women inventors.
“It congratulates her because she
can use ‘patent pending’ already,” Vidal added. “And with the next communication, that’s often a rejection. But we put it into context that this is really an opportunity for us to engage and make sure we issue her a strong patent. We want to make sure we craft the patent and the claims in a way that she gets a strong right that she can use to attract funding, to build a business and defend her business.”
ey also started monthly “WE” seminars featuring women entrepreneurs who share their startup stories. e sessions are virtual but sometimes guests show up in person.
e stories and tips shared would bene t all inventors.
Charlotte Young Bowens, an ultra marathoner and employee at Arizona State University, came up with the idea of the VestaPak, a hydration vest “for bigger bodies” to hold gear and keep her hydrated while training. It’s patent pending, but not without a lot of e ort as a novice inventor.
On Friday nights, she said she’d sip a glass of wine and sit on her couch to nd potential entrepreneurial programs and resources. At the university, she tapped into the law school and found law students who helped with her patent and trademarks at a reasonable cost. She linked up with REI’s Embark, which provides support to outdoor-gear startups, and Target, which helped her get her vests made.
“At that point in time, I had spent $10,000 on manufacturing (samples) but none of them could gure out how to make it,” Bowens shared. She needed something big to t her curvy body. But the results were often “a size 8,” which evoked laughter from the audience.
“And so Target said, what do you want, tell us whatever it is,” she said. “And what Target did was reach out to their manufacturing partners and say, ‘Look we support DEI, do you support DEI? Would you be willing
Charlotte Young Bowens is the founder of Conscious Gear and has a patent pending for the VestaPak hydration vest.
PHOTO BY CHARLIE LEIGHT/CONSCIOUS GEAR
Some Thoughts on Keeping Your Death From Being an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Seniors don’t want to be a burden to their children while they’re alive, and there are ways to reduce their burden after they die.
If you’ve ever served as a “personal representative” (aka, “executor”) for a person who has passed, you know that it can be a long and burdensome process. There are actions that you can take now so that handling your estate is less burdensome.
First, of course, you need to write a will, and make sure that it can be found upon your death. You can find law firms that specialize in estate planning which can help you with composing a will plus other tools such as a medical power of attorney, living will, living trust, and, for real estate, a beneficiary deed.
gave unused bicycles to the Optimist Club’s Bicycle Recycle Program, and took several car loads of clothes, dishes, silverware, small appliances and you-name-it to Goodwill. Since I was our own Realtor in the transaction, I cleverly inserted in the contract of sale that “the seller can leave anything he doesn’t want,” which included countless tools and other stuff in our garage. That was in addition to selling most of our furniture to the buyer for $10,000 paid by check outside of closing.
An unbelievable sense of lightness and peace of mind filled Rita and me from the experience of disposing of so much stuff that would have only been a burden to our heirs if we had died while living in that home.
Is a Heat Pump Right for You? Here Is Some Info.
More and more builders and homeowners are looking at the possibility of switching from gas forced air to heat pumps for heating homes and domestic hot water, especially with the huge tax credits offered under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The following is adapted from an article I saw on CustomBuilderOnline.com
How do heat pumps work?
A heat pump moves heat, it doesn’t generate heat.
A furnace combusts fuel — oil, gas, or propane — and that fuel heats a metal component called a heat exchanger. A fan blows air over it, and that’s how a home heats up, explains Matt Rusteika of the Building Decarbonization Coalition.
pump,” says Rusteika.
How much does switching to a heat pump cost?
With rebate incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), switching to a heat pump could be more attainable.
Thanks to the IRA, heat pumps are now affordable for low-income households and we’re seeing a lot of heat pumps in those homes now, says Unger. Rebates under the IRA are as high as $8,000 for the heat pumps and $6,500 for the wiring to support them, he says.
Searching for “estate planning” on the internet produces an abundance of easy-to-understand advice from multiple trust-worthy websites ranging from wikipedia.com to fidelity.com to the American Bar Association, nerdwallet.com and the National Council on Aging. One website I clicked that had excellent and thorough advice was investopedia.com.
A good piece of advice I read was to add the person you designate as your personal representative to your bank accounts, the title of your vehicles, and to your credit card accounts, so those are not frozen and unavailable to him or her after your death. And you might want to dispose of excess property that is otherwise cluttering up your basement and garage.
When Rita and I downsized from our 4,000-sq.-ft. home to an 1,100-sq.-ft. apartment, we did our heirs a great favor, because doing so required us to dispose of an immense amount of stuff that was cluttering up our basement. We
Notice that I did not advise you to add your heirs to the title of your house. If you do, your heirs will not only inherit the house, they will also inherit your capital gain when they go so sell it. The better strategy is to create a beneficiary deed naming your heir(s) as the beneficiary. A beneficiary deed, also known as a transfer-on-death (TOD) deed, is a legal document that allows a property owner to transfer ownership of their real estate to a designated beneficiary after they die. The deed is effective upon the owner's death and bypasses the probate process. This approach, like leaving the property to your heirs in your will, allows your heirs to avoid the capital gain on your home, because its value is “stepped up” to the value of the home at the time of your death. If they sell the home soon, they will probably owe zero in capital gains tax.
For more estate planning advice, contact a lawyer specializing in that field. I can recommend one if you’d like.
List With Me & Get Totally Free Local Moving
It has long been my practice — and that of some of my broker associates — that if you hire me to list your current home and to purchase your replacement home, I will not only reduce my commission for selling your current home but provide totally free local moving using our company moving truck (similar to a large U-Haul) and our own moving personnel. We also provide free moving boxes and packing paper/bubble wrap.
using traditional moving companies, you know that our totally free moving can save you thousands of dollars, even for a move within the metro area.
In heat pumps, there is a compressor which moves a liquid/gas through copper pipe coils located outside and inside the home, operating on two laws of physics: gases get hotter under pressure, and heat moves from hot to cold. Compared to combustion, the heat pump doesn’t burn fuel, rather, it uses energy from the pump and compressor to harvest heat and move it.
“Heat goes into the coil, gets pumped through the compressor, the compressor puts it under pressure so it’s very hot. It goes inside, air blows over the inside coil, deposits the heat in the house, comes back outside, and starts the cycle again,” explains Rusteika. During cooling operation, the cycle is merely reversed, pumping heat out of the house.
What are the negatives of heat pumps?
Heat pump efficiency drops as temperatures get colder, explains Russell Unger, principal at Rocky Mountain Institute. Early heat pumps were not efficient at very cold outdoor temperatures, and some contractors are unaware of the improvement in efficiency that is now common. Nowadays there are cold-weather heat pumps which can draw heat out of the air even at subfreezing outdoor temperatures, says Unger. He points to the state of Maine, which has very cold winters but has the highest percentage of homes heated with heat pumps.
In 2019, Maine Governor Janet Mills announced a goal to install 100,000 heat pumps in the state by 2025. That goal was achieved in July 2023, and now Gov. Mills has a new goal of 175,000 more by 2027.
“When you look for a heat pump, you need to look for a climate-appropriate heat
When a homeowner needs to replace an existing heating system, the wisest move may be to install a heat pump. The Department of Energy estimates that efficient electric heat pumps can save families approximately $500 to $1,000 annually.
Heat pumps are being installed in great numbers in Maine because the marginal cost of switching to a heat pump is pretty small, explains Unger. Where there is a need for both heating and cooling, a heat pump provides a complete solution. The heat pump replaces two separate components — a furnace and A/C compressor — with a single component using the same ducts. And if a homeowner installs solar, earning additional IRA tax credits, there’s great synergy, since the heat pump uses only electricity and uses it very efficiently.
How popular are heat pumps?
Revised building codes have increased the adoption of heat pumps within the last few years. Still, a lot of HVAC contractors remain skeptical. Many of them tried older heat pumps and it didn’t work as well in cold climates, so getting them to revisit the option has proven difficult, but needs to be encouraged, says Unger.
Heat pumps have outpaced furnace sales every month for the past two years, in addition to solar generation increasing about 40% in the last 20 years, and battery sales up 70% in the last 10 years,
“There’s a big shift happening right now. To remain competitive, to get ahead of what customers want, this is something for contractors to start paying attention to,” says Unger.
In the posting of this article online at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, I have added hyperlinks to Maine’s experience and the rebates available under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Just pack and unpack. We will even pick up your flattened boxes and packing materials after you unpack! If you have ever priced moving costs
I bought our first moving truck in 2004. We replaced it with a newer truck (above) in 2016. I calculate that we’ve saved clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in moving costs over the years.
GUARDIANS
As the law enforcement role aims to address mental health challenges, the Law Enforcement Hero of the Year award went to the Douglas County Community Response Team. Cpl. Grant Collins of the Lone Tree Police Department, with special honors to Mental Health Clinician Sophia Lind, were awarded for their e orts on the night of Dec. 21, 2023.
Around 8 p.m. in late December, Collins responded to a shoplifting call at Costco and contacted the suspect, which led to a foot pursuit. After running across the parking lot, the suspect attempted to dive over the railing that had a 20-to-30 foot drop on the other side. As the suspect screamed at Collins that he wanted to die, Collins grabbed the suspect before going over.
Almost an hour after that incident, o cers were dispatched to a disturbance in a residential neighborhood in which they were advised that a male party with autism was having a mental breakdown. As Collins approached the male, he noticed the man had a curved knife in his hand. Collins was able to build a rapport with the man, convincing him to drop the knife.
Response to these incidents are “a testament to their extraordinary services and a profound impact of inte-
grating mental health professionals with law enforcement o cers,” said Weekly. “Together, they are not just responders, but they are guardians to both safety and well being.”
In a video presented to the event’s audience, Collins said that while he was proud of the award, it’s situations like these that o cers face daily.
“In the moment, you don’t think about it – you act,” said Collins. “I think any o cer would have done the same.”
e Douglas County Search and Rescue nonpro t was also awarded. e all-volunteer team operates incounty and anywhere in the state. Calls range from searches for missing persons in residential areas to the rescue of those injured or in need of assistance in the wilderness.
“We are all proud of the service that we provide to our individual communities,” said South Metro Fire Rescue Chief Mike Dell’Ofrano. “We also understand that disaster has no boundaries.”
U.S. Marine veteran Cpl. Ryan Garza was among the many who received a standing ovation as sacri ce has been a common theme in his life.
Garza joined the Marine Corps in April 2008. During his fourth tour, on Oct. 3, 2011, in Afghanistan, Garza’s convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device, resulting in the loss of his right leg and traumatic brain injury. In the years following, Garza struggled with his
mental health but found strength in helping others cope with their mental health challenges.
While presenting the award to Garza, Andy Jones, a Navy retiree who also serves as the Highlands Ranch Metro District director and a Douglas County Community Foundation board member, quoted Garza: “Once I started giving life a try, that’s when things started working out and getting better for me.”
Garza wrote a book, “Disturbed Earth: My Journey from Guilt to Forgiveness,” after a fellow veteran and friend took their own life and last year, Garza was the recipient of a custom-built home in Sterling Ranch.
“Cpl. Garza has transformed his personal trauma into a life dedicated to serving others through leadership, inspiration and hope,” said Jones.
e night’s recognitions also extended to those helping the community’s four-legged and winged residents. Emily M. Davenport, founder of the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance, was awarded for her e orts in rehabilitating wildlife.
e nonpro t wildlife hospital cares for nearly 1,000 animals per year with the goal of releasing them back into their natural habitat.
Additional recognition was given to the Parker Police Department for their response to shots red at the Mt. Fuji restaurant in Janurary, and the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce response team to the apparent mur-
A variety of vehicles, aircraft and tools used to assist the community during emergencies were set up outside of the private jet hangar at the Centennial Airport for the 2024 Douglas County Community Foundation’s Heroes
der/suicide at the Parker Incline, also in January. e second annual gala raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the Douglas County Community Emergency Relief Fund. And just as the year prior, the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners o ered to match a donation up to $200,000.
“In Douglas County, we fund rst responders,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon.
Gala.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
INSURANCE
report also touched on wild re risks near densely populated areas of Fort Collins, Denver and Colorado Springs where “insurance carriers would be reassessing their appetite for wild re risk (and) could have an impact on a material group of Colorado homeowners.”
Colorado is ranked second in the nation for hail-damage claims and has a “highly litigious climate,” said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association, a trade group that represents insurers. And nearly half of the state’s population lives in wildlandurban areas that include another one million people living in areas with “moderate to very high risk of wild re,” according to the Colorado State Forest Service. Combined with a growing population and pricier homes that cost more to rebuild, there are a number of reasons for higher prices.
“We truly are at a tipping point in
Colorado,” Walker said. “(Colorado) ranks second after California for risk of wild re. … I think fears of what we’ve seen happen in California in recent years of an exodus of insurers, a lot of the reasons that insurers were reducing the number or policies or leaving California was because of man-made catastrophes.”
According to the state’s insurance division, the agency has asked homeowners and insurers about renewals and nonrenewals. e results are expected next year, a spokesperson said.
Walker, who sits on many local government boards, doesn’t recall any insurers exiting Colorado yet but are reducing the number of policies on risky properties they no longer can a ord to cover. She’s trying to make sure government restrictions and outdated regulations better balance insurer risk with availability of insurance for all Colorado households.
“If we stabilize the market, that’s what we’ve all been working toward,” she said. “Put in more hailresistant roofs. If we scale up our mitigation for wild re and make
it measurable, those are all things we can do to reduce the risk of hail and wild re. at’s going to have a long-term impact on keeping insurers here (and) keeping those homes insurable.”
According to RMIA, the average increase in homeowners’ premiums in Colorado grew 57.9% from 2018 to 2023.
Lawmakers passed legislation last year after there were concerns about households losing their insurance due to cancellations and nonrenewals. e Fair Access to Insurance Requirements, or FAIR plan, is an “insurer of last resort” and designed to provide property coverage to homeowners and businesses in the highest-risk areas who are unable to get coverage.
FAIR coverage is funded by insurance assessments based on an insurer’s market share. e policies should be available to homeowners and businesses in early 2025. But it’s just one “tool in the toolbox,” said Walker, who is on the state’s FAIR board.
“At the same time, I do think that people have to understand that in-
surance has been underpriced for homeowners when people haven’t had to use it,” she said. “Now that we’re using insurance more, it’s got to be balanced with what it costs to pay out claims.”
As for the cost by state, Bankrate’s Martin pointed out that states like Florida, ranked second-most expensive, must include wind coverage from storm damage while nearby states like Louisiana, also hurricane prone, do not. In California, ranked in the bottom half of insurance costs, re coverage is excluded so buyers must pay extra for it.
“In Colorado, re is still included, which is actually a really good thing because the cost of having two policies is just so much more than having everything packaged in one policy,” Martin said. “People in California now need home, re, ood and earthquake insurance policies. It’s very expensive.”
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
As
Now is the time to celebrate Latin American culture and traditions
Hispanic Heritage Month, running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, celebrates the histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latino communities. is month of celebration goes hand in hand with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, highlighting their historic struggles and achievements toward independence.
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate their independence on Sept. 15; Mexico is the next day, Chile celebrates Sept. 18 and Belize celebrates Sept. 21.
As the month progresses, many celebrations of Hispanic and Latino contributions to society begin in Colorado and beyond. is year for many Mexicans, Las Vegas is the place to be: icon Luis Miguel is scheduled to perform the day before Mexico’s Independence Day at Caesar’s Palace.
Celebrations in other countries
Some Latin American countries honor their independence move-
Revolutions, a period from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s, when several countries fought for and gained their independence.” By 1836, most Latin American countries, except Puerto Rico and Cuba, had gained independence.
In one of Costa Rica’s oldest traditions known as the Lantern Parade, children bring light to the streets on the eve of its Independence Day, according to the Tico Times, an English-language newspaper there. Before the parade, many sing the national anthem in their homes or outside and television and radio stations broadcast the national anthem.
In Mexico’s Independence Day Eve tradition, “El Grito,” a ceremony is led by the president of Mexico and the bells of the National Palace are rung as they recreate one of Mexico’s most important historical moments, according to the o cial government website of Mexico. “El Grito de Dolores” was when Father Hidalgo urged the people of Dolores to rise up against Spanish rule and gave reasons as to why they could
square of Mexico City, called El Zocalo, shout “Viva! Viva!” It’s an expression that represents the respect and admiration from the nation toward those heroic gures.
Chile celebrates the days leading up to its Independence Day by having Fiestas Patrias, which o cially happen on Sept. 18-19, but Chileans start celebrating at the start of September.
e parties leading up to the ofcial Independence Day celebrations involve food, music and a folk dance called “pie de cueca,” according to Chile Travel, the Chilean government’s o cial tourism website. Cumbia music and dance is also included in the Fiesta Patrias.
Similar to how Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, many countries celebrate independence by eating their country’s cuisine, listening and dancing to their music and honoring all things related to their country.
Similar to the U.S. tradition of reworks, Guatemala has a torch marathon, where its joined by other
countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua to run the “Antorcha de la Independencia” (torch of independence), to pay honor to a tradition that began Sept. 14, 1821 when, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, “María Dolores Bedoya ran through the Guatemalan streets carrying her lantern as a symbol of hope for the liberated nations.”
Hispanic Heritage Month at History Colorado
Are you interested in learning more about achievements and contributions of the Chicano, Latino and Hispanic communities throughout history? From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, History Colorado has you covered with exhibitions and guest speakers to help Coloradans “expand their understanding of history and lived experiences of the Centennial State’s diverse populations and celebrate Hispanic Americans who motivated others to succeed.”
History Colorado o ers various opportunities for learning throughout the state, from Denver to Fort Garland, and online. Go to their website for admission costs and other details.
A dancer at the Viva Southwest Mariachi Conference on the Metropolitan State University Auraria Campus in April 2024.
FILE PHOTO BY ARMANDO GENEYRO/KUNC
Call first: 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Mailing Address:
750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-566-4100
Web: HighlandsRanchHerald.net
To subscribe call 303-566-4100
LINDA SHAPLEY
Director of Editorial & Audience lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
HALEY LENA Community Editor hlena@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
BUSINESS INQUIRIES
For advertiser or vendor questions, please email our business department at accounting@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
The Town of Parker has agreed to join nearby municipalities in Douglas County to take on a regional approach to o er more a ordable housing opportunities with the assistance of funds through Proposition 123.
BY
Parker joins regional approach to provide more a ordable housing
Town works in conjunction with the Douglas County Housing Partnership
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Herald. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Highlands Ranch Herald
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the Herald is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
Send address change to: Highlands Ranch Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
As Douglas County looks to o er more a ordable housing opportunities, the Town of Parker has joined nearby municipalities in a regional approach to receive funding through Proposition 123.
Approved by Colorado voters in 2022, Proposition 123 aims to support and increase the supply of a ordable housing and support the creation of homelessness assistance programs across the state.
e proposition directs 0.1% of the state’s income tax revenue to assist in the development of a ordable housing and a ordable housing activities.
“ ose revenues are deposited into a state a ordable housing fund,” said John Fussa, community development director for the Town of Parker.
He added that the state estimates Proposition 123 has generated about $135 million in additional funding to support a ordable housing activities for 2023.
Along with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, the City of Lone Tree, the Town of Castle Rock and the City of Castle Pines, the Town of Parker will be part of a regional approach maintained by the Douglas County Housing Partnership.
e Douglas County Housing Partnership is a multi-jurisdictional housing authority that works with businesses, and local and county government to address the lack of housing for people who work in the community.
To qualify for the funding provided by Proposition 123, the jurisdictions had to establish a baseline number of a ordable housing units and commit to increase the number of units over the next three years.
Estimated by the State Division of Local Government A airs, the Douglas County Housing Partnership, the town and the other partners have a three-year goal of creating over 1,000 new a ordable housing units across the county.
Of that number, the town’s commitment is 224 units, whereas Castle Rock has a goal of 277, and there is a goal of 434 for unincorporated Douglas County. ese new units can be a variety of housing choices and serve rst-time homebuyers, older adults, long-time residents looking to downsize, those working in the retail and service sectors and essential workers.
“ e town’s participation with the other partners, and all municipalities in the county that are participating, maximizes the amount of state funding that comes locally to Douglas County to support a ordable housing activities,” said Fussa.
e Douglas County Housing Partnership will coordinate administration, membership and the implementation activities. However, according to Fussa, potential bene ts of taking a regional approach is the partners will
receive additional funding, which can be used for down-payment assistance for rst-time homebuyers, support affordable housing developments of all kinds and other activities such as land banking.
Land banking would allow the partnership to work with the partners, including the Parker, to purchase and reserve land for future development and activities.
“Not saying that will happen in the town, but it is an eligible activity,” said Fussa.
If the town does not meet the goal of 224 units at the end of three years, but the partnership through the regional approach exceeds the overall goal of 1,000 plus housing units, the town may be able to bene t by having some of those excess housing units, which are credits, allocated.
e Douglas County Housing Partnership will be the mechanism to distribute excess credits. is will be done through board vote and action. e housing partnership will also be responsible for seeking funding for projects, tracking applicable projects and programs and submitting required reporting to the state for compliance.
Parker Councilmember Anne Barrington said it might be a challenge for the town to reach the goal, but she is excited for the opportunity.
“ e word a ordable housing, scares some people,” said Barrington. “It’s a regional e ort to create attainable housing for the middle class and it’s really to ensure that all communities can get the a ordable or attainable housing credits that they need.”
PHOTO
ARIA MARIZZA
to work with a startup company and help them with their product?’”
Six manufacturers had sample products delivered to her front door within a week. “And I was like, that actually fit,” she said.
Even if the day’s panelists didn’t start with the patent office, they’ve come to rely on it as a future resource. Rose Matthes, who cofounded rechargeable wall light maker Poplight in Denver, hopes to get more assistance in filing future patents. Poplight’s first patent was issued in July 2023, with the help of a patent attorney and at least $25,000.
“I think there’s grants I could have searched for but we just felt a lot of rush and time pressure,” Matthes said. “It’s really expensive and it’s hard for a mom-andpop business to drop $15,000 to file patents.”
She added that the boom in female inventors not only has to do with additional support locally
and nationwide, but for TV programs like “Shark Tank,” which Poplight was on in January.
“I think ‘Shark Tank’ has a really big effect (because) if you see a problem and you can fix something, I think women are really creative with problem-solving and fixing things like that,” she said. “I’m in a world where I’m like, ‘God, my lightning sucks. How can I improve it?’ and then coming up with a physical product idea.”
Kocialski said she just wants to make sure her office is everywhere in Colorado where a person with an idea can learn that the local patent office provides pro bono support and resources.
“If we keep more women in the innovation economy, we can keep everybody else,” she said. “We want every brain that can innovate to have the ability to innovate without obstacles and impediments.”
This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalistowned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.
Westminster joins Rocky Flats group exodus
Other cities dropping out of stewardship council prompted the move by Westminster
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e City of Westminster is joining other local governments that are pulling out of the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council.
Westminster City Councilors voted 7-0 to leave the oversight group. e move was not a surprise as six other communities have already voted to leave the stewardship council, said City of Westminster spokesman Andy Le.
e stewardship council – or RFSC – includes 10 local government members and has served to provide a platform for mayors and city council members to have say on the man-
agement of the closed Rocky Flats nuclear facility. e agreement that formed the RFSC began in February 2006, according to a city sta report. e terms of the agreement states that the RFSC ceases to exist if six government members drop out.
In recent weeks, Golden, Superior, ornton, Northglenn, Broom eld and Boulder County have said they will leave, the sta report states. e dissolution of the RFSC will not alter the Department of Energy’s management responsibilities of Rocky Flats or its obligations to provide updates and reports, the sta report states.
Councilors also postponed an executive session to discuss the city’s next move regarding the Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail.
Activists have urged the City of Westminster to stop building the trail, which would link the city with the abandoned Rocky Flats Plant, saying local recreation will disturb soil still contaminated with deadly plutonium.
Larry Smith was a long-time resident and captain of the Aurora Fire Dept for over 35 years. He was an avid auction goer & gathered a very
Go to www.michaelauction.com for complete listing.
Lloyd Michael, Jr. – Julesburg, CO 970-520-0023 | www.michaelauction.com
View of Rocky Flats from one of Michael Ketterer’s air filter collection sites. COURTESY PHOTO
Big cats can help herds avoid disease, advocates say
Ballot measure would halt trophy hunting of lynx, mountain lions, wildcats
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Advocates who want to end the trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx in Colorado point to a new report that says the big cats play a key role in cutting the spread of deadly Chronic Wasting Disease. Currently, 42 out of 51 deer herds and 17 of 42 elk herds in the state are infected with Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD. e disease is a fatal neurological disease without a cure and is increasingly recognized as a long-term threat to the state’s bil-
lion-dollar-a-year elk and hunting seasons, according to proponents of Cats Aren’t Trophies (CATs).
CATs is a Colorado measure on the November ballot that would stop the trophy hunting of the heads and the fur trapping of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx in Colorado, according to its backers. e ballot measure would allow Colorado Parks and Wildlife to manage individual cats that pose a risk to humans and domestic animals, including livestock and pets.
A rogue abnormal infectious protein called a prion is the infectious agent of CWD, spreading via urine, feces, and saliva and indirectly by contact with a contaminated environment. Public health o cials advise against consuming deer or elk meat from CWD-infected harvested animals because of its potential to
infect humans, according to a new release from CATs, Animal Wellness Action and e Center for a Humane
e report from Jim Keen, DVM, PhD, and former USDA veterinarian and infectious disease scientist, titled, “Big Cats as Nature’s Check Against Disease,” outlines how mountain lions preferentially prey on sick deer and elk o ering major ecological and economic bene ts to Colorado, according to the news
eir predation can reduce the incidence of CWD and underscores the ability of native cats to cleanse deer and elk herds of the brainwasting disease detected in Colorado in the late 1960s, Keen states in the news release.
“With no vaccine or cure for Chronic Wasting disease, wildlife managers are struggling to nd so-
CONGRATULATIONS
HIGHLANDS RANCH STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Awarded the Freedom of Information Coalition’s “Ruth Anna Citizen Champion Award” at the Colorado Press Association’s convention.
Fred Brown, retired political reporter/editor who spent 50 years with the Denver Post covering Colorado politics presented the award, commenting upon how lucky and well served Highlands Ranch is having Bob as their state representative . . . and we agree! Go to Bob4Colorado.com to learn more.
Big cats may help halt the spread of deadly disease in deer and elk FILE PHOTO
BIG CATS
lutions,” notes Keen, who is now the director of veterinary science for the Center for a Humane Economy, in the news release.
“Perhaps the best policy response at the moment in Colorado is to stop killing 500 or so mountain lions a year that conduct population cleansing at no cost to the state and that protect the long-term health and viability of cervid populations,” Keen said.
e report, according to the news release, details ve lines of evidence supporting predator cleansing:
1. Predator-prey ecology & disease modeling: Mathematical models suggest that predation by mountain lions (and also wolves) can signicantly reduce CWD prevalence over time.
2. Empirical observations: Field
studies in Colorado show that mountain lions are more likely to prey on CWD-infected deer compared to healthy deer.
3. Laboratory experiments: Research indicates that coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats can inactivate CWD prions during digestion, reducing environmental contamination. If not ingested by a predator, the prion can survive in the environment for years and perhaps even a decade.
4. Disease bio-geography: Areas with ecologically healthy and wolf or mountain lion populations with no or low hunting pressure tend to have much lower CWD prevalence than areas without these apex cervid predators.
5. Negative spatial correlation: Maps of North America show a negative association between predator distribution and CWD occurrence.
GREEN HOMES TOUR
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Self-Guided Tour 9am–4pm • $15/adult $25/couple
Beautiful, Comfortable, Healthy Homes
Electric Vehicle Roundup
3pm–5pm
JUC Parking Lot: 14350 W. 32nd Ave • Golden, CO
Reception & Green Expo 4:30 – 6:30pm at JUC
FREE Appetizers & Local Beverages
Live Music! • Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Exhibits
“Real people telling real stories about their path to electrification.” – Mark N.
“There’s simply nothing more inspiring than seeing green homes features in person!” — Angela K.
“The tour gave me a lot of ideas for improving my older home.” — Kelsey Z.
Home is where the heart is
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Home is where the heart is,” but as we o cially head into the fall, there’s something special that truly makes us feel it. Whether it’s the turning of the leaves, the crisp coolness of the evenings, the smell of rewood burning, or the cozy embrace of a favorite sweater or denim jacket, this season seems to tug at our hearts in a way no other time of year can. It might even be as simple as slipping into our favorite team’s T-shirt or jersey, or perhaps it’s the scent of a freshly baked apple or pumpkin pie that lls our homes with warmth and love. Whatever the reason, there’s a sense of home that becomes unmistakable as fall settles in.
As someone who has spent
much of my professional life traveling, experiencing major metropolitan cities, quiet suburbs, and rural communities around the world, I’ve often fantasized about what it would be like to live in each of those places. Could I actually do it? Would my family be up for the adventure, just as eager and curious as I was?
More often than not, these thoughts remained just that, fantasy. After all, by the time my journey in each city was over, I’d typically ruled out most of those places anyway
One of my favorite pastimes is hopping on a real estate website like Zillow, randomly picking cities, and seeing what’s available. I’ve shared this with a few people over the years, and it turns out I’m not alone, many of us love to indulge in virtual house hunting. As I’ve traveled, I’ve spoken with people in the cities and towns I’ve visited, or met new friends on ights who talk up their hometowns, and here’s something I’ve learned: For the most part, people love where they live. Regardless
of whether it’s a bustling city, a sleepy suburb, or a quiet rural area, there’s something about their home that lls their hearts.
I’ve been blessed to have lived in a few di erent places myself, spending some of my time in the mountains and some near the beach. For me, both places hold a special connection, and I refer to them both as home. Whether
Uit’s the serenity of the mountains or the calming rhythm of the waves, my heart is full in either place because it’s where I nd connection with my family, friends, and community.
For those of us who travel often, we know the undeniable feeling of the return ight home. After days of living out of a suitcase, dealing with airports, hotels, and
the hassle of travel, there’s no better feeling than knowing we’re on our way back to our own bed, our own space, and most importantly, our loved ones. at rst step through the front door, no matter how far we’ve traveled or how great the adventure, brings a sense of peace that can only be found at home.
Learn about Medicare enrollment Oct. 3
pdates pertaining to Medicare Open Enrollment will be presented at the ursday, Oct. 3 Seniors’ Council of Douglas County (SCDC) meeting. Representatives from the Area Agency on Aging will explain how the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), which is the education arm of Medicare, can assist bene ciaries.
Older adults and those who care for older adults are invited to this meeting at
the Douglas County Administration Building located at 100 ird Street, Castle Rock, in Conference Rooms A & B. e will begin with announcements from 10-10:15
a.m. followed by a 60-min-
ute Medicare update presentation, with community discussion from 11:15-11:30 a.m. A virtual option is available at www.douglas.co.us — search for Seniors’ Council.
According to Gretchen Lopez, SCDC Leadership Team, “ e presentation emphasis will be on speci c changes for 2025 rather than the basics of Medicare.” Desiree Boelte, State Health Insurance Assistance Program Manager, promises unbiased information. Qual-
i ed individuals will learn about cost-saving programs that can help cover Part A, Part B, and/or Part D premiums. “ e Open Enrollment period is from October 15th to December 7th each year. SHIP exists to simplify your Medicare journey,” states Boelte.
e SCDC meeting is free and open to the public. Interested older adults are invited and also encouraged to bring others who are interested in the Medicare updates.
e Seniors’ Council of Douglas County promotes Living Well/ Aging Well. SCDC is dedicated to advocacy, education, and collaboration. SCDC, which is a volunteer group, is supported by Douglas County Community Services. Details and updates are available at www. douglas.co.us — search for Seniors’ Council.
Jean Spahr is the publicity chair on the SCDC Leadership Team.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
An alternative property-tax plan
Colorado’s property tax system doesn’t make sense. How is a town or a person supposed to make a budget when property taxes are tied to current property values and change every two years? Colorado needs a more stable way to calculate property taxes that isn’t a ected by a volatile market. e solution is simple, calculate property taxes based on the sale price of the property plus in ation.
In the 1970s California was going through a similar issue as Colorado is today. Between 1975 and 1978 home prices doubled in California leading to many older residents being taxed out of their homes. In 1978, California voters approved Prop. 13, a state constitutional amendment known as “ e People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation” that changed the assessed value of a home to be the purchase price plus a maximum increase of 2% annually. is disconnected homeowners’ property taxes from the volatility of the housing market and prevented people from experiencing huge increases in property taxes.
e property tax bill that was signed by Gov. Jared Polis two weeks ago barely helps current homeowners and will make property go up even further. Giving a discount on the assessed value isn’t terrible but it’s nowhere near the percentage home values have increased, plus they didn’t di erentiate between people that experienced an increase and people that just bought a house.
e other part of the bill that caps how much tax revenue local governments can collect is a terrible idea because it doesn’t account for population growth. If local governments need voter approval for increasing spending then they will be less likely to approve new housing developments that will require increased spending. If less housing developments get approval then home prices are just going to increase even further.
in ation. I know it’s not quite that simple and whatever bill that gets put forward needs to be nuanced but California has already gured it out over the last 46 years. is is a tried and true method for states with high property values.
Grant White, Parker
More immorality from Republicans
e events of the past few weeks have elevated the Republican candidates for president and vice president to new heights of perversity. eir posts, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” and comments, “Haitians eat pets,” their infantile behavior, (actually, calling it infantile is an insult to children), association with a racist conspiracy theorist (Laura Loomer), citing an autocrat (Viktor Orban) as a witness for their superiority, has surpassed even the worst I could ever imagine.
When did we stop requiring at least a modicum of morality to hold our highest o ces?
e Republican Party continues to excuse this bad behavior. Mike DeWine, the governor of Ohio, still insists that they can be our leaders. According to him, economic policy supersedes everything. And that I don’t understand, either. How can we let a self-proclaimed maybe billionaire entertainer, who has declared bankruptcy for his businesses six times, who has cheated workers all his life, be in charge of the economy?
Also, in Congressional District 4, Lauren Boebert is doing her best to follow their lead.
Ernst Popke, Highlands Ranch
Vote to ban trophy cat hunting
Colorado’s population is increasing and limiting local governments is only going to make it even harder for them to cope with this increase. We need a long-term solution that accounts for uctuating home prices and population growth. We need to calculate property taxes based on the sale price of the property plus
Voting “yes” on Proposition 127 to protect our Colorado wild cats is an opportunity to end cruelty. A chance to end the pain and su ering. e utter fear felt by a mountain lion while being chased by a pack of dogs until breathless and fatigued nally climbing a tree and trying to hide. en the pain of being mercilessly shot for head and hide. All for a trophy costing thousands of dollars.
is harassment of our mountain lions is indefensible. A wealth of science shows it is not necessary. Science shows mountain lion numbers will not explode out of control. Deer and elk numbers will not go down.
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Since the 1950s, pop culture has had a profound in uence on the idea of extraterrestrials and mysterious ying objects. Whether exemplifying the public’s fears or hopes of the existence of another life form, TV shows, movies and comics have helped form a fascination with the unknown.
As we develop into a more digital world, some confusion has accompanied the fascination, building a culture of conspiracy, assumptions and growing questions, according to an Enigma Labs consultant Alejandro Rojas.
“ e public really wants to be part of the club that has seen something extraordinary,” said Seth Feinstein, president and state director of the Colorado Mutual UFO Network.
COMUFON is a chapter of an international nonprofit organization, MUFON, which has been around since 1969 to investigate sightings, collect data and establish a worldwide database in hopes of educating the public. e idea of “ ying saucers” became a national interest in the late 1940s when a rancher in Roswell, New Mexico found remnants of a ying object.
black “fish-shaped” object can be seen in the sky above a traditional commercial aircraft. Kevin Benham, who provided the photo, has been investigating Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena for years after seeing one in Aurora, Colorado. COURTESY OF KEVIN BENHAM
CURIOSITIES
By 1952, the U.S. Air Force coined the term UFO — unidenti ed ying object — as part of Project Blue Book, a program that investigated and analyzed UFO reports. e project was closed in 1969 and since then, the records have been with the National Archives.
Just like “ ying saucers,” the term “UFO” became synonymous with alien spacecraft. In an e ort to avoid speculation, investigators have now been referring to them as UAPs – unidentied anomalous phenomena – as they do not know the nature of the objects.
As documentaries and novels studying the phenomena continue, there has been more transparency from the national level.
ere have been multiple Congressional hearings surrounding the topic, the Director of National Intelligence writes annual reports on UAP sightings by the military and NASA as a UAPindependent study.
Earlier this year, the Department of Defense’s Alldomain Anomaly Resolution O ce put out a statement that the department doesn’t believe sights of UAPs are of “extraterrestrial activity.”
Whatever it may be, people are interested in the unknown. As researchers continue to gather information, many residents across the metro area are attending talks and studying the subject themselves.
“It’s part of the mystery,” Rojas said.
Did you see that?
e mystery is what attracts people.
e Highlands Ranch Historical Society sponsors over ten programs on various topics throughout the year, one that focuses on UFOs and the supernatural. Each year, it’s the most attended program, said McKeag.
Over the summer, the so-
ciety invited researcher, investigator and author Katie Paige to speak about strange occurrences that have happened along the front range.
Paul McKeag, a former board member of the historical society, had known of Paige and has had an interest in the phenomena from an early age.
“I have never seen one, but I’ve had close family members that have experienced them,” McKeag said.
He grew up in a sparsely populated area of Nebraska on a farm. When he was about ve years old, his parents had friends from out of state visit. One night, he had gone to bed when his parents heard the cattle making strange noises.
McKeag said when his parents went to look, the cattle were circling around the young and there was a sulfur smell in the air. at’s when they noticed a disc shaped object not making any noise, but slowly rotating. He remembers them telling him the next morning that they watched it for some time before it shot straight up in the air.
Sara Lebofsky, a current Highlands Ranch Historical Society board member, was a skeptic up until a little over a decade ago.
“I have become more and more convinced that we’re not alone,” Lebofsky said.
Lebofsky rst became interested when she saw a ballot measure in Denver calling for the city to accept reports of UFO sightings. Although the measure failed in 2010, it was enough for Lebofsky to start reading about the phenomenon.
One day, Lebofsky’s husband was looking out the front door and suddenly called her over. After she rushed to the door, she said they both saw a large object with lights on the bottom. She recalls the object moving straight up and down, then to the east and back before suddenly disappearing.
“We just stood there trying to come up with what
it could be,” said Lebofsky. “But everything that we tried to think that it might be was not possible.”
In 2020, numerous reports were coming in across the metro area.
Micki Trost, strategic communications director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said the division worked with local law enforcement and most reported sightings were identi ed as Starlink Satellites, aircraft landing at Denver International Airport and drones used by utility companies.
When asked how the division handles reports of sightings, Trost said in an email that the division recommends if someone has a safety concern to contact local law enforcement through the non-emergency phone number if it isn’t an immediate life safety issue or 911 it is a life safety issue.
“(People) should always report any concerns to local law enforcement,” Trost said. “Our role is to support local law enforcement and government.”
Using science to understand what’s going on
When Kevin Benham witnessed a solid black sphere with no lights or sound moving at an incredible speed in 2014 near southeast Aurora, he wanted to learn more.
Benham, now retired, became a eld investigator with Colorado Mutual UFO Network in 2016.
“Everybody who’s involved in MUFON is passionate about the truth behind UFOs,” said Seth Feinstein, state director.
All eld investigators are trained in the most up-todate programs. Using the scienti c method, the investigators use the Jacques Valet classi ca-
tions as a guide and a photo analysis team analyzes photos to authenticate the image or video to help identify the object.
Feinstein, who is also the Case Management System coordinator and leader of the Photo Analysis Team, became interested when he was a teenager with friends in a suburban Long Island, New York park when he said a silent craft with “lights swirling all around” ew silently over them.
Now, he has been studying the subject for about 35 years, adding that the use of cell phone cameras has created a shift in the amount of sightings being reported.
Cell phone cameras are essential to what is being done at Enigma Labs. e company, based out of New York, describes itself as a “community-driven product” that aims to provide tools for analyzing and discussing sightings with an overall goal of being the rst unidenti ed anomalous phenomena sightings alert network.
“We would like to have a real time alert system so people can be noti ed when
something’s being seen near them,” Rojas said. With hundreds of reports being uploaded to their app per week, Rojas said Enigma has built a community where researchers can crowdsource the data as scienti c investigation and data collection is critical.
For nearly two decades, Rojas has been working with di erent nonpro t organizations, writing and researching the topic. But before that, he was a Colorado journalism student, with a focus on science, and he was skeptical about the subject.
“I started hearing about a lot of stories that I didn’t see in the news where there were credible people claiming incredible things,” Rojas said. “It took o from there.” ere is a perception that UFOs or UAPs mean alien spacecraft. While Rojas doesn’t believe there is strong enough evidence to determine that, there is the ability to collect and analyze more data, just as the Department of Defense and NASA are doing.
As characteristics are beyond any known commercial or military technology, Enigma Labs suggests UAPs can manifest in various forms. Some hypotheses include: natural weather phenomena, human time traveling from the future, interdimensional entities, ancient probes from prior civilizations or arti cial intelligence that is further ahead than society realized.
However, there are people who are convinced that it’s aliens visiting.
“If they have a strong belief that they know what it is, they should be encouraging science to do more data collection and analysis,” Rojas said. “Because if they’re right, science will prove them right.”
BIG CATS
Trophy hunting
e new report calls into question the long-standing practice of trophy hunting of mountain lions in Colorado, which is the state where CWD rst began its spread in North America, according to the news release.
e release goes on to say that trophy hunting of mountain lions has become more high-tech and com-
NORTON
So whether you’re like me, a virtual real estate shopper, daydreaming about what life could be like in di erent cities or countries, or you’re con-
mercialized, with guides guaranteeing kills of trophy cats. e hallmark of trophy hunting is to kill large-bodied animals, with the seasonal take being about 500 mountain lions a year (with 53% male and 47% female, in the 202324 season). e killing of mature adult males removes the most ecient animals skilled at killing traditional prey, the news release states.
And killing as many as 250 females, many of them with dependent young who are orphaned and die, depresses the recovery of the mountain lion population and re-
tent in the town you’ve always called home, remember this: wherever your heart is, your home will be there too. It’s not about the location, the size of the house, or the view outside the window, it’s about the love, warmth, and connection we share with the people and memories that ll our lives.
duces the intensity of predation on infected deer and elk, say advocates.
“You don’t have to be a wildlife biologist like me to understand that mountain lions play a critical role in Colorado and Western ecology,” said Elaine Leslie, a wildlife biologist in Durango and former Chief of Biological Services for the National Park Service, in the news release. “ ese animals are an antidote to disease in deer and elk, selectively removing animals that threaten to spread disease and ensuring the protection of Colorado’s
Home is where we nd comfort. It’s where we wrap ourselves in familiar scents and sounds, where laughter echoes, and where love resides. No matter how far we wander, home is always waiting for us, wherever our hearts lead us back to. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when our
biodiversity and a key part of our rural economy.”
Colorado’s big cats are often seen as competitors with hunters, but they appear to play a vital role in stemming the more extreme spread of CWD, Keen said.
“In short, if you want to protect hunting and other forms of wildlife-associated recreation associated with deer and elk, then protect mountain lions and allow them to deliver their gratis predator-cleansing services,” Keen said. “Mountain lions are a deer and elk hunter’s best friend.”
heart is connected to our home and home life, 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.
Thu 9/26
Rockies
@ 10:15am
Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora
Rotating Tap Comedy @ Coal Mine Ave Brewing @ 6pm
Coal Mine Ave Brewing Company, 9719 W Coal Mine Ave unit a, Lit‐tleton
Fri 9/27
Ivas John Band
@ 5:30pm
Vita Summer Concert Series, Lit‐tleton
Jimmie Vaughan w The Texas Horns @ 6pm
Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
Sat 9/28
Fire Safety Showcase @ 8am / $12.95
Wed 10/02
Castle Rock Band Free Concert September 28 in Festival Park @ 1pm Festival Park, 300 2nd Street, Castle Rock. ericastull@ gmail.com, 303-809-2959
Sun 9/29
Brett Hendrix: Tailgate TavernDuo w/ Bryce Feist @ 4:30pm
Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
Exploration Of Flight - Centennial Airport, 13005 Wings Way, Engle‐wood. info@wingsmuseum.org
Caffeine and Chrome – Classic Cars and Coffee at Gateway Classic Cars of Denver @ 8am
Gateway Classic Cars of Denver, 14150 Grasslands Drive, Englewood. marketing @gatewayclassiccars.com, 618-271-3000
Paulina Jayne: Denver Barn Party @ 3pm
Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W Florida Ave, Denver
Tue 10/01
Stephen Dawes @ 6:30pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood Line Dance - 11:45 AM @ 10:45am Oct 1st - Dec 10th
Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S.
Heather Gardens Way, Aurora
Thu 10/03
Eric Golden @ 5pm
Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker
information
TDe La Tierra tells story of Upper Río Grande Region
here isn’t just a single layer to history. Events and stories are built on top of each other, in uencing the future in ways both expected and surprising. De la Tierra: Re ections of Place in the Upper Río Grande new exhibit at the Colorado History Center, uses a blend of art, culture and artifacts to explore the historical and societal region of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
“ is exhibit provides the opportunity to re ect on past and contemporary works and see how they interpret traditions from the region,” said Lucha Martinez de Luna, associate curator of Hispano, Chicano, Latino History and Culture with Colorado History. “When visitors walk into the exhibit space, they will be transported to this region and its cultures.”
De La Tierra is on display at the History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway in Denver, through April 6, 2025. e center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to Martinez de Luna, the area is the northernmost frontier of the Spanish empire and later Mexico and includes the San Luis Valley. To put together the exhibit, she and Jeremy Morton, exhibition developer and historian for History Colorado, worked with contemporary artists who are either from or have family ties to the Upper Río Grande region.
“ is is a multi-generational artistic exhibit, which highlights the
COMING ATTRACTIONS
continuation of the region’s cultural traditions in contemporary art,” Martinez de Luna explained. “We’ve broken it into three themes: land and water, cultural expressions and life-
Visitors will get to learn about the daily tasks of the people who lived in the region by checking out historical artifacts, like tools for shearing sheep, textile work and cooking. When paired with a range of artistic works, the exhibit is more clearly able to provide a glimpse into life and the effects of colonization in the Upper Río Grande.
For Martinez de Luna, who herself has ties to the region and artistic community, working on De La Tierra was an opportunity to work on one of her true passions — presenting voices from the community that usually aren’t featured in museums.
“Many people in the community were co-curators on the exhibit, donating photos, images and more. It’s an important reminder that museums are for the people,” she said. “When I started working at museums, I dreamed of opportunities like this.” e hope is that when people leave the exhibit, they’ll have learned something new about Colorado history and gained a greater appreciation for the state’s diversity.
Castle Rock, Lone Tree, Parker & Highlands Ranch Areas
“ ere’s been a continuation of cultural erasure for a long time, so I’d love it if people walk away understanding how complex and diverse Colorado is,” Martinez de Luna said. “We’re still striving for many of the same things now that people were back then. We’re really not as di erent as some would like us to believe we are.”
More information is available at www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/ de-la-tierra.
Silent Film Festival Returns for 11th Year
Denver Film’s annual Silent Film Festival is the best way to experience these unique and groundbreaking lms: on a big screen with live musical accompaniment. is year’s event runs from Friday, Sept. 27 through the 29th at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave.
e festival includes nine silentera feature lms and a shorts program, and features live music from local musicians like the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, e Dollhouse ieves and more.
Schedule and tickets are available at denver lm.org/denver-silentlm-festival/.
‘James & The Giant Peach’ Sails into Northglenn
Author Roald Dahl is responsible for some of the most popular stories for children and young adults (let’s be honest, adults, too). Everyone has their favorites, and I’ve always been partial to “James & e Giant Peach.” So, I was really excited
to see “James & e Giant Peach Jr.” is coming to Northglenn’s Parsons eatre, 1 E. Memorial Parkway, from Friday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, the 29th.
Staged as part of the city’s Northglenn Youth eatre Jr. program, the musical takes audiences on a magical journey across the ocean on a colossal peach.
Get information and tickets at northglennarts.org/upcomingevents/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Zen Diagram Tour at Fiddler’s Green e National and e War on Drugs are two of indie rock’s biggest bands. Each has its own approach — e National has been around for more than 20 years and are experts at music that can go from moody and introspective to sweeping and magisterial, while e War on Drugs makes heartland rock that can feel as vast as the landscape itself. It’s a truly inspired idea to pair the groups for e Zen Diagram tour, which stops at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. in Englewood, at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. For an opener, audiences will be treated to a performance by Lucius, an indie pop band that has been a constant presence in the scene for years.
Get tickets for a guaranteed great night at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader is an arts and culture columnist. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
Clarke Reader
LETTERS
Last season about 50% of mountain lions killed were females. Long after weaning from mother’s milk, kittens still need their mothers to survive. The great toll on females inevitably orphaned kittens last year, left alone and starving in the middle of winter.
The cruelty to our Colorado wild cats doesn’t end there. Our bobcats are trapped, beaten to death or strangled without limit; furs then sold for profit outside the USA.
If our domestic cats were treated like their wild cousins we would be aghast. A wild cat feels emotions like fear and pain, just as our cats in our laps do.
We have the chance to stand up for our wild cats and call for an end to the unnecessary cruel treatment of them. Vote “yes” on Proposition 127. Lynn Ackerman Highlands Ranch
Stop mountain lion trophy hunting I plan to vote yes on Colorado’s ballot measure to end trophy hunting of mountain lions for their heads and skins and ban baiting and trapping of bobcats for fur which is often sold to China.
I am from Denver, Colorado, and I volunteered to get signatures for this proposition, because I care about the environment and the ecological balance wildlife provides. While I do understand standard hunting, I do not believe in animal cruelty. Mountain lions contribute to
our ecology by helping to cull deer and elk populations. They pick off weaker animals that suffer from wasting disease. A scientific article written by Jim Keen, DVM, Ph.D., entitled “A Scientific Review of Mountain Lion Hunting and Its Effects” explains these ecological issues.
This proposition would also offer a common-sense solution to wild animal management. There are exceptions in the proposition allowing the killing of lions if they threaten livestock or property.
This proposition does not ban regular hunting of lions. Trophy hunters often pay $8,000 for a guaranteed kill. They use packs of dogs with radio collars to tree the cat and then the hunter walks out and kills it. This method is cruel, non-sportsmanlike and unnecessary. Hunting mountain lions by tracking them still re -
mains totally legal.
Killing of lactating female mountain lions is not allowed due to abandonment of cubs and great potential loss of lion population. In 2023-2024, 235 female lions were killed, which amounts to 47% of the 500 licenses given. This is an unacceptable percentage and needs to end.
Some of the best conversations I have had while gathering signatures were with regular hunters. They almost always signed my petition. They fully understand the frivolous cruelty and ecological disregard of the majority of trophy hunters.
It is in these regards that this proposition just makes good sense. Let’s not continue to cruelly kill Colorado cats while providing exceptions to protect people and property.
Karla Heeps, Denver
Casa Bonita has begun taking reservations
Iconic Lakewood restaurant taking names for Oct. 1 public debut
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For more than a year, those wanting a glimpse inside Lakewood’s newly renovated Casa Bonita needed to win the lottery. While receiving an exclusive invitation to dinner at the iconic Mexican restaurant wasn’t quite akin to winning the Powerball, the odds of being chosen in Casa Bonita’s lottery system weren’t exactly in their favor.
Hundreds of thousands who signed up hoping to receive an invitation still remained on the waitlist, making it one of Denver’s most exclusive dining establishments.
All of that is changing. After decades of walk-in-only dining, the beloved establishment, nicknamed the “Disneyland of Mexican restaurants,” famous for its cli divers, immersive theme park atmosphere, and, more recently, its new ownership by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, has begun accepting reservations for the rst time in its history.
Guests can now book their visits in advance through the restaurant’s website. ose visits are set to begin on Oct. 1.
According to the website, the restaurant plans to announce additional changes based on guest feedback as they are introduced. Since
re-opening in June 2023, guests are no longer required to pay for their meal before entering the dining area and instead receive table service.
Walk-in dining remains unavailable.
Parker and Stone o cially bought Casa Bonita in September 2021. e purchase came after the restaurant led for bankruptcy in 2020 due to nancial struggles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
e pair, who were long-time fans, famously catapulted Casa Bonita to cult-like status after featuring the restaurant in a 2003 “South Park” episode. During a 2023 interview, Parker joked that they went over budget by $40 million upgrading the kitchen, improving safety features, modernizing lighting and sound systems, and making the restaurant ADA-compliant while keeping its nostalgic charm.
Parker and Stone also hired award-winning chef Dana Rodriguez to elevate the menu and provide a better culinary experience.
Reviews on Yelp since the restaurant’s soft opening in June 2023 are mainly favorable. More than half of the 456 responses gave it 4 or more stars out of 5, while one-third gave the experience just one or two stars. For those who can’t get enough of Casa Bonita, a new documentary titled “¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!” is now playing in select Denver-area movie theaters. e lm explores the restaurant’s history and cultural signi cance, along with the deep love and a ection fans and employees have for the restaurant.
Casa Bonita entrance.
FILE PHOTO BY JO DAVIS
Calling all chicken-salad lovers: You have new haven in Littleton’s Aspen Grove
BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Earlier this month, a local customer drove to a restaurant in Aspen Grove before the sun even came up. e customer arrived at 3:15 a.m. and was the rst person in line when the business’ doors opened that day. ese e orts won this lucky customer free chicken salad for a year.
It was the grand opening of a Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton, a new location of the national restaurant in Aspen Grove. e restaurant is dedicated to made-from-scratch, southern-style chicken salad and aims to serve customers with gracious hospitality, according to its website.
“We put our heart into everything we do to create a lasting memory for our guests,” said the Aspen Grove location’s owner, Maureen McFerson. “You leave feeling taken care of, and better than when you came. at’s why many people use the word love when they describe this brand.”
Stay-at-home mom Stacy Brown started Chicken Salad Chick in 2008 in Alabama. Since she began whipping up chicken salad in her home kitchen, the brand has grown to have more than 225 restaurants across the country.
e regular menu features about a dozen types of chicken salad, all of which are named after women who are important in Brown’s life — Fruity Fran, Jalapeno Holly, Lauryn’s Lemon Basil and more. e restau-
rant also has seasonal specials and o ers other southern favorites like pimento cheese, egg salad and other sides and desserts.
McFerson said her favorite item on the menu is the Cranberry Kelli chicken salad.
“(It) was named after our founder’s sister-in-law, who is a teacher and a mom,” she said. “With cranberry and almonds, it strikes the balance of sweet and savory avors.”
After falling in love with the food and then learning Brown’s story, McFerson said she knew she wanted to be a part of the business. She chose to open the franchise in Aspen Grove because of the community there and in Littleton overall.
“Littleton has the strong sense of community that I think we all long for,” she said. “Aspen Grove is such a wonderful place to shop and take care of your daily needs. It’s really an anytime-of-the-day community gathering place, with lots of fun events and concerts and tenants that would elevate any brand.”
Leading up to its grand opening, Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton raised donations for the Backpack Society, a nonpro t organization that works to end food insecurity for students in the Douglas County School District and Littleton Public Schools. McFerson said the group raised more than $3,000 to support the nonpro t, which she works with as a volunteer.
As a woman-founded company and a woman-owned local business,
she is also very proud of the company’s value of family time. Chicken Salad Chick is closed on Sundays and many holidays to allow workers to have rest and time with their families, she said.
She said she hopes her restaurant can be a place for community members, especially women, to gather and chat, “whether they’re having a “ ey will leave feeling better than e restaurant has a dog-friendly patio with games and chalk for kids and families to enjoy while they eat.
Chicken Salad Chick, 7301 S. Santa Fe Dr. unit 320, in Littleton is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is closed on Sundays. The location is hiring, and people can apply on Indeed.
Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton owner Maureen McFerson talks with visitors at the restaurant’s grand opening on Sept. 10.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUREEN MCFERSON
Elizabeth barbecue eatery is cruising along as it nears first anniversary
BY COURTNEY BAKOS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
As Sammie D’s restaurant in Elizabeth counts down to its one-year anniversary at the end of November, enthusiastic customers are keeping the establishment busy as they keep coming back for more Kansas Citystyle barbecue.
e Merriman family runs the eat-
Sammie D’s is D-lish
ery at 724 E. Kiowa Ave., the former Bernie’s Kitchen space, and named it after patriarch Sammie D. Merriman. Sammie was close friends with Ollie Gates, the legendary founder of Gates BBQ in Kansas City. is rich connection to barbeque heritage is just the beginning of the Sammie D’s story.
Sean Merriman, the restaurant’s co-owner and executive chef, carries the ame of family tradition with his own twist. After graduating from culinary school, Sean embarked on a nationwide barbecue tour, enhancing his craft across the country. His journey led him to develop what he calls “non-denominational”
MEET YOUR NEW PERSIAN MOTHER — PLAYED BY HER OWN SON
barbecue — an approach that blends techniques and avors from di erent regions. “We wanted to change people’s minds about what BBQ is,” Sean explained.
“Stogie,” their unique take on a French dip. e Stogie features smoked, thinly sliced brisket, Havarti cheese, house-made horseradish cream sauce, and au jus infused with locally grown rosemary. Another crowd-pleaser is their meat by the pound, with the burnt ends often being the rst to sell out. “ ey are not really burnt,” Sean said, “just a name someone came up with and people tend to associate them with being gross, but they just melt in your mouth and are extremely sought after.” e Smoked Chicken Wings have also grown in popularity and are tossed in house-made Honey Cholula hot sauce.
Denver Center Theatre Company presents the Olney Theatre Center production of
e whole family is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the business, which is owned by Sean and Courtni Merriman. Sean’s son, Jacob, handles the butchery, and Courtni’s partner, Connor, manages the front of the house. Even Courtni’s two kids, Aimee and Holden, lend a hand — Aimee as a server and Holden helping in the kitchen.
e restaurant’s popularity is undeniable, with customers arriving as early as 10 a.m. eager to get a taste of the Merrimans’ unique barbecue. e lunch rush lasts until midafternoon, and by 4 p.m., the dinner crowd begins to gather. “We go until we sell out, or it’s time to close the doors.” Sean said.
Sean Merriman operates the meat grinder at his family’s Elizabeth restaurant that specializes in Kansas Citystyle barbecue.
“We love the small town vibe we have here,” Sean said of their Elizabeth storefront location. “It is extremely cozy and welcoming and they’ve been incredibly open to what we do and who we are. We love telling our story and meeting the people within the community.”
As the Merriman family continues to grow their BBQ business, they stay true to their roots, serving up something delicious and distinctive with every dish.
For previous coverage of Sammie D’s, go to tinyurl.com/elizbbq.
Kansas City-style barbecue is the specialty at Sammie D’s in Elizabeth.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAMMIE D’S
MARKETPLACE
Help Wanted
Now Hiring
Lone Tree
Tax Preparer
Compensation based on experience.
Employment type: part-time
Experienced tax preparer needed part time year round; for the fun never stops when it comes to tax prep!
Please send resume to: Century Accounting and Tax sheilat@cbizofdenver.com
5280 Auto Hail Repair is seeking a skilled (PDR) Paintless Dent Repair Technician specialized in hail, starting at $35/hr, 8 hours per day, M-F 9am5pm. No benefits. Call 720899-6633.
Orica USA Inc. seeks Lead-Marketing (Packaged Explosives) in Centennial Colorado to be accountable for the Region’s strategic marketing outcomes for explosives to achieve commercial targets across the region. Own and manage price list and offer architecture for packaged explosives across North America. Proactively make recommendations on pricing with respect to services offering for each mining contract bid with a value proposition that meets the customer’s needs. Remote work permitted up to 40%. 20% travel including to Canada, Mexico, and Dominican Republic. Email resume to Jessica Ransdell at jessica.ransdell@orica. com to apply.
A
Merchandise
Arts & Crafts Family in Christ Church
70+ Vendors, Little Bear Café, Cookie Walk & FREE Raffle! Friday, October 18th 10:00am-4:00pm & Saturday, October 19th 9:00am-3:00pm 11355 N. Sheridan Blvd. Westminster (303-466-7770) Admission: FREE Suggested Donation: Non-perishable food items (not expired) for local food banks
Medical
Split & Delivered $450 a cord Stacking $50 Call 303-647-2475 or 720-323-2173
Lawn & Garden
Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833606-6777
Health & Beauty
VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS!
50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00
100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol
Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258
Attention oxygen therapy users! Discover oxygen therapy that moves with you with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. Free information kit. 1-866-4779045
Miscellaneous
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936
Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢/day! 1-844-591-7951
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable pricesNo payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189 Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091
MARKETPLACE
Miscellaneous
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer.) Call 1-844-5013208
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation
Experts Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-9486176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833399-3595
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
Miscellaneous
Water damage cleanup:
A small amount of water can cause major damage to your home. Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts!
Free brochure! Call 1-888489-3936
Become a published author We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo. com/ads
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/ mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405
ColoradoClassifiedAdvertising StatewideNetwork
Toplacea25-wordCOSCANNetworkadin91ColoradoNewspapersfor only$300,contactyourlocalNewspaperoremailrtoledo@colopress.net
DIRECTV-Allyourentertainment. Nothingonyourroof!Signupfor Directandgetyourfirstfreemonths ofMax,Paramount+,Showtime, Starz,MGM+andCinemaxincluded. ChoicePackage$84.99/mo.Some restrictionsapply. CallDIRECTV1-888-725-0897
PortableOxygenConcentrator MaybeCoveredbyMedicare! Reclaimindependenceand mobilitywiththecompact designandlong-lastingbattery ofInogenOne. FreeInformationKit! Call:844-823-0293
ToPlacea25-wordCOSCAN Networkadin91Colorado Newspaperforonly$300,contact yourlocalNewspaperoremail rtoledo@colopress.net
FreeHighSpeedInternetforthosethatqualify. Govermentprogramforrecipientsofselect programsincl.Medicaid,SNAP,Housing Assistance,WIC,VeteransPension,Survivor Benefits,Lifeline,Tribal.15GBInternetService. Bonusoffer:AndroidTabletFREEwithone-time $20copay.FreeShipping&Handling. CallMaxsipTelecomToday:7-866-654-9429
Rentals
Apartments
Our beloved Natalie has been missing since June 8th. She is a sweet, 10-year-old, small, red dog. Please help Natalie return home to her family who can best help her with her sight and health issues. She is missed terribly and we are devastated by her loss. Amanda 303-588-8658
Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-2450398
Move-in-Ready RENT: 2 Bdr. washer/dryer, security, near Town, Schools, Park. $1250 1st/last $2000 Deposit 303 646 0872.
