GOP keeps its hold on commissioner seats in Douglas County elections
Teal wins reelection to board, other victory goes to Van Winkle
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With decisive wins on the two county commissioner seats up for grabs in the November election, Republicans will keep full power on Douglas County’s main governing body.
County Commissioner George Teal, a Republican incumbent, won reelection with a large lead over Democratic challenger Angela omas.
“Really honored and privileged to be able to continue to serve,” Teal said in a phone call with Colorado Community Media. Speaking to CCM, omas thanked her supporters.
“I appreciate the con dence that was placed in me with those votes, and I’m grateful to the people of Douglas County for giving me an opportunity and believing in me,” omas said.
e candidates competed for the commissioner District 2 seat, which formally covers Castle Rock and the southern portion of the county, including much of Douglas County’s rural areas.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, a Republican, won by a large margin over Democrat Josh Smith. Neither candidate responded for comment on the results.
e race determined who will replace outgoing Commissioner Lora omas, who could not run for reelection because of term limits.
Voters approve $490M bond for Douglas County schools
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After two previous attempts to pass school funding in recent years, Douglas County School District voters seem likely to approve the district’s $490 million bond proposal to build new schools and address maintenance issues.
Early results show 59% of voters were supporting the bond and 41% were against.
Superintendent Erin Kane told the Douglas County News-Press that she is incredibly grateful to voters and the
campaign volunteers.
“I am so grateful for our entire community for shouting loud and clear that they support our schools, our kids, our teachers,” Kane said. “Now, it’s incumbent on us to make sure that we spend this money carefully, exactly as we said we would, transparently and with the oversight of a citizen’s committee.”
e bond plan covers the construction of elementary schools in Sterling Ranch and Ridgegate, the expansion of Sierra Middle School and a majority of maintenance projects across all Douglas County schools through 2026. It will
also invest in building security improvements, transportation needs — such as buses — and expanding career and technical education.
e district has a growing backlog of about $300 million in building maintenance and hasn’t built a new school since 2010.
Kane said the district will be able to get started on maintenance projects right away and complete all of the projects laid out in the bond plan over four years. e two new schools should
e two candidates competed for the commissioner District 3 seat, which formally covers northwestern Douglas County.
e board of commissioners is the county’s policy-making body, approving Douglas County’s annual budget and passing local laws that govern unincorporated areas, or those outside of city and town limits. at includes Highlands Ranch and many other parts of the county.
Douglas commissioners are elected at large from one of three geographic districts. at means commissioners are required to reside in di erent districts, but voters throughout the entire county cast ballots for each seat.
e third seat on the three-member board of county commissioners, representing District 1, is held by Republican Abe Laydon and was not up for election in this cycle.
Looking ahead
Teal points to public safety as a top priority he wants to tackle.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
Early results show 59% of voters supporting Douglas County School District’s $490 million bond proposal.
PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
Regulators eyeing Xcel lobbying, salary costs
Regulators put curbs on investor relations and executive salaries
BY MARK JAFFE THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado utility regulators — using the mandates in a 2023 law — are looking to carve lobbying fees, trade association dues and investor relations costs from Xcel Energy rate requests. In a current gas rate case, more than $775,000 in such costs were disallowed.
e gure in the future could be a lot higher based on the Colorado Public Utilities Commission decision in October ordering Xcel Energy to remove all investor relations costs — including a portion of executive salaries — from its calculations of costs passed on to customers.
“ ere is an inherent tension between customer bene ts and investor bene ts,” said Joseph Pereira, deputy director of the Colorado O ce of the Utility Consumer Advocate, which represents residential and small commercial customers before the PUC. “Customers shouldn’t pay to boost the share price.”
In the wake of soaring utility bills in the 2022-23 winter, when the average gas bill rose 52% for residential customers of Xcel Energy’s subsidiary Public Service Company of Colorado, the legislature convened a special committee to investigate rates.
e result of that inquiry was Senate Bill 291, which aims to avoid the bill shock customers experienced. It also took aim at 15 types of expenses that should not be paid by customers, such as a portion of board of directors’ compensation, travel and entertainment expenses.
e commission is still working on setting the rules to comply with Senate Bill 291. e PUC is using interim rules for the gas rate case.
Xcel Energy was seeking a $172 million increase in gas rates. e PUC granted the company a $130 million increase, with a $15 million adjustment for depreciation expenses, raising the average monthly household bill 7.7% or $4.57 and small commercial bills by $17.49.
Colorado customers like people everywhere in the county are concerned about how high their energy bills have become,” said David Pomerantz, executive director of the nonpro t Energy and Policy Institute. “Underlying a lot of those concerns, is how politically powerful utilities are and how they are paying for that with money that’s not theirs.”
3 other states keep corporate costs from being charged to consumers Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine have passed laws similar to Colorado, and bills have been led in 11 other states seeking to limit lobbying and other charges, Pomerantz said.
In a recent Xcel Energy gas rate case in Minnesota, the Citizens Utility Board, a nonpro t consumer advocate, challenged the dues paid to the American Gas Association, a trade group, and the Chamber of Commerce, noting that those charges are excluded by statute in Colorado.
In a settlement agreement, Xcel Energy agreed to remove the dues from customer charges.
“Colorado is a little ahead of the game compared to other states,” Pomerantz said. “ ey and Connecticut were the rst states to take a whack at this.”
While there is a long list of costs to be
excluded, in the gas rate case, the commission honed in on four: lobbying expenses, investor relations expenses, trade association dues and attorney and consultant fees in rate cases.
Xcel Energy in its lings maintained that many investor costs are required, such as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lings, the provision of disclosures to current and potential investors as required by law, and listing fees, including those required by stock exchanges.
“ ese costs for the company are unavoidable costs and are by de nition prudent since they are required by law, regulation, and/or stock exchanges that give the company access to external capital,”
Xcel Energy said in a ling.
e PUC, however, said that prohibition in Senate Bill 291 is “unambiguous.”
“We therefore direct Public Service to remove from its revenue requirement calculations all investor relations expenses,” the commission said.
But what that gure is and how to calculate it have yet to be determined since it will rely on computing the time spent and salaries of all employees involved in investor relations, all the way up to top executives and the CEO.
“You know, a big part of their responsibility is investor relations,” Commissioner Tom Plant said during one meeting reviewing the rate case. “It’s maximizing shareholder value. It’s maximizing return to investors.”
“And what we know from the statute is that that is not a role that the legislature has said is attributable to ratepayers,” Plant said. “But we don’t know what that line is, we don’t know where we draw that line.”
In its decision the commission said “the company shall provide a full accounting of time spent by the company’s employees, including executives, in raising capital and any other aspects of investor relations.”
e commission did remove $142,000 in investor-related expenses from the rate case.
Xcel is the top spender on lobbying in Colorado
e decision was similar regarding lobbying. Xcel Energy has consistently been the top spender on lobbying at the Colorado statehouse. In the 12 months ending in July, it spent about $297,000 on lobbying.
ose expenditures for registered lobbyists are not included in charges to customers, but under questioning from Commissioner Megan Gilman, Xcel Energy executives said there is no accounting for the company employees who spend time in lobbying activities.
“From the executive level on down, there are individuals within the organization directing, strategizing, analyzing potential proposed or enacted legislation and trying to in uence those outcomes on behalf of the company,” Gilman said. “And so, it seems to me, we’re likely missing quite a bit of information here that would be helpful and necessary to ensure compliance with 291.”
e PUC ordered Xcel Energy to update its 2023 annual report to show the portion of total compensation for company employee lobbying and to track and report those expenses for 2024 and each year through the next rate case.
Finally, the commission told the company to track employee lobbying expenses from Jan. 1, 2024, on in a separate account to determine in the next rate case whether a refund is due to customers.
Xcel Energy also argued that in addition to lobbying and political activities the American Gas Association provides educational and professional activities and that part of its dues to the trade group should be allowed. e commission rejected the argument and the full $503,000 in dues was removed.
Xcel did not comment for this story, but provided a statement it made about the commission’s rulemaking to enact Senate Bill 291 noting that “the vast majority of expenses the law required be excluded from rates has historically been excluded from Xcel Energy Colorado customer rates.”
e cost of attorneys and consultants have long been paid for by customers in rate cases. “Such expenses are a legitimate cost of providing utility service,” the commission said.
Xcel Energy sought $1.6 million in legal and consulting fees to be put into rates.
e PUC sta in a ling said that was an improvement over the $2.2 million the company requested in its 2022 gas rate case, but the sta recommended a $1.3 million cap on expenses.
e company spent $260,000 on consultants and the commission split that cost between the company and customers with each responsible for half, leaving Xcel Energy able to recover $1.47 million in costs.
While these are small-dollar battles in a $171 million rate case, Pereira, the utility consumer advocate, said they are important in changing the dynamics in the legislature and at the PUC.
“Maybe Xcel decides it doesn’t want to pay for 10 people lobbying,” he said. “Maybe it changes how they approach a rate case.”
When it becomes clear how much Xcel Energy is spending stockholders may also have a say. “ ere are monetary savings for customers but also a quanti able way for shareholders to decide if they want to pay for those activities,” Pereira said.
“SB-291 has to be the most in uential customer-focused bill we’ve seen in a decade or more,” Pereira said.
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.
Colorado utility regulators are considering exempting Xcel Energy’s lobbying fees, trade association dues and investor relations costs from future rate requests.
Reflections on Writing & Publishing My 1,000th ‘Real Estate Today’ Column
Because journalism was my first profession, writing a column about real estate seemed an obvious way to make myself known when I entered the real estate industry in 2003. The first column I published as a paid advertisement was on July 30, 2003, and I estimate that I have published at least 1,000 columns since then — 52 columns per year for most of the last 21 years. And every one was written by me, on a new topic each week.
have never written a column which embarrassed me due to something I wrote. (I still show each column to my wife, Rita, and to my broker associates before sending it for publication.)
From the beginning, I saw this column as “my own continuing education program,” because I had to study each topic before I could write knowledgeably about it. At first, that meant showing the first draft to my managing broker at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, to make sure I had my facts right. Even now, I will often send a first draft to another broker who has expertise I don’t in the topic I chose to write about that week.
You can see the topics of those columns going back to July 2003 at www.JimSmithColumns.com
The links on those original columns don’t all work, but you can at least see the headlines.
As a result, I can honestly say that I
I don’t know of any real estate agents anywhere in the country who have taken this approach to promoting themselves, but that may be due to the fact that the vast majority of people in any profession other than the writing professions have trouble expressing themselves in writing — and it’s a big commitment of time. If I weren’t writing this column, I’d probably have to spend hours every day or week prospecting — making cold calls or knocking on doors soliciting sellers and buyers. I might have been one of those agents who bombards you, the typi-
We Learned Firsthand About Vacant Land Scams
The Colorado Association of Realtors (CAR) issued a warning last month about scammers trying to sell vacant land that they don’t own in Douglas County, adding that it may be happening in other counties.
One of our broker associates found himself caught up in just such a scam even before that alert was issued. Here is how the scam unfolded and was discovered, so that the property owner and buyer were not victimized.
Via our website, we received an inquiry about listing a parcel of land in Coal Creek Canyon, so I referred the lead to a broker associate who lives nearby. He quickly got a signed listing for the property at $100,000, and I advertised the parcel in that week’s ad. He put a for-sale sign on the parcel and a neighbor quickly snapped it up, going under contract for it below full price.
The scammer said he was in a cancer isolation ward and didn’t have an ID with him. He needed to close quickly so he could pay his medical expenses.
The folks at First Integrity Title, which received the contract for processing, got suspicious because of no ID and sent a FedEx letter to the real owner of the property at his home in Maryland. The owner immediately called our broker associate, incensed that his property was being sold without his knowledge or involvement.
If the title company had not taken that action, it is possible that the transaction might have gone to closing based on forged IDs from the scammer, and the proceeds of the sale would have been wired according to the scammer’s directions.
The sale would ultimately have been voided, but the buyer would have lost his money. The seller would not have suffered loss.
In its October alert, CAR provided some guidance on how to recognize a vacant land scam in the making:
“In these cases, the scammer tries to list vacant land with no mortgage. He wants to sell it at below market prices for a quick sale. The scammer makes it clear there can be no in person communications, and that all communications are to be done by text or email. The scammer tells the real estate agent one of several stories about why he is out of town. He insists on a remote, no-contact closing, typically using a “local” notary of his choosing. He will not accept a local notary selected by the title company.
“The scammer has presented fraudulent driver’s licenses and fraudulent passports as identification. He uses spoofed phone numbers and untraceable email addresses.”
No such scam should be successful so long as the title company does what First Integrity Title did, which was to contact the registered owner of the land to verify the transaction.
In listing any property for sale, it’s a good practice for the listing agent to have the title company run an “ownership and encumbrance” report, which identifies the owner. Then, using an app called Forewarn, which is only available to licensed real estate agents, we can find the phone number(s) of the registered owner and call them to verify that they are indeed who is talking to us.
BTW, once the seller knew we were not scamming him and had foiled the scam attempt, he said he might list his land with us!
Golden Real Estate’s Broker Associates
cal homeowner, with letters and postcards saying, “I have a buyer for your home” — which may or may not be the truth. I much prefer to spend those hours being of service to the general public, studying every aspect of real estate that I can think of where I myself would like to know more, and then sharing it with you. When I ran for political office in 1981, I did exactly the same thing. Before announcing my candidacy I spent several months investigating every aspect of municipal government, speaking to civil servants in each agency and learning everything I could about policing, criminal justice and corrections as well as welfare, housing and economic development. When I announced my campaign, I released a 16-page tabloid spelling out my program for “saving” my city. I referred to it as “the power of the well-printed word.” It helped that I owned a typesetting business at the time, so I knew how to make what I printed look professional.
That effort wasn’t as successful, however, because I was running against seasoned politicians with political clubhouses behind them, not competing with fellow professionals, most of whom had a lot more experience than me but couldn’t demonstrate that experience or knowledge as well as a seasoned journalist like myself.
My training in journalism came from writing and editing my prep school and college newspapers but most especially from winning a summer internship in 1968 at The Washington Post I really love the practice of real estate and the reputation I have built with my readers. I love getting emails and phone calls asking my advice or reacting to something I have written. And when you call me about selling or buying a home, I love to know that the call was based on the trust and reputation I have built over two decades (or less) from my writings. Often, when I go on a listing appointment, I find that the seller has a folder containing clippings of my columns. I love to tell the story of one listing presen-
tation where the seller mentioned a particular issue of concern to them. “I wrote about that a few years ago,” I said, whereupon the seller opened a manila folder in which that old column was on the top of the pile.
My first year in this business, I attended a retreat hosted by one of the preeminent real estate coaches. Following that event, I hired that coach’s firm briefly, but the focus was on memorizing scripts and “time blocking” several hours per days for cold-calling. I couldn’t do it.
It just wasn’t my style. I have never memorized a script and never made a cold call — in fact, never prospected at all. This column is what made that approach possible. The hours I could spend prospecting are so much better spent writing and publishing this column.
At first I wrote monthly, then biweekly, and within a couple years I was able to write this column every week. At first I bought a page in a little Golden newspaper because I couldn’t afford the Golden Transcript. When the Denver Post introduced the regionalized “YourHub” section, I jumped on it, limited to the Jefferson County editions.
Then came the Golden Transcript and three other Jeffco papers. When over 20 metro area weeklies were combined under the non-profit ownership of Colorado Community Media, I expanded to include my ad in all of them. That was after I had already expanded to be in all the local editions of YourHub.
A couple months ago, I signed a contract with the Denver Gazette, a digitalonly newspaper with a large readership. And, of course, I am also online, with over 1,300 email subscribers to our blog at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
For me as a journalist, there is no greater pleasure and satisfaction than what I get from having my writings broadcast so thoroughly around this metro area that I call home. Thank you for letting me take this week off from writing about another real estate topic to share my story with you.
be misled by our name. Our agents have listed homes throughout the Denver Metro area and helped clients buy homes and other real estate all over Colorado!
It’s not often that you can buy a duplex where one side is empty and the other side is rented and contributing $1,500 per month to your mortgage costs! That’s the situation with this well-built and well-maintained brick duplex at 12613 W. 8th Ave. in that quiet neighborhood next to Welchester Tree Grant Park called Foothills View Estate. The two sides of this duplex are mirror images of each other and identical in terms of updating, including newer bath fixtures, doublepane windows, and new garage doors. (The two 1-car garages are accessed from an alley.) The vacant half is the one with a 12’x30’ wood deck, from which you can see the foothills to the west. Welchester Tree Grant Park is just a block away, with nature trails, including to the adjoining Welchester Elementary School. A narrated video tour of both sides of this duplex can be viewed at www.GoldenDuplex.online, along with interior photos of the vacant unit. The rented unit is not available to see until you’re under contract, but it is identical in condition to the vacant unit, as you’ll see on the video tour. Open Saturday, Nov. 16th, 11am to 1pm
Buy a Duplex & Have Tenant Help With the Mortgage
Movember mustaches bring awareness to men’s mental, physical health
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
It could be a normal mustache, a handlebar, pencil or horseshoe. Whatever the style, many men take part in growing a mustache for the month-long campaign, Movember, as a symbol representing the importance of men’s health and reducing the stigma of seeking help.
“In many ways, men represent an underserved minority in plain sight,” said Dr. Je Morrison, a physician at Highlands Ranch UCHealth Hospital. “ at’s why I’m so passionate about Movember and drawing awareness to men’s health.” Morrison is a men’s health specialist and urologist at UCHealth. For years, he has helped men become more comfortable with seeking medical help, and has been an advocate for Movember.
Two campaigns in November raise awareness for men’s health – No Shave November and Movember — but they are di erent. No Shave November encourages participants to raise money to be donated toward a charity of their choice. Movember is an organization that focuses on funding projects that are centered around men’s health and suicide prevention.
Men can often be reluctant to seek medical care, especially preventative care, said Morrison.
“I think we all know many men in our lives who just don’t go to the doctor,” he added.
Having been guilty of it himself at times, Morrison believes there are several reasons why a lot of men don’t go to the doctor. It might be because of their busy work and family schedules or sim-
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, depression, loneliness, a family crisis, substance misuse, and/or concerns for family or friends, you can call or text Colorado Crisis Services for help. Colorado Crisis Services provides free and confidential support from trained professionals, available 24/7/365. Call 844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255.
ply procrastination, he said. But it might also be that they don’t know who to go to when a problem arises.
Morrision said he sees barriers for men to get into the healthcare system. However, it is crucial for men — especially those who are age 40 and up — to stay on top of their health by having routine wellness appointments and screenings, Morrison said.
“How can we work to kind of make it a little easier for these guys to get in, and be the catalysts that get these guys the help that they need,” said Morrison.
One way has been o ering telehealth visits. But Morrison also wants to continue to educate men about risk factors.
Knowing the risk factors
Research over the last couple of decades indicates that women live longer than men. More recently, research by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and UC San Francisco found that the di erence between how long men and women live increased in the U.S.
Movember focuses on the importance of getting screened for chronic conditions such as prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer.
“Chronic, serious health conditions — they’re very prevalent,” said Morrison.
According to the American Cancer Society, other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the U.S. While it generally grows slowly, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Additionally, it is more likely to develop in men at an average age of 67.
sues can also have “devastating psychological rami cations for both the patient and their partner.”
“ ose are big motivators that bring men into the doctor,” said Morrison. “ at gives me a chance to meet these guys, look at their needs that brought them in and try to usher them into the healthcare system and be stewards of their health.”
Get
GATES
Bring
Another common cancer in men is colorectal cancer. It is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the U.S., and diagnosis rates have been increasing in those younger than 55.
While not as common as other cancers, testicular cancer a ects about one in every 250 males, developing in young and middle-aged men.
Movember also aims to spread awareness of how serious mental health issues are among men.
According to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, which retrieves national statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., and rates are about four times higher in men than women.
As a male fertility care and men’s sexual health physician, Morrison said some sexual dysfunction issues that some men experience could be big, independent factors for developing something more serious, like cardiovascular diseases.
NOVEMBER 1517, 2024
FIELD HOUSE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
For example, Morrision said if a man su ered from impotence, they have a 44% increased risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and about a 60% increased risk of having a heart attack.
Although common, Morrison added that men’s fertility and dysfunction is-
SCHOOL BOND
open in 2027, Kane added.
e district hired former Lone Tree mayor Jackie Millet as bond director to oversee the spending.
e passage of the bond will not increase taxes because previous debt is maturing and can be replaced with the new investments. is was the last year the district could ask for a bond without raising taxes.
e school district has approached voters with similar funding packages in the past two years and failed. e district hadn’t passed a bond since 2018 and the money from it has since been spent.
Whatever the issue may be, Morrison is passionate about opening up conversations about men’s health.
“When something unexpected happens, it’s all the more reason why it’s important to just try to make it more accessible and break down these barriers to help men get in to see a healthcare provider,” said Morrison. “And to reduce the stigma of mental health issues that so many su er from.”
School board president Christy Williams echoed Kane’s thanks to voters.
“All students will bene t, and we will be able to provide two new schools in communities that are growing,” Williams said. “I am grateful the voters saw the value in this ballot measure. ird time’s the charm.”
School board member Brad Geiger said it’s thrilling to be able to invest in the schools.
“It’s not always big stu , it’s new carpets and stages and seating, but it’s about making sure that every time a kid walks into school, they will know we care about the environment they are being educated in,” Geiger said.
A bond plan published by the district lays out how much funding will go to each school, including charters, and what upgrades are being prioritized.
UCHealth men’s health physician Dr. Je Morrison, who is passionate about opening up conversations about men’s health, said Movember is a great way to break the stigma of men seeking medical and mental health care.
SHUTTERSTOCK
FROM PAGE 1
Brauchler is back in the DA business
Republican wins race in new 23rd Judicial District
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e rst-ever district attorney of Colorado’s rst new judicial district in decades will be George Brauchler, a Republican and former DA who wants to send a message to those who would commit crimes.
“I want to tell folks, starting Jan. 1, if you come down here to victimize us, if you come down here to commit crimes against us, you should expect to be incarcerated,” Brauchler told Colorado Community Media.
COMMISSONERS
is focused on having deputies on the street, and sometimes that means giving the budget authorization to hire more deputies for patrol, Teal said. The sheriff is interested in police work that “isn’t just about running from call to call, emergency to emergency,” Teal said, adding: “It’s not just about hiring more police, hiring more sheriff’s deputies. It’s about having them do more proactive police work on the street.”
Teal also wants to push economic development in the county, picturing more jobs so more people can work in
e former 18th District DA won election by a large margin over Democrat Karen Breslin in the new 23rd District — roughly 23 percentage points as of the afternoon Nov. 7, the most recent update as of the print deadline for this story. e race encompassed a set of counties that made for a deep-red electorate.
Speaking to CCM, Breslin said she
Douglas as well as live there.
It’s a vision to “increase our daytime economy,” Teal said. “Give people the jobs so they don’t have to get on I-25 every morning and every evening to drive to and from work. (Get) to where the business lunch is not necessarily happening in downtown Denver — it’s happening in Douglas County, (and) the run home from work to stop off at a store to get the milk and bread for dinner is more likely to be in Douglas County.”
He wants to offer tax incentives for businesses in order to get there.
“Colorado law has allowed us for several years now to give business personal property tax credits based on the equipment that companies have, and we’ve been very active and very gener-
wasn’t able to run as active a campaign as she had hoped.
“I just congratulate Mr. Brauchler on his victory,” Breslin said.
Colorado’s court system is made up of 22 judicial districts, and a new district is on the way. Currently, the 18th Judicial District includes Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
But state lawmakers — noting population growth and a political split in the region — decided to break it up, moving Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties into the new 23rd District.
e 23rd Judicial District is set to launch in January 2025. e 18th Judicial District will then only include Arapahoe County. Residents of Arapahoe County voted in a separate race to select a new district attor-
ous in giving those business personal property tax credits,” Teal said. “Recent legislation this year has allowed counties to extend property tax credits.”
He added: “We’re working on crafting policy now to provide that framework to give property tax credits to companies that we do want to attract into the county.”
Teal was ahead in the election over Angela Thomas by about 12 percentage points, 56-44, according to results posted as of the evening Nov. 6, the most recent numbers as of the print deadline for this story.
Teal was elected as a county commissioner in 2020 and previously served six years on the Castle Rock Town Council. He has worked in the software and information technology field.
ney in the November election as well.
A district attorney serves as the head prosecutor for a region of Colorado’s courts, also leading the prosecutors who work in that DA’s o ce. e o ce is responsible for prosecuting crimes that allegedly occur in the area.
Brauchler, a longtime politician who has appeared on ballots in several elections, served eight years as DA for the 18th district, wrapping up his term in 2021. He lives in Douglas County.
Breslin, who lives in Elbert County, teaches political science at the University of Colorado Denver. She is a practicing attorney with a focus on land use and environmental law, she said.
In District 3
Van Winkle was ahead in the election over Smith by roughly 14 percentage points, 57-43, according to results posted as of the evening Nov. 6. Van Winkle currently represents the Highlands Ranch area at the state Capitol. Before moving to the state Senate, he served in the state House. According to his campaign website, he is a small-business owner.
Smith works as a freight broker in the trucking industry, helping people find trucks for their freight. He said he was in the mortgage industry for 18 years before that.
Angela Thomas spent 20 years as a social worker and is a former chair of the Douglas County Democratic Party.
Brauchler
SEE BRAUCHLER, P6
GOP wins state Legislature races in Douglas County, with one exception
BY HALEY LENA, MCKENNA HARFORD, ELLIS ARNOLD
Following months of appearing in ads, speaking with residents and debating at forums, preliminary results show many of the state lawmakers from Douglas County will likely still be Republican, with one exception: Bob Marshall.
With several state House districts in Douglas County, each elected representative serves a two-year term, joining a total of 65 representatives at the Capitol. In the state Senate, members serve four-year terms in the 35-person chamber.
While the preliminary results indicate the makeup of the House will continue to have a Democrat majority, the Douglas County results lean more Republican, following historical trends.
It’s important to note that results have not been made o cial, as the Douglas County elections o ce continued to update results in the days following Nov. 5.
According to the Douglas County elections o ce, there were about 322,000 total registered voters this election season, with about 296,000 active. Of those active voters, nearly half were registered as una liated, while about 32% were Republicans and about 17% were Democrats.
e Parker, Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock areas accounted for the majority of active voters.
House District 39
In the race to decide who will represent the House district that covers most of the Douglas County map, Republican state Rep. Brandi Bradley, an incumbent, won
by a large margin over Democratic challenger Eric Brody.
Brody issued a message conceding the race on Nov. 6.
e contest was a rematch. Bradley was rst elected in 2022, beating Brody with 58% of the vote.
is time, Bradley had garnered about 59% of the vote, according to results as of Nov. 6.
District 39 includes Lone Tree, Castle Pines, Larkspur, the Roxborough Park area and part of the south Highlands Ranch area. It also includes much of Douglas’ rural areas.
House District 43
Bob Marshall, the Democratic nominee for House District 43, claimed victory against his opponent Republican Matt Burcham on social media in the evening on Nov. 6 following another round of preliminary election results.
roughout election night, Marshall, who became the Highlands Ranch district representative in 2022, held a slight lead over Burcham. Douglas County ballots continued to be counted the following day.
Another round of preliminary results posted to the Secretary of State’s website at 5:40 p.m. on Nov. 6 showed that of the 52,656 votes cast, more than 27,000 were for Marshall and more than 25,500 for Burcham.
About an hour after those results, Marshall shared on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter: “VICTORY!” He then followed by saying he is on the “Colorado GOP’s most wanted list” and is “Douglas County’s GOP’s number one priority.” Citing the numerous negative ads
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against him this election season, Marshall quoted the Elton John song, “I’m Still Standing” song, with, “Well, look at me, I’m a-coming back again,” as well as providing a link to a video of the song.
Just before 1 p.m. on Nov. 7, the Associated Press declared Marshall won the race.
As of Nov. 7, Burcham has not released a statement on social media or to the Highlands Ranch Herald.
House District 44
e race for House District 44, which includes Parker and its surrounding communities, was one that included a rst time candidate and an incumbent.
Alyssa Nilemo, who had been a long time una liated voter, was the Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican Anthony Hartsook. Preliminary results show that Hartsook is likely to become the district’s representative for a second term as he led with a 16 percentage-point lead on election night.
“What we’re looking at, we’re looking at to bring balance to the government right now,” said Hartsook.
Hartsook was rst elected to the seat in 2022 and since then, has said he has fought for bipartisanship. He added that although the Democrats control a lot of levels of power, there are issues such as taxes that still needs to be addressed.
“Even if you’re a Democrat, I believe that people want the government working together,” said Hartsook. “It’s what everybody wants, whether Democrat or Republican. ey all want their kids to have a better future.”
Hartsook’s opponent, Nilemo, led her campaign with “people before politics” at the forefront. Although she trails behind in the results, she said she feels hopeful for the county with certain ballot measures that have been passed.
credibly grateful for the voters, his campaign volunteers and the support of his family. He also thanked Cox for being a strong opponent and being dedicated to the community.
“I now welcome in ALL voters as we move forward, together, to bring meaningful solutions to the hardworking families and residents of Castle Rock, Pradera, South Pinery and Colorado,” Brooks said. “I will sincerely endeavor to be your voice and represent your concerns at the state capitol.”
Brooks has lived in Castle Rock since 2006 and has experience on multiple local boards, including the town council and Castle Rock Planning Commission. Brooks said he ran because he wants to provide a solutions-oriented and pragmatic representation for Castle Rock at the statehouse.
In his time on council, Brooks spearheaded an ongoing e ort to take legal action against Denver for its policies to assist migrants and supported the town’s e orts to secure the Lost Canyon Ranch open space.
Senate District 2
Colorado Rep. Lisa Frizell will move from serving in one chamber of the Legislature to the other with her win in the Senate District 2 election.
Frizell, a Republican, is leading over two challengers — Democrat Jennifer Brady and Libertarian Caryn Ann Harlos. Frizell currently represents House District 45.
“I’m elated to have one, especially by a fairly large margin,” Frizell told the NewsPress. “I’m just excited to get to work. I bring a lot of diverse experience to the role, having served on more committees than anybody else in the house last session.”
Nilemo said her disappointment was paired with some joy as she is proud to have been part of communities as well as bringing attention to issues she is passionate about and how she ran her campaign.
Looking forward, Nilemo encourages people to stay civically engaged.
“I hope folks will remain engaged, plugged in and optimistic about the future,” said Nilemo.
House District 45
Republican Max Brooks beat challenger Chad Cox, a Democrat, to represent House District 45, which covers Castle Rock and the South Pinery area.
Brooks, a current Castle Rock Town Council member, will be a rst time state legislator, who has said he will focus on improving public safety, lowering costs and protecting local control.
Brooks said in a statement that he is in-
BRAUCHLER
Brauchler framed the election as about experience, saying Breslin has never been a prosecutor.
If someone allegedly commits mass murder and the case goes to trial, “it won’t be my rst one,” Brauchler has said.
Brauchler’s time as DA for the 18th district was essentially bookended by shootings that horri ed the Denver suburbs: the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting in 2019.
Brauchler’s successor, John Kellner, asked him to stay on as special prosecu-
Senate District 2, which includes Parker and Castle Rock, is currently represented by Republican Sen. Jim Smallwood, who is term limited.
Frizell served in the Colorado House for one term and previously served as Douglas County’s assessor for eight years.
Frizell told the Douglas County NewsPress that she ran to carry forward the legacy Smallwood leaves behind and to continue her work on tax policy, such as providing property tax relief. During her time in the House, Frizell sat on numerous committees, worked to lower property taxes and supported more access to health care.
As a senator, Frizell said her top priorities will be tax relief, consumer protections and improving public safety.
At a recent town hall with U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, Frizell pledged to work with Boebert and Brooks to implement solutions for their constituents.
tor for the STEM School shooting trial.
Speaking about deterring crime, Brauchler said he’s convinced that it’s the “speed and certainty of consequences that changes behavior, far more than the name and size of the charge.”
People on the political left would say it’s the certainty of being caught that deters crime, Brauchler said.
“But that’s only half of it,” Brauchler said, arguing that it doesn’t help “if all you’re doing is being caught and (let go).”
He said he’s not looking to “just ll up the jails and lock people up and throw away the key.”
But if a person steals, for example, “we’re going to lock you up,” Brauchler said. And “we’re going to try to give you the tools and the incentive when you get out to make better decisions.”
FROM PAGE 5
Boebert wins in race to represent 4th District
Margin of Republican’s victory over Democrat was unusually narrow
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has secured a third term in Congress, this time representing Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, beating out Democratic opponent Trisha Calvarese.
Boebert, who currently represents the 3rd Congressional District, switched districts at the beginning of the year after narrowly being reelected to her seat in 2022.
is year, Boebert’s race was not nearly as close, with 53.2% of voters in the 4th district electing her while 42.6% voted for Calvarese.
Boebert said in a statement following the Nov. 5 election that she is honored to serve and will work to uphold the Constitution and advocate for economic policies that bene t Coloradans.
“Let’s build bridges, promote unity, and show that
we can work together for the common good of this district and our nation,” Boebert said.
Despite her win, Boebert’s results aren’t as strong as previous Republicans in the district, which is the most conservative congressional district in Colorado.
In Douglas County, Calvarese’s home county, she only trailed Boebert by 128 votes as of the evening of Nov. 6.
e Colorado Sun reported that Calvarese promised to continue to ght for Douglas County in her concession speech on election night. Despite the outcome of the race, Calvarese said, she is “committed to a Democratic future that belongs to all of us.”
“We were able to shave o 15 (percentage points) in a district where Ken Buck won by 24 (percentage points),” Calvarese said.
Boebert told the Sun that she doesn’t plan to change anything about her politics.
“I’m going to continue to be an e ective legislator,” she said.
At a recent town hall in Castle Rock, Boebert pledged to work with local o cials to implement solutions for their constituents.
Lauren Boebert, Republican candidate for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, speaks to supporters at an election watch party on Nov. 5 in Windsor. Boebert will be the next representative of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.
COURTESY AP PHOTO/DAVID ZALUBOWSK
With wetter weather, Douglas County areas loosen fire bans
Wildfire risk has decreased, Castle Rock says, but o cials will continue to monitor conditions
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Recent and forecasted moisture and colder temperatures have reduced the risk of wild res, leading Castle Rock to lift re restrictions, the town announced in early November.
e Douglas County Sheri ’s Ofce also lifted re restrictions in early November for the county’s unincorporated areas — places outside of cities and towns.
“While we have seen an increase in moisture in the last few days, people are encouraged to be vigilant as the danger of re is always present,” the sheri ’s o ce said in a news release.
O cials will continue to monitor moisture levels and other conditions and may reinstate re restrictions if dry conditions return and re risk increases, Castle Rock said in a news release.
Fire restrictions typically ban things like open burning, as well as camp res at developed campgrounds or picnic areas.
When the Douglas sheri ’s o ce issues or rescinds re restrictions, that decision also applies to Larkspur and Castle Pines, according to Deborah Takahara, a spokesperson for the o ce. e sheri ’s o ce is the law enforcement agency for those municipalities.
For more information on re restrictions, see dcsheri .net/sheri so ce/divisions/emergency-management/ re-restrictions.
In Castle Rock, see crgov.com/ rebans for current information. Questions about the current status of re restrictions in town can be directed to the re chief’s o ce at 303-6601066.
Federal judges clear Colorado 21-and-older gun law
10th Circuit judges end temporary injunction
BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
A Colorado law passed last year requiring people to be at least 21 years old before they purchase a rearm — and prohibiting dealers from selling to anyone under 21 — can go into e ect, a panel of federal appellate judges has ruled.
e ruling from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dissolves a temporary hold that a federal district court judge placed on the law in August 2023. But the ruling doesn’t end the legal challenge to the law. Instead, it sends the case back to the lower court for the much more detailed arguments that will ultimately decide whether the law can stand.
e law was challenged by Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a gun-rights advocacy group, as well as two people who said the law blocked them from buying a rearm to protect themselves. One of those plainti s has since turned 21.
ey argued that the law violates their
Second Amendment rights. But the appeals court panel concluded that argument isn’t clear-cut enough to be entitled to a temporary injunction against the law.
“ e best reading is that (the law) is presumptively lawful because the aged-based condition or quali cation on the conduct it proscribes falls outside the scope of the plain text of the Second Amendment,” the judges found in their opinion.
In another section, the judges added: “It seems evident that the necessity of some minimum age requirement is widely accepted — after all, no one is reasonably arguing that 8-year-olds should be allowed to purchase guns.”
e case involves a law passed in 2023,Senate Bill 169. e law changes the minimum age to purchase a rearm to 21 from 18 in Colorado. Supporters argue that the law is meant to reduce youth suicides, accidental shootings and gun violence.
Purchasers under the age of 21 as well as unlicensed rearm sellers could face a class-2 misdemeanor for violating the law.
Licensed rearms dealers who break the law face a class 1 misdemeanor.
e law ultimately changes the status quo only when it comes to ri es and shotguns because federal law already bans the
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purchase of handguns by people under 21. e law does not ban the possession of guns by those under 21, nor does it prohibit people under 21 from acquiring rearms via gifts or inheritance. It also contains exemptions for military and law enforcement members.
Tuesday’s ruling marks a relatively minor procedural step in the long arc of the case. But it also showcases how complicated and hotly contested federal rearm jurisprudence has become in the wake of Supreme Court decisions bolstering gun rights and requiring gun laws to be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of rearms regulation.
In August 2023, when Chief U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer temporarily blocked the law in a 44-page order, he concluded “the individual plainti s have shown a likelihood of success on the merits.” Finding such a likelihood is needed for a judge to issue an injunction.
In appealing that order, attorneys for the state led over 1,000 pages of briefs and appendices, including four expert a davits — three of them from historians and another from a neuroscientist. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia led friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the Colorado law, while eight other organizations led their own friend-of-the-court briefs arguing various positions.
e appeals court ruling, written by U.S. Circuit Judge Richard E.N. Federico, with the support of judges Carolyn Baldwin McHugh and Michael R. Murphy, stretch-
es to 61 pages. A concurrence by McHugh — arguing that one particular issue should have been analyzed during the second step of a process laid out in a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision instead of during the rst step — is another 30 pages. An appendix laying out the history of various state gun laws tacks on another seven pages.
All three judges on the 10th Circuit panel were appointed by Democratic presidents, while Brimmer was appointed by a Republican.
In the end, the appellate judges concluded that the legal issues in the case aren’t as clear as Brimmer saw them.
“Laws imposing conditions and qualications on the sale and purchase of arms do not implicate the plain text of the Second Amendment,” Federico wrote in the ruling.
In a post on X, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners said the 10th Circuit judges “recharacterized this law into a mere commercial regulation instead of a constitutional right infringement.”
“ is is a very temporary setback, and we look forward to ghting back against this outrageous ruling,” the organization wrote. “ is law very clearly violates both the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court’s precedents, and we look forward to ultimately striking it o the books.” 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.
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On Dec. 14, 2021, the Chatridge 3 fire consumed 24 acres along Chatridge Court and U.S. Highway 85 in the Highlands Ranch area. The Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce recently lifted fire restrictions in early November but encouraged people “to be vigilant as the danger of fire is always present.”
Chronic absenteeism rates di er sharply across metro-area school districts
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Around 1 in 4 Colorado students miss critical time in the classroom, according to data from the Colorado Department of Education. Chronic absenteeism, dened as missing more than 10% of school days or around 18 days per year, puts students at greater risk for academic failure, poverty and dropping out of high school, according to Attendance Works, an organization working to reduce chronic absenteeism.
A newly-mandated reporting system required by a 2022 law reveals the issue isn’t just about the number of absences. Rather, it’s about who is missing: students from low-income families, students of color, multilingual learners and those with special needs are the most a ected, facing barriers that go beyond the classroom and into systemic issues like poverty, housing instability and lack of transportation.
At 27.7%, the statewide chronic absenteeism has been dropping since it peaked at 35.5% during the 2021-2022 school year. Yet, rates vary widely across districts and demographics show how some districts struggle with absences far more than others.
“In our statewide data, we see race and ethnicity gaps, but we also see gaps in multilingual learners, students with disabilities and homeless students who qualify for homeless services,” said Johann Liljengren, director of the dropout prevention and student re-engagement o ce in the Colorado Department of Education.
Acknowledging a dire need to address the issue, Colorado’s education leaders joined with 13 other states in a commitment to cut chronic absenteeism by 50% over ve years. Among metro-area districts, Denver, Douglas, Englewood and Je erson County have joined the state’s challenge.
Data reveals disparities across districts and demographics
While all groups of students experience some level of chronic absenteeism, those districts whose minority and low-income students make up a larger portion of the total population have rates far higher than the state average.
In Adams 14, where the absenteeism rate is close to 50%, nearly nine out of 10 students qualify for free or reduced lunch, meaning their family’s income falls below the federal poverty threshold.
Similar trends hold true for Adams 12 and Denver Public Schools, whose absenteeism rates also far exceed the state average. In Adams 12, 47% of their students experience economic hardship. In
white and low-income students than the state as a whole.
Douglas County has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate, but the district also has the lowest percentage of minority and low-income students at 32% and 18%, respectively.
Understanding the causes e reasons behind chronic absenteeism are complex and often deeply rooted in students’ broader social and economic conditions. Carl Felton, a policy analyst with EdTrust, emphasized that poverty remains one of the strongest predictors of chronic absenteeism, with low-income students two to three times more likely to miss school consistently.
“ ese are high-need populations,” Felton explained, adding that for many of these students, absenteeism re ects obstacles like unstable housing, limited access to transportation and lack of healthcare.
e COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges. For many students, school closures meant the loss of a stable environment, access to meals and vital social interaction. As schools reopened, disengagement became a barrier for students accustomed to an extended absence from formal learning.
Felton noted that this break in routine and support made it di cult for students to readjust to school life.
Finding solutions
When it comes to nding a solution, Liljengren and Felton agree that understanding the unique challenges and barriers these speci c student populations face is crucial to developing targeted strategies to improve attendance.
While there is no one-size- ts-all answer, Felton emphasized it’s crucial to start by engaging families.
“All these folks have di erent stories and varying needs, which is why we promote family engagement as one of the top priorities and strategies to address chronic absenteeism,” Felton said. “We can make a lot of assumptions and throw money at programs shown to be e ective through evidence-based data, but we may end up spending money on a program when what we really need is a school bus or to hire a person to conduct home visits.”
He also said that research has shown punitive measures, like truancy court or anything that puts more of a burden on families, break trust with school leaders and make families and students less likely to engage and work on solving the problem.
By shifting away from punitive discipline measures and towards restorative approaches, Felton explained schools can build stronger relationships with students and families, address underlying issues and keep students engaged in the
Liljengren said the state is focused on providing resources to districts, families and community partners through its “Every School Day Matters” attendance campaign.
e goal is for schools and communities to work together in a holistic, familycentered way to address the complex, multifaceted factors contributing to chronic absenteeism, especially for the most vulnerable student populations.
District leaders also recognize their role in ensuring kids want to attend school.
“When kids are excited about what they’re learning, they go to school, so part of it is connecting and saying, ‘how do we make the educational experience really engaging, fun, exciting and relevant to them,’” said Kim LeBlanc-Esparza, deputy superintendent of Je co Public Schools.
She said it’s also about personalizing the school experience for each student.
“If kids know we miss them, they’re less likely to opt out. Building those personal relationships with kids and having adults who genuinely care about them makes a signi cant di erence,” LeBlanc-Esparza said.
e data shows Je co’s strategies are working. e district went from a chronic absenteeism rate of 37.8% in 2021-2022 to 25.3% in 2023-2024.
Felton acknowledged Colorado’s progress and noted that no amount of improvement is insigni cant.
“Even a 1% decrease or reduction in chronic absenteeism adds up to 100 or more students,” he said.
Colorado has committed to cutting chronic absenteeism by 50% over five years, leading district leaders to consider new ways to engage families in attendance. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Overcoming life’s obstacles and objections
Success often hinges on our ability to identify and overcome obstacles and objections in life and business. e line between the two can sometimes be blurred for many of us. However, understanding the di erence is essential to overcoming barriers in selling and achieving goals. When discussing objections, we’re usually focused on external resistance: reasons someone might say “no” to a product, service, or idea. Obstacles, on the other hand, are often deeper-rooted barriers that stand in the way of progress. ough they may appear di erently, addressing them usually demands similar skills, like empathy, creativity, and a relentless drive to nd solutions.
WINNING
Take sales, for example. Salespeople regularly encounter both objections and obstacles. An objection might sound like, “ e price is too high,” “We’re happy with our current vendor,” or “ e timing isn’t right.” ese are the immediate, surface-level reasons a prospect might hesitate. ey’re often rooted in issues like cost concerns, lack of perceived urgency, or trust de cits. Objections can feel like brick walls, but they tell a salesperson where to provide more value, build trust, or reframe the conversation.
Obstacles, in contrast, are often the unseen structural challenges that prevent a decision altogether. Budget limitations, a team’s inability to reach consensus, or organizational overload can all be obstacles. A buying committee that struggles to agree on pri-
Colorado is helping lead in the clean energy space, especially as the state ranks seventh nationally in the share of clean power percentages. It takes investment and community commitment, especially in our rural parts of Colorado, to help us reach our goals. As part of USDA Rural Development, we are deeply committed to supporting our rural partners and ensuring that communities across Colorado have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Five Colorado electrical cooperatives across the state plan to get there with the support of federal grants to make the transition to a clean energy economy with Tri-State’s $2.5 billion award recently announced on Oct. 25. e
ve statewide Colorado coops include CORE Electric Cooperative, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, United Power and Yampa Valley Electric
orities, a customer overloaded with competing projects, or the realities of an uncertain economic climate are all obstacles that can stall or derail even the most compelling o er.
uncertain
At their core, objections and obstacles share common roots: no want, no time, no money, no need, and no trust. If prospects don’t honestly want the product or service, they’ll inevitably voice objections. If time or budget is scarce, the organization may not see a way to address the need. And overcoming objections becomes nearly impossible when trust is missing, whether in the product, the salesperson, or the company.
Consider a family discussion over a major decision, like where to go on vacation, buying a new car, or even contemplating a move. Just as in sales, these conversations often come back to the same core reasons for resistance: no want, no time, no budget, no need, and no trust. A lack of alignment or perceived need can create an obstacle, while objections around cost or timing can hold things up. It’s the same in our careers or personal lives. e obstacles we face can often be attributed to not truly wanting something enough, lacking resources, or feeling uncertain.
Association. ese historic investments in renewable energy are a testament to the commitment to our communities. By fostering clean energy solutions through the New ERA program, we are not only creating sustainable economic opportunities but also ensuring that our rural areas remain resilient and forward looking. Together with our local partners, we are building a stronger, greener future for generations to come.
Wind and solar providing over one-third of Colorado’s electricity is helping us make signi cant strides in the clean energy sector.
VOICES
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Why politics shifted right
Across the U.S., former Harris supporters are grappling with frustration and disbelief after the election. ey question why groups like Latinos, Gen Xers, and others backed Trump, feeling perplexed by the relief his victory brought. But the real question is whether they can’t understand — or are choosing not to.
Over the years, many Americans voiced concerns with progressive politics. ey disliked being labeled as bigots for opposing policies like defunding the police or open borders. Some were called hateful for questioning transgender medicine for children or labeled as conspiracy theorists for challenging COVID policies or social media censorship. ese issues weren’t the only reasons voters turned to Trump, but they were signi cant. Polls show concerns about the economy and immigration led the vote, but many were also alienated by the Democratic Party’s alignment with woke ideology. is election represents a major shift, countering the narrative that Trump’s coalition is rooted in white supremacy or fascism.
agreements. By 2020, terms like “fascist” were applied widely by mainstream voices.
From 2016 onward, “woke” ideology entrenched itself in key institutions where deviation could lead to social exile, sparking what some call the “Great Awokening.” ose who once championed tolerance became intolerant, quick to brand others as bigots. is movement wasn’t driven by compassion but by motives like self-righteousness, narcissism and, at times, cruelty.
Many factors fueled this shift, from the widening gap between elites and working people to social media’s divisive in uence and establishment backlash against populism worldwide.
Signs now suggest we may be past “peak woke.” is high point likely came in 2020 when public health experts endorsed certain gatherings (BLM protests) while condemning others (Trump rallies), or in 2022, when Barack Obama urged social media censorship. But the structures that allowed censorship and radical agendas remain and will take time to address.
For many, this shift feels like a breath of fresh air, a release from a culture that’s suppressed open discussion. Trump’s opponents have portrayed him as more than a Republican, seeing him as a stand against increasing authoritarianism. Progressive ideology, once mainstream, hardened, stigmatizing even minor dis-
e political landscape has changed. As people tire of ideological narratives, they’re turning back to grounded, common-sense values.
C.J. Garbo, Castle Rock
Headline was inappropriate
I was confused/amused/ curious about the headline on the front page of the Oct. 31, 2024 issue of Highland Ranch Herald.
It read: “How does Colorado keep noncitizens and dead people from voting?” My understanding is that a dead person is “dead” and is unable to do anything including vote. I think I understand the point of the article, however, the headline was not appropriate. anks for your consideration. My dead husband was dead, so unable to vote in this election nor any future election.
Marilyn Binkley, Highlands Ranch
Article omitted much
Regarding the article “How does Colorado keep noncitizens and dead people from voting?” (Colorado Public Radio article reprinted in Highlands Ranch Herald, week of Oct. 31, 2024), it omitted the sending of voter registration notices to 30,000 residents who are not citizens (see cpr. org/2022/10/07/colorado-voter-registration-notices-noncitizens accessed Nov. 1, 2024). Judicial Watch investigated the accuracy of Colorado’s voting rolls and ended up suing the state (October 2022). Colorado’s secretary of state agreed to settle out of court. One article stated, “Since Judicial Watch led its lawsuit, Colorado voter roll removals increased by 78%, from 172,379 to 306,303 per reporting period.” e article can be found at judicialwatch. org/colorado-to-settle-lawsuitover-ineligible-voters/ (accessed Nov. 1, 2024).
e article states “no widespread evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election ...” How is “widespread” de ned? Does this mean only a few geographic regions experienced fraud? Or that there was fraud, but not enough to matter? And if it is the latter, does this mean fraud is OK if it doesn’t affect the election outcome? And does anyone know whether or how the outcome was a ected? We know of voting problems in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. We also know that laws were broken regarding the election processes. Under the clarion call of protecting people from COVID, states allowed voting processes that completely went against their written laws. Now, speci c to illegal immigration, certainly you know of the state of Virginia’s desires to make sure only legally quali ed citizens can vote. But when Virginia tried to clean up their voting registration records, our Department of Justice sued Virginia! (see, for example, virginiamercury. com/2024/10/22/youngkin-blasts-dojlawsuit-that-trust-virginias-voter-roll-removals-into-national-spotlight accessed Nov. 1, 2024).
ere were too many irregularities and attempts to investigate were thwarted. And that’s why Americans are leery and untrusting.
Dr. Rick Jory, Highlands Ranch
An OMG moment
During the past 48 years a dozen or so “super kids” have lived on the two blocks where we bought our new Douglas County homes. From kindergartners to an all-star quarterback, and everything in between, these kids were top of the line. Some are even grandparents of their own today.
I didn’t know the politics of most of their respective parents, but our geographic location would shout Republican loud and clear. No biggie, their number one priority was family, country and political party, in that order. Just like me and my late wife. We t right in.
I have three great-granddaughters whose mom and dad live in Adams County. ey can look in the mirror and feel secure that they voted family rst in Tuesday’s election. Can the majority of parents in Douglas County not look in the mirror and say, OMG, what have we done?
Roy Legg, Highlands Ranch
Sign was slap in face
A political sign by four Republican candidates for Parker Town Council is a slap in face to Parker. Parker is a great place to live and o ers many things for the community
other than tra c which others also experience. To state Make Parker Great Again with a phrase from another Republican is telling us Parker isn’t a good place to live and these four can bring it back. Give me a break from the bashing.
Dave Usechek, Parker
Politics and Sheri Weekly
I’m a little dizzy after reading Sheri Weekly’s spin on speaking at a Trump rally.
e sheri stated that “we try to stay away from politics at the sheri ’s o ce” and “the sheri ’s o ce isn’t a political space.” Pretty sure when you stand there in full uniform and praise one candidate and deride the other, your o ce is in a political space.
e sheri states that “Trump will bring law and order back to America.” Really? Trump is a convicted felon awaiting trial on several more felonies. Is he truly the embodiment of law and order?
I served on the Denver Police Department for 33 years and it is beyond my comprehension how anyone wearing a badge can justify the endorsement of someone who sent a mob to attack fellow police ofcers who put their lives on the line for us. One hundred seventy-four of those o cers were injured and four committed suicide within seven months of the attack, while Weekly’s law and order guy sat watching on television doing nothing to help them. We have witnesses and lm, sheri . It’s called evidence and it was enough for a grand jury indictment.
e MAGA whine about immigration is now apparently the Weekly whine. Read the FBI stats, sheri . Crime rates involving immigrants are far lower than among U.S. citizens. Almost all drugs that enter the U.S. are brought in through points of entry by U.S. citizens. e greatest terrorist risk, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray, is from right-wing extremists, not immigrants.
Yes, the border is a human crisis, a crisis of sheer volume. And a bipartisan border bill was drawn up that would have greatly helped alleviate the crisis, but you didn’t mention that Trump had it killed because it would have hurt his chance of reelection. He is so concerned about us.
Sheri Weekly probably left a few things out of his speech. Probably didn’t mention the wall Trump was going to build and have Mexico pay for. Probably didn’t mention Trump giving Steve Bannon a pardon for embezzling millions from the wall fund.
e sheri probably didn’t condemn the lies Trump told about parts of Aurora being taken over by gangs.
Finally sheri , if Trump should o er you a job in his administration for throwing fuel on the ames of his misinformation and bigotry, please, please take it.
Don Zimmerman, Parker
e state’s clean energy capacity, currently at approximately 7,000 MW, is set to grow signi cantly by 2030. Current capacity is enough to power 2.5 million homes. Clean energy in Colorado has grown by way of nearly $14 billion of capital investment with utility-scale solar, storage and wind projects and a robust manufacturing sector. Colorado’s 12 operating clean energy manufacturing facilities have created jobs throughout the state, helping
increase the number of Coloradans working in the utility-scale sector to more than 15,750. ese utility-scale clean energy jobs span from development and operations to manufacturing and construction roles.
Let’s keep supporting this important work to build up local economies and strengthen our state as we create smart, sustainable cities. Investing in Colorado with these resources is a solid step forward as we keep leading the way. is guest column was written by Crestina M. Martinez, the Denver-based Colorado state director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
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Emails reveal weakness in bird flu tracking
Surveillance for human cases is patchy and inconsistent
BY AMY MAXMEN KFF HEALTH NEWS
Bird u cases have more than doubled in the country since the beginning of October, but researchers can’t determine why the spike is happening because surveillance for human infections has been patchy for seven months.
In the last week of October, California reported its 15th infection in dairy workers and Washington state reported seven probable cases in poultry workers.
Hundreds of emails from state and local health departments, obtained in records requests from KFF Health News, help reveal why. Despite health o cials’ arduous e orts to track human infections, surveillance is marred by delays, inconsistencies, and blind spots.
Several documents re ect a breakdown in communication with a subset of farm owners who don’t want themselves or their employees monitored for signs of bird u.
been enough testing to really know.
Researchers worldwide are increasingly concerned.
“I have been distressed and depressed by the lack of epidemiologic data and the lack of surveillance,” said Nicole Lurie, formerly the assistant secretary for preparedness and response in the Obama administration.
Bird u viruses have long been on the short list of pathogens with pandemic potential. Although they have been around for nearly three decades in birds, the unprecedented spread among U.S. dairy cattle this year is alarming: e viruses have evolved to thrive within mammals. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the emerging diseases unit at the World Health Organization, said, “We need to see more systemic, strategic testing of humans.”
Refusals and delays
A key reason for spotty surveillance is that public health decisions largely lie with farm owners who have reported outbreaks among their cattle or poultry, according to emails, slide decks, and videos obtained by KFF Health News, and interviews with health ofcials in ve states with outbreaks.
visit,” wrote the communicable disease program manager in Weld, Colorado, in a July 2 email.
Many farmers cooperated with health ofcials, but delays between their visits and when outbreaks started meant cases might have been missed. “ ere were 4 people who discussed having symptoms,” a Weld health o cial wrote in another email describing her visit to a farm with a bird u outbreak, “but unfortunately all of them had either already passed the testing window, or did not want to be tested.”
Jason Chessher, who leads Weld’s public health department, said farmers often tell them not to visit because of time constraints.
Dairy operations require labor throughout the day, especially when cows are sick. Pausing work so employees can learn about the bird u virus or go get tested could cut milk production and potentially harm animals needing attention. And if a bird u test is positive, the farm owner loses labor for additional days and a worker might not get paid. Such realities complicate public health e orts, several health o cials said.
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For instance, a terse July 29 email from the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment in Colorado said, “Currently attempting to monitor 26 dairies. 9 have refused.”
e email tallied the people on farms in the state who were supposed to be monitored: “1250+ known workers plus an unknown amount exposed from dairies with whom we have not had contact or refused to provide information.”
Other emails hint that cases on dairy farms were missed. And an exchange between health o cials in Michigan suggested that people connected to dairy farms had spread the bird u virus to pet cats. But there hadn’t
In a video of a small meeting at Central District Health in Boise, Idaho, an o cial warned colleagues that some dairies don’t want their names or locations disclosed to health departments. “Our involvement becomes very sketchy in such places,” she said.
“I just nished speaking to the owner of the dairy farm,” wrote a public health nurse at the Mid-Michigan district health department in a May 10 email. “[REDACTED] feels that this may have started [REDACTED] weeks ago, that was the rst time that they noticed a decrease in milk production,” she wrote. “[REDACTED] does not feel that they need MSU Extension to come out,” she added, referring to outreach to farmworkers provided by Michigan State University.
“We have had multiple dairies refuse a site
An email from Weld’s health department, about a dairy owner in Colorado, re ected this idea: “Producer refuses to send workers to Sunrise [clinic] to get tested since they’re too busy. He has pinkeye, too.” Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is a symptom of various infections, including the bird u.
Chessher and other health o cials told KFF Health News that instead of visiting farms, they often ask owners or supervisors to let them know if anyone on-site is ill. Or they may ask farm owners for a list of employee phone numbers to prompt workers to text the health department about any symptoms.
Jennifer Morse, medical director at the MidMichigan District Health Department, conceded that relying on owners raises the risk
Cows exit the milking stalls of a dairy in 2021. A terse July 29 email from the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment in Colorado said, “Currently attempting to monitor 26 dairies. 9 have refused.”
PHOTO BY ERIC LUBBERS / THE COLORADO SUN
cases will be missed, but that being too pushy could reignite a backlash against public health. Some of the ercest resistance against COVID-19 measures, such as masking and vaccines, were in rural areas.
“It’s better to understand where they’re coming from and gure out the best way to work with them,” she said. “Because if you try to work against them, it will not go well.”
Cat clues
And then there were the pet cats. Unlike dozens of feral cats found dead on farms with outbreaks, these domestic cats didn’t roam around herds, lapping up milk that teemed with virus.
In emails, Mid-Michigan health ocials hypothesized that the cats acquired the virus from droplets, known as fomites, on their owners’ hands or clothing. “If we only could have gotten testing on the [REDACTED] household members, their clothing if possible, and their workplaces, we may have been able to prove human>fomite->cat transmission,” said a July 22 email.
Her colleague suggested they publish a report on the cat cases “to inform others about the potential for indirect transmission to companion animals.”
ijs Kuiken, a bird u researcher in the Netherlands, at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, said person-to-cat infections wouldn’t be surprising since felines are so susceptible to the virus. Fomites may have been the cause or, he suggested, an infected — but untested — owner might have passed it on.
Hints of missed cases add to mounting
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evidence of undetected bird u infections. Health o cials said they’re aware of the problem but that it’s not due only to farm owners’ objections.
Local health departments are chronically understa ed. For every 6,000 people in rural areas, there’s one public health nurse — who often works part-time, one analysis found.
“State and local public health departments are decimated resource-wise,” said Lurie, who is now an executive director at an international organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. “You can’t expect them to do the job if you only resource them once there’s a crisis.”
Another explanation is a lack of urgency because the virus hasn’t severely harmed anyone in the country this year.
“If hundreds of workers had died, we’d be more forceful about monitoring workers,” Chessher said. “But a handful of mild symptoms don’t warrant a heavy-handed response.”
All the bird u cases among U.S. farmworkers have presented with conjunctivitis, a cough, a fever, and other u-like symptoms that resolved without hospitalization. Yet infectious disease researchers note that numbers remain too low for conclusions — especially given the virus’s grim history.
About half of the 912 people diagnosed with the bird u over three decades died. Viruses change over time, and many cases have probably gone undetected. But even if the true number of cases — the denominator — is ve times as high, said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, a mortality rate of 10% would be devastating if the bird u virus evolved to spread swiftly between people. e case fatality rate for covid was around 1%.
By missing cases, the public health sys-
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tem may be slow to notice if the virus becomes more contagious. Already, delays resulted in missing a potential instance of human-to-human transmission in early September. After a hospitalized patient tested positive for the bird u virus in Missouri, public health o cials learned that a person in the patient’s house had been sick — and recovered. It was too late to test for the virus, but on Oct. 24, the CDC announced that an analysis of the person’s blood found antibodies against the bird u, signs of a prior infection.
CDC Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah suggested the two people in Missouri had been separately infected, rather than passing the virus from one to the other. But without testing, it’s impossible to know for certain.
e possibility of a more contagious variant grows as u season sets in. If someone contracts bird u and seasonal u at the same time, the two viruses could swap genes to form a hybrid that can spread swiftly. “We need to take steps today to prevent the worst-case scenario,” Nuzzo said.
e CDC can monitor farmworkers directly only at the request of state health o cials. e agency is, however, tasked with providing a picture of what’s happening nationwide.
As of Oct. 24, the CDC’s dashboard states that more than 5,100 people have been monitored nationally after exposure to sick animals; more than 260 tested; and 30 bird u cases detected. ( e dashboard hasn’t yet been updated to include the most recent cases and ve of Washington’s reports pending CDC con rmation.)
Van Kerkhove and other pandemic experts said they were disturbed by the amount of detail the agency’s updates lack. Its dashboard doesn’t separate numbers by state, or break down how
many people were monitored through visits with health o cials, daily updates via text, or from a single call with a busy farm owner distracted as cows fall sick. It doesn’t say how many workers in each state were tested or the number of workers on farms that refused contact. “ ey don’t provide enough information and enough transparency about where these numbers are coming from,” said Samuel Scarpino, an epidemiologist who specializes in disease surveillance. e number of detected bird u cases doesn’t mean much without knowing the fraction it represents — the rate at which workers are being infected. is is what renders California’s increase mysterious. Without a baseline, the state’s rapid uptick could signal it’s testing more aggressively than elsewhere. Alternatively, its upsurge might indicate that the virus has become more infectious — a very concerning, albeit less likely, development.
e CDC declined to comment on concerns about monitoring. On Oct. 4, Shah briefed journalists on California’s outbreak. e state identi ed cases because it was actively tracking farmworkers, he said. “ is is public health in action,” he added.
Salvador Sandoval, a doctor and county health o cer in Merced, California, did not exude such con dence. “Monitoring isn’t being done on a consistent basis,” he said, as cases mounted in the region. “It’s a really worrisome situation.”
KFF Health News regional editor Nathan Payne contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Thank you Highlands Ranch for re-electing me as your
I frequently tell people I could not be the representative I am if I did not have the constituents that I do. Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars of outside money trying to buy the seat, we won by triple the margin we had in 2022. This demonstrates the judiciousness of Highlands Ranch constituents of which I often tell others. I am frequently referred to as a “moderate” at the Capitol. But that is an inapt milquetoast term because it takes far more strength and integrity to often stand alone in these hyper-partisan times. I hope to continue to honor the faith placed in me and refer back to the Thank You message published after the 2022 election: The most difficult part begins as I cautioned during our nomination caucus that I did not fear losing, but winning as I would represent ALL of Highlands Ranch. No faction. No group. And not just supporters unlike the normal course of Douglas County politics. So thank you for your support and faith.
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – W.S. Churchill
National trend impacting area fire agencies, blood supply, food pantries, senior services
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Evergreen Fire/Rescue welcomed its rst six paid re ghters last month, it was hailed as progress for the district’s residents, with the anticipation of faster response times from sta ed re stations. But it was also a sharp turn away from a long-standing tradition: e all-volunteer model it had used for 76 years.
While the area’s aging population, climate change and life in a place ranked in the top 10 nationally for catastrophic wild re were factors in the hiring decision, the decline in volunteerism also played into it.
It’s a trend impacting organizations of all kinds. Volunteering in the United States is at an all-time low, according to IVolunteer International, even as the need for most of the services such agencies supply is increasing. e fallout is far from minor, ranging from such potentially critical issues as delays in re agency response times to a shortage in the national blood supply.
On a societal level, experts say it may be a symptom of, or a factor in, increasing social isolation and political division.
“Volunteers meet critical community needs, and volunteering has the power to heal our societies by creating empathy and equity,” said Jennifer Siranelo, CEO of Points of Light, an international nonpro t dedicated to volunteerism. “It’s imperative that we work together to reverse the downward trend in volunteering.”
While the pandemic exacerbated the issue, it was not the cause. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the volunteer rate in the United States has been steadily declining for more than a decade.
Charitable giving is also down in the U.S., a fact attributed to economic uncertainty, stock market volatility and an increase in smaller and single-parent families.
Volunteering has historically been led by college graduates, married people and parents. But today’s younger generations are strained not just for time but money, and are more likely to not only work several jobs but share housing to make ends meet, according to the Center for the Study of the Individual and Society. at leaves them with little discretionary time.
e issue has hit the re service hard. e number of volunteer re ghters has declined for the last three decades, hitting a record low in 2020, according to the National Fire Protection Association. During that same time period, the U.S. population — and demands for emergency services —grew. Among smaller re districts, the average age of a volunteer re ghter is going up, with fewer younger people throwing their hats into the volunteer ring.
Not long ago, Evergreen Fire/Rescue Chief Mike Weege said EFR turned prospective volunteers away.
“We’d get roughly 30 applying and have (volunteer re ghter) academies of 25,” he said. “Eight to 10 years ago, we start-
Volunteers meet critical community needs, and volunteering has the power to heal our societies by creating empathy and equity.”
Jennifer Siranelo, CEO of Points of Light
ed getting far fewer people who could commit the time to do it. Our academies would only be six people, and we had to combine them with Genesee, Foothills and Indian Hills ( re districts).
“Today, both parents working is the norm, and people are working longer hours,” he continued. “I think people’s lives are far too busy for the amount of time and motivation it takes to volunteer for a dangerous activity.”
Nearby Elk Creek Fire is facing the same challenges, which Chief Jacob Ware attributes in part to the foothills’ shifting population.
“ e demographics have changed a lot here,” he said. “Historically, volunteer re departments were made up a lot of blue-collar, often self-employed people — people who had the ability to break away from their jobs in the middle of the day to answer a re call.”
With the escalating cost of housing in the mountains, fewer of those people can a ord to live in Conifer. And those that do are pressed for time.
“You have to hustle to live in the mountains,” Ware said. “Between work, family and everything else, the time you have to volunteer is dwindling.”
Vitalant, which has 10 Colorado blood donation centers and is the primary blood provider for over 95% of Colorado’s hospitals, is seeing far fewer donors than in the past. Vitalant declared an emergency blood shortage in 2024, and it’s not the rst time the nonpro t blood services provider has done so.
“Overall, the number of people donating with Vitalant has dropped about 20% since before the pandemic, while patients’ needs remain strong,” said Brooke Way, Vitalant’s communications manager. “If there’s a shortage and we don’t have the available blood, that’s when hospitals and doctors have to make those impossible choices of whether to postpone a surgery that’s been scheduled, so a trauma (victim) can get that unit. at’s what we try to avoid.”
It’s left local and national organizations scrambling for solutions, and pondering creative new ideas to revitalize volunteering.
“We’ve tried everything under the sun to recruit new volunteers; we just had another meeting about it,” said Kevin Andrezejewski, executive director of BGOLDN, which runs a food pantry and other community food programs. “ ere’s been a huge shift in the demographic here. e younger population doesn’t either have the time or interest in volunteering.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Volunteer firefighters from Evergreen and Elk Creek fire departments climb onto the roof of a house on fire earlier this year.
COURTESY OF EVERGREEN FIRE/RESCUE
LEFT: Teri Crawford, visiting from Virginia, helps her daughter Kimberly Buxton of Golden while volunteering at the BGOLDN food pantry. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
RIGHT: Centennial resident Joseph Lothringer recently donated his 70th gallon of blood at Vitalant’s Parker donation center. “It’s an act of gratitude,” he said. “Emotionally, it’s a very satisfying feeling.”
VOLUNTEERS
at’s particularly challenging because the need for BGOLDN’s programs is growing. Demand for its home delivery program, available to people who need supplies from the food pantry but don’t have transportation, has doubled in the last 18 months. But BGOLDN doesn’t have enough drivers to bring food to those homes or pick up food donations from area grocery stores.
“We have more volunteer shifts to ll,” Andrezejewski said. “We don’t want to decrease the number of families we support, and we could grow the program. But with the shortage of volunteers, we have to hold back on expanding it too much.”
A Little Help provides services to seniors throughout the metro area, northern Colorado and Grand Junction that can make the di erence between individuals moving to assisted living or staying in their homes. During the pandemic, the Denver-based nonpro t saw a surge in volunteers. But as life returned to normal, that help faded away.
“A lot of our open requests from seniors are going unful lled,” said Jake Dresden, A Little Help’s metro Denver director. “Rides to the doctor, the bank, the grocery store, tech support requests, companionship requests … we’re not at a healthy level of volunteers to meet those.
“We always feel the sweet spot for us is at least 2-to-1 volunteers to older adult members. And we are not at that number,” Dresden continued. “ e last six months, we’ve been running 2-to-1 members to volunteers. at’s not a recipe for success.”
Not only do seniors often physically need help with such chores and tasks, volunteer assistance can make a critical nancial di erence for them.
“ e big broad piece is helping them stay in their homes,” Dresden said. “A lot of our members are living on very xed incomes. e thought of paying a landscaping crew to rake leaves, or getting an Uber to go to the doctor, that’s money they don’t have budgeted.”
Because Colorado is a popular state for retirees, Dresden doesn’t see the demand for services easing.
A Little Help sends a weekly email to its volunteers and has made volunteering as exible as possible. Volunteers choose the task they want to do and when they’d like to do it. Still, the list of un lled requests hasn’t grown shorter.
“We’re trying all sorts of di erent methodologies to bring new volunteers on, but we’re having to start waiting lists for certain areas and services,” Dresden said.
Solutions
e problem is clear, but solutions are less so. Yet, people across the country are working to nd them, and with good reason.
Volunteering is good for us, on an individual and larger societal level. Research shows links between volunteering and improved physical health, cognitive function, elevated mood, increased social interactions, decreased loneliness and even increased mortality, according to the Stanford Center on Longevity. On a more global scale, volunteerism contributes to social cohesion, community well-being and the economy. e Generosity Commission, made up of experts across the philanthropic sec-
tor, is dedicated to increasing civic participation. It’s spent the last three years studying the country’s decline in charitable giving and volunteering and mapping a plan to reverse it.
ose include getting public gures to talk about how they bene t from giving and volunteering, reaching out to younger generations and reinforcing the role of businesses in encouraging employee giving. IVolunteer International suggests o ering virtual volunteering options like tutoring, nonpro t tech support or online advocacy as a way to match volunteering opportunities with the shift to remote work and lifestyles.
Evergreen Fire/Rescue is redesigning its volunteer program, using a system of points and small-dollar rewards that allows volunteers exibility in how and when they respond.
“We need to meet people where they are, to allow people to do what they can do versus forcing them to t into our box,” Weege said. “If you want to just do wildland ( res), if you want to just do EMS, there’s a place for you here. So you don’t have to do all the training. We’ve brought in quite a few people by doing that.”
Denver-based Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, which builds trails and improves habitat statewide, said it’s changed its o erings to try to meet its volunteers’ abilities.
“We’re getting more one-o (volunteer stints) than people who’ll come out multiple times a year now,” said VOC’s marketing manager Kim Gagnon. “So we’re trying to broaden the type of work we offer folks. Some people can volunteer on a fourteener with no problem. And some people feel that reward from a threehour harvest in a garden in downtown Denver. ese are interesting trends, and
we’re just trying to problem-solve as we go.”
Vitalant has o ered donor giveaways like the chance to win $5,000 prepaid gift cards, and more recently a $5,000 Halloween jackpot. As the shift to remote work has decreased donations from business blood drives, Vitalant’s now encouraging schools to host blood drives. ose who volunteer regularly see the bene ts clearly.
Conifer resident Peyton omas, who launched the nonpro t Speakers for Africa to help Ugandan schoolchildren, said the work not only broadens his perspective about other cultures, but gives him a fresh outlook on his own life.
“When I start complaining about Wi-Fi speed or my food taking too long to get to me, I think, ‘I need to go back to Uganda and regroup,’ because they know what is real,” he said. “Life is a help-others program. I’m convinced getting outside of ourselves sand helping others is what we’re supposed to do.”
Joseph Lothringer recently donated his 70th gallon of blood at Vitalant’s Parker donation center. He’s enjoyed a lifetime of good health and said donating is a way to share some of that with those who haven’t been as lucky.
“It’s an act of gratitude,” said the 68-year-old Centennial resident. “I won the physiological lottery. I think of people that are ghting for their lives against cancer. To give them a shot of platelets, to use my health to help people that didn’t win the lottery, that’s the least I can do. Emotionally, it’s a very satisfying feeling.” It took Lothringer 40 years of regular donations to reach 70 gallons, and he’s not done yet.
“Absolutely, I’m going to keep doing it,” he said. “My goal now is 100 gallons.”
COURTESY OF VITALANT
Centennial o ers help with home improvements
Centennial’s Home Improvement Program helps qualifying homeowners make the most of their repair and remodel dollars with cash rebates.
e program is o ering homeowners cash rebates for speci c accessibility improvements incorporated into residential projects.
e program will o er up to $300 to quali ed Centennial homeowners based on the value of their project. HIP aims to increase property values, energy e ciency and the vibrancy of Centennial’s neighborhoods.
Applications must be submitted within 90 days of passing your nal inspection.
Go online to tinyurl.com/CentennialHomeProgram for more information.
Centennial small-business loan funds available
e City of Centennial has partnered
with Colorado Enterprise Fund to o er loans to small-business owners in Centennial.
e community loan fund exists to provide an a ordable, exible loan solution for those unable to obtain traditional loan nancing to start or grow their business.
For information on who can apply, loan amounts, terms and loan uses, the public can visit tinyurl.com/CentennialBusinessLoan.
Depot Art Gallery holiday boutique
e annual Holiday Boutique at the Depot Art Gallery in Littleton is open through Dec. 29.
Forty-four talented local artisans created unique hand-crafted gifts, large and small. e boutique includes jewelry, cards, cut glass decorations, ornaments, 2-D art and more.
e Depot Art Gallery is located at 2069 W. Powers Ave. and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday.
Highlands Ranch put on Veterans Day celebration
Highlands Ranch honored veterans at the Veterans Day Celebration on Nov. 11 at the Douglas County Libraries location in Highlands Ranch.
is annual celebration has included patriotic music from the Highlands Ranch Concert Band, a color guard and special readings about Veterans Day.
e guest speaker was to be Lee Frame, a Highlands Ranch resident and 30-year U.S. Navy veteran who served as the commanding o cer of the nuclear powered missile submarine U.S.S. Casimir Pulaski, according to a Highlands Ranch Metro District news release.
Guests were encouraged to arrive early and visit the Highlands Ranch Veterans Monument located outside of the library prior to the event.
A focal point of the monument is a special tribute memorial to three special hometown heroes whose names are etched in stone: Sta Sgt. Christopher
Falkel, Sgt. Jon Stiles and Cpl. Max Donahue.
Colorado Railroad Museum’s new exhibit highlights women’s contributions to railroad industry e Golden-area museum recently opened “Hidden from History: A Century of Women in Railroading,” highlighting women’s work in and for the railroad industry from the 1870s to the 1970s. e exhibit, which is in the sublevel of the main depot/ticket o ce building, will be open through August 2025.
People from all walks of life helped plan, construct and operate the railroads from the early days of locomotives until now.
Although not every job was historically available to every person due to discrimination or other factors, the Colorado Railroad Museum is working to ensure the Mexican-American traqueros, the Black railroad workers and other communities are remembered.
Polis o ers slimmer state budget for 2025-26
Governor’s proposal would cut personnel funding to prepare for tighter spending
BY LINDSEY TOOMER COLORADO NEWSLINE
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has released his 2025-2026 state budget proposal, which prepares for tighter spending given decreasing in ation this year.
Colorado’s budget growth is tied to ination and population growth under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. While in ation peaked around 8% in 2022 and hit 5%
NORTON
When we encounter obstacles in our lives, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, the same approach applies. We must ask ourselves: “What’s standing in my way?” And, more importantly, “Why am I allowing it to?” Overcoming these internal obstacles often requires the same determination that a salesperson uses to
last year, an in ation rate of 2.5% in 2024 means the state’s budget increase this year is smaller than in the last two years.
“A lot of what we did this budget is we really tried to drive government e ciency everywhere and anywhere we could nd it,” Polis said. “We challenged our agencies, we went out and we found things that we could cut to make government more e cient.”
e budget proposal comes out to over $46 billion with about $17.8 billion for the general fund. General fund dollars are slightly lower than in last year’s proposal. e proposal maintains a 15% general fund reserve.
Polis proposed a 1% cut for state personnel services across the board, though
address objections. It involves identifying the root of resistance, determining what help we need, and committing to tackle these roadblocks with discipline and purpose.
Sometimes, the obstacles we face are self-imposed, born from a fear of failure, or unwilling to let go of comfort. Other times, they’re rooted in external circumstances beyond our control. In either case, overcoming them requires a willingness to act and an openness to seeking help. Similarly, some obstacles may not be
he would combine the two budget lines personnel funding comes from to give departments more exibility on where they will make those cuts. e proposal would also adjust various task forces and commissions whose work can be delegated elsewhere. Pinnacol Assurance, the state’s workers compensation insurer of last resort, would be privatized under Polis’ proposal.
For K-12 school funding, Polis proposed implementing 10% of the new schoolnance formula the Legislature adopted in the spring, extending the rollout of that program across seven years instead of six while still avoiding the budget stabilization factor — the amount of money the state owes schools based on a formula but
real limitations but a test of our commitment. Are we truly serious about our goals? Do we need to negotiate with ourselves to nd the discipline and courage to overcome what holds us back? Whether overcoming objections or obstacles, the goal remains to remove what stands in the way of success, growth, and fulfillment. By cultivating resilience, seeking support, and staying dedicated to our purpose, we clear the path toward becoming the best versions of ourselves.
chooses to spend on other priorities. e budget also calls for per-pupil funding as opposed to the current system, which bases funding on average enrollment over a few years. Polis called this “sensible, long overdue changes.”
“We’re not just interested in fully funding our schools one year, as an example,” Polis said. “We want to make sure we’re preparing the state budget for delivery on these promises over many years, including implementing the new school nance act to better fund students in need.”
State Minority Leader Rep. Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican, criticized the slow rollout of the new
What are the biggest obstacles holding you back? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can identify what they are and develop a solid plan to overcome them, 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 11/21
Korey Foss: Rock Candy @ Q's @ 7pm
Q's Pub and Grill, 10133 W Chat�eld Ave, Littleton
CW & Twenty Hands High
@ 7:30pm
Las Migas, RUMBERAS USA TOUR @ 7:30pm
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Com‐mons St, Lone Tree
Zenari LIVE @ Moe's Englewood! @ 9pm Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
Sun 11/24
Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Main‐street, Parker
Molly Sarlé @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood
Blind Pilot @ 8pm
Gothic Theatre, Englewood
Fri 11/22
Inline Hockey: Youth- Recreational Tournament- 12U
@ 7am
Nov 22nd - Nov 24th
Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker
Inline Hockey: Youth- Recreational Tournament- 8U
@ 4pm
Nov 22nd - Nov 24th
Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker
Scott Fowler Music: Scott Fowler @ 2 Penguins Tap & Grill
@ 6pm 2 Penguins Tap and Grill, 13065 E Briarwood Ave, Centennial
6 Million Dollar Band @ 7pm Pindustry, 7939 E Arapahoe Rd, Centennial
Don Jamieson @ 7pm
Taylor Shines - The Laser Spectacular, featuring Jexxa-live! @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Sat 11/23
The Stifftones at Blue Spruce Brewing in Centennial, CO
November 23 from 6-9 @ 6pm
Blue Spruce Brewing Company, 4151 E County Line Rd, Centennial
Kate Clover: JD McPherson - Nite Owls Tour 2024 @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood
Strange Americans Thanksgiving @ 8pm Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver
Mat and Savanna Shaw: A Shaw
Family Christmas @ 6:30pm Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker
Mon 11/25
Thanksgiving Break Camp @ 7:30am / Free Nov 25th - Nov 27th
Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr., Parker. 303-805-6315
Off Book: The Improvised Musical @ 8pm
Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
Tue 11/26
Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic Hosted by Tony Medina @ 6:30pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Littleton
Wed 11/27
Eric Golden @ 7pm Toley’s on the Creek, 16728 E Smoky Hill Rd Suite 11C, Centennial
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo Wednesdays - 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan
Ninety Percent 90s @ 8pm
Studio@Mainstreet, 19604 Mainstreet, Parker
Thu 11/28
Parker Parks and Recreation
Turkey Day 5K FUN Run/Walk @ 8am / $34 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker
Scientists want your help to digitize historic data on bees
BY RACHEL COHEN
MOUNTAIN WEST NEWS BUREAU
Within aisles of cabinets at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Museum of Natural History collections are rows upon rows of wooden display boxes with glass tops. Each box holds dozens to hundreds of bee specimens.
Leafcutter bees with blades on their teeth. Round-bodied Western bumblebees. Metallic green sweat bees.
Details about each specimen, like the species name, who found it, where and when, are pinned down under each bee. Put together, it’s a treasure trove of data about the crucial pollinators. e problem is that it’s analog, on tiny slips of paper, sometimes handwritten in cursive.
Now, scientists are pushing to get that information out of the museum cabinets and onto computers. at’s because there’s currently a lack of information about populations of many bee species.
“If we get that data, and we can rebuild those distributions, we can look for how they’re changing over time which could inform something so basic as whether or not we should be concerned that they’re declining,” said Adrian Carper, an entomology curator at the museum.
To digitize their bee collec-
BUDGET
tions, researchers at 13 institutions, including CU Boulder, the University of Nevada, Reno, and Arizona State University, formed the “Big Bee Bonanza.”
Volunteer citizen scientists can visit an online platform calledNotes from Nature, which gives visitors specimens to transcribe. In dropdown menus and text boxes, the platform asks you to write down the words on labels next to zoomed-in images of bees.
For example, the note by one mining bee says it was collected near Carbondale, Colo., in 1982.
When you’re done with one bee, Notes from Nature prompts you to enter data for another one, like a computer game.
“I nd myself having to set alarms because I can’t ever stop doing this —- it’s so much fun,” said Virginia Scott, the collections manager.
e team at CU Boulder is hoping to get notes from 50,000 bee specimens transcribed by 2025.
“Participating in this project is one of the biggest ways you can help in bee conservation because it gets that data to the conservationists who need it,” Carver said.
e Mountain West News Bureau is a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico.
school finance formula and said the budget doesn’t have enough funding dedicated to public safety.
“While I appreciate the Governor’s commitment to avoiding the budget stabilization factor, there is still much more work to be done to address Colorado’s education needs fully,” Pugliese
said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the school finance reforms we have pushed for will not take effect soon enough. Colorado families can’t wait seven years for an updated formula to roll out — our students deserve real support now.”
Colorado’s Medicaid caseload has been “higher than expected,” Polis said, with Medicaid costs accounting for 36% of the state’s operating budget and 32% of general fund spending for the 20242025 fiscal year. With more increases expected, Polis proposes maintaining
current Medicaid reimbursement rates.
“Over the last few years, we’ve worked hard to build a safe, affordable, sustainable Colorado, and the focus of this budget is really maintaining the progress we’ve had and making sure that we can tighten our belts and deliver fiscal responsibility, more government efficiency and meet those commitments around continuing to fully fund our schools and investments in public safety,” Polis said.
The governor can submit a supple-
mental budget amendment package on Jan. 2, which would include any changes that result from ballot measures voters may pass in the election this week. State lawmakers are the ones who are ultimately responsible for writing and passing the state budget during next year’s session.
This story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
A bee visits a group of late-summer flowers Aug. 29 outside Colorado School of Mines’ Volk Gymnasium.
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
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