Police chase featured an ‘ah-ha’ moment like no other
Lone Tree police o cer borrows a child’s bike during hot pursuit
ere are de ning moments in nearly every police o cer’s career that they will always remember.
Lone Tree’s O cer Jacob Tarr never imagined one of his de ning moments would
involve training wheels.
Tarr was involved in a pursuit through the Acres Green neighborhood in late November — and what helped him chase down the suspect was none other than a child’s bicycle.
“I think this one is de nitely going to be a story that I’ll never live down,” said Tarr. “ ere’s been a lot of jokes cracked around here — (even) may or may not have had a tricycle on my desk.”
Being in law enforcement means every day looks a bit di erent, and for Tarr, Nov. 23 was no exception.
The pursuit
As the sun began to set on that late November day, Lone Tree police got a call about a theft at the nearby Kohls. Tarr said theft calls from Kohls often involve armloads or full carts of merchandise.
Tarr made a note of the suspect’s description while making his way to the scene. Upon arrival, Kohl’s employees pointed toward the suspect, who had gone near the back of the building. But once Tarr exited his vehicle, the suspect took o running and went up an embankment toward the Acres Green neighborhood.
Douglas County Schools OKs AP African American studies course
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In a unanimous decision, the Douglas County school board approved an Advanced Placement African American studies course, amid concerns that the content is divisive.
After hearing from numerous advocates for the course, the board had a quick and largely agreeable discussion on approval.
In November, the board postponed approving the AP class because board members said they didn’t feel informed enough and community members raised questions about the curriculum.
School board President Christy Williams initially asked to postpone the vote to learn more about the class, to see if it aligns with the district’s equity policy and avoids critical race theory. Critical race theory is an approach to studying racism in the United States and how it intersects with institutions, according to Associated Press report-
On Dec. 10, Williams said her concerns were addressed after she learned more about the course, including that it has seen revisions since it was rst in-
Captured on his bodycam, Tarr was trailing behind the suspect on foot, climbing over fences and someone’s yard — all while airing information to dispatch. Meanwhile, the suspect had stolen an electric scooter from someone’s property and continued to try to ee from Tarr.
“He grabbed that scooter,” Tarr said, “ en I saw that there was a big hill (and) that he started to gain some pretty good momentum.”
Tarr said he began to feel a little defeated knowing the
“It gave me the opportunity to dig into the curriculum,” Williams said. “It helped me understand and learn.” e course “examines the diversity of African-American experiences through direct encounters with rich and varied sources,” drawing on literature, the arts, humanities, political science, geography, and science, according to the College Board, which administers AP classes for high schools across the nation. Topics in the course extend from early African kingdoms to the contemporary moment.
ough the AP African American studies class was only recently introduced, it’s already received a lot of
Jacob Tarr, an o cer with the Lone Tree Police Department, went viral in November for his bodycam footage and neighborhood Ring video that showed him using a child’s bike to chase a suspect who had taken an electric scooter.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas resigns with a month left in her term
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After years of bitter public feuding among Douglas County’s three elected leaders, Commissioner Lora omas has resigned after alleging her colleagues are pushing her out of her o ce space at the county headquarters — more than a month before her term ends.
For years, omas has been the target of “unfounded investigations and vindictive punishment” by fellow Commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal, omas said at a Dec. 6 news conference, during which she announced her resignation.
She argued that she has faced “slurs, defamation, harassing and baseless investigations, suppression” and “marginalization and outright cancellation as a duly elected county commissioner.”
omas said Teal and Laydon refused to allow her to be in videos for Douglas’ upcoming State of the County gathering, an annual event that aims to highlight the county’s actions.
“I now nd it utterly impossible to serve the people who elected me to the (best) of my ability as promised,” omas said.
e board of commissioners is the county’s policy-making body, approving Douglas’ 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. omas and her fellow commissioners are all Republicans.
omas claims Teal and Laydon directed county sta to “evict” her from her ofce space on Dec. 9.
“ is directive was made with the full knowledge and consent” of state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, a Republican, who won election in November to be a new Douglas County commissioner starting in January, omas claimed.
“He has no legal authority to be conducting business on behalf of the county,” omas said.
omas spoke of a meeting that she says Teal and Laydon attended at which it was decided that she would be moved out of her o ce space.
Van Winkle told Colorado Community Media that he did not make any request for her o ce.
“I was shocked by the news this morning,” Van Winkle said on Dec. 6. “Like most commissioners, my focus is on serving the people, and from my outside perspective, it never occurred to me that moving to the o ce next door to allow for refurbishment would impact her ability to serve Douglas County.”
His understanding was that omas was “just moving to the o ce next door, so her previous o ce changes could be refurbished over the holidays,” he said.
“I don’t have any authority or decisionmaking power over o ce space or county business until sworn in,” Van Winkle said. “I was asked about the process for state (representatives) and senators during transitions and did say we do vacate our o ces before the end of our term.”
In a statement, Laydon said: “It is entirely normal and customary after a November election for boxes to move and transitions to begin.”
“We are thankful for the peace, positivity and collaboration that Commissionerelect Kevin Van Winkle will bring to Douglas County,” the statement added.
CCM reached out to Laydon for com-
ment on why omas was to be moved out of her o ce space with more than a month left in her term.
“Commissioner-elect Van Winkle is actively being trained and onboarded so he can hit the ground running day one,” Laydon said. “ is is a highly complex job, and that process takes considerable time. Facilities also needs to paint his o ce and move in furniture, which also takes time.”
Laydon added: “We did o er to fully accommodate Lora with o ce space right next door on the same oor.”
Asked when he rst moved into his county o ce space after being elected to his rst commissioner term, Laydon did not directly address the question.
“I started working with sta the moment I won my election just like almost every other elected o cial anywhere,” Laydon said.
omas said she o ered to move out of her o ce space on Jan. 6 to give sta time to transition for the start of Van Winkle’s term. omas’ term was not scheduled to end until Jan. 14, she said.
omas recently ran for the state House in the GOP primary to represent the Highlands Ranch area at the state Capitol but lost to Republican Matt Burcham, who ultimately lost in the November election to incumbent Democratic state Rep. Bob Marshall.
omas could not run for a subsequent term as county commissioner because she is term limited. She was elected commissioner in November 2016 and began serving her rst term in January 2017, according to the county website. She was reelected in 2020.
Investigations in focus
At her news conference, omas pointed to what she called “unfounded investigations.”
e investigations of omas often come up in the world of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, and the disputes on the board form a complicated story.
One accusation dates to 2022 when, Laydon has said, omas attacked rst responders by sharing an anonymous letter.
On the other hand, omas has said that an investigation was “exonerating” of her.
Here’s a look at the ins and outs.
Teal and Laydon initiated an investigation after accusing omas of circulating
an anonymous letter that criticized speci c employees in the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, allegedly creating a hostile work environment. ey also accused her of emailing county legal representation with a request not authorized by the full board.
e investigation into omas by outside legal counsel found that while omas had distributed the letter, doing so did not create a hostile work environment. It also found she did draft correspondence to legal counsel without informing the board.
e outside legal counsel’s investigation report says: “Commissioner omas published the Alleged Deputy Letter on the website for her 2022 campaign for Douglas County Sheri . In at least one public appearance during that campaign, Commissioner omas encouraged the audience to visit the website for her 2022 campaign for Douglas County Sheri in order to review the Alleged Deputy Letter. Multiple witnesses reported seeing Commissioner omas personally distribute the Alleged Deputy Letter at the 2022 Republican Assembly for Douglas County.”
“I nd it more likely than not that Commissioner omas used the Alleged Deputy Letter to support her 2022 political campaign for Douglas County Sheri ,” the report adds.
Separately, regarding the context of omas’ alleged misdirection of legal counsel, the report says the board of county commissioners had a discussion regarding residents of the San Luis Valley region in southern Colorado who feared personal and nancial retribution for speaking out about the Renewable Water Resources plan. at’s a controversial proposal to pump about 22,000 acre-feet of water per year to Douglas County from the San Luis Valley. Renewable Water Resources is the private company that proposed the project.
e investigation’s report says the board’s direction was to “ensure that those vulnerable individuals were protected from disclosure of their personal identifying information.”
omas drafted correspondence to legal counsel, “without informing the board, that was contrary to this board direction and (signed) it as the (then) chair of the board of county commissioners,”
“I now find it utterly impossible to serve the people who elected me to the (best) of my ability as promised.”
Lora Thomas
the report says. at legal counsel, Stephen Leonhardt — apparently in response to omas’ correspondence — told omas in an email in April 2022 that he “can request that (someone) circulate a sign-up sheet for the attendees at each meeting identify themselves on a list … I understand that some of the attendees may desire that their identities not be made public; ultimately the Board will decide whether any information that we provide will become a public record.”
e investigation report is available at tinyurl.com/ omasReport.
Aftermath of the first investigation
omas appeared in a CBS Colorado news story in July 2022 discussing the condential report that showed the results of the investigation, prompting the Douglas County government’s attorney to nd that omas could have broken the law by doing so.
omas had asserted multiple times in meetings and in her newsletter to constituents that she believes the privileged nature of the document had already been broken by Laydon discussing parts of it publicly, CCM has previously reported. Another investigation — this time conducted by the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce — did not nd probable cause to believe that omas committed the crime of rst-degree o cial misconduct. (Because of the con ict of interest that would come with investigating a commissioner, then-Douglas County Sheri Tony Spurlock asked the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce to conduct the investigation, according to Spurlock.)
“ e Colorado criminal code does not speci cally prohibit a waiver of privileged and con dential information by a privilege holder. In this case, as a member of the Board of County Commissioners, Lora omas is a privilege holder,” Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce Sgt. Bruce Peterson wrote in a memorandum.
Laydon has argued Arapahoe County “got it wrong” in evaluating omas’ actions, saying “the privileged holder of a con dential document is the board” and not just one member of the board. He based his point on the understanding of the law of Chris Pratt, then interim Douglas County attorney.
omas’ stance has been that there’s a lack of evidence to justify Laydon and Teal’s actions toward her.
Laydon has argued that “there is a di erence between criminal liability and civil” wrongdoing.
At a commissioners’ meeting in December last year, omas told the audience: “I work for all of you, and nothing they ever do will ever change that.”
Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas stands at the 2023 State of the County event.
FILE PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
What
Are the Costs of
This is one article you’ll want to read at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, where the buyer and seller settlement statements at right appear much larger on your computer screen. I have anonymized the actual closing statements from a property I sold for $698,000 this year which had an HOA, a seller loan to pay off, and a buyer loan to fund. This should cover most of the expenses that a buyer or seller might encounter when closing on a home sale or purchase.
We’re blessed in Colorado when it comes to the cost of buying and selling real estate. In many states, there are transfer taxes imposed by state or local jurisdictions, but not here by Colorado or in metro Denver. Also, in some states, both buyer and seller need to hire a lawyer, not just a real estate agent to complete a transaction. Long ago the State of Colorado passed a law giving licensed real estate brokers limited legal authority to explain state approved contracts, so it’s rare for a client to spend money on a lawyer. The exception is when a buyer purchases a new home, because builders have lawyers create their own contracts, and we would be practicing law without a license if we were to interpret those contracts and their provisions for our buyer.
Buying
or Selling a Home? Homeowners & Investors Need to Know
ance renewal), but that escrow can't be credited on your closing. You’ll pay for the property taxes at closing and get a refund of your escrow balance from your lender 30 days or so after closing. On this seller’s settlement statement, the HOA dues are also pro-rated to the date of closing, and since the closing was on the 30th of August, the statement refunds two days’ worth of HOA dues, which the seller had paid on August 1st.
The biggest deductions for the seller (other than property taxes) are the real estate commissions and the title insurance policy. The purchase contract specifies whether the buyer or seller will pay for the buyer agent’s commission and the owner’s title insurance, but it is still common for the seller to pay both agents’ commissions plus the title policy, as in this case.
There are HOA fees which can also be paid by either party but are typically paid by the seller. Typically, the title company which is closing the transaction pays those fees (for status letter, documents, transfer fee, and more), so those fees are shown here as being reimbursed to the title company rather than paid to the HOA.
statement. If the buyer were paying cash, he or she would have very few expenses other than recording the deed for $10. The biggest costs associated with buying the home are related to the loan, especially if the seller has paid the buyer’s real estate agent and paid for the owner’s title policy.
ing takes place. In this case the buyer is being debited for 3 months of insurance coverage and 5 months of property taxes.
So let’s look at the seller’s settlement statement first. Not all the debits on this statement are considered the cost of selling. For example, the property taxes for the current year, pro-rated to the date of sale, are not a cost of selling. Since property taxes are paid in arrears (not due until April of the following year), you’re always going to find that pro-ration of property taxes on the settlement statement. If selling in December, that’s almost an entire year’s tax bill. In January through April, if your taxes haven’t been paid, you will find the full year’s taxes plus a portion of the current year’s taxes deducted from your proceeds.
If you have a mortgage, your lender has probably been charging you each month to escrow for next year’s tax bill (and insur-
In addition to paying off the seller’s loan, based on payoff numbers the title company obtains directly from the lender, the closer will deduct a few extra days of interest to cover the time it takes to get the payoff to the lender. If that’s an overcharge, the seller will get a check for the surplus from the title company within a few weeks.
The title company will also escrow a few hundred dollars to pay the final water and sewer bill (unless water is included in the HOA dues), and will refund the excess after they pay the final water/sewer bill. This is the only utility which the title company pays and transfers on your behalf, because an unpaid water/sewer bill would result in a lien against the property, and the title company’s job is to assure the buyer that they are getting the home clear of any liens.
Now let’s look at the buyer’s settlement
Moving, Even Locally, Can Cost You a Lot
At Golden Real Estate, we like to save you money wherever we can. For example, we have a handyman who can help you get your home ready to show or fix inspection issues at a client-only rate of $30/hour.
We also have a box truck which you can use prior to, during and after closing, not just for moving to your new home, but making those dump runs or runs to Goodwill for donating all that stuff you accumulated over the years!
packing material, including bubble wrap, so don’t buy any of those items yourself.
We’ve been offering the use of this truck since 2004. In fact, this is our second truck. It’s hard to estimate how much money this perk has saved both our buyers and sellers, but it must be several hundred thousands of dollars.
We also provide free moving boxes and
We also make the truck available free to non-profits and local organizations, such as Family Promise and BGoldN, which uses it to pick up food from Food Bank of the Rockies for their Golden food pantry.
Our Highlands Ranch & Lone Tree Agent
Greg Kraft - 720-353-1922
Lives in Highlands Ranch
Licensed in 1982; Joined Us in 2022 Greg@GoldenRealEstate.com
Greg and his wife Lynne have lived on Fox Sedge Lane in Highlands Ranch since 2004. He knows the community inside and out! Call him for advice & recommendations. He has also listed homes in Lone Tree.
Those loan costs are large and varied, as is detailed in the buyer’s settlement statement above. There’s the origination fee, from which the loan officer is paid. There is also the cost of appraising the home (in this case paid prior to closing), underwriting, credit report, flood certification, and a couple other lesser fees.
The buyer’s lender wants to be sure the home is insured, so you see that debit on the last line of the buyer’s settlement. (A cash buyer might choose not to insure.)
Not only does the buyer have to pay all those expenses, the buyer is charged for a title policy that covers the lender for the amount of the loan ($500 in this case) and a loan closing fee ($450). The lender will probably want to escrow for property taxes and insurance and will require a deposit for both those expenses that will vary depending on when in the calendar year the clos-
Each year, the FHA raises the limits on its federally guaranteed loans. The limits are based on the median sale price of homes in each county.
Because the Denver metro area’s median home price was calculated by FHA at $710,000, the loan limit for single-family homes was raised to $816,500 this year. That is the loan limit, not the purchase price, although FHA only requires a 3.5% down payment.
The loan limit for a duplex/2-family home was raised to $1,045,250. For a three-family home it was raised to $1,263,500, and for a four-plex, it was raised to $1,570,200.
Boulder County’s limits in each category are slightly higher, starting at $856,750 for a single-family home.
In the country’s lowest-cost counties, the loan limit is $498,257 for a single-family home, and in the highest-cost areas (Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands), the limit is $1,724,725, rising to $3,317,400 for a 4unit property. (Whether 1-unit or 4-units, the borrower has to live in the subject property.)
There is one big credit which the buyer receives from the seller. The funds which were deducted from the seller’s proceeds for the current year’s property taxes are credited to the buyer, not paid to the county. That’s because the buyer will paying the current year’s entire property tax bill when it becomes due. You see that credit — almost $3,000 — near the top of the above settlement statement.
There could also be a concession for repairs that the seller agreed to in the inspection resolution, although not in this case. Sometimes that concession takes the form of a price reduction, which does not appear as a line on the settlement statement.
Notice that the closing services (notary) fee of $360 is shared 50/50 in this case, as is commonly done, $180 for each party. As mentioned above, visit our blog for more readable copies of those documents and more discussion of transaction costs.
Non-FHA (“conventional”) loan limits are slightly lower for 2024. In most areas, the conforming conventional loan is limited to $766,550. Alaska, Hawaii and high-cost areas have a conforming conventional loan limit of $1,149,825 for a single-family home.
FHA loans are attractive because they only require a 580 credit score (as low as 500 with a 10% down payment), and your debt-toincome ratio only needs to be below 57%.
The biggest negative of FHA loans is that they require a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) of 1.75% at closing, plus an annual premium which varies based on your loan-tovalue ratio. MIP is for the life of the loan, unless your downpayment is at least 10%, and remains in effect no matter how low the loan-to-value ratio falls (i.e., how much your equity increases). If your down payment was 10% or higher, the MIP goes away after 11 years. Otherwise, most 15- or 30-year FHA mortgages should be refinanced once the owner can qualify for a conventional loan, hopefully at a better interest rate, to get rid of the MIP.
NOTE: All prior “Real Estate Today” columns are archived at
Golden Real Estate lists and sells residential properties across the Denver metro area.
Finding cold weather shelter for homeless
Locations across Denver metro area o er unhoused folks a warm place to stay
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
During cold weather in the Denver region, people without homes may struggle to nd a safe, warm place to go — and that can be a matter of life and death.
Unhoused Coloradans face the risk of hypothermia, a sometimes-deadly condition caused by exposure to cold temperatures. Staying outside also can cause frostbite, a freezing of body tissues that can lead to amputation.
e nonpro t Severe Weather Shelter Network, a program that kept people warm in a large swath of the Denver metro area, recently shut down permanently.
But several programs in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Je erson counties, and beyond, o er shelter.
Here’s a look at where you may be able to nd a warm place amid cold weather.
Adams and Broomfield counties
In a large part of the north metro area, the Severe Weather Activation Program, or SWAP, provides hotel vouchers to the unhoused.
e program generally activates when temperatures reach 32 degrees and wet, or 20 degrees and dry, according to the website for Brighton-based organization Almost Home.
People with documented ties to Broom eld or Adams County may qual-
ify for the program. See the website at almosthomeonline.org/swap or call 303659-6199 for more information.
O cials in Adams also o er transportation to help people reach a safe destination.
“Adams County believes that transportation should not be a barrier to lifesaving shelter. We o er bus passes and no-cost Lyft rides through our municipal and nonpro t navigators to help low-income community members access necessary resources,” said Nikki Kimbleton, a spokesperson for Adams County. “For those who need transportation to stay with friends or family in another community, we can purchase bus, plane or train tickets to reunite folks with friends, family and housing.”
e public can email PovertyReduction@adcogov.org for more information on long-distance travel.
Thornton
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees for daytime highs and below 20 degrees for nighttime lows, ornton opens a “warming center” at the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center at 11151 Colorado Blvd. — near 112th Avenue — according to the city.
When active, the warming center is open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, according to Gary Hobbs, deputy chief of administration with ornton Fire Department.
“ is program does not o er services such as warm meals, showers, bunk rooms, storage for belonging, etc., that are typically provided by emergency shelters,” Hobbs wrote in a statement.
“If a community member requires longer-term emergency sheltering, sta will work to nd a sheltering solution. Typically, this includes relocating the person(s) to a shelter in another jurisdiction or working to acquire a SWAP voucher.”
Anyone in need of a place to warm up can drop in without an appointment anytime the warming center is operational, Hobbs said.
Westminster
Westminster activates a cold-weather shelter when weather is projected to be zero degrees or sustained wind chill below zero degrees for six hours or more, said Andy Le, a spokesperson for the city.
e shelter will stay open for at least 48 hours, Le said.
e city converts e MAC recreation center — at 3295 W. 72nd Ave., a short walk west of Federal Boulevard — into a temporary shelter.
You can call ahead of time to check availability at 303-426-4310, according to the city.
Hotel vouchers are also part of the local strategy for addressing homelessness.
“Our Homeless Navigator program helps distribute hotel vouchers provided by Je co and Adams County for people experiencing homelessness,” Le said. “Westminster provides additional vouchers when the weather drops below 10 (degrees) to provide additional support for our most vulnerable population.”
Northglenn
ere are not any city-managed coldweather shelters in Northglenn, said Diana Wilson, spokesperson for the city.
• Anticipated cold below 10 degrees
• Wind chill below zero
• Winds or blizzard conditions
• “72/48/24/12-hour alerts” and warning from the National Weather Service.
At least one of the criteria needs to be met — or anticipated — for shelter to be activated, Knoll said.
Brighton
e City of Brighton does not have a standing cold-weather shelter program, said Jared Putnam, a spokesperson for the city
“Almost Home is the only such program in Brighton,” Putnam said.
See the website at almosthomeonline. org/swap or call 303-659-6199 for more information.
Fort Lupton
Fort Lupton pointed to a handful of resources.
“At this time, we do not have any designated cold weather or warming shelters under the city’s operation,” said Juan Arellano, a spokesperson for the city. e city encouraged people to reach out to Hope at Miracle House in Fort Lupton, Almost Home, or United Way of Weld County, or call 2-1-1 for listed sheltering services that may be nearby.
Hope at Miracle House describes itself as a year-round emergency shelter assisting families that are experiencing homelessness in south Weld County. For more information, call 720-676-9697, see hopeatmiraclehouse.org or email programdirector0236@gmail.com.
Lakewood
But the Crisis Response Unit, or CRU, is available by appointment or during open o ce hours from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays at the Northglenn Justice Center’s west door entrance at 50 Community Center Drive — east of Huron Street and 112th Avenue.
CRU o ers some services and resources. See tinyurl.com/CrisisResponseUnitNorthglenn. Transportation and shelter passes are available on a limited basis, Wilson said.
Call 720-822-0558 or see the link above for more information.
Center
and services
Our
Commerce City
Commerce City operates two emergency shelters when conditions warrant, said Kristen Knoll, a spokesperson who provided information for the city.
e city’s two shelter locations are the Eagle Pointe Recreation Center at 6060 Parkway Drive — near U.S. Highway 85 and 60th Avenue — and the Bison Ridge Recreation Center at 13905 E. 112th Ave., near state Highway 2, according to Knoll.
Each location has capacity for up to 30 beds and o ers kitchen and sanitary facilities, Knoll said.
is capability is intended to meet the short-term — no more than three nights or four days — needs of up to 30 residents per location in the event of various emergency situations, Knoll said.
“Once the location, timing and capacity have been determined, Community Well-Being division sta and Police Department sta will contact known people experiencing homelessness and assist with transportation, if needed,” Knoll said.
e following criteria trigger activation of at least one shelter, Knoll said. e same criteria will be used to activate an overnight shelter if one of the below scenarios occur between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.:
Lakewood’s homelessness navigation center at 8000 W. Colfax Ave. — a short walk west of Wadsworth Boulevard — serves as the city’s severe-weather shelter.
When the shelter is open, it operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning, said Stacie Oulton, spokesperson for Lakewood.
ose needing shelter do not need to arrive until the 7 p.m. opening, Oulton said.
“No registrations or referrals are required for shelter services that are available to adults, and service animals/pets may be accommodated if they do not disrupt the comfort or safety of other guests,” Oulton said.
“Once the shelter is open and has reached capacity, the contractor may coordinate transportation to other locations,” Oulton added.
e city will consult the National Weather Service for two thresholds that may activate the shelter: when overnight low temperatures are forecast to be 32 degrees or lower and arrive with active, accumulating snowfall; or overnight low temperatures are forecast to be 20 degrees or lower with or without active snowfall, Oulton said.
“Lakewood retains the discretion to activate or not activate outside of these thresholds, but decisions generally are based on these weather conditions,” Oulton said.
For a countywide view of resources, see Je erson County’s Heading Home webpage at headinghomeje co.com/ get-help.
Arvada
e Rising/Mission Arvada will be open when temperatures fall below 20 degrees and/or 6 inches of snow falls from November to the end of March,
Veteran news innovator to helm CCM
Brooke Warner brings vast experience in digital transformation
Brooke Warner, a veteran news industry innovator who has guided legacy organizations toward a more resilient future, has joined Colorado Community Media as its executive director.
In this role, Warner will lead CCM’s continued transformation into a sustainable community news business. She comes to CCM with extensive experience in digital media, organizational transformation and revenue growth.
“We’re thrilled to have Brooke Warner
take the helm at Colorado Community Media,” said Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO and cofounder of the National Trust for Local News. “She brings a passion for our mission along with deep experience in digital media, leading transformational change and diversifying revenue. Our organization will bene t from her leadership as it works to create a sustainable future for community news in Colorado.”
Prior to joining CCM, Brooke served as
general manager at Swift Communications in Nevada, where she managed a portfolio of 25 local media brands. She also was vice president of Draper Digital Media and WBOC-TV in Maryland, where she launched the rst interactive division at one of the state’s largest television stations.
“I’m thrilled to join Colorado Community Media. It has been my mission to help local news companies grow and thrive to meet the needs of readers, advertisers and communities,” Warner said. “With the support of the National Trust, I’m excited to lead CCM’s continued development into a sustainable community news business for Colorado.”
e National Trust for Local News started in Colorado in 2021 with the acquisi-
tion of Colorado Community Media, the primary source of local news for communities across the Denver metro area. Over the last two years, the National Trust has unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of CCM’s websites and digital news products, and expanded its news o erings to serve growing bilingual audiences in greater Denver.
e Trust also just announced the launch of the Trust Press to print CCM’s newspapers and o er commercial printing services for news organizations and other clients throughout the region. Warner will oversee those operations, as well. Warner’s position replaces the publisher role recently vacated by Linda Carpio Shapley, who is now CCM’s director of Editorial and Audience Engagement.
Specialty bourbon pays tribute to firefighter
Andrew Koldeway served Castle Rock before death from bacterial meningitis
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Among re ghters, bumper time is how camaraderie gets built and bonds are forged. Bumper time is re ghter slang for the hours spent after the end of a shift hanging out together and enjoying one another’s company.
For Castle Rock re ghters, bumper time is also the name of a specialty bourbon whisky that serves as a memorial tribute to Andrew Koldeway, a Castle Rock re ghter who died unexpectedly of bacterial meningitis in October.
“ is bottle is kind of an opportunity for when you’re o duty and you pour a glass, to talk about Andrew and laugh about Andrew, and kind of use it as a way to re ect about Andrew,” said Andrew Kopp, a Castle Rock re ghter who helped create the Bumper Time Bourbon.
e whiskey comes from a partnership between the Castle Rock Professional Fire Fighters Association, the union for the Castle Rock Fire Department and the Art of the Spirits distillery, which is based in Colorado Springs.
Koldeway’s coworkers and close
friends selected a single barrel of aged wheated bourbon whisky to bottle and sell as a fundraiser to support his family.
Kendall Compton, a Castle Rock re ghter who worked with Kopp and others to create the specialty bourbon, said there are a number of details with the liquor and the bottle chosen to honor Koldeway and his service.
e bourbon was aged for 21 years, representing the length of Koldeway’s career as a re ghter.
It costs $152, which represents Koldeway’s home assignment at Castle Rock’s Station 152.
A picture of Koldeway in gear and a written tribute from a close friend are featured on the labels.
“Everything about this bottle is screaming everything about him,” Compton said. “Every time that I look at it, I get to remember him.”
Compton said they hope to sell all 174 bottles to provide Koldeway’s family with the nancial support needed for funeral expenses and general cost of living support.
“Nothing’s going to bring Andrew back, but if we can do something that truly honors his memory, and that creates something that lasts, that’s ultimately what we want,” Compton said.
Koldeway had been with the Castle Rock Fire Department for nearly two years, and Kopp and Compton said he quickly became part of the department family.
Kopp said it was always clear how much Koldeway loved his work and his family. ey often bonded over sharing dad jokes and nding humor in parenting.
“We’d compare war stories about our toddlers and kids, work-life balance, and how to make an impact as a dad,” Kopp said. “When Andrew passed away, it was like a jolt to our department.”
is is the second year the Castle Rock re ghters union has worked with Art of the Spirit to produce Bumper Time Bourbon. e name nods to a previous e ort during which the union worked with a brewery to craft a specialty bumper time beer, Compton said.
With the history of the bumper time name rooted in supporting re ghters, Compton said it only felt right to dedicate this year’s bottle to Koldeway.
“We didn’t get a whole lot of time with him, but the time that he did have (with the Castle Rock Fire Department) was very impactful,” Compton said. Anyone interested in buying a bottle can do so online at bit.ly/4 TRJu. All of the proceeds will go to Koldeway’s family.
Compton said he is planning to work with purchasers to pick up bottles and will likely schedule a pickup day in Castle Rock. Bottles can also be picked up at the Veterans Liquor store at 3630 Austin Blu s Parkway, Suite 170, in Colorado Springs.
Brooke Warner
Andrew Koldeway, a Castle Rock firefighter who died in October, is memorialized on a bottle of specialty bourbon created by his colleagues and friends. The bottles are being sold to help raise funds for Koldeway’s family.
scooter would pick up speed on the hill. Not letting that deter him, Tarr was relaying his location to dispatch as he spotted a child’s bright green and blue bicycle. He had an “ah-ha” moment.
With his competitive nature driving the urge to catch the suspect, the six-foottall Tarr grabbed the child’s bike without hesitation, all the while keeping an eye on the suspect making his way down Omega Circle.
“I thought it was going to move faster,” said Tarr of the bicycle. “I didn’t know it had training wheels on it until I was already out.”
On the wobbly bike — and nearly crashing into a parked car — Tarr quickly steadied himself on the bike and began to make his way toward the suspect.
A million thoughts were racing through his head at the time, Tarr said. Was there enough air in the tires? Were the neighbors confused? Could he still see the suspect?
“I’m thinking to myself, OK, I’m thinking outside the box here,” said Tarr. “We’re cooking on this bike. Let’s hope the brakes work. OK, they’re not really working. We’re starting to get some speed.”
As he continued down the hill, Tarr yelled out to a couple on their front doorstep if they had seen a guy on a scooter. e couple’s ring doorbell camera captured the moment the suspect passed their house — and Tarr on the child’s bike shortly after.
Tarr had lost sight of the suspect, but thanks to his continuous updates to dispatch, by the time Tarr got to the bottom of the hill, Cpl. Jon Dilbeck had stopped the suspect.
e bodycam video shows Tarr throwing the bike down as he walked towards the suspect. e bike, however, sustained no damage.
“I didn’t have intentions of throwing the bike down,” said Tarr. “I think when I got o , it was kind of like an ’80s or ’90s movie.”
It was determined that the suspect had three warrants.
“I tell people that we arrest: I don’t think that you’re a bad person, but I think you’re making bad choices,” said Tarr. “One bad decision leads to another.”
The aftermath
Having served on the Lone Tree Police Department for about three years, Tarr said he looks up to Dilbeck. So when he asked the corporal what he thought about
his e orts of chasing down the suspect on a child’s bike, a surprised look was given to Tarr and he was told he was never going to live it down.
“It was de nitely knees to chest” on the bike, said Tarr. “Maybe that’s why the tires were a little de ated because 210 pounds had no business being on a bike like that.” Tarr returned the scooter and bike to the rightful owners. When he knocked on the homeowner’s door, the family was apprehensive at rst, thinking someone in their home got into trouble. But after they learned what happened and Tarr apologized for commandeering the bike, they all shared a laugh. e household’s teen told Tarr that the bike was from when he was a child, which was why it was on the side of the house. But before leaving, Tarr cracked a joke.
“I asked the kid if he could throw a little more air in the tires,” Tarr said.
Wanting to have a job that ts his personality, Tarr went into law enforcement to make a di erence. Never did he think the Nov. 23 incident would go viral on various news outlets and social media platforms across the country.
“To catch this guy was de nitely a great win,” said Tarr. “We can shine and show that law enforcement is trying to do the right thing.” is is only the beginning of Tarr’s career. He was recently picked to serve on the Douglas County Regional SWAT team and is pursuing a graduate’s degree in mental health.
Despite the jokes made around the police department about Tarr on a child’s bike, Tarr said he knew it was worth it after hearing one thing from his father – a former Parker police o cer – and from his daughter.
“To have my daughter and my dad say that they’re proud of me makes me feel tremendous,” Tarr said.
Thank You’s to Chris Brock, Owner/Operator of Chick-fil-A in Highlands Ranch, Chief Warrant Officer Camacho and Sergeant Robertson with the United States Marine Corps, Miss Norma and the entire staff at Toys for Tots, Francesca Pappalardo and Gina Chambers with Cresthill Middle School, Pam Moisey with the HR Metro District, and Erin Addenbrooke with Colorado Community Media, for your partnership and support of this community event.
Clean streams are a gift.
Thank you for keeping our watershed beautiful and our local drinking water supply clean.
STUDIES
pushback nationwide, including being banned from classrooms in Florida after Gov. Ron Desantis claimed it was pushing a political agenda.
AP classes are higher-level courses that offer students the chance to earn college credit while still in high school by taking an exam run by the College Board at the conclusion of the class. The class is an elective course.
Board member Becky Myers said she
appreciated the extra time to evaluate the class and supports the class being available to students.
Board member Kaylee Winegar said she thinks the class would be a great option for students after looking more at the course content. Winegar suggested including community input on proposed courses in the future to assuage public concerns.
“I think after getting time to review this course it does do a great job as an AP course. There’s a lot of rigor and including different view points and proving your points, not so much about indoctrination,” Winegar said.
Board member Tim Moore said he supports offering choices and he heard from a lot of students and families who want to take the course.
The conversation included pushback from some board members about the delay. Board member Brad Geiger called out his fellow board members for delaying the vote, saying he trusted the staff that recommended the course.
During public comment, roughly a dozen parents and school staff spoke in favor of the class. Valarie Moses, a teacher at Highlands Ranch High School who proposed the AP course, said her students are excited for the class and want
opportunities to learn about themselves and others.
Dr. Remy Rummel, the district’s former director of equity, culture and language, said the course would meet equity goals and advocated for the course as a way to help students feel represented.
Three commenters reiterated concerns about the course that led to the delay, saying that the curriculum is politically one-sided and biased. Cindy Jensen said she worried about the politics of the course developers, who she called Marxists and communists.
The course will be available to students in the 2025-26 school year.
Unleash the power of creativity in new year
As we prepare to enter the new year, we have a unique opportunity to tap into the power of our imagination and dream about what lies ahead. Last week, I explored how we can nish strong and start the new year even stronger. is week, I want to challenge you to unleash your imagination, dream beyond boundaries, and create a vision for the year ahead that excites and inspires you.
boundaries,
One of my favorite activities when my children were younger, and now with my grandchildren, is gazing up at a cloud- lled sky. Together, we look for shapes and gures in the clouds. With a little creativity, we’ve spotted trains, dinosaurs, hearts, dolphins, Santa Claus, snowmen, and countless other formations. It’s remarkable how, when we let our imaginations roam free, young and old minds alike can conjure up incredible visions.
So, as we approach the new year, let’s ask ourselves: What do we see in the clouds of our own future? Are we allowing ourselves to imagine with boundless creativity, or are we playing it safe, constrained by the familiar? For some, the year ahead might hold dreams of a new role within your current company, an opportunity to stretch into leadership, or explore a di erent area of the business. Others may be thinking about starting their own ventures, nally bringing to life that business idea they’ve nurtured for
Dyears. Perhaps your dreams center on carving out more intentional time o , traveling to places that have long been on your bucket list, or spending quality time with family and friends. e new year also brings opportunities for celebration. Signi cant milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, or graduations often call for creativity and intention to make them truly memorable. What if you could dream up ways to make these events extraordinary? Perhaps it’s planning a surprise party that will leave your loved ones speechless or organizing an experience that becomes a cherished memory.
For those of us who already meticulously plan the year, here’s an added challenge: Layer your planning with imagination. Move beyond traditional goal-setting and practical to-do lists. Instead of just thinking outside the box, let’s forget the box entirely. In this era, there is no box. ere are no limits except those we impose on ourselves.
Ask yourself: What does a year of un-
limited possibilities look like? If failure weren’t an option, what would you aim to achieve? What form would it take if you could sprinkle a bit of magic into your daily life? What would you do differently if guided by your most creative and uninhibited self?
For example, imagining a year lled with travel might prompt you to start a dedicated savings plan or research destinations you’ve always dreamed of visiting. Dreaming about a career change could inspire you to enroll in a course, expand your network, or schedule informational interviews. e act of imagining opens doors and sets a foundation for action. e key is to imagine without judgment or fear of overreaching. Remember those clouds we stared at as kids? No one told us our dinosaur didn’t look like a dinosaur, and no one said a train couldn’t appear in the sky. We saw what we wanted to see and reveled in the joy of discovery.
’Tis the season — make it jolly
TFINANCIAL STRATEGIES
his is a special time of year, so I am not going to give you a litany of things to do. I did that last month to give you extra time. is is the season of giving and sharing and spending time with loved ones. We do have a lot to be grateful for. Even investors are happy this year with higher interest rates and a strong stock market. Homeowners are enjoying strong equity positions with increased values. More families are focusing on experiences instead of fad gifts. Hopefully, the rush and stress of the holidays are toned down this year for you.
December is also the month I renew my Certi ed Financial Planner, or CFP®, certication. It is a nice reminder why I wanted to educate and advise for the past 38 years. e code of ethics, code of conduct andduciary duty are all embedded standards of practice when advising others about their hard-earned assets. I am always grateful that this allows me to focus on what is important, just like we do over the holidays. Sometimes people get caught up in the rat race and think they must work harder or constantly strive to make more money. As I look back at the more than 1,000 families I have helped, it never ended up being about the money. After all, money is just a tool. Perhaps this is a good time of year to think about the best ways to use that tool for what is most important to you.
is could be why December is the most popular month for charitable donations. I can always tell we are nearing the end of the year when more donor-advised funds are opened to transfer highly appreciated assets to a charity tax free. More quali ed charitable distributions are requested to send IRA money directly to a charity tax free if you are at least 70 1/2 years of age.
Mental health: The Sway Test can help unlock healing
espite out-of-pocket costs and long waits for appointments already being a statewide issue, the truth is the citizens of northwest Denver are blessed to have more therapy options per capita than almost anywhere else in the state of Colorado.
From a glut of private practitioners to culturally responsive clinics such as Clinica Tepeyac (not to mention the free, 24-7 Colorado Crisis line, accessed by dialing 988), mental health help is there for those who seek it out.
at’s important because as we head into the holiday season and the winter months, mental health and wellness is more important than ever. Yet many folks don’t know there are simple techniques we can try in the privacy of our own homes to explore our own psyches and develop insight. One of my favorite techniques to do so is called the Sway Test.
e Sway Test was developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, an author and expert in
the eld of energy psychology. Dr. Nelson’s theory is that there is intelligence within our entire body, not just our brain. He developed a technique from his years of clinical experience as a chiropractor who expanded into the eld of holistic medicine. e Sway Test is a method of gathering information from our subconscious mind, and it is very easy to learn and does not require the assistance of anyone else. To do the Sway Test, you simply must be able to stand on two feet.
Here’s how: Start in a standing position, feet rmly planted and shoulder-width apart, being sure not to lock your knees, and with your arms by your sides. Let go of all conscious thoughts and close your eyes if you are comfortable doing so.
You’ll notice it’s impossible to actually stand still—your body typically sways almost imperceptibly. en make a statement: When you vocally make a positive
true statement, your body will begin to sway noticeably forward, Nelson’s theory being that a gentle sway forward represents a true or correct statement, while a gentle sway back on your heels represents a negative, untrue or incongruous statement.
Try this experiment: Take the Sway Test stance and make a statement you know to be true, for example your name. If your name is Alex, for example, and you say, “My name is Alex,” your subconscious mind knows the statement to be true and you’ll sway forward gently because your body is drawn to congruence and truth. Try it again with a false name, and you should feel your body begin to sway backward within a few seconds. Your body’s response time will shorten the more that you practice this phenomenon.
e most challenging form of this testing of our subconscious mind is that it requires our conscious mind to give up control for a few moments allowing our body to respond innately. We can im-
plicitly trust the wisdom of our subconscious mind to help inform decisions large and small.
While it’s not a crystal ball, the Sway Test could be useful in a wide range of scenarios, like whether to enroll in a class, rekindle a friendship or pursue a side gig. It’s particularly useful in exploring the murky world of emotions, which often drives us to engage in behavior that’s befuddling.
May the Sway Test hold the answers to the emotions or subconscious thought patterns that are presenting barriers to you achieving the goals that you seek? Plant your feet, ask your questions and let your body’s sway speak.
Erin Olyer Rohlf is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), professional therapist and founder of Denver Couples Clinic. Call her at 720-644-1400 or nd her at www.denvercouplesclinic.com to learn more or to suggest ideas for future columns.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Unheavenly facts
Douglas County rates as: (1) “top 10 wealthiest counties in the US” (2) “healthiest county in the US” (3) highly educated population low unemployment.
From the outside, DougCo might sound like a little “bit of heaven.”
By-and-large, Douglas County is a safe and convenient community ... as long as you fall on the right side of the pack of local and outside power players.
Here are the unheavenly facts.
Douglas County has been long-plagued by the cabalistic scheming of conservative players who hand-pick their successors from a well-maintained list of wealthy insiders.
Locals call this collusion … e CABAL.
e CABAL controls most elected ofces in county and local governments as well as our local school board.
e CABAL appoints dozens of citizen committees and advisers … over 80% of those selected are conservative white men over the age of 55.
e rest of the Douglas County community is grossly under-represented and the CABAL is ready to let you know they have no intention of giving you the time of day.
Many in the CABAL are graduates of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, a conservative training think-tank underwritten by libertarian millionaires and billionaires who reside in Colorado and beyond. Money from those millionaires and billionaires shows-up in our local elections as dark money passed through a planned cascade of de-identi ed contributions and gifts.
Jan 6, 2021.
e chronic BoCC cat ght is typical of the CABAL ... in ghting has been standard operating procedure for decades.
Two local realities are operative … most people don’t have the time/interest to gather and take in the truth about the people they elect … and media coverage of the CABAL is mixed. Many Coloradobased outlets are either enabling the CABAL’s shenanigans, or staying out of the fray because “Douglas County is Douglas County, will always be Douglas County.”
So, is Douglas County a “little bit of heaven”?
If you are white guy, conservative, and rich ... it’s utopia.
Lloyd Guthrie, Roxborough Park
Laydon, Teal hit rock bottom
Substantial numbers of the CABAL are hard-core MAGA … they publicly associate with religious and nationalist extremists. In fact, the CABAL welcomes Douglas County citizens who gain national reputations for conspiracy mongering. More than a few were in DC on
NORTON
As you stand on the brink of this new year, take a moment to look up, not just at the sky but at the endless possibilities that await. Use your imagination to shape your dreams, plans, and life. Forget the box. Dream big, dream bold, and dream without limits. Let this year be the one where you surprise yourself with what you can create, achieve, and experience.
KUMMER
Family gifts and estate planning are also popular topics this month. You can give up to $18,000 per year per person to help others and to reduce your estate. Next year, the maximum increases to $19,000.
When the family is together, it is great fun to make plans for the coming year. What will those experiences be? How will you spend your time and resources
It is hard to believe after the past four years of poor behavior for Douglas County Commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal regarding fellow Commissioner Lora omas that things could get worse with only one month left on Lora’s term, but they have. Commissioners Laydon and Teal created their own ruling to instruct county employees to evict Lora omas from her o ce. eir reasoning is that Commissioner-elect Kevin Van Winkle needs to settle into his future ofce. is is an unprecedented action by any DC commissioners, despite what Laydon and Teal make up. ey must not be aware of Colorado statute that clearly states that an elected o cial cannot hold two elected o ces at the same time. State Sen. Van Winkle is in o ce through Jan. 9 before sworn in as DC commissioner on Jan. 14.
Why would Laydon and Teal create this action roughly one month before Lora omas terms out? It appears this is an arrogant, vindictive and spiteful move on their part. is action is deplorable! I sincerely hope that Lora omas sues
Douglas County for this continued harassment. Unfortunately, Lora cannot sue Laydon and Teal as they are county o cials, but she can sue Douglas County for ignoring the ridiculous behavior of these two commissioners for the past four years. Laydon and Teal apparently do not care that it will be the tax paying citizens of the County who will foot the settlement bill, and not them directly. I hope Lora wins a signi cant settlement. Jim Weglarz, Larkspur
I am an American I have lived on this earth nine decades. I am a rst generation American whose family came through Ellis Island from Scotland. I was born during the Great Depression seeing men selling apples on street corners for a few pennies. Raised on the tough streets of the south side of Chicago. All races, creeds and religions. World War II memories; American ags on every porch, you recited the Pledge of Allegiance to start every school day. Sang God Bless America! A few new classmates after the war had numbers inside their arms. Dachau, Bergen Belsen, Auschwitz and others. I have a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University ( Neil Armstrong was a couple classes ahead of me, Roger Chaffee was a close classmate) and an MBA from the University of Chicago. I am USAF/ Ret; a “Nam” kid, three combat tours. Air Medal with eleven Oak Leaf Clusters (300 combat missions, mostly over North Vietnam), the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star. I voted for Trump. I am not a racist, sexist, bigot, Nazi, fascist or garbage. I am a proud American.
After all, when we combine imagination with action, the sky isn’t the limit, it’s just the beginning. I would love to hear your story and how you imagine the year ahead at gotonorton@gmail. com, and when we can tap into the power of our imagination, 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.
to help educate, recreate or encounter new places?
So, as you see all the Christmas decorations or get ready to light the menorah, know the most important things you can share are your traditions, values and love.
We will always have time next year to talk about your goals and opportunities. But for now, just enjoy all you have and who you get to spend time with.
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
discover after the fact that I’ve been ignorant about some laws already in effect — such as the regulation of only one earbud (not two!) while driving. It’s not that I’m necessarily opposed to new laws, but so often these added regulations crop up because of the unfortunate misuse of individual freedoms encroaching on another’s rights — or the use of something toxic that is deemed to be environmentally unsafe.
New Colorado laws beginning Jan. 1 include at least three involving vehicles: a ban on holding a cell phone while driving, locking up handguns in an unattended vehicle, and kids not getting out of car booster seats until they turn 9 years old (which will affect a local grandson who is currently 8 years old until his summer birthday).
As for the new environmental laws, all eggs sold in Colorado must now be cage-free, and many products such as cosmetics and indoor furniture can no longer contain those nasty PFAs (“forever” chemicals).
I notice there are also new laws involving the insurance and health-care industry, as well as statutes regarding minor workers, minor autopsy reports, protection orders for crime victims, estate planning, tort actions, testing accommodations and lodging tax. My husband’s comments as we talked over this extensive list at breakfast one day? “I guess we need to save people from themselves.”
James Stewart, Lone Tree
Clearly we need help I’m always surprised by new laws that go into effect every year. I also seem to
Indeed. Like the warnings we so often see posted on products (“Don’t eat this” or “Don’t operate near water,” etc.), between our fears of litigation, our desire to make people act in safer ways, and our occasional lack of common sense, we continue to crank out more and more regulations. We must need an awful lot of salvation.
Linda Mazunik, Lone Tree
A publication of
Call first: 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Mailing Address:
750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-566-4100
Web: HighlandsRanchHerald.net
To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or Scan this QR Code
LINDA SHAPLEY Director of Editorial & Audience lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
CHRISTY STEADMAN
South Metro Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
HALEY LENA Community Editor hlena@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI
Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
BUSINESS INQUIRIES
For advertiser or vendor questions, please email our business department at accounting@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Herald.
We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline
Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Highlands Ranch Herald
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the Herald is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
Send address change to: Highlands Ranch Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Former jail employee accused of sexual misconduct
Woman arrested on charge of improper relationship with inmate
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A former Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce employee assigned to the Douglas County jail has been arrested on sexual misconduct charges.
Sheri ’s detectives received information on Oct. 20 that a female civilian, later identied as Alexis Montoya, who was assigned to the detention division as a crew leader may
have been involved in an inappropriate relationship with an inmate.
Montoya started with the sheri ’s o ce on Oct. 12, 2023.
An investigation indicated there was probable cause to believe a crime had been committed by Montoya, according to the authorities.
Two days after detectives received the information about the potential relationship, Montoya was placed on administrative leave without pay, and then later resigned on Dec. 4.
e Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce issued a warrant for Montoya’s arrest, but on Dec. 9, Montoya turned herself into the Arapa-
hoe County Sheri ’s O ce on two charges of sexual conduct in a correctional institution, which are both felonies.
Montoya was booked into the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce on a $5,000 bond.
Sheri Darren Weekly said in a statement that this behavior is not tolerated by the sheri ’s o ce and that the county will continue to hold itself accountable with high standards of professionalism.
“Maintaining the integrity and trust of our o ce is a top priority,” said Weekly. “ is former employee’s actions are a serious betrayal of that trust and the values we uphold.” e case has been turned over to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s O ce.
Get to know the inner workings of the Centennial Water & Sanitation District
Applications for Citizen Engagement Committee are available online through Jan. 24
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Ever wonder where the water used for daily tasks like cooking and showering comes from, and how it gets to your home?
Highlands Ranch residents who have an interest in learning about water and conservation have an opportunity to get a behindthe-scenes look at all things water with the experts at the Centennial Water & Sanitation District.
Applications for the district’s Citizen Engagement Committee are now open through Jan. 24.
“(It’s) for most citizens to learn about where our water comes from, where wastewater goes (and) what we’re doing to improve the environment,” said Frank Johns, a member of the water board.
Johns has been involved in water and wastewater since after he had graduated from college, and wanted to put his degrees in civil engineering and environmental engineering to good use in the community. He joined the Citizen Engagement Committee the rst year it was available.
rough the committee, Highlands Ranch residents will learn more about the water and wastewater industry and will serve as a liaison for the community for the Centennial Water & Sanitation District.
First formed in 2021, the committee is composed of volunteers who reside or own property in the Highlands Ranch Metro District and the Mirabelle Metropolitan District to learn about all aspects of the operations and nancing of the water district.
Committee members serve two-year terms and meet quarterly at the request of the water district’s board of directors to learn about the workings of the organization, provide feedback on its annual operating budget and be
involved in a number of projects such as water conservation, drought planning and community messaging.
Citizens who join the committee will also take tours of facilities like the water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations and storage facilities.
Already having knowledge of what the water district does, Johns said he was able to become connected with the sta . He added the committee is not only a way for citizens to get engaged, but better understand the importance of the water board elections.
“Even if they don’t go forward to run for the board of directors, they do have a much better understanding of what the water sanitation district does,” said Johns. “So if neighbors in conversation bring up something about water and wastewater, then these individuals would be able to say what they’ve learned.”
Colin Campbell, a current committee member, hopes to be that liaison for his neighbors.
In addition to having a background in biology and chemistry, Campbell joined the committee to have the chance to connect
with the community and learn about the water district’s inner workings.
One of his biggest takeaways from the experience was when he asked sta to further explain how the billing process works and go through what the charges on the bill mean.
After getting a “behind the scenes” of what goes into the production of bringing water into residents’ homes, learning about efcient ways to conserve water and hearing from the nance department, Campbell says he feels he can help lead his neighbors in the right direction when they have questions.
Residents don’t need a background in water to be a valuable part of the program, Campbell said.
“I would encourage anyone that is inquisitive about wanting to know more about this particular area of our lives (to apply),” said Campbell. And “having the opportunity to ask questions and get clari cation.”
e upcoming term will begin in March 2025 and will conclude in December 2026.
To apply, complete the online application form on centennialwater.org.
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
From the famous improv group ...
In the mood for something different?
Head to The Good, the Bad and The Ugly Sweater — an evening with seasonal songs, sketches and, of course, a generous helping of Second City’s famous improv comedy.
The Second City continues its 65-year tradition of delivering innovative fastpaced satirical comedy with this take on
festive fun, the Lone Tree Arts Center’s website said.
This show, recommended for ages 17 and up, runs at 4 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Lone Tree Arts Center. For tickets, see lonetreeartscenter.org/events or call 720-509-1000.
Enjoy a Celtic holiday celebration
Join the Leahy siblings for a Celtic celebration of the holidays.
Over the course of its notable career, Leahy has secured a place as one of Cana-
da’s most highly regarded progressive folkroots bands, according to the Lone Tree Arts Center’s website.
Experience the “Leahy sound” — a combination of strong stride piano, driving rhythm guitar and unique bass lines, layered with a contemporary drumming style — in an evening of familiar holiday tunes with a Celtic twist.
The event runs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Lone Tree Arts Center. For tickets, see lonetreeartscenter.org/events.
Centennial Water Citizen Engagement Committee members Ben Krisher, Maryanna Ciaraglia and Bruce Rindahl listen to a presentation during a gathering of the Citizen Engagement Committee earlier this year. COURTESY OF KARI LARSE
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Local News relies on your support, but it’s also dependent on the dozens of people who bring this important information to your doorstep.
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While the holiday season marks a time to relax with family and friends, the lead-up to the moment can often feel chaotic and overwhelming, and nding time to get and wrap gifts can be di cult.
However, there are businesses around the Denver metro area that provide gift-wrapping services to those who are overwhelmed by the holiday hustle and bustle.
“People shouldn’t feel like they have to do it all,” said Megan Trask, co-founder and CEO of TULA Life Balanced. “It’s more important to enjoy the season than to feel stressed or burdened by all the things that come with the holiday to-do list.”
TULA Life Balanced is an on-demand personal and family assistance platform that operates similarly to companies like Uber. TULA matches clients with an assistant to complete tasks ranging from grocery shopping and laundryto meal prep.
Having a to-do list to complete when people get home from a regular job can be overwhelming, and Trask said TULA aims to give busy people and their families a little more time in their days to do what matters most to them.
“(It’s) to create a way that people could ask for help without feeling kind of guilty about it,” Trask said.
While the assistants — who are fully vetted — are available year-round, Trask said the business sees about a 30% to 40% increase in services starting in October to mid-January.
During the holiday season, TULA Life Balanced can source gifts, wrap them and deliver them. Also, based on certain preferences, the company can create a list for the client to be able to quickly make purchases.
e clients pay for the materials, whether they provide wrapping materials or the assistants stop at a store to pick up supplies.
Although she is the co-founder of the business, Trask loves to wrap gifts and said she is more than happy to take gift-wrapping requests.
“It’s kind of like a nice break to just wrap somebody else’s gift beautifully,” Trask said. “What better gift to give than somebody getting the gift of time back?”
Always looking for ways to be creative, Kammy Witulski, a Highlands Ranch resident, also loves gift wrapping for others and started her home business, Wrap Paper Scissors, about a decade ago.
Witulski used to be an area manager for a high-end retail company in which one of the services provided was gift wrapping. After she had her daughter, Witulski felt she needed to take a few years o .
One of Witulski’s friends from her retail job had reached out to Witulski because she no longer had the ability to wrap the gifts herself. Witulski told the woman she would wrap gifts for her. While the two chatted, one thing led to another, and the idea of the
“It just started as a holiday type of job,” said Witulski. “It’s built up and now we operate year round — but the bulk of our business still comes from the Christ-
Witulski o ers several types of services. People can call, make an appointment and tell Witulski what they would like to see, such as certain colors or styles. ere is also no charge for canceling an
From the paper to the tag, Witulski provides all the supplies and will even remove price tags. However, people can also bring their own supplies. In those cases, the client will only be charged for the actual service.
Witulski does a majority of the wrapping herself as she said it brings her joy to meet people and help others during the holiday season. Nonetheless, Witulski has a team of four to ve people she can call when she needs help with big requests like corporate events or
Kammy Witulski, the owner of Wrap Paper Scissors, wraps around 2,000 gifts a year for customers who need help wrapping gifts.
From the paper to the ribbons to the tags, Kammy Witulski of Wrap Paper Scissors provides all the supplies. However, people can also bring their own materials.
One of the most important things when it comes to gift wrapping is to not leave the task to the last minute.
PRESENTS
Gift wrapping tips and tricks
For those who have time to wrap gifts or enjoy the task, Trask and Witulski have some helpful tips.
e rst one is to invest in quality supplies like sharp scissors and thicker-grade wrapping paper.
“While you are saving money on the less expensive paper and scissors, the time that it takes you to correct the tearing or sometimes needing to rewrap is where you end up spending more time and more money,” Witulski said.
While searching for wrapping paper online can be good due to the variety of patterns and colors, Witulski said it’s important to pay attention to the dimensions of
Gift wrapping experts recommend investing in quality supplies, which includes sharp scissors and thicker grade paper.
the wrapping paper. e dimensions for a standard roll of paper can di er depending on the brand type and type of paper.
Trask agrees that measuring before wrapping is the foundation to beautiful gift wrapping. Once the paper is picked out, measure straight lines before cutting the paper to ensure a clean look. It’s also helpful to have all of the supplies in one place instead of making multiple trips to stores as you are wrapping.
One of the most important tips from Trask and Witulski is to not leave gift wrapping to the last minute and to take 10 to 15 minutes to wrap gifts as you purchase them. And don’t forget about those gifts you’ve been hiding in the closet, attic or under the bed.
“ at’s much easier to do than to try to block out like three, four hours on Christmas when you’re already trying to clean your house, cook for company or maybe you’re having a party,” Witulski said.
To learn more about their services, visit TULA Life Balanced at tulabalanced.com and Wrap Paper Scissors at wrappaperscissors.com.
PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
Finding tradition in a pickle
Local historian speaks on origin of holiday ornament
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Passed on from one generation to another, meaningful and fun holiday traditions are part of every family’s celebrations.
But sometimes, there are traditions that just can’t be fully explained. e Christmas pickle tradition has been part of many families across the country for generations. However, with numerous theories about its beginnings circulating the internet, the origins of the tradition remain unclear.
Wherever the tradition sparked, one thing is certain: hanging a pickle ornament on the family Christmas tree has a history of bringing people together during the holiday season.
“It’s a way for us to nd some community in fun ways,” said Dr. Kim Kilmek, a history professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “And nding it in a pickle — it just brings up a light heartedness to the season and to the darker time of the year.”
Whether the pickle ornament is the rst or last ornament placed on the Christmas tree, the tradition of the Christmas pickle involves having children nd the ornament on Christmas morning.
Once found, how people celebrate the pickle di ers from family to family.
Often, the one who nds the pickle gets to open the rst gift on Christmas.
Another is that the person who nds the pickle receives an extra gift or is said to have good luck for the upcoming year.
While the reason behind why the pickle is searched for varies, some say it’s a way to encourage children to appreciate the ornaments hung on the tree rather than rushing to see what St. Nicholas had brought them.
Where did it come from?
It’s commonly believed that the Christmas pickle is a German tradition. But because it is a mystery as to where it actually originated, some historians are led to
believe that it is a German-American or possibly an Eastern European-American tradition.
Klimek has been teaching history courses in Denver for nearly 20 years — including medieval history — and mainly focuses on women’s history and European history. Klimek’s studies suggest the pickle tradition seem to have originated in the United States when the Pennsylvania Dutch were settling in the midwest.
“No historians know if it was there before these people came,” said Klimek.
Klimek added that many people in
Germany and its surrounding Germanspeaking countries were not aware of the tradition and didn’t, and still don’t, take part in the tradition.
History of the pickle
One theory dates back to ancient times in which the pickle was thought to represent hope and a glimmer of light. Another is a medieval tale that involves St. Nicholas rescuing two Spanish boys who were kidnapped by an evil innkeeper and placed in a pickle barrel.
Others think the tradition was a marketing strategy. In the 19th century, a town in Germany was producing glass blown produce-shaped ornaments that were imported to Woolworth stores in the United States. Legend has it that the pickle ornament was not selling well, but by calling it a “German tradition” made it more appealing to American customers.
One of the most commonly heard stories is about a Bavarian-born soldier who was captured during the American Civil War and was being starved in a prison. e story goes that the soldier begged the guard for a pickle on Christmas Eve. e guard gave in and the pickle gave the soldier the strength to survive and reunite with his family.
Despite the fact that no one knows the exact origin of the tradition, Klimek said it feeds into the fact that Americans tend to seek tradition.
“ ey’re always seeking these kinds of older traditions to bring into their households,” said Klimek. “I think that this idea really links us to maybe even an imagined past — it doesn’t even have to be true to be fun.”
A popular holiday tradition involves hanging a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree for a family member to find. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE
Thu 12/26
Otis Taylor @ 9pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Fri 12/27
Ken Walker
@ 6pm
Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Colorado Ballet w/ The Nutcracker
@ 6:30pm
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver
YAN YEZ
@ 7:30pm
Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver
Poolside at the Flamingo
@ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
All Your Stupid Friends: 2024 Wrapped Party
@ 8pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver
Phat Daddy
@ 8:30pm
TECH N9NE - LIVE 2024 @ 7pm / $49.75-$79.75
Fillmore Auditorium (Denver), Denver
Regal @ 10pm Club Vinyl, 1082 N Broadway, Denver
Sun 12/29
Holiday Weekend Fête
@ 12pm
Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th Street, Denver
Colorado Ballet w/ The Nutcracker @ 1pm
2025 Denver All Access New Years Eve (NYE) Bar Crawl (10th Annual) Eventvesta @ 7pm / $10
1434 Blake St, 1434 Blake Street, Den‐ver. connect@besocialscene.com
Jeremy Mohney: NYE at Mercury Cafe @ 10pm Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St, Denver
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver
Georgia Swarm at Colorado Mammoth @ 2pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver
How About No @ 5pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Charles Blenzig @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Mon 12/30
Holiday Weekend Fête @ 12pm
Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th Street, Denver
Remy Le Boeuf: Alex Heffron | Dazzle @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Cecelia Band: New Years Eve Rock N Roll Party @ 7pm
Sports Lounge Off Broadway, 44 W Centennial Blvd, Highlands Ranch
2024 Wrapped Party @ 9pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave, Denver
Sat 12/28
Many Mountains live at Sheraton Denver @ 4pm
BEZEL Bar, 1550 Court Pl, Denver
The Black Box presents: Chef Boyarbeatz w/ Soukii, Neumonic, Marah, Athena
@ 9pm
The Black Box, 314 E 13th Ave, Denver
Tue 12/31
Sol y Luna @ 6:30pm
Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 980 14th Street, Denver
Ninety Percent 90s @ 7pm
Studio@Mainstreet, 19604 Mainstreet, Parker
The Toad Tavern, 5302 S Federal Cir‐cle, Littleton
DARIUS: New Year's Eve at Meow Wolf Denver @ 8pm Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station, 1338 1st St, Denver
NYE with Rick Lewis ProjectFeaturing Vince Converse @ 9pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia
Wed 1/01 Thu 1/02
New Year's Day 5K or 1M Virtual Run - Denver @ 9am / $27-$27 Jan 1st - Jan 2nd Denver area, Denver Ladies Night @ 6pm / $16.51 Stampede, Aurora Denver Nuggets vs. Atlanta Hawks @ 7pm / $40-$2615 Ball Arena, Denver Atlanta Hawks at Denver Nuggets Parking @ 7:01pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver Colorado Avalanche vs. Buffalo Sabres @ 7pm / $46-$999 Ball Arena, Denver Sundance Head @ 9pm The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Denver
Children’s Hospital campus hosts holiday parade
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
What do rst responders, DC and Marvel characters and the Denver Broncos Stampede band have in common?
Every December for the past four years, they bring smiles to children and sta at Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch for its annual holiday parade.
“Everyone’s super excited just to interact and give back in such a small way,” said Erin Bolinger, junior communications specialist for the corporate and community development team at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “It’s a great way to say thank you (to hospital sta ) for all their hard work during the holidays.”
Initially put together to safely spread holiday cheer without having to go inside the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest in participating in the parade has continued to grow year after year.
e hospital has had a long-standing partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue, the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce and the Denver Broncos, which all take part in the parade each year.
is year, the parade took place on Dec. 11, and a Tesla car club, members of the hospital’s sports medicine team, Miss Highlands Ranch Teen and the Douglas County Search and Rescue team joined in on the festivities.
•Poor
•Solve
Denver Broncos cheerleaders, front, and the Stampede band take part in the annual holiday parade at Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch, which took place on Dec. 11 this year.
PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
Miles, the Denver Broncos mascot, waves to sta and families as he passes by in a Denver Broncos themed Jeep.
Members of the Douglas County Search and Rescue team and the sheri ’s o ce take a photo with Miles, the Denver Bronco’s mascot, during the parade at Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch on Dec. 11.
Comic book characters, from left, Harley Quinn, Batman and Flash wave to sta and families as they walk around the hospital.
DIRECTV – leader in sports.
Claim based on o ering of Nat’l and Regional Sports Networks. RSNs avail. with CHOICE package or higher. Availability of RSNs varies by ZIP code and package.
Easily access live TV and thousands of streaming apps like Netflix, Max™, Prime Video and more – all from inside the DIRECTV experience.
Req’s separate paid subscriptions for Net ix, Max, Prime Video (see amazon.com/amazonprime for details) and other 3rd party apps. Restrictions apply. Internet-connected compatible device required.
Set-up is fast and easy with DIRECTV.
Colorado Community Media has previously reported.
e Rising church sits at 7500 W. 57th Ave.
See more about shelter in Je erson County at tinyurl.com/Je coShelterUpdate.
Wheat Ridge
ere are no programs o ering coldweather shelter in Wheat Ridge for people experiencing homelessness, but the city participates in a “countywide sheltering model,” said Amanda Harrison, spokesperson for Wheat Ridge.
“Je erson County Public Health determines shelter activation based on a centrally located National Weather Service station and will alert all concerned parties in the region, including the homeless navigator at Wheat Ridge,” Harrison said. e “best way to stay up to date is to subscribe for email updates about activations.”
e public can subscribe to the Heading Home newsletter at headinghomeje co. com, Harrison said.
Wheat Ridge navigators give their clients — and anyone else seeking shelter — bus tickets, Harrison said.
Evergreen
e EChO Shelter in the Evergreen area is an overnight-only shelter open each night from 6:15 p.m. to 7 a.m. from October to late April, said Tim Clancy, the shelter manager.
All shelter guests must rst be registered by an EChO case worker at the EChO ofce. To make an appointment to register, call 303-670-1796.
Shelter guests are welcomed with services such as dinner, shower, laundry, and a quiet, safe place to sleep, and in the morning, they are provided a breakfast and a sack lunch to go, according to Clancy.
All EChO shelter guests meet with a case worker for further needs, he added.
When EChO is closed, people needing shelter should call the sheri non-emergency line at 303-277-0211, according to Clancy.
See more information at tinyurl.com/ EChOshelter.
Englewood-Littleton-Sheridan area
Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force, or HAAT Force, and Movement 5280 will be the primary overnight shelters for the Tri-Cities area, according to the City of Englewood.
HAAT Force is to serve as the main shelter, with Movement 5280 serving as an over ow shelter, according to the city. ey activate under the following conditions, according to the city:
• e shelter is activated on severeweather nights from Oct. 1 through April 30 when temperatures are expected to reach 20 degrees or below with no active moisture, or 32 degrees or below with active moisture.
• Temperature and moisture must be projected for three hours or more during the overnight hours from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Moisture is de ned as predicted rain or snowfall. It may not include previously fallen moisture remaining on the ground.
Clients can call the hotline — 720-4837864 — daily at 9 a.m. to get the weather determination, according to the city. If open, registered clients must call to reserve their spot between 10 a.m. and noon, or until full, for shelter that night. Reservations for unregistered clients “begin from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.” only if rooms are still available, according to the city. e hotline will be transferred to Movement 5280, which will respond to requests for shelter from 2-5 p.m., according to the city.
Movement 5280 will open the doors for shelter at 6 p.m., and doors will be closed for the night at 9 p.m., according to the city.
HAAT Force sits at 4300 S. Lincoln St., o Quincy Avenue near Broadway, in Englewood. Movement 5280 is located at 3190 S. Grant St., o Eastman Avenue a short walk east of Broadway, also in Englewood. For more information on the two shelter programs, see Colorado Community Media’s earlier coverage at coloradocommunitymedia.com/2024/11/15/severeweather-shelters.
For warming center information for Littleton and Sheridan, see tricitieshomeless.com/need-help.
Centennial
Generally, there are no shelters in Centennial, according to Allison Wittern, a spokesperson for the city.
“However, we’ve recently created a resource brochure that we give to various organizations and those unhoused,” Wittern said. at can be found at centennialco.gov/ homelessness.
Aurora
e Aurora Day Resource Center is available for shelter amid severe lifethreatening weather. e center is located at 13387 E. 19th Place and serves as an overnight shelter for adults 18 years or older on a rst-come, rst-served basis, according to the City of Aurora. e center can accommodate close to 200 people per night and is managed by Advance.
During cold-weather activation, no one will be turned away, according to Advance’s website.
To receive alerts about cold-weather activations at the center, text “Advance” to 38276.
e center sits a few blocks north of Colfax Avenue and a couple blocks west of Interstate 225 — north of Children’s Hospital.
Call 303-343-7808 or 303-341-9160 for more information. Sta at the center will provide referrals to families for familydesignated shelters, such as Comitis Crisis Center.
At Aurora Day Resource Center, overnight cold-weather sheltering starts at 5 p.m., and there is not a cuto time for when people need to show up in order to get shelter for the night, according to Matt Brown, who served as a spokesperson for the city when Colorado Community Media reached out.
At the center, the threshold of weather conditions that trigger the cold-weather shelter to open is 20 degrees and below, or cold and precipitating, Brown said.
e center will be providing a coldweather shelter program through the end of the year, and the city is looking at alternatives for sheltering in the new year, Brown said.
“If there is an alternative cold-weather sheltering option, the ADRC will no longer operate as an emergency cold-weather shelter but will still operate day services. No matter the outcome, emergency cold-weather sheltering will be provided,” Brown said.
Denver
During the cold-weather months, Denver shelters generally see more people coming indoors and often provide overow capacity to help meet the need, according to the city.
“We really encourage people in need of shelter to go to Denver’s ‘front door’ shelter access points,” which expand capacity for cold weather, said Derek Woodbury, a spokesperson for the Denver Department of Housing Stability.
ose “front door” shelters include:
• Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center at 2222 Lawrence St. in the downtown area for individual men
• Samaritan House at 2301 Lawrence St. in the downtown area for individual women
• And Urban Peak at 1630 S. Acoma St. for youth ages 15-20.
Denver’s cold-weather program also provides extra shelter at the Stone Creek shelter — the former Best Western hotel — at 4595 N. Quebec St. and at city facilities located at 2601 W. 7th Ave., and 375 S. Zuni St.
e Quebec Street location is just north of Interstate 70.
Families in need of shelter should call e Salvation Army Connection Center at 303-295-3366, according to the city.
According to the city, Denver opens the extra shelter when capacity is exceeded in the existing homeless shelter system and one of the below criteria is met:
• Forecasted overnight low temperature of 25 degrees or below or
• Two inches or more of snow are forecasted for Denver; existing snow accumulation will also be taken into account, and activation will depend on amount and city’s ability to clear snow from roads, sidewalks, and bus stops; or
• A cold weather advisory, extreme cold watch, or extreme cold warning is issued for Denver by the National Weather Service.
Denver’s threshold for opening emergency cold-weather shelter for the homeless used to be when temperatures fall to 20 degrees, but as of October this year, the city raised the threshold to 25 degrees, Woodbury said.
Still, the city prefers that people make the “front door” locations their rst stop rather than going straight to the Quebec, Zuni and 7th Avenue locations, according to Woodbury.
“We strongly recommend that individuals go direct to ‘front door’ shelters during these conditions, where connections — and transportation if needed — is provided to available beds in our shelter system,” Woodbury said.
For more information, see the city’s shelter webpage at tinyurl.com/DenverColdWeatherShelter.
Douglas County
Douglas County runs its Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team, or HEART, to help address homelessness. For any available resources, call 303-660-7301.
To complete an online referral form, see tinyurl.com/HEARTreferralDouglas.
Clear Creek County
Generally, Clear Creek County considers opening warming centers or emergency shelters when forecasts predict more than 2 feet of snow accumulation, or snowfall rates exceeding 1 inch per hour for consecutive hours, said Megan Hiler, spokesperson for the county.
“ is threshold is weather dependent, and plans may change if conditions worsen,” Hiler said in late November.
Potential sheltering sites are spread around the county, according to Hiler.
“We have several pre-identi ed sites that have agreed to partner with the county in case of emergency sheltering needs,” Hiler said. “ ey are strategically located in our higher-density population areas and include Idaho Springs, Georgetown and Empire.”
Should an emergency shelter need to be opened, messaging will be pushed through county, sheri ’s o ce and state channels, Hiler said.
Check via the links to webpages or phone numbers throughout the story for any updated information. is list of resources is not necessarily exhaustive.
MARKETPLACE CAREERS
Help Wanted
Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher for a significant needs program located at the Strasburg School District beginning January 2025
• Current Colorado Special Education Teacher license required
• BA salary range $41,000$47,300 & MA salary range
$46,250-$52,550, based on experience
• Excellent benefits. including full health benefits!
• Collaborative work environment with lots of free continuing education opportunities available
• May be eligible for Student Loan Forgiveness
• Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101 or tracyg@ecboces.org
• To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the green button “Apply Online” at the bottom of the job listing. EOE
Help Wanted
Seasonal Tax Preparer (Lone Tree)
Are you a licensed tax preparer looking for a rewarding seasonal opportunity? Join our small business accounting firm for the 2025 tax season!
About Us:
We are a family business and a small business ourselves.
We pride ourselves on being both dog and family friendly.
Our firm is dedicated to providing personalized accounting services to individuals and businesses.
Responsibilities:
Preparing individual and business tax returns.
Offering expert tax advice and support.
Ensuring compliance with current tax regulations and laws.
Qualifications:
Must be a licensed tax preparer.
Experience in tax preparation for both individuals and businesses is required.
Strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills.
Compensation: $45+/hr - pay is commission based
If you are experienced, detail-oriented, and ready to join a supportive and friendly team, we would love to hear from you.
Please send resume to sheilat@cbizofdenver.com
Medical
Attention oxygen therapy users! Discover oxygen therapy that moves with you with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. Free information kit. 1-866-4779045
Miscellaneous
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris -blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833610-1936
Miscellaneous
Become a published author We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ ads
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866859-0405
Miscellaneous
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call 1-888-489-3936
Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-3993595
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts
Split & Delivered $450 a cord Stacking $50 Call 303-647-2475 or 720-323-2173
Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855417-1306
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
American Log Homes DEVELOPER LIQUIDATION SALE! Log Home kits selling for Balance Owed. Up to 50% off. Design plans can be modified! No time limit on delivery. Call 1-866-307-5491, M-F 9am–5pm ET.
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. Offer ends 12/29/24.) Call 1-844-501-3208
Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢/ day! 1-844-591-7951
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
We buy houses for cash as is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling
Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-8775833
Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-5439189
Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091
Water damage cleanup: A small amount of water can cause major damage to your home. Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!
TREE &
