Erin Kane pushes bond to fund buildings, cut maintenance backlog
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County Superintendent Erin Kane says hundreds of millions of dollars are needed to build new schools and to bring existing ones
into good condition. She has asked the school board to put a $490 million bond on the November ballot to see if voters support paying for a range of improvements.
e district hasn’t passed a bond since 2018 and the money from it has since been spent. Without additional bond funding, Kane said a school building maintenance backlog has stacked up to $300 million and is growing yearly.
Additionally, the district needs to build new elementary schools
to accommodate growing neighborhoods that currently don’t have schools, including Sterling Ranch and Ridgegate. Students in those neighborhoods are currently being bused to over ow schools.
Kane said the bond is the only way the district can a ord to make capital improvements, noting that even if it sold all of its excess land, the money would not cover a year’s worth of maintenance.
Highlands Ranch resident Thoennes nearly medals in Olympic rowing
BY ED KLAJMAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
PARIS — At the Olympics, it’s often said the most emotionally difcult nish an athlete can have is fourth place — just one spot away from coming home with a medal.
Highland Ranch’s Jessica oennes has now had that experience for a second consecutive time. e rower nished fourth in the bow seat as part of the women’s eights crew in Tokyo three years ago, just two seconds o the podium. In Paris, oennes was in the pairs competition together with Azja Czajkowski.
It was a case of di erent boat — same result, as the duo nished fourth in the nal, and once again for oennes, about two seconds from having a bronze medal put around her neck.
“Yeah, it is a pretty familiar position to be so close and yet and maybe perhaps falling a little short,” said the 28-year-old, who graduated from Mountain Vista High School in 2014. “But I think if you look at our competition and how we have gone through this whole time, I’m incredibly proud and thrilled with how both myself and my partner Azja have been able to really break through and succeed in such a short amount of time.”
Emphasizing how it takes years of training together for a tandem to reach their full potential, oennes explained the Americans had been together for just a matter of a few months, much di erent than the
Douglas County School District Superintendent Erin Kane speaks to the school board about sta ’s recommendation to put a $490 million bond on the November ballot to pay for new schools and building maintenance. The $490 million bond would not raise taxes.
PHOTO
Guided tour of mansion is slated for Sept. 17
Highlands Ranch Mansion tour and lunch
e Living Aging Well Commission and the City of Lone Tree is planning a guided tour of the Highlands Ranch Mansion, followed by lunch at Sazon. e tour is Sept. 17 at 11:30 a.m., with lunch around 1:30 p.m. Pre-paid tickets, $12 per person, are required. Register at www.cityo onetree.com/event/ highlands-ranch-mansion-tour. Call 303-225-4930 for more information.
Long-term closure of West Frontage Road in Douglas County
Crews have closed a section of the West Frontage Road between Territorial and Tomah roads. Local
access to businesses and residences along West Frontage Road will remain available, but no through tra c is allowed. e closure allows for bridge building over Interstate 25 and railway tracks, as well as new interstate on- and oramps. Crews will restrict and relocate West Frontage Road tra c through 2025.
Douglas County sheri stands up for safety of bicyclists on roads
After a lifelong cyclist survived a horrible bike crash after being struck from behind by a large truck, Sheri Darren Weekly is advocating that drivers look out for cyclists. Gary Robinson said the crash could have killed him, but the driver “jumped out, screamed at me.” And while in the hospital, people he knew made
negative comments about photos of what appeared to be the crash he was in on Facebook, including, “cyclists shouldn’t be on the road anyway” and “he got what was coming.” is sparked conversations with Weekly and his o ce, which has partnered with Robinson’s blog, Colorado Avid Cyclist, to help educate the community about cyclists and their rights on the roads. Tra c deputies also have developed a plan to step up enforcement and education of cyclists and motorists.
Safe2Tell sees 25% increase compared to the previous year
A July monthly tally of 28,218 reports for the prior school year is the highest ever in Safe2Tell’s history. Safe2Tell is a violence intervention and prevention program for
students to anonymously report threats made to them or others, distributing anonymous reports to local law enforcement and school o cials under state law. To make a report, call 1-877-542-7233 or visit Safe2Tell.org.
Asian Girls Ignite empowers local AANHPI community
e Asian Girls Ignite nonpro t, whose mission is to build a strong community of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Paci c Islander girls and women, has received $564,000 in grants. e funds will support goals of leadership development and expanded student programming. For more information about Asian Girls Ignite and their upcoming events and programs, contact Chea Franz at Chea@indiecreativeco.com
The Highlands Ranch Mansion will be the site of a guided tour o ered by the Living Aging Well Commission and the City of Lone Tree. COURTESY OF HIGHLANDS RANCH MANSION
As the Real Estate Market Shifts, We’re in Uncharted Territory Thanks to
NAR Settlement
Sunday was the deadline for one very significant change in the practice of real estate, as the result of a March 15th settlement between the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and a group of Missouri home sellers who claimed that the sharing of listing agent’s commission with the buyer’s agent was somehow a violation of anti-price fixing laws and just plain “unfair.”
Although I, along with most Realtors (and, in fact, NAR), disagreed, the parties agreed to a settlement in which MLSs may no longer display how much a buyer’s agent will earn if he brings a buyer to the table.
Real Estate, we’re not so worried.
Below is a picture of the yard sign that in front of the solar-powered listing featured at the bottom of the page. Do you notice anything new about it? Yes, it has a sign rider telling both buyers and their agents that the seller will pay a 2.5% commission to an agent who represents the buyer of this home.
The brochure in the brochure box has that same information. You could say that “nothing has really changed,” and you’d be almost right. What has changed is that we are not “splitting” our listing commission with the buyer’s agent. Ra-
ther, the seller has agreed (at my suggestion) to incentivize agents to bring their buyer, knowing that their client will not have to pay him, because the seller will. The sellers who sued to end the practice of commission splitting will finally recognize that compensating the agent who represents their buyer is a practical way to sell a home. They had hoped that buyers would now have to pay for their own professional representation, but if, as I expect, the vast majority of home sellers agree to compete with each other for the buyer’s business, which home do you think the buyer will offer to buy?
That’s how I see these coming weeks
and months shaking out. Some sellers will say, “Hey, I don’t have to offer compensation,” and a few may succeed with that strategy. But one thing is for sure: the universe of potential buyers will be smaller, because a significant percentage of buyers can’t afford to pay for representation on top of the other fees I listed in last week’s column. I do expect that many buyers will feel they should only deal with listing agents directly, but when they see our sign rider, they may do the right thing for themselves, which is to have a professional working in their best interest instead of the seller’s. Stay tuned!
MLS Now Has Fields for Audio & Video Recording
That change took place at midnight last Thursday and many real estate professionals are concerned about how it will affect them personally. At Golden
Do You Know or Care Where Your Realtor Stands Politically?
Real estate is not the only profession where the “rule” is never to talk politics or religion. I agree about religion, but in today’s divisive political climate, I feel differently about revealing my political leanings, which are liberal. As a seller, I would not be comfortable hiring an agent who was a Trump fan. Someone else may prefer hiring a fan of Trump.
Recently, a Denver agent referred a Golden seller to me. When I told him that his home would be advertised next to my weekly real estate column, he said, “I don’t read newspapers anymore because they’re all fake news.”
Okay, we’re not a fit — and that’s okay with me.
Archive of Past Columns Is Online
Over the past two decades, this column has appeared in local weeklies and the Denver Post, and during that time I’ve written about every conceivable topic related to real estate. You can find and search that archive online at www.JimSmithColumns.com
New: Solar-Powered Green Mountain Home
$795,000
The seller of this 3-bedroom/2½-bath home at 14038 W. Amherst Ave. provided this springtime picture of their crabapple tree in bloom. Not visible from the front is the seller-owned 5.98-kW solar array which reduces the Xcel monthly electric bill to under $10 year-round. The oversized garage has an extra 5'x18' workshop/storage area with natural light. The workbench, shop light and pegboards are all included. There’s another workshop area in the unfinished basement, plus a 10'x11' wood laminate dance floor! The cul-de-sac location makes this home a quiet place to enjoy life with friendly neighbors. The 8'x25' composite deck off the eat-in kitchen is half-covered, with stairs down to the backyard with its lush grass, garden beds and linden tree. The other half of the deck is shaded by the house itself in late afternoon. The 6'x8' front porch is also covered. Visit www.JeffcoSolarHomes.com to view a narrated video walk-through and drone video, plus magazine-quality photos and floor plans. The seller replaced the windows on the first floor and most of the second floor with high-end Marvin windows. The windows are energy efficient double-paned windows with aluminum clad wood frames. The frames are powder-coated white, requiring no routine maintenance. Come to the open house Saturday, 11-1, or call broker associate Kathy Jonke at 303-990-7428 to see it. Note: Seller offers 2.5% buyer broker compensation.
With surveillance systems becoming more and more common in American homes, buyers can never be sure that what they say to each other and their agent during a showing isn’t being monitored remotely by the seller.
Personally, I advise my buyers to assume that everything they say is being heard by the seller and to monitor their conversation accordingly. There are any number of things a buyer could say while
touring a home that would disadvantage them when it comes to negotiating a contract or inspection issues.
REcolorado, Denver’s MLS, now has fields for indicating whether there is audio and/or video recording inside and/or outside the listing, but buyers should not count on privacy if those fields are not checked. I recently sold a home where the fields weren’t checked but cameras (and Alexa) were definitely present.
Just Listed: 20-Acre Apple & Peach Orchard
Our former broker associate, Kim Taylor, is now an independent broker in Cedaredge and just listed this interesting agricultural property nearby. With 4.8 shares of surface creek water, the meticulously managed fruit is thriving again this year, and there is a leased rental house that was recently remodeled. The orchard contains blocks of apples and peaches and has been a successful producer for over 20 years. The property also has a 1500 sq. ft. cooler with loading dock, a tractor barn with electric, and two 30-amp electric and water hook ups for RVs. Located in the county, this agricultural property sits literally on the edge of Cedaredge city limits, only 1/2 mile from town center. Property taxes run less than $500/year. Come take a closer look! The Cedaredge area is a great location for the outdoor enthusiasts! Just 20 minutes away is the Grand Mesa, the largest flat top mesa in the country with over 300 lakes for fishing, lots of space for camping, hiking and biking, miles of groomed Nordic ski trails, Powderhorn Ski Resort, snowshoeing, and miles of snowmobiling — not to mention that the Gunnison River is only 15 minutes south, and the greater area is Colorado wine country, with an airport just 45 minutes away! Seller also has 10 more acres with blocks of apples, peaches and grapes that would make a great addition to this property. Learn more at www.OrchardCityHome.info, then call Kim at 303-304-6678 to arrange a visit.
$850,000
Boebert joins push for Republican unity
Congresswoman:
‘It only happens if we’re united as a party’
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A rift among Colorado’s conservatives, embodied in the Colorado Republican Party’s divisive approach to campaigning, including primary endorsements, is being addressed by some with showings of unity.
Douglas County Republicans and the party’s nominee for 4th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, are promoting party unity as a key to winning more seats in the November elections.
“We have a major opportunity in Douglas County and across the 4th Congressional District to ip seats and make major inroads for the GOP, but it only happens if we’re united as a party,” Boebert said in a statement to the Douglas County News-Press. “Whether it’s fundraising for and supporting county parties or promoting local candidates on social media, I’m leading by example when it comes to uniting the GOP in Colorado.”
e state party’s chairman, Dave Williams, is often at the center of criticisms over divisiveness, including his use of party money to promote his own failed congressional campaign in the Colorado Springs area and spearheading the endorse-
ments during the primaries.
Even in the 4th District race, Boebert’s Republican competitors expressed frustration that the state party endorsed Boebert. Traditionally, the party has watched primaries from the sidelines and has worked to further the broader issues of the candidates.
Conservative candidates recentlytold e Colorado Sunthat the divisions are leading them to campaign without the support and resources from the state party that they normally rely on.
“Without a state party, a campaign is signi cantly harder to run,” Nick Bayer, the campaign manager for Republican candidate Je Hurd, running in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, told the Sun.
In an e ort to prevent that from happening to Douglas County Republican candidates, the local party and many candidates are embracing a message of unity and coming together to support one another into the general election.
For example, the Douglas County GOP hosted a unity event following the primaries where Boebert gave the keynote address.
Boebert has also been promoting down ballot conservatives in the 4th District on social media and at local events, such as the Douglas County Fair Parade.
And, she also criticized Williams in a Facebook post for not doing more to promote Republicans.
“ is isn’t about competing policies or ideologies; this is about a
lead after our Primary Election and simply reach out to candidates and organizations throughout Colorado and beyond to o er support, mend bridges, and present a clear gameplan of how we can win together in November,” the post said, adding that Boebert will support all conservatives on the ballot.
Other local Republicans are also touting unity, even candidates who lost their primaries.
John Carson ran in the Republican primary for Douglas County Commissioner in District 3 and lost to state Rep. Kevin Van Winkle, who was endorsed by the state and local parties. Carson told the News-Press that he fully supports Van Winkle in the general election and appreciates the e orts to bring conservatives together.
“I think it’s important that we get Republicans elected to o ces in Douglas County and the state of Colorado,” Carson said. “I owe it to (my supporters) to present a uni ed message for the election in the fall because they share our principles of limited government and individual
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert walks with the Douglas County GOP and local candidates at the Douglas County Fair Parade. Boebert and Douglas County Republicans are trying to unify the party amid divisions at the state level.
Max Brooks, who is running for Colorado House District 45, said the county party reached out to him on the night of the primary election to give him its support. e county and state parties had endorsed Brooks’ primary challenger Bill Jack.
“I felt it was a genuine outreach to support the primary winners because that’s the primary importance for the party,” Brooks said. “We’re focusing on the bigger picture.” Brooks said voters have told him that they want candidates to focus on the issues, not personal attacks. He believes listening to that advice will help conservatives win.
“ ere is a genuine enthusiasm for discussing the things that are concerning to them at the state or town level and an appreciation that someone was listening,” Brooks said.
Douglas County’s elected o cials are almost exclusively Republican, with the notable exception of Highlands Ranch Rep. Bob Marshall. Marshall’s seat is one Republicans hope to win back this November through candidate Matt Burcham.
Felons who complete their sentences can vote in Colorado
BY JUSTIN GEORGE THE COLORADO SUN
People convicted of felonies who have served their entire sentences can vote in Colorado. So can people on probation and parole.
ose convicted of felonies who are imprisoned or conned to detention as part of their sentence cannot vote.
ey regain their voting eligibility after they have completed their “full term of imprisonment,” according to the Colorado Secretary of State.
“ e day you are released from detention or incarceration is the day your eligibility to register to vote is restored,” the o ce stated on its website.
Defendants facing criminal charges in jail who are pretrial detainees or out on bond awaiting trial can vote. In May 2024, the General Assembly passed a law requiring county clerks to work with county sheri s to allow voting in jail for at least one day, give detainees information on voting eligibility and provide them with instructions on how they can verify or change voter registration. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalistowned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state. e Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-size fact-checks of trending claims.
REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE
The Robert A. Christensen Justice Center in the Castle Rock area, pictured in August 2023, houses the Douglas County jail.
PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
teams that nished ahead of them —the Netherlands (gold), Romania (silver) and Australia (bronze).
“ e gold medalists have been rowing together on and o for eight years,” explained oennes, who had never rowed in her life until walking on to the University of Washington’s team in 2015. “ e Australian pair have been rowing together exclusively for three years and were together for the last Olympics as well. e Romanians have now been rowing together for at least two quadrennials now that I’ve been able to tell. So, to have come together with somebody in four months, and to be so close, I think is such an exciting preview of what we can do.”
After taking in several other Olympic events as a spectator after her event wrapped up halfway through the games, oennes participated in the closing ceremony and then ew back to the U.S. on Monday.
Now, oeness said, a substantial break from the sport is the priority, including getting back to Colorado “sometime soon,” but oennes does not know when exactly, pointing out that she only planned up until thenal of her event and not a day after it.
“I have not taken a break since. Well, I don’t think I have ever taken a break in my life, to be honest with you,” oennes laughed, noting that thoughts of 2028 and the enticement of a home Games in Los Angeles are certainly in play, but that she’s not going to plan too far ahead or get too far ahead of herself.
“It will come as it does. We will see how the body’s doing and how everybody’s feeling and kind of evaluate after a couple of months, and kind of move forward,” oennes said while acknowledging that the Olympics there will “be really good” and that “the United States has put out some very good Games in the past.”
“But, I mean, if people have been complaining about the tra c here, I don’t know if they’ve ever been to Los Angeles,” oennes joked. e big challenge, oennes added, is that the rowing competition will take place in Marine Stadium in Long Beach. It’s the same course that was used in the 1932 Olympic Games, but it’s only 1,500 meters long, making it the shortest course in Olympic history. e standard length for any international competition has always been
ROWING, P7
Highlands Ranch native Jessica Thoennes, left, and her partner Azja Czajkowski pose for a photo after winning the pair at the 2024 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team Trials in April. The two rowers’ finish qualified them both for the Summer Olympics this month in Paris. Thoennes is a 2014 graduate of Mountain Vista High School.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROW2K
The rowing pair of Jessica Thoennes, foreground, and Azja Czajkowski practice for the Summer Olympics in Paris. The duo finished fourth, one spot shy of a bronze medal, at the Games.
ROWING
2,000 meters. And U.S. team qualifying will also be on a 2,000-meter course.
oeness said Paris has been wonderful, and a much di erent experience than Tokyo, which was in a COVID bubble.
“It’s a very intimate village. Everything is very, very close, whereas in Tokyo, there was a lot of space,” said
the Business and Corporate Communications grad, who was Academic All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention in 2018, and part of the rst sweep in NCAA history, as the Washington team went undefeated in every race at the collegiate championship in 2017.
“I think I was a little bit better prepared this time on how things worked,” oennes added. “I think it was still overwhelming. It’s always exciting at this new spot when you get somewhere close to the number of athletes that we did and you’re
like, whoa, this is wild. So it’s been a very exciting experience. It’s been really fun to experience the full processing and checking, like coming into Team USA, we didn’t get to have that experience last time, so I think it’s just trying to make sure that we make it as special as we could was the goal.”
“I think I’ve been quite focused on my own path this couple of months,” oennes said. “So, I haven’t really heard too much from outside, because I’m not always that easy to reach.”
For this Highlands Ranch native, and all those in Colorado who watched the journey, it was an Olympics to remember.
She added that having her immediate family — father, Chris, mother, Sue, and sisters, Olivia and Camille – was a big plus. And she apologizes if people from back home tried to reach out to o er encouragement and did not hear from her, because like many athletes in an Olympics, phones get turned o and the attention gets placed squarely on the task at hand.
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Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Voice. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
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Yoga in the Park
Join RidgeGate and South Suburban Parks and Recreation for free community yoga classes on the grass at the south end of Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat, water bottle and towel to all classes. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled.
Tuesday, August 27th, 6:30-7:30pm
Guided Nature Hikes
Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from the district, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate. Registration is required and available at RidgeGate.com.
Saturday, September 7th, 9-10:30am – Bees of Colorado
Saturday, September 14th, 9-10:30am – A Geocaching Treasure Hunt
Sunday, October 6th, 4-5:30pm – Amazing Corvids
Thursday, October 17th, 5:30-7pm – Hunter’s Moon
Experience Historic Schweiger Ranch
The restoration of the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, led by the Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us a glimpse into settlers’ lives. Today, the ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits and a variety of events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events online at SchweigerRanch.org
Tuesday, September 17th, 6:30-8pm – Natural Heritage Walking Tour with SSPRD (Harvest Moon)
Saturday, September 21st, 10-11:30am – Guided Public Tour
Saturday, October 5th, 3-6pm – Lone Tree CraftoberFest
Sunday, October 6th, 11am-3pm – City of Lone Tree Fall Festival
Lone
Legion honors Highlands Ranch fallen soldier
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Before it was Civic Green Park, it was an open eld where Je Falkel and his son, Chris, lived countless memories together. Now, decades later, Falkel returned to create another lasting memory, this time in his son’s honor.
It was the same day 19 years ago that Chris, a 22-year-old Army sta sergeant, was killed in combat in Afghanistan. Falkel was joined by the Highlands Ranch American Legion post, which has just changed its name to the Christopher M. Falkel American Legion Post 1260 of Colorado.
“He would be very honored to have this,” said Falkel, who is a retired Army major. “As is myself and my extended family.”
e American Legion is a preeminent service organization for veterans of the Armed Forces and their families. After nearly 30 years of being active, members of the Highlands Ranch post came to honor the community’s rst fallen soldier.
Chris was a weapons sergeant assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. In June, 2005, he left for his second deployment to Afghanistan, serving as part of Operational Detachment Alpha 316.
ous e orts that saved the lives of his team, including members of the Afghan National Army.
“Because of the job Chris did, there are 16 kids who still have their dads and eight kids who would have never been born,” said Falkel. “And that to me is more important than a medal.”
e morning of Aug. 7, 2005, Chris called his father from Deh Afghan, Afghanistan. ey spoke about Chris’ last few missions and the upcoming Denver Broncos football season. Chris asked for a Broncos T-shirt, pistachio nuts and the New Madden 2005 video football game. en, Chris turned that lighthearted conversation to a serious tone. He told his dad that if anything happened to him that he wanted to help pay for his younger brother to have the best college education possible. And, he wanted to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, near the nation’s capital in Virginia. Before hanging up, Falkel heard his son say, “I love you Dad.”
Although it was supposed to be a “short” mission, Chris brought all the ammunition for every weapon platform the group had.
Weeks later, on Aug. 8, he was killed in action during the Battles of Mari Ghar.
His loss inspired the creation of
the Highlands Ranch Veterans Monument , which was dedicated in July 2009. Chris also received a Purple Heart and a Silver Star for his valor-
“If he doesn’t do that, that whole team dies because they would have run out of ammunition,” said Falkel.
Army Sta Sgt. Christopher M. Falkel left for his second deployment to Afghanistan in June 2005, where he served as part of Operational Detachment Alpha 316. He was killed in action on Aug. 8 during the fifth of seven contacts in the 54-hour Battles of Mari Ghar.
COURTESY OF JEFF FALKEL
SEE SOLDIER, P10
“ ey got involved in more battles than they thought.”
Chris’ ODA 316 vehicle was with a handful that drove into a Taliban ambush on Aug. 8, 2005.
After ring a machine gun in a protracted incident that enabled the team to move out of the “kill zone”, Chris was killed by a sniper. e driver from the rst vehicle ran to get Chris down from the turret. His body was taken back to their base the morning of Aug. 9 after a helicopter could safely reach them. Chris was the only casualty on his team in the incident.
On Aug. 9 in Colorado, Falkel was getting together the items Chris requested and helping his younger son prepare to leave for another year at the University of Hawai’i. Falkel was halfway down the driveway, luggage in hand, when he saw a white Suburban come around the corner.
“I looked at the license plate, it’s a government license plate, I looked inside and there’s two soldiers,” said Falkel. “I know what they’re there for.”
Before the soldiers could say anything, Falkel called his son to come downstairs and got his wife from work. e soldiers told the family that Chris was gone.
ey delayed the trip to Hawai’i. en, the next day, Falkel and his son
were in the air, on their way, when Falkel had a strong desire to write about Chris. He scribbled down stories of Chris on napkins, crafting the beginning of his book, “ e Making of Our Warrior.”
“I was compelled to tell his story,” said Falkel.
A natural born soldier
From an early age, Chris had a love
for the military. Falkel believes Chris began training for service from the minute he was born.
While most newborns come out crying and screaming, Chris did not.
On Sept. 24, 1982, in Boston, Massachusetts, without a peep, Chris opened his eyes and looked around.
“He was just observing,” said Falkel. “ at was kind of the beginning of his situational awareness and that’s something in the military, if you don’t have it, you don’t last very long and he had it from the moment he was born.”
e family moved to Colorado in 1990. Chris later graduated from underRidge High School in 2001. e move is when Chris’ education on tracking, stalking and land navigation skills began to take o , said Falkel. Chris knew he wanted to become a Special Forces soldier after meeting the 10th Special Forces Group while skiing in the winter of 1991.
As night operations are a hallmark of the Special Forces, Falkel would
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Christopher M. Falkel’s father, Je , is a retired Army major. He and Chris used to spend nights out in an open field practicing land navigation and spend hours on the phone talking to one another about the military.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
take Chris outside at night to work on his skills. ese skills further developed when Falkel worked at Fox Hollow Golf Course.
“Learning the skills of land navigation was perfected at Fox Hollow,” Falkel wrote in his book. “Learning distance estimation was developed at Fox Hollow. Getting ready to ‘own the night’ was started at Fox Hollow.”
Commonly dressed in his father’s old jump boots and Battle Dress Uniform, Chris signed up for the military early entry program and enlisted into the Army on Oct. 25, 2001.
Chris graduated from Advanced Infantry Training in March of 2002, nished jump school in April of that year, completed Special Forces Assessment and Selection that June and was attended Special Forces school through January 2004.
He was then assigned to Operational Detachment Alpha 316, Company A, as a weapons sergeant and promoted to sta sergeant in Nov. 2004 after his rst overseas deployment to Gereshk, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom.
“He was con dent in his abilities and he wasn’t afraid to fail,” said Falkel. “If he did, that was a learning experience.”
What made Chris, Chris
Whether it was unknowingly watching the same DVD or buying the same running shoes, Falkel and Chris had an unbreakable bond.
“He was a character to say the least,” said Falkel.
When thinking about Chris, he’s reminded of the time Chris hid one of his hammers in a eld or when he bought dozens of Krispy Kreme donuts. He is reminded of all the times he watched his son play soccer or get excited when thinking about one day trying out for the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
He held the record time for three military obstacles courses in 2002. e only thing he struggled with was swimming. He failed his rst swim test in the Special Forces Selection because his feet dragged in the shallow end of the water after swimming 25 meters in his uniform. But, over the phone, Falkel gave his son some pointers and Chris practiced, then passed the test in the following weeks.
father and son went skiing together. Chris told his father that when he got back, he wanted to make writing pens out of 762 ammunition shells.
“( at) was the round that he used in his sniper ri e that he had made from scratch as part of his sniper training,” said Falkel.
After guring out how to make the pens, on what would have been Chris’ 25th birthday, Falkel went to downtown Denver and started Junior’s Bullet Pens, inspired by the name his teammates gave him. Since then, he has made over 500,000 pens, with a percentage of the profits going towards organizations supporting the Special Operations and the military community.
One of the things that made him di erent was his con dence.
During the Special Forces selection, one of the last tests was called the “Star Course,” where each candidate had an eight-pound rucksack and had to navigate to ve points in the countryside within 50 hours. Trusting his years of training, Chris got to the fourth point by the 28th hour. So, he decided to make a cup of co ee and watch the sunrise.
Before Chris’ nal deployment, the
Big Chili Cook-off
For nearly two decades, Aug. 8 was a dark day for Falkel and his family. But with the renaming of the American Legion post this year, it was the rst time he had something to look forward to. He said the most important thing for the community to know about Chris was that he loved his family, including his Special Forces family.
“He loved his country and he gave his life to save the lives of the men that he called his brothers,” said Falkel. “Chris was both a warrior and a hero.”
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Douglas County helping homeowners lower wildfire risks
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County has dubbed wildres its “No. 1 natural hazard,” andaround the Front Range this summer, res have proven destructive, spurring evacuations, burning homes and choking the air with smoke.
“Living in the peace and tranquility of our beautiful natural areas comes with the personal responsibility to mitigate (the risk of) wildres,” the county said in a statement. e county is pushing a program to help protect homes, properties and neighborhoods.
Following a launch in 2023, the county is bringing back itsWild re Mitigation Cost-Share program, which provides a 50% nancial match to homeowners — up to $5,000 — to help them provide “defensible space,” reduce hazards, and increase community safety and resilience to wild res.
“Defensible space” means creating an area of reduced wild re risk
around a property. at can include removing tree limbs or vegetation that is touching or close to a home.
Additionally, the county may contribute up to $25,000 for community projects. It encourages adjacent residents to apply together.
Anyone in the county can apply — including those in cities and towns, not just people in unincorporated areas — but they must own the land
where the work will be performed, according to county sta . Projects are awarded through a competitive application process. Due to limited resources, not all projects may receive funding.
To apply, see thecounty’s website at tinyurl.com/DouglasWild reMitigateProgram.
Applicants requesting $5,000 or less in contribution from the county
must submit one contractor bid — a work proposal with a price from one contractor — and submit a map of the home property. e map should identify where the mitigation work is intended to take place.
Applicants requesting more than $5,001 in contribution from the county must submit three contractor bids and one map.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted or reviewed.
In 2023, the county’s program aided in reducing wild re fuels on more than 700 acres across more than 80 properties, a news release said.
is year, the county’s goal is to target more projects and homes within the wildland-urban interface, the area where developed land meets natural habitat.
More: You can learn more about creating defensible space and see real-life examples of wild re mitigation techniques and tips on the county’s website at tinyurl.com/ DouglasCountyWild reTips.
Fire bans scaled back, but o cials still urge caution
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After brie y implementing a strict re ban, the Douglas County sheri and Castle Rock have lowered the level of precautions back down. Of-
cials shortened the list of banned activities but remained wary of the possibility of blazes like those along the Front Range.
Fires have spurred evacuations and required the e orts of hundreds of re ghters this summer, includ-
ing the Quarry Fire in neighboring Je erson County.
at re began on Deer Creek Canyon Road near Grizzly Drive the night of July 30, quickly spreading hundreds of acres, prompting evacuations for almost 600 residences at
its height. Just over a week later, it was 100% contained with no homes lost, according to o cials, who expressed gratitude it wasn’t worse.
But with more hot weather on the
The Quarry Fire in early August engaged hundreds of firefighters around the region.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF
A tribute to our Olympic heroes
AWINNING
s I re ect on the achievements of our Olympic athletes, past and present, I am overwhelmed with pride and admiration. Becoming an Olympian is one of the most challenging and rewarding paths one can take. It demands physical prowess and an immense amount of courage, commitment, and dedication. Our athletes have demonstrated these qualities in abundance, and their accomplishments on the world stage are a testament to their hard work and perseverance.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Misplaced priorities
e city of Castle Rock is asking for your hard-earned money to fund public safety. While the use for the funds is laudable, the source is not.
Two events set for older adults
Ve road to the Olympics is paved with long hours of training, the relentless grind, and the inevitable spilling of blood, sweat, and tears. Each athlete’s journey is unique, yet they share a common thread of sacri ce and determination. ey wake up before dawn, often pushing their bodies to the limit,
SEE NORTON, P20
accine Recommendations for Older Adults” is the topic of the Sept. 5 monthly meeting of the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County (SCDC). Ellie Furuta, community health educator with the Douglas County Health Department, will give a comprehensive overview of vaccine recommendations as well as answer questions. e meeting is from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Douglas County Library in Castle Pines located at 360 Village Square. e meeting is free and open to the public.
“I am looking forward to talking to the community about the upcoming respiratory season. We will discuss disease prevention measures, the importance of immunizations, and other healthy practices for the season,” states Furuta.
be to have necessary information readily available. Participants will begin assembling the binders during the session and then complete the binders at home.
e city could fund this need from other revenues. However, they have, and are, instead o ering substantial tax and other incentives to developers such as Conuence Companies for the planned Brickyard development, and did so for 221 N. Wilcox, Encore and Riverwalk. As well, the same was done for e View, Dawson Trails and others. Why is it
the city can throw money at developers, but can’t fund public safety? Because council is hellbent on growth at any cost, and part of that cost is public safety and quality of life. We’ve gone from ~20,000 people in 2000 to 85,000+ today. It’s insane. As city council likes to tout, “growth pays for growth.” Well then, the developers should pay for the needed services. But no, that would be too much of a burden. Better to go to the well, to the taxpayers. Just like with PIFs and TIFs, developers would rather spend other people’s money. e
city could also cut funding in other areas to fund this. As well, the budget for road maintenance has been cut. Enjoy dodging the potholes. I urge you to contact city council and ask them about their misplaced priorities. Tell them to stop giving tax incentives to developers. Also ask why they’re proposing to fund a third recreation center. at money could be better spent elsewhere, say public safety.
Chris Demarest, Castle Rock
e meeting format includes announcements from 10-10:15 a.m., followed by the presentation, and concludes with community conversation from 11:15-11:30 a.m.
“Aging Well, Finishing Strong” is an interactive workshop that will focus on creating a Legacy Binder on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Events Center in Castle Rock. Legacy Binders compile important information needed by loved ones or caregivers after death or in the case of grave disability. Imagine how helpful it would
Workshop panelists include Barb Lotze, patient navigator with All Seasons Health; Alyson Young, nurse practitioner from All Seasons Health; and Renet Greer, attorney from Greer Law, LLC. Refreshments will be provided by Seven Stones Botanical Cemetery. Registration is required and there is a $10 fee to cover the cost of materials. Scholarships may be available. Enrollment is limited to 50 participants on a rst come, rst served basis. To register please search for Seniors’ Council on the Douglas County website, douglas.co.us, or call 303663-7681. is workshop is co-sponsored by the Douglas County Department of Community Services and SCDC.
SCDC promotes Living Well/Aging Well in Douglas County. We serve to enhance quality of life through advocacy, education, and collaboration. Join us!
LIVING AND AGING WELL
Jean Spahr
Plan now for sweeping tax changes
Most people do not like change. Or maybe they don’t like it when things are out of their control. If this describes you, then now is a good time to get prepared for the sunset of our current income and estate tax laws. It will de nitely be a change, and it will de nitely be out of your control.
e Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2025. is a ects everything to do with how much you will pay in taxes and how much you can pass on to your heirs tax free. is assumes there will not be considerable tax reform between now and the end of next year.
It is important to understand that in this situation, taxes are going up and the amount you can exempt from estate tax is going down. at’s right — not good for you. But why worry about this now? Because you have only a few more months of this tax year to address any changes you would like to make. If new tax legislation does pass in 2025, you may wish you took advantage of current lower tax rates this year. If new tax law does not supersede the TCJA sunset, then you will have only one more year to make adjustments to your taxable income and to your estate.
I would suggest to anyone who is complacent with their current tax and estate situation, think again. Even if you are in the highest current bracket, it is likely going higher, so plan well this year and next to take advantage of paying what you can now to avoid paying more in the future.
is means purposely pushing more taxable income into this year and next. You can do this through changing your 401(k) contribution from tax deferred to a Roth contribution, if your employer o ers a Roth option. You can also consider a Roth conversion and realizing capital gains on highly appreciated stock. You can complete and bill projects if you are self-employed. e problem is many of these strategies take a while to plan and implement but could be spread over two tax years if you start now.
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
It is hard to predict what will actually take place next year since this is an election year. Starting now to plan for 2024 is the most control you may have since it is doubtful much new legislation will pass in the next four months. We also don’t know how the tax brackets from 2017 will be adjusted for in ation, but Michael Kitces, CFP®, tax planner, created a comparison that may be helpful for planning. One example is for those with household taxable income of $94,300, the bracket could jump from 12 percent to 25 percent. Household income of $189,850 could increase your bracket from 22 percent to 28 percent. Currently, the highest bracket of 37 percent is for incomes over $731,200. After the law reverts back to 2017 adjusted for in ation, the highest bracket will be 39.6% on incomes over $583,750 for married ling jointly.¹ ese are just a few of the signi cant changes that could be in e ect for many years to come and are certainly worth planning for.
Estate planning is another crucial opportunity to prepare for. You may want to consider transferring some of your wealth now to avoid having your heirs pay 45 percent or more on assets over the exemption limit, expected to drop back to $5 million, adjusted for in ation.² ere are gifting opportunities to help reduce your estate and keep assets with your heirs instead of Uncle Sam. You may also consider using your lifetime exemption now by putting the bulk of your estate in a gift trust. Work with your professional advisor to make certain what type of plan is right for you.
1&2: Michael Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP, CLU, ChFC,RHU,REBC,CASL; founder of e Kitces Report and e Nerd’s Eye View. TCJA Sunset Provision Guide.7.10.24
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.
THE POWER OF MUSIC
Arvada nonprofit aims to create bridges through collaboration, exploration and fun for kids in the metro area
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Studies on music’s bene ts repeatedly show its positive impact to mental and physical health. Research also shows it can build bridges.
Children who participate in group music activities exhibit more cooperation than kids who don’t, according to the journal “Evolution and Human Behavior.” Furthermore, researchers found children who regularly play music, sing and dance together can more easily empathize with others. at’s something today’s world needs more of, believes ornton resident Dustin Olde, and that he hopes his music school can foster. A lifelong musician, Olde runs Colorado AMP (After-school Music Program), a low-cost, nonpro t kids’ music school in Arvada. e three-year-old business draws students from the heart of Denver and throughout the suburbs.
“Kids can take music lessons online anytime,” he said. “ e whole point is we want them in-person, working together. We’re trying to get people to get along. at’s where we as a society are struggling. How can we all get along and understand each other? e music is just the gateway, the language by which they communicate.”
His students’ words suggest Olde is having an impact.
“When I thought of music before, I really thought more about, this note is A or B,” said Westminster’s Cullan Wright, 13, who’d played French horn in his school band before enrolling at Colorado AMP. “Now I understand it’s more about chords, how di erent things meld together.
“Before when I was playing, I was only thinking about my part,” he continued. “I would use someone else as a cue to come in. But for the most part, I wasn’t listening to other kids.”
Olde also discovered the power of music while playing with his peers. As a teen at Littleton High School, he experienced bene ts that went far beyond music’s immediate psychological rewards.
“At 15, I formed a band with some friends; that was a huge piece of what got me through high school,” Olde said. “ ose were my best friends, and the band was a fundamental part of my selfesteem. It gave me the con dence I needed to get through high school.”
ose bonds went so deep that 35 years later, Olde is still playing with one of his high school bandmates in the group Trouble Bound. e band recently played at Evergreen’s Aug. 3 Mountain Music Fest.
Olde was a college music major and early in his career, worked with at-risk kids as an AmeriCorps teacher. at experience sparked his interest in a music school open to children from families of all income levels.
“We were teaching anger and con ict management skills to kids,” said Olde, a father of two. “I learned that the time when kids get in the most trouble is between when school ends and when Mom and Dad get home from work. at’s the time I want kids to be doing something positive.”
Colorado AMP is designed for children ages 10 to 15 who love music. Skill level or family income
is not a factor. e school o ers sliding scale fees and full scholarships. Drawing kids from di erent backgrounds is key to ful lling Olde’s mission.
“My vision has always been that we’d have a kid from Sterling who likes country and one from Aurora who likes hip hop,” he said. “In real life, the two would never meet. But here, they hear one another’s music and play together. You start to understand somebody else’s perspective.
“It’s not hugely di erent from School of Rock,” he continued. “But our goal is to get to those kids who can’t a ord School of Rock.”
While Colorado AMP was intended to be primarily an after-school program and o ers individual lessons, specialty workshops and after-school programs, its summer music camps generate the highest turnout.
During the camps, kids practice in small groups for two weeks and then do a live performance. Students can choose to play guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards or sing. Olde typically contracts with teachers to instruct the summer programs.
Broomfield’s Davis Maurney, 11, focuses during an end-of-camp performance at Colorado AMP.
PHOTO BY LINDA MAURNEY
MUSIC
Westminster parent Kerstin Wright’s two sons have gone to Colorado AMP’s summer camp for two years running.
“I was a little skeptical when we went the rst time that by the end of two weeks we’d be attending a concert with them playing these instruments,” she said. “My kids had never had any experience with playing a bass guitar, an electric guitar or drum set. I was astonished. It was such a huge fun surprise to see them up on stage that rst time.”
Not only did her sons learn to play the instruments, they created a band name and logo, and produced a promotional video.
“ ey just had some very cool and di erent experiences they’d never had anywhere else,” Wright said. “ ey met some new kids, and some really awesome adults who have a passion for music and kids. at was also a win.”
Cullan Wright said it’s changed the way he listens to music.
“Whenever I’m listening to a song now, I can hear the piano part or the bass part,” he said. “I really do appreciate how much time they have to put into everything.”
Eleven-year-old Cooper Wright also saw his musical world expand after the summer camps.
“It’s opened up some more music genres,” he said. “(Before) it was kinda like whatever is on for me. I knew about bands like Nirvana and Green Day. But once we played a Nirvana song, I really got into it. Now I think I listen for more genres than just whatever.”
Cooper played both drums and guitar during his two Colorado AMP summer camps.
“ ey’re really good at simplifying things to make it kid-friendly,” he said. “I like the other kids there, and just getting to play and learn new instruments is pretty fun.”
It’s been fun for their mother, too, who said she now hears them talking in the car in great detail about a song playing on the stereo.
“So much of what kids do nowadays is screenbased; I feel like they don’t get a lot of opportunity to get creative,” she said. “For me, it’s important to create those opportunities that are meaningful and interesting to them.”
Broom eld’s Linda Maurney and her son and daughter had a similar experience. Son Davis, 11, has done the summer music camp for three years. Davis already owned a guitar but before Colorado AMP, he said he barely touched it.
“Now I’ve learned new things and it’s more fun to play guitar,” he said. “It really helped me practice.”
Davis said his favorite moment at each camp is the nal performance.
“It’s fun to play on a stage,” he said. “You come together as a band, and it’s fun to see how you sound.”
Linda Maurney said she’s watched her children’s musical con dence grow with each camp experience.
“My son’s talking about starting his own band,” she said. “He brought two of his friends to camp,
LEARN MORE ABOUT COLORADO AMP
Address: 8141 N I-70 Frontage Road, Unit 7B, Arvada, CO 80002.
You can apply for camps and classes or make a donation online.
and now they do it together. ey’re engaged with other kids, for a common purpose. ey’re listening to and reading music, trying to gure it out. You can almost see that their brains are more activated.”
So far this summer, about 60 students have participated in Colorado AMP’s summer camps. While this basic formula’s been a winner, Olde is experimenting with alternative ideas, too. Earlier this year, the school hosted a Taylor Swift workshop, a four-Saturday program in which students learned and performed three Swift hits.
As the program has evolved, so too have its participants.
“ is year I had a student who was missing a hand,” Olde said. “In that same camp, I had a kid with a speech disability. We’ve had kids with autism. …I think a lot of kids on the spectrum gravitate toward music. ey can nd their voice through it. So that’s been cool.”
For Olde, the best moment of any program comes at the end — when students take everything they’ve learned and showcase it to friends and family.
“ at last day of camp when they do their performance is my favorite,” he said. “We try to have as polished a performance as we can. at sometimes means we as teachers are in there playing with them. We want them to think, ‘Whoa, this sounds really good.’ ey feel so proud of themselves. Everything’s worth it for that day.”
Students rehearse at Colorado AMP during a summer music camp. They include Julian Luby from Wheatridge on piano, Anya Beneski (wearing glasses) from Wheat Ridge on vocals, Molly Roman from Lakewood on vocals, Isaac Press from Lakewood on bass, and Khalil Foster from Arvada on guitar.
Cooper Wright and Davis Maurney show o their Colorado AMP IDs during a recent summer camp. COURTESY PHOTO
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
“At the end of the day, it’s up to our citizens to provide schools to the community,” Kane said. “ e ability to provide safe and adequate educational spaces for students, which we know is what’s best for their learning, would be compromised by our inability to take on this debt.”
Kane said she is recommending the $490 million gureafter evaluating other optionsbecause it would not increase taxes and had the most support in polling.
Last year, the district asked voters for a $488 million bond to fund maintenance for three years, build
FIRE BAN
way, the danger of wild res persists.
Still, Sheri Darren Weekly was con dent that a reduction in re restrictions, from stage 2 to stage 1, e ective Aug. 9, was enough. It affects unincorporated areas — those outside of cities and towns, but also the vast Highlands Ranch, which is anked by the Backcountry Wilderness Area.
Castle Rock almost immediately decided to follow the “county’s lead in reducing our re restrictions to
three new elementary schools and expand two middle schools, but it failed with 52% of voters opposing.
In ation has made construction and maintenance more expensive, Kane said. e $490 million bond would cover the construction of two new elementary schools, one middle school expansion and a majority of maintenance projects through 2026.
“ e schools students are attending are continuing to age and capital needs are becoming increasingly urgent,” Kane said.
e bond would not increase taxes and this is the last year Douglas County can ask for a bond without increasing taxes because of the way that the district’s debt payments are structured. If a bond is not placed
stage 1,” said Oren Bersagel-Briese, the town’s deputy re chief of operations.
Douglas County ban
Prohibited activities under stage 1 includeopen burning of any kind and use of reworks, including use of model rockets.
Allowable activities include the following:
- Fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, replaces within buildings, charcoal grill res within developed residential or commercial areas, and res in wood-burning stoves within buildings only - Professional reworks displays
on the ballot, or if it fails, property taxes will decrease by an estimated $94 per year for a $1 million home.
A June poll of 800 presumptive voters found that 60% of respondents would approve a $490 million bond.
If the board doesn’t put the bond on the ballot, or if the board does and it fails, Kane said there will be signi cant nancial impacts and disruptions to students.
“ e biggest impact is that continued growth will mean students in new communities will be redirected to existing communities, which will cause students in existing communities to be relocated to schools farther away from their homes,” she said.
Kane said the goal is to get back to
that are permitted, according to section 12-28-103 of Colorado law
- Fire suppression or re department training res
- Small recreational res at a developed picnic or campground sites contained in xed permanent metal/ steel re pits — rock re rings are considered temporary and not permanent — with ame lengths not in excess of four feet
- Or the residential use of charcoal grills, tiki torches, res in chimineas, or other portable replaces or patio re pits, as long as the res are supervised by a “responsible person” at least 18 years of age.
Violation of the restrictions is a class
passing bonds on a regular schedule of every three to four years, which the district did from 1984 to 2006. She added that future bonds, whether or not one passes in 2024, will require tax increases.
“When we look to a future bond, that will be a tax rate increase,” she said.
Board members have expressed support for the plan. Board member Kaylee Winegar, who sits on the district’s Fiscal Oversight Committee, said the committee agreed that a bond is the most nancially responsible way to address capital needs.
“ e recommendation, I think, is wise,” Winegar said.
e board will vote on whether to place the bond on the ballot at the Aug. 27 meeting.
2 petty o ense, punishable by up to a $1,000 ne and a $10 surcharge.
More information on re restriction stages can be found at the Douglas County emergency management website at dcsheri .net/emergencymanagement/ re-restrictions.
If you live in an incorporated part of Douglas, the county suggests checking with your municipality about current restrictions.
Castle Rock ban
See crgov.com/ rebans for more information. Questions about the current status of re restrictions in town can be directed to the re chief’s o ce at 303-660-1066.
Thu 8/22
Stone Mountain Elementary
@ 2:30pm / $778.75
Aug 22nd - May 15th
Stone Mountain Elementary, 10635
Weathers�eld Way, Littleton. 515-7080433
Orbit Culture
@ 5:30pm
Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
Blessing Offor
@ 6pm
Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Village
Dallas Moore
@ 6pm
Wheelz, 2490 W Hampden Ave, Engle‐wood
Glacial Tomb
@ 6:30pm
Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
Fri 8/23
Damage, Inc.: A Tribute to Sym‐phony & Metallica with Damage Inc and the Denver Pops Orchestra @ 7pm
Philip S. Miller Park Amphitheater, 210 E Wolfensberger Rd, Castle Rock
Bellhead: A night of Goth and Post Punk music in Denver at 1010 Workshop @ 7pm
The 1010 Workshop, 1010 Closed Street, Denver
Sat 8/24
Gravel @ 6:30pm
Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker
NU SKOOL @ 6:30pm Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker
Sun 8/25
Those Crazy Nights: Castle Pines Summer Concert Series @ 4pm
Coyote Ridge Park, 7485 Serena Dr, Cas‐tle Pines
Tue 8/27
Challenge to Excellence Elementary - Tuesday @ 2:15pm / $801
Aug 27th - May 20th
Challenge to Excellence Charter School, 16995 Carlson Dr, Parker. 515-708-0433
Open Jam at Western Sky @ 5pm
Aug 27th - Oct 29th
Western Sky Bar & Taproom, 4361 South Broadway, Englewood. westernskybarco@ gmail.com
Wed 8/28
Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10 Stampede, Aurora
REO Speedwagon: The Summer Road Trip Tour @ 5:30pm
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo Wednesdays - 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm
Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan
Rock Ridge Elementary, 400 Heritage Ave., Castle Rock. 303-912-0701
Renaissance Intermediate Band @ 4:15pm / $486
Aug 29th - May 22nd
Renaissance Elementary Magnet, 3960 TRAIL BOSS LANE, Castle Rock. 303-912-0701
Crashing Wayward @ 6pm
Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
Carin León @ 6:30pm
Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Vil‐lage
Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Village
Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ers. All events are subject to change or cancella‐tion. This publication is not responsible for the ac‐curacy of the information contained in this calendar.
driven by a dream few can truly understand. e courage to pursue this dream is astounding, knowing that the path is fraught with obstacles and that the margin for error is razor-thin.
However, it is not just the physical challenges that make the journey remarkable. e mental fortitude required to maintain focus, stay motivated, and overcome setbacks is equally impressive. Our athletes have faced numerous trials, from injuries and disappointments to the pressure of global competition. Yet, they persevere, driven by an unyielding desire to excel and represent their country with honor. e world witnesses something extraordinary when these athletes nally step onto the Olympic stage. e grace, speed, strength, agility,
accuracy, beauty, and endurance they display captivate our attention like nothing else. Watching them perform is a spectacle of human achievement and a celebration of the human spirit. eir performances inspire us, reminding us of the limitless potential within each of us.
I am incredibly proud of every athlete representing our country at the Olympics. Whether they have brought home medals or not, their e orts and achievements are nothing short of magni cent. e work ethic, e ort, and grittiness they exhibit, their natural gifts, and the skills they have honed over years of training are truly awe-inspiring.
Consider the swimmer who spends countless hours in the pool, perfecting each stroke, or the gymnast who pushes the boundaries of what the human body can do with grace and precision. ink of the runner who trains tirelessly to shave fractions of a second o their time, or the weightlifter who combines raw
power with impeccable technique. Each of these athletes embodies the essence of what it means to strive for excellence.
Our Olympic athletes are more than competitors; they are ambassadors of hope and determination. ey remind us that we can achieve greatness with hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of our dreams. ey show us that setbacks are merely setups for comebacks and that true success is measured not just by medals but by the journey and the e ort invested along the way.
eir achievements extend beyond the con nes of the sports arena. ey inspire future generations to dream big, to push their limits, and to believe in themselves. Young athletes look up to these Olympians, seeing in them the possibility of turning their own dreams into reality. is ripple e ect of inspiration is perhaps one of the greatest legacies our Olympians leave behind.
encouragement and support needed to reach the pinnacle of their sport. eir contributions are invaluable and deserve recognition alongside the athletes themselves.
Again, I am profoundly proud of our Olympic athletes, both past and present. eir courage, commitment, dedication, and resilience are qualities that we can all aspire to emulate. ey have given us moments of joy, pride, and inspiration; we are forever grateful for that. Whether they have stood on the podium or not, they have all achieved something extraordinary by competing at the highest level. To each and every one of them, I say: well done, and I salute you all. Your legacy is one of excellence; you have made your country proud.
I would love to hear your praise for our athletes at gotonorton@gmail. com, and when we can all come together to stand with our athletes who honorably represent us, it really will be a better than good life.
Join us for our 3rd annual 5K trail run/walk focused on physical and mental wellness along with family fun and our furry friends.
• K-9 training demonstrations
• Vendor Market Place
• Food trucks
• Live and silent auction
• Kids zone with family fun events
• Pet costume contest
As I salute our Olympic athletes, I also recognize the support systems that have helped them along the way. Coaches, families, friends, and communities play a crucial role in an athlete’s journey, providing the
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.
Parent and party polarity
Analyze two parents with opposite parenting styles. One embraces the gentle approach by encouraging a child to express “big feels” — even if the kid may be throwing a tantrum and/or beating on the adult. The other will sternly expect better self-regulation, show little patience, and may even swat a behind before banishing the kid to another room. The former parent is often characterized as compassionate and the latter one as cruel.
So follows the typical characterization of our two political parties.
As classic-liberal Bill Maher has decried, the Left’s emphasis on compassion has grown increasingly bizarre because of its seeming embrace of little to no boundaries. The mainstream media has often
painted the Right as self-righteously cruel and intolerant; they may display the bias of omission by not reporting on any hugs given after the tantrums pass.
Because of major personality flaws, though, does America need a supernanny to come in and tell our household how to function better?
Perhaps more adults are registering as independents in a search for balanced leading without the possible extremes of either.
The blind side to the gentle parenting approach is the non-correcting tactic of ignoring or standing back to allow the catharsis of negative behaviors. “Just say no” is a foreign phrase to many kids who will grow up to become unruly teens and join the increasing cadre of young adults who despise their parents and have no contact with them. (Can we say anarchy when translated to the political arena?)
The blind side of the sterner disciplinary approach is the pos -
sibility of a dictatorial takeaway. (Can we say executive orders actually occur in both parties?) While physical and mental abuses can be rightfully claimed in such an environment, they may also be flimsy excuses for stubborn resistance.
In my experience after decades of teaching young adults, the most well-balanced ones endured the occasional disappointment of “No!” but also enjoyed quiet hugs and encouragement. Only later do they appreciate those boundaries. Like a train that can’t run wildly in daisy-filled meadows, a mature adult realizes that we all need the restriction of common-sense tracks in order to operate smoothly.
Rather than focus on flawed personalities of the parties who claim they want to adopt us into their families, before we vote, shouldn’t we be looking at policies? Which direction leads down the best path?
Linda Mazunik Lone Tree
Swim Across America makes 7th annual splash near Littleton
Event focuses on celebrating cancer survivors with fundraising, healing at Chatfield Reservoir
BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
ree years removed from his spinal cord cancer diagnosis, Garrett Rymer’s prognosis is looking good; so good he added another mile to his return to this year’s Swim Across America event at the Chat eld Reservoir near Littleton.
e Aug. 17 event marked the seventh annual open water swim for the nonpro t, which raises cancer research funds for Children’s Hospital Colorado. Many of the participating swimmers are cancer survivors or swimming for a loved one impacted by cancer.
It brought survivors together in a fun, everyday way, which is important because cancer can be terribly isolating, Rymer said.
“Pretty quickly, you start to see a lot of your peers, even your friends, start to distance themselves from you,” Rymer said. “Not because they are upset with you or dislike you in any way, they’re just not really sure how to respond to that … the amount of healing that really takes place when you get two survivors in the same room, even if they never say a word about cancer, is just unparalleled. It’s really encouraging to see cancer survivors getting into
this event and using their stories for Swim Across America.”
Rymer, age 17 from Cherry Creek, learned about his cancer in 2021 after a bicycle crash that broke his right arm. After having surgery to remove roughly half of a tumor from his spinal cord in 2022, plus a clinical trial for a chemotherapy treatment that involved a new, twice-daily pill, the tumor remains at bay. It’s even shrunk a bit.
His arm remained weak long after the break healed. At last year’s Swim Across America event, Rymer swam the one-mile option but said his arm was probably in the “valley of lowest function” at that time.
“Now, I have gained a lot of function in my right arm, speci cally in my elbow,” Rymer said. “I used to really not even be able to get that exed bicep movement at all. If I could, it was very weak and I couldn’t do it with any weight.”
But because of nerve graft procedures done by the Mayo Clinic in 2023, the movement has come back strong. He can lift around ve pounds with his right arm, which he describes as “really incredible.” It helps with a breaststroke, which he’s found really e ective. is year, he tackled the two-mile swim at the event with his father and girlfriend, who is also a pediatric cancer survivor.
Sarah omas also joined the festivities this year. A well-known ultramarathon swimmer and world record holder, omas has conquered the English Channel, Lake Champlain, the North Channel, Lake Tahoe and Lake Mead. She lives near
Denver and is a breast cancer survivor. She’s been an ambassador for Swim Across America since the organization’s rst Denver-area event in 2018.
At 41, omas is the rst person to complete a four-way crossing of the English Channel, with a time of 54 hours and 10 minutes. Recently, she became the rst person in history to complete a two-way crossing of the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland in 21 hours and 46 minutes.
In 2023, omas also became the rst person to successfully swim the entire length of Lake Mead (47.5 miles). She raised $10,000 for cancer
research through that event.
“I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2017 at the age of 35,” omas said. “It was a terrifying time and we didn’t know how much my treatments would impact my ability to swim in the future. Being able to partner with Swim Across America combines two of my passions: open water swimming and doing everything I can to ght cancer so that others won’t have to go through what I went through.”
According to a press release, the Littleton event has raised $1 million
Nonprofit organization Swim Across America held its 7th Annual Denver Open Water Swim on Aug. 17 at Chatfield Reservoir near Littleton. Participants will swim to raise money for cancer research.
PHOTO BY SARA GARCIA
SWIMMING
to date and supports three research projects at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
“It’s so special to see survivors getting together and using their stories to help other survivors or potential ghters,” Rymer said.
Rymer would be a senior at Cherry Creek High School this year, but instead of online classes at the school, he’s lling his time with an EMT course at Arapahoe Community College. He’s also joined a search and rescue team this summer, which he said has become a huge part of his life.
He credited organizations like Swim Across America for giving him the con dence to pursue his dreams despite his often-daunting reality. Plus, the money events like these
raise save lives, including his.
“What Swim Across America is doing to fund clinical trials is bringing physical healing and basically cures to cancer ghters in a very practical way,” Rymer said. “Beyond that, it brings a lot of optimism to not only survivors or families of survivors,
but it really just brings a lot of visibility to cancer bringing all these people together like this. ere are a lot of questions and misconceptions about cancer that Swim Across America has helped to clear up. Bringing that visibility to what ghting cancer looks like just helps to
bring some purpose to a lot of what these survivors have gone through.”
To learn more about Swim Across America and the Aug. 17 event, visit www.swimacrossamerica.org.
“We are really proud of this work,” said Nicole Vanderpoel, co-event director for Swim Across AmericaDenver. “And the fact that money raised locally stays local with our support of Children’s Hospital Colorado.”
Sarah Thomas carves through the water during one of her many ultra-marathon swims. Thomas, who lives near Denver, is a world record holder and has been an ambassador for Swim Across America since 2018. COURTESY OF SWIM
Swimmers take to the water in the 2023 Swim Across America event at Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton. PHOTO BY SARA GARCIA
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