Primaries set stage for contest in 4th Congressional District
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e results of the primaries in late June sets up a race between Republican Lauren Boebert and Democrat Trisha Calvarese for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District this November.
Boebert, who currently holds a congressional seat in Colorado’s 3rd District on the Western Slope, beat ve conservative challengers with 43% of votes. Calvarese secured her primary win by beating two Democratic candidates with 45% of votes.
Boebert, who has the endorsement of Donald Trump, seems con dent that she will win in November, saying in a statement that she and her Republican colleagues will “stand strong with President Trump when he retakes the White House.”
Boebert promised to continue to be a “conservative ghter.”
“I will continue to travel the miles, make the phone calls, and show up in communities of every size and background to earn your votes this November,” she said. “I cannot thank 4th District voters enough for trusting me to e ectively represent their interests.”
In December, Boebert posted a video posted to social media announcing plans to leave her 3rd District seat.
BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Next year, the Douglas County commissioners will have at least one new face. It could be state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, who comfortably won a Republican primary race for one of two board seats that will appear on the ballot in November.
Van Winkle bested Priscilla Rahn, former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party, and John Carson, a former Douglas County school board president.
COURTESY OF TRISHA CALVARESE CAMPAIGN
George Brauchler could become DA in Colorado’s newest judicial district
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e rst-ever district attorney of Colorado’s rst new judicial district in decades could be George Brauchler. at’s because he defeated Dagny Van Der Jagt by a large margin in the Republican primary for the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s O ce.
Brauchler, a former district attorney, had 65% of the vote compared with Van Der Jagt’s 35% about a day after the June 25 primary, according to uno cial results.
“I’m really not surprised at the outcome in terms of victory, but I am surprised at how big it was,” Brauchler told Colorado Community Media on election night.
Brauchler chalked up the results partly to name recognition as a long-
time politician who has appeared on ballots in several elections.
But “I’m telling you man, we worked freakin’ hard,” he said of his campaign team’s e ort to reach voters.
Given the conservative-leaning voter base in Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties, a Democrat faces a tough road to win the seat.
Should Brauchler beat Karen Breslin, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in November, he said he will bring a tough approach to crime, a philosophy he believes contrasts with other parts of the metro area.
“I think for this community, the opportunity to take a di erent approach to criminal justice and public safety than the people up north of us is a great opportunity,” Brauchler said.
In particular, he wants to say “to everybody in and out of this jurisdiction that if you steal from us, you should expect to go to jail.”
“Nobody should (expect to) get a summons and get sent home,” Brauchler said.
But he also wants to prioritize exibility in how the new DA’s o ce will process theft cases.
“I’m not saying ending people’s jobs or their families,” said Brauchler, who wants some defendants taking plea deals to serve days or weeks in jail.
“ is isn’t just retail theft. is is (about) embezzlement from companies,” added Brauchler, who wants a bigger focus on theft in general.
In a statement, Van Der Jagt congratulated her opponent and said she “will be supporting all the primary winners during the general election including George Brauchler.”
“For the young voters following this campaign and other races, remember, you lose every opportunity
you refuse,” Van Der Jagt said in the statement. “Raise your hand. Give it a try. And do it with honor.”
New o ce on way
Colorado’s court system is made up of 22 judicial districts, and a new district is on the way. Today, the 18th Judicial District includes Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert and Lincoln coun-
But state lawmakers — driven by population growth and a political split in the region — decided to break it up, moving Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties into a new dis-
e 23rd Judicial District is set to launch in January 2025. e 18th Judicial District will then only include Arapahoe County.
A district attorney serves as the head prosecutor for a region of Colorado’s courts, also leading the prosecutors that work in that DA’s o ce. e o ce is responsible for prosecuting crimes that allegedly occur in the area.
In the Republican primary race, voters had a choice between Brauchler — the region’s former DA from before the district split — and Van Der Jagt, who claims a long legal career, including as a deputy district attorney.
Brauchler’s time as DA for the 18th district was essentially bookended by shootings that horri ed the Denver suburbs: the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting of 2019.
Brauchler’s successor, John Kellner, asked him to stay on as special prosecutor for the STEM School shooting trial. Brauchler’s eight years as DA for the 18th ended in 2021.
Creating a new district
In 2020, the bill to create the 23rd Judicial District passed with bipartisan support.
State Rep. Kevin Van Winkle, a Highlands Ranch Republican and a main supporter of the bill, has said putting Arapahoe County into its own district and leaving Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln in another will allow the counties to customize a district to their local needs.
“ e voters of each Douglas and Arapahoe county should be able to elect a district attorney that re ects their hometown values,” Van Winkle has said.
George Brauchler COURTESY PHOTO
New England’s MLS Goes Its Own Way, Challenging DOJ Regarding NAR Settlement
On June 20, MLS Property Information Network (MLS PIN) informed its 44,600 New England subscribers that, effective immediately, they could submit listings with no offer of buyer agent compensation. That MLS field isn’t being removed, but will now designate the seller’s offer of compensation, not the broker’s.
The article about this development in Inman news service got me thinking about the rationale behind the litigation against co-op commissions and the 1st Amendment implications of prohibiting the display of a seller’s offer of an incentive for other agents to bring a buyer for their listing.
buyer’s agent to compensate. This is our policy at Golden Real Estate — a win/ win policy, under which we earn more for handling both sides of the transaction, and the seller pays less overall.
for them.
But let’s rethink that concept. Now, the listing commission in the above scenario would be 2.8%, not 5.6%, and the listing agreement would specify that the seller offers 2.8% to the buyer’s agent who represents the buyer for his home. The MLS would then have a field for displaying the seller’s offer of compensation, not the listing broker’s offer. This is where freedom of speech comes into play.
Let’s remember who has the resources to pay agents representing buyers. Unless buyers are paying cash, they’re already hard pressed to come up with the down payment and the fees charged by their loan officers. Those fees, except for the appraisal, are simply added to the principal amount of the mortgage loan, so they’re not out of pocket for buyers, but you better believe that a 4- or 5-figure agent compensation amount will be hard felt by buyers.
The many class action lawsuits regarding co-op commissions have echoed the same assertion, alleging that the sharing of commissions between listing and buyer brokers inflates seller costs and is a conspiracy in restraint of trade, a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The change suggested in this column would, I believe, invalidate that claim.
MLS PIN made the following points in its June 20th email to subscribers:
The practice has, until now, been for the seller to agree to a listing commission which was high enough for the listing broker to share it with the agent who produced the buyer. For example, a listing commission might be 5.6%, specifying that 2.8% would be offered to a cooperating buyer’s agent.
Many, but not all, listing agents would insert in the contract a provision that the listing commission would be reduced by, say, 1%, if there was no
Price Reduced on My Model S
It still runs like new, although it has 103,000 miles on the odometer. I’m letting it go for $17,500. Call me at 303-5251851 for a test drive. You’ll love this car.
It would be stated in the listing agreement that sellers are free to offer zero compensation to brokers who produce the buyer for their home. Because offers of compensation by sellers would be published for buyers and their agents to see when searching for listings, sellers would be incentivized to offer such compensation. It’s okay for the seller to offer zero compensation, but if that results in few showings and no offers, the seller might change his mind later on. Listings suffer when the “days on market” number grows. I suspect most sellers will agree to offer something in order to increase showings and offers. It has always made sense to me that agents for buyers be compensated by the sellers. The builders of new homes will continue to offer compensation to buyer agents, with or without that offer being displayed on the MLS, knowing that failure to do so would only drive buyers to their competitors. The failure of any home seller to do the same would have the same effect.
Builders must already be excited by the conventional wisdom that buyers will have to pay the brokers who represent them, knowing the great advantage that such a belief will increase business
Coming Soon: Townhome in North Golden
$695,000
On the other hand, any compensation paid to a buyer’s agent by the seller is not paid upfront, but is taken from the seller’s proceeds, which makes it much less painful. But it needs to be a conscious decision of the seller to make that offer, just like any other incentive — for example, providing money to buy down the buyer’s interest rate. The shock of seeing the buyer’s agent’s commission on the seller’s settlement statement instead of the single commission payment to the listing agent is no doubt what triggered that class action lawsuits from sellers complaining, “Why am I paying my buyer’s broker?” With the decision to incentivize buyer agents being more conscious for sellers, that shock will not be as great.
“Offers of compensation, if any, will be made by the seller. Listing brokers and cooperating brokers will no longer split commissions.
“Listing agreements must disclose that the seller is neither required to offer compensation nor required to accede to any cooperating broker’s request for compensation. The listing broker must disclose this to the seller before the seller signs the listing agreement.
“If a seller elects to offer compensation, the listing agreement must also say that the cooperating broker will be an intended thirdparty beneficiary of the agreement with the right to enforce the same.
“Before posting a listing, the listing broker must certify, in a checkbox designated for this purpose in Pinergy [the MLS app], that the listing broker has notified the seller of the seller’s rights not to offer compensation and not to accede to a cooperating broker’s request for compensation.”
Just Listed: 4-BR Home in North Arvada
$695,000
This 1967 brick ranch at 10840 W. 71st Pl. has a fully finished walk-out basement. Both the front and back yards are fenced and sprinklered. There are two bedrooms and one full bathroom and one 3/4 bathroom on the main floor and two more bedrooms sharing a 3/4 bath in the basement. With its own entrance and kitchenette, the basement could serve as a mother-in-law apartment. Both levels have wood-burning fireplaces. There’s a large covered deck on the main level and a sunroom which the seller uses as her dining room. With its ramped entrance, the main floor of this home is handicapped accessible. The kitchen was recently renovated. The location is a quiet subdivision that is nevertheless convenient to Old Towne Arvada, parks and bike paths, and the Apex Rec Center on 72nd Avenue. You can view a narrated video walk-through at www.GRElistings.com, then call Jim Smith at 303525-1851 to request a private showing.
Sitting at the end of a cul-de-sac in the small and quiet Canyon Point Villas subdivision, this home at 533 High Point Drive has a commanding view of the City of Golden, the table mountains and the foothills, including the famous "M" on Mt. Zion from its recently refinished full-width wood deck. You'll appreciate the interior too, including the recently refinished hardwood floors and new carpeting, and the updated kitchen with slab granite countertops. Even the two-car garage has been painted and includes wall cabinets and other storage. You will be able to view a narrated video tour next week at www.NorthGoldenHome.com, then come to our open house on Saturday, July 13th, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Or call Jim Smith at 303-525-1851 for a private showing.
Jim Smith
Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851
Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com
1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401
Broker Associates:
JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727
CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855
DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835
GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922
AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071
KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428
In-house Lender: WENDY
“Concentrate on giving and the getting will take care of itself.” —Anonymous
What you should know about annual water system flushing in Castle Pines, Parker
Process stirs up minerals that can discolor water
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Residents in Castle Pines and Parker neighborhoods may have noticed crews opening re hydrants. Doing so ushes water out of the system that feeds faucets, showers and laundry machines.
e mission: to remove minerals, like iron, that can settle in the water pipes and cause discolored water.
To combat the issue, the annual process has returned, with water providers ushing neighborhood by neighborhood. e providers include Castle Pines North Metropolitan District west of Interstate 25 and Parker Water and Sanitation District to the east.
As crews push out the buildup, residents may notice discolored water coming through their faucets as minerals ow through the system.
Minerals naturally occur in the region’s groundwater, which originates from rain and melting snow and ice and is the source of water for wells. at water from underground partly makes up the local water supply.
While discolored water can appear alarming, it’s an aesthetic issue, not a safety problem, o cials say.
“It’s more we don’t want people having their laundry dyed red” or to “have a glass of water that’s brown or yellow or green tinted,” said Nathan Travis, manager of Castle Pines North Metro District.
Castle Pines North’s annual spring ushing this year started in early May and is expected to nish in July.
Parker Water, which also is ushing areas in Parker, started ushing around early June and expects to nish in late August.
Even after a neighborhood gets ushed, some homes could still experience discolored water, o cials say. Here’s how to deal with that, along with more details on the program.
up of well water located hundreds and, in some cases, roughly thousands of feet below the surface of the ground, according to Parker Water.
red or brown because of minerals like iron and manganese.
“ ese minerals are a part of the rock sandstone formation,” which has long existed in Colorado, Parker Water’s website says.
Travis’ team in Castle Pines lters out iron at its treatment plant, “but we’re not perfect at getting all of it,” Travis said. Remaining iron builds up on the inside of water pipelines.
A ected water is still safe to drink even though iron can a ect taste, color or odor, according to Castle Pines North.
What to do about discolored water
If water is a ected, try the following steps:
• Run cold water faucets for 10 minutes.
• If the problem doesn’t clear up, wait about four hours. Run cold water again, this time for 15 minutes.
• If the problem continues, call
a crew to do additional ushing in your area,” a Castle Pines North announcement says.
Also important to remember when experiencing discolored water are the following tips:
• Do not run your hot water or do any laundry or dishes. “Pulling the discolored water into your water heater isn’t the end of the world, but you may need to ush your water heater separately to clear it up,” the announcement says.
• Discolored water can also cause laundry and xture staining. If there is laundry staining, the district recommends Iron Out, a laundry detergent product for removing iron stains from fabrics. For any xture staining, especially porcelain, the district recommends using Bar Keepers Friend.
Pay attention to your water heater
Travis says to call the district about
discolored water for help if needed.
“We really recommend that, regardless of any other situation, you ush your water heater once a year,” Travis said, adding: “If it’s their hot water, then we can give them direction to ush their water heater. If they’re seeing it in both their hot and cold water, we’ll come out and do some spot ushing.”
Where does the water go?
Some may be concerned that the public ushing wastes water, said Ron Redd, manager of Parker Water.
But the Parker district measures the water when it leaves and can capture and bring a similar amount back. When the district’s crews ush water, it goes to Cherry Creek.
“We can then pull the water out of Cherry Creek, and then from there it gets pumped back to Rueter-Hess” Reservoir, Redd said. “So if we put in a thousand gallons into the storm drain, we can take (roughly) a thousand gallons.”
As for water ushed out of Castle Pines North’s system, “virtually all of it’s lost,” Travis said. “It’s just a loss that you have to account for in your planning.”
A person works at a fire hydrant. The annual flushing of the Parker Water system is underway. COURTESY OF PARKER WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT WEBSITE
Two nail down Elbert commissioner wins
Buck, McDaniel on track for unopposed races
in November election
BY SCOTT GILBERT SGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Elbert County Republicans Mike Buck and Byron McDaniel appear to be on their way to unopposed victories in the November elections for the Board of County Commissioners after leading in preliminary returns in the June 25 GOP primaries. No Democrats led to run for the seats. In preliminary returns for District 1, Buck, who lives east of the Independence subdivision, was prevailing over Elizabeth School Board member Jon Waller, who lives north of Elizabeth, and Bob Lewis, a resi-
dent of Ponderosa Park.
In results released at 2:47 p.m. on June 26, Buck had 66.5% of the vote compared to Waller’s 17.5% and Lewis’ 16.0%.
Lewis’ fundraising handily led Buck’s. Waller did not take campaign donations.
Buck’s campaign website lists his support for managing growth, conserving water, improving roads and infrastructure, working with rst responders and securing an urgent care facility.
In preliminary results for District 3, McDaniel, a resident of Spring Valley Ranch east of Parker, was holding a massive lead over Barry Lemley, who lives north of Simla. A third candidate, Jerry Atwater, terminated his campaign on June 18.
In the June 26 release of results, McDaniel had 98.4% of the vote compared to Lemley’s 1.6%.
Patty Ann’s Cafe has ties to town’s history
BY COURTNEY BAKOS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
McDaniel led in fundraising but Atwater was a close second before leaving the race. Lemley did not take campaign contributions.
McDaniel’s campaign website lists his priorities as managing growth, improving public safety, opposing Xcel Energy’s Power Pathway plan, protecting groundwater, encouraging small business, maintaining roads and bridges, working to improve life for youth and seniors in the county, and fostering good relationships between commissioners and other groups.
Colorado House District 56
Republican and Democratic candidates in unopposed primary races are now set to face o in the November election for Colorado House District 56, which includes Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties plus rural por-
tions of Arapahoe, El Paso and Adams counties.
Republican Chris Richardson, who lives southwest of Elizabeth and is a current Elbert County commissioner, received 14,309 votes in preliminary returns released at 5:06 p.m. on June 26.
In the same round of returns, Democrat Alessandra Navetta, an attorney who lives north of Elizabeth, received 3,298 votes.
Richardson’s website lists priorities including crime, roadway infrastructure, parental rights, preserving TABOR, local control, Second Amendment rights, water and attacks on animal agriculture.
Navetta’s website says her focuses include Elbert County’s current lack of access to a ordable, quality healthcare; lack of access to reliable, high-speed internet; and lack of access to post-secondary education.
A taste of Kiowa hospitality
of the cafe, has been a resident of the town for nearly a decade. “My family used to be guests at Patty Ann’s Cafe, which was established in 2007,” said Burmaster.
Patty Ann’s Cafe, located o Comanche Street in downtown Kiowa, is renowned for its award-winning breakfasts and inviting atmosphere.
Annette Burmaster, proud owner
e cafe is housed in a building with a rich history dating to the late 1800s. Before becoming Patty Ann’s Cafe, the building served as a grocery store and, earlier still, a billiards hall, continually acting as a communal gathering place.
“It has always been a place where
Three options to choose from whether charging at home or on the go.
folks meet and share time together,” Burmaster explained. When she purchased the establishment in 2017, she was excited to continue the tradition of it being a beloved local hub that embodies small-town community values.
For Burmaster, the small-town feel is the best part of owning a business in Kiowa. ere is a deep sense of community support and connection. “We have the privilege of serving many longtime guests,” Burmas-
ter said. “ ey honor us with their stories and allow us to share in the history of our location. Many of our patrons feel like family. We share in their joys — weddings, the birth of children and grandchildren — and comfort them in times of need. We are honored to know all of them and share in their lives.”
Burmaster takes great pride in providing delicious meals to her
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For longtime Douglas residents, Van Winkle’s success in the commissioner District 3 race may not come as a surprise. Rahn chalked the win up to the state senator’s name recognition.
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“So people who see a name, you know, that’s politics,” Rahn said on the night of the June 25 election. “ at’s why I worked so hard to go door to door and try to be visible because you’re competing against a career politician.”
Van Winkle could not immediately be reached for comment on the results.
e winner in November will replace outgoing Republican Commissioner Lora omas, who cannot run for reelection because of term limits.
One Democrat — Josh Smith — ran unopposed in the primary in District 3 and automatically advanced to the general election.
Meanwhile, in commissioner District 2, Angela omas won the Democratic primary in an attempt to unseat incumbent Republican Commissioner George Teal.
“Douglas County is facing exploding growth and the challenges that brings,” Angela omas said in a statement. “Our County Commission has responded with dysfunction and a failure to strategically address the needs of our citizens.”
In the primary for Teal’s seat, both Democrats, Angela omas and Julien Bouquet, positioned themselves as an alternative to the status quo — to the allGOP board of county commissioners, which they consider politically extreme.
County commissioner District 2 is a vast region that covers Castle Rock and the southern portion of the county, including much of Douglas’ rural areas.
Given the high number of registered Republicans in the county, a Democrat would face an uphill battle against Teal,
Kevin Van Winkle prevailed over two opponents in the Republican primary for the Douglas County District 2 commissioner seat.
who ran unopposed in the primary and automatically advanced to the November election.
Douglas County commissioners are elected “at large” from one of three geographic districts. at means commissioners are required to reside in di erent districts, but voters throughout the entire county cast ballots for each seat. e board 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 the highly populated Highlands Ranch area, and several other parts of the county.
Election night details
Van Winkle pulled away from his opponents with roughly 41% of the vote, compared with Rahn’s roughly 30% and Carson’s 29%, according to uno cial primary results.
Carson said he called Van Winkle to congratulate him on election night.
“I’ll be supporting him in the general election,” said Carson, adding, “ e voters have spoken.”
Van Winkle says he has a “proven record” in the state legislature of ghting for conservative values. at includes stances on “big bills such as Second Amendment bills and life bills,” referring to proposals that relate to abortion, he said during the campaign.
Van Winkle was sworn into the state Senate in 2022 and is a small-business owner. He currently represents the Highlands Ranch area at the Capitol.
Meanwhile, Angela omas, a former chair of the Douglas County Democratic Party, won by a wide margin with roughly 57.5% of the vote compared with Bouquet’s 42.5%, according to uno cial primary results.
In a statement, Bouquet said his campaign was disappointed in the outcome, “but it is my duty as a candidate to accept the results of the election. It is key to our democracy.”
“We were de nitely underdogs in an uphill battle, but I am proud of how far we got. I have to say a huge thank you to my team and to the folks who donated to our campaign,” Bouquet said in the statement, adding: “I am wishing the best of luck to my Democratic candidates in the general election. ey have my full support.”
Angela omas, who spent 20 years as a social worker, wants to “bring moderation to Douglas County.”
During the campaign, omas pointed to the high cost of housing in the county.
“We need to have places for people to live who work here,” omas said. “Because people working in our hospitality industry here, they aren’t making 80, 90, $100,000 a year. ey’re making $50,000 or less.”
“I want people to recognize that not everybody in this county is a uent, and probably more people than they’d like to imagine aren’t a uent,” omas said. “ ey’re just struggling to get by.”
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Parker celebrates parks and recs
A myriad of activities will take place throughout the month
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNTIYMEDIA.COM
Aiming to bring awareness to how parks and recreation impact communities, Parker Parks and Recreation joins thousands of agencies across the state to celebrate Park and Recreation Month.
Since 1985, the U.S. has designated July for the parks month, which was started by the National Recreation and Park Association.
Mayor Je Toborg proclaimed that July is o cially recognized as Park and Recreation Month in the town.
“It celebrates the vital role that our parks and recreation professionals play in uniting the Parker community,” said Mary Colton, director of parks and recreation and open space.
According to the association’s 2023 Engagement With Parks Report, nine in 10 adults said that their local and state governments should su ciently fund local park and recreation agencies to ensure all residents have access to everything from playgrounds to spaces for sports to picnic tables to ower gardens.
at’s why the theme for this year’s Park and Recreation month is “Where You Belong.” Agencies across the country will be celebrating the di erent ways they foster a sense of belonging, whether it’s through providing inclusive programs and essential services for all ages or safe and accessible spaces for everyone to build meaningful connections.
ation and Park Association’s Parks and Recreation Advancing Community Health and Well-Being, about 92% of adults in America say they experience a positive mental health boost after spending time at their lo-
Parks and recreation also play a vital role in conservation, maintenance of public lands and preserving wildlife habitats.
ere are plenty of parks and open space to enjoy as the town maintains nearly 400 acres of town-owned and proposed land in addition to over 40 miles of concrete and soft surface trails and almost 1,150 acres of open space. e expansive parks and trails system can be found at tinyurl.com/
“Parks and Recreation creates opportunities to come together, stay active and enjoy nature,” said Colton.
From early childhood kids’ zone to active aging adult programs, Parker’s Parks and Recreation continues to showcase how they help make their community strong and vibrant yearround through their physical and educational activities for all ages.
Swimming lessons, programs and training are o ered, as well as yearround day camps at the Fieldhouse, tness classes, personal training, wellness, sports leagues and therapeutic recreation and more.
Residents are encouraged to celebrate by taking part in outdoor group tness classes that will be held in places like Discovery Park, the
After Mayor Je Toborg proclaimed that July is o cially recognized as Park and Recreation month in the town, last year, this year, the town is celebrating di erent ways they foster a sense of belonging, whether it’s through providing inclusive programs and essential services for all ages or safe and accessible spaces for everyone to build meaningful connections.
outdoor area of the recreation center and aqua classes at H2O’Brien Pool.
Classes, dates and times are available at www.ParkerRec.com/GroupFitness.
e annual Duck Hunt begins July 15 and runs through July 19, along the Cherry Creek Regional Trail between the recreation center and the Fieldhouse. e goal is to nd a toy duck and return it to the Fieldhouse to collect a prize.
Make sure to take a sel e with your duck and tag Parker Parks and Rec-
reation on Facebook and Instagram @ParkerRec and continue to follow their social media for activities.
Whether it’s playing or sport, going swimming, having a picnic or taking a walk, the 14 parks throughout Parker help get families outside and active.
“ e essential services we provide promote health, wellness and social connection for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities,” said Colton.
According to the National Recre-
COURTESY OF PARKER PARKS AND RECREATION
Sweet-looking steel rolls into Elizabeth
Parker Cruisers
casual event is held in Safeway lot
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Car enthusiasts gathered at the Elizabeth Safeway parking lot to socialize and ogle cars on the unseasonably hot evening of June 7. As people started to perspire in the setting sun, they walked over to Sonic for ice cream or a cold drink.
e Parker Cruisers normally gather every Friday evening in Parker but set aside the rst Friday of each month starting at 4:45 p.m. for a free casual car show in Elizabeth, called the Sonic First Friday Cruise-In. e Elizabeth events begin around Memorial Day, depending on weather, and run through October.
e next First Friday Cruise-In will be post-Independence Day on July 5. After all, nothing says America like enjoying a burger and milkshake
while looking at classic muscle cars. e group on June 7 included many Elizabeth and Elbert County residents, including the Spencer family. is was the rst time they stopped by the Cruise-In and brought two cars — a 1963 Cobra replica and 1965 Mustang.
Jeni Mellott, an admin for the Parker Cruisers, owns a 1965 stella blue Volkswagen Beetle and says the
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AUCTION
group is not a formal club. Anyone with a passion for cars is welcome to join and there are no dues. Mellott explained it’s “a special group of people that get together because we love cars.”
On the other Fridays during the month, the Parker Cruisers meet throughout the summer at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers on Twenty Mile Road in Parker.
Levi Longmore, also an admin, said that during COVID the Cruisers put together dinner cruises to the steakhouse near Kiowa and breakfast cruises to Catalina’s Diner. e First Friday Cruise-Ins grew out of those events.
Parker Cruisers organizes one large car show per year, the Parker Car Fest. is year it will be on Aug. 17 in downtown Parker. About 200 cars come and there is a robust group of sponsors. All the proceeds go to the Parker Task Force, a charity organization that provides food and some nancial resources to people in need.
Mellott said the Cruisers believe in the cause and they want to do “what we love and do something good for the community.”
ough they started small with just an email and a Facebook page, the page now has over 2,000 followers. eir mission is to create “an allinclusive group of car enthusiasts to share the joy of horsepower and
friendship” by creating and attending events to help build a community of people who love cars and trucks. “As people hear about it, more people show up,” Mellott added.
Parker Cruisers also organizes a Christmas Cruisers event where all the cars are adorned with Christmas lights to celebrate the holiday season. For other events, visit parkercruisers.com/upcoming-events or their Facebook page at facebook. com/parkercruisers.
e Elizabeth Cruisers, a local classic car enthusiast group, is frequently involved with Elizabeth High School’s Auto Shop car shows. ey will also have a car show at the close of the Elbert County Fair on Aug. 4.
Find out more about the Parker Task Force at parkertaskforce.org/ WP.
Bob, Cami and Jonny Spencer stand around their 1963 FIA289 Cobra replica. Bob shared that the original was the only American car to ever win a world championship.
Cami and Emily Spencer pose next to their 1965 Mustang GT convertible.
PHOTOS BY NICKY QUINBY
A 1950s-era Hudson Hornet, straight out of the movie “Cars.”
Grant targets lead at Centennial Airport
State board approves $300,000 grant for Centennial Airport’s unleaded fuel e ort
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Centennial Airport will get a $300,000 grant to support an ongoing program to provide more environmentally friendly unleaded fuel for the facility’s piston-powered aircraft.
Neighbors and other critics have targeted both Centennial Airport in Arapahoe County and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomeld for using lead fuel in their small aircraft. Lead fuel is a leading cause of air pollution and contributes to health problems for those who live near the airports, say activists.
Both airports are ranked among the busiest general aviation airports in the country, according to the Pilot
Institute.
e grant to Centennial from the Colorado Aeronautical Board will support a price subsidy program at the airport aimed at making the transition from lead to unleaded fuel aviation fuels more economical, according to a news release from the Colorado Aeronautical Board.
Centennial Airport in May 2023 became the rst airport in Colorado to o er unleaded aviation fuel at their JetCenters of Colorado Fixed Base Operator (FBO), the news release states.
e move marked a critical step towards eliminating lead fuels for piston aircraft in Colorado. To help address the higher cost of transitioning to unleaded aviation fuel, in 2023, the airport developed and executed an agreement with JetCenters of Colorado to implement a subsidy program, states the news release. is program allows the FBO to provide unleaded aviation fuel at nearly the same price as its low-lead counterpart and then be reimbursed by the airport for the price di erence. To date, the subsidy program
of the training aircraft operating at Centennial have been certi ed to safely use the currently available 94-octane unleaded aviation fuel. To broaden the program’s success, Centennial Airport has allocated $380,000 to support this innovative aviation fuel price subsidy program, the news release states.
An airplane takes o from Centennial Airport, located in Arapahoe County and extending into Douglas County.
our clean air and keeping Coloradans healthy no matter where they live,” said Polis in the news release.
“ is session we took action to keep Coloradans who live near airports safe, and this grant will help Centennial Airport continue its work to transition to unleaded fuel, protecting our clean air and environment. I look forward to seeing more airports follow Centennial’s lead,” Polis said. “ ere is no safe level of lead, and HB24-1235 makes transitioning away from lead aviation fuel a top priority,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, who was a co-sponsor of the bill, in the news release.
e grant from the aeronautical board comes almost a month after Gov. Jared Polis signed HB24-1235, which focuses on reducing the negative impacts of aviation on Colorado’s communities and smoothing the transition to a safe, eetwide 100 octane unleaded fuel, the news release states.
e bill provides that the lesser of $1.5 million or 10% of the annual Colorado Discretionary Aviation Grant (CDAG) Program be allocated to support Colorado public-use airport transition to unleaded aviation fuel, according to the news release.
As the only Colorado airport currently o ering unleaded aviation fuel, this year’s price subsidy funding grant to Centennial Airport will set the precedent for potential future funding of unleaded aviation fuel subsidy programs at other Colorado airports beginning with the next grant cycle in early 2025, the news release states.
Colorado Aeronautical Board (CAB) Chair Kent Holsinger said in the news release that “the CAB and the Division of Aeronautics are excited to help facilitate our industry’s transition to a safe, a ordable eetwide unleaded aviation fuel, as those fuels continue to be developed. We are committed to assisting airports with this transition through innovative programs like this, and future Division funding for unleaded fuel infrastructure,” he said.
“We are committed to protecting
“I applaud the Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics for working to immediately implement this new law,” said Brown. “With this grant, Centennial Airport and Arapahoe County will continue to lead the way in transitioning towards unleaded fuel. I encourage airports across Colorado to follow Centennial’s lead in applying for this new funding.”
Centennial Airport Executive Director Mike Fronapfel said in the news release that “Centennial Airport is committed to being a global leader in sustainability and the transition to unleaded aviation fuel. We were the rst airport in Colorado to o er an FAA-approved alternate unleaded fuel to our customers. is happened by listening to our communities’ concerns, having a responsive airport board and elected leaders, and leveraging our strong partnerships with jetCenters of Colorado and based ight schools,” Fronapfel said.
“With the support of the Colorado Aeronautical Board, we can continue to facilitate the transition to unleaded aviation fuel not just at Centennial Airport, but across the state,” he said.
Much of Colorado could be pushed into drought by late summer
BY SHANNON MULLANE THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado has seen an average water year so far, but looking ahead, climate experts say much of the state could fall into drought conditions and struggle to nd relief.
Colorado’s very average snowpack has o cially melted away from all 115 federal snow monitoring stations in the state, as of this week. Reservoir levels are at 94%, just slightly below average, while precipitation was at exactly 100% of the 30-year median, according to a recent Water Conditions Monitoring Committee meeting.
Heat, however, has been on the rise. Even summer showers may not be enough to combat its e ects, or to keep the state away from drought.
“Really the entire state is at risk of developing drought this summer,”
Assistant State Climatologist Becky Bolinger told listeners during the meeting. “A strong monsoon would be really helpful. It would limit that risk of worsening drought, particularly over the Four Corners. … For now, it’s looking like that is not as likely, and that it’s going to be a pretty rough summer.”
Climate experts track precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and other factors year-round to gauge water supplies and storage for farm-
ers, city utility managers, reservoir operators and residents around the state.
is year’s outlook has some of those water users looking out for impacts to sh populations, recreation opportunities, irrigation supplies and wild res.
“Without much rain, wild re will de nitely be a pretty serious concern,” said Adrian Bergere, executive director of the San Miguel Watershed Coalition in southwestern Colorado.
e period from October 2023 through May ranked in the top 10 warmest time periods across a signi cant majority of the state when compared with a 129-year historical record, Bolinger said.
Areas of southeastern Colorado, like Lamar and La Junta, have already reported 20 or more days over 90 degrees. e Front Range has already had 10-15 days over 90 degrees. Most of the country is also likely to be hotter than usual for the rest of the summer, she said. at’s quite the switch after last year, which started out with coolerthan-average months, Bolinger said. e hotter temperatures are likely to continue for the rest of the summer. Western Colorado and the Four Corners area have a 70%-80% chance of above-average temperatures — a very high degree of con -
dence, Bolinger said.
Colorado’s stream and river levels are receding after a normal runo year, and incoming precipitation will be increasingly helpful for water users in the late summer and early fall. Although the state has seen average precipitation so far, there’s a 40%-50% chance rainfall will tumble below normal levels for July through September.
Some areas, like Fort Collins and Burlington, have seen less-thanaverage rainfall so far. Even with some rain in the near-term forecast for early July, it will be hard for these areas to end the water year, which closes Sept. 30, at the average level,
Bolinger said. e combination of hot and dry weather could make it harder for areas of the state that are already experiencing drought conditions to recover, and it could mean that more areas fall into drought, she said.
About 16% of the state is experiencing drought conditions. at is vastly better than in late 2020 and early 2021, when the entire state was in drought and over 20% was in the most severe drought category. At that level, agricultural and recreational economic losses are large, reservoirs are low, large res can develop and
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Seniors’ Council o ers a myriad of opportunities
OLIVING AND AGING WELL
Jean Spahr
lder adults are encouraged by the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County (SCDC) to be heard, to keep learning and to make a difference. Monthly meetings are held at various locations in Douglas County on the rst ursday of the month; there is no meeting this July in observance of the July 4th holiday. e meetings are free and open to the public.
An aging explosion exists in Douglas County. By 2040, 1 in 4 persons will be 60 or older. Older adults are invited to let their voice be heard by sharing ideas, needs and concerns. Participation enhances the quality of life in Douglas County.
Learning opportunities are abundant because SCDC and our partners host events and hands-on workshops in addition to monthly meetings. SCDC o ers a great way to socialize with peers, learn from experts, explore new ideas and have fun. e next special event is a halfday program scheduled for Tuesday morning, Sept. 24. e presentation will focus on preparing a legacy
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Frustrated with system is is to express my frustration with the way the primary process treated una liated voters who wanted to vote in the congressional vacancy election in Congressional District 4.
I am a lifelong una liated voter who wanted to vote in the congressional vacancy election but did not
binder that contains important information. Program information will be posted on our website. Older adults who share opinions and dialogue with others make a di erence. Regional legislation and policy have been shaped to bene t Douglas County. is is an ongoing priority.
e ursday, Aug. 1 meeting will focus on the fact that mental health is important at all stages of life. Jason Hopcus, president and CEO of the National Association of Mental Illness/Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, will present the available resources for youth and adults. Hopcus is a dynamic speaker with a wealth of experience and a passion to serve.
SCDC strives to increase the quality of life and assures accessibility through advocacy, education, and collaboration. Our monthly meeting format includes announcements at 10 a.m., a presentation from 10:15-11:15 a.m., and conversation from 11:1511:30 a.m. For up-to-date meeting topics, please visit www.douglas.co.us and search for Seniors’ Council. Email us at DCSeniorLIfe@douglas.co.us. Join us!
Jean Spahr is the publicity chair on the SCDC Leadership Team.
Overcoming mistakes and embracing our true potential
Lwant to vote in either primary. To do that I had to return either the Republican or the Democratic ballot. Both ballots listed the congressional vacancy candidates at the bottom. I could select a party ballot, leave all the party elections blank, and vote for a congressional
ast week I shared thoughts about living and telling our story. Building upon that this week, let’s make sure we understand the role our failures and mistakes play in our success. Remembering what Zig Ziglar taught us is important here: “Failure is an event, not a person. Yesterday really did end last night.”
CLARIFICATION
A story published in print May 2, headlined “Candidates for commissioner meet in forum,” did not note that Douglas County commissioners are elected “at large,”
meaning while commissioners are required to reside in di erent districts, voters throughout the entire county cast ballots for each seat.
Because in our own grand story of life, each of us plays the protagonist in our unique story. Our journey is lled with highs and lows, victories and setbacks, successes and mistakes. And it is essential that we do not let these mistakes de ne us. Living our story means rising above past failures, refusing to be hamstrung by them, and boldly pursuing our dreams and purpose.
Our mistakes are not the end of our story; they are merely chapters within it. ey are opportunities for growth and learning, not nal judgments on our worth or capabilities. Too often, we allow the fear of being labeled by others to hold us back. We become prisoners of our past, weighed down by shame and regret. Yet, to live our story fully, we must shed these burdens and embrace the lessons that our mistakes o er. One of the most powerful steps we can take in living our story is to change the narrative we tell ourselves about our past. Instead of viewing mistakes as failures, we can see them as valuable learning experiences. Every error we make teaches
NORTON
us something new, whether about our abilities, our resilience, or our values. By reframing our perspective, we can transform past setbacks into steppingstones that propel us forward.
Living our story without fear of others’ labels means embracing our authenticity. We cannot control how others perceive us, but we can control how we perceive ourselves. When we live authentically, we free ourselves from the need for external validation. We become true to our values and passions, pursuing our goals with unwavering commitment. is authenticity not only enriches our own lives but also inspires others to live their truth.
Living our story means taking action, even when the path is uncertain. It means stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the unknown. It means being proactive in the face of adversity and taking responsibility for our growth. By doing so, we turn our dreams into reality, shaping our story with intention and purpose.
Ultimately, living our story with-
LETTER
vacancy candidate. However, I understand that a public record would be made of which party ballot I returned. Since my actual votes are secret, there would be no record of the fact that I chose not to vote in any of the party elections.
I remain an una liated voter for several reasons. e most important are (1) I do not want to be solicited for nancial or other support by any party or candidate; (2) My conversations with people on the right and on the left tend to be more open, since they don’t regard me as the enemy; and (3) My opinions have greater credibility because my friends and relatives know my positions are not dictated by party loyalty. While I know that my returning a Republican or Democratic ballot in this primary election would not a ect my una liated status, I have great respect for the diligence of both parties in tracking which ballots are re-
out letting our mistakes de ne us is an act of courage and self-compassion. It requires us to forgive ourselves, to let go of the past, and to believe in our capacity for change and growth. It is about recognizing that our worth is not determined by our failures, but by our ability to learn from them and continue moving forward.
In living our story, we become the authors of our destiny. We write each chapter with intention, embracing the lessons of the past, the possibilities of the present and the promise of the future. By doing so, we create a narrative that is rich, meaningful and uniquely our own. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and in living our story with authenticity and resilience, inspiring others to do the same, fostering a world where mistakes are not a source of shame, becoming a catalyst for growth and transformation, it really will become 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.
turned and the likelihood that they will draw inferences from that information.
e bottom line is that if I wanted to preserve my current record of having no connection with either political party, I was disenfranchised in the congressional vacancy election. is seems unfair, since I believe it was my civic responsibility to vote in that election.
It occurs to me that another “disenfranchisement” happens when a voter registered with one party decides to cross party lines to vote in the other party’s primary for one o ce. at voter cannot vote in the primary for all the other o ces of his or her party.
ere’s no clear solution to these problems. A separate ballot for the congressional vacancy election would cause confusion and be expensive. A separate election on a di erent day would be even more expensive. If my problem is simply a matter of reprogramming election software, that step should be taken.
Rebecca Lennahan, Highlands Ranch
BY MCKENA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With one simple swish of his bug net, University of Colorado entomologist Adrian Carper deftly caught three di erent species of bees that had been buzzing around the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Carper identi ed them to his tour group as an American bumblebee, a sweat bee and a leafcutter bee — just a few of the more than 1,000 species of bees native to the state. “ ere are so many things that sometimes we don’t see at rst glance but are there,” he said.
As part of the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Big Day of Bugs, Carper and others shared their expertise on pollinators with hundreds of
visitors, celebrating the important role the bugs and birds play.
Colorado’s colorful biodiversity is in large part thanks to the thousands of species of pollinators, including bees, butter ies, hummingbirds, beetles and moths, that call it home. Worldwide, more than 80% of owering plants rely on pollinators and pollination is crucial for producing fruit and other foods.
Pollinators play such a crucial role in the environment that Colorado named June as pollinator month in an e ort to educate about them and raise awareness of the issues leading to population decline, including habitat loss, climate change and pesticides.
June also kicked o the prime time for pollinators, according to John Murgel, a horticulture and natural resources specialist for the Douglas County Colorado State University Extension O ce.
“If you were going to pick one time to look for pollinators and see a diversity, this is it,” Murgel said.
For those interested in helping build up pollinator populations, there are a number of ways to help.
Murgel said anyone with an outdoor space can help combat habitat loss by planting owers, shrubs or trees that have pollen or nectar, particularly native wild owers like the aptly named beebalm.
“One thing folks can consider do-
ing is build habitat back into their landscapes,” he said. “It’s an ‘if you build it, they will come’ model for pollinators. If you have oral resources, you’re going to see pollinators.”
Murgel said it’s ideal to try and plant a variety of owers and shrubs that ower throughout the year. He added that local CSU extension o ces can recommend speci c plants depending on the area and resources available.
Another local resource is the People and Pollinators Action Network, which also o ers grants to support building new habitats.
Colorado is home to more than 1,000 species of bees, as well as thousands of other pollinators, like butterflies, beetles, moths and hummingbirds.
PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
POLLINATORS
In addition to owers, Murgel said an ideal pollinator habitat has access to soil, nesting sites, like rocks, mulch or sticks, and a water source. He also encouraged people to avoid weed fabric.
“ e more diverse habitat you can build, the more pollinators you stand to see and to help,” Murgel said.
Another big way to combat pollinator declines is to stop using pesticides, Murgel said.
In order to keep track of pollina-
tor populations, there are also volunteer networks that survey areas for di erent species. CSU extension o ces have the native bee watch program, which trains volunteers to identify species and then submit reports.
“You can do it in your yard or your local park, any place there are owers,” Murgel said. “ en you submit your observations so we can track how many native bees we’re seeing in habitat fragments.”
Similarly, the Butter y Pavillion, an invertebrate museum in Westminster, o ers the Colorado Butter-
y Monitoring Network to train volunteers to track butter y species.
A number of educational events also focus on pollinators, including the Big Day of Bugs and the Butter y Pavillion’s Pollinator Palooza. ornton residents Hailey, Shannon and Melissa Castillo, who took one of Carper’s bug tours, said they would be implementing several things they learned about at the Big Day of Bug in their new garden to support bees and hummingbirds.
“Now we know it’s not just about the owers, but also the environment,” Hailey Castillo said.
Hannah Craft, associate director of learning engagement and inter-
pretation with the Denver Botanic Gardens, said awareness and education is a key rst step to helping pollinators. She said surveys found that some visitors reduced their water consumption, planted di erent species or talked to a friend about conservation after learning about plants and pollinators.
“I think it’s exciting to move the needle on that and get people thinking,” Craft said. “ ings like climate change can seem really overwhelming but facilitating these conversations is a great place to start.”
Murgel agreed.
“For tiny creatures, tiny actions can be a really big deal,” he said.
Butterflies and moths fly freely inside the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster. PHOTO BY KRISTEN FIORE
BOTTOM LEFT: Thornton residents Melissa Castillo, Shannon Castillo and Hailey Castillo examine a bumblebee caught in a tube. The Castillos are
DMNS explores ‘The Power of Poison’
Ever since most of us were young, we’ve been exposed to stories that include poisoning of some kind — think about classics like Snow White and Greek mythology. And poisoning still features in murder mysteries and true crime sagas that enthrall adults.
e Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s newest exhibit, “ e Power of Poison,” explores the natural history of poisons, how and why they were developed by plants and animals, and the role poison has played in human society for centuries.
“ is is the second time we’ve hosted this exhibit. e rst was in 2015 and we heard from audiences that they loved it so much, we decided to bring it back,” said Jenna Chervin, program coordinator for DMNS. “What’s really cool about the exhibit is there’s so much to it, we couldn’t t it all last time. So, this time around, we’re able to include some new features.”
“ e Power of Poison,” organized by the American Museum of Natural History, will be on display at the museum, 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, through January 5. Access to the exhibit is part of a general admission ticket to DMNS.
e exhibition takes a multi-faceted and multi-media approach to poison, beginning with which kinds of plants and animals developed toxicity and how they use it for protection. Guests
COMING ATTRACTIONS
will walk through the Colombian jungle as they learn about the poisonous creatures that inhabit the environment.
From there, “ e Power of Poison” delves into mankind’s history with poisons, including stories from Greece and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” is portion also features real people who were connected to poison (like Egypt’s Cleopatra) and whether the stories about them are based in fact. ere is even a performance hosted every half hour that involves the true story of a dairy farmer and his family who died under mysterious circumstances in the 1830s.
e nal piece of the exhibit is focused on the bene ts of poison and the way science is harnessing these substances to make medicines and cure diseases. According to provided information, it uncovers how “scientists are studying poison’s e ects on human cells to protect, repair and heal our own bodies and improve our health.”
ere’s always been a sense of mystery and danger around poisons, but this fascinating exhibit peels back the layers to let visitors see how important these toxic substances are.
“ e exhibit is visually stunning. is one really is for everyone,” Chervin said. “Whether you want to read every panel or talk to volunteers and experience a show, there’s so much to learn and so many ways to learn it.”
More information is available at www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/ the-power-of-poison/.
Hyland Hills Park Hosts Country Concert Under the Stars
For those looking for a more intimate outdoor musical performance, head out to Clear Creek Valley Park, 3700 W. 58th Place in Arvada, for Hyland Hills Parks & Recreation’s free Summer Concert Series. According to provided information, each concert features food trucks, beer and non-alcoholic beverages for sale, and face painting and balloon art for children.
e show at 7 p.m. on ursday, July 11 will see Ryan Chrys & e Rough Cuts take to the stage. e group is four-piece touring band that shares male and female leads in a mix of old school country and rock and roll. Find details at www.hylandhills. org.
Take an Artistic Walk Down South Pearl Street
South Pearl Street, stretching from Buchtel to Jewell Avenues in Denver, is one of the city’s most delightful gems, and this summer it’s getting more fun with First Friday Art Walks, which will run through November.
e walk on Friday, July 5, goes
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from 5 to 8 p.m. and will feature about 50 local artists o ering live demos on the sidewalks, as well as live music for visitors to enjoy. Many merchants will also be participating with extended hours and special events, like tarot card readings. ose looking for a bite or drink can participate in wine tastings and special menus at the street’s restaurants.
More information is available at https://www.southpearlstreet.com/ rst-friday/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Summer Camp with Trucks Tour at Fiddler’s Green
You might not believe me if you weren’t around at the time, but Hootie & e Blow sh had heaters, man. e South Carolina group became a punchline for a while, but that’s what happens when you make songs like “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Time” and “Let Her Cry,” all of which are undeniable.
e group took a long time o , but they’re back with the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour, which is stopping at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. in Englewood, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10. ey’ll be joined by Collective Soul(another timeless favorite for yours truly) and Edwin McCain, making the event a true 90’s night of the highest order. It’ll be a blast. Get tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader is an arts and culture columnist. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
ters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
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Clarke Reader that
Which college opportunities are worth the money?
BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
e routes to two- and four-year colleges didn’t t Maryssa McCray’s ambitions.
McCray, 19, wants to be an o cer in the Air Force. But her SAT score wasn’t high enough to enroll in the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Life events also got in the way. Her Kia Sportage got stolen. She also experienced the shock of her family needing to put down two of their dogs.
When she heard about the ASCENT program from her Rangeview High School counselors, she jumped at the chance. e program extends high school by a fth year, but allows students to attend college in that fth year. She enrolled at the Community College of Aurora as she gured out how to join the Air Force.
“I wasn’t necessarily ready to leave my family, so it kind of gave us both a little bit more time to get situated,” she said.
For students like McCray, Colorado has o ered numerous college-level opportunities, typically free of cost, while they attend high school. Some options introduce college-level classes as early as ninth grade. Others, like ASCENT, pay for students to attend college on campus at no cost and can help prevent them from dropping out of high school.
But state lawmakers are now digging deeper into the value and outcomes of these programs after a task force highlighted problems like a lack
of cohesion with these programs.
During this year’s legislative session, lawmakers placed an enrollment cap on ASCENT, which stands for Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment, as part of broader e orts to scrutinize the program and others that give students college and workforce experience.
While lawmakers say they’re dedicated to workforce and college programs in high school, ASCENT has faced perhaps the most skepticism because of the minimal data about it and its rising costs as more students participate.
It’s one of the state’s oldest concurrent and dual enrollment programs; lawmakers created ASCENT in 2009.
Yet there’s still not a lot of information about the classes students take in college, whether they leave with a credential or degree, or whether students enter into good-paying careers,
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Maryssa McCray takes notes during an astronomy class on April 25, 2024. The ASCENT program allows students like McCray to stay enrolled in high school for an extra year but also take college classes.
PHOTO BY ELI IMADALI / CHALKBEAT
partly because collecting this data is not required.
However, the information that is available suggests ASCENT is not fullling its original mission to the extent people hoped. Originally aimed at helping students who might otherwise lack access to college, such as students without documentation, data shows that half of participants are white and three-quarters are middle-class.
District leaders say there’s value in ASCENT, even if other programs overlap somewhat with the experience students get. But others worry about the expense and an outdated mission that doesn’t align with workforce goals.
For students like McCray, the program allowed her time to gure out her next steps, instead of making a college decision that didn’t t or not going to college at all. She’s not sure what she would have done without the program.
“I knew at least for a year I can get through college, learn what I want to do and get used to it, and then gure things out from there,” McCray said.
a family of three require a postsecondary education, such as a certicate or degree, according to a recent state report.
Yet recent graduation data shows only about half of all Colorado high school graduates will head to college. Many of them — especially Black, Hispanic, and Native American students — will never nish college or enter a workforce training program.
In response, Colorado has pushed college courses down to high school students to help them get college experience, a workforce credential, or even graduate with a higher education degree. Or in the case of extended high school programs, like ASCENT, the state has o ered to pay for a student’s rst year or years in college.
But a report released in December by a state task force detailed a fragmented early career and college system that’s in need of streamlining.
Colorado has a dizzying number of such opportunities for high school students. e crowded landscape can cause confusion.
Each program is distinct, and not all of them are administered by the same o ce. at can make it di cult for families and students to understand their options.
e di erent programs also have disparate reporting requirements, creating di culties for measuring how programs are working as a whole and individually.
Colorado lawmakers said the task force’s report, which they authorized, outlined a path toward more accountability and would help them understand what is and isn’t working for students.
Colorado lawmakers halt ASCENT’s expansion
Lawmakers enacted a series of bills this year to expand and evaluate col-
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lege and workforce education programs after the report.
e bills direct the state to do a comprehensive nancial study to analyze how much the programs cost the state and districts, compile long-term data on program outcomes, expand opportunities, and seek to nd a comprehensive direction when it comes to college and career education.
e growth — and the price tag — of ASCENT in particular raised lawmakers’ eyebrows.
Colorado had spent about $3.8 million a year on the program prior to 2022. at year, in the name of increasing opportunities for students statewide, lawmakers lifted a 500-student cap for ASCENT.
at’s led to rapid growth for ASCENT. Next year, 1,700 students are expected to participate, up from 1,200 this year. As more of them have jumped at the chance at free college, the state is projecting it will spend about $17 million on ASCENT next year, more than quadruple what the program cost in 2022.
Lawmakers decided this year to cap the program at next year’s student enrollment levels, and a scal analysis says changes will bring down costs by about $1 million. ey also approved a mandate for students to ll out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA. at could o set some of the state’s costs if students are eligible for and receive federal grants.
e new law also mandates further study of the program’s cost and outcomes.
Many ASCENT students enroll at
community colleges in Colorado, which costs about $4,692 for full-time enrollment of 30 credit hours a year. Yet the state provides about $10,000 a year to districts for every student in the ASCENT program. Aside from tuition, the funding covers districts’ administration of the program. But that hasn’t assuaged o cials’ concerns about costs.
“ ere are valid questions about whether this program is actually helping the students it is intended to help,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat and Joint Budget Committee chair, during a oor hearing on the bill that targeted ASCENT. “And we need to make sure that we get the biggest return for every dollar we spend.”
ASCENT helps students get college experience
e ASCENT program helped Jennifer Martin nd her footing in college.
Martin, 19, almost took a gap year after she graduated from Aurora’s Gateway High School in 2023 because she didn’t feel ready for college and worried about the cost.
However, counselors helped convince Martin to participate in ASCENT, which would provide support from Aurora Public Schools during her year at the Community College of Aurora.
“My mentality was to save up enough money to where I could afford the tuition and pay for the costs of living on campus,” she said.
But other programs might achieve the same goal while o ering a clearer focus.
Michelle Romero, the postsecondary & workforce readiness director for the Colorado Department of Education, said newer extended high school
programs that have come after ASCENT steer students into speci c careers.
For example, the P-TECH program began in 2016 and also gives students the option of extending high school enrollment. But it is designed to get students into a science, technology, engineering, or math pathway in ninth grade. e program o ers six years of high school, and allows students to graduate with an associate degree in a relevant eld. Some P-TECH students have graduated in four years and never needed more time in high school, Romero said.
Meanwhile, the state’s Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation program started in 2021 to help address the state’s teacher shortage. e program also extends high school enrollment. It pays for students who want to become teachers to take college classes for up to two years.
ASCENT students, on the other hand, can take whichever college classes they want. And the state doesn’t even track if they stay in college beyond their ASCENT year.
When discussing ASCENT student outcomes, Romero said: “Do they stick with a certain pathway? Do they nish? Do they end up with some type of credential, associate certi cate, or do they then transfer to a four year? I couldn’t tell you.”
Colorado educators give ASCENT mixed reviews
Bill Summers, Cañon City High School principal, had about 30 students in ASCENT this year. Next year, he projects participation will more than double to 70 students. But he said it’s hard to evaluate if ASCENT is putting students on a path to a good career and economic mobility.
“It can be both a criticism and
praise that students are allowed to take whatever they want, which is great for experimenting or seeing what a student wants to do,” he said of ASCENT. “But are students just wasting their time taking courses that they don’t need? Or is it actually going to give them a bene t?”
Dave West, director of college and career success for Aurora Public Schools, sees the purpose of concurrent enrollment programs di erently. ree-quarters of Aurora students are from relatively low-income backgrounds, and West said ASCENT and other programs help these students realize their college dreams.
“For me, concurrent enrollment is about opening opportunities and additional doors that our students may not even realize at this point in time exist,” he said.
Although it is not required by the state, Aurora Public Schools uses ASCENT funding to pay students’ college fees and provide them with a stipend for books.
West said he understands the program is costly, but hopes lawmakers work with districts in crafting next steps for ASCENT. Students who have experiences like McCray and Martin show it can be e ective, he said. Martin will graduate from the Community College of Aurora in the fall with her associate degree and plans to go to the University of Denver. McCray graduated with her associate degree in science this spring. She will soon enlist in the Air Force.
“It helped me gure out where I wanted to go,” McCray said about ASCENT. “I got my associates and that feels like such an accomplishment. Like, I’ve actually done it.”
Chalkbeat is a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools.
Take Parker’s community survey
The Parker Town Council and sta are excited to announce the return of the Town of Parker’s Community Survey this summer. All Parker residents are invited to provide feedback on how things are going in our community, from topics like quality of life and e ectiveness of local services to preferred approaches for important local issues.
Surveys are an important tool that we employ to help shape Parker’s future. ey serve as a direct line of communication between our town’s residents and decisionmakers, providing a platform for individuals to express their needs, concerns and suggestions. Data collected from these surveys can highlight areas of success or pinpoint
PARKER TOWN TALK
areas needing improvement, while allowing for a more targeted and e ective allocation of municipal government resources in the future.
e town has conducted the Community Survey on a regular basis since 1999, with the last occurrence in 2021. Our long history with this survey allows us to compare results and gauge how citizen sentiment has changed over time.
Data collection is performed and analyzed by an independent research rm, Polco, in two di er-
ent stages. e survey’s rst stage, already underway, is a statistically relevant survey that was mailed to 4,000 randomly selected Parker households in early June. Response collection for this scienti c survey will continue through July 15. Stage two is an online open participation survey that allows any Parker resident not randomly selected for the scienti c survey to submit their own feedback to the same questionnaire. e open participation survey will be open July 1 through 15.
Your feedback is important to us! If you already received an invitation by mail to participate in our scienti c survey, we encourage you to respond as soon as possible. If this is the rst time you’re hearing
about our Community Survey, then the online open participation survey was created with you in mind. Both survey options will close July 15, so please remember to respond sooner rather than later!
Residents who are not interested in taking this survey can still bene t by learning more about its ndings. Look for more details about where you can nd highlights this fall on the Town’s website (ParkerCO.gov), in our monthly newsletter (Talk of the Town) or on our Facebook page (@TownOfParkerCO).
For more information about the 2024 Community Survey, including a link to where you can take our open participation survey, visit ParkerCO.gov/Survey.
Je Toborg is the mayor of Parker.
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mandatory water restrictions are often implemented, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“ ere is a slightly increased risk for drier extremes in the southern part of the state, which really means there would be a low likelihood that any drought that worsens or develops in the summer is not going to see relief through the fall,” Bolinger said.
In the Upper Rio Grande River Basin, aquatic biologist Estevan Vigil
is keeping an eye on the water temperatures and water levels on the Rio Grande and Conejos rivers for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Brown trout and rainbow trout ourish when water is about 50 degrees but struggle when it rises above 70 degrees. At that level, their immune systems become stressed, and catch-and-release shing can lead to higher sh mortality.
If stream levels fall below 50% of the norm, and if temperatures rise above 70 degrees, Vigil may implement voluntary or emergency shing closures.
A copy of the
on the
of the
may be
from
of the court. If you fail to file your answer or other response to
in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the petition without further notice.
This is an action for legal custody of a child.
Dated: May 31st, 2024 By: /s/ Lois Ariel Lo
Legal Notice No. ECN 1517
First Publication: June 13, 2024
Last Publication: July 11, 2024 Published in Elbert County News
Misc. Private Legals
Public Notice
BEFORE THE ENERGY AND CARBON ANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONS FOR THE NIOBRARA FORMATION, DJ HORIZONTAL NIOBRARA FIELD, ARAPAHOE, DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES, COLORADO
CAUSE NO. 535
DOCKET NO. 231200372 TYPE: OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT PLAN
NOTICE OF HEARING
GMT Exploration Company LLC (Operator No. 10243) (“Applicant”) filed an Application with the Commission for an order to establish an Oil & Gas Development Plan (“OGDP”) on the lands identified below. Generally, an Oil & Gas Development Plan is the process whereby an applicant obtains approval to develop oil or gas resources at one or more oil and gas locations by drilling a specific number of wells. Importantly, an OGDP is not a pooling application.
This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you may: 1) be an Owner of oil and/or
A strong monsoon season would help keep rivers owing and shing access open, he said.
Several city water managers said their reservoir storage supplies were looking good during the water conditions meeting. Colorado Springs Utilities reservoirs were at 85% of their capacity, and Denver Water’s reservoirs were 97% full.
e lack of monsoons would heighten concerns over wild re risk or lead to a shorter rafting season for boaters, Bergere said. Less-thanaverage rainfall could also leave sec-
“In the (San Luis Valley) since 2019, we’ve probably done it twice,” Vigil said. “I’m anticipating having to do it this year.”
tions of the river dry as water gets pulled for other uses, like irrigation and municipal supplies.
Water users in the San Miguel River Basin know how to endure uctuating supplies, Bergere said. “What we’re looking at there is not amazing, but it’s something we’re pretty used to down here,” he said. “Without much rain, wild re will definitely be a pretty serious concern.”
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
Elbert Legals
gas (“mineral”) interests to be developed by the proposed OGDP; 2) own, reside, or operate a first responder agency on property within 2,000 feet of a working pad surface included in the OGDP; or 3) be otherwise entitled to notice pursuant to Commission Rule 303.e.(1).
APPLICATION LANDS
Surface Lands:
Township 5 South, Range 65 West, 6th P.M.
Section 35: NE¼SW¼ (approximately 16-acres)
Mineral Development:
Township 5 South, Range 65 West, 6th P.M.
Section 35: NW¼SW¼ (approximately 16-acres)
Township 6 South, Range 65 West, 6th P.M.
Section 1: All
Section 2: All
Section 3: All
Township 6 South, Range 65 West, 6th P.M.
Section 4: All
DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)
A Commission hearing on the above-referenced docket number is currently scheduled for the following date, time, and location:
Date:August 21, 2024
Time:9:00 a.m.
Place:Energy and Carbon Management Commission
The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203
Parties to this hearing will be notified if this date, time, or place changes. For the most up-to-date information regarding the Commission’s hearing schedule, please visit https://ecmc.state.co.us/#/ home, click on “Commission Hearings,” and click
on “Preliminary Agendas.”
PUBLIC COMMENT
Any party may file a public comment for the review of Commission Staff related to the above-described OGDP. All public comments will be included in the administrative record for the OGDP proceeding. Parties wishing to file a public comment on the above-described OGDP may follow the instructions at https://ecmc.state.co.us/documents/sb19181/ Guidance/Mission_Change_Guidance/Info%20 Sheet_303.e.(2).D%20Public%20Comment_20210309.pdf, or may use the eFiling system outlined below.
PETITIONS
DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED PERSONS: July 22, 2024
Any interested party who wishes to participate formally in this matter must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https://ecmc.state.co.us/#/home, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at: https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidebook” at https://ecmc.state.co.us/documents/reg/Hearings/External_EfilingSystemGuidebook_2023_FINAL.pdf for more information.
Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of July 22, 2024, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Dnr_ECMC_Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.
ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
By: Elias Thomas, Commission Secretary
Dated: June 18, 2024
Applicant GMT Exploration Company LLC c/o Jamie L. Jost
Kelsey H. Wasylenky
Jost Energy Law, P.C. Attorneys for Applicant 3511 Ringsby Court, Unit 103 Denver, Colorado 80216 (720) 446-5620
