opportunity to do,” said Austin Gorman, a senior at Castle Rock’s Castle View High School.
Trading in their black and green marching band uniforms for bright red, three Douglas County students are headed to the Big Apple to perform with the Great American March-
Gorman spent the entirety of his high school career playing the trumpet, rising to drum major by his senior year.
Joining him to perform in the parade this year are Audra
While playing with the Continental League Honor Band with other Douglas County student musicians, Gorman learned about the Macy’s anksgiving Day Parade audition process from Marriott, a senior who plays the trumpet, who was selected to play in the parade in 2023.
“It was amazing. It’s like one of the best communities of riott said of the other student musicians she performed with during last year’s parade.
Arriving in New York a few days before the parade, Marriott said putting on what has become the iconic red-andwhite uniform for the rst time was both cool and surreal.
Elizabeth has concerns about plan for water
Elbert County points out that town chose not to take part in steering committee
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Elbert County has been working toward creating a formal Water Master Plan for the last year. On Oct. 19, 2023, the Town of Elizabeth Board of Trustees (BOT) was asked to provide a representative to serve on the Elbert County Water Master Plan Steering Committee. Due to lack of sta time available, the BOT decided not to participate on the committee.
On Oct. 9 of this year, the BOT released comments and analysis of the Elbert County Water Master Plan draft and called into question the underlying motivation behind the plan as well as questions about the validity of the data used.
e document said, in part, the “Board of Trustees believes the underlying data and data analysis appears awed and should be re-examined for the reasons set forth herein. More importantly, if the underlying position of the Steering Committee, population data, development data and input is inconsistent, the underlying recommendations are likewise in error. Due to the importance of this document, and its long-term impact on the County, this matter should be reviewed and begun anew.”
e Town of Elizabeth expressed fundamental concerns that the steering committee was biased and created to “further justify development” — speci cally, that the committee did not actually represent the agricultural community, professional planners, municipal residents, non-specialty county residents, representatives of industry, conservationists, business owners, or metro district representatives.
e Steering Committee began meeting in autumn 2023 and is comprised of Elbert County Director of Community and Economic Development Marc Dettenreider, Elbert County Economic Development Department Project Manager Eric Larson, Elbert County citizen Robert Rowland, developer Tim Craft, Elbert County citizen Kermit Wetherberr, developer Jim Marshall, and Elbert County citizen Mitch Trevey.
Rowland, a former county commis-
Douglas County’s Katherine Whitmore, Austin Gorman and Audra Marriott will be traveling to New York to perform with the Great American Marching Band in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. COURTESY OF TERI WHITMORE
‘If you served, we thank you’
Douglas County honors veterans
Douglas County veterans can apply for aid
Emergency assistance available for housing, food, mental health services
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County veterans who need emergency assistance with housing costs, food, transportation, employment, mental health care or other concerns can apply to receive funding, according to the county.
e funds can help those in need pay for mortgage and rent costs, according to county sta .
“ e funding — the result of a grant from the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs — is part of a robust arsenal of resources available through the Douglas County Veterans Service O ce,” the county said in a news release.
Douglas County veterans services has received $10,000 in grant funding to continue helping those who have served in the military, according to the county.
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Government o cials from around Douglas County gathered with members of the public for a tribute to veterans ahead of Veterans Day.
“We all know someone who has served in America’s armed forces. If you served, we thank you,” the county said in a news release. e Douglas County commissioners, the county Veterans Service O ce and the Douglas County Veterans Monument Foundation invited the public to the Nov. 9 ceremony.
It took place at the Veterans Monument Plaza at 301 Wilcox St. in front of the Wilcox county o ces building in Castle Rock. Dozens came to the event, according to a county spokesperson.
“Anyone could assist and apply for the veteran if they have all the required documentation needed for the veteran on the application,” a statement from county sta said. It added: “On certain occasions, we do assist surviving spouses in need.”
e veterans service o ce provides access to programs while also helping veterans with applying for bene ts, employment assistance, medical and mental health care, and coordination to other services, such as transportation, the news release said.
e o ce also helps surviving spouses, dependents’ parents and dependents with claims for pension, disability, burial reimbursements and more, according to the county.
ere’s no deadline to apply for the funding, said Wendy Holmes, county spokesperson.
“Our grant year is from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025,” Holmes said. “We have received this grant each year for the last eight years.”
e veterans service o ce is sta ed by military veterans who are Douglas County employees and volunteers. e county employees are trained and accredited by the Colorado Division of Veterans A airs and the National Association of County Veterans Service O cers, according to the county.
To learn more about the programs available, the public can visit the veterans service o ce webpage at douglas.co.us/veterans-serviceo ce, call 303-663-6200 or email veterans_services@douglas.co.us.
To apply for the funding, see douglas.co.us/veterans-serviceo ce/emergency-assistancefunds.
People stand with flags at a veterans tribute event Nov. 9 at the Wilcox county o ces building in Castle Rock.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY
Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon hugs a man amid a veterans tribute event Nov. 9 at the Wilcox county o ces building.
A man salutes at a veterans tribute event Nov. 9 at the Wilcox county offices building in Castle Rock.
From left: Rep. Lauren Boebert; Castle Rock Councilman Tim Dietz; Commissioner Abe Laydon; Parker Councilwoman Laura Hefta; Commissioner George Teal; Commissioner Lora Thomas; Sheri Darren Weekly; and Chris Maes with the Douglas County Veterans Service O ce at a veterans tribute event.
If Buyers & Sellers Were ‘on the Fence’ Awaiting Election Results, Where Are They Now?
The conventional wisdom a month ago was that buyers and sellers were holding off of their plans, waiting to see who won the presidential election. But that wasn’t entirely true. In fact, the number of closings this October were higher than last October, and the number of sellers who put their homes on the market was markedly higher than the prior two Octobers.
Nevertheless, the numbers for all three of the Octobers that occurred after the 2022 spike in interest rates pale in comparison to the statistics for the three prior Octobers, when interest rates were low. Here are the stats from REcolorado for the 20-mile radius of downtown Denver:
Even dispelling that conventional wisdom, however, we can’t deny that there were some jitters about this year’s election which were putting a damper on some members of the public acting on their desires to buy or sell real estate. In fact, the election may have spurred some buyers and sellers to start making plans who had no thoughts of moving if the election went “their way.”
Enter Redfin, which commissioned an Ipsos survey to find out how the election results impacted the real estate market. The results are worth sharing.
The survey was done on the Thursday and Friday after the election and reached 1,005 U.S. residents — 416 Republicans and 381 Democrats, 486 men and 509 women, and 302 people aged 1834, 347 people aged 35-54, and 356 people aged 55+. 553 respondents were homeowners and 330 were renters; 427 reported earning under $50,000, 379 earn between $50,000 and $100,000, and 199 earn over $100,000. The survey responses are summarized in the chart at right.
Here are some highlights from the survey which you may find interesting, as I did:
Of the 22% of respondents who replied that they are more likely
to move after the election, 36% said they are considering a move to another country, and 26% are thinking about moving to another state. This was a national survey, so perhaps those considering a move to another state live in one of the 13 states which severely restrict or ban abortions. Since Colorado is not one of those states which restrict abortion — and in fact just passed a constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights — the survey suggests that we may see an influx of people moving here for that reason. A separate survey commissioned by Redfin found that 27% of U.S. residents would be hesitant to live in an area where most residents don’t share their political views.
Reminiscent of 2016, Google searches about leaving the country spiked following Donald Trump’s victory.
Here are the percentage increases for searches “moving to…” these countries:
New Zealand—up 7,600 percent
Germany—up 4,200 percent.
Netherlands—up 3,233 percent.
Ireland—up 2,400 percent.
Norway—up 1,150 percent.
Australia—up 1,150 percent
Portugal—up 1,100 percent
Also, more general searches for “Moving to Europe” surged by 1,566 percent. Searches for “Moving to English-Speaking Countries” surged by 1,328 percent.
Theoretically, such sentiment could spur real estate activity, but I’m not
Our Highlands Ranch & Lone Tree Specialist
Greg Kraft - 720-353-1922
Email: Greg@GoldenRealEstate.com
A native of Chicago, Greg passed the Illinois Bar and CPA exams in 1974, but moved to Avon CO in 1982, where he owned and operated a property & rental management company and developed, built and sold townhomes until 2001. That’s when he moved to Highlands Ranch with his wife, Lynne, who has been a community manager there. As a result, Greg is very aware of current issues and home values in the area. He recently listed and sold a home in Lone Tree.
aware of any Americans who acted on such Google searches in 2016, and I don’t expect to see many now. I know that Rita and I have no plans to leave the country. Moves based on reproductive freedom, however, I think will occur — including by gynecologists, as has already been reported.
Some other observations from the Redfin-Ipsos survey included the following:
Of the respondents who said they are more likely to move post-election, 17% said the results of the election have made them more likely to consider buying a new home. 12% said the results have made them more likely to consider selling their current home. Roughly the same share (13%) are now more likely to rent a home.
In a September Ipsos survey also commissioned by Redfin, 23% of would-be first-time home buyers said they were waiting until after the election, wanting to
Of those surveyed, 22% say they'll consider moving now that the election is over. Among them, 36% are considering relocating to another country, while 26% are thinking about moving to a different state
see what the winning candidate might do to increase the availability of affordable housing. Given that Kamala Harris had promised $25,000 down payment grants to first-time homebuyers, it makes sense that they would wait to see if she won instead of buying a home using today’s more modest incentives. Maybe those buyers will indeed get off the fence now that she lost and Donald Trump made no such promise.
Call Wendy Renee, our in-house loan officer, if you’d like to know about the already existing programs for first-time homebuyers. Her cell number is below.
Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ Is Great, But Too Expensive
When Elon Musk first introduced it, I was skeptical of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software (FSD) ever working in a way that I would find safe and effective. Others must be skeptical, too, because Tesla recently enabled a free 45-day trial of the software in suitably equipped cars, including my 2023 Tesla Model Y. My free trial expires on Nov. 24th.
Having bad-mouthed FSD in the past, I owe it to Tesla and my readers to share my favorable impression of it after putting many miles on my Model Y using FSD, including a road trip to Las Vegas.
In town, I was impressed that the car slows down for speed bumps and dips. How does it know they are there?
With the earlier Autosteer software, my Teslas were dependent on recognizing painted lane markings and would not cross a solid line, but FSD has no problem crossing solid lines when it is safe to do so — for example, giving a wide berth to a bicyclist by crossing the double yellow line, but only when no cars are coming in the opposite direction.
I was impressed at how it handled construction zones. Picture a construction zone with 2½ lanes of a 3-lane interstate closed off with traffic cones. My Tesla simply straddled the solid line between the cones and the edge of the pavement.
I never thought the software would be good at roundabouts, but it is perfect. It slows down (as it does on any curve) and assesses whether another car is remaining in the roundabout and whether a car to the left is entering the roundabout.
And here’s one area where the software is indeed safer than most humans: it assesses cars that are approaching from a road or driveway. If it looks like the vehicle might not stop or yield, the Tesla slows down to make sure. This wide perception alone could eliminate T-bone col-
lisions with cars running red lights. If I’m in the right lane and it sees a car entering the highway, it shifts to the left lane, assuming there’s an opening. Otherwise it slows down to let the car merge, assuming the spacing is right. It also does well merging from the on-ramp. It responds to other cars’ turn signals, slowing to allow them to merge. It would also move to the left when it spotted a stopped vehicle in the breakdown lane. It recognizes pedestrians and how they are moving, such as toward a crosswalk. At night on an unlit street, it saw a pedestrian in dark clothing that I didn’t see. I also love the display of surrounding traffic, bicycles and curbs on the screen. In slow traffic, it stops to let a pedestrian cross the street. At stop signs, it knows when it can turn left or right onto a busy arterial, or I can press the accelerator to make a bolder entry than it wanted.
FSD’s full name is now “Full SelfDriving (Supervised.)” A camera mounted above the rear view mirror monitors the driver. If you are not looking straight ahead, it alerts you to “Pay Attention to the Road.” This replaces earlier Autosteer software which required you to apply slight turning pressure to the steering wheel every so often to prove you’re there. Somehow, driving at night when the cabin is pitch dark, the camera still knows when I’m not looking ahead. When the car detects bad weather it warns that FSD is “degraded,” and it will require the driver to take over when it can’t trust itself to make good decisions.
I’d pay for this improved FSD if it were more affordable, but $99/month or the $8,000 purchase price is simply too high. I’ll let the free trial lapse. I have more to say, and screenshots are included, on the posting of this article at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
Parker Task Force expansion opens opportunity to assist more in the community
Food bank seeking Thanksgiving donations
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Ever since the Parker Task Force began in 1987, putting the community rst and helping those who are facing di culties have always been the top priority.
And now, with its recent expansion that added new rooms, the volunteers can serve even more clients this holiday season with ease.
“As Parker grows, we grow,” said Diane Roth, one of the task force’s board members and volunteers.
Over the years, the 100% volunteer run agency has grown and today provides individuals and families with food, limited nancial assistance and other support services to help people become self-sufcient.
Although the task force also serves Franktown and Elizabeth, about 88% of the clients come from Parker, said Roth, adding that each month, the client visits continue to increase.
Currently, the task force has about 700 active client households/families in its system, which equals to it serving more than 1,700 individuals.
“As we learned over 37 years, the only way this place runs the way it does around
HOW TO HELP THE PARKER TASK FORCE THIS THANKSGIVING
With the holiday season in full swing, the Parker Task Force is seeking donations for its holiday food baskets.
In 2023, just over 220 people received Thanksgiving meals, said Diane Roth, board member and volunteer. This season, they are expecting about 300.
The food baskets feed a family of about 4-6 people, and contain a complete Thanksgiving meal.
Therefore, donations of the following are needed to fill the baskets: frozen turkeys, butter, dinner rolls, pies, cool whip, marshmallows, chicken broth, stu ng, gravy, 5-pound bags of potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, canned fruit, sweet potatoes, and paper plates and napkins.
“If a group of neighbors or friends want to work together to donate all or a portion of a Thanksgiving meal, that might be a fun activity,” said Roth.
The donations can be dropped o at the Parker Task Force building,19105 Longs Way, between 9 a.m. and noon on Nov. 22 and 23.
The meals will be distributed to clients on Nov. 24.
here is by our amazing volunteers,” said longtime volunteer Steve Budnack.
Some volunteers mentioned how crowded the work space was prior to the expansion.
Volunteers check dates and sort items into boxes, which go into inventory. When those boxes are full, they go into storage, which is what stocks the shelves at the task force’s store. Items passed their use by date or have damaged packaging, go to the nonpro t Denver Inner City Perish.
e task force participates in other programs such as a backpack program where over 200 bags per week go to food-insecure students across 16 local schools for them to take home over the weekend.
All of that work was being done in two rooms. e expansion included another freezer, increased refrigerator capacity, more storage space and additional client advocate cubicles.
e expansion also includes a community room, which can be used by other nonpro ts, organizations and service
The task force is also seeking monetary donations in any amount. For more information, visit the Parker Task Force’s website at parkertaskforce.org/WP/.
clubs. e community room, also called the Steve Budnack room, was named in honor of the man whose vision it was to expand the task force’s building. Budnack dedicated 15 years of leadership to the task force, and became close friends with the late Nancy Gripman, one of the task force’s founders.
After moving into its current building in 2015, Budnack had a vision to expand the building in order to further help those in the community. For years, he met with other nonpro ts across the state and country to accomplish the expansion.
“I was focusing on the power of the community,” said Budnack. “When I was out talking to these organizations, I would never ask them for money — I would talk about our vision.”
He said he would often get asked how
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The Parker Task Force community room will allow other local nonprofits, organizations and Rotary clubs to meet and hold events.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
TASK FORCE
much money he and the volunteers made. “I would tell them: what the volunteers make and what I make is a di erence in our community,” said Budnack.
Budnack soon helped get enough funds to break ground on the expansion in April of this year, and it opened in October. What he didn’t know was the community room would be dedicated to him in honor of the e ort he made to make the expansion happen
Pat Greaser, general manager of the task force, was proud of the momentous occasion. He told the Parker Chronicle that there is no other place he would rather be than the task force — and seeing how much the volunteers believe in the community.
“ ere’s a lot of hard things that come through that door,” said Greaser. “But there’s a lot of caring people that give everything they have to make a di erence.”
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Longtime Parker Task Force volunteer Steve Budnack received a round of applause for his leadership and work in the community to get the funds to build the expansion.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Church in Elizabeth is godsend for child needs
Clothing and baby items are given away on second Saturday of each month
BY NICKY QUINBY
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
On the second Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., anyone who needs children’s clothing or other baby items is invited to come to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Elizabeth and sort through donated items and take what they want for free.
e director of Elizabeth’s Swaddling Clothes center, Barbara Meade, said some families carry out a couple of huge bags full of clothes, some come away with a smaller haul, and some nd a stroller they need and carry their nds inside.
Families have said a program like Swaddling Clothes is needed in Elizabeth and people from other counties, even other states, have visited. “When we started out, we’d have four or ve families come on shopping day,” Meade shared. We set a record in September with 40 families! We have grown slowly, but we have grown. It’s a pleasure and a blessing to serve our families this way.”
“We love seeing our families nd things for their little ones,” she went on. “We used to have a limit on how much any one family could take, but our community is so generous that we have donations coming to us throughout the month between shopping days.”
Swaddling Clothes was started by Katie
Fiene from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Meade saw a social media post in 2016 explaining how Swaddling Clothes had bene ted Fiene’s community and describing how other churches were setting up centers of their own. Meade presented the idea of starting a local Swaddling Clothes to her church. ey had been trying to brainstorm a way to reach out to their small community, and Swaddling Clothes was a perfect t. Fiene even came to Colorado to explain the program. Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, at 4022 Park Lane in Elizabeth, had its inaugural shopping day in January 2018. Now there are more than 20 centers around the country, all based within LCMS, with more opening all the time.
“We love to see moms connecting …,” Meade shared. “We’ll sometimes have 10 or more moms sorting through things and conversations will start. ey ask each other for advice, how to put something together, how to use something
properly, or just to chat about their children and families. It’s great to hear the voices and sometimes the laughter!”
“We have some moms who plan their days out around Swaddling Clothes agreeing to meet at a certain time at our church, then go to lunch, or to the park with their kids. It’s such a great sense of community,” said Meade.
Meade says the volunteers involved with Swaddling Clothes are one of the best parts of the program. Meade’s husband Ben, their son Zach, a friend named Bev, and sometimes their pastor’s daughters, Molly and Tirzah, help set up and tear down. Many moms speedily help sort through donations as they look through them. Students from Elizabeth High School and Lutheran High School also put in some volunteer hours. is November, for the rst time in seven years, Swaddling Clothes canceled their monthly event due to the crippling amounts of snow received in Elbert County. On Nov. 11, Meade discovered
that the shed storing their donated items had been crushed by snow. Usually, volunteers rearrange the sanctuary, haul the donations from the shed and set everything up in the church. Now the items will have to be stored, hopefully temporarily, in a room inside the church. With grant money, Swaddling Clothes hopes to build a separate building to house everything instead of setting it up and tearing it down every month.
Swaddling Clothes accepts clothing donations and almost anything else baby-related, including strollers, cribs, mattresses, baby bathtubs, blankets and bouncy chairs, as well as diapers and wipes. ey also accept maternity clothes. Families are encouraged to bring back items to re-donate when they’re done with them.
To learn more about donating to the charity, visit swaddlingclothes.org or nd their Facebook group at facebook. com/elizabethswaddlingclothes. e next opportunity to shop free items is scheduled for Dec. 14.
Swaddling Clothes in Elizabeth takes place at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, located at 4022 Park Lane. PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
People sort through mounds of donated infant and children’s clothing at Swaddling Clothes in Elizabeth. COURTESY OF SWADDLING CLOTHES IN ELIZABETH
sioner, was mentioned in the document as the organizer of a private social media group entitled Elbert Citizens 4 H2O. When reached for comment, Rowland said he actually agrees with the town’s concerns.
“I agree with the Town’s concern,” Rowland said, adding that “as an early member of the Citizens Steering Committee, I found that after three…meetings, after expressing concerns about the lack of any absolute requirements to the recommendations we presented, that we went for months … without any invitation to continue to participate.” Rowland expressed concerns about the amount of developer input while saying that some draft recommendations have merit but the lack of enforcement or any monitoring systems renders them inadequate.
e Town of Elizabeth went into detail about concerns beyond the makeup of the Steering Committee, including a lack of consistency in permitting and population estimates and not referencing the Elbert County Community Development Pipeline Report or the Elbert County Housing Needs Assessment.
County Commissioner Chris Richardson responded, “Elbert County is one of the few counties that has worked to develop a Water Master Plan. e 241page document represents a tremendous amount of work and detailed analysis. It is critical to our board that new development not negatively impact the water wells of current residents while still ensuring an adequate 300-year supply for new communities. Like other master plan documents, this will support future policy
went on, “the Town of Elizabeth was invited to participate as part of the steering committee for the study. As they note, they chose not to. Had they been more involved, some of their concerns might have been addressed earlier in the process. Regardless, their input will be evaluated and incorporated, as appropriate, into the nal document.”
e Elbert County Water Master Plan is an update to the 2018 Elbert County Rural Water Supply Study. e project
e document has gone through several rounds of community feedback; a draft was available for public comment from Oct 1 through Oct 15.
e Town of Elizabeth’s response can be read online at townofelizabeth.org/ media/11306. e Elizabeth Board of Trustees meetings take place the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Due to the anksgiving holiday, the Nov. 26 meeting has been moved up to Nov. 21.
Elbert County’s guiding documents, including the 2018 study, are available at elbertcounty-co.gov/257/GuidingDocuments.
Elbert County United States Geological Survey Studies are accessible online at elbertcounty-co.gov/542/GroundwaterStudy-Updates. Information on upcoming county meetings can be found at elbertcountyco.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes. e next Planning Commission meeting will be on Dec. 3 and the next Board of County Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Dec. 11.
“A splendidly festive tradition” –
A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen
Music by David de Berry
Directed by Anthony Powell
Elizabeth Town Hall, located at 151 S. Banner St., on a recent snowy day. Town of Elizabeth Board of Trustees meetings take place the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the Nov. 26 meeting has been moved up to Nov. 21. PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
The power of setting standards and following through
Accountability is a topic often discussed but seldom fully appreciated. e alignment between expectations and accountability forms the backbone of e ective relationships and progress in personal and professional settings. Setting expectations without inspection is not enough. In the words of management experts, “You must inspect what you expect.” But what does that mean in practice?
In any setting where goals are shared, whether it’s a workplace, a sports team, or even a personal goal like tness, the expectation of results needs more than verbal agreement. It requires active commitment from everyone involved, which is only as strong as the system of accountability supporting it.
WINNING
for mutual encouragement and motivation. But there’s a drawback: workout partners might go easy on you, particularly friends who want you to like them. ey might encourage you to miss or skip that last set.
Many people team up with workout partners to make exercise more enjoyable, build camaraderie, and stay motivated. However, there’s a distinct di erence between a workout partner and an accountability partner. A workout partner meets you at the gym, perhaps someone who will do the same sets and reps as you, share in the work, and celebrate with you afterward. ey can be great
Now, an accountability partner is an entirely di erent type of support. is person knows your goals as well as you do and is there to accompany you and ensure you meet or exceed your expectations. ey won’t accept excuses and won’t inch at di cult conversations. ey arrive early, have the plan in mind, and won’t let you walk out the door until every last rep is completed. Accountability partners are invaluable because they don’t settle for mediocrity.
Over the years, I’ve had workout partners who failed to keep me accountable. ey wanted to be liked more than they wanted to push me. When I was tired or unmotivated, they didn’t challenge me, allowing me to slack o instead.
Holiday family fun in Parker
The holiday season is almost here! If you’re searching for ways to celebrate, look no further than the Town of Parker, where our community spirit shines bright.
Signature events and activities
Downtown Parker will be alive with activity from anksgiving until Christmas. Kick o the season at the annual Mayor’s Holiday Lighting on Nov. 29 at O’Brien Park. I invite you to join me, our town councilmembers and your fellow Parker residents at 5:30 p.m. for a singalong to “Silent Night” around the Town Tree, followed by a countdown to the Grand Park Lighting. Enjoy the festive atmosphere with holiday-themed entertainment and activities until 7 p.m. e festivities continue with Hometown Holidays Kick-o Saturday on Nov. 30 in O’Brien Park. From noon to 4 p.m., enjoy games with beloved holiday characters like Elsa and Olaf, capture a family photo by the Town Tree and take a stroll along Mainstreet to Discovery Park, soaking in the holiday music and decorations. Kids can take a ride on the Parker Express train through O’Brien Park and even nd an opportunity to meet a real-life reindeer.
But the fun doesn’t stop there! Visit downtown every weekend through Dec. 15 for Holiday Decor Stations like Gingerbread Lane at e Schoolhouse, Polar Bear Ice Land at Discovery Park, and Santa’s Workshop at O’Brien Park. Keep an eye out for Buddy the Elf — snap a photo with him, post it on the town’s Facebook page (@TownOfParkerCO), and enter a prize drawing!
For those who prefer to celebrate at home, enter our Holiday Home Decorating Contest. Show o your creativity and spread joy to your neighbors for a chance to be named one of Parker’s best-decorated homes! e entry period runs from Dec. 2 to 13.
For more information on all the holi-
After one too many half-hearted sessions, I had to confront one of my workout partners. It was a tough conversation. He admitted that he wasn’t comfortable challenging others or holding them accountable. Realizing this, I moved on to someone who could be rm with me and wouldn’t hesitate to call me out when I wasn’t giving my best. A real accountability partner understands that sometimes you need tough love, someone who isn’t afraid to push you, even if it’s uncomfortable. Whether in the gym or business, holding people accountable is about investing in the results you want to achieve. It’s not always easy, and it’s not always comfortable. But when we commit to inspecting what we expect, we create a culture of follow-through and achievement. An accountability structure means putting systems in place to monitor progress, adjusting as needed, and o ering support that is both encouraging and uncompromising.
In personal tness, as in business, accountability partners ensure that what you set out to do is achieved. ey transform the workout from a casual commitment into a structured journey toward
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Disrespectful snub
PARKER TOWN TALK
day fun in Parker, visit ParkerCO.gov/Events.
Parker recreation activities
Make sure to check out some of the fun programs o ered by Parker Parks and Recreation to help you get moving during the season!
Popular holiday activities returning this year include the Turkey Day 5K Fun Run/Walk (Nov. 28), Milk and Cookies with Santa (Dec. 8) and Swim with Santa (Dec. 14).
Additionally, if you happen to nd yourself in downtown Parker, make sure to visit the Parker Ice Trail at Discovery Park for some skating fun! e Ice Trail opens for the season Nov. 29. If you’re not up for skating, you can still enjoy the atmosphere with a hot cup of cocoa or other concessions next to one of our outdoor re pits.
Learn more about Parker Parks and Recreation’s holiday o erings at ParkerRec.com/Calendar.
Parker Arts performances
Join Parker Arts for your favorite holiday traditions and a few new ones! is year’s holiday lineup includes global sensation, father-daughter duo Christmas with Mat & Savanna Shaw (Nov. 27); two performances of high- ying acrobatic holiday adventure Santa’s Circus (Nov. 30); double-platinum Cherry Poppin’ Daddies’ Tiki Christmas WWII Canteen (Dec. 1); annual favorite A Classic Parker Holiday (Dec. 7 -8); and Parker Arts’ and Denver Ballet eatre’s always magical presentation of e Nutcracker (Dec. 12-17). en ring in the New Year with Parker Arts’ winter musical, Mary Poppins (Jan. 17 to Feb. 9) at the PACE Center.
Learn more about these fun holiday performances at ParkerArts.org/Shows. Je Toborg is the mayor of Parker.
real, measurable progress. When we set expectations but don’t check in on them, we’re e ectively saying they don’t matter. Accountability takes what we expect and turns it into action, creating a disciplined pathway that leads to results. e lesson here is clear: if you’re serious about reaching your goals, align yourself with accountability partners who won’t just go through the motions. Choose people who can inspect, push, and remind you of your potential. In the end, accountability is less about pleasing and more about pushing you to be your best. And that’s where the real transformation happens.
I would love to hear your accountability story at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we can get comfortable being pushed harder to achieve our goals and dreams, it really will be a better-thangood 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.
Highlands Ranch State Rep. Bob Marshall is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4666, of which I am the current post commander. It has come to my attention that the Highlands Ranch Metro District (HRMD) did not invite Bob to the Highlands Ranch Veterans Day event. It is doubtful that any elected o cial in Douglas County has a more extensive military service record than Bob. As the nation’s oldest organization of veterans who served in combat operations overseas, he did not just qualify for membership by participation in one combat operation, but multiple. And this disrespect is even more egregious given that Bob likely has done more for veterans in Colorado than any other state or local o cial the past two years. He single-handedly sponsored Amendment G to the ballot to include unemployable veterans who had been inexplicably excluded from the disabled veterans homestead exemption for years; established the Purple Star Program to help integrate DoD children better into public schools; and as de facto leader of the veterans caucus in the legislature overrode the powerful Joint Budget Committee and governor’s budget to ensure veterans in rural and isolated areas received nal honors. ese examples of recent accomplishments are in addition to the years he spent working disability issues for wounded and injured service-members. And since joining our post several years ago, he has spent every Memorial and Veterans Day weekend collecting funds for veterans causes at local King Soopers no matter the weather, while even during the busiest times of the legislative session he still rushes to Fort Logan to pay nal respects to colleagues who pass on.
portedly honor the service of veterans. It cannot be to simply honor the service of veterans of which you approve. Harold R. Abney, Commander, VFW Pat Hannon Post 4666, Littleton
Stand up for what is right
Yesterday I cried, not because my candidate lost, but because a man whose words have carried so much hate and violence, and who has fueled hate and violence by his supporters, did. at I am writing this confuses me; how have we not learned to lead our lives with love, empathy, and acceptance toward our neighbors even if they don’t live their lives exactly like we do?
To my friends and neighbors who voted for Trump because you think his policies will be better for you and this country I ask, will you stand and speak out when his words and policies are directly hateful and harmful toward your neighbors who are not White, Christian, heterosexual, able bodied, cis-gender or male? Will you speak up when a friend says something that is misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or antisemitic? If you think this is dramatic, I am happy you live in identities that shield you from this reality. For many of us, this isn’t hypothetical. Almost every day for the last week I drove my two beautiful, kind Jewish boys past a Trump sign adorned with swastikas on Hilltop Road. We talked about what that represents, how our own family ended up in this country, and how some didn’t leave in time so died in concentration camps. We talked about the fact that Trump invokes Hitler as a leader he admires. is week my boys woke up to the fact that they have neighbors who hate them and think they are subhuman because of the religious and cultural identity they were born into. It is also no secret that Black children in our school district experience direct racism in a space where they should just be children, learning and growing. Hate lives in our backyards.
is failure to invite an elected o cial in your community with such an extensive and well-known military and veterans service background to a Veterans Day event is not just disrespectful to Bob, but to every veteran who ever served. I ask that you do better as such behavior demeans both you and the ceremonies you conduct to pur-
Seniors’ Council to meet Dec. 5
Older adults and those who support older adults are invited to attend the December Seniors’ Council of Douglas County (SCDC) meeting on ursday, Dec. 5 at the Canvas Credit Union, Community Room, located at 10000 Park Meadows Drive in Lone Tree from 10-11:30 am. e meeting is free and open to the public.
Gretchen Lopez, SCDC Leadership Team, will highlight issues and accomplishments bene ting adults over 60 during 2024 as well as SCDC plans for 2025. Joyful guitar music will be performed by Mitch Ubben and refreshments will be served.
According to Lopez, “I’m looking forward to sharing SCDC 2024 accomplishments and the exciting plans we have for 2025 at our December meeting. SCDC works hard to connect older adults, to hear concerns, identify needs, and determine how we can continue to advocate on behalf of those 60 and older. We’ll also have a bit of fun celebrating the winter holiday season by giving away some door prizes, conversing, and snacking. All in all, we’ll have a great time and I hope to see many older adults and those who support them on December 5th!”
priority of SCDC. Some attendees listen, some ask questions, and some make suggestions. Also of prime importance is the participation of Douglas County government liaisons, senior group leaders, and older adult service providers. Together we strive to make life for older adults in Douglas County better. Our emphasis is on Living Well and Aging Well through education, advocacy, and engagement. ere are short-term and ongoing volunteer roles for those who are interested. ese range from greeting attendees at a monthly meeting to serving on the leadership team. But there is no pressure to volunteer. SCDC is supported by Douglas County Community Services. Douglas County Libraries partners with SCDC. Please visit our website at www.douglas.co.us and search for “Seniors’ Council” for the most up-to-date information. Email SCSeniorLife@douglas.co.us with questions or comments.
Holding interesting monthly meetings and other events with a focus on topics of interest to those 60-plus is the top
LETTERS
One of the very rst things the Trump administration has overtly said they plan to do is roll back equal rights protections for LGBTQ+ people. Every one of us knows someone in Douglas County who is LQBTQ+, whether we realize it or not. Some of you who voted for Trump even have children who are LGBTQ+. When this happens, will you stand with us to ensure workplaces, schools, places of worship, and neighborhoods are safe for all our neighbors to realize their American dream, or will you be silent and stand up only for those that look and act like you and believe what you believe?
We are all many things. Only when we can accept and even celebrate our di erences will America be great again.
Melissa Palay, Highlands Ranch
The painful autopsy
As the Democratic autopsy continues, let’s stop the blame game and admit the deadly diagnoses.
For those who can’t de ne what a woman is, it’s priceless to declare others who didn’t vote for Harris as being misogynistic when it has nothing to do with gender but perceived ability. People don’t want a wannabe leader who can’t clearly dene her wa ing policy positions and had already garnered a poor track record. A faux media reinvention of her was pitifully too late.
For the sake of the peace and safety of our country, it’s not racist or xenophobic to want proper vetting on those who arrive in our country. Have we forgotten 9-11 and that there are those in our world who may want to harm Americans?
It’s not e ective to say our economy is improving when people are still paying $7 for butter and $3-$4 a gallon for gas — and they can’t a ord to buy a home.
It’s disingenuous to keep publishing stats on employment and crime that constantly need to be corrected. We can’t trust the D.C. data when it rst appears. It’s not dis-, mis-, or mal-information
is guest column is by Jean Spahr of the SCDC Leadership Team.
to recognize propaganda on many levels — especially when repeated lies have already been debunked. Lies range from Trump’s manifesto (Project 2025) to a national abortion ban to a removal of Social Security. Media has been woefully derelict in its duty to present complete narratives.
Media has also been blatantly biased in multiple e orts to destroy the resolute Trump through lawfare and continual character assassinations. Ironically, the inverse occurs: the more e ort is expended to disavow him, the more people seem to like him.
And the more celebrities came out to support Harris, the more widespread the belief became that the Democratic Party had abandoned regular folks by catering to the elite. Meanwhile, Trump trolled the Left by donning an apron to work at McDonald’s — then wearing a safety vest to jump into a garbage truck.
Much can be said for Tulsi, Elon, Bobby, and Rogan coming out to support Trump. ey all had experienced censorship directed from the Dems.
So those who voted for Kamala only because of their hatred for Trump clearly do not see the entire picture … e most ironic thing about Trump’s sweeping election is that the “threat to democracy” was overwhelmingly chosen by democracy.
Linda Mazunik, Lone Tree
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PARADE
dle-of-the-night rehearsal on one of the most recognizable parade routes in the country.
e Great American Marching Band rst performed in 2006, and each year since includes select musicians, color guard members and dancers from across the country. e more than 200-member marching band is under the direction of internationally recognized Dr. Richard Good.
Last year, the band learned the music and formations before taking it to a mid-
As millions of people lined the streets to watch the parade the following day, Marriott said listening to people sing along to the songs they were playing was ful lling.
“I think it was probably the adrenaline, but it felt like we had just started the parade and then all of a sudden, we had our performance and it was over,” said Marriott. “I will say I’ve never been so tired in my life.”
Having loved the experience and the friends she made last year, Marriott is excited to bring other Douglas County musicians with her this year.
Gorman and Whitmore, a junior who plays the ute and piccolo, spent hours putting together their individual audition materials at the beginning of the year, featuring their marching technique and technical playing.
A few months later, they found out they would be joining Marriott among
the gigantic helium balloons and elaborate oats carrying celebrities down 34th Street. e news of being selected was exciting for Gorman and Whitmore, but it also brought nerves.
“I didn’t know whether or not I was able to since I’m in my junior year,” said Whitmore.
Despite the nerves — and not knowing what songs they will be performing — all three students are excited to take in the sights of New York, tour Radio City Music Hall and be among other students who are passionate about music.
“It’s nice to bond over something you have in common while still being new to each other,” said Whitmore.
Gorman is also eager to meet student musicians outside of the state and hopes it will push him to further his musical career.
“I’m just really excited to get to meet general musicians outside of Colorado because it brings a new perspective to the whole music and band program,” said Gorman.
CORRECTIONS
Colorado Trust for Local News asks readers to make us aware of mistakes we may have made.
Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
Katherine Whitmore, Austin Gorman and Audra Marriott, who are all Douglas County students, will be traveling to New York City to perform with the Great American Marching Band in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. COURTESY OF TERI WHITMORE
FROM PAGE 1
Thu 11/28
20th Annual Turkey ROCK Trot @ 7:30am / $45
Sun 12/01
Mon 12/02
500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock
Parker Parks and Recreation Turkey Day 5K FUN Run/Walk @ 8am / $34
17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker
Fri 11/29
Brightenstar @ Black Bear Golf Club @ 6pm
Black Bear Golf Club, 11400 Canterberry Pkwy,, Parker
GRIZZLY GOPHER AT TAKODA TAVERN @ 7:30pm
Takoda Tavern, 12311 Pine Bluffs Way # A, Parker
Sat 11/30
Gobble Wobble Turkey Trot
5K/10K/13.1 DENVER @ 5:30am / $30-$45 Centennial Park, Centennial
Bad Donkey Run 5K/10K/13.1 DENVER @ 7:30am / $30-$45
Centennial Park, S Uvalda St, Centen‐nial
Culinary: A French Christmas (18+yrs) @ 6pm PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
Modern Swing Mondays 2024 @ 7pm / $16.51 Stampede, Aurora
The Doo Wop Project @ 7:30pm
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree
Tue 12/03
Fab-Yule-Us @ 11am / Free Aspen Grove, 7301 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. dmmvendors@ gmail.com, 303-505-1856
Cherry Poppin' Daddies: Tiki Xmas WWII Canteen @ PACE Center @ 6:30pm Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker
The Doo Wop Project @ 7pm
Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic Hosted by Tony Medina @ 6:30pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Littleton
Josey Scott - Original Voice of Saliva @ 7pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
Wed 12/04
Teague Starbuck @ 6pm The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Littleton
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Com‐mons St, Lone Tree
Ladies Night @ 6pm / $16.51 Stampede, Aurora
Choir!Choir!Choir! @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, En‐glewood
DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo Wednesdays - 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan
Thu 12/05
Inline Hockey: Adult- Lower INT Drop In League-Thurs -Dec @ 7:30pm Dec 5th - Dec 19th Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker
COOKING IN THE CLOUDS
Air pressure, humidity and temperature di erences have impacts on everyday cooking at mountain elevations
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For well-versed mountain locals cooking at high altitudes of 7,500 feet and above, cooking things longer, adding additional water to recipes or subtracting certain ingredients is almost second nature. For others, it can be confusing, frustrating and disastrous.
ere is science behind it all, and according to Colorado State University experts, changes that in uence “cooking at altitude” start at just 3,000 feet above sea level.
Inside the Terra Building at Colorado State University Spur in Denver, the Ardent Mills Teaching and Culinary Center provides a complete modern industrial and commercial-sized kitchen and laboratory.
e Spur campus includes the Vida (health) and Hydro (water) educational buildings as well, but it’s easy to spot the Terra (cooking) building; it’s the one with the big green avocado-shaped window.
Once inside, you can see the kitchen surrounded by glass walls and gleaming stainless steel tables and shelves. Massive 10-burner industrial gas stoves and ovens to match line the walls along with a collection of cooking utensils that would be
the envy of amateur cooks everywhere. is is one of Culinary Dietitian Bailey Carr’s o ces.
Carr received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Ohio State University and a degree in Culinary Arts from the Auguste Esco er School in Boulder.
Now, she is the forward face of the nutritional and cooking education classes o ered at Spur.
Carr said she creates recipes that turn into menus which she can teach to kids, adults and families. Her goal is to eliminate the fear of cooking while cooking together.
However, enjoying the cooking process coincides with successful cooking, Carr said. Knowing how and what ingredients to adjust and understanding the temperature and air pressure di erences at various altitudes is critical to success. ere are only a couple of environmental factors that a ect high-altitude cooking — air pressure and humidity — but the implications of these two conditions on cooking are exponential, according to cooking science.
Published by CSU, “A Guide to High Elevation Food Preparation” breaks down the numbers at which changes are initiated. It is even referenced by the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service in its high-altitude cooking material.
The basic fundamentals: Lower air pressure at altitude
Air pressure decreases as altitudes increase. In other words, the blanket of air above us is lighter, according to meteorological science.
“We are at a higher elevation, which means we have less air pressure, which really informs all of the nuances of cooking. It’s the main reason we have to adjust everything we do at altitude to achieve proper results,” Carr said.
at means many things take longer to cook, especially in water, because the boiling point of water drops with every foot of elevation, illustrated by this boiling point chart provided by CSU:
• Sea level: 212 degrees
• 2,000 feet: 208 degrees
• 5,000 feet: 203 degrees
• 7,500 feet: 198 degrees
• 10,000 feet: 194 degrees
No matter how high the cooking temperature is, water cannot exceed its own boiling point. Even if the heat is turned up, the water will simply boil away faster and whatever you are cooking will dry out faster, according to the USDA.
For instance, a “three-minute egg” will likely take ve minutes at 5,000 feet because it’s cooking at a lower temperature.
Speci c dishes such asrice require approximately 15-20% more water and extended cook time due to the lower temperature of the boiling water, and the rice should be covered to retain the moisture, according to Carr. A chemical reaction known as gelatinization between the water and the starch in the rice requires a certain temperature, which is made more di cult by the lower boiling point at altitude, Carr said.
Meats such as chicken or beef can require up to 15% more time to cook and dry out faster due to low humidity above 5,000 feet, according to food studies.
Cookies are especially challenging in the mountains as a balance between liquids and our must be maintained..
e high volume of sugar and fat in most cookie recipes can cause cookies to sprawl on the baking sheet. e sugar and fat are considered liquids as they liquify with heat, Carr said, suggesting a reduction in the use of baking powder or soda and fat/sugar in the recipe.
Carr suggests increasing the amount of our in the recipe and the baking temperature by approximately 25 degrees.
Slow cookers are also a ected at altitude because the contents will simmer at a lower temperature making it more di cult for the food to reach safe temperatures for bacteria to be destroyed, according to the USDA.
Gas burner on industrial stove at CSU Spur campus in Denver.
Avocado-shaped window at Terra building in CSU Spur campus in Denver.
Edelweiss Pastry Shop at 1520 Miner St. in Idaho Springs. PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL
COOKING
e USDA suggests cooking food at a temperature of at least 200 degrees for the rst hour of cooking to ensure any bacteria is destroyed. Most bread machines will o er tips and settings for high-elevation baking, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind, Carr said.
Typically you want to decrease yeast by a ¼ to ½ teaspoon for each 2 ½ teaspoon package called for in the recipe. Add one to two tablespoons of additional liquid per cup of our, but too much liquid could cause issues during the mixing cycle, according to Carr.
Even above 3,000 feet, cakes can be a challenge. Decreased air pressure can lead to “excessive rising,” causing the cake to fall, according to researchers.
When leavening (allowing the mixture to rise), researchers suggest reducing baking powder or soda by as much as 50% from the receipt while increasing the baking temperature by 25 degrees.
e increased temperature helps set the batter before the cells are formed and may also reduce the total baking time, according to research.
Evaporation at altitude can lead to a higher concentration of sugar, which researchers consider a liquid when cooking. Decreasing the amount of sugar in the recipe will help to sustain the cellular structure and the cake. Perhaps the pinnacle of baking at altitude is the delicate, light and akeypastry. For that, Colorado Community Media visited Edelweiss Pastry Shop at 1520 Miner St. in Idaho Springs where Chef Rebecca Hu and her partner Larry Dungan have been making sweet and savory pastries by hand since 2017.
Hu said she’s been cooking and baking since she was 12 years old in her parents’ restaurant in Glenwood Springs, “Rosi’s” opened in 1977. “It’s something I know how to do and I’m good at it,” Hu said.
“I would cook breakfast for the family and I had to stand on a chair to ip the sausages because I couldn’t reach the stovetop,” Hu said. As Hu started out cooking and baking on her own, she followed in her German heritage of making pastries and said she learned every-
thing from her mother who was originally from Bavaria.
It’s di cult for Hu to say how to adjust recipes for cooking at altitude, for her she said, “It’s just the way I do it.” However, she recognized some of the advice of other experts.
“With cake mix or dough, you’ll want to reduce the liquid, which includes sugar, and increase the our until you nd that right consistency,” she said.
Feeling the consistency of the dough is the key.
“ e thing with me is, I’ve done it so long I can tell just by the look and feel of the batter, to adjust our, I can just tell,” Hu said.
When it comes to baking ourless chocolate cakes or quiches, Hu revealed a couple of tricks of the trade.
For one, when baking ourless chocolate creations, Hu likes to put the batter in mufn cups placed onto a shallow pan with a thin layer of water under the cups to compensate for the lack of humidity during baking.
“If I don’t put the water in there when I pull them out after they’re done they sink,” Hu said.
e science of cooking or baking at altitude consists of trial and error which is eventually converted to formulas for amateur or professional chefs to follow. Spur is a good example of the science of cooking but not the soul, both Carr and Hu said.
Carr said her love for cooking started at birth but accelerated later in life when her grandmother was ill.
“It’s just been who I am, so it’s been a natural life-long passion that really grew even more when I watched my beloved grandmother become diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was devastating.”
When her grandmother was released from the hospital, Carr said she was given a recipe book for smoothies targeted toward helpful recovery.
at’s when Carr said she realized combining ingredients and cooking could do more than feed people.
“I realized that love of cooking could actually help heal or nourish people, ever since I’ve been on one track,” she said. “How can I cook and serve people in this way but also use these recipes to optimize wellness and help folks and their bodies?”
Sharing her knowledge, education and passion for cooking as a family is what Carr said feeds her soul.
“It’s ful llment, it’s the best feeling ever… to know a seed is planted in a family and they can continue to grow in it and reap the fruits and bene ts over the course of their life,” she said.
All three buildings at the CSU Spur campus in Denver are open to the public the second Saturday of every month for free cooking instruction. Details on cooking classes and events can be found at https:// csuspur.org/spur-events/.
Culinary Dietitian Bailey Carr in the CSU Terra building kitchen.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Apple tarts fresh from the oven at Edelweiss Pastry Shop in Idaho Springs.
Selected pastries at Edelweiss Pastry Shop in Idaho Springs.
Eclairs at Edelweiss Pastry Shop in Idaho Springs.
State rules that Douglas County o cials broke labor law
Sheri , commissioners deny any violations in their anti-union push
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After the Douglas County sheri sent a stream of anti-union emails to employees and held mandatory “captive audience” meetings — and the county commissioners released a YouTube video using public funds to oppose the e ort to form a union at the sheri ’s o ce — the state Labor Department has found that county o cials illegally committed unfair labor practices.
Several top o cials took part in opposing the e ort to unionize. e state Labor Department found that Sheri Darren Weekly, Undersheri David Walcher, and county Commissioners George Teal, Abe Laydon and Lora omas committed unfair labor practices.
“Indeed, the Commissioners’ claims included an embellishment about how the community as a whole would suffer if the employees formed a union,” the ruling from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment says. “In this context, it is clear that these many comments amounted to a threat that the Commissioners would respond unfavorably to union demands.”
For months, county o cials have been ghting a proposal to unionize the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, a change that would enable employees to negotiate salaries, bene ts and other aspects of their jobs through collective bargaining.
It’s a ght that’s taking place in a new legal environment. Douglas is one of several counties across the state where employees have voted for, or are considering, unionizing their sheri ’s o ce, a possibility allowed by a 2022 state law called the Collective Bargaining by County Employees Act, according to attorney Sean McCauley, general counsel for the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council. ose counties include Arapahoe, Boulder and Elbert on the Front Range, along with more remote counties Grand, Las Animas and La Plata, and unionization e orts are ongoing in other counties, McCauley said.
e Douglas County commissioners have argued that union activity could make county residents less safe. Douglas o cials also expressed concern that unionization would add a level of bureaucracy in the sheri ’s o ce.
As they continue to ght the unionization e ort, the commissioners and the sheri announced they have appealed
the Nov. 1 nding from the state.
“As the sheri I stand rm that we did not violate the law. We did not threaten or coerce our sta . We simply shared accurate information so they could make an informed decision,” Weekly said in a statement, adding: “My sta put their lives on the line every day. As a 31-year veteran of my agency nobody can represent the best interest of my sta better than me. Collective bargaining only adds an unnecessary level of bureaucracy.”
e Colorado Fraternal Order of Police union organization, which has been supporting the e ort to unionize the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, said in a statement that the state’s ruling is “a signi cant win for all public employees who deserve a fair and lawful workplace.”
“I’ve spent 24 years of my life dedicated to this process, and I can tell you that the places where the employees — whether it’s a sheri ’s o ce or a police department — when they have a right to speak at their workplace and be able to express their concerns and also their support for certain things in the department … the morale is much higher than in the places where all those things are dictated to them by one or two people that run the department,” said McCauley, the lawyer for the Colorado FOP.
Earlier this year, an election was expected to determine whether sheri ’s employees would choose to be represented by a union. But the FOP requested the election be canceled, according to the county, amid the organization’s concerns about county o cials’ actions.
A rescheduled election could be held around early spring, McCauley said. Here’s a look at the allegations that Douglas County o cials committed unfair labor practices and what led up to the investigation.
‘An unlawful threat’
Amid the unionization e ort, Weekly engaged in an “extended email campaign,” sending messages over the course of a month and a half, resulting in one to three emails to employees each week, according to the state’s ruling.
In a February email, the sheri wrote that if a union forms, “the FOP legal counsel (from Missouri) will negotiate for the Deputies and Sergeants. I am not comfortable handing over your future and best interests to third-party, out-of-state strangers,” according to the ruling document.
“ e persistence of the Sheri ’s roughly twice weekly anti-union emails created an ongoing atmosphere of anti-union sentiment that rose to the level of coercion and interfered with his employee’s right to unionize,” the ruling says. “In addition, the use of the Sheri ’s work email caused the statements to reasonably be interpreted as the o cial position of the o ce.”
Other actions and information that the ruling notes include the following:
• In March, Weekly held a meeting for detectives, corporals and sergeants that included presentations by consultants about “unions, union negotiations, and the related disadvantages of what union-
ization at the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce would mean.” Capt. Joel White stated that employees attending a meeting “must remain in place and for the selected time.”
• As the National Labor Relations Board noted in a 2022 advice memorandum, such “captive audience” meetings “inherently involve an unlawful threat that employees will be disciplined or su er other reprisals if they exercise their protected right not to listen to [employer speech concerning the exercise of their statutory labor rights].”
• e sheri also issued a poster opposing the union, which, “though noting he personally paid for the poster, hung in the Sheri ’s o ces and depicted him wearing his Sheri ’s uniform.”
• e sheri recorded two YouTube videos discussing the unionization e orts, with at least one depicting an animation of a Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce badge.
‘Free speech not illegal’
In March, Commissioners Teal, Laydon and omas released a YouTube video using public funds to speak out against the unionization e ort, the ruling says. Some of the statements in the video, the ruling says, include:
• “We agree with Sheri Weekly that unions are unnecessary in the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce. We agree with you that living in a safe community and living in a community that is a great place to raise a family requires the right investment in the right assets at the right time and rmly focused on your safety.”
• “We think the best path forward is without unions standing in the way of these goals and your very clear expectations of us for public safety outcomes in our service to you and your family.”
In response to the state’s ruling, county o cials argued that the Collective Bargaining by County Employees Act, or COBCA, prohibits Colorado counties from discouraging employees from becoming members of a union but “preserves the free speech rights of the County and the Sheri in ‘the expression of any personal view, argument, or opinion.’”
“ is appeal is not about a union election. It is about the state preventing local leaders from sharing their views about a union election,” the county commissioners said in a statement. ey added: “Free speech is not and should never be illegal in the State of Colorado and the county will ght to uphold the law that preserves free speech.”
County points to ‘trickery’
Teal has said the FOP sent out informa-
Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly speaks during a news conference at the sheri ’s o ce in October. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
MARKETPLACE
Misc. Notices
NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET AND HEARING PARK MEADOWS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed budget has been submitted to the PARK MEADOWS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT (the “District”) for the ensuing year of 2025. A copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 East Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection. Such proposed budget will be considered at a hearing at the meeting of the District to be held at 5:00 P.M., on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The location and additional information regarding the meeting will be available on the meeting notice posted on the District’s website at https://www. parkmeadowsmetrodistrict.org/ at least 24-hours in advance of the meeting.
Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2025 budget.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DISTRICT:
By: /s/ ICENOGLE | SEAVER | POGUE
NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED AMENDED 2024 BUDGET AND HEARING PARK MEADOWS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed amended budget will be submitted to the PARK MEADOWS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT (the “District”) for the year of 2024. A copy of such proposed amended budget has been filed in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 East Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection. Such proposed amended budget will be conshidered at a hearing at the meeting of the District to be held at 5:00 P.M., on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The location and additional information regarding the meeting will be available on the meeting notice posted on the District’s website at https://www. parkmeadowsmetrodistrict.org/ at least 24-hours in advance of the meeting.
Any interested elector within the Park Meadows Metropolitan District may inspect the proposed amended budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the amended 2024 budget.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PARK MEADOWS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
By: /s/ ICENOGLE | SEAVER | POGUE A Professional Corporation
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LABOR LAW
tion to sheri ’s employees implying that Weekly supported a union e ort.
“ is trickery by the union caused many employees to sign their names in support of a union because they were falsely led to believe Sheri Weekly supported it,” Teal said in the commissioners’ video message in March.
In February, the FOP sent an email to sheri ’s o ce employees, according to the ruling, in which it stated: “Your voices were heard loud and clear through our recent survey, and the resonance was profound. An overwhelming 75% of you have cast a resounding ‘yes’ vote for collective bargaining in Douglas County. In the spirit of transparency and support, I met with Sheri Weekly to share the survey results and discuss our proposed course of action. Sheri Weekly expressed his continued support for us and the FOP.”
Following this email, the FOP sent a clarifying email to employees, according to the ruling, in which it stated: “While Sheri Weekly has consistently stated his opposition to collective bargaining from the outset, it’s crucial to emphasize that he remains fully supportive of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and its members. However, it’s essential to note that supporting the FOP does not equate to supporting collective bargaining. I understand that some of you may have inferred Sheri Weekly’s support for collective bargaining based on his support for the FOP. However, I want to make it explicitly clear that this is not the case.”
e state’s ruling touches on the issue of
lawful speech. “ e Supreme Court (has) explained that in order to qualify as lawful advocacy, an employer’s statements must be ‘carefully phrased on the basis of objective fact,’” the ruling says, adding: “Here, County Commissioners made false or misleading statements that were not based on objective facts when they claimed that the FOP engaged in ‘trickery’ that ‘caused many employees to sign their names in support of a union because they were falsely led to believe Sheri Weekly supported it.’ As discussed above, the record does not support such allegations of ‘trickery’ by the FOP.”
e ruling also says a commissioners’ statement is also “unsupported by any objective facts.”
“ e Commissioners provided no speci c examples or evidence regarding how a union might interfere with the sheri ’s o ce’s work or create a less safe community. Rather, they implied without evidence that the community would be less safe and employees’ interests less protected with union ‘interference,’” the ruling says.
‘Personal opinion’
e state did not nd that all of Weekly’s conduct and statements constituted unfair labor practices.
“For example, certain of Sheri ’s Weekly’s statements, such as his references to prior improvements in pay, bene ts, and terms and conditions of employment for Sheri ’s O ce employees do not violate … because they are not unfounded predictions and are supported by objective evidence. His initial rebuttal of the Union’s characterization that he ‘supported it’ was also likely protected,” the
to amend the Elizabeth Park and Recreation District’s 2024 Budget; that a copy of the proposed Amended 2024 Budget has been filed at 34201 County Road 17, Elizabeth, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of the Resolution to Amend the 2024 Budget will be considered at
to Amend the 2024 Budget, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.
ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT
By: /s/ Kelly Moffatt, Chair
Legal Notice No. ECN 1583
First Publication: November 21, 2024
Last Publication: November 21, 2024 Publisher: Elbert County News Water Court
Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, WATER DIVISION 1, COLORADO OCTOBER 2024 WATER RESUME PUBLICATION TO: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN WATER APPLICATIONS IN WATER DIV. 1
Pursuant to C.R.S. 37-92-302, you are notified that the following is a resume of all water right applications, and certain amendments filed in the Office of the Water Clerk during the month of OCTOBER 2024 for each County affected.
Sean McCauley, a lawyer for the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, sits for a photo Nov. 12 at the Colorado FOP building in Westminster.
ruling says.
“And the expression of his personal opinion that the organizing e ort is ‘unnecessary,’ taken alone, may not have run afoul of COBCA’s protections, had it been made in a context that did not imply it was made in the Sheri ’s o cial position and had it been unaccompanied by other unsupported predictions or discouragement of union participation,” the ruling adds. “However, in the aggregate, the Sheri ’s … use of his o cial position to discourage union membership constituted unfair labor practices.”
‘Case of first impression’ McCauley, the lawyer for Colorado FOP, called the state’s investigation “a case of rst impression.”
“Meaning that there’s no other case law in the state of Colorado (that I’m aware of) on this because of the newness of COBCA,” McCauley said.
He anticipates the legal ght could continue and get appealed in court and could set precedent around the state.
e appeal the county led was an “administrative appeal” with the state Labor Department, a county spokesperson said.
County in other legal battle
In a separate legal matter, Douglas County is ghting the state in court, arguing that sheri ’s employees don’t have the right to push for changes in their workplace through a union.
e county argued in a lawsuit it led in May that COBCA does not apply to sheri ’s employees. e sheri and county commissioners are listed as plainti s in the lawsuit, which was led in Denver District Court against the state Labor Department.
e county argues that legally the sheri ’s o ce and county government are separate entities.
at’s even though the sheri ’s o ce’s budget is controlled by Douglas County commissioners.
“Under both the Colorado Constitution and applicable statutes, sheri s and boards of county commissioners are treated as separate public entities having di erent powers,” a 1999 case cited in Douglas’ lawsuit complaint says. Douglas County had also led another lawsuit challenging the state regarding COBCA. e second challenged COBCA as abridging of personal and local government rights. Both of the actions remain pending, according to a county statement.
Elbert Legals
(This publication can be viewed in its entirety on the state court website at: www.coloradojudicial.gov)
CASE NUMBER 2024CW3149 APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF PLAN FOR AUGMENTATION IN THE NOT-NONTRIBUTARY UPPER DAWSON IN ELBERT COUNTY. 1. Name, Mailing Address, Email Address, and Telephone Number of Applicants: VIVEKANAND ARUNACHALAM, SAI KRISHNA KALYAN BOGA, AND SHILPA BOGA, 1263 E Legacy Lane, Winona Lake, IN 46590 viv4312@ gmail.com, (574) 253-3126 c/o James J. Petrock, #2881, John D. Buchanan, #45191, Hayes Poznanovic Korver LLC, 700 17th Street, Suite 1800, Denver, CO 80202 303-825-1980 jjp@hpkwaterlaw.com, john@hpkwaterlaw.com. 2. Subject Property: A parcel totaling approximately 35 acres generally located in the NE1/4 of Section 3, Township 8 South, Range 65 West of the 6th P. M., Elbert County, as shown on Exhibit A (“Subject Property”). 3. Summary of Plan for Augmentation: 3.1 Groundwater to be Augmented: 255 acre-feet of not-nontributary Upper Dawson Aquifer groundwater, at an average annual withdrawal of 2.55 acre-feet per year for 300 years. This water was adjudicated in Case No. 97CW94, Water Division 1, entered on February 9, 1998. 3.2 Water Rights to be Used for Augmentation: Return flows from the use of not-nontributary and nontributary groundwater and direct discharge of nontributary groundwater. 3.3 Statement of Plan for Augmentation: The not-nontributary Upper Dawson Aquifer groundwater will be withdrawn through wells located on three lots on the Subject Property, to provide water for inhouse use in two single-family dwellings per lot. The in-house use will be 0.3
each of the three lots), for a total of 0.15 acrefeet per year. Sewage treatment for in-house use will be provided by non-evaporative septic systems. Return flow from in-house use will be approximately 90% of that use and return flow from irrigation use will be approximately 15% of that use. During pumping Applicants will replace actual depletions pursuant to C.R.S. § 37-90-137(9)(c.5). Depletions occur to the South Platte River stream system and return flows accrue to that stream system and are sufficient to replace actual depletions while the subject groundwater is being pumped. Applicants will reserve an equal amount of nontributary groundwater underlying the Subject Property to meet post-pumping augmentation requirements. Applicants reserve the right to amend the amount and uses of water and the claimed return flow amounts without amending or republishing the application. 4. Name(s) and address(es) of owner(s) or reputed owner(s) of the land upon which any new diversion or storage structure, or modification to any existing diversion or storage structure is or will be constructed or upon which water is or will be stored, including any modification to the existing storage pool. Applicants. Applicants request the Court approve this augmentation plan, find there will be no material injury to the owners of or persons entitled to use water under any vested water right or decreed conditional water right, and grant such other and further relief as is appropriate.
THE WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED BY THESE APPLICATIONS MAY AFFECT IN PRIORITY ANY WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED OR HERETOFORE ADJUDICATED WITHIN THIS DIVISION AND OWNERS OF AFFECTED RIGHTS MUST APPEAR TO OBJECT WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR BE FOREVER BARRED. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to
