Castle Rock ceremony marks launch of 23rd Judicial District
George Brauchler is sworn in as new
district attorney
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A large crowd gathered at Douglas County’s justice center in Castle Rock for a ceremony to mark the creation of Colorado’s rst new judicial district in roughly 60 years, a move that breaks Arapahoe County o into its own district and leaves Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties with their own court system.
“ is moment is a testament to the growth and evolution of our community, a recognition that the needs of our citizens are ever-changing and that our judicial system must evolve alongside them,” Chief Judge Ryan Stuart, of the new 23rd Judicial District, said in a news release.
Before, Colorado’s court system was made up of 22 judicial districts, and the 18th district included Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
But the state legislature — at least partly driven by a political split in the 18th district — decided to break it up, moving Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties into the new 23rd district. e Colorado Judicial Branch celebrated the establishment of the 23rd district at a swearing-in ceremony Jan. 14 at the Douglas County Courthouse.
Erik Frandsen takes his seat as
Parker’s newest town councilmember
LENA
In his new role, Parker resident Erik Frandsen is looking forward to doing what’s best for the town. Frandsen, who has lived in Parker
for about a decade, was appointed to ll the vacancy position on the Parker Town Council left by Joshua Rivero following Rivero’s election to serve as Parker’s mayor in November.
“I’m so deeply honored for the opportunity to serve,” said Frandsen.
“
ere is no agenda here, it’s to do what’s best for the town in my short time.”
Frandsen joins Councilmembers Anne Barrington, Todd Hendreks,
With the launch of a new judicial district comes a new district attorney — George Brauchler, a Republican and former district attorney who won election by a large margin for the new DA seat in November. e race in Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln encompassed an area that made for a deep-red electorate.
A district attorney serves as the head prosecutor for a region of Colorado’s courts, also leading the prosecutors who work in that DA’s o ce. e o ce is responsible for prosecuting crimes that occur in the area.
After being sworn in to o ce, Brauchler said: “We are in the business of justice.”
“ e rule of law for me means no one is above the law. We don’t show any favoritism. We don’t care about race, creed, religion, sexual orientation” or gender, Brauchler said, adding: “I don’t care about immigration status. You commit a crime in this (place), this community, you should have the same expectation as anybody else.”
Brauchler, a longtime politician who has appeared on ballots in several elections, served eight years as DA for the 18th district, wrapping up his term in 2021.
Many o cials take o ce
More than 300 people were in attendance during the ceremony and witnessed the swearing in of 150 sta to the district, including district court judges, county court judges, and the chief
Parker Municipal Judge Vincent White swears in Parker resident Erik Frandsen on Jan. 13 to serve as a town councilmember, filling the seat left by Joshua Rivero when he was chosen as mayor.
PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
Douglas County leaders express support for deportation plan
Local o cials frame their stance as a move of ‘safety and compassion’
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In an act framed as one of “safety and compassion,” Douglas County o cials expressed support for President Donald Trump’s anticipated plan to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally, and they also expressed support for legal immigration.
“During his reelection campaign, President Donald Trump expounded the dangerous state of immigration in the United States and his plans to resolve the crisis, including securing America’s borders and the lawful and safe deportation of immigrants illegally present in the United States,” a resolution passed unanimously on Jan. 14 by Douglas County’s three Republican commissioners says.
“Douglas County requests President Trump’s immigration policies be implemented in Colorado, including Douglas County,” the resolution adds.
e expression of support came as one commissioner, George Teal, opposed recent comments from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who spoke against the idea of a large deportation e ort.
“ e mayor of Denver (talked) about the fact that he would use police, he would use the power of the state to enforce … his views against (actions) taken by President Trump,” Teal said before the commissioners’ vote. “First of all, I was appalled that we would hear that from a mayor in the State of Colorado.”
Douglas o cials made claims about undocumented immigrants and crime, framing Trump’s expected deportation e ort as a matter of public safety.
“Most of the crime being committed in the immigrant community is immigrant against immigrant,” Teal claimed. And “they’re not calling the police. I want to use the phrase ‘ma a.’ I want to use the phrase ‘reverting to organized crime.’”
Abe Laydon, another commissioner, noted his own Latino heritage before voting for the resolution.
“I am deeply sensitive” to people seeking refuge, Laydon said. But “the money is not there to beckon people to a coldweather climate (that lacks) resources.”
e county “joins and stands with state and local governments across the United States, including Castle Rock, Colorado, who pledge their resources and commitment in aiding President Trump in his work to solve America’s Immigration Crisis,” the resolution says.
e Castle Rock Town Council recently — with one abstention — declared support for Trump’s deportation plans.
A county news release framed the Douglas resolution in terms of “safety and compassion.”
“Illegal immigration creates safety concerns, including for migrants, who frequently become the victims of crime and abuse,” Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said in the release.
Douglas o cials support legal immigration, Laydon said in the news release.
“ is resolution is about the safety and welfare of our hardworking taxpayers, including those who come to enjoy the quality of life in Douglas County through the proper legal channels,” Laydon said in the release.
“I want to use the phrase ‘mafia.’ I want to use the phrase ‘reverting to organized crime.’”
George Teal Douglas County commissioner
Deportations in large numbers aren’t new — and don’t only happen under Republican presidents — but the topic has garnered attention amid Trump’s rise to return to the presidency.
e U.S. deported more than 270,000 immigrants in a recent 12-month period, the highest amount annually in a decade, according to a government report as described in a story by e Guardian news outlet.
e deportations were nearly double, from 142,580 in the same period a year earlier, and came as part of a broader push by President Joe Biden to reduce illegal immigration, the outlet reported.
‘Unintended consequences’
During public comment before the commissioners’ vote, Jennifer Patterson, who said she lives in Douglas County and appeared on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, opposed the resolution.
“We do not support deporting these immigrants who have no history of major and/or violent criminal activity,” Patterson said.
e resolution “risks being misinterpreted and will likely lead to unintended consequences,” she argued.
Deporting immigrants would damage the economy, said Patterson, who argued that the “loss of immigrant payroll taxes”
would hurt the economy in Colorado.
Julie Ort, another Douglas County resident, said the resolution “has no speci cs” on how the county wants to o er support to a deportation e ort.
“ ere’s no speci cs about what you’re planning to do whether that’s (using) law enforcement,” Ort said, adding: “ e statistics you cited have nothing to do with any issues (that are) crime related in Douglas County per se.”
Teal responded by saying: “ ere are real victims here in Douglas County.”
“ e reality is we do know of crime that is being committed by illegal immigrants in Douglas County,” Teal said. e county did not immediately respond for comment when asked whether o cials know how many immigrants who do not have citizenship or other authorization to be in the U.S. have been convicted of crimes that were committed in Douglas County since December 2022, around when Denver’s tracking of the number of migrants served by the city starts. Colorado Community Media will follow up for comment.
Local data on reported crime
Some candidates for the November election painted con icting pictures of crime in Douglas County.
So what does the data say?
For 2023, the most recent full year of data, the state’s database shows about 31,100 violent crimes reported in Colorado. at’s down from about 32,600 in 2022 but remains higher than the prepandemic recent high of about 26,100 in 2018.
In 2024, a year for which data appear to only currently be available through November, the number of reported violent crimes in Colorado stood at about 27,500, according to the state’s database on Jan. 14 this year.
Violent crime in the data includes murder, non-consensual sex o enses, aggravated assault and robbery, according to the database.
For the Douglas County Sheri ’s Ofce, the state’s database shows about 480 violent crimes in 2023, down from the recent pandemic-era high of about 510 in 2021. e 2023 number is close to the
pre-pandemic recent high of about 460 in 2018.
For 2024 so far in the database, the number of reported violent crimes in the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce data stood at 450, according to the state’s database on Jan. 14 this year. e sheri ’s o ce is the law enforcement agency for Douglas areas outside of cities and towns — known as unincorporated places, such as Highlands Ranch — along with Castle Pines and Larkspur. On the state’s website, data is current through the last full month, plus a 30-day data-entry lag. For example, April data is available beginning June 1, the site says.
County fights state
Van Winkle, the commissioner, said before voting on the resolution that “at the heart of this” issue is a restriction of local law enforcement regarding immigrants.
“It simply is our voice saying we support communication between local law enforcement and federal partners,” Van Winkle said.
After several counties, including Douglas, pushed a lawsuit challenging two Colorado laws that prevent local governments from cooperating with the federal government on matters of immigration, a judge recently ruled that the counties do not have standing, or the legal basis to sue.
On the counties’ argument regarding the Douglas County sheri being unable to comply with a federal civil immigration detainer request, the Code of Federal Regulations does not mandate that political subdivisions comply with such requests, Judge David Goldberg of the Denver District Court wrote.
“A federal civil immigration detainer request is just that, a request,” the judge wrote. “A nding that the federal government may command the states to carry out federal initiatives, such as civil immigration detainer requests, would unquestionably run afoul of longstanding and established constitutional limitations, such as the anti-commandeering doctrine.”
Douglas County planned to appeal the ruling.
Douglas County’s building at 100 Third St. in Castle Rock, where o cials often hold public meetings, is pictured here in August 2023. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Expect a Lot of Talk About Making Homes Fire-Resistant. Here’s
The whole world has watched in horror as wind-driven fires have ravaged Southern California, According to available data, approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives within two miles of the WildlandUrban Interface (WUI), meaning roughly 100 million Americans are situated in areas at risk of wildfires due to their proximity to wildlands. That’s 45 million residences that could be destroyed quickly, given the “perfect storm” of high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.
It was that combination that destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder County three years ago.
sealed is essential when fire breaks out. The windows should be closed, of course, but keep in mind that if the windows have vinyl framing, it could melt, allowing the window to fall out. Aluminum framing melts at 1100º F, so metal or fire-rated wood framing is best. You could even install fire shutters or roll-down steel shutters, allowing you to keep your current vinyl windows.
My Contribution.
My Previous Columns on This Topic (posted at www.JimSmithColumns.com)
Sept. 14, 2023 — I Found Only One Marshall Fire Home Being Rebuilt With Fire Resistance in Mind
Jan. 5, 2023 — Revisiting Lessons Learned from the Marshall Fire a Year Later
Just like then, we are beginning to see pictures of homes that didn’t burn in the middle of neighborhoods where every other house was burned to the ground. Below is one such picture taken by the architect who built it, Greg Chasen. There was even a car parked on the property line that burned so hot that the aluminum from the car melted, flowing in a stream toward the sidewalk. A video link with this article on our blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, includes Chasen explaining how he designed the home to survive just such a fire.
Embers will land on your roof, so a metal roof is best. There are some attractive stone-coated steel roofs that resemble wood shakes or composition shingles.
If you have a vented attic, you can install screens with 1/16-inch mesh that will keep 99% of embers out of your home.
The most important factor in keeping a fire out of a house is eliminating wind-driven embers from entering the attic. Most homes have ventilated attics, with soffit vents to let air in and roof vents to let the air out. In the above house, there is no attic and therefore no vents.
In my Oct. 13, 2022, column (see box above right), I wrote about two homes in Superior that didn’t burn because they had “conditioned” attics with no openings for ventilation. Instead of blown-in insulation resting on the attic floor, the ceilings of the attics (the underside of the roof) in both homes were insulated with closed-cell foam — in other words, attics were conditioned (heated and cooled) like the rest of the house. Because most fires spread through windblown embers, keeping a home completely
Some building codes now require fire sprinklers, but sprinklers probably wouldn’t be in your unconditioned attic. If a fire enters your attic, the PVC pipes in the attic for delivering water to your top floor sprinkler heads would likely melt before the sprinklers activate, which would be too late anyway.
If you have flammable roofing, you might install sprinkler heads on your roof ridges to keep the roof wet during an ember storm, but don’t bother doing that if you haven’t made your attic ember-proof!
Wood decks, wood fences and vegetation that touches your house will receive windblown embers and, after burning next to your house for a while, will ignite your home, so consider replacing or eliminating the deck, installing steel fencing, and eliminating all vegetation within five feet of your home, especially juniper bushes, which make great kindling for starting a house fire.
If you’ll be replacing your windows, having the outer pane be tempered glass makes it much more resistant to breakage from heat, and pay attention to the window frames, as I mentioned above.
If building a new home, adobe walls are best, because “dirt doesn’t burn.” In my Sept. 14, 2023, column I reported on a Marshall
Oct. 13, 2022 — Homes That Survived the Marshall Fire Were More Airtight and Had Conditioned Attics
Jan. 20, 2022 — Here Are More Examples of Concrete Construction and Fire-Resistant Roofing
Jan. 13, 2022 — Homes Built of Concrete Garner Increased Interest in Wake of Marshall Fire
Jan. 6, 2022 — Last Week’s Fire Disaster Is a Wake-up Call for Building More FireResistant Homes
Fire rebuild made from “Ecoblox,” a product of Lisa Morey’s startup, Colorado Earth
Here is a picture of homeowners Matteo Rebeschini and Melanie Glover at the factory where the Ecoblox for their home were being manufactured. Ecoblox also have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional bricks, because they are not fired, but merely compressed.
Building with dirt has a long and proven track record dating back 10,000 years, and is clearly the most proven material for building a fire-resistant home. Learn more at www.ColoradoEarth.com Their factory is near Brighton. Lisa built 25 homes in New Zealand before returning to the United States and co-authoring a book on the subject, Adobe Homes for All Climates
China and New Zealand are leaders, it appears, in the resurgence of this building technique. Read more at www.earthhomes.co.nz.
The reason for using bricks instead of its predecessor technology, rammed earth, is that it can be reinforced with steel rods and concrete to make the structure earthquake resistant, not just fireresistant.
Of necessity, this article only begins to deal with hardening an existing home or building a fire-resistant home. In researching this topic, I discovered a website www.WildfirePrepared.org, which has an amazingly thorough checklist of actions to take which result in the awarding of a “Wildfire Prepared Home” or “Wildfire Prepared Home Plus” certificate which is recognized by insurers in Oregon and California, but not yet in other states. Nevertheless, it is a terrific menu of actions you could take to make your Colorado home fire-resistant. I have put a link to it with this article at http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com
PBS Show to Feature Local Net Zero Home
This coming Saturday, January 25th, Rocky Mountain PBS will broadcast another episode of “Heart of a Building,” this time featuring John Avenson’s amazing net zero home in Westminster. It will air at 5:00, between “This Old House” and “Weekend NewsHour.”
neer, has continued to enhance the home’s performance as each new technology, such as coldweather heat pumps, was introduced.
John’s home was built by SERI (Solar Energy Research Institute), the former name of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) as a demonstration project of passive solar design, with the limited active solar technology available at that time. Since, then, John, a re-tired Bell Labs engi-
You’ll be impressed at how far John has gone to have his home be an educational installation which he keeps open to the public. It has been on multiple green home tours. Look for the half-hour program at 5:00 pm this coming Saturday on both Channel 6 and Channel 12. The series is a production of Rocky Mountain PBS, but it will air nationally on all PBS stations at a later date.
Elbert County breeder trains service dogs
Kamo’s Working K-9 owner takes personalized approach
BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Kammie Weatherby, owner of Kamo’s Working K-9 in Elbert County, loves dogs and works tirelessly to turn even private pets into valuable, happy service dogs. She breeds dogs and o ers a ordable private training for dogs and their owners, depending on the dog’s natural instincts and the owner’s needs.
Weatherby is passionate about what she does and clearly enjoys helping those around her. “I want to help people that feel like they have no help, that feel like they’re not heard,” she said.
Weatherby didn’t set out to start a service dog business. rough her previous work as a dog groomer and at a veterinary clinic, people observed the skill of Weatherby’s own dogs and would ask her for help. One woman, Donna, had multiple sclerosis and struggled with mobility and maneuvering around her home. She was unable to pick things up and couldn’t even put her socks on.
Service dogs from other providers typically cost around $40,000, Weatherby said, an amount that’s out of reach for many. Not only that, but as Weatherby described, the dog is not chosen with a speci c owner in mind, customers receive only one week with the dog in a training facility and, after the dog is placed, there’s not much support.
For those reasons and more, Weatherby suggested that she help train a dog for Donna. Weatherby prefers to use dogs that are already familiar with their owner or one of her own dogs, so she visited Donna’s home to see her environment and observe her dog.
By training Donna’s dog, Weatherby was able to help Donna better navigate and overcome the limitations of her MS. Weatherby even taught Donna’s granddaughter some obedience training too. “Kids do great with dogs connecting with animals. Little kids can train a dog better and faster than any owner,” Weatherby said.
How it began
Weatherby didn’t start out with any formal training but has handled, trained and showed dogs since she was 8. Because her father was a hunter and the family owned Irish setters, it was necessary for Weatherby to learn how to train the dogs. Weatherby is also a professional groomer. Her mom loved toy poodles, one of which was so nasty the groomer refused to deal with her. at’s how Weatherby
became an apprentice groomer at age 8, scissors in hand, and a professional groomer by age 16.
For decades, Weatherby helped run a veterinary clinic and groomed dogs there. She’d bathe dogs, help with surgeries and groom at the same time. In 2012, Weatherby was in a severe car accident and broke her back and neck. As a result of this trauma, Weatherby developed an autoimmune disorder and ended up needing a service and mobility dog. She trained her own Doberman to assist her and, happily, Weatherby’s other dogs learned by that example.
After that, her business grew organically, one person at a time. She started helping anybody who had disabilities. By 2015, training service dogs became her focus. Most dogs Weatherby has trained belong to people she’s met locally or through local connections. She also travels nationally for dog shows and meets clients that way too.
Weatherby charges a at rate of $5,000 for a year of support and training. Clients come visit Weatherby’s home rst and then Weatherby spends a week at their home. She wants to evaluate their situa-
From left: Kammie Weatherby, owner of Kamo’s Working K9, her dog Bane, Lisa Analetto and Ziggy. The group visited the ECCO Thrift Store in Kiowa to help socialize and train the dogs.
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
Cotton, a mini-dachshund bred by Kamo’s Working K9s, works at Kepley Middle School in Ulysses, Kansas. Kim Sandoval, a teacher at the school, is Cotton’s owner. COURTESY OF KAMMIE WEATHERBY
SERVICE DOGS
tion, hang out with family and go on outings to see how their dogs react to them.
“It’s all about getting the owner to connect with the dog the right way and all I do is draw that out,” Weatherby explained. “Most people put their own emotions onto their dog, people put the emotion onto their animals which can create negative behavior in their dogs.” Part of her fee includes ongoing feedback and support as clients work with their dogs.
Human-animal bond
Weatherby relies on a dog’s own inclinations and learning styles. She also teaches owners how to work and communicate with their own dogs. “We draw those little signals out, that tell the owner to pay attention,” she said. “If you’re not paying attention to the dog, you don’t know how it learns.”
In contrast to typical service dog providers, Weatherby values letting a dog choose their person, so the right dog is matched to the right person. Part of the reason she invites people to come to her home is so she can get a feel for the person and the dog. Weatherby says she’s never had a dog she didn’t match correctly.
“It’s always surprising — whatever dog we think is gonna work, it always ends up being another dog,” Weatherby laughed. “It’s fun to nd out which soul is gonna choose which person — it’s an
amazing thing to do.”
Case in point, Weatherby’s own dog, Bane, was returned three times from other owners before nally ending up as Weatherby’s service dog. Bane, a Belgian Malinois, came from a breeder in Kansas and just couldn’t nd the right person until he met Weatherby. at breeder, Kenzie Croft, actually boarded one of Weatherby’s dogs to help acclimate him to children. Styles, a Skye terrier, was not supposed to stay permanently in Croft’s home but ended up sensing that something was wrong with Croft’s 3-year-old and wouldn’t leave her side. In the end, it turned out that the little girl, Kashley, would be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and Styles became a permanent xture in the Croft home.
Weatherby breeds dogs to sell as service dogs, including Skye terriers, dachshunds, and Vizslas.
Kamo’s Working K9 holds back two puppies from every litter to donate to those in need, whether that be a disabled child, a family with unique health conditions or special needs, or teachers who can bene t from a service dog in their classroom.
Weatherby’s goal is to get dogs into classrooms where they can help as many students as possible. Skye terriers, which are endangered, have long hair that can be very calming to students and special needs children.
For more information on the boarding or training Weatherby provides, or to inquire about a donated dog, visit Kamo’s Kennels on Facebook at tinyurl.com/bdeywtzp or call 719-725-1305.
Kashley Croft with one of Weatherby’s service dogs, a Skye terrier named Styles. Styles helped alert Kashley’s family that something was wrong and she was subsequently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Styles accompanies Kashley to school to this day.
A Cane Corso puppy in training takes a welldeserved break.
FEB23
6:30PM • PACE CENTER
“SLICK, SKILLFUL AND UTTERLY COMPELLING!” EdinburghSpotlight.com
“SEE THIS SHOW!” BroadwayBaby.com
“THE CLOSEST THING TO A REAL-LIFE SHERLOCK HOLMES” Daily Record
DIRECT FROM HIS HEADLINING SHOW ON THE VEGAS STRIP, COLIN CLOUD HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS “THE REAL-LIFE SHERLOCK HOLMES,” ASTOUNDING AUDIENCES WITH HIS UNCANNY ABILITY TO READ YOU LIKE A BOOK.
MAR8 10:00 AM & 12:00 PM THE SCHOOLHOUSE
MAR30 2:00 & 6:30 PM PACE CENTER
MAR26 6:30 PM PACE CENTER
APR5 10:00 AM THE SCHOOLHOUSE
AdventHealth Parker expands amid town’s growth
$300 million expansion will bring additional patient rooms, operating rooms and laboratories
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After years of planning, a smile came to Michael Goebel’s face, the CEO of AdventHealth Parker, as he watched shovels hit the ground, marking the start to the hospital’s expansion.
Located on the south side of the existing facility, construction of a new sevenstory tower will begin in February, with plans to care for the rst patient by February of 2027.
“ is facility will set Parker up very well for the future of this market, this service area,” said Goebel. “I’ll be very happy to see it come to fruition.”
From the current 179-bed hospital, the $300 million expansion will add at least 60 new patient rooms, four operating rooms with two additional rooms that will be shelled for future use, 16 new preand post-operative rooms, two cardiac catheterization labs, two interventional radiology labs and a new sterile processing department.
Goebel attributes the expansion to the sophistication of the hospital’s services and the growth of the community.
availability to be able to care for our patients.”
Nadon, who specializes in critical care medicine, neurocritical care and pulmonary disease, has been with the Parker hospital for more than 10 years. Although he has worked in di erent hospitals, he said Parker has always been one of the most special places to work and is excited for the expansion as it will allow him to help grow the intensive care unit.
“It’ll mean an expansion of the ICU so that we’re there to be able to support the patients that are really sick (and) support my colleagues on the medical sta who have patients that need the ICU after having complex or di cult surgeries,” said Nadon. “(It) means more space.” e idea of the expansion started shortly after Goebel became the CEO. A master facility plan began formation in 2019. e detailed plan helped the hospital determine what services were needed based on local, regional and national utilization rates.
Currently, Parker’s population is over 62,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and grew about 7.2% within a three year period. However, according to the Town of Parker website, the town has approximately 67,300 people residing within the incorporated town boundaries as of January 2024, which is the most recent data available from the town.
AdventHealth has also cared for patients outside of Parker. For nearly 21 years, the hospital has served the entire southeast Denver metro area.
AdventHealth Parker rst opened in 2004, and since then, the population of Parker has grown about 72%, according to the hospital, and is expected to grow another 8% by the time the tower opens.
“It’s de nitely trying to make sure we meet the needs of our market,” Goebel said.
With an expansion that covers various areas of the hospital, Aaron Nadon, MD, and AdventHealth Parker medical sta president, said the expansion allows sta to be able to provide more and better care to the patients.
“Parker and the surrounding area just continues to grow and the hospital has just needed to grow with that,” said Nadon. “We’ve certainly seen some growing pains where we’re kind of reaching capacity, or just needing more space and
Additionally, with more than 1,100 employees, AdventHealth Parker is currently the town’s largest employer, said Goebel, and when the tower opens in 2027, it is expected to create at least 100 additional jobs.
Brett Spenst, AdventHealth’s CEO for the Rocky Mountain region, said in a statement that the goal of AdventHealth is to be a “preeminent healthcare system” known for whole-person care.
“With this aspiration guiding us, it is our sacred duty to expand our services and continue to grow so that more people can achieve wholeness in mind, body and spirit,” Spenst said.
AdventHealth Parker hospital sta and Parker elected o cials on Jan. 7 break ground on the seven-story expansion outside of the hospital. The expansion is expected to open for care in early 2027.
COURTESY OF DEREK KNOPP
The Douglas County School District building in Castle Rock is shown last July. The school board discussed a proposed policy for school closures, which it will vote on at the Jan. 28 meeting.
PHOTO BY ARIA MARIZZA
Douglas County School Board discusses draft closure policy
Vote will take place at Jan. 28 meeting
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Douglas County School Board will vote on a proposed policy for school closures later this month, following discussions of the criteria to guide the process.
At the Jan. 14 meeting, the school board discussed the draft policy to guide school closures, which are planned for up to three elementary schools in Highlands Ranch in 2026. e board will vote on the policy at the Jan. 28 meeting.
No speci c schools have been named for closure, but the district is planning to merge between four and six schools as enrollment has been declining in the Highlands Ranch area for more than a decade.
e decision of which schools to pair will be made this spring and nalized on April 22, and then there will be a transition year before the schools are merged for the 2026-27 school year.
e proposed policy for school closures would prioritize preserving the “integrity of school communities,” while accounting for tra c management, safety, walkability, building quality and limitations, maximizing school programs, enrollment and nancial sustainability.
An online dashboard created by the district shows data for each of the 16 elementary schools in Highlands Ranch, including current and projected enrollments.
Superintendent Erin Kane said community engagement and transparency are priorities of the closure process.
“We want to make it as transparent and easy as possible for our public to browse the information that we have and look at scenarios,” Kane said.
In addition to criteria, the policy lists considerations, which include sta ng, class sizes, additional programming accommodations and accessibility to local resources such as parks and emergency services.
More details about the plans for open enrollment, sta ng and special education are expected to be available in early February, said Steve Colella, the district’s chief of sta .
“Superintendent sta will account for both criteria and considerations once the pairings are made in April,” Colella said.
Board members voiced support for the proposed policy while suggesting it include more details. Board member Valerie ompson said she would like the policy to include more information on the district’s public engagement process and data transparency.
“I think we might want to include in the policy some of the processes that (sta ) engaged in that have been really e ective,” ompson said.
e board also asked for the policy to be explicit in the ways that the district will account for the impacts to sta . e district has promised that sta impacted by the Highlands Ranch closures will be offered a commensurate job in the district.
e district will have a virtual community meeting to take feedback and answer questions about the proposed policy at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 29.
More information about the process can be found at www.dcsdk12.org/about/ growth-and-decline.
6:30
ADULT CLASSES
Stay active and engaged with a variety of adult classes from culinary and visual arts to dance and drama!
YOUTH AND TEEN CLASSES
Keep your child learning, active and inspired with classes and school break camps in visual and performing arts, technical theater, science, engineering, culinary, and more! DISCOVER THE ARTS AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR!
Parker Arts partners with some of the best enrichment providers in Colorado to offer a fun and educational summer experience for kids of all ages and interests. Camps offered include half-day and full-day options from June 2nd through Aug. 1st.
EXPLORE CLASSES AND REGISTER AT P ARKERARTS.ORG/EDUCATION
As the calendar turns to a new year, many re ect on our personal and professional growth. What goals will we set? What dreams will we chase? And, more importantly, how will we muster the con dence to pursue them? After more than 25 years in personal and professional development, particularly in sales and sales management, I believe con dence is the cornerstone of success in nearly every endeavor.
I’m often asked, “What is the number one trait of a successful salesperson?” People expect me to say something like I have a knack for prospecting, asking insightful questions, or have a talent for closing deals with a killer instinct. While those skills are valuable, the real secret lies in communicating e ectively and having authentic, adult-to-adult, truth-based conversations. At the heart of that
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Left causing divide
VOICES
Greater confidence for the new year
WINNING
ability are the three C’s of con dence: Con dence in Yourself. Believing in your abilities, knowledge, and potential is the foundation of condence. A salesperson who trusts their judgment and skills can navigate challenging conversations and objections with
Con dence in Your Products and Services. You must genuinely believe in the value of what you’re o ering. If you don’t trust that your products or services can solve your client’s problems, how can you expect them to believe it?
Con dence in Your Company. Knowing that your organization
It confuses me how someone can claim to be part of the party of love and compassion, as in a Jan. 2 letter, and then, in the same paragraph, call half of the country supporters of Nazism and white supremacy. e narrative that Trump is a racist, sexist, bigot, Nazi, and fascist was fundamentally denied when over half of the country voted to put him back in the White House last November. I would only hope that members of the self-proclaimed party of compassion would be able to accept that Americans overwhelmingly disagree with them on this issue and nd a way to improve America together. Instead, while they may claim to be holding the country together, they are actually the cause of the great divide. e great divide, as I like to call it,
between Republicans and Democrats, stems from a simple question that I would like to pose: What is an American? If our nation is truly held together by common ideas and one identity, it behooves us to state those ideas. e true reason for the fracture in our nation is that we simply cannot agree on what it means to be an American.
In the election this last November, Americans voted not only for candidates but for the ideas that those candidates support. What the left fails to understand is that the majority of Americans did not vote for Trump because they support fascism or any of the other false narratives but rather because they support his policies and ideas. e majority of Americans prefer an America- rst agenda, believe it or not. Ideas like family values, national security, and
America needs a youth sports revival
AGUEST COLUMN
stands behind you and will deliver on promises with white-glove service allows you to speak with assurance and credibility.
When you align these three types of con dence, your communication ability soars. You’re no longer just selling; you’re having meaningful, impactful conversations that build trust and inspire action.
But let’s step away from sales for a moment. Con dence is critical in every aspect of our lives. ink about it: What are you most con dent in?
Maybe you’re a great parent, an exceptional spouse, a gifted teacher, or a leader with unwavering integrity. ose areas of con dence give you strength, purpose, and ful llment. ey remind you of your unique talents and values.
peace through strength should be non-partisan issues. Still, in recent years the Democrats have shifted so far leftwards that those issues have become part of the right-wing’s core identity. ese once common values are now under attack, along with what it means to be an American. While each side claims to uphold American values, only one side can state what those values are. Americans did not vote a fascist or a white supremacist into o ce, but instead, someone who will uphold these values, along with the very idea of truth itself. You do not have to agree with everything Trump has done or even like him as a person, but you can still recognize that he at least can answer the question that the left cannot: What is an American?
Zacharias Gabert,Highlands Ranch
cross the country, young people are dropping out of organized sports. e share of kids ages 6 to 17 who participated in a team sport dropped by nearly 5 percentage points between 2017 and 2022. e decline isn’t primarily because kids are losing interest. Rather, what they’re losing is access — especially as the cost of participation continues to rise.
Reversing this trend is critically important for kids’ mental and physical health. So it’s worth looking at some of the barriers sports have faced, and how tennis is forward-thinking in this matter.
It’s no secret that learning and playing a sport at an early age can prove enormously valuable. Sports participation is associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in young people — as well as better selfesteem, improved cognition, and heightened physical literacy. Physical activity releases endorphins, feel-good hormones that put you in a better frame of mind and enhances brain connections. It helps kids maintain a healthy weight and sets young people on a path to a lifetime of healthy habits.
Barriers to sport involvement, especially nancial ones, have been growing ever more formidable. e average cost of playing youth basketball was over $1,000 a year in 2022. Soccer was almost 20% more expensive, at $1,188 a year on average. No wonder nearly two-thirds of families say the cost of youth sports is a nancial strain.
Tennis is one of the few sports to counter the trend of inaccessibility. Since 2019, the number of Americans ages 6 and older playing tennis has increased by 34 percent — and currently stands at 23.8 million.
Part of this success is tennis’s relatively low barriers to entry, especially compared to more equipment-heavy games like hockey, football, or skiing. All you need to get started is a racquet and a few balls — maybe $30 worth of equipment in total — and access to one of the nation’s roughly 270,000 tennis courts, which are typically free to use.
Modest equipment costs are only part of tennis’ growth. e game has found ways to adjust to people of all ages and abilities, including individuals who are too often told they cannot participate in sports because of physical, mental, or age-related challenges.
Tennis recognizes that not everyone needs to play on the same size court and by the same rules. All the way down to beginner youth (and all the way up to the elderly), adaptations are available, ranging from the speed and size of the ball, the size and weight of the racket, the size of the court, rules of service, scoring, and the length of a match. Importantly, wheelchair tennis has made a major breakthrough and is an exciting variant of the game that’s widely available.
Tennis is also a game young people can play into adulthood. ere are leagues and competitions across the country for players 18 and over, 40 and over, and even 95 and over.
Sports remain one of our best tools for combatting the crisis in youth health. All sports need to look for opportunities to expand their reach through custom tailoring to meet players where they are.
is guest column was written by Brian Hainline, MD, who is board chair and president of the United States Tennis Association and recently transitioned from the NCAA as their chief medical o cer. He cochaired the International Olympic Committee consensus meetings on both pain management in elite athletes and mental health in elite athletes. Hainline is clinical professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. is piece rst appeared in the Boston Herald.
Brian Hainline
SEE NORTON, P11
Make changes to help stave o dementia
Older adults and those who support them are invited to attend an educational meeting on ursday, Feb. 6. Laura Kneeskern from eKey will share information about ways anyone can modify their lifestyle to stave o dementia.
e meeting will be at Canvas Credit Union in the Community Room, 10000 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree. e meeting will begin with announcements from 10-10:15 a.m. Kneeskern will present information and take questions for one hour. e meeting will conclude with community conversation from 11:15-11:30 a.m. e meeting is free and open to the public.
LIVING & AGING WELL
According to Kneeskern, “Don’t we all want to maintain our brain health? Dementia a ects millions, but research shows that 45% of cases can be delayed or prevented by addressing modiable risk factors. From managing blood pressure to improving sleep and staying socially engaged, simple changes can make a big di erence. At eKey, we share practical, research-based strategies for reducing dementia risk.”
In other news, Mike Drake was recently honored with the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County All Star Award in appreciation of his many years of exceptional work supporting older adults. He started his older adult advocacy e orts in 1970. He was involved with the rst White House Aging Conference. Since retiring, he has lled volunteer roles supporting older adults starting in Arapahoe County and culminating with service in
Douglas County. “Mike Drake’s knowledge and experience brings exceptional insights regarding the needs and desires of our older adults,” stated Gretchen Lopez, SCDC leadership team.
Older adults in Douglas County are invited to attend monthly meetings and special events planned by the volunteer SCDC leadership team. e meetings and events keep older adults involved, informed, and give them a voice.
Older adult service providers like the Castle Rock Senior Activity Center and community partners including Douglas County Libraries contribute to positive progress for older adults in Douglas County.
A volunteer leadership team with support from Douglas County Community Services plans monthly educational meetings and special events as well as advocates for older adults. Additional volunteers are welcome to apply for shortterm or long-term volunteer roles with the leadership team.
Call 303-663-7681 or email dcseniorlife@douglas.co.us with questions. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ MyDougCoSeniorLife. For updates and information, visit www.douglas.co.us — search for Seniors’ Council.
is guest column was written by Jean Spahr, the publicity chair for the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County.
your skills and expand your knowledge. Learning bridges the gap between uncertainty and mastery, whether through formal education, reading, or hands-on experience.
Now, consider the ip side: Where do you lack con dence? Perhaps it’s your fear of speaking in public, leading a newly promoted team, or learning a new skill. A lack of con dence can feel like a wall between you and your goals, casting doubt on your ability to succeed. But here’s the thing: Con dence isn’t a xed trait; it’s a muscle you can build.
So, how do we strengthen our condence in areas where we feel weak? Here are a few strategies to consider: Start small and build momentum. First, tackle smaller, manageable challenges. Each success, no matter how minor, adds to your reservoir of con dence and prepares you for bigger hurdles.
Surround yourself with the right people. Con dence doesn’t exist in a vacuum; who you choose to surround yourself with matters. Are you spending time with people who uplift and encourage you, or with those who chip away at your self-belief? Build a circle of trusted coaches, mentors, and supporters. ese people will cheer you on when you’re hesitant and push you forward when self-doubt creeps in.
Embrace lifelong learning. Con dence grows when you take the time to improve
NORTON ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:
• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email
Practice self-compassion. We’re often our own harshest critics. When you stumble, remind yourself that failure is part of the process. Treat yourself with the same kindness and encouragement you’d o er a friend.
Whether you’re a salesperson striving for more meaningful conversations, a new leader nding your footing, or someone looking to grow personally, the path to greater con dence is within your reach.
With the right mindset, people around you, and a commitment to growth, this year can be your most con dent yet. So, as you set your resolutions and envision the year ahead, ask yourself: What will I do today to strengthen my condence for tomorrow? e answer might transform your life. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we gain greater con dence each day, it will be a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
subject line.
• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.
• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
A publication of
Call first: 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Mailing Address:
750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110
Phone: 303-566-4100
Web: ParkerChronicle.net
To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or Scan this QR Code
BROOKE WARNER Executive Director brooke@ntln.org
LINDA SHAPLEY Director of Editorial & Audience lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
CHRISTY STEADMAN South Metro Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
HALEY LENA Community Editor hlena@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
BUSINESS INQUIRIES
For advertiser or vendor questions, please email our business department at accounting@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Chronicle.
We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Parker Chronicle
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Parker, Colorado, the Chronicle is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 115 Wilcox St., Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
Send address change to: Parker Chronicle, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Polis repeats call to change how state calculates enrollment
Focus on multiple years makes Colorado an outlier, governor says in speech
BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT
Gov. Jared Polis doubled down on his call to change how the state calculates school districts’ state funding during his State of the State speech on Jan. 9.
In his speech, Polis repeated his proposal to use student enrollment from just a single year, instead of Colorado’s current method of using a four-year average, to fund schools.
“Colorado is an outlier when it comes to school funding — with our current system funding based on students who were enrolled four years ago,” Polis said. “It is past time to eliminate this antiquated system that funds empty chairs rather than actual students.”
e issue can quickly become technical but carries major signi cance for districts’ bottom lines. e change, which Polis rst introduced in his November budget proposal, has been criticized by some district leaders with declining student populations. ey said such a change would greatly reduce their state revenue.
e issue has also split lawmakers on how to proceed forward, especially because many
VACANCY
are worried about cutting into recent K-12 investments.
As Polis said, most states don’t average enrollment for the purpose of their budgets. But several have moved to Colorado’s model since the pandemic and in light of declining enrollment.
Eliminating the method of using a four-year average would save Colorado money in a tight budget year. Yet some school leaders and advocates have said that could also trigger large, single-year budget dips. District leaders also like averaging enrollment counts because it helps them prepare for budget declines over a greater length of time.
One recent study on Colorado school funding said the state should consider using either a single-year enrollment count or a three-year average, whichever is greater for each district.
In a news conference after his speech, Polis said he’s open to a discussion about di erent options, but reiterated he wants to make sure the state is funding students where they are — not where they were several years ago.
Lawmakers have said they want to gure out the best route forward to balance the state budget while also reducing the impact to districts.
Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Democrat, said in a recent interview that she’s studying how schools would be impacted by Polis’ proposal.
“I really appreciate some of the numbers that I’ve seen initially from districts with the
elimination of the averaging provision,” she said. “I want to explore and better understand those impacts.”
Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Republican, said after the governor’s speech that he’s advocated for a single-year count for 13 years.
“I don’t think we should pay for empty seats,” Lundeen said, although he also said he’s willing to work toward a compromise.
Meanwhile, House Education Committee Vice Chair and Majority Co-Whip Matthew Martinez, a Democrat, said he’s most concerned about how changes would impact rural districts, especially those in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. He said the new school nance formula invests money into rural schools that he serves, and he doesn’t want to see schools negatively a ected.
Members of the Joint Budget Committee, which crafts the budget, are still guring out how to address the issue.
During Chalkbeat Colorado’s legislative event, state Sen. Je Bridges, the Joint Budget Committee’s chair, said lawmakers are oating many ideas about how to lessen the impact of changing to a single-year enrollment count.
“For me, at the end of the day, it’s about what’s the impact on kids,” he said.
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
Club.
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.
John Diak, Brandi Wilks and Lara Hefta. He will hold the councilmember position until the next regular municipal election in November 2026. Frandsen will have the opportunity to run for reelection as an incumbent in that race.
Sitting on town council is not the first time Frandsen has served Parker. He was a board member on the town’s Planning Commission for nine years, and in that role, he provided recommendations to the town council on land use and related development issues.
He has also worked with nonprofits such as Prodigy Ventures, which works to promote workforce education for underserved youth, and the Impact Development Fund, which focuses on affordable housing.
“It’s good to have people who have a little bit of experience and understand what we’re up against,” said Diak, adding the councilmembers should be collaborative and open minded.
Frandsen has years of experience when it comes to working with others, understanding finance and engaging with the community. He currently works in the commercial real estate banking sector, serves as the president of the Canterberry Crossing neighborhood swim team and is a member of the Legend High School Theater Booster
He mentioned in his interview process that he would like to see the town further establish itself as a self-sustaining community. Therefore, he aims to focus on affordability and gain more Parker-area jobs and employers. He would also like to focus on the safety of the town by helping create a more pedestrian friendly and walkable downtown shopping district.
“We had some incredible candidates express interest in the position, and Erik really stood out during the interview process,” Rivero said in a statement. “His experience with the Planning Commission and other volunteer roles in our community will serve him well in representing the interest of Parker’s residents.”
Gov. Jared Polis gestures to the gallery while delivering his State of the State address at the Colorado Capitol on Jan. 9.
PHOTO BY HYOUNG CHANG/THE DENVER POST
Rumors of the Conifer veterinarian and Animal Planet star’s demise are greatly exaggerated
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A year ago, an international website published a story saying veterinarian Dr. Je Young had died. at single false story still resonates at Conifer’s Planned Pethood, the animal hospital owned by the former star of Animal Planet’s long-running “Rocky Mountain Vet.”
Young is now on his fourth round with cancer, but very much alive and with a still very intact sense of humor.
“People send us sympathy cards with checks, so I’ll call them and say, ‘I’m still alive,’” he said. “And I’ll o er to send the check back.”
No one has taken him up on that o er.
“ ey’re so happy and relieved he’s OK; they don’t care about the money they sent,” said Steve LuKanic, Planned Pethood’s marketing and communications director.
Young, 69, was rst diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, and had a portion of his lung removed, eliminating the cancer. In 2016, during a routine exam, doctors discovered he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a diagnosis he revealed on an episode of “Rocky Mountain Vet.” It went into remission after treatment. But in early 2023, he was diagnosed with lung cancer again. It is now in remission.
Dr. Je is alive
stage 4 lung cancer, and I will die. My goal is to have this facility be nancially soluble so it can go on long after I’m gone.”
Young is not taking time to think much about his diagnosis but is instead planning future renovations and expansions of Planned Pethood. During a recent tour of the facility, he barely paused to address his condition but admitted the cancer is causing him pain.
“My back hurts all the time,” he said, adding, “from the cancer but also from standing doing so many surgeries.” e rumors of his death have taken a toll on the veterinary clinic. People who once
supported it with donations and thought he had died stopped doing so.
“It does hurt us nancially; people think I’m not around and it’s going to go defunct,” he said.
But that’s not going to happen, he said. His wife, fellow veterinarian Petra Mickova, who runs the nonpro t organization with him, will ensure it.
“My wife is far smarter than me,” Young said. “She’s going to run an even tighter ship than I do.”
“Rocky Mountain Vet” launched in 2015. During its 8-year -run on Animal Planet, it was the network’s most-watched program, drawing 1.7 million viewers each week.
Dr. Je Young in his surgery room at Planned Pethood. Young is planning an addition and other renovations to the Conifer facility.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
PL8 POPULARITY
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If you feel like you’ve noticed more license plates with custom messages while driving on Colorado’s roads, you’re probably not alone. Numbers from state o cials reveal that those personalized plates are indeed becoming more popular.
Requests for custom plates in 2024 nearly tripled the number of requests from just six years earlier, with particu-
larly big gains in the past two years.
When asked whether the state Division of Motor Vehicles has any theories as to why personalized plates have become more common, spokesperson Jennifer Giambi said: “ e DMV cannot speculate why these have become more popular over the years.”
But while the reasons may not be clear, the trend appears strong. And the large jump in requests for custom plates since 2023 coincided with the introduction of Colorado’s retro black, blue and red
plates, three designs you’ve also probably seen out and about.
If you’re looking to customize your own plates with a word or message, it’s not necessarily as simple as walking into a county o ce and requesting the funny reference you joked about with your friends.
For one thing, the application is seven pages long. What’s more, messages that are deemed “o ensive to the general public” can be denied, according to Colorado’s application document.
You also must explain the meaning of the custom message you request — and if your explanation is too vague, the request will be rejected, the document says.
Here’s a look at the rise in popularity of custom plates, some messages that the state has rejected and how to apply if you’re thinking of personalizing your ride.
SEE PL8, P15
Personalized plate numbers up
Here’s the yearly number of personalized license plate requests — and how many o cials approved or rejected — in Colorado for each year going back to 2018, according to the state DMV.
( e state DMV was only able to provide information from 2018 onward because of a systems upgrade implemented that year, Giambi said.)
• 2018 — Approved requests: 25,818; rejected requests: 2,548; total: 28,366
• 2019 — Approved: 22,535; rejected: 437; total: 22,972
• 2020 — Approved: 19,291; rejected: 328; total: 19,619
• 2021 — Approved: 23,821; rejected: 419; total: 24,240
• 2022 — Approved: 38,054; rejected: 201; total: 38,255
• *2023 — Approved: 62,356; rejected 175; total: 62,531
• 2024 — Approved: 80,044; rejected 270; total: 80,314
What about that asterisk in 2023? It’s to point out that it was the rst year of Colorado o ering its retro black, blue and red plates, according to the state DMV. ose plates have roots in the past,
and the once-discontinued designs raise money for people with disabilities.
“ e rst blue-and-white plate was issued in 1914,” the state DMV said in a statement, adding: “ e rst year the allred background with white letters was issued was 1925.”
Colorado’s popular new black plate is modeled after a 1945 design, predating the state’s rst plate design with mountains by about 15 years, according to the state DMV.
For more information on the red, blue and black plates and the disability support funding, see Colorado Community Media’s previous story at tinyurl.com/ ColoradoPlates.
Rejected proposals
While many requests gain approval each year, plenty get rejected for being “foul, lewd or rude,” the state DMV said in a news release.
O cials may refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers that “carry connotations o ensive to good taste and decency” or duplicate any other license plate, the application document says, citing state law.
“ e DMV also follows the guidance laid out by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which states that unacceptable license plates include: profanity, derogatory reference
to a group based on age, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or religion; reference to illegal substances or criminal acts; sexual terms, intimate body parts, and bodily functions or uids; and references to acts of violence,” Giambi said.
Some rejected requests for license plate con gurations include “GYATTT,” “GTJIGGY” and “OMGWTF,” which appear on the o ensive-omit list, which the DMV uses to automatically reject most “foul, lewd or rude” requests, the division said in the 2024 news release.
See that list at tinyurl.com/LicensePlateReject.
How to get personalized license plates
If you’re looking to get a personalized plate of your own, get ready to explain your choice.
“Every entry requires an explanation,” Giambi said. “An entry can be rejected if no meaning is supplied.”
Here’s a look at some other criteria for custom plates:
• Only seven characters are allowed — six for motorcycles — including blank spaces, dashes and periods.
• e minimum amounts of characters allowed are ve for plates with numbers only and two for any other plate (all letters or combinations of letters and numbers).
• Spaces, dashes and periods count as a character. However, they do not change the con guration. For example, if “ABC” is taken, then “A B C,” “A-B-C,” and “A.B.C.” are also taken.
• Special symbols like !, #, $, %, * and so on are not allowed.
To be approved, requested customizations in Colorado don’t necessarily have to be original, according to the state DMV.
“A con guration can generally be reissued to either the same or a di erent individual as long as it has expired for more than 13 months,” Giambi said. It usually takes three days or less for a request for custom license plates to be rejected or approved in Colorado, but on occasion, it can take up to a week, Giambi said. e state makes the calls on which requests get approved.
“Personalized plates are a state-run program, and other than processing the transaction itself, the counties are not involved in the decision-making process,” Giambi said.
Custom plates carry a one-time personalization fee of $60 upon their initial registration and are an additional $25 upon renewal each year after, and other taxes and fees may apply, Giambi said.
For more information on custom license plates, see dmv.colorado.gov/ license-plates or call 303-205-5600.
Thu 1/30
Antonia Bennett @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Eric Golden @ 7:30pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Main‐street, Parker
The Meditations @ 9pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Fri 1/31
Just a Feeling (Colorado)
@ 7pm
Duncan Coker: Moe's Original BBQ- Songwriter Showcase @ 1pm
Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood
Syndee Winters: Syncopated Ladies LIVE! (Guest Artist) @ 7pm
Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Com‐mons St, Lone Tree
Wunderhorse @ 8pm Bluebird Theatre, Denver
Wed 2/05
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 4pm Denver
Back to the Future - The Musical @ 7:30pm Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, 1400 Curtis Street, Denver
Friends of Chamber Music Denver: Dinner with the Danish String Quartetlate performance @ 8:15pm Nocturne, 1330 27th St, Denver
Thu 2/06
Teacup Gorilla: Jane/Eyre: A queer rock gothic romance @ 7:30pm
Mon 2/03
KSE Venue Ball Arena Walk-In Tour @ 1pm Denver
Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Splintered Autumn + Twazz + cLub + This House Has Lions
@ 7pm
Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Engle‐wood
The River Arkansas @ 9pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Sat 2/01
Giant Zero @ 5pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Lauren Mayberry (16 & Over)
@ 8pm Gothic Theatre, Englewood
Buntport Theater Company, 717 Lipan St, Denver
Dogs In A Pile w/ Atlas Radio @ 8pm Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver
Sun 2/02
Johnny & The Mongrels - Revival Denver Public House @ 3pm Revival Denver Public House, 630 E 17th Ave, Denver
Back to the Future the Musical (Touring) @ 7:30pm Buell Theatre, Denver
Unleashed Theater New Play Reading Series at Western Sky Bar & Taproom @ 6pm
Feb 6th - May 1st
Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans @ 7pm / $16-$1965 Ball Arena, Denver
Tue 2/04
Dave Hill @ 7pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Ariel Elias: Denver, CO @ 7:30pm Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village
Western Sky Bar & Taproom, 4361 S BROADWAY, Englewood. westernsky barco@gmail.com
Kat Edmonson @ 6:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Friends of Chamber Music Denver: Danish String Quartet @ 7:30pm
Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E Iliff Ave, Denver
Bryce Vine @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Eng 3, SW Dev & Eng
Cable Comm, LLC, Englewood, CO. Contrib to team resp for dsgn & dvlp new sw & web apps in an Agile dev envrnt use Java, Python, & SoapUI; Reqs: Bach or forgn equiv in CS, Eng or rltd; 2 yrs exp prfrm Behavior Driven Dev use Gherkin w/in Cucumber framework. Salary: $94,578 to $135k/yr. Benefits: https://jobs.comcast.com/life-at-co mcast/benefits. App window: 30 days (+/- depend on # of applicnts). Apply to:
Job_Candidates@comcast.com
Ref Job ID# 4039
Eng, Mob Dev – Comcast Cable Comm, LLC, Englewood, CO.
Contrib to teams resp for dsgn & dev new iOS sw & apps; Reqs: Bach or forgn equiv in CS, Eng or rltd; 2 yrs exp dev sw & web apps; wrk w/ Apple iOS releases, techs, & librs, incl Frameworks & CocoaPods. Salary: $94,578 to $170k/yr. Benefits: https://jobs.comcast.com/life-at-co mcast/benefits. App window: 30 days (+/- depend on # of applicnts). Apply to:
Job_Candidates@comcast.com
Ref Job ID# 4321.
RingCentral, Inc.
Job Title: Senior Security operations Engineer (FT; Multiple Openings)
Job Location: Centennial, CO Requirements: MS or equiv. in CS, IS, etc. + 2 yrs. exp. or BS + 5 yrs. exp. req’d. Exp. w/ Windows, macOS, Linux, antivirus tools, firewalls, email monit, two-factor authn, AWS, AWS security tools, Python, SIEM, IDS/IPS, WAF, EDR, CVE, CVSS, SOX, SOC2, GDPR&HIPPA req’d. Apply online at ringcentral.com/company/careers
MARKETPLACE
Misc. Notices
WIDOWED MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA.
A social club offering many exciting activities and life long friendships. Social hours for all areas of Metro Denver. Visit Widowedamerica.org for details In your area!
Merchandise
Firewood
Split & Delivered $450 a cord Stacking $50 Call 303-647-2475 or 720-323-2173
Health & Beauty
Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258
Medical
Attention oxygen therapy users! Discover oxygen therapy that moves with you with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. Free information kit. 1-866-4779045
Miscellaneous
Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-3993595
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call 1-888-489-3936
Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-878-9091
We buy houses for cash as is! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer & get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-8775833
Become a published author We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-7294998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ ads
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. Offer ends 3/30/25.) Call 1-844-501-3208
Miscellaneous
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866859-0405
Water damage cleanup: A small amount of water can cause major damage to your home. Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!
Portable Oxygen Concentrator may be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobil-ity with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 877-305-1535
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts
Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 833-308-1971
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris -blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833610-1936
Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢/ day! 1-844-591-7951
Instruction
FREE BIBLE STUDY
Taken privately by mail GIVE GOD A TRY
Kerry and Patty Franklin 9249 Broadway #200-544, Highlands Ranch, 80129 Castle Rock Church of Christ
We pay all postage.
Miscellaneous
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
Consumer Cellular - same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No longterm contract, no hidden fees free activation. All plans feature unlimited talk & text, starting at just $20/mo. Call 1-877-751-0866
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-5439189
Doodle Puppies Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com
Wanted
Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398
SWEARING IN
chief probation o cer, supervisors and other o cials, according to the news release.
Along with swearing in the new district attorney, Stuart swore in the assistant DA, the chief deputy DAs, the deputy DAs, the chief criminal investigator and criminal investigators.
e creation of the 23rd district allows for prosecutorial decisions and resources to focus on crime occurring in only Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln, a news release said.
e 18th district is left to only include Arapahoe County. Residents of Arapahoe County voted in a separate race to select a new district attorney in the November election.
Later that day, in Castle Rock at the county headquarters, new Douglas County Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle was sworn in to o ce.
Van Winkle was already sworn in as a
George Brauchler, the first-ever district attorney for Colorado’s new 23rd Judicial District, speaks on stage Jan. 14 at the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center in the Castle Rock area, where he was sworn in to o ce.
commissioner in December to ll a vacancy left by former Commissioner Lora omas, but he was sworn in again for his full term on Jan. 14.
“I look forward to many years of peace and prosperity led by us,” Van Winkle said
Douglas County Commissioner George Teal speaks Jan. 14 at the county headquarters in Castle Rock during a swearingin ceremony. Teal won reelection in November.
at a swearing-in ceremony with his fellow commissioners.
County Commissioner George Teal also began his new term in o ce. Teal won reelection in November.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
